Pad support assembly for floor polishing machine

A pad support assembly for use with a buffing pad, the assembly and the pad adapted to be rotated by a floor polishing machine, the assembly comprising:

• a pad support member including a disk-like member having a central overhead portion, an annular peripherial portion downwardly spaced from the overhead portion for engaging the peripheral portion of the buffing pad, and wall means connecting the overhead and peripheral portions, the pad support member forming a substantially closed wall configuration preventing air flow therethrough;
• a pad retaining plate including means for attaching the retaining plate to the underside of the overhead portion of the disk-like member with the pad positioned therebetween, the peripheral portion of the disk-like member pressing down on the peripheral portion of the pad during a buffing operation to place the peripheral portion of the pad into contact with a floor;
• and
• means for preventing air flow through the pad whenever the pad separates from the peripheral portion of the disk-like member during a buffing operation.

In a relatively high speed floor buffing machine having a housing supported on spaced wheels, a drive motor, a cavity for a rotatable pad support assembly and means in the cavity for attaching the pad support assembly for rotation by the drive motor, the improvement comprising:

• a pad support member including means for attaching the member to the means in the cavity whereby the member and the pad attached thereto can rotate in the cavity, said member having a central overhead portion and a peripheral portion downwardly spaced from the overhead portion and attached to the overhead portion by an annular wall portion that extends therebetween, the pad support member having a continuous uninterrupted construction so as to prevent air flow therethrough,
• means including a disk member including means for attaching said disk member to the underside of the overhead portion so as to compress a central portion of the buffing pad between the disk member and the overhead portion with the uncompressed peripheral portion of the pad extending outwardly to the peripheral portion of the pad support member whereby the peripheral pad portion is pressed downwardly against a floor to be buffed during a buffing operation, the peripheral portion of the pad support member engaging and pressing down on the peripheral pad portion during a buffing operation in a manner to prevent air flow between the peripheral portion of the pad support member and the upper surface of the peripheral pad portion, and
• means on the housing to adjust the position of the spaced wheels thereon to adjust the height of the housing of the buffing machine to a position so the peripheral portion of the pad support member engages the pad relatively uniformly over the area thereof and presses the peripheral portion of the pad relatively uniformly over the periphery thereof against the floor being buffed.

A pad support assembly for use with a circular floor buffing pad with the assembly and pad adapted to be rotated by a floor buffing machine for the pad to buff a floor, the assembly comprising:

• a pad support member including a disk-like member having a central overhead portion, an annular peripherial portion downwardly spaced from the overhead portion for engaging the peripheral portion of the buffing pad, and wall means connecting the overhead and peripheral portions, the pad support member having a continuous uninterrupted construction so as to prevent air flow therethrough;
• a pad retaining plate including means for attaching the retaining plate to the underside of the overhead portion of the disk-like member with the pad positioned therebetween, the pad retaining plate being of continuous uninterrupted construction and covering a central portion of the pad to prevent air flow therethrough, the peripheral portion of the disk-like member pressing down on the peripheral portion of the pad during a buffing operation to place the peripheral portion of the pad into contact with the floor;
• and
• a layer of air impervious material positioned between the peripheral portion of the support member and the peripheral portion of the pad.

In a relatively high speed floor buffing machine having a housing supported on spaced wheels, a drive motor, a cavity for a rotatable pad support assembly and means in the cavity for attaching the pad support assembly for rotation by the drive motor, the improvement comprising:

• a pad support member including means for attaching the member to the means in the cavity whereby the member and the pad attached thereto can rotate in the cavity, said member having a central overhead portion and a peripheral portion downwardly spaced from the overhead portion and attached to the overhead portion by an annular wall portion that extends therebetween, the pad support member having a continuous uninterrupted construction so as to prevent air flow therethrough;
• means including a disk member including means for attaching said disk member to the underside of the overhead portion so as to compress a central portion of the buffing pad between the disk member and the overhead portion with the uncompressed peripheral portion of the pad extending outwardly to the peripheral portion of the pad support member whereby the peripheral pad portion is pressed downwardly against a floor to be buffed during a buffing operation;
• means on the housing to adjust the position of the spaced wheels thereon to adjust the height of the housing of the buffing machine to a position so the peripheral portion of the pad support member engages the pad relatively uniformly over the area thereof and presses the peripheral portion of the pad relatively uniformly over the periphery thereof against the floor being buffed;
• a layer of air impervious material positioned extending between the peripheral portion of the pad and the peripheral portion of the member;
• and
• wherein the member and pad are rotated fast enough to produce a vacuum condition in the peripheral portion of the pad which causes the peripheral portion of the pad to be held engaged with the floor being buffed over substantially the entire area of the peripheral pad portion and causes the peripheral portion of the pad to be held engaged with the peripheral portion of the member, and the vacuum condition causes dirt to be sucked up into the pad instead of building up on the surface of the pad which surface thereby remains relatively cleaner.

In a relatively high speed floor buffing machine having a housing supported on spaced wheels, a drive motor, a cavity for a rotatable pad support assembly and means in the cavity for attaching the pad support assembly for rotation by the drive motor, the improvement comprising:

• a pad support member including means for attaching the member to the means in the cavity whereby the member and the pad attached thereto can rotate in the cavity, said member having a central overhead portion and a peripheral portion downwardly spaced from the overhead portion and attached to the overhead portion by an annular wall portion that extends therebetween, the pad support member having a continuous uninterrupted construction so as to prevent air flow therethrough;
• means including a disk member including means for attaching said disk member to the underside of the overhead portion so as to compress a central portion of the buffing pad between the disk member and the overhead portion with the uncompressed peripheral portion of the pad extending outwardly to the peripheral portion of the pad support member whereby the peripheral pad portion is pressed downwardly against a floor to be buffed during a buffing operation;
• means on the housing to adjust the position of the spaced wheels thereon to adjust the height of the housing of the buffing machine to a position so the peripheral portion of the pad support member engages the pad relatively uniformly over the area thereof and presses the peripheral portion of the pad relatively uniformly over the periphery thereof against the floor being buffed;
• a layer of air impervious material positioned extending between the pad and the member;
• and
• wherein the member and pad are rotated fast enough to produce a vacuum condition in the peripheral portion of the pad which causes the peripheral portion of the pad to be held engaged with the floor being buffed over substantially the entire area of the peripheral pad portion and causes the peripheral portion of the pad to be held engaged with the peripheral portion of the member, and the vacuum condition causes dirt to be sucked up into the pad instead of building up on the surface of the pad which surface thereby remains relatively cleaner.