White Consolidated Industries, Inc.

Kevin Genge

Gregory W Luebbering

William E Hanold

William Phelan

Richard Karr

David Erickson

Marco Ferrari

Scott Bolbock

A method for operating an upright wet extractor having a base and a handle. The base includes a floor cleaning tool and has a hand held cleaning tool permanently attached thereto. A motor fan unit is operated to generate a suction force and this suction force is selectively communicated to a suction inlet of one of the hand held cleaning tool and the floor cleaning tool. When the suction force is communicated to the hand held cleaning tool suction inlet, pressurized cleaning fluid is also supplied to that tool, and when the suction force is supplied to the suction inlet of the floor cleaning tool, a brush unit is rotated in the floor cleaning tool.

Method of operating a wet extractor

An upright wet extractor includes a base assembly, a manipulative handle pivotally attached to the base assembly, and a motor driven agitator brush. A cleaning solution dispensing tank is removably attached to the handle assembly by a pivotable latch member. In a floor cleaning mode, cleaning solution is selectively supplied by gravity from the dispensing tank to a floor cleaning spray nozzle through a supply tube which is controlled by a pinch valve. In an attachment hose cleaning mode, cleaning solution is selectively supplied by a motor driven pump from the dispensing tank to an attachment hose spray nozzle which is controlled by a trigger valve. A suction motor/fan assembly is carried by the base assembly which is selectively in fluid communication with a floor suction nozzle in the floor cleaning mode and an attachment hose suction nozzle when in the attachment hose cleaning mode. Conversion between the floor cleaning mode and the attachment hose cleaning mode is conveniently carried out by manual operation of a knob of multi-functional valve/switch assembly. The valve/switch assembly includes a valve member which diverts the flow of working air and a micro-switch which appropriately activates and deactivates the agitator brush motor and the pump motor. A recovery tank assembly which both separates liquid from air and stores the recovered liquid is removably secured within the base assembly below the suction pump and can be removed through the rear end of the base assembly. The suction motor/fan assembly includes a cooling fan which draws cooling air over both the pump motor and the motor of the suction motor/fan assembly.

Wet extractor system

An upright wet extractor includes a base assembly, a manipulative handle pivotally attached to the base assembly, and a motor driven agitator brush. A cleaning solution dispensing tank is removably attached to the handle assembly by a pivotable latch member. In a floor cleaning mode, cleaning solution is selectively supplied by gravity from the dispensing tank to a spray nozzle through a supply tube controlled by a pinch valve. In an attachment hose cleaning mode, cleaning solution is selectively supplied by a motor driven pump from the dispensing tank to an attachment hose spray nozzle controlled by a trigger valve. A suction motor/fan assembly is carried by the base assembly which is selectively in fluid communication with a floor nozzle in the floor mode and a hose nozzle in the attachment mode. Conversion between floor mode and attachment mode is carried out by manual operation of a knob of a multi-functional valve/switch assembly. The valve switch assembly includes a valve member which diverts the flow of working air and a micro-switch which appropriately activates and deactivates the agitator brush motor and the pump motor. A recovery tank assembly which both separates liquid from air and stores the recovered liquid is removably secured below the suction pump and can be removed through the rear end of the base assembly. The suction motor/fan assembly includes a cooling fan which draws cooling air over both the pump motor and the motor of the suction motor/fan assembly.

An upright wet extractor includes a base assembly, a manipulative handle pivotally attached to the base assembly, and a motor driven agitator brush. A cleaning solution dispensing tank is removably attached to the handle assembly by a pivotable latch member. In a floor cleaning mode, cleaning solution is selectively supplied by gravity from the dispensing tank to a spray nozzle through a supply tube controlled by a pinch valve. In an attachment hose cleaning mode, cleaning solution is selectively supplied by a motor driven pump from the dispensing tank to an attachment hose spray nozzle controlled by a trigger valve. A suction motor/fan assembly is carried by the base assembly which is selectively in fluid communication with a floor nozzle in the floor mode and hose nozzle in the attachment mode. Conversion between floor mode and attachment mode is carried out by manual operation of a knob of a multi-functional valve/switch assembly. The valve/switch assembly includes a valve member which diverts the flow of working air and a micro-switch which appropriately activates and deactivates the agitator brush motor and the pump motor. A recovery tank assembly which both separates liquid from air and stores the recovered liquid is removably secured below the suction pump and can be removed through the rear end of the base assembly. The suction motor/fan assembly includes a cooling fan which draws cooling air over both the pump motor and the motor of the suction motor/fan assembly.

A vacuum cleaner has a nozzle with an opening and a vacuum pump connected to draw dirt laden air into the opening from exteriorly of said vacuum cleaner. A shield is movably mounted to the vacuum cleaner to have a first position at which a first part of the opening is blocked from passing air and a second position at which a second part of the opening is blocked from passing air. The first part of the opening may be downwardly directed and the second part may be forwardly directed. The shield may be pivotally mounted to the nozzle.

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Normal, IL, United States of America

Kevin Genge