US 5,611,108 AGranted

Floor cleaning apparatus with slidable flap

AssigneeWindsor Industries, Inc.

InventorsChristopher M. Knowlton, Timothy A. Strickland, Robert J. O'Hara

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Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for cleaning floors. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes four wheels, two of which are steerable wheels, and a steering mechanism that permits the two steerable wheels to turn to a degree that allows very tight turns to be made by the sweeper. In another embodiment, the apparatus is a sweeper with a cylindrical side broom. Yet a further embodiment of the sweeper includes flaps or seals that form a skirt about the broom and a mounting mechanism for slidably receiving the flap or seal. In a further embodiment, the apparatus is a sweeper that employs flaps with wear indicators that tell an operator when to adjust or replace the flap. In another embodiment, the apparatus is a sweeper that utilizes a pre-filter to remove debris that remains in the vacuum airstream after having passed through the hopper and that is of a size that can require frequent cleaning of a subsequent filtering device. In yet at further embodiment, the apparatus is a scrubber with two counter rotating disk brushes, a primary squeegee, and a second or pre-squeegee for relieving the primary squeegee from processing the heavier concentration of wastewater produced in the area between the brushes. In yet another embodiment, the apparatus is a scrubber that includes a squeegee mounting systems that is relatively easy to use and permits the squeegee rubber to extend beyond the end of the mounting structure.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:

a frame;
means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface;
at least three wheels for moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface;
and
means for steering at least one of said at least three wheels;
wherein said means for cleaning includes a flap and means for mounting said flap to said frame;
wherein said flap includes an upper edge having a first thickness and a lower edge having a second thickness that is less than said first thickness;
wherein, when said flap is in use, said lower edge is disposed adjacent to the surface and said upper edge is displaced from said surface;
wherein said means for mounting includes a longitudinally extending slot for holding said flap, said slot having an upper portion for holding said upper edge of said flap and a lower portion for holding a first portion of said lower edge of said flap but incapable of accommodating said upper edge of said flap, said lower portion extending from said upper portion to an opening through which a second portion of said lower edge of said flap extends towards said surface;
wherein said upper portion of said longitudinally extending slot includes a first channel for holding said upper edge of said flap that is located at a first distance from the surface, and a second channel for holding said upper edge of said flap that is separate from said first channel and located at a second distance from the surface that is less than said first distance, wherein said second channel permits a flap that is held by said first channel and whose lower edge has been worn away from the surface to be moved so that the lower edge can be brought closer to the surface;
wherein said means for mounting includes a groove adjoining said lower portion of said longitudinally extending slot that is incapable, in combination with said lower portion of said longitudinally extending slot, of accommodating said upper edge of said flap;
wherein said flap can be slidably inserted into and slidably removed from said longitudinally extending slot.

9 more elements

An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:

a frame;
means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface;
at least three wheels for moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface;
and
means for steering at least one of said at least three wheels;
wherein said means for cleaning includes a flap and means for mounting said flap to said frame;
wherein said flap includes an upper edge having a first thickness and a lower edge having a second thickness that is less than said first thickness;
wherein said flap includes a wear indicator located between said upper and lower edges;
wherein when said flap is in use said lower edge is disposed adjacent to the surface and said upper edge is displaced from the surface;
wherein said means for mounting includes a longitudinally extending slot for holding said flap, said slot having an upper portion for holding said upper edge of said flap and a lower portion for holding a first portion of said lower edge of said flap but incapable of accommodating said upper edge of said flap, said lower portion extending from said upper portion to an opening through which a second portion of said lower edge of said flap extends towards said surface;
wherein said upper portion of said longitudinally extending slot includes a first channel for holding said upper edge of said flap that is located at a first distance from said surface, and a second channel for holding said upper edge of said flap that is separate from said first channel and located at a second distance from said surface that is less than said first distance, wherein said second channel permits a flap that is held by said first channel and whose lower edge has been worn away from the surface to be moved so that said lower edge can be brought closer to the surface;
wherein said means for mounting includes a groove adjoining said lower portion of said first longitudinally extending slot that is incapable, in combination with said lower portion of said longitudinally extending slot, of accommodating said upper edge of said flap;
wherein said flap can be slidably inserted into and slidably removed from said longitudinally extending slot.

10 more elements

An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:

a frame;
means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface;
at least three wheels for moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface;
and
means for steering at least one of said at least three wheels;
wherein said means for cleaning includes a flap and means for mounting said flap to said frame;
wherein said flap includes an upper edge having a first thickness and a lower edge having a second thickness that is less than said first thickness;
wherein, when said flap is in use, said lower edge is disposed adjacent to the surface and said upper edge is displaced from said surface;
wherein said means for mounting includes a longitudinally extending slot for holding said flap, said slot having an upper portion for holding said upper edge of said flap and a lower portion for holding a first portion of said lower edge of said flap but incapable of accommodating said upper edge of said flap, said lower portion of said means for mounting extending from said upper portion to an opening through which a second portion of said lower edge of said flap extends towards said surface;
wherein said means for mounting includes a groove adjoining said lower portion of said longitudinally extending slot that is incapable, in combination with said lower portion of said longitudinally extending slot, of accommodating said upper edge of said flap;
wherein said flap can be slidably inserted into and slidably removed from said longitudinally extending slot.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/454,413Filed 30 May 1995 · continuation
Priority: 25 Apr 1994
Granted: 18 Mar 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

A47L 11/4044
Parts or details of the surface treating tools: vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
A47L 11/24
Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings: floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
A47L 11/29
Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings: floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid
A47L 11/293
Having rotary tools: the tools being disc brushes