Surface cleaner and retrieval unit

In a method of cleaning flat surfaces using a maneuverable cyclonic power unit having a rotating member in combination with a stationary unit wherein the improvement comprises the steps of:

• providing a recycling facility on said stationary unit;
• providing a clean water storage facility on said stationary unit;
• providing liquid transfer mechanism for transferring recycled liquid from said recycling facility to said clean water storage facility;
• providing a clean water pump for increasing the pressure of water flowing from said water storage facility;
• connecting the cyclonic power unit to said recycling facility and to said clean water pump by separate flexible conduits;
• providing the cyclonic power unit with a frame that is adapted to be maneuvered over a flat surface;
• mounting a generally disc-shaped housing on said frame;
• providing high pressure water dispensing mechanism on said cyclonic power unit for jetting water against the flat surface to be cleaned in the area below said generally disc-shaped housing;
• providing said generally disc-shaped housing with an annular channel at its periphery;
• mounting a spindle, having a hub portion, on said disc-shaped housing for rotation about the spindle's longitudinal axis such that said hub portion is aligned with said annular channel;
• providing power mechanism for rotating said spindle about said longitudinal axis in a direction of rotation;
• securing a plurality of straight rods to said spindle such that they extend normal to said longitudinal axis;
• providing an associated curved blade, having a convex surface, for each straight rod:
• connecting one end of each curved blade to said spindle such that said convex surface of the curved bladed is the leading surface as the spindle is rotated in said direction of rotation;
• connecting the other end of each curved blade to the free end of its associated straight rod such that the free end of each curved blade extends into said annular channel;
• providing a discharge outlet in said annular channel through which water and contamination picked up from said flat surface is transmitted through said flexible conduit that is connected to said recycling facility.

A device for cleaning flat surfaces of the type including a maneuverable cyclonic power unit having a rotating member in combination with a stationary unit wherein the invention comprises:

• a receiving facility carried by said stationary unit;
• a flexible conduit connecting the cyclonic power unit to said receiving facility;
• a frame for said cyclonic power unit that is adapted to be maneuvered over the flat surface to be cleaned;
• a generally disc-shaped housing mounted on said frame;
• said generally disc-shaped housing having an annular channel along its periphery;
• a spindle, having a longitudinal axis and a hub portion, said spindle mounted on said disc-shaped housing for rotation about the spindle's longitudinal axis such that said hub portion is aligned with said annular channel;
• a power mechanism, supported by said frame, for rotating said spindle about said longitudinal axis in a direction of rotation;
• a plurality of straight rods secured to said spindle such that they extend normal to said longitudinal axis;
• an elongated curved blade having a convex surface associated with each straight rod:
• one end of each elongated curved blade connected to said spindle such that its convex surface is the leading surface as the spindle is rotated in said direction of rotation;
• the other end of each elongated curved blade connected to the free end of its associated straight rod such that the free end of each curved blade extends into said annular channel;
• a discharge outlet in said annular channel through which matter picked up from said flat surface is transmitted through said flexible conduit to said receiving facility.

In a method of cleaning matter from flat surfaces using a maneuverable cyclonic power wash unit of the type that has a rotating member that sprays pressurized water at high rotating speeds onto the surface to be cleaned, in combination with the components, including a water storage component in which a supply of water is stored to be used for cleaning, a water pump component that pumps and pressurizes water from the water storage component as it is directed to the cyclone sprayer and a filtering component that filters water containing debris wherein the improvement comprises the steps of:

• providing a mobile platform, that is separate from said cyclonic power wash unit, for bearing said water storage component, water pump component and filtering component;
• providing said cyclonic power wash unit with a non-rotating water inlet;
• connecting said water pump component to said non-rotating water inlet;
• driving said rotating member to rotate at a speed in the range of 1,000 to 1,500 psi;
• providing said rotating member with blades that when rotated create an upwardly directed draft;
• providing a rotary union that will permit the undiminished flow of said high pressure water from said non-rotating inlet to said rotating member, for sustained periods;
• securing a perforated disc to said rotating member such that water and debris picked up from the surface to be cleaned, by said upwardly directed draft, must pass through the perforations formed in the disc;
• discharging the water and debris that has passed through said perforated disc from said cyclonic power wash unit and directing it to said filtering component;
• filtering the reclaimed water containing debris that has been recovered from the surface to be cleaned;
• and
• directing the filtered water from the filtering component back into the water storage component so that the water may be further used for cleaning by the cyclonic power wash unit.