Power floor treating apparatus

• US 3,892,003 A
• Filed: 03/16/1973
• Issued: 07/01/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ralph C. Peabody
• Original Assignee: Ralph C. Peabody
• Inventors: Peabody, Ralph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hornsby, Harvey C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moore, C. K.
• Application Number:
  US05/341,973
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 15/49C,82,340,368,371,372,392
• US Class Current: 15/52.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4027 Filtering or separating contaminants or debris
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4052 Movement of the tools or the like perpendicular to the cleaning surface
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4077 Skirts or splash guards

Abstract

A floor treating apparatus having improved means for mounting the floor treating member, such as a cylindrical brush or the like, within the apparatus. The floor treating member is mounted within an assembly which is suspended from the main frame by a resilient web, with the resilient web forming the free-floating pivot which impedes transfer of certain vibrational energy from the floor treating member to the main frame, and which also permits the floor treating member to be free-floating in its running contact with the working surface. The mounting assembly for the floor treating member includes a transverse support member with a pair of laterally disposed arms extending from opposed ends thereof, with each of the arms carrying an inwardly extending boss means for supporting and drivingly engaging the floor treating member. Also, one of the laterally disposed arms is laterally flexible so as to permit ease of removal of the floor treating member from the mounting assembly. The apparatus is preferably vacuumized and a separation chamber is provided to remove dust from dust-ladened air, with a filter being provided within the separation chamber, and with the mounting frame for the filter being anchored to the main frame, thereby permitting transfer of certain vibrational energy to the filter to achieve self-cleaning during operation.

Claims

1. Floor maintenance apparatus having a floor treating means operatively coupled thereto and comprising, in combination:

a. rigid frame means having support wheels coupled thereto, a power source mounted on said frame means and having a powered output shaft, and with at least one of said support wheels being drivingly coupled to said power source;

b. implement suspension means coupled to said frame means for journably supporting said floor treating means within said frame, said suspension means including a transverse support member having first and second generally longitudinally extending laterally disposed arms secured thereto, each arm terminating in an outwardly disposed free end and being disposed adjacent said opposed side walls;

c. pivotal mounting means coupling said transverse support member to said frame means and arranged to suspend said transverse support member in free dependent disposition for swinging movement about a support axis extending generally across said frame means;

d. said first laterally disposed arm being generally rigid and having bearing means mounted adjacent the free end thereof, said second laterally disposed arm being longitudinally rigid and laterally flexible and having bearing means mounted adjacent the free end thereof and being normally resiliently biased toward said first arm to a normal disposition spaced a certain first predetermined distance from said first arm, each of said bearing means having inwardly extending boss means;

e. said floor treating means being drivingly coupled to said power source and being of generally cylindrical configuration with an axially extending core means forming an opening at opposed ends thereof for receiving said boss means in driving engagement therewith, said floor trEating means having an axial length which exceeds said first predetermined distance;

f. said second laterally disposed arm being arranged for outward flexure to permit removal of said boss means from one end of the core of said floor treating means.

2. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said pivotal mounting means includes a generally flexible resiliently compressible coupling web secured between said frame means and said transverse support member for suspension support of said transverse support member.

3. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 2 being particularly characterized in that said pivotal mounting means arranges said transverse support member and said longitudinally extending laterally disposed arms for free-floating suspension about said support axis.

4. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 3 being particularly characterized in that said floor treating means is a cylindrical brush with the periphery being arranged for free-floating contact with the surface being treated.

5. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 4 being particularly characterized in that said frame means has seal means coupled thereto for isolating said floor treating means from the ambience.

6. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that resilient means are anchored to said frame means and coupled to said transverse support member and arranged to apply a bias force to pivot the free ends of said longitudinally extending laterally disposed arms downwardly.

7. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 6 being particularly characterized in that adjustable means are provided for said resilient means and being arranged to apply an adjustable bias force to said longitudinally extending arms.

8. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that increases in the delivery of power elevating said boss means applies an upwardly directed force to said floor treating means for lifting said brush upwardly in response to increases in drag load thereon.

9. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 8 being particularly characterized in that means are provided for releasably elevatinng and retaining said floor treating means to a non-contacting disposition to the surface being worked.

10. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said floor treating means is a cylindrical brush.

11. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 3 being particularly characterized in that three support wheels are provided for said frame means, said support wheels including two forward castor wheels and one rearwardly axially fixed drive wheel.

12. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 11 being particularly characterized in that said rearwardly axially fixed drive wheel is offset from the central axis of said frame means.

13. The floor maintenance apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that means are provided for controllably interrupting the delivery of power to the support wheel which is drivingly coupled to the power source.