Battery powered, riding, floor burnishing machine

Apparatus for treating a surface comprising, in combination:

• a chassis adapted to be moved along the surface;
• means mounted to the chassis for treating the surface as the chassis is moved along the surface;
• a plurality of batteries for providing power to the surface treating means;
• a battery box for holding the plurality of batteries and including a bottom;
• and means for removably mounting the battery box in the chassis allowing the battery box to be removed from and inserted into the chassis in a horizontal movement direction and while supported by the bottom.

Apparatus for treating a surface comprising, in combination:

• a chassis adapted to be moved along the surface;
• means for treating the surface;
• and means for mounting the treating means to the chassis for movement relative to the surface comprising, in combination:
• a linkage pivotably mounted to the chassis about a first axis and pivotably mounted to the treating means about a second axis spaced from and parallel to the first axis;
• an actuator pivotably mounted to the chassis about a third axis spaced from and parallel to the first axis, with the actuator including a rotatable threaded shaft and a nut threadably received on the threaded shaft;
• a housing pivotably mounted to the linkage about a fourth axis spaced from and parallel to the first and third axes, with the housing being restrained on the nut while allowing relative axial movement for a distance parallel to the threaded shaft;
• and means for biasing the housing away from the nut.

Apparatus for treating a surface comprising, in combination:

• a chassis adapted to be moved along the surface;
• means mounted to the chassis for treating the surface as the chassis is moved along the surface;
• a plurality of batteries for providing power to the surface treating means;
• and a battery box for holding the plurality of batteries and including a bottom, with the battery box being mounted in the chassis as low as possible with the bottom of the battery box defining a space with the surface which is free of obstruction.

Method for treating a surface comprising the steps of:

• providing a surface treating member rotatable by an electric motor;
• providing a chassis movable along the surface;
• providing a means for movably mounting the surface treating member for movement toward and away from the surface;
• providing a means for moving the movably mounting means;
• monitoring the current level of the electric motor;
• and controlling the moving means in response to the monitored current level of the electric motor for moving the movably mounting means and the surface treating member so that the surface treating member engages the surface with a force so that the current level of the electric motor is within a predetermined range.

Apparatus for treating a surface comprising, in combination:

• a surface treating member rotatable by an electric motor;
• a chassis movable along the surface;
• means for movably mounting the surface treating member for movement toward and away from the surface;
• means for moving the movably mounting means;
• means for monitoring the current level of the electric motor;
• and means for controlling the moving means in response to the monitored current level of the electric motor for moving the movably mounting means and the surface treating member so that the surface treating member engages the surface with a force so that the current level of the electric motor is within a predetermined range.

Method for measuring the current of an electrical device comprising the steps of:

• providing a supply lead cable having a device end and a common end, with the device end being adapted to directly connect to the electrical device;
• monitoring the voltage at the device end of the cable;
• monitoring the voltage at the common end of the cable;
• and comparing the voltages at the ends of the cable for determining the voltage drop across the cable and the current level through the electrical device.