Abstract: A floor cleaning machine having a body carrying a separable rigid vacuum-retaining container, within said container, a flaccid container, means for lifting said containers as a unit from the body of the machine for disposing of spent and unspent liquids contained therein, cleaning the containers, and re-filling with fresh cleaning fluid. In a preferred embodiment, the machine is provided with a full floating squeege which enables the machine to be moved from carpeted surfaces to hard floor surfaces by the simple flip of a handle.

Abstract: A floor cleaner having a rigid vacuum-retaining outer case, which is adapted to serve as a liquid reservoir, a flaccid container within the case, means for creating vacuum within the case in and around the flaccid container including an inlet communicating with the case, means communicating with the liquid reservoir for discharging liquid on a surface to be cleaned, and means communicating with the flaccid container for drawing the liquid and included dirt from the surface to be cleaned into the container under the influence of vacuum whereby the flaccid container can fill and expand with used liquid at a volume rate essentially equal to the rate of depletion of the unused liquid, within the same space of the outer rigid reservoir.

Abstract: A cleaning head assembly for a vacuum cleaning apparatus of the wet, dry and wet/dry types includes a rotatably driven brush carried within and laterally spanning the head assembly. A pair of floating vacuum heads are positioned on opposite sides of a housing for the brush, and each defines a portion of a vacuum pathway having an inlet opening adjacent to the surface to be cleaned, which extends from the inlet opening to a dirt collection zone within the vacuum cleaning apparatus. The floating vacuum heads are each attached to the brush housing in a manner permitting relative movement therebetween. In this regard, a track fixed to the brush housing engages a generally vertically extending flange extending from a vacuum head such that the flange moves within the track to control movement of the vacuum head relative to the brush housing. A roller spaces the flange from the track to minimize frictional contact therebetween, and a stop pin limits relative movement between the vacuum head and the track.

Abstract: A cleaning head assembly for a vacuum cleaning apparatus of the wet, dry and wet/dry types includes a rotatably driven brush carried within and laterally spanning the head assembly. A first vacuum chamber extends through the cleaning head assembly from a first inlet opening adjacent to a surface to be cleaned and laterally spanning the head assembly on one side of the brush, to a first exhaust port. A second vacuum chamber extends through the cleaning head assembly from a second inlet opening adjacent to the surface to be cleaned and laterally spanning the head assembly on a second, opposite, side of the brush relative to the first inlet opening, to a second exhaust port. A slidable gate valve selectively couples one end of a flexible hose to one of the exhaust ports for selective vacuuming of debris through either the first or the second inlet openings.

Abstract: A physical shape-conformable, disposable, self-sustaining sound dampening unit adapted to attach to the air exhaust of a pair of electric motors to dampen the noise produced by the same, which comprises:a body member formed of a thin imperforate film outer layer and a polymer foam inner layer lining the interior of said body member and having two inlet ports and at least one outlet port, the body having an interior pathway between the inlet ports and the outlet port, said inlet and outlet ports being disposed so that the incoming airstream impinges on an interior closed foam covered wall of said body and is made to turn at a right angle before reaching said outlet port.

Abstract: A scrubbing machine/vacuum cleaner which is carried by two spaced-apart front wheels and two spaced-apart rear wheels, having affixed to and extending from the front of the machine a cleaning head and brush assembly which is adapted to ride in proximity to, but in spaced-apart relationship from, the surface to be cleaned when all four wheels are resting on the surface to be cleaned. During actual cleaning operation, the head and brush assembly is adapted to press on the surface to be cleaned when the two rear wheels are raised from the surface to be cleaned. The front wheel assembly comprises a cross-member forming part of the frame carrying the machine, the cross-member having swivelably mounted thereto an axle. The axle carries the front wheels at its ends whereby the cleaning head is kept flat on the floor during the cleaning operation as the machine rolls over irregularities in the surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: A portable air blower includes a flexibly resilient housing, a motor mounted within the housing, and a blower wheel fixed to a motor shaft. The motor is bolted at one end to a motor mounting bracket which, in turn, is attached to the housing by a plurality of first shock mounts. Each such first shock mount includes a bolt for connecting the motor mounting bracket with the housing, and a resilient elastomeric grommet interposed between the bolt and the bracket. A self-clinching nut fixes the bolt to the housing. The motor shaft rotates through a self-aligning bearing held by a pyramid-like support bracket which is attached to the housing by a plurality of second shock mounts. The second shock mounts are identical to the first shock mounts, and include a resilient elastomeric grommet interposed between the support bracket and the bolt.

Abstract: In a liquid vacuum extraction system comprising a reservoir for fresh cleaning solution, means including a floor tool for applying said solution to the floor, carpet or other surface to be cleaned, vacuum means for sucking up the solution and contained dirt in an air stream from the surface being cleaned; the improvement comprising: a pair of spaced apart liquid reservoirs, each having an upper open end, a common closure sealing said upper open ends, said closure including an inlet communicating with said floor tool for return air bearing cleaning water and included dirt, and an outlet communicating with said vacuum means, said inlet communicating with a flow splitter head within the closure and positioned over said liquid reservoirs whereby all of the contained liquid is separated from the air and dropped into each of said liquid reservoirs at essentially equal rates while the air passes through to said outlet.

Abstract: A mobile rug or carpet cleaner is provided with a support housing having front and rear wheels mounted so that the unit is tilted about the housing axis of the front wheels to engage and disengage a cleaning head with the carpet to be cleaned. The cleaner includes a fluid delivery system which provides fluid flow to the cleaning head, an auxiliary cleaning head and a spotter. The fluid delivery system utilizes a pump having an open conduit which continuously recycles cleaning fluid to a reservoir. The continuous recycle allows a solenoid valve in a line transporting fluid to the cleaning head spray nozzles to be abruptly closed without subjecting the entire fluid delivery system to a sudden, potentially damaging increase in fluid pressure. An automatic drain system utilizes a vacuum line to direct spent cleaning fluid to a removable waste tank for disposal. Suction can be selectively directed to the cleaning head or to the auxiliary head.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner is provided which includes an easily removable recovery tank mounted on a support structure and having a cover on the tank forming a vacuum chamber in the tank, the cover being hinged to the support structure by a hollow hinge. A vacuum fan is mounted on the support structure and draws air from the vacuum chamber through the cover and through the hollow hinge.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner for vacuum cleaning wet or dry surfaces is provided which includes an easily removable recovery tank which forms a portion of a vacuum chamber, and into which refuse or dirt picked up by the vacuum cleaner enters through a port arranged above the tank and centered thereover. Various different types of dirt-collecting devices can be used within the recovery tank without requiring any physical connection to or through the recovery tank itself.