Abstract: A steam cleaner recovery tank has an inverted cup shape dome sealed thereto. An upright riser tube mounted to the recovery tank bottom wall extends into the dome. A flat horizontal plate intersects the vertical upright riser tube and supports a float ball at a rest position below a riser tube inlet port shielded from a dirt-free return air stream. The float ball rises by contact with liquid accumulating within the recovery tank. The float ball is of a density so as to be rapidly sucked into the inlet port by the dirt-free return air stream. A perforated cup integrally molded to the flat plate supports the float ball in one embodiment and forms a shield. In a second embodiment, a cylindrical wire mesh screen is fixed to the bottom of the flat plate, to the side of the riser tube. The float ball is positioned in the filter screen and the second circular hole constitutes the risers tube inlet port. An air imperforate shrink tube acts as a shield.

Abstract: A submicron size particle filter is mounted within a hot water vacuum extraction machine beneath a vertical riser tube which extends upwardly from an outer casing bottom wall. The riser tube is subject to vacuum pressure to remove contaminant and liquid free air from a recovery tank. An air filter chamber open to the lower end of the riser tube carries the secondary filter holder assembly consisting of a perforate secondary filter holder about an open pore filter element to filter out contaminants of submicron size. The secondary filter holder is formed of an open frame circular base member with a filter disk retaining ring snap fitted thereto and sandwiching the open pore filter element.

Abstract: An open top, double walled, plastic hot water storage tank is mounted within a two section injected plastic casing and is spaced internally from the walls of the casing to thermally insulate the hot water tank. A removable cylindrical dump tank closely fits the interior of a cylindrical inner wall of the storage tank. A rotatable dome locks to the upper casing half to seal off the top of the dump tank. The dump tank bears a splash deflector and filter assembly when the machine functions as a wet vacuum extraction machine. A cloth filter bag and internally replaceable paper filter bag operate in place of the dump tank when the machine functions as a dry vacuum extraction machine. A water jet circulation bypass loop maintains the water in the hot water tank in circulation. Both the vacuum pump and water are double electrically insulated. A tool caddy clamps to the casing to permit the casing to stand on end for storage of the apparatus when not in use.

Abstract: A fast acting on/off valve formed of molded plastic components includes a molded plastic body bearing offset inlet and outlet passages which extend from opposite ends through integral nipples to a common area, with communication effected by way of a bore and counterbore for respective outlet and inlet passage portions. The end of the bore, at a shoulder formed between the bore and counterbore, is chamfered. A spool type plunger having lands at opposite ends is mounted within the counterbore and bore with one land sized to the bore and the other being sized to the counterbore, that land having a conical inside face at an angle corresponding to the chamfer. A coil spring is compressed between the larger diameter land end of the plunger and a cap which is welded to the valve body and closes off the counterbore, the spring biasing the spool type plunger to valve closed position.

Abstract: A cylindrical molded plastic cuff at one end of a double flexible tube electrified vacuum hose for a wet/dry vacuum cleaner includes an integral molded plastic pocket bearing an elongated receptacle body of insulation material. The body includes two laterally spaced bores, counterbored from one end, which counterbores bear enlarged peripheral recesses intermediate of their ends. Cylindrical plungers sized to the counterbores and having a radially enlarged collar intermediate of their ends, in excess of the diameter of the counterbore but less than the peripheral recess, are slidably mounted therein with the collar positioned in the radial recess. A coil spring sized to the peripheral recess is compressed between the collar and one end of the radial recess to spring bias the plunger away from the bore. An O-ring seal whose outside diameter is approximately equal to that of the radial recess is positioned on the plunger to the side of the collar opposite that of the coil spring.

Abstract: A vacuum pump assembly, axially mounted within a hot water vacuum extraction machine enclosed housing, includes an enclosed cylindrical casing. A vertical axis shaft mounted fan at the lower end of the vacuum pump assembly casing rotates within an annular shroud bearing radial ports and which closely surrounds the fan blading with minimal air gap between the tips of the fan blades and the shroud annular sidewall to improve cooling air flow through the fan and over the pump assembly motor coils and reducing the hot water vacuum extraction machine housing interior temperature and that within the vacuum pump assembly. By cooling air flow discharge from the bottom of the extraction machine housing, water entry to the vacuum pump assembly interior is prevented.

Abstract: A power brush housing assembly formed by a wheeled chassis with a housing overlying the chassis and fixed thereto bears transversely, an elongated scrubbing brush roller, and a motor for driving the brush roller to scrub the surface traversed by the power scrubber. A triangular shaped vacuum recovery head is hinge mounted to the face of the housing to permit tilting of the head from its normal vertical orientation to an inclined orientation and to effect movement of the mouth of the vacuum recovery head away from the surface being scrubbed to permit the power scrubber to move over minor obstructions.

Abstract: For use with a steam cleaner, a dump bucket comprising upper and lower cup-shaped members releasably engageable in facing relationship with an air-tight seal, a hollow riser tube extending upwardly from an aperture in the bottom of the lower cup-shaped member, and an L-shaped connector for attachment to a steam cleaner vacuum wand extending first inwardly from the side of the upper cup-shaped member and then upwardly towards the inner surface of the top of the upper cup-shaped member. This configuration causes dirty water forced through the L-shaped connector to be sprayed against the inner surface of the top of the upper cup-shaped member, after which it runs down the sides of the upper and lower cup-shaped members without going down the riser tube.

Abstract: A dump bucket for a wet or dry vacuum system is disclosed. The dump bucket comprises (a) a container having a first aperture in its bottom and a second aperture at or near its top, (b) a hollow riser tube extending upwardly from the first aperture, (c) a hollow inner tube extending downwardly from the second aperture to a point near the bottom of the container and having at least one aperture at its bottom end, (d) a baffle cup surrounding the bottom end of the hollow inner tube, and (e) a hollow outer tube surrounding at least the upper end of the baffle cup, being open to the contents of the container beneath the top of the baffle cup, extending upwardly to a point near the top of the container, and having an opening at the top. During use of the dump bucket, the incoming stream of air, dirt, and/or water is filtered through water in the baffle cup and the annular space between the inner and outer hollow tubes above the baffle cup.