Patent ID: 6311356
Filing Date: 2001-11-06
Classification: A47L

Abstract:
Apparatus for cleaning a floor surface, comprising:(a) a chassis having a main body and a plurality of ground-contacting wheels including a laterally spaced pair of main wheels, for rollably supporting the main body above the floor surface;(b) a laterally extending track slidably supporting a removable tank for holding a quantity of cleaning liquid;(c) an elevator mechanism having a normal position for locating the main wheels laterally spaced from opposite ends of the track in support of the frame and a service position for displacing at least one of the main wheels clear of a path occupied by the tank when the tank traverses the track to a position normally occupied by the one main wheel;(d) a carpet belt member, opposite ends of the belt member being connected for forming a closed loop of approximately uniform width;(e) a plurality of laterally oriented rollers rotatably supported by the chassis for supporting the carpet belt member in a closed path, a portion of the closed path producing frictional contact between the belt member and the floor surface in the normal position of the elevator mechanism, the rollers including:(i) a cleaning roller for submerging a portion of the carpet belt within the tank;(ii) a wringer roller located vertically above the cleaning roller for directing the carpet belt out of the tank;(iii) a press roller movably located proximate the wringer roller opposite the carpet belt for squeezing liquid from the belt; and(iv) a platen roller located proximate a bottom extremity of the chassis;(f) a main handle supported relative to the chassis for manipulating the apparatus on the floor surface; and(g) a roller drive for rotatably coupling at least one of the rollers to at least one of the ground-contacting wheels for regulating a rate of advancement of the carpet belt during longitudinal movement of the apparatus when the elevator mechanism is in the normal position.