Portable surface cleaner

A portable surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

• spray means for spraying cleaning fluid onto the surface being cleaned, said spray means including a cleaning fluid flow line operably connected to a source of cleaning fluid;
• a used cleaning fluid recovery chamber;
• a suction nozzle in flow communication with said recovery chamber;
• blower means in flow communication with said recovery chamber for generating a suction in said recovery chamber for causing air and used cleaning fluid to be drawn through said suction nozzle into said recovery chamber;
• pump means operably connected in flow communication with said recovery chamber for pumping used cleaning fluid out of said recovery chamber to a remote discharge means;
• a bleed-off line connected at one end to said cleaning fluid flow line and at its other end to said recovery chamber, thereby short-circuiting a portion of the flow of cleaning fluid directly to said recovery chamber and thereby preventing dry operation of said pump.

A portable surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

• spray means for spraying cleaning fluid onto the surface being cleaned, said spray means including a cleaning fluid flow line operably connected to a source of cleaning fluid;
• solenoid valve means on said cleaning fluid flow line for alternatively stopping or allowing cleaning fluid to flow therethrough to the surface to be cleaned;
• a used cleaning fluid recovery chamber;
• a suction nozzle in flow communication with said recovery chamber;
• blower means including a blower motor in flow communication with said recovery chamber for generating a suction in said recovery chamber for causing air and used cleaning fluid to be drawn through said suction nozzle into said recovery chamber;
• pump means, including a pump motor, operably connected to said recovery chamber for pumping used cleaning fluid out of said recovery chamber to a remote discharge means;
• a first switch for controlling both said solenoid valve and said pump motor, said first switch being in a first circuit which is in series with each of second and third circuits, said second and third circuits being parallel to one another;
• said second circuit comprising said pump motor;
• said third circuit comprising a second switch and said solenoid of said solenoid valve, said second switch being normally closed to said solenoid of said solenoid valve whereby closing of said first switch closes a circuit through said solenoid valve and through said pump motor, thereby simultaneously causing a flow of cleaning fluid to the surface being cleaned and causing used cleaning fluid to be pumped from said recovery chamber;
• said second switch being additionally a component of a fourth circuit, said fourth circuit being parallel to said first circuit and being in series with said second circuit whereby when said second switch is manually engaged to thereby open said third circuit, said fourth circuit is closed through said second circuit and said pump motor operates alone with said solenoid valve being closed and the flow of liquid to the surface being cleaned thereby shut off.

A portable surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

• a suction nozzle in flow communication with a recovery chamber;
• blower means in flow communication with said recovery chamber for generating a vacuum in said recovery chamber and causing debris to be drawn through said suction nozzle into said recovery chamber;
• said blower means including an impeller and an impeller housing in which said impeller is housed, said impeller housing being open at a plurality of points around the circumference thereof to allow the discharge of air from said impeller;
• shroud means being positioned over said impeller housing, said shroud means including a circumferential channel positioned around said points of discharge of said impeller and creating a flow communication channel for air discharged by said impeller;
• said channel being open at the bottom whereby air from said impeller is discharged downwardly directly onto the surface being cleaned.