Floor buffer

• US 3,921,244 A
• Filed: 10/15/1973
• Issued: 11/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Loring Ferdinand Warren, William George Chappius
• Original Assignee: Loring Ferdinand Warren, William George Chappius
• Inventors: Warren, Loring Ferdinand, Chappius, William George
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Edward L.
• Application Number:
  US05/406,517
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 15/49R,49C,5R,5C,51,52,98,385 51/177 125/38 123/27
• US Class Current: 15/98
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/16 the tools being disc brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4038 Disk shaped surface treating tools
• 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 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4075 Handles; levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4091 Storing or parking devices, arrangements therefor; Means allowing transport of the machine when it is not being used

Abstract

An improved floor buffer for operator directed polishing of a floor is disclosed. A carriage disposed substantially horizontal to the floor has a lower surface exposed to the floor and an upper surface exposed away from the floor. A handle is attached to one end of the carriage. The handle extends angularly upward and away from the carriage toward the operator overlying an axis extending longitudinally of and from the carriage. At least two wheels are rotatably mounted to the carriage. These wheels are mounted along an axis extending transverse of or across the carriage substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the carriage. The axis about which the wheels rotate divides the carriage into a forward portion and a rearward portion. A clockwise rotating buffer is rotatably mounted about a vertical axis preferably displaced to the right of the longitudinal axis of the carriage at the forward portion of the carriage and extends below the lower surface of the carriage to confront the floor. The buffer extends a distance below the lower surface of the carriage which is substantially the same as the distance of the lowest point of the wheels below the carriage. Downward and upward rotation of the rearward portion of the carriage by correspondent handle movement produces correspondent upward and downward confrontation of the buffer to the floor. A butane powered engine is mounted to the upper surface of the carriage. Power is transmitted from the butane engine to rotate the buffer. The power transmission includes a centrifugal clutch and belt drive for permitting the buffer to rotate or not rotate responsive to the speed of the motor.

Claims

1. An improved floor buffer for operator directed polishing of a floor comprising:

a carriage disposed substantially horizontally to said floor having a lower surface exposed to said floor and an upper surface exposed away from said floor;

a handle attached to said carriage at the end of said carriage extending angularly upward and away from said carriage toward said operator overlying a longitudinal axis along said carriage;

at least two wheels rotatably mounted to said carriage along an axis transverse of said carriage substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said handle, said axis along which said wheels are mounted dividing said carriage into a forward portion and a rearward portion;

a buffer mounted to said carriage for rotation about a vertical axis at said forward portion and extending below said lower surface to confront said floor, said buffer extending a distance below said lower surface of saiD carriage which is substantially the same as the distance of the lowest point of said wheels below said carriage whereby downward and upward rotation of the rearward portion of said carriage by said handle produces correspondent upward and downward confrontation of said buffer to said floor, said buffer being displaced to the right of said longitudinal axis as viewed from positions overlying said buffer and said floor, and said buffer rotates clockwise as viewed from positions overlying said buffer and said floor;

a butane powered engine mounted to said carriage;

means for transmitting power from said butane powered engine to said buffer, said power transmission means including a centrifugal clutch for permitting said buffer when in contact with said floor to not rotate at low operating speeds of said engine, to rotate at high operating speeds of said engine, and to operate at adjustable speeds between said low operating speed and said high operating speed of said engine.

2. An improved floor buffer for operator directed polishing of a floor comprising:

a carriage disposed substantially horizontally to said floor having a lower surface exposed to said floor and an upper surface exposed away from said floor;

a handle attached to said carriage at the end of said carriage extending angularly upward and away from said carriage toward said operator overlying a longitudinal axis along said carriage;

at least two wheels rotatably mounted to said carriage along an axis transverse of said carriage substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said handle, said axis along which said wheels are mounted dividing said carriage into a forward portion and a rearward portion;

a buffer mounted to said carriage for rotation about a vertical axis at said forward portion and extending below said lower surface to confront said floor, said buffer extending a distance below said lower surface of said carriage which is substantially the same as the distance of the lowest point of said wheels below said carriage whereby downward and upward rotation of the rearward portion of said carriage by said handle produces correspondent upward and downward confrontation of said buffer to said floor, said buffer being displaced to the left of said longitudinal center line as viewed from positions overlying said buffer and said floor, and said rotation of said buffer is counter clockwise as viewed from positions overlying said buffer and overlying said floor;

a butane powered engine mounted to said carriage;

means for transmitting power from said butane powered engine to said buffer, said power transmission means including a centrifugal clutch for permitting said buffer when in contact with said floor to not rotate at low operating speeds of said engine, to rotate at high operating speeds of said engine, and to operate at adjustable speeds between said low operating speed and said high operating speed of said engine.