Patent ID: 6158081
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: A47L,B01F,C11D,F16K,H05B

Abstract:
A water extraction cleaning machine comprising:a housing including an exterior wall accessible to a user;a clean water tank mounted to the housing;a detergent tank mounted to the housing;at least one spray nozzle mounted to the housing for spraying cleaning solution onto the surface being cleaned;a suction nozzle adapted to withdraw dirty cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned;a vacuum motor mounted to the housing and fluidly connected to the suction nozzle through a working air conduit for removing used cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned;a waste water recovery tank fluidly connected to the vacuum motor and to the suction nozzle, the waste water recovery tank having an air/water separator adapted to separate the used cleaning solution and air withdrawn through the nozzle; anda variable detergent/water mixing valve comprising:a body forming a detergent/water mixing chamber;a clean water inlet port in the body fluidly connected to the clean water tank and to the mixing chamber;a detergent inlet port in the body fluidly connected to the detergent tank and to the mixing chamber;a solution outlet port in the body and fluidly connected to the at least one spray nozzle;a variable flow rate valve mounted in the body and movably associated with the clean water port or the detergent inlet port for varying the relative proportions of the clean water and detergent delivered to the solution outlet port; andan actuating knob mounted to the housing on the exterior wall for movement about an axis generally perpendicular to the exterior wall and coupled to the variable flow rate valve through a threaded mechanical connection for movement therewith;wherein the mechanical connection converts rotary motion of the actuating knob to linear movement of the variable flow rate valve.