Clarke-gravely Corporation

Pacific Steamex Cleaning Systems, Inc.

Cooper Industries, Inc.

Mcgraw-edison Company

Thomas S Block

Jerry D Schemm

A vacuum cleaner operates via power supplied from either an on-board battery or an AC power outlet. When the vacuum cleaner is operating by using the battery a controller monitors the voltage level in the battery and automatically shuts down the vacuum cleaner when the battery voltage has decreased below a preset level. This prevents a full drainage of the battery and increases its longevity. The controller that monitors the battery voltage level can be used with batteries of different voltages. The controller automatically determines which type of battery is being used and shuts down power to the vacuum cleaner motor after the appropriate amount of battery drainage.

Dual mode portable suction cleaner

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner operable in an on-floor mode and an above-floor mode. The filtration system of the vacuum cleaner is selectively fluidly connected to a brush housing directed toward the floor for the on-floor mode and, in an alternative orientation, selectively fluidly connected to an auxiliary hose for the above-floor mode. The auxiliary hose is stored in its entirety within the hollow tube of an upright handle, the upright handle being pivotally connected to a base of the vacuum cleaner and the hollow tube being removably connected to the pivotal connection for use as a wand in the above-floor mode. The vacuum cleaner includes vacuum and brush motors that are selectively activated in accordance with the position of the upright handle, the vacuum and brush motors being activated the on-floor mode and the vacuum motor alone being activated in the above-floor mode.

Convertible upright vacuum

Handle for a carpet cleaning machine

Portable carpet cleaning machine

Housing for a floor cleaning machine

Housing for a floor maintenance machine

A floor treating machine adapted to operate as a floor scrubber and a floor polisher or buffer includes a main housing or support frame structure from which extends a brush housing assembly. The main housing contains a combined solution and recovery tank, a motive device to power the floor treating machine, a propulsion system to propel the floor treating machine along the floor, a pneumatic power system, a squeegee subassembly and electrical and pneumatic control systems therefor. The brush housing assembly is operatively connected to the main housing by a brush lifting mechanism such that two brushes selectively rotating in opposite directions in the brush housing assembly can be lifted away from the floor or moved toward the floor so that the brushes exert the correct amount of pressure against the floor depending on the job being done. The electrical and pneumatic control systems enable the floor treating machine to be selectively operated as a floor scrubber wherein the brushes in the brush housing assembly rotate at a relatively slow rotational speed and wherein the amount of pressure that the brushes exert against the floor is adjustable. The control systems also enable the floor treating machine to be selectively operated as a floor buffer or polisher wherein the brushes are rotated at a relatively high rotational speed and the brushes exert a relatively constant force or pressure against the floor. A high speed polisher is also disclosed capable of attaining rotational brush speeds of 2000 RPM and over. The polisher is controlled by an electric and pneumatic control system.

Floor treating machine

A floor treating machine adapted to operate as a floor scrubber and a floor polisher or buffer includes a main housing or support frame structure from which extends a brush housing assembly. The main housing contains a combined solution and recovery tank, a motive device to power the floor treating machine, a propulsion system to propel the floor treating machine along the floor, a pneumatic power system, a squeegee subassembly and electrical and pneumatic control systems therefor. The brush housing assembly is operatively connected to the main housing by a brush lifting mechanism such that two brushes selectively rotating in opposite directions in the brush housing assembly can be lifted away from the floor or moved toward the floor so that the brushes exert the correct amount of pressure against the floor depending on the job being done. The electrical and pneumatic control systems enable the floor treating machine to be selectively operated as a floor scrubber wherein the brushes in the brush housing assembly rotate at a relatively slow rotational speed and wherein the amount of pressure that the brushes exert against the floor is adjustable. The control systems also enable the floor treating machine to be selectively operated as a floor buffer or polisher wherein the brushes are rotated at a relatively high rotational speed and the brushes exert a relatively constant force or pressure against the floor.

A floor scrubbing apparatus including a combined solution and recovery tank is disclosed. The floor scrubber is of the type including a brush head, a squeegee and a vacuum system. A combined solution and recovery tank is operably connected to the vacuum system and the brush head. The tank is a one-piece, rigid integrally molded member having an inner wall and outer, spaced wall. The inner wall defines a recovery tank and the outer wall surrounding the inner wall defines therewith a solution tank. The one-piece member further defines an inlet opening, a solution drain opening, a recovery drain opening and a solution outlet tube.

Floor scrubber with combined solution and recovery tank

Scrubber

The specification discloses a floor scrubber wherein the squeegee is connected to the machine by a coil spring. The squeegee is free of direct rigid connection to the machine such that it can shift readily from side to side through the action of the spring. The squeegee is biased to a raised position by a second spring and can be forced downwardly into engagement with the floor through a unique pneumatic cylinder.

Floor treating machine with squeegee

The specification discloses a floor treating machine in which a vertical axis rotating brush is coupled to the motor through a motor gimbal having convex bottom and side walls which are seated in a cavity within a receiving brush gimbal, the bottom and side walls of the cavity having radii greater than the radii of the motor gimbal bottom and side wall so that the brush is free to shift its axis of rotation vis-a-vis the axis of rotation of the motor gimbal to thereby accommodate deviations in the surface being cleaned.

Floor machine with gimballed brush drive

A vertical axis brush for use with a rotary floor maintenance apparatus is disclosed. The brush includes a holder plate having an integral peripherally extending and depending skirt to which are detachably secured a plurality of brush segments. Each brush segment is generally U-shaped in plan and is held to the holder plate by a pair of opposed clamps which define a channel. The clamps are integral with the plate and radially receive the brush members in a detachable snap fit fashion. When mounted, each of the brush members is engaged by the clamps and also engaged by the depending skirt of the holder plate.

Vertical axis brush

A floor treating machine primarily adapted for scrubbing a hard floor surface is disclosed. The machine includes a main frame, a modular support subassembly and a brush subassembly. The support subassembly includes a frame member secured to the main frame and a brush lift assembly. The brush lift assembly includes a main lift arm pivoted to the support frame, a fluid operated diaphragm motor engaging the main lift arm and a tilt arm pivoted at one end to the frame. The main lift arm and tilt arm are operatively connected to the brush subassembly.

Growing community of inventors

Muskegon, MI, United States of America

Thomas S Block