Biased Or Floating Nozzle Patents (Class 15/359)
  • Patent number: 4564972
    Abstract: This nozzle attachment consists of a casing containing a fixed sole and a moving plate supporting a brush, a rocking nozzle pivotably mounted about a shaft in the casing, the internal conduit whereof opens onto a center duct in contact with said sole, a sleeve wherein is rotatably fitted a suction tube and which is pivotably supported by said rocking nozzle, the internal conduits of said sleeve and said tube being connected in an airtight manner with the conduit of said nozzle, and a floor bearing roller mounted in a freewheeling manner about a shaft supported by said rocking nozzle at the back of said casing.In accordance with the invention, said sleeve is pivotably mounted on said rocking nozzle about a shaft located between the nozzle's swiveling axis with respect to the casing and the centerline of the floor-contacting surface of the floor bearing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1986
    Assignee: Etablissements Georges Olivier
    Inventor: Michel Varin
  • Patent number: 4498214
    Abstract: A carpet cleaning apparatus is disclosed which includes a new and improved auxiliary cleaning device arrangement incorporated in a conventional vacuum cleaner. The auxiliary cleaning device is movable into a carpet engaging position for frictionally engaging a carpet surface and simultaneously distributing cleaning material thereon which emulsify, rub, and thereby cause release of dirt, dust and other foreign particles from carpet fibers and allow their removal and collection by agitator and suction cleaning elements of the apparatus. A retraction means is provided for automatically retracting the auxiliary cleaning device in response to handle assembly movement to a storage position, and a retaining means is provided to lock the device in the retracted position. The retaining means selectively either permits movement of the device to a carpet engaging position or maintains the device in a retracted position independently of subsequent handle assembly movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: The Hoover Company
    Inventor: Berton R. Oxel
  • Patent number: 4485519
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for ozone cleaning of surfaces on carpets, furniture, drapery and the like. The system comprises an ozone producing unit and a portable cleaning unit having a cleaning head. The ozone produced in the system is directed past the cleaning head onto the surface to be cleaned while the cleaning head is in operation for maximizing the cleaning effects of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1984
    Assignee: Carpet Clinic Ltd.
    Inventor: David S. Collier
  • Patent number: 4483041
    Abstract: An improved support (48) for mounting a crescent shaped squeegee assembly (46) on the body (18) of a self propelled walk behind floor scrubbing machine (10) of the type which deposits cleaning fluid on a hard surfaced floor, scrubs the floor, and then squeegees and vacuums the dirty cleaning fluid from the floor. The squeegee supporting means (48) includes first and second intermediate members (84, 98) and first, second, and third pivot means (68, 70, 72). The first pivot means (68) secures the first intermediate member (84) to the body (18) for swinging movement about a generally vertically extending axis (Z). The second pivot means (70) secures a forward portion of a downwardly and rearwardly extending arm (90) to the first intermediate member for swinging movement about a generally transversely extending axis (Y). The second intermediate member is secured to a rear portion of the arm, the securing means including an attitude adjusting member (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Assignee: Wetrok, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. Waldhauser, Richard D. Masbruch
  • Patent number: 4441229
    Abstract: A rotary flooring cleaner-polisher wherein a shroud overlies a plurality of floor contacting rotating wands. The operator is able to selectively supply fluid, a vacuum or both to the area beneath the shroud permitting both application and extraction within the defined area via a hollow central drive shaft. At least one of the rotating wands which are flexibly mounted to the drive shaft includes an elongated slot along its lower surface in communication with the vacuum source such that the extaction is done through the wand and then through the drive shaft. The solution to be applied to the flooring surface may be sprayed in a general pattern beneath the shroud or in a controlled manner through the interior of one or more of the wands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1984
    Inventor: Clifford L. Monson
  • Patent number: 4422211
    Abstract: An attachment is disclosed for converting a rotary type lawnmower to a vacuum cleaner for picking up debris, such as grass cuttings, from sidewalks, driveways, and the like. The attachment includes a baffle member for positioning across the opening in the bottom of the housing of the rotary cutter blade. The baffle member has an opening through which air is pulled by the rotating cutter blade to lift and entrain debris from a sidewalk, driveway, or the like, and carry it into the housing for discharge through the discharge port of the housing. Means are provided for releasably attaching the baffle member to the housing so that the baffle can be attached when it is desired for the mower to act as a vacuum cleaner and removed when the mower is to function in the normal manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1983
    Inventor: Allen A. Chernosky
  • Patent number: 4380844
    Abstract: An automatic floor cleaning machine includes a unitary, self-contained and propelled, power driven body mounting from front to rear in a normal cleaning direction of travel: a propulsion mechanism including drive wheels and guide wheels for dry tracking on the floor surface to be cleaned, a scrubber mechanism including a pair of rearwardly disposed, vertically articulated counter-rotating magnetically and floatably mounted brushes for wetting and cleaning such floor surface, a vacuum mechanism including a vertically and horizontally articulated quick-detachable squeegee for drying of and proper tracking on the cleaned surface, and a combined mechanical and electrical control system operatively associated with each of such propulsion, scrubber, and vacuum mechanisms, for convenient actuation by a walk-behind operator to control actuation of such machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1983
    Assignee: Wetrok, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven A. Waldhauser, Dennis J. Corneil
  • Patent number: 4339841
    Abstract: A squeegee support assembly for automatic floor cleaning machines of the type having a housing, drive wheels, spaced holders for floor cleaning members mounted for powered rotation about a vertically disposed axis and a substantially crescent-shaped vacuum housing and squeegee blade carrying assembly mounted to the housing for articulated movement about a vertical axis which is located at the midpoint between a diametral line passing through the axis of the holding members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1982
    Assignee: Wetrok, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. A. Waldhauser, Richard D. Masbruch
  • Patent number: 4293971
    Abstract: The specification discloses a floor scrubber wherein the squeegee is connected to the machine by a coil spring. The squeegee is free of direct rigid connection to the machine such that it can shift readily from side to side through the action of the spring. The squeegee is biased to a raised position by a second spring and can be forced downwardly into engagement with the floor through a unique pneumatic cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1981
    Assignee: Clarke-Gravely Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas S. Block
  • Patent number: 4234995
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1980
    Assignee: Parise & Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl Parise
  • Patent number: 4206531
    Abstract: A suction pump for removing excess soldering tin at a soldered joint. The suction pump has a tensionable piston which jumps or snaps back upon a release thereof. A shock occurs in the suction pump and is transmitted onto a collecting nozzle. A shock absorbing device is mounted in axial direction in the collecting nozzle and absorbs the shock to act positively on the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1980
    Assignee: Homax AG
    Inventor: Walter Haeuptli
  • Patent number: 4200953
    Abstract: A maneuverable surface sweeper has a framework supporting a hopper configured to receive dust and debris swept from an underlying surface. A broom chamber is mounted within the framework overlying the surface to be swept and in communication with the hopper. The broom chamber may move vertically relative to the framework. A rotary driven broom is mounted in the broom chamber and has limited vertical movement capability relative to the chamber. A resilient tubular seal is disposed between the broom chamber and the hopper so that dust control is obtained therebetween while the broom chamber undergoes vertical movement. A bump encountered on the underlying surface elevates the broom chamber permitting the sweeper to pass thereover while allowing the broom to descend and continue in sweeping contact with the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1980
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventor: Billy J. Overton
  • Patent number: 4180887
    Abstract: A vacuum-cleaner attachment includes a mouthpiece and a suction nipple which communicates with a suction space bounded by the mouthpiece. Two stub shafts mount the mouthpiece on the suction nipple for relative pivoting, and an elastic element is interposed between the suction nipple and the mouthpiece and urges the latter toward a predetermined position thereof relative to the suction nipple. The elastic element may be a spring which is convoluted about an extension of one of the stub shafts and having two end portions, one of which is received in a slot-shaped depression of the stub shaft and the other of which abuts against the mouthpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Egon Wudel, Georg Haase
  • Patent number: 4171554
    Abstract: A floor care appliance is described having a nozzle body that has a floating action relative to its undercarriage. A camming and engaging arrangement is disposed to act between the two to permit height and angular adjustment of the nozzle body. An index means is also provided acting automatically to assure that a particular cam setting is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1979
    Assignee: The Hoover Company
    Inventor: Donald B. Tschudy
  • Patent number: 4167799
    Abstract: A combination foam and steam carpet cleaning machine incorporating separate storage compartments for the hot water and the foaming liquid, automatic control of vacuum wands positioned ahead and to the rear of the steam jets to permit forward and reverse motion during the steam cleaning operation, individual height adjustments for the cleaning brush and the vacuum wand and spring loading of the vacuum wand to insure adequate pressure of the wand against the carpet for maximum vacuuming efficiency. The machine is self-propelled in both forward and reverse directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1979
    Inventor: Charles F. Webb
  • Patent number: 4069540
    Abstract: A machine for removing painted stripes from artificial turf, comprising an automotive vehicle carrying an engine-driven blower, water pump, water tank, and a conditioner head that is flexibly connected to the vehicle and slides on the turf. The conditioner head includes an open-bottom housing that is spring-pressed down against the turf so that there is virtually no clearance under the bottom edges of the housing. The blower pulls a vacuum inside the water tank, and the latter is connected by hoses to the conditioner housing. A rotary brush inside the housing scrubs the turf to scour away previously-softened stripe paint. Behind the brush is a nozzle that directs a high pressure spray of water down into the turf to wash away the loosened paint particles, and this is followed by a roller that presses down against the turf and rolls water ahead of it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1978
    Assignee: Frank J. Zamboni & Co.
    Inventor: Frank J. Zamboni
  • Patent number: 4006506
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1975
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1977
    Assignee: The Scott & Fetzer Company
    Inventor: Jack L. Burgoon