Floor coating machine

A self-contained movable machine for applying a wide and generally uniform thin coating of liquid to a floor, comprising:

• a first vessel for containing a supply of compressed gas at a predetermined initial pressure;
• a second vessel for containing the liquid to be applied;
• a pressure regulator and associated conduit for conveying a continuing supply of said compressed gas from said first vessel to said second vessel in a manner maintaining a generally uniform predetermined positive operating pressure within said second vessel and applied to said liquid, said predetermined positive operating pressure being lower than said initial pressure;
• a plurality of spray nozzles, each oriented above and generally orthogonal with respect to said floor and arranged to spray said liquid onto said floor as a dispersion having a predetermined spray pattern when receiving liquid at said predetermined positive operating pressure, such that said plurality of nozzles together spray a continuous dispersion of said liquid over a preselected target area larger than the spray pattern of any single nozzle;
• a manifold for conveying liquid from said second vessel to said spray nozzles under said predetermined positive operating pressure;
• and
• a mounting platform to support and carry said first and second vessels, said pressure regulator, said spray nozzles and said manifold together as a unit.

A method of applying a floor treatment liquid to a floor, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a movable platform;
• supplying a compressed gas to a first sealed vessel carried on said platform and retaining said gas within said vessel so that it is pressurized;
• supplying a floor treatment liquid to a second sealed vessel carried on said platform;
• gradually withdrawing compressed gas from said first vessel and applying it to said second vessel as pressure is released from said second vessel so as to maintain a positive pressure within said second vessel which is less than the pressure in said first vessel;
• applying said positive pressure within said second vessel to the floor treatment liquid therewithin;
• conveying liquid under said supplied positive pressure from said second vessel to at least one spray nozzle carried on said platform;
• and
• adjustably positioning said at least one spray nozzle with respect to said platform such that it sprays the liquid downwardly onto the floor along a plane generally perpendicular to the floor in a spray pattern of selected size.

A machine for applying a coating of liquid to a floor, comprising:

• a vessel for holding a supply of said liquid;
• a plurality of mutually spaced spray nozzles arranged to spray a dispersion of said liquid onto said floor in a series of adjacent spray patterns which are mutually contiguous at the point where they intersect said floor and which together extend continuously across a swath of predetermined width;
• a manifold system extending between said vessel and each of said spray nozzles to convey said liquid to each;
• a valve system operatively disposed between said vessel and said manifold system for selectively controlling the supply of liquid through said manifold to said spray nozzles;
• a manually controllable movable operating platform for supporting and carrying said vessel and said plurality of nozzles and moving them over a floor to apply said liquid thereto in said swath of predetermined width, said platform including manually actuable controls for operating said spray nozzles;
• and
• said valve system including a plurality of valves and related conduits for selectively conveying the liquid to different sets of said spray nozzles corresponding to different widths of said swath.