Carpet extractor

• US 5,860,188 A
• Filed: 09/16/1997
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoover Company (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Louis, Jeffrey S., Maurer, Edgar A., Crouser, Darwin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US08/931,752
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 15/320, 15/321, 15/322, 15/331, 15/332, 15/387
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/204 having combined drive for brushes and for vacuum cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits

Abstract

The herein disclosed invention relates to an improved carpet extractor having powered brushes for scrubbing a floor surface and which may be converted to an above the floor mode for upholstery cleaning or the like. A pair of air driven turbines are disclosed, one for driving the floor scrubbing brushes when in the floor cleaning mode and one for driving a cleaning solution supply pump when in the above floor cleaning mode. A unique linkage mechanism is taught whereby only one turbine or the other is energized depending upon the cleaning mode selected by the operator.

Claims

1. In a floor scrubbing extractor having a motor/fan assembly for creating an air flow, a power driven brush system for scrubbing the floor to be cleaned, and means for converting the extractor from a floor scrubbing mode to an above floor upholstery cleaning mode, the improvement comprising:

a first selectively energized air driven turbine for driving said brush system when the extractor is operated in the floor scrubbing mode; and

a second selectively energized air driven turbine for supplying pressurized cleaning solution to an above floor upholstery cleaning conversion means.

2. An extractor according to claim 1, wherein said first and second turbines are mutually exclusively energizable.

3. An extractor according to claim 2, said improvement further comprising:

first and second valves;

said first valve disposed in the air flow for said first turbine;

said second valve disposed in the working air flow for said second turbine; and

a mechanical link system operably connected to each of said valves;

said mechanical link system operable to close said first valve when said second valve is opened.

4. An extractor according to claim 3, wherein said mechanical link system comprises a link having a first end and a second end;

said first end of said link being operably connected to said first valve;

said second end of said link being positioned to engage said second valve when said second valve is moved from a closed position to an open position.

5. An extractor according to claim 4, wherein said mechanical link system further comprises:

a bell crank connected to said first valve such that rotation of said bell crank rotates said first valve between open and closed positions;

a spring connected to said bell crank biasing said bell crank and said first valve toward the open position; and

a pin extending from said bell crank;

said first end of said link having a slot therein;

said pin being slidingly received in said slot.

6. An extractor according to claim 5, wherein said mechanical link system further comprises a manual override mechanism operably connected to said first valve, said manual override mechanism movable between two positions.

7. An extractor according to claim 6, wherein said manual override mechanism comprises:

a table extending from said first turbine;

a slide slidingly engaging said table between said two positions; and

a cantilevered tab carried by said slide;

said cantilevered tab engaging said table;

said table having at least two concavities configured to accept said cantilevered tab;

said slide engaging said bell crank at one of said positions and thereby closing said first valve;

said spring connected to said slide.

8. A carpet extractor, comprising:

a base;

a motor/fan assembly carried by said base operable to create an air flow;

a powered brush system carried by said base having at least one brush disposed to contact said surface to the cleaned;

conversion means for converting the extractor from a surface cleaning mode to an above-surface cleaning mode;

said conversion means at least partially comprising a fluid pump;

a first air turbine in selective fluid communication with said air flow for selectively powering said powered brush systems; and

a second air turbine in selective fluid communication with said air flow for selectively powering said fluid pump.

9. A carpet extractor according to claim 8, wherein said turbines are mutually exclusively operable.

10. A carpet extractor according to claim 9, further comprising a mechanical link system in communication with said first and second turbines;

said mechanical link system de-energizing said first turbine when said second turbine is energized.

11. A carpet extractor according to claim 10, further comprising a manual override system;

said manual override system operable to de-energize said first turbine while said second turbine is de-energized.

12. A carpet extractor according to claim 11, wherein said manual override mechanism further comprises:

a post attached to said slide;

said post engaging said bell crank when said slide is moved toward said first position thereby closing said first valve.

13. A carpet extractor according to claim 10, further comprising:

a first valve disposed in said air flow for said first turbine;

a second valve disposed in said air flow for said second turbine;

said mechanical linkage system comprising;

a pivotally mounted link having first and second ends;

a bell crank attached to said first valve and said first end of said first link;

said second end of said link disposed adjacent to said second valve such that said second valve engages said second end of said link when said second valve is open; and

a spring biasing said bell crank and said first valve toward an open position for said first valve.

14. A carpet extractor according to claim 13, further comprising a manual override system;

said manual override system comprising;

a table;

a slide slidably carried by said table;

said slide movable between first and second positions;

said spring extending between said slide and said bell crank; and

a cantilevered tab connected to said slide and engaging said table.

15. A carpet extractor according to claim 14, wherein said table has a plurality of concavities, said cantilevered tab engaging each of said concavities as said slide is moved from said first position to said second position.

16. A carpet extractor according to claim 15, further comprising a bulbous boss attached to an end of said cantilevered tab, said boss being received in said concavities.

17. A carpet extractor comprising:

a cleaning liquid reservoir for providing a supply of cleaning liquid;

a cleaning liquid distributor in selective fluid communication with said cleaning liquid reservoir for selectively distributing the cleaning liquid onto a floor surface;

a powered brush system having at least one brush for scrubbing the distributed cleaning solution on the floor surface;

a motor/fan assembly;

a floor nozzle in selective fluid communication with said motor/fan assembly for extracting the distributed and scrubbed cleaning solution from the floor surface;

a liquid pump in fluid communication with said cleaning liquid reservoir for providing a source of pressurized cleaning liquid;

an above-floor cleaning tool having a cleaning liquid applicator in selective fluid communication with said liquid pump for selectively applying cleaning liquid to an above-floor surface and an above-floor nozzle in selective fluid communication with said motor/fan assembly for extracting the applied cleaning liquid from the above-floor surface; and

a conversion mechanism operatively connected to said powered brush system and operatively connected to said liquid pump for selectively

activating said powered brush system and de-activating said liquid pump placing said extractor in a floor cleaning mode; and

activating said liquid pump and de-activating said powered brush system placing said extractor in an above-floor cleaning mode, wherein at least one of said powered brush system and said liquid pump is driven by an air powered turbine that is in fluid communication with said motor/fan assembly whereby said motor/fan assembly creates a flow of air through said turbine for driving said turbine.

18. A carpet extractor according to claim 17, wherein said conversion mechanism comprises an actuator that is selectively, manually actuated between a floor mode position and an above-floor mode position, said actuator being operatively connected to said liquid pump for activating said pump when in said above-floor mode position and de-activating said pump when in said floor mode position.

19. A carpet extractor according to claim 18, wherein said turbine is operatively connected to said liquid pump for driving said pump.

20. A carpet extractor according to claim 19, wherein said conversion mechanism includes a first valve positioned in the flow of air through said turbine and operatively connected to the actuator, whereby said actuator closes said valve blocking the flow of air through said turbine when in said floor mode position and opens said valve allowing air to flow through said turbine when in said above-floor mode position.

21. A carpet extractor according to claim 18, said turbine is a first turbine operatively connected to said brush system for driving said at least one brush.

22. A carpet extractor according to claim 21, wherein said conversion mechanism includes a first valve positioned in the flow of air through said first turbine and operatively connected to said actuator, whereby said actuator opens said first valve when in said floor mode position and closes said first valve when in said above-floor mode position.

23. A carpet extractor according to claim 21, wherein a second turbine is operatively connected to said liquid pump for driving said pump.

24. A carpet extractor according to claim 23, wherein said conversion mechanism includes a second valve positioned in the flow of air through said second turbine and operatively connected to the actuator, whereby said actuator closes said second valve blocking the flow of air through said turbine when in said floor mode position and opens said second valve allowing air to flow through said turbine when in said above-floor mode position.

25. A carpet extractor according to claim 24, wherein said second valve comprises a trap door that selectively opens and closes one of an inlet or outlet opening of said second turbine.

26. A carpet extractor according to claim 25, wherein said trap door has a tab, whereby the operator may open said trap door, and a finger extending from said tab that engages a second end of said link, whereby said trap door is said actuator.

27. A carpet extractor according to claim 23, wherein said conversion mechanism further comprises a mechanical link having a first end operatively connected to said first valve and a second end positioned to be engaged by said actuator when said actuator is actuated to said above-floor mode position, whereby when said actuator is moved to said above-floor mode position said link system is actuated by said actuator and de-actives said brush system.

28. A carpet extractor according to claim 27, further comprising at least one spring for biasing said actuator and said link into said floor mode position.

29. A carpet extractor according to claim 28, wherein said mechanical link system further comprises:

a bell crank connected to said first valve such that rotation of said bell crank rotates said first valve between open and closed positions;

a spring connected to said bell crank for biasing said bell crank and said second valve toward said open position;

a pin extending from said bell crank; and

wherein said mechanical link has a first end with a slot therein with said pin being slidingly received in said slot.

30. A carpet extractor according to claim 29, further comprising a manual override mechanism that, when actuated, engages said first valve to close said first valve when the carpet extractor is in the floor mode position.

31. A carpet extractor according to claim 30, wherein said override mechanism comprises:

a table mounted to said extractor;

a slide slidingly engaging said table;

an actuation knob extending from said slide for actuation by an operator of the extractor; and

wherein said slide engages said bell crank when actuated by an operator and thereby closes said first valve.

32. A carpet extractor according to claim 31, wherein said manual override mechanism further comprises:

a cantilevered tab carried by said slide;

at least two concavities in said table configured to accept said cantilevered tab for retaining said slide in at least two positions; and

said slide engaging said bell crank at one of said two positions and thereby closing said first valve, and said slide being disengaged from said bell crank at the other of said two positions.