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Water extraction cleaning machine with variable solution mixing valve

  • US 5,937,475 A
  • Filed: 11/05/1996
  • Issued: 08/17/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A water extraction cleaning machine comprising:

  • a housing;

    a clean water reservoir mounted to the housing;

    a detergent reservoir mounted to the housing;

    at least one spray nozzle mounted to the housing for spraying cleaning solution onto the surface being cleaned;

    a suction nozzle mounted to withdraw dirty cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned;

    a vacuum motor mounted to the housing and connected to the suction nozzle for removing used cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned;

    a waste water reservoir fluidly connected to the vacuum motor and to the suction nozzle, the waste water reservoir being adapted to separate the used cleaning solution and air withdrawn through the nozzle; and

    a solution mixing valve fluidly connected to both the clean water reservoir and the detergent reservoir, the mixing valve comprising a valve housing having a clean water inlet fluidly connected to the clean water reservoir, a detergent inlet fluidly connected to the detergent reservoir, a solution outlet fluidly connected to) the at least one spray nozzle, a mixing chamber fluidly connected to the clean water inlet, detergent inlet and solution outlet, a variable flow rate member movably mounted intermediate the mixing chamber and one of the clean water and detergent inlets, the variable flow rate member comprising a shaft slidably received in the one of the clean water and detergent inlets and having a groove formed therein, the groove having a cross section that varies along the length thereof, the shaft being received in the one of the clean water and detergent inlets, whereby the fluid flow rate through the groove varies depending upon the position of the groove within the one of the clean water and detergent inlets.

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