GB2030040A

GB2030040A - Floor cleaning unit

Info

Publication number: GB2030040A
Application number: GB7836654A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Elan Pressure Clean Ltd
Current assignee: Elan Pressure Clean Ltd
Priority date: 1978-09-13
Filing date: 1978-09-13
Publication date: 1980-04-02

Abstract

A cleaning unit (1) for cleaning floors comprises a pump 4 for supplying water at high pressure e.g. 2000-5000 p.s.i., a sprayer (5), a vacuum blower (8) for sucking up dirty liquid, a filtration unit (9) for filtering the dirty liquid, and a tank for storing the filtered liquid prior to re-use. The cleaning unit may be mounted on a vehicle. The sprayer may rotate or oscillate. The filtration unit may comprise a coarse filter 10, hydrocyclone 11, and a high- rate sand filter 12. A revolving brush 15 may be located at the front to sweep up litter and deposit it in bin 16. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Floor cleaning unit This invention relates to an improved cleaning unit primarily for cleaning floors.

At present factory floors and the like are cleaned by apparatus involving rotating brushes which can be wire, plastic or other material, sometimes combined with vacuum units to remove dirt from the floor. They are powered by various power sources.

The present method of cleaning floors suffers from a main disadvantage that, even amongst the largest machines, the uneveness of a floor or cracks results in dirt being harboured which cannot be readily removed.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved cleaning unit.

According to the present invention a cleaning unit comprises pressure means for directing cleaning fluid at a surface to be cleaned at high pressure, a vacuum unit for removing spent cleaning fluid together with the removed soil from the surface being cleaned, a filtration unit for cleaning the spent cleaning fluid picked up by the vacuum unit, and a storage tank to which the filtered cleaning fluid is passed for re-use.

The pressure means preferably comprises a high pressure pump which directs water through a fixed oscillating or rotating spray arm at high pressure e.g., between 2,000 and 5,000 p.s.i. and at a flow rate of between 5 and 20 gallons per minute. The spent water together with the removed soil is preferably guided by squeeges or similar devices towards a plurality of pick-up slots where it is removed from the surface being cleaned and drawn through the filtration unit by the vacuum unit.

The filtration unit may be a three stage filtration system comprising: (a) a grid or similar coarse filter; (b) a hydrocyclone; and (c) a high-rate sand filter Preferably the whole cleaning unit is mounted on a chassis on wheels and is operated by a diesel or like motor either by direct driver or indirect, via hydraulics. The unit is thus self-propelled and may be controlled by a driver who rides on the unit.

The invention also includes a method of cleaning a floor comprising the steps of directing high pressure water at the floor through a spray head, removing the spent water together with the removed soil by means of a vacuum unit, recycling the dirty water by passing it through a filtration unit, and passing the filtered water to a storage tank for reuse.

Preferably the water is directed at the floor at a pressure of between 2000 and 5000 p.s.i. at flow rates between 5 and 20 gallons per minute.

Although the filtration unit cleans the dirty water picked up it will be understood that from time to time the water tanks will have to be recharged and the collected soil in the filtration unit flushed away.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a preferred embodiment of cleaning unit, and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the cleaning unit shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings a cleaning unit 1 for cleaning floors is mounted on four wheels 2 and is self-propelled by means of a motor 3. A high pressure pump 4 is mounted on the chassis and is adapted to supply water at high pressure to a spray head in the form of spray bar 5. As indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 the spray bar 5 is arranged to rotate, oscillate, or can be fixed so as to clean the whole breadth of the cleaning unit during forward movement.

The unit is provided with side skirts 6 to prevent high pressure water from being directed anywhere other than below the unit and spent water and removed soil is picked up through a vacuum opening or openings 7 by a vacuum blower 8. The vacuum blower 8 is situated upstream of a filtration unit 9 so that the spent water is drawn through the filtration unit 9 for recycling.

The filtration unit 9 is preferably a three stage unit and comprises a grid or similar coarse filter 10, a hydrocylone 11 and a highrate sand filter 12. The filtered water is passed to a storage tank 13 for re-use. As shown in Fig. 2 the unit also includes a second tank 14 for clean water but if desired only one storage tank may be used.

In Fig. 1 there is also shown a revolving brush 15 at the front of the unit to take up large items such as cigarette packets, drinking cups etc. These large items picked up are passed to a collection bin 16.

The whole unit is controlled by a driver who is seated on the unit at 17.

Although not shown in the drawings the unit may include separate, operator controlled, cleaning heads which can be coupled to the main unit and used for off-gangway areas. These cleaning heads comprise a high pressure jet backed up by a vacuum slot and are connected to the main unit by a vacuum hose and a high pressure hose. Also the cleaning unit may include means for pretreating the surface with chemicals.

It will be understood that the use of high pressure water enables cracked and uneven floors where soiling is heavy to be cleaned easily. Also tiled floors are easily cleaned.

In operation between 5 and 20 gallons per minute of water is sprayed at a floor to be cleaned through the sprayhead 5 at a pressure of between 2000 and 5000 p.s.i. The pressure of the water loosens the dirt from the floor including cracked and uneven areas and the spent water and dirt is sucked up through openings 7 by the vacuum blower 8. The vacuum blower 8, being upstream of the filtration unit 9 draws the spent water and dirt through the filter elements where it is cleaned and then passes it to the storage tank for reuse. This cleaning process can be continued for at least an hour after which the tanks will need to be re-charged and the filters flushed to remove the collected soil. This cleaning of the unit itself is preferably carried out at a special cleaning station (not shown) which is provided with the cleaning unit for this purpose.

Claims

1. A cleaning unit comprising pressure means for directing cleaning fluid at a surface to be cleaned at high pressure, a vacuum unit for removing spent cleaning fluid together with the removed soil from the surface being cleaned, a filtration unit for cleaning the spent cleaning fluid picked up by the vacuum unit, and a storage reservoir to which the filtered cleaning fluid is passed for re-use.

2. A cleaning unit according to claim 1 wherein the pressure means comprises a high pressure pump directing water through a spray head at a pressure between 2000 and 5000 psi.

3. A cleaning unit according to claim 2 wherein the spray head comprises an oscillating or rotating spray arm.

4. A cleaning unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the filtration unit comprises a coarse filter, a hydro cyclone and a high-rate sand filter.

5. A cleaning unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the unit is selfpropelled and is operated by a driver who, in use, rides on the unit.

6. A method of cleaning a floor comprising the steps of directing high pressure water at the floor through a spray head removing the spent water together with the removed soil by means of a vacuum unit, recycling the dirty water by passing it through a filtration unit, and passing the filtered water to a storage tank for re-use.

7. A cleaning unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.