US1697918A - Floor-polishing attachment for vacuum cleaners - Google Patents

Description

Jan. as, 1929. 1,697,918

W. L. KEEFER FLOOR POLISHING A'TTACHMENTTOR VACUUM CLEANERS Filed May 28, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 8, 1929. 1,697,918

w. L. KEEPER V FLOOR POLISHING ATTACHMENT FOR VACUUM CLEANERS Filed May 28, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

UNITED STATES WALTER L. KEEFER, OF CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. I

FLOOR-POLISHING ATTACHMENT FOR vacuum CLEANERS.

. v] Application filed May 28, 1925. Serial No. 33,480.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for polishing floors, and the present disclosure thereof is directed to one whlch produces the polishing action by applying fluid wax to the floor by means of a rotating brush.

It is the primary object of the lnvention to provide a simple and compact attachment for the suction head of a vacuum cleaner, said attachment comprising a polishing head adapted to be detachabl secured to said suction head-when the or inary suction nozzle has been removed therefrom, said polishing head having a floor polisher provided with driving means for detachable engagement with a driven part on the suction head, said driven part being preferably the fan shaft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fioorpolishing head of the character set forth, in which the driving means for the floor polisher includes a driving element located within the confines of a coupling portion of the head, which coupling portion is adapted to be secured to the suction head of the vacuum cleaner, in place of the removed suction nozzle, said driving element then detachably engaging a driven part on said suction head.

A further object is to provide a floor polishing attachment applicable to a suction head in which the fan shaft is exposed-at the eye of the fan casing, and to operatively connect the drivin means for the polisher with said fan shaft, by passing an element of said driving means through said eye.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for closing the eye of the. fan casing when the polishing attachment is applied, thus permitting the fan of the suction head to spin idly with practically no resistance in said fan casing, so that the usua driving motor will not be overloaded.

Yet another object is to provide unique inter-engaging coupling members for connecting the diving means of the floor polisher with the fan shaft or the like, said coupling members being brought into co-operative relation by attachment of the polishing head to the suction head, novel provision being made whereby these coupling members will properly inter-engage with .each other upon relative turning, should-they not completely engage when applying the polishing head to the suction head.

In the preferred form of construction, the floor polishing member is carried by a tubular driven shaft, and fluid wax or oil is supplied to this shaft by a tubular discharge shaft of a cup which is detachably mounted on the polishlng head, and a further object is to make unique provision for operatively connecting the two tubular shafts when the cup is attached to the head.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the polishing head attached to the suction head of a vacuum cleaner in place of the removed suction nozzle.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the vacuum cleaner with the suction nozzle attached.

Figure 3'is a to plan view of-the suction head and the polis ing head operatively con-- nected with each other, the wax or oil cup being removed.

Figure 4 is a central vertical longitudinal sectlonal view as indicated by line 44 of Fi 3.

Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal sectional view through the driving connection between the fan shaft and the drivin means for the floor polisher, as indicated y line 55 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a similar view through the connecting means between the tubular discharge shaft of the oil or wax cup and the tubular carrying shaft of the floor polisher, taken on line 66 of Fig. 4. i

In the drawings above briefly described, S designates the suction head of a vacuum cleaner, and NY has reference to'a suction nozzle detachably coupled to said suction head, while I indicates a polish-ing head adapted to be detachably coupled to said suction head when said nozzle is removed. The present invention resides in the-polishing head and its association with the suction head, and while a suction head of one particular type has been shown, and the details of the polishing head designed accordingly, it is to be. understood that'the invention is not restricted to use in connection with any par ticular form of suction head, as it may be made to co-operate efiectively with suction heads of numerous constructions.

The suction head herein shown, comprises a vertically disposed 'fan'casing C having an 'eye'E in its front side and'provided with a rearwardly extending outlet 0 discharging into a dustbag B, said outlet being disposed over an electric motor M which is directly coupled to the fan shaft -FS. The suction head is provided with an-appropriate handle H and supporting wheels W, and at its front end, it is preferably equipped with an adjustable shoe 8 to support said front end when interchanging the polishing head and the nozzle. The art designated V in Figs. 3 and 4 is a curve vane from the fan casing G into the outlet 0 to assist in directin dust and the likefrom' the former into the latter.

For detachably-connecting the nozzle N to I the casing, G, the front side of this casing has been provided with forwardly projecting .studs C for reception in openings 1n the rear end of thenozzle, and suitable clam ing devices D are shown for holding the nozz e in place. These same clamping devices and studs are utilized in connectingthe polishing head P with the suction head of the cleaner, when the nozzle Nis removed, as will hereinafter become apparent, and the drivin means for the floor polishing member of sai polishing head, is then operatively engaged with the fan shaft FS, to be driven b the latter, said olishing member being indicated at 1 in the rawings and being preferabl in the form of a soft brush.

he polishing head P, in the construction shown, comprises a hollow body portion 2 enlarged at its lower end as indicated at 3 and.

provided with a downwardly projectin skirt 4 which surrounds the polishing member 1,.

the rear end of said hollow body 2 being .closed, in the present showing, by a 'plate ,5

which closes the eye E against entrance of air when the head P is'applied to the suction head S. The rear end of the body 2 is formed with openings 6 to receive the studs C, and is provided with a flange or other desired means 7 to co-operate with the clamping devices D, so that the olishin head may be 1 quickly and easily app ied to t e suction head, in lace of the suction nozzle N. a

he bod 2 is by preference provided with a removab e bottom plate 8 secured in place by screws or the like 9 and carrying an n ward projection 10 which is disposed within sald body 2. This projection 10 isvertically bored as at 11 to receive a tubular shaft 12 whose lower end carries the polishing member 1, said shaft being mounted in a pro riate ball bearings or the like 13, and i desired a coded rin 14 may be provided to exert a leldab e ad usting pressure on the bearin s.

- t is through the tubular shaft 12 that t e fluid wax or oil to be applied to the floor, is fed, as will be hereinafter explained, and this shaft is also rotated to drive the polishing member 1. In the present showing, a gear 15 1s keyed to the shaft 12 and meshes with a pinion 16 on a short vertical shaft 17 which is aplproprlately mounted in bearings carried by e pro ectlon 10. This shaft 17 is provided, in the resent disclosure, with a worm wheel 18, mes ing with a worm 19 on a horizontal shaft 20 which is rotatably mounted in ball bearings 21, within the. projection 10.

Preferably, the shaft 20 terminates in a rear section 22 universally connected to the major portion of said shaft as indicated at 23, said section 22 passing through an opening 24 in the, plate 5. Novel means are provided on the rear end of the shaft section 22 and the front end of the fan shaft FS for operatively connecting them without trouble, when the polishing head P is applied to the suction reception in longitudinal slots 28 formed in a coupling sleeve 29 which is slidable upon the shaft section 22. Preferably, a pin 30 passes through this shaft section and has its ends received in the slots 28 to establish a driving connection between the sleeve 29 and said shaft section and to limit the outward projection of the sleeve 29, under the influence of'a coiled compression spring 31 when the polishin head is detached from the suction head. freferably, the rear end of the shaft section 22 is shaped about as shown at 32 in Fi 5, for reception in the socket 25, and said s aft portion 32 projects beyond the rear end of the sleeve 29, so that when the polishing head is applied to the suction head, it will be immediately received in the above-named socket 25. When this takes place, the lugs 27 may enga e only the rear edge of the sleeve 29, instead 0 seating in the slots 28 thereof, and

if this is the case, the sleeve 29 will' be for- I instrumentality of the gearing above de-" scribed, it also rotates the tubular shaft 12, to drive the polishing. member 1, to which fluid wax or oil may be supplied. In the present showing, the olishin fluid is fed to the shaft 12 from a eedin evice-33 whose internal construction constitutes no part of the present invention. It is connected however with the body 2, in a unique manner described below, and 1s also operatively coning studs 37 to underlie said top, the latter.

preferably having cam surfaces to engage said studs. The edge wall of the opening 36' is of course formed with notches 38 through which these studs may pass when alined therewith, and after inserting the neck with its studs 37 passing through said notches, turning of the cup 34 will tightly bind it in place.

The feeder 33 includes a tubular, downwardly projecting shaft 39 through which small quantities of the polishing fluid are successively discharged when said shaft is rotated. The means for producing this'discharge of fluid is claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 21,395, filed April 7, 1925, and constitutes no part of the present invention, but is indicated in a general way in Fig. 4. In this view, 40 denotes a rotary feed device on the tubular shaft 39 for feeding the polishing fluid through a port 40* into said tubular shaft. The lower end of the shaft 39 is adapted for reception in the upper end of thetubular shaft 12, as disclosed most clearly in Fig. 6, and self-engaging coupling means are provided on these two shafts, similar to the coupling means above described for connecting'the fan shaft FS with the shaft sect-ion 22. The details of these coupling means are shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 6 and they are described below.

A pair of driving lugs 41, on the upper end of the shaft 12, are adapted for reception in slots 42 formed in a sleeve 43 which is slidable upon the shaft 39 and is pressed downwardly by a coiled sprin 44, a pin 45 being passed through said shaft 39with its ends received in the slots 42. lVhen the lugs 41 are properly seated in the slots 42, they serve to drive the sleeve 43 and the latter in turn drives the shaft 39 through the instrumentality of the pin 45. When the feeder 33 is applied to the'body 2, if the lugs 41 are not immediately received in the slots 42, said slots and lugs will properly interengage with each other as soon as the machine is started and slight rotation of shaft 12 takes place, with respect to the shaft 39.

The feeder 33 preferably includes a control valve 46 (Figs. 1 and 4), whereby the discharge of wax, oil, or other polish, may be controlled and entirely cut off if desired.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have produced a rather simple and inexpensive floor polishing attachment which may be easily applied to or removed from the suction head of a vacuum cleaner, so as to utilize the motor of the latter for driving the polishing means, and while such olishing means is preferably in the form 0 a rotary brush, it might well be of other form. When a brush is used, as in the present disclosure, it is preferably held detachably upon the lower end of the shaft 12, by a thumb nut 47, and said shaft may well be provided with a driving disk 48 having a stud 49 receivable in an opening 50 in the brush back, as shown in Fig. 4. This arrangement permits the brush to be readily detached or attached, as occasion may de-- mand.

During the operation of the machlne with the polishing head P attached, said machine is of course rolled to and fro along the floor, by

means of the handle H, and during this manipulation, wax or any other desired polishing medium' may be fed down the tubular shaft 6. This shaft preferably runs at a s eed of about 490 revolutions per minute, w llch speed is sufficient to cause the polishing agent to be thrown out by centrifugal force from the lower end of said shaft, and it will be seen that the polishing material thus thrown, is caught by the rotary brush and is by the latter applied directly to the floor. By having the brush mounted upon a vertical axis, the entire floor-engaging area of said brush is at all times in contact with the floor so that no portion of such area is at any time idle, as would necessarilyfollow if the brush were mounted upon a horizontal axis. Moreover, I have found that with brushes mounted to rotate upon horizontal axes, the effective polishing which I obtain,.cannot be attained.

Preferably, the floor to be polished is first coated and partly polished by means of the improved mechanism and then the supply of wax or the like is out off and the mere rotation of the brush used to effect the final polishing operation. The direct action of th( motor in driving this brush is not impaired at all by the presence of the fan F, as the eye E of the fan casing is closed against entranceof air by the plate 5, so that-the fan merely rotates in a void or air hole, instead of performing work and overloading the motor. By relieving the motor of the load of the fan, its direct efliciency is utilized to drive the rotary polishing brush, but as the speed of said motor is approximately 9,000 revolutions per minute, it would be impractical to drive the brush at the same speed. Hence, speed-reducing gearing has been interposed between the shafts 20 and 6, reducing the speed of the latter and the brush to approximately 490 revolutions per minute, which speed is suflicient to obtain the desired result.

While I have shown and described the machine as adapted for applying wax, oil or other polishing material and treating the floor to'create a polished surface, it will of course be understood that water or a cleansing fluid may be supplied through the hollow shaft to the brush for scrubbing or otherwise treatin the floor or other surface.

i' xcellent results are obtainable from the 'eneral construction disclosed, and it is therefore preferably followed, but within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous mod1- fications may be made, and as above stated, the polishing attachment may be made to cooperate with suction heads of vacuum cleaners, other than the particular style herein disclosed. n

I claim 1. Floor treating equipment for a vacuum cleaner body, comprising a head having means whereby it ma be detachably coupled end of said shaft and receiving liquid therefrom, liquid supply means discharging into" the upper end of said shaft and actuated by the latter, and driving means for said shaft, said-driving means having a portion whereby it may be detachably coupled to a driven 'part of the cleaner body. a

3, In combination with the motor part of a vacuum cleaner having a detachable suction nozzle; a floor waxing device substituted for said suction nozzle and detachably secured in place, said device embodying both wax-feeding means and wax-spreadin means driven by the motor of said vacuumc eaner.

4. A floor treating attachment for application to the suction head of a vacuum cleaner when the suction nozzle thereof is removed; said attachment comprising a head provided with a con ling portion for connection with a the part 0 the suction head previously connected to the removed suction nozzle, said head having a floor engaging brush mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, and driving means for said brush having a coupling sin coumember substantially surrounde b; pling portion of sald head and .a apted for detachable engagement with a driven art of the vacuum cleaner suction head, said rivi means including a tubular shaft carrying 'sai brush and dis osed at the axis ther'eo ,and means carried y said head and communicating with said tubular shaft for supplying a floor treating fluid to the interior of said tubular shaft to vbe conducted by the latter to said brush. a

5. A floor polishing attachment for application to the suction head of a vacuum cleaner when the suction nozzle of the latter is removed, said attachment comprising a hollow head provided with a rearwardly exposed coupling portion for detachable connection with the part of the suction head previously connectedto the removed suction nozzle, a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted in said hollow head and having its rear end ortion surrounded b said coupling portion t ereof, said rear en portion of said shaft having coupling means instrumental in connecting it with the. driven fan shaft of the vacuum cleaner suction head, a tubular vertical shaft rotatably mounted in said hollow head andv having a floor polishing brush at its lower end, reducing earing in said hollow head for driving the tu ular vertical shaft from the horizontal shaft, and means carried by said hollow head for feeding a floor polishing fluid to the interior of said tubular vertical shaft to be conducted by the latter to said brush.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

WALTER L. KEEFER.

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