US1647005A

US1647005A - Vacuum floor scrubbing and washing machine

Info

Publication number: US1647005A
Application number: US681164A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter L Keefer
Original assignee: WOLF CO
Current assignee: WOLF CO
Priority date: 1923-12-17
Filing date: 1923-12-17
Publication date: 1927-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 1944-10-25

Description

' l 647 005 Oct. A 25, 1927. w- L. KEEPER VACUUM FLOOR SCRUBBING AND WASHING MACIHINE Filed Dec;- 17. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1927' w. L. KEEFER VACUUM FLOOR SCRUBBHIG AND WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 17, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 25, 19271.

1,647,005 w. 1.. KEEFER VACUUM FLOOR TSCRUBBING AND WASHING MACHFIIIIIE Filed Dec. 17. 1923 4' Sheets-Sheet 3 F m g m Q & [9 HI IIIIII II m IIIIIIII III 3 "III II III III III I 3 q) Q Q g Q l I L? i I Q T? 4 Q D 6 I; wzzwff /a a I 1 Oct. 25, 1927. W L. KEEPER 47,005

VACUUM FLOOR SCRUBBING AND WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 17. 1923 4 sham-sheet Patent on. 25, 1927.'

WALTER L. KEEFER, OF GBERSBUBG,

rnnnsrnvnivrm'nssrenon 'ro rm WOLF co, (if? GEEBSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A. GORPORA'IIUN on PENNHFZLVMIA VAGUUMELOQR fiCRUBBING AND WASHING- llpp'lieution filed December f7, 1929.

power-driven machine of the close described which is particularly applicable to the scrub bing and cleaning of floors of great area, es found in hotels, factories, public buildings,

W hospitals and large private residences.

A. more specific object of my invention is toprovide a scrubbing and washing machine that shell be equally efiective for any direction of movement.- end that shall use the W some cleansing medium over and over again.

Another ob ect of my invention is to provide e scrubbing and washing machine, wherein the cleansing medium on the scrubbed surface is removed and returned 29 through filtering means to the supply tank originally holding the some.

A further object of my invention is to provide s sedimentation chamber in e cleansing medium circulating system which is de- 55 signed to remove the cleansing fluid from the air, permitting the latter to pass through the fan and associated passages in a. substantially dry condition,-the chamber also causing a separation of the heavier foreign matter from the cleansing medium, so that relatively clean fluid may be supplied to the filtering means.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an attachment for the main scrublbing machine in the form of an independent- 1y movable scrubbing unit of reduced size which receives its supply of cleansing fluid from the tank of the main mechine'and which discharges the cleansin fluid removed from the scrubbed surface bac into the sedimentation chamber of said main machine.

Although the primary object of my 'invention is to provide a vacuum scrubbing and washing machine, it is apparent that 4 certain features of my invention are capable of quite general application, as in waxing and polishing machines and also in grinding and polishing machines, all as will be apparent more full hereinafter. With these an other objects and applications in mind, my invention further consists in the details of construction and operation hereinafterdesc'ribed and claimed and wherein- I the independently movable scrubbinget- Seriel No. 681,16

7 Fig. 1 is s top plen view of one form of embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevationel view of the structure of Fig. 1 shown partially in section; 9 v

mg. 6 is e longitudinal sectional view of the structure of the preceding figures token on the line TIL-di l of Fig. 1;

Fig. t is a. longitudinal sectional view of techment, and

Figs. 5 and 6 are top plan and side ele vetionsl views, respectively, of the structure of Fig. i.

in the illustrated form of embodiment of my invention shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is supporting framework 1 comprises a horizontally positioned platform 2 and depending side vand end portions 3, the letter defining a. chamber 5 at one end of the horizontel latform, 2 and also providing supports or a pair of centrally ositioned wheels 6. The forward end ortion of the supporting framework 1 may e further supported by a pair of caster wheels 7.

A scrubber 8 of annular form is mounted within the chamber 5, for rot-ative en a ement with the surface to be cleaned, by meansof a supporting gear-wheel 9 which is mounted on a vertically positioned rod 11 having a portion thereof extending up through a. perforation 12 in the horizontal plate 2. Relative axial movement between the lower end of the vertical rod'll and the brush support 9 is avoided bye pin 13 which 'extends through aligned perforations 14. and 15 in a hub portion 16 of the brush support 9 and in the vertical rod 11, respectively.

The vertically upri ht rod 11 is revolubly mounted in a cylindrical bushing 17 having an outer surface in threaded engagement with an inner surface of a bushing 18 which is supported in the perforation 12 by a horizontally extending flange 19 adapted to engage the top sideof the horizontal support- 100 ing plate 2. The lower end of the sleeve 17 is spaced from the hub portion 16 of the brush support 9 by means of a. thrust hear ing 21 of usual design. The upper end portion of the vertical rod 11 extending beyond 105 the end of the threaded sleeve 17 is provided with an annular member 22 which .issocured on the yertical rod 11 by; means of a pin 23.

When the threaded sleeve 17in turned, an

axial movement of the rod 11 ensues, causing a corresponding vertical movement of the brush 8. In practice, this adjustable feature is made use of to compensate for the wearing down of the scrubber 8. The brush adjusting sleeve 17 may be secured in a desired position by means of a lock pin 24 which is slidably mounted in a horizontal perforation 25 in the flangeportion 19 of the bushing 18, the end of the locking pin 24 being adapted to engage vertical slots 26 formed in the threaded surface of the brush adjusting sleeve 17.

The scrubber 8 may be actuated by means of a motor 29 which is supported on a housing 31 positioned to the rear of the scrubber supporting apparatus on the top side of the horlzontal supporting plate 2. A shaft 32 of the motor 29 extends vertically downwardly into the chamber formed by the housing 31 and it is provided with a pulleywheel 33. which is operatively associated by means of a belt 34 with a. pulley-wheel 35 mounted on a vertical shaft 36 journaled in a bearing 37 supported'on the horizontal platform 2. The vertical shaft 36 is provided with a projecting portion 38 which ex- -tends through a perforation 39 in the horizontal supporting platform 2, said project- '.ins1

immediately adjacent to the scrubber 8 by ing portion being provided with gear teeth which are adapted to mesh with the teeth of the supporting gear-wheel 91 The portion of the horizontal platform 2 to the rear of the brush adjusting mechanism, including that embraced by the pulley wheel 35, the housing 31 and the motor 29, ma be enclosed by a rectan ularenclosure 42 having front, rear and

si e walls

43, 44, 45 and 46, respectively. The portion of the enclosed space above the driving mechanism for the scrubber 8, may be formed into a sup ly tank or chamber 47 for a cleansing me mm by a base partition 48, the enclosed space below said base partition 48-having an opening to the outside through perforations 49 formed in the side walls 45 and 46. The cleansing medium, which is contained in the supply tank 47, may be delivered to the e portion of the scrubbing chamber 5 means of a supply pipe 50 through a control valve 51, the latter having an operating handle 52 extending out through the rear wall 44.

mg a vacuum in said scrubber housm The cleansing medium, which is sup lied to the scrubber 8, may be revented rom escaping through the relatively small air ap between the surface to be cleaned and it e lower edge of the scrubber housing shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Referring particularly toFig. '3, a suction nozzle 53 of are- I Hate form opens into the scrubber chamber underside of the horizontal .suflicient to cause a relatively large flow of air through said air ga into the vacuum chamber 5, around the e ges of the scrubber 8 and into the nozzle 53 by means of a rotary fan or other fluid-propelling means 56 which is mounted on the lowe end ortion of the driven shaft 32 in tin housing '31. Practical experience has shown that said fiow of air removes thecleansirg medium from the floor surface immediately. adjacent to the ed es of the scrubber 8, leaving the samec ean and substantially dry. The inlet opening of the fan 56 is. extended down into the sedimentation chamber by means of a pipe 57 which is carried by the platform 2. The outlet opening'of the fan 56 is in the enclosedspace below the base partition 48 which opens to the outside through the side wall perforations 49.

The supernatant liquid or effluent in the sedimentation tank 55 may be removed therefrom by means of a centrifugal pump 58 and discharged through pipe sections 59, 60 and 61 into the open end of the supply tank 47. The pipe section 59 extends between the pump outlet opening and the pipe section 60, the latter being mounted on a removable cover plate 62 positioned in the rear end of the sedimentation chamber 55. The pipe section 61 extends between the section 60 and the open end of the supply tank 47.

The centrifugal pump 58 is provided with a vertical shaft 63 which extends through a. bearing 64 having a horizontally extending circular flange 65 resting on the upper side ofthe supporting plate 2. The pump .58 may be more rigidly secured in position wheel 67 which is operatively associated by means of a'belt 68 with the driving pulley wheel 33.

In order to further screen the used cleansing medium prior to its mixing with that in the supply tank 47, the same is caused to pass through a series of superimposed filtering screens 69 and 70 which are mounted on the upper end of the tank 47.. T0 still further purify the cleansing medium, a body 70 of sand or crushed coke or like purifying material may be interposed between the screens 69 and 70. A suitable handle 71 for movin the machine may be attached to the depen ing side-portion 3. A control button 72 for the drivin motor 29 may also be mounted on-the hand e 71.

Assuming the control valve 51 open to permit of a supply of the cleansing medium to the scrubber 8, when the motor control button 72 is closed, the scrubber 8, the rotary fan 56 and the centrifugal pump 58 are simultaneously operated, the rotary fan 56 serving to create a vacuum in the scrubber chamber 5, whereby a relatively large flow of air may be established around the scrubber 8 and drawn up into the nozzle 53. As a result of said flow of air, the cleansing medium on the floor surface not directly under the scrubber 8 is removed, leaving a surface which is clean and substantially dry. The air and fluid drawn u into the nozzle 53 may then be discharge into the-sedimentation or expansion chamber 55 where the air expands sufficiently to permit the cleansmg medium to be deposited. The relatively dry air, after being freed from the cleansing medium, is now removed from the sedimentation chamber 55 by the rotary fan 56 and discharged from the machine through the side wall perforations 49. The supernatant liquid, which is formed in the sedimentation tank 55, may be removed by means of the pump 58 and discharged through the filtermg screens 69 and 70 back into the supply tank 47.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is shown an attachment for the main scrubbing machine above described in the form of an independently movable scrubbing unit which receives its supply of cleansing fluid from the tank 47 of the main machine and which discharges the cleansing medium removed from the scrubbed surface back into the sedimentation chamber 55 of said main machine. The

attachment therein shown comprises a casing 73 forming a hollow chamber 74 adapted to receive a scrubber 75, the latter being mounted for vertical adjustment in the general manner shown in the previous figures. 'lhe scrubber 75 is'directly driven by a pinion 7 6 of a driving motor 77, the latter being mounted on the upper side of the casing 73 and enclosed by a protective casing 78.

The cleansing medium may be supplied to the scrubber 75 through a flexible pipe 79 adapted to have an operative connection with the main supply pipe 50. The cleans ing medium not 'directly under the scrubber and particularly that adjacent to the outer edges of the scrubber chamber may be removed by creating a vacuum insaid scrubber chamber. and this may be efiected through a nozzle 80, similar to the nozzle 53 of the main machine. The nozzle 80 is operatively associated with the sedimentation chamber 55 by means of a flexible pipe 81, the end of which is adapted to be removably inserted through a normally closed opening 83 in the side wall of the sedimentation chamber 55. The further operation of the above-de scribed attachment is the same as that described for Figs. 1, 2 and 3. It will be understood, however, that the fan 56 is of sufiicient size and power to supply the quantity of air necessary to produce a vacuum in the nozzle 80 as well as in the nozzle 53, if both nozzles are operated simultaneously or singly. When the scrubber 75 is being used the suction produced in the nozzle 53 will prevent the material delivered into the sedi- 'mentation chamber 55 by the pipe 81 from passing downwardly through the pipe 54.

ithile l have shown but one embodiment of my invention, for the purpose of describing the same and illustrating. its principles of construction and of operation, it is apparent that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon as are indicated in the appended claims or as are demanded by the prior art.

I claim: I

1. in combination, a scrubber, a chamber for supplying a cleansing medium to said scrubber, a suction nozzle positioned adjacent to said scrubber, means for creating a suction in said nozzle,-means for receivmg the discharge from said nozzle and permitting the separation of the air and cleansing medium in said discharge, pumping means interconnecting said second-mentioned means and said supply chamber, and means for actuating said scrubber and said suction and said pumping means.

2. A machine comprising a supportin body movable over a surface to be cleans a scrubber, said supporting body including a housing for said scrubber, a suction nozzle opening into said housing, a rotary fan for creating a suction in said nozzle, an expansion chamber carried by said supporting body and adapted to receive the discharge of said nozzle, a tank for supplying liquid to said scrubber, said tank being provided with filtering means, a pump for delivering the supernatant liquid in said expansion chamber to said filtering means, and means for actuating said scrubber, fan and pump.

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