Mobile cleaning system

#This invention is concerned with improving the drive system for a motor vehicle mounted vacuum cleaning system.

#It is common for carpet and upholstery cleaning services to be performed from mobile units. The mobile unit includes a motor vehicle, such as a van, which carries means for heating and pressurizing cleaning fluid and a blower for creating a vacuum. Pressurized cleaning fluid is conveyed by a hose to a wand for spraying fluid onto the surface to be cleaned. Another hose connected to the blower and the wand carries spent cleaning fluid and debris from the surface back into the vehicle.

#A complete system of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,082 granted Jul. 10, 1990 to James R. Roden for “Cleaning System”. In the system disclosed in this patent the pressurizing means and the blower are driven by a separate internal combustion engine dedicated specifically for that purpose.

#The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a motor vehicle carrying the mobile cleaning system of this invention;

#FIG. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view of the vehicle engine and the cleaning system; and

#In the drawings the reference numeral 11 designates a motor vehicle, in this case a van, for transporting the components of a surface cleaning and flood restoration system.

#The cargo area of the vehicle 11 houses a console 12 and a waste tank 13 of the cleaning system. The system also comprises a cleaning wand 14 coupled to the console 12 by hoses 15 and 16. Hose 15 conveys pressurized and heated cleaning fluid to the wand 14 to be sprayed onto a surface being cleaned. Hose 16 conveys spent cleaning fluid (liquid) air and debris back to the console 12 from the wand 14.

#As depicted in FIG. 2, the components in the console 12 are powered by the vehicle engine 17 via a hydraulic power takeoff circuit indicated generally by reference numeral 18. The power takeoff circuit includes a hydraulic pump 19 which can be selectively coupled to the vehicle engine 17 and hydraulic fluid supply line 21 and a return line 22.