Scrubber squeegees for scrubbing forward and backward
First Claim
1. In a scrubber, a mobile frame, at least one scrub brush attached to the frame to engage and work on a surface to be cleaned, an enclosure over the brush having a defined periphery approaching and opposing the surface, means for supplying a cleaning solution to the brush, squeegees engaging the surface on the front and rear portions of the periphery of the enclosure, a vacuum chamber associated with the enclosure in communication with .Badd.a source of vacuum and selectively in communication with .Baddend.the squeegees .[..[.and a source of vacuum, and means for communicating.]..]. .Badd.characterized in that each of said squeegees is opened and closed by frictional contact with the surface to be cleaned such that .Baddend..[..[.only.]..]. the .[..[.rear.]..]. .Badd.front .Baddend.squeegee .[..[.to.]..]. .Badd.is closed to communication with .Baddend.the vacuum chamber when the scrubber is moving forward .Badd.while the rear squeegee is open to such communication.Baddend., and .[..[.communicating only.]..]. the .[..[.front.]..]. .Badd.rear .Baddend.squeegee .[..[.to .]..]. .Badd.is closed to communication with .Baddend.the vacuum chamber when the scrubber is moving to the rear .Badd.while the front squeegee is open to such communication..Baddend.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This is an improvement for a powered floor scrubber which in use is moved forward and backward across a floor to be scrubbed. A scrub brush is rotated within a housing which is open at the bottom and water is supplied within the housing. The improvement consists of attaching double lipped suction squeegees at both the front and rear of the housing and connecting them both to a source of vacuum to suck up soiled water from the floor. The flexible squeegee lips are mounted in such a way that as the machine is moved forward the lips of the front squeegee fold together and shut off the airflow to it while the rear squeegee remains functional. When the machine is moved backward a reverse action of the squeegees occurs, so that there is always a functional squeegee sucking up soiled water behind the scrub brush while airflow to the opposite squeegee is shut off whether the machine is moving forward or backward.
44 Citations
14 Claims
- 1. In a scrubber, a mobile frame, at least one scrub brush attached to the frame to engage and work on a surface to be cleaned, an enclosure over the brush having a defined periphery approaching and opposing the surface, means for supplying a cleaning solution to the brush, squeegees engaging the surface on the front and rear portions of the periphery of the enclosure, a vacuum chamber associated with the enclosure in communication with .Badd.a source of vacuum and selectively in communication with .Baddend.the squeegees .[..[.and a source of vacuum, and means for communicating.]..]. .Badd.characterized in that each of said squeegees is opened and closed by frictional contact with the surface to be cleaned such that .Baddend..[..[.only.]..]. the .[..[.rear.]..]. .Badd.front .Baddend.squeegee .[..[.to.]..]. .Badd.is closed to communication with .Baddend.the vacuum chamber when the scrubber is moving forward .Badd.while the rear squeegee is open to such communication.Baddend., and .[..[.communicating only.]..]. the .[..[.front.]..]. .Badd.rear .Baddend.squeegee .[..[.to .]..]. .Badd.is closed to communication with .Baddend.the vacuum chamber when the scrubber is moving to the rear .Badd.while the front squeegee is open to such communication..Baddend.
- 9. In a scrubber, a mobile frame, at least one scrub brush attached to the frame to engage and work on a surface to be cleaned, an enclosure over the brush having a defined periphery approaching and opposing the surface to be cleaned, means for supplying a cleaning solution to the brush, front and rear squeegees engaging the surface on the front and rear portions of the periphery of the enclosure, a vacuum chamber associated with the enclosure in communication with the squeegees and a source of vacuum, the front and rear squeegees each including paired outer and inner elongated flexible generally parallel spaced .[..[.part.]..]. .Badd.apart .Baddend.rubber-like blades, the blades being generally rectilinear and further including a corrugated outer surface on at least the outer blade of each pair so that liquid on the surface will pass under the outer squeegee blade when it is flexed inwardly, and means sealing the ends of the outer and inner squeegee blades in both the front and rear squeegees to provide an enclosed compartment between each pair of blades.
Specification