Abstract: Disclosed is a carpet cleaning machine having a revolving, cylinder-shaped, double-ended carpet cleaning member powered by a gear-driven drive shaft for removing dirty material from a carpet. In the improvement, the drive shaft is coupled to the first end and an idler shaft is coupled to the second end, is spaced from the drive shaft and supports the second end for rotation. Double-ended support of the cleaning member materially reduces problems arising from cantilever shafts used in prior art machines to drive cleaning members. Another embodiment has a centrifugal separator with an air stream exit mouth and two flow guides fixed with respect to such mouth. The flow guides have differing aperture areas and a cavity is between the guides for capturing material otherwise permitted to flow downstream and prematurely clog a mesh filter.

Abstract: A carpet cleaning machine includes a centrifugal separator with an air stream exit mouth having a mouth area. The improvement involves two air flow guides having, respectively, first and second apertures. The area of the second aperture is less than that of the first aperture and the guides define an annular cavity between them. Such cavity "captures" dirty material that would otherwise pass downstream into a mechanical filter and prematurely clog such filter. A new, related machine nozzle and method for removing dirty material from air flowing in a carpet cleaning machine are also disclosed.

Abstract: A new platform (sometimes referred to as a "caddy") for transporting a carpet cleaning machine includes a base for supporting the machine and a machine restraint mechanism for releasably coupling the machine and the platform to one another. The platform also has wheels (or an elongated roller-like wheel) mounted with respect to the base for rolling the base and the machine across a surface. The restraint mechanism has features preventing relative platform-machine movement along a single axis or, when the mechanism includes pairs of two different types of restraining members, along plural axes. A new method is used for transporting a carpet cleaning machine of the type having a carpet brushing apparatus and a brush drive motor. The method includes the steps of providing a transport platform having a base, energizing the brush drive motor and tipping the machine to transfer more weight onto a brush. Such weight transfer causes the apparatus to urge the machine onto the platform.