Squeegee assembly for floor cleaning machine
First Claim
1. A squeegee assembly comprising:
- first and second plates having ends, said first and second plates positioned so that said ends of said first and second plates generally converge;
a squeegee blade positioned between said first and second plates;
a wedge bar positioned between said squeegee blade and said second plate, said wedge bar having an end with an angled surface and first and second converging surfaces; and
a wedge member having an angled surface which is positioned adjacent to said angled surface of said wedge bar, wherein movement of said wedge member in a first direction causes said wedge bar to move because of the cooperating angled surfaces of said wedge bar and said wedge member in a second direction, the movement of said wedge bar in said second direction causing said first surface of said wedge bar to move toward said squeegee blade, and said second surface of said wedge bar to move toward said second plate, thereby securing said squeegee blade to the squeegee assembly.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A squeegee assembly for use in a floor cleaning machine includes a housing which includes a forward plate and a rearward plate. The opposed ends of the forward plate and the rearward plate converge toward one another to form an interior wedge. One or more squeegee blades are disposed within the housing of the squeegee assembly adjacent to the forward and rearward plates thereof. A pair of wedge bars are provided within the housing of the squeegee assembly for releasably securing the squeegee blades thereto. The wedge bars are preferably identical, each having an outer shape which corresponds to the shape of the interior wedge defined by the forward and rearward plates. A wedge member is provided for moving the wedge bars between an engaged position, wherein the squeegee blades are frictionally engaged between the wedge bars and the forward and rearward plates, and a disengaged position, wherein the squeegee blades are not frictionally engaged between the wedge bars and the forward and rearward plates. The wedge member is formed generally in the shape of a trapezoid, having a relatively short upper surface and a relatively long lower surface which are connected together by a pair of oppositely angled side surfaces. To secure the squeegee blades to the housing, bolts are tightened which draw the wedge member upwardly toward the top plate of the housing. As this occurs, the angled side surfaces of the wedge member engage downwardly facing tapered surfaces formed on the inner ends of the wedge bars, causing the wedge bars to move outwardly apart from one another. When so moved, the wedge bars are moved toward the forward and rearward plates so as to frictionally engage the squeegee blades therebetween.
52 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A squeegee assembly comprising:
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first and second plates having ends, said first and second plates positioned so that said ends of said first and second plates generally converge; a squeegee blade positioned between said first and second plates; a wedge bar positioned between said squeegee blade and said second plate, said wedge bar having an end with an angled surface and first and second converging surfaces; and a wedge member having an angled surface which is positioned adjacent to said angled surface of said wedge bar, wherein movement of said wedge member in a first direction causes said wedge bar to move because of the cooperating angled surfaces of said wedge bar and said wedge member in a second direction, the movement of said wedge bar in said second direction causing said first surface of said wedge bar to move toward said squeegee blade, and said second surface of said wedge bar to move toward said second plate, thereby securing said squeegee blade to the squeegee assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A squeegee assembly comprising:
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first and second plates having ends, said first and second plates positioned so that said ends of said first and second plates generally converge; a squeegee blade positioned between said first and second plates; a wedge bar positioned between said squeegee blade and said second plate, said wedge bar having an end with a tapered surface and first and second converging surfaces, converging at approximately the same convergence as said first and second plates; and a wedge member having an angled surface which is positioned adjacent to said tapered surface of said wedge bar, wherein movement of said wedge member in a first direction causes said wedge bar to move in a second direction which is generally normal to said first direction, because of the cooperating tapered surface of said wedge bar and angled surface of said wedge member, the movement of said wedge bar in said second direction causing said first surface of said wedge bar to move toward said squeegee blade, and said second surface of said wedge bar to move toward said second plate, thereby securing said squeegee blade to the squeegee assembly.
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18. A floor cleaning machine for hard surfaces comprising:
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a movable chassis; and a floor cleaning mechanism carried on said chassis, said floor cleaning mechanism including an applicator for applying liquid to said floor and a vacuum structure for removing liquid from said floor, said vacuum structure including a squeegee assembly comprising; first and second plates having ends, said first and second plates positioned so that said ends of said first and second plates generally converge; a squeegee blade positioned between said first and second plates; a wedge bar positioned between said squeegee blade and said second plate, said wedge bar having an end with an angled surface and first and second converging surfaces; and a wedge member having an angled surface which is positioned adjacent to said angled surface of said wedge bar, wherein movement of said wedge member in a first direction causes said wedge bar to move because of the cooperating angled surfaces of said wedge bar and said wedge member in a second direction, the movement of said wedge bar in said second direction causing said first surface of said wedge bar to move toward said squeegee blade, and said second surface of said wedge bar to move toward said second plate, thereby securing said squeegee blade to the squeegee assembly. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification