GB762277A - Improvements relating to polish dispensers - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0762277/III/1> <PICT:0762277/III/2> <PICT:0762277/III/3> <PICT:0762277/III/4> A polish dispenser has a reservoir for polish, an elongated flexible wiper blade and means for supplying polish from the reservoir to the blade, the latter being hollow with a narrow wiping edge and in the region of the wiping edge has at least one web distributed along its length and interconnecting the opposite walls of the wiper, the wiping edge smearing polish on to a surface to be polished, when in contact therewith. The invention is applicable to a floor polisher of the type having two or more polishing brushes rotating about vertical axes and a long handle pivoted by a bail to the machine body. Referring to Fig. 2, the dispenser comprises an outer rigid casing 20 in which is mounted the reservoir in the form of a flexible bag 21. The open end of the bag is closed by a plate 24 to which is secured the hollow wiper blade 34. Opposed parallel walls 35 of the wiper blade are bridged at intervals by short webs 67, Figs. 3 and 5. In order to expel paste polish from the bag 21, air under pressure is supplied to the outer casing 20 through a flexible tube 40, Fig. 5, the pressure being generated by squeezing a valved hand bulb connected to the tube 40 and mounted on the handle (not shown) of the polishing machine. At a position near the bulb the tube 40 is provided with a manually operable pressure release valve. By manipulating the air bulb a pressure can be built-up between the outer casing 20 and the wall of the bag 21, and when the dispenser is positioned so that the wiper webs 67 contact the floor polish will exude therebetween and on to the floor. The outer casing 21 is provided at each end with toggle latches 25, Fig. 7, in order for securing the bottom plate 24 in position. An air vent 80 is provided in each end of the casing 20 and when the cover plate 24 is in position the vent is closed by a spring-urged button 81 carried by one toggle link 26. This arrangement ensures that any pressure in the casing will be released before the plate 24 can be removed. The outer casing 20, Fig. 2, is provided with a pair of bosses 50 into which are screwed guide rods 51 slidable in guide bosses 49 on a T-shaped bracket 45 (see Fig. 3) which bracket is secured to the main body 10 of the polishing machine by a bolt. Springs 52 mounted on the rods 51 between the bosses 49, 50, normally urge the dispenser to a position in which the wiper blade is off the floor. As shown in Fig. 5, the dispenser can be moved downwardly so that the wiper blade contacts the floor by applying foot pressure to a pad 66 on the casing 20. The dispenser is automatically latched in the operative position by a detent 53 on the dispenser engaging the hooked end 59 of a latch member 58 slidable vertically, as by rivets 60, engaging in the slotted vertical arm 57 of a bell crank arm 56 pivoted at 55 to the bracket 45. The latch member is held in any adjusted position relative to the arm 57 by an adjusting screw 62 connecting the latch member with the horizontal arm 63 of the bell crank. The detent can be released so that the dispenser is moved to its inoperative position by applying foot pressure to a pedal 64 on the arm 63. The latch is urged to an engaging position by a spring 65. In order to prevent polish remaining in the walls 35, drying-up by access of air when the blade is off the floor a pair of elongated gripping jaws 70, 71 Figs. 2 and 3 are arranged to be urged together by a spring to pinch the walls 35 together. The jaws are pivoted at their ends at 72, 73 to the plate 24 and the end bell crank arms 74 of the jaw 70 overlap the bell crank arms 75 at the ends of the jaw 71. The jaw 70 is also centrally pivoted to a lever 76 which is also pivoted at 77 to the T-bracket 45. It will be seen from Fig. 2 that when the dispenser is in the operative position the lever 76 causes the jaws to open against their spring and release the walls 35. When the dispenser is released to its inoperative position by operating the pedal 64 the jaws close under the action of their spring. When a liquid polish is to be used, the wiper blade is replaced by an alternative blade in which the walls 35 are joined by a continuous web disposed just above the lower edges of the lips. This web is pierced by a number of holes or slits which normally tend to close but open when pressure is applied to the polish. In modifications, the release of the dispenser to its inoperative position may be effected by the movement of the machine handle to a vertical storage position and instead of air being supplied to the casing 20, a squash plate may be interposed between the casing and bag and operated by a cable from a hand grip on the machine handle. The latter modification may incorporate a ratchet device. Specification 762,306 and 762,307 [Group XXIII] are referred to.