Surface cleaning machine with squeegee assembly

• US 4,006,506 A
• Filed: 02/10/1975
• Issued: 02/08/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: The Scott Fetzer Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Burgoon, Jack L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Edward L.
• Application Number:
  US05/548,566
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 15/50 R, 15/50 A, 15/50 C, 15/98, 15/320-322, 15/353, 15/354, 15/359, 15/340
• US Class Current: 15/50.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/305 the tools being disc brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4038 Disk 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

Abstract

A surface or floor cleaning machine including scrubbing means and a following squeegee assembly is provided. The squeegee assembly includes a squeegee located near the rear of the machine and an arm pivotally connecting the squeegee to a frame of the machine between the squeegee and the scrubbing means at the forward end of the machine. A spring connects the squeegee arm and the machine near the pivot point to urge the arm and the squeegee downwardly. The squeegee has spaced wheels which movably support the squeegee blades on the surface to be cleaned so that the blades are not the sole support of the squeegee on the surface. In this manner, the squeegee blades are maintained firmly against the surface, even in uneven areas, while the wheels minimize the drag of the squeegee on the surface.

Claims

1. A machine for cleaning a surface comprising a frame, a pair of forward wheels carried by said frame for movably supporting the machine on the surface, scrubbing means carried by said machine forwardly of said wheels for scrubbing a strip of the surface when moved thereover, a squeegee assembly comprising a squeegee, a single arm connected to a center portion of said squeegee, means pivotally connecting said arm to said machine with the pivot point being centrally located between the sides of the machine and behind said scrubbing means, spring means having an end connected below said arm near said arm pivot means and another end connected to said arm between said pivot means and said squeegee for urging said squeegee only toward the surface and not in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the machine, two spaced wheels connected to said squeegee and engagable with the surface to be cleaned, means for vertically adjusting said wheels relative to said squeegee, and means carried by said machine for lifting said arm to raise the squeegee above the surface only when said arm extends substantially straight back from said pivot means.

2. A machine for cleaning a surface comprising a frame, forward wheels carried by said frame for movably supporting the machine of the surface, scrubbing means carried by said machine forwardly of said wheels for scrubbing a strip of the surface when moved thereover, a transverse frame bar extending across said machine therebelow and connected to said frame near the sides of said machine, at least one caster pivotally carried by an intermediate portion of said frame bar below said machine, a squeegee assembly comprising a squeegee, a single arm connected to a center portion of said squeegee, means pivotally connecting said arm to said machine with the pivot point being centrally located between the sides of the machines and between said scrubbing means and said frame bar, said arm having a portion positioned above said frame bar between said pivot means and said squeegee whereby said arm can pivot back and forth substantially between the sides of said machine and transversely-outwardly beyond said caster, spring means having an end connected below said arm near said arm pivot means and another end connected to said arm between said pivot means and said squeegee for urging said squeegee only toward the surface and not in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the machine, two spaced wheels connected to said squeegee engagable with the surface to be cleaned, and means for vertically adjusting said wheels relative to said squeegee.

3. A machine for cleaning a surface comprising a frame, forward wheels carried by said frame for movably supporting the machine on the surface, scrubbing means carried by said machine for scrubbing a strip of the surface when moved thereover, a transverse frame bar extending across said machine therebelow and connected to said frame near the sides of said machine, two casters spaced apart and pivotally carried by an intermediate portion of said frame bar below said machine, a squeegee assembly comprising a squeegee, a single arm connected to a center portion of said squeegee, means pivotally connecting said arm to said machine with the pivot point being centrally located between the sides of the machines and between said scrubbing means and said frame bar, said arm having a portion positioned above said frame bar between said pivot means and said squeegee whereby said arm can pivot back and forth substantially between the sides of said machine and transversely-outwardly beyond each of said casters, spring means for urging said squeegee only toward the surface and not in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the machine, and means carried by said machine for lifting said arm to raise the squeegee above the surface only when said arms extends substantially straight back from said pivot means.