Abstract: A squeegee assembly for use in a floor cleaning machine includes a housing which includes a forward plate and a rearward plate. The opposed ends of the forward plate and the rearward plate converge toward one another to form an interior wedge. One or more squeegee blades are disposed within the housing of the squeegee assembly adjacent to the forward and rearward plates thereof. A pair of wedge bars are provided within the housing of the squeegee assembly for releasably securing the squeegee blades thereto. The wedge bars are preferably identical, each having an outer shape which corresponds to the shape of the interior wedge defined by the forward and rearward plates. A wedge member is provided for moving the wedge bars between an engaged position, wherein the squeegee blades are frictionally engaged between the wedge bars and the forward and rearward plates, and a disengaged position, wherein the squeegee blades are not frictionally engaged between the wedge bars and the forward and rearward plates.

Abstract: Mobile floor cleaning apparatus of the type having a nozzle assembly for spraying a cleaning solution on carpet or other floor covering, a motor driven brush for scrubbing the wet floor, and a vacuum system for extracting dirty solution from the floor. The nozzle assembly and brush are mounted on a housing which moves in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the apparatus. The housing extends from one side of the apparatus and deflects in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the floor cleaning apparatus upon contact with an obstacle. The nozzle assembly includes a spray jet bar mounting a plurality of nozzles. The spray jet bar is releasably mounted on the brush housing to facilitate nozzle maintenance. A vacuum extractor shoe is releasably mounted to swing and swivel from a rear end of the floor cleaning apparatus to automatically adjust to floor irregularities and to maintain maximum floor contact when turning.

Abstract: A floor cleaning device, such as a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, is disclosed having a housing structure which reduces the amount of ambient noise generated thereby. The floor cleaning device includes a float stand which is preferably formed from a single piece of material, such as rotationally cast polyethylene. The float stand is adapted to be mounted on a canister or tank. A hollow lid is mounted on the float stand. The lid is also preferably formed from a single piece of material. A plurality of chambers of varying size are defined within the lid. A blower motor assembly is supported within the hollow lid. When the blower motor assembly is activated, air flows into the canister and through the various annular chambers before being discharged to the atmosphere. The varying sizes of the chambers provides a significant reduction in the amount of ambient noise generated by the floor cleaning device during use. The overall structure of the floor cleaning device is compact and easy to assemble.

Abstract: This disclosure concerns primarily the filter dirt-collecting bag for a vacuum cleaner having a motor and motor-driven fan in a housing. The outlet from the fan projects outwardly and usually upwardly from the housing and is removably connected to the bottom of the flexible bag for collecting the dust, which bag substantially and preferably completely covers the housing like a pillow to muffle the mechanical noise from the motor and fan. Inside the bag is a tube, which may be non-porous and flexible, connected at its lower end directly to the fan outlet at the bottom of the bag and at its upper end to the top of the bag. Adjacent the upper end of this tube is connected an outwardly and downwardly extending tubular extension, spout or nozzle, for muffling the air noise from the fan and directing the dirt toward the bottom of the bag.

Abstract: A manually-operated floor polishing machine comprising a polishing pad or brush rotatable at a speed above 660 rpm, pressing against the floor with a force of less than about 25 lbs., and positioned so that one segment of the pad presses harder against the floor than the other, such as by mounting the pad's driving plate or disc so that its plane of rotation is at an angle less than about 10.degree. to the plane of the floor. The rotating polishing pad is mounted under the driving plate which plate is driven by an electric motor. The driving plate and motor are mounted on a frame, which frame is supported by a pair of parallel wheels located so that most of the weight of the machine is supported by these wheels. This whole assembly is guided by a rearwardly extending handle attached to this frame.