# US 4,392,270 A · Surface cleaning apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,392,270 A - Document ID: US4392270A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/262,255 - Filed: 1981-05-11 - Granted: 1983-07-12 - Earliest claimed: 1980-06-09 - Assignees: Magee Enterprises Ltd. - Inventors: S. Jim Magee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4392270A ## CPC - A47L 11/4044: {Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees} - A47L 11/30: by suction - A47L 11/4088: {Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits} - E01H 1/103: {in which the soiled loosening or washing liquid is removed, e.g. by suction (removing liquids in general E01H1/108)} - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) - E01H: STREET CLEANING; CLEANING OF PERMANENT WAYS; CLEANING BEACHES; DISPERSING {OR PREVENTING} FOG IN GENERAL {CLEANING STREET OR RAILWAY FURNITURE OR TUNNEL WALLS}(cleaning in general B08B) ## Abstract An improved apparatus for cleaning roofs and other surfaces having both coarse and fine compacted particulate matter to be cleaned. A spray of water under pressure of 1,000 to 2,000 psi is applied from the inside of an open bottommed vacuum chamber toward the surface to be cleaned along a line at an angle across the chamber, to dislodge fine and/or coarse residue from the surface. A second spray is immediately applied following the first before the residue resettles on the surface, while at the same time a vacuum is applied to the chamber to remove the deflected spray and residue. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surface clearing apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber having an open bottom and an upper exhaust port, and high pressure liquid jet spraying means mounted within the chamber a predetermined height above the bottom thereof, the spraying means being comprised of a plurality of high pressure spray heads mounted along one of the front or rear of the vacuum chamber each adapted to emit a fan shaped spray at an angle toward the surface to be cleaned and being directed away from the adjacent front or rear of the chamber coextensive and noninterfering with the spray from an adjacent spray head, so as to form a substantially ungapped transverse line across the chamber along said surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the spraying means is comprised of a further plurality of spray heads mounted along the other of the front or rear of the vacuum chamber, each adapted to emit a fan shaped array toward the surface to be cleaned and at an angle inwardly of the chamber coextensive and noninterfering with the spray from an adjacent spray head, so as to form a second ungapped transverse line across the chamber along said surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 2, in which the spraying means includes a pair of water supply pipes, one mounted along the front and one mounted along the rear of the vacuum chamber, said pluralities of jet spray nozzles spaced along and communicating with said pipes for receiving said water under pressure, the spray angles of the nozzles being such as to focus the axes of liquid emissions therefrom generally toward the center of the chamber along lines the width of the chamber at a predetermined distance below the bottom of the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 4 A surface cleaning apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber having an open bottom and an upper exhaust port, liquid jet spraying means mounted within the chamber including a first plurality of jet spray nozzles spaced in a line along the inside of the front of the housing, each having a fan shaped spray pattern with a 90 degree divergence, the pattern being coextensive and noninterfering, the nozzles each being located 2 inches above the bottom of the housing and spaced 3 5/16 inches apart, and water supply means connected to said nozzles for supplying water thereto under pressure. ### Claim 5 A surface cleaning apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber having an open bottom and an upper exhaust port, and liquid jet spraying means mounted within the chamber, including a first plurality of jet spray nozzles spaced along the inside of the housing, each having a fan shaped spray pattern, the height, spacing and angle of spray of the nozzles being predetermined so as to substantially avoid interference of the spray between each of the nozzles, yet to spray a substantially continuous line from one side of the chamber to the other at an angle to the vertical in a plane at a working level at or below the bottom of the housing, and means for supplying water under pressure thereto. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 5, in which the divergence of the spray from each nozzle is about 90 degrees, the nozzles are located 2 inches above the bottom of the housing, are spaced 3 5/16 inches apart, and the axes of alternate nozzles are at angles of about 14 1/2 and 20 1/2 degrees respectively from the vertical inwardly of the chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 6, in which the first plurality of nozzles is located along the inside front of the housing, and the spraying means further includes a second plurality of jet spray nozzles similar to said first plurality of nozzles spaced along the inside rear of the housing at least 2 inches from said first plurality of nozzles, the height, spacing and angle of spray thereof being similar to the first plurality of nozzles, the first and second plurality of nozzles directing their sprays in a direction generally downward and inward below the bottom of the housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which the rear of the bottom of the vacuum chamber is raised relative to the front. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 8, further including a pair of wheels mounted for support of the vacuum chamber and to facilitate forward and rearward movement thereof, the bottom of the wheels being at the same level as the front of the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which the bottom of the vacuum chamber is truncated, the front edge thereof being lower than the rear. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9, 10) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 9 or 10, in which the front is 1/8 inches lower than the rear. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1, 6, 9) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 1, 6 or 9 including means for applying liquid to be sprayed to the spray means at a predetermined pressure, and means for applying vacuum to the exhaust port at a pressure sufficient to balance the pressure of the liquid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1, 7, 9) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 1, 7 or 9 including means for applying pulsations of liquid to be sprayed to the spray means, and means for applying vacuum to the exhaust port at a pressure sufficient to balance the pressure of the liquid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 7, 9) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 1, 7 or 9, including means for applying liquid to be sprayed to the spraying means at a pressure in the range of about 1,000 to 2,000 psi, and means for applying vacuum to the exhaust port at a pressure sufficient to balance the pressure of the liquid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1, 7, 9) A surface cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 1, 7 or 9, including means for applying liquid to be sprayed to the spraying means at a pressure of about 1,500 psi, and means for applying vacuum to the exhaust port at a pressure sufficient to balance the pressure of the liquid. ### Claim 16 A surface cleaning apparatus comprising: (a) a vacuum chamber having an open truncated bottom and an upper exhaust port, the front of the bottom being lower than the rear, (b) a plurality of jet spray tips mounted in opposed pairs along the front and rear of the chamber, the emission axes of alternate spray tips being directed downwardly and inwardly at angles of 141/2 and 201/2 degrees, the spray tips at the front and rear being separated by about 2 inches and located about 2 inches above the bottom front of the vacuum chamber, (c) means for applying vacuum to the exhaust port, and (d) means for applying water at a high pressure to the nozzles, the vacuum pressure being sufficient to balance against the quantity and pressure of the water.