US2540510A - Rotary floor polisher - Google Patents

Description

1951 DE WlTT CLAUSEN ROTARY FLOOR POLISHER 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 5, 1946 tas *0 NR5 kwxtw 3 G Q 0 twain so v2 5 L2ENU [N VEN TOR.

ROTARY FLOOR POLISHER Filed' Jan. 5, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Feb. 6, 1951 ROTARY FLOOR POLISHER De Witt Clausen, Akron, Ohio, assignor to Clarke Sanding Machine Company, Muskegon, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January 5, 1946, Serial No. 639,210

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-49) This invention relates to improvements in rotary floor polishers.

More particularly, it is directed to a floor p01- isherof the type in whicha rotary brush rotates about 'a vertical axis, and which in operation is in direct contact with the floor and formsa support for the driving motor and its superimposed mounting structure.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved machine of this type which overcomes the'tendency to wobble when the brush is in operation on the floor, and which makes the machine readily controllable by the operator when in operation.

In the rotary brush type machines heretofore used, this tendency to Wobble is particularly noticeable when working on rough floors where the brush torque is accentuated, due to the fact that the'mass of the machine is above a flexible unit, such as a conventional rotary disk type floor brush, and that the working surface is continuously changing. I I

One of the principal features of my present invention is the arrangement of the elements of the mechanism in such a manner that a vertical'plane through the center of gravity is rearward of the center of rotation of the brush. This results in a rearward thrust. This rearward thrust is easily resisted by'the location of the pivot points of the arms supporting the handle. The arms of the handle are pivoted to th frame on each side at a point rearward of the center of gravity. Y

It is an object of my invention to provide a machine of this type, so designed and arranged that when the brush is set-in operation, the thrust is rearward, so that the operator can readily control the machine.

In the preferred form, the driving mechanism, frame and mounting are so arranged as to place the center of gravity of the whole machine rearward of the center of the brush, with the handle connected to the machine at points rearward of the center of gravit The position of th pivot point of the handle is important since the thrust being rearward but angular, the resulting thrust point on the floor is ahead of the center of rotation, which action pivots the load on the brush closer to the center of rotation.

With the foregoing novel arrangement of the respective center lines, it is easy for the operator to resist the rearward thrust, and the machine may.:.be pushed or pulledin any direction without any appreciable effort in overcoming any tendency of the machine to crawl, either to the left or right.

The above and other advantages and capabilities will become apparent from a detailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention. The construction there shown is to be understood as illustrative only, and not. as defining the limits of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a floor polisher embodying one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged partially sectional plan view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Figure 1, with certain parts, such as the motor and mounting indicated in dotted lines;

and

Figure 5 is an enlarged partially sectional view taken on the line, 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 1, line A indicates the center line of rotation of the brush, B is the center of gravity of the machine, and C indicates the I provided with a rigid supporting block I2 disposed within the housing l0, and a shaft 13 (Figure 5) carriedby the block 12, said shaft being connected to motor l4 through suitable driving mechanism indicated at I5 and 16 (Figures 4 and 5) and reduction units I1 and 18.

As shown by Figures 1, 4 and 5, the handle I9 is supported by yoke arms 20 which are pivotally attached ;,to the housing In by stud bolts 2|, said stud bolts being shown in detail by the sectional plan view shown in Figure 2.

In Figure 2, stud bolt 21 is supported in the oppositelyprojecting end of the yoke arm 20 by a sleeve 22, preferably constructed of bronze. This stud is held to the housing I!) by threads 23, and prevented from working loose by a set screw 24. ;:'1Q-.p1OVide a slight friction betweenthe. yoke arm; 0 and the housing 10, spring washer ed, as best shown in Figure 2. As' sliow-ii in Figure 3, the spring washer 25 provided with tooth 26 to prevent the washer from turning.

Figures 1 and also show a split sleeve 21 held in place by the screw 28 for attaching the handle 19 to the yoke arms 20. As shown by Figures 4 and 5, the electric cable 29 which supplies current to the motor I4 is passed through the hollow handle l9 and-:is thenled throughthe split sleeve 21 and carried on the inside of 'one of the yoke arms 2!! and there supported by spring clips 30. At the point where the cable 29 emerges from the split sleeve 21, it is protected bysa .rubber housing 3|.

For easy access to the motor [4; --asshown by Figures 1 and 5, the removablelahousingxcover such objects, the machine is lprovided with a bumper 33, preferably construct'etl'of'fubber.

rotatably mounted on a single vertical axis of rotation and adapted to bear directly on a sur face to be polished to define a circular polishing area thereon; a frame supported solely by the polishing element; a handle secured to the frame by a pair of coacting pivots one on each side of said frame and having a common axis transyerselyfdi'sposedg'and located in a vertical [plane rearwardhz-of the axis of-rotation bf' the polishing element yet forwardly of the rear edge of iithe polishing element so as to be directly above thepolishing area, and driving means for the polishingblement mounted on the frame at a 5' pointatoloc'ate the center of gravity of the polish- 1'5 32 is vprovided. To protect furniture and other errbetween the axis of rotation and said vertical plane of== the hand1e pivots.

., 2. In; atfloonpolisher, the combination of a single polishing element rotatably mounted on In addition to the basic feature of providing a machine in which a vertical plane through the (center. of gravity is rearwardof r the. centenof rotation of the brush, best results are; obtained when the vcenter of-gravityin-the :horizontal plane is as close to the floor as possible,- since a high weight center accentuates the wobbling action which ma'y-de'velopin passingoveruneven surfaces.

.JIhe amount'of friction between the yoke arms and the housing at'the, pivot points is anlimpo-rtant factor in reducing the teridencyto wobble.

However, this. friction .must .be carefully controlled, since it, hasbeen found thatit can/be increased to, such. a degree' that" the movement of the handle reacts on the' brush tosuch, an extent that the beneficialifiiectof mediumfric- "tion is lost.

i From theforegoing description, it will, befseen .that' I have provided; a? highfjspedjfloor' polisher in Figure V1,the" center lofigrayityl of the, machine as, a whole is slightly rearward of the, center of the rotating brush, that is,,,in1the', direction .tow'ardsthe operator, and the pointsjwher'elthe operating handle is connected tothema'chine as a whole are rearward ofthecent'er bf gravity ofithe machine as a'whole.

" Having thus describedmy invention, I claim:

,1.,,In, a floor polisher, the. combination of a single relatively jfiat -circularLpolishing element 'aivertical shaft and adapted to bear directly on a surface to be polished to define a circular "polishingarea thereong aeframersupported solely The following referencesare iof record zinithe file 'of thiswp'atent:

" UNITED PATENTS Number Name :Date 1,393,532 Howard Oct. 11,-].921 1,794,462 Johnson :Mar'. 3; 1931 1,938,300 Sassano -Dc5hl933 -2',119,386 Holm-I-Ianse'n'et al. May 3121938 1 2,243,067 Berg May 27,1941 "2,254,667 Taylor 'Sept. 2, 19,41 2,268,015 Broberg "Dec'.' 201.1941

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date France Apr'l'7i l930

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