Scrubbing machine

• US 3,879,789 A
• Filed: 10/24/1972
• Issued: 04/29/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph G. Kasper
• Original Assignee: Joseph G. Kasper
• Inventors: Kasper, Joseph G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Edward L.
• Application Number:
  US05/299,824
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 15/5R,5C,51,52,79,83,98,320,340
• US Class Current: 15/50.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/00 Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4055 for lifting the tools to a non-working position
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools

Abstract

A scrubbing machine having a drive unit on which an operator can sit, and a separate scrubbing unit mounted for movement independently of the frame of the drive unit. The scrubber uses double brushes driven under power which will pick up debris from and scrub surfaces on which the unit is operating. The drive unit as shown operates on a dry surface because the scrubbing unit is trailing.

Claims

1. A scrubbing machine for scrubbing a surface comprising a frame, a pair of surface engaging rotary tools mounted on the frame for rotation about parallel, transversely extending axes, means on the frame for applying a scrubbing liquid to the surface in the path of movement of the rotary tools over the surface, and means mounted on the frame for collecting scrubbing liquid, the last mentioned means including squeegee means along the lateral sides of the frame laterally aligned with said rotary tools, said squeegee means including surface engaging row brushes on each side of the frame adjacent the ends of the rotary tools and aligned with the gaps between the rotary tools, said squeegee means further including a squeegee frame extending along one lateral side of the frame, one of the row brushes being mounted on the squeegee frame, and a flexible surface engaging member mounted on the squeegee frame laterally outwardly of said one row brush from the rotary tools and extending fore and aft of the rotary tools.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that the rotary tools are rotary brushes, that the one row brush is attached to the squeegee frame to extend inwardly toward the rotary brushes and engage the surface close to the ends of the rotary brushes, and that the flexible members are slanted outwardly with reference to the squeegee frame.

3. A scrubbing machine for scrubbing a surface comprising a frame, a pair of surface engaging rotary tools mounted on the frame for rotation about parallel, transversely extending axes, means on the frame for applying a scrubbing liquid to the surface in the path of movement of the rotary tools over the surface, and means mounted on the frame for collecting scrubbing liquid, the last mentioned means including squeegee means along the lateral sides of the frame laterally aligned with said rotary tools, said squeegee means including surface engaging row brushes on each side of the frame adjacent the ends of the rotary tools and aligned with the gaps between the rotary tools, said squeegee means also including separate lateral side squeegee assemblies adjacent each side of the frame and to the outside ends of the tools, each of the side squeegee assemblies having one of said row brushes and a flexible surface engaging member on the opposite side of the row brush from the rotary tools, and a rear squeegee assembly extending transversely for substantially the axial length of the rotary tools and having forwardly extending portions adjacent the lateral, sides thereof, said side squeegee assemblies having trailing end portions overlapping the respective forwardly directed portions of the rear squeegee assembly and positioned on the inside of the forwardly directed portions, means for mounting the side squeegee assemblies to the frame, and means for mounting the rear squeegee assembly on the frame.

4. The scrubbing machine of claim 3 further characterized in that the side squeegee mounting means includes leaf spring means for each side squeegee assembly for mounting the respective side squeegee assembly on the frame and resiliently urge it against the surface and that the rear squeegee mounting means inCludes parallel arm means pivotally mounted on the frame and pivotally connected to the frame for mounting the rear squeegee assembly for limited movement toward and away from the frame, and fluid actuated cylinder means mounted on the frame for selectively moving the rear squeegee assembly toward and away from the surface being maintained.

5. A surface maintenance device comprising a framework forming a housing, a pair of rotatable surface engaging maintenance tools rotatably mounted within said housing about substantially parallel spaced apart axes which are parallel to the surface to be maintained, power means to rotate said maintenance tools in opposite direction wherein said tools rotate toward each other when in contact with said surface, a receptacle to receive material carried by said maintenance tools, means to determine the path of material carried by said maintenance tools to deflect debris from the surface being maintained toward said receptacle, and permit a portion of any liquid picked up by said tools to move in opposite direction from said receptacle, means for applying a liquid scrubbing solution to the surface over which said tools are moved, and squeegee means for collecting scrubbing liquid, said squeegee means including a squeegee member adjacent each of the side edges of said housing, each squeegee member including a squeegee frame extending across the transverse gap between the tools, row brush means attached to said squeegee frame, said row brush means being positioned adjacent the rotating tools and aligned with the transverse gap between the tools, and a flexible surface engaging member mounted on the squeegee frame to extend therealong outwardly of said row brush means from the rotary tools across the transverse gap between said rotary tools.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further characterized in that said squeegee means includes a rear squeegee assembly, means mounting the rear squeegee assembly for selective movement toward and away from the surface being scrubbed, fluid pressure means to control movement of the rear squeegee assembly and control means for said fluid pressure means to limit the amount of downward force on said rear squeegee assembly.

7. In a scrubbing machine for a surface, said machine having a frame, scrubbing means mounted on said frame, scrubbing liquid application means, and means to retrieve scrubbing liquid subsequent to its use by said scrubbing means, the improvement comprising squeegee means along the lateral sides of said frame laterally aligned with said scrubbing means, said squeegee means including flexible surface engaging means, and leaf spring means mounting said squeegee means to said frame to resiliently urge said flexible surface engaging means against said surface.

8. The scrubbing machine of claim 7 further characterized in that said scrubbing means comprises a pair of brushes rotatably mounted about parallel transversely extending axes, and row brush means attached to said squeegee means, said row brush means being positioned on each side of the scrubbing unit adjacent the ends of the rotating brushes and aligned with the gap between the brushes.

9. A surface scrubbing machine having a frame member, means to move said machine along the surface to be scrubbed, a pair of counterrotating scrubbing brushes rotatably mounted on said frame member about substantially parallel axes substantially transverse to the direction of movement of said scrubbing unit, means to apply a liquid scrubbing material in the path of normal travel of said scrubbing brushes, a trash receptacle adjacent a first one of said brushes, means to direct solid debris and a first portion of the liquid scrubbing material engaged by said brushes over said first one of said brushes into said receptacle, means to cause recirculation of a portion of the liquid scrubbing material picked up by said brushes back onto the surface being scrubbed in the path of travel of said brushes, a first squeegee assembly, means mounting said squEegee assembly to the rear of both of said brushes in respect to the direction of travel, said squeegee assembly extending transversely for substantially the axial length of said brushes, and having forwardly extending portions adjacent the lateral sides thereof, and separate lateral side squeegee assemblies adjacent each side of said frame member and to the outside of the ends of said brushes, said side squeegee assemblies having trailing end portions overlapping the respective forwardly directed portions of said first squeegee assembly and positioned on the inside of said forwardly directed portions.

10. A surface scrubbing machine having a frame member, means to move said machine along the surface to be scrubbed, a pair of counterrotating scrubbing brushes rotatably mounted on said frame member about substantially parallel axes substantially transverse to the direction of movement of said scrubbing unit, means to apply a liquid scrubbing material in the path of normal travel of said scrubbing brushes, a trash receptacle adjacent a first one of said brushes, means to direct solid debris and a first portion of the liquid scrubbing material engaged by said brushes over said first one of said brushes into said receptacle, means to cause recirculation of a portion of the liquid scrubbing material picked up by said brushes back onto the surface being scrubbed in the path of travel of travel of said brushes, and a squeegee assembly to the rear of said brushes, means to mount said squeegee assembly on said frame comprising pivoting parallel arm means, and means to raise said squeegee assembly off the surface being scrubbed.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further characterized in that the means to raised the squeegee assembly comprises fluid actuated cylinder means mounted on the frame for selectively moving the squeegee assembly toward and away from the surface being maintained.

12. A surface scrubbing machine having a normal direction of forward movement and comprising a frame, means to move said machine along the surface to be scrubbed, a scrub brush mounted on said frame, means to apply a liquid scrubbing material in the path of normal travel of said scrub brush, a squeegee assembly to the rear of said brush, and means to mount the squeegee assembly on said frame for selective movement toward and away from the surface being scrubbed, the last mentioned means including a pair of parallel arms pivotally connected to the frame and to the squeegee assembly, the fluid actuated means for selectively moving the squeegee assembly toward and away from the surface being scrubbed and applying a downward force on the squeegee assembly.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further characterized in that there is provided control means for the fluid actuated means to limit the amount of downward force applied to the squeegee assembly.

14. A scrubbing machine for scrubbing a surface comprising a frame, rotary brush means mounted on the frame for scrubbingly engaging said surface, means on the frame for applying a scrubbing liquid to the surface in the path of movement of the brush means over the surface, and means mounted on the frame for collecting scrubbing liquid, the last mentioned means including squeegee means, said squeegee means including a row brush, a flexible surface engaging member, and a squeegee frame mounting the row brush adjacent the brush means and mounting the flexible member on the opposite side of the row brush from the brush means.