Quick connect/disconnect for a surface cleaning machine
First Claim
1. In a quick connect/disconnect coupling for use in a surface cleaning machine or the like, a surface working tool with an opening in the center thereof, a generally circular ring connected to the working tool and disposed in its center opening, a drive hub adapted to be fitted down in the ring, an elastic toroid between the ring and hub mounted on one of them and opposing the other, an interference circumference on the other constructed so that when the ring and hub are axially brought together under a certain amount of force, the cirfumference and toroid interferingly bypass each other due to elastic distortion of the toroid, and a plurality of circumferential interlocks between the ring and hub that interfit to transmit rotation from the hub to the ring and working tool.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This is concerned with a surface cleaning machine such as a burnisher or scrubber and is more particularly concerned with a quick connect/disconnect holding and centering structure for high speed brush and pad use which is specifically constructed to accurately center a brush or pad and dampen any vibration so that the brush or pad may be operated at a high speed without special balancing, as well as to allow for each and quick connect or disconnect. The holding and centering structure comprises an opening in the center of a surface cleaning element adapted to receive a driven hub fitted down in the opening. A circumferential formation in the opening is adapted to interferingly bypass a complementary circumferential formation on the hub. One of the circumferential formations is uniformly distortable.
66 Citations
31 Claims
- 1. In a quick connect/disconnect coupling for use in a surface cleaning machine or the like, a surface working tool with an opening in the center thereof, a generally circular ring connected to the working tool and disposed in its center opening, a drive hub adapted to be fitted down in the ring, an elastic toroid between the ring and hub mounted on one of them and opposing the other, an interference circumference on the other constructed so that when the ring and hub are axially brought together under a certain amount of force, the cirfumference and toroid interferingly bypass each other due to elastic distortion of the toroid, and a plurality of circumferential interlocks between the ring and hub that interfit to transmit rotation from the hub to the ring and working tool.
- 12. A surface working element having an opening in the center thereof adapted to receive a driver hub fitted down in the opening of the working element, a circumferential formation in the element'"'"'s opening adapted to interferingly bypass a complementary circumferential formation on the hub when the two are pressed together under a certain amount of force, one of the circumferential formations being uniformly distortable, and a plurality of circumferential interlocks on the working element constructed and arranged to accept complementary interlocks on the hub so that when the hub is forced into the working element'"'"'s center opening and the circumferential formations bypass each other, the working element will be mounted on the hub for rotary working operation.
- 23. A ring adapted to be mounted in the center opening of a surface working tool and, when fitted therein, being adapted to receive a drive hub connected to a source of power, the ring having a central opening with a circumferential annulus formation defined therein adapted to interferingly and distortably bypass a cooperative annulus formation on the hub when the two are pressed together under a certain amount of force, one of the annulus formations being uniformly distortable, and a plurality of circumferentially arranged open sockets of a certain depth on one of them arranged to accept complementary lobes on the other so that when the hub is forced into and fully seated in the ring'"'"'s center opening and the circumferential annulus formation on the ring bypasses the cooperative annulus formation on the hub, the distortable annulus formation remains distorted to some degree and the ring and hub are locked together for unitary rotary operation.
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29. In a quick connect/disconnect coupling for use in a surface cleaning machine, a surface working tool with an opening in the center thereof, a generally circular ring formation on the working tool in its center opening, a drive hub adapted to be fitted down in the ring formation, an elastically distortable toroid between the ring formation and hub mounted on one of them and opposing the other, an interference circumference on the other constructed so that when the ring and hub are axially brought together under a certain amount of force, the circumference and toroid interferingly bypass each other due to elastic distortion of the toroid, a plurality of circumferential interlocks between the ring and hub that interfit to transmit rotation from the hub to the ring and working tool, and engaging surfaces between the ring formation and hub that engage when the hub is fully seated in the ring formation and the interlocks are engaged, the elastically distorted toroid being under a certain amount of preload when the surfaces engage.
- 30. A surface working tool having an opening in the center thereof adapted to receive a driver hub fitted down in the opening of the tool, an inside circumferential annulus in the tool opening adapted to interferingly bypass a cooperative annulus on the hub when the two are pressed together under a certain amount of force, one of the annuli being distortable, a plurality of circumferential interlocks on the working tool constructed and arranged to accept complementary interlocks on the hub so that when the hub is forced into the working tool'"'"'s opening and the annulus bypass each other the working tool will be mounted on the hub for a rotary working operation, and abutting surfaces on the working tool arranged to engage corresponding abutting surfaces on the hub when the hub is fully seated in the working tool and the interlocks are engaged.
Specification