Abstract:
The invention disclosed herein is a floor finish dispensing apparatus. The apparatus defines a wheeled carriage mounted storage tank having a dispensing nozzle, a handle bar, and a control handle capable of controlling the flow rate of a liquid that is dispended from the storage tank. The apparatus is especially useful in efficiently and easily dispensing large quantities of floor finish such as Castlegaurd and Shurgloss 25 floor finishes at desired locations and in desired patterns such as elongated “puddle” finish patterns without overspray, finish splatter, finish waste, or user fatigue.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to machines that apply liquid chemicals. More particularly, the present invention relates to machines that apply liquid floor finish products. 
       RELATED ART 
       [0002]    A variety of liquid dispensing machine and devices have long existed. Many such machines and devices are used in the floor cleaning, treating, and finishing industries. Many of the machines and devices include electrical motors or combustion engines, pressurized spray systems, spraying booms, and other complex features. Examples of such concepts are disclosed in the following US patents. US patent applications, and published references which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,223,038, 7,185,397, 7,048,458, 6,976,802, 6,467,983, 6,325,563, 6,227,744, 6,015,097, 4,260,273, 4,124,315, 4,119,386, 3,981,596, RE29,639, 20070294854, 20060280546, 20060236494, 20060228160, Aztec Products Liquidator Model 520, Eagle Solutions Solution Spreaders, and Tennant Model 600. Furthermore, several floor finish compositions have been developed for use in creating a high luster and damage/scuff tolerant finish. While such finishes have increased in quality and utility over the years, such finishes are not inexpensive. Exemplary finishes include the following published specifications of finishes which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: Buckeye International Castleguard finish and Detco Industries ShurGloss 25 finish. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    It has been recognized in the floor finishing industry that the application of floor finish in sufficient quantities and in an efficient time period while minimizing spillage and excess application of finish to a floor that is to be treated is a difficult and physically demanding task. Many of the above listed machines require motors or engines which increase the cost and reduce the reliability of the machine. Further, many such systems pressurize the finish resulting in over-spray of an expensive finish product. Further, such pressurized systems typically have correspondingly small finish application orifices which also result in increased machine clean-up difficulty. Given the lack of a machine that satisfies the needs of floor finish application, especially in the large or commercial floor finishing industry, many in the floor finishing industry have resorted to pouring floor finish by hand out of 1 gallon containers, directly onto the floor to be finished. Such application of floor finish is not only imprecise and inefficient, it can be very taxing and painful to the back of the person performing such manual floor finish application. The invention therefore is a floor finish application apparatus. The apparatus defines a wheeled carriage mounted storage tank having a dispensing nozzle, a handle bar, and a control handle capable of controlling the flow rate of a liquid that is dispended from the storage tank. The apparatus is especially useful in efficiently and easily dispensing large quantities of floor finish such as Castlegaurd and Shurgloss 25 floor finishes at desired locations and in desired patterns such as elongated “puddle” finish patterns without overspray, finish splatter, finish waste, or user fatigue. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a substantially trimetric view of a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the nozzle area of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a substantially orthographic side view of a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a substantially orthographic rear view of a first embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a substantially orthographic top view of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0011]    Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are included to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
         [0012]    The invention is a floor finish application apparatus having a wheeled carriage mounted storage tank, a dispensing nozzle, a handle bar, and a control handle capable of controlling the flow rate of floor finish or other liquid that are dispended from the storage tank capable of the apparatus. The apparatus is especially useful in dispensing floor finish and other liquids preferably in elongated puddles or a “trails” without over-spray or splatter of the finish and without undue strain on the back of the person dispensing the finish. 
         [0013]    In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention in reviewing the drawings accompanying the specification, a feature list is provided below. It is noted that like features are like numbered throughout all of the figures. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 FEATURE TABLE 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 # 
                 Feature 
                 # 
                 Feature 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 10 
                 Finish dispensing apparatus 
                   
                   
               
               
                 20 
                 Chassis assembly 
                 22 
                 Bed 
               
               
                 24 
                 Frame 
                 26 
                 Support arm 
               
               
                 30 
                 Handle bar assembly 
                 32 
                 Bar 
               
               
                 34 
                 Handle 
                 36 
                 Grip 
               
               
                 38 
                 Lever mount bracket 
                 39 
                 Pivot hole (not shown) 
               
               
                 40 
                 Cable mount bracket 
                 42 
                 Adjustment lever 
               
               
                 44 
                 Lever body 
                 46 
                 Pivot hole 
               
               
                 48 
                 Cable attach hole 
                 50 
                 Lever handle 
               
               
                 52 
                 Retainer pin 
               
               
                 60 
                 Hopper assembly 
                 62 
                 Hopper 
               
               
                 64 
                 Mouth 
                 66 
                 Cubic portion 
               
               
                 68 
                 Inverted pyramid portion 
                 69 
                 Base Plate 
               
               
                 70 
                 Exit port 
                 72 
                 Lid 
               
               
                 74 
                 Handle 
               
               
                 80 
                 Tube assembly 
                 82 
                 Attach nut 
               
               
                 84 
                 Straight tube 
                 86 
                 Valve assembly 
               
               
                 88 
                 Valve 
                 90 
                 Control lever 
               
               
                 92 
                 Attach nut 
                 94 
                 Elbow tube 
               
               
                 96 
                 Threaded end 
                 98 
                 Curved portion 
               
               
                 100 
                 Straight portion 
                 102 
                 Spout 
               
               
                 110 
                 Rear axle assembly 
                 112 
                 Axle 
               
               
                 114 
                 Wheel 
               
               
                 120 
                 Swivel caster assembly 
                 122 
                 Caster base 
               
               
                 124 
                 Caster shoe 
                 126 
                 Wheel 
               
               
                 130 
                 Control cable assembly 
                 132 
                 Control cable 
               
               
                 134 
                 Casing 
                 136 
                 Knob 
               
               
                 138 
                 Clevis 
                 140 
                 Retainer pin 
               
               
                 142 
                 Cotter Pin 
               
               
                 150 
                 Small U-bolt 
                 152 
                 Large U-bolt 
               
               
                 160 
                 Finish 
                 162 
                 Floor surface 
               
               
                 164 
                 Gap 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0014]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of the invention is a finish dispensing apparatus  10  for use in dispensing finish  160  comprising a chassis assembly  20 , a handle bar assembly  30 , a hopper assembly  60 , a tube assembly  80 , a rear axle assembly  110 , a plurality of swivel casters  120 , a control cable assembly  130 , a plurality of small U-bolts  150 , and a plurality of large U-bolts  152 . Chassis assembly  20  further defines a substantially flat bed  22 , a generally “L” shaped frame  24  having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, and a support arm  26 . All of bed  22 , frame  24 , support arm  26 , small U-bolts  150 , and large U-bolts  152  are preferably constructed of metal such as steel or aluminum. Bed  22  is fastened to the horizontal portion of frame  24  and support arm  26  is cantileveringly connected to a front end of frame  24 . 
         [0015]    Handle bar assembly  30  further comprises an elongated bar  32 , a tubular handle  34 , a plurality of grips  36 , a lever mount bracket  38 , a cable mount bracket  40 , an adjustment lever  42 , and a cylindrical retainer pin  52 . Adjustment lever  42  further defines a lever having a body  44  and a handle  50  extending from body  44 . Lever mount bracket  38  further includes a pivot hole  39  (not shown), and lever body  44  further includes a pivot hole  46 , and a cable attach hole  48 . All of bar  32 , handle  34 , lever mount bracket  38 , cable mount bracket  40 , adjustment lever  42 , and retainer pin  52  are preferably constructed of metal such as steel or aluminum. Grips  36  are preferably constructed of plastic or rubber and are such that the outer surface of grips  36  are flexible and have a substantially high coefficient of friction to provide for a proper grasping surface. Handle bar assembly  30  is assembled such that grips  36  are press-fit onto handle  34 , handle  34  is fastened to a first end of bar  32 , and brackets  38  and  40  are connected to a side surface of bar  32 . Adjustment lever  42  is swivelably mounted to lever mount bracket  38  by means of retainer pin  52  being retainably inserted through pivot holes  39  and  46 . 
         [0016]    Hopper assembly  60  further comprises a hopper  62  and a removable and replaceable lid  72 . Hopper  62  includes a mouth  64 , a cubic portion,  66 , an inverted pyramid portion  68 , a base plate portion  69 , and an exit port  70 . Hopper  62  is configured such that mouth  64  is located at an upper end of cubic portion  66 , inverted pyramid portion  68  is connected to a lower end of cubic portion  66 , base plate portion  69  is connected to a lower portion of inverted pyramid portion  68 , and exit port  7   o  form an exit port extending from a lower portion of inverted pyramid portion  68 . Hopper  62  preferably has a volumetric capacity of 10 gallons such that hopper  62  may store 10 gallons of finish  160  but hopper  62  may have a volumetric capacity of greater or lesser than 10 gallons such as a capacity in the range of two gallons to 25 gallons. Lid  72  further defines a substantially flat rectangular lid having a handle  74  extending from an upper surface of lid  72 . Both hopper  62  and a lid  72  are preferably constructed of metal such as steel or aluminum. 
         [0017]    Tube assembly  80  further defines a tube assembly comprising a first attach nut  82 , a straight tube  84 , a valve assembly  86 , a second attach nut  92 , and an elbow tube  94 . Valve assembly  86  further includes a valve  88 , and a control lever  90 . Elbow tube  94  further includes a threaded end  96 , a curved portion  98 , a straight portion  100 , and a spout  102 . Spout  102  and tube assembly  80  preferably have an inner diameter of 0.75 inches but such inner diameter may vary in a range of from 0.125 inches to 2.00 inches. Tube assembly  80  is preferably constructed of metal such as steel, brass, or aluminum. Tube assembly  80  is assembled such that attach nut  82  is threadingly connected to a first end of straight tube  84 , a first end of valve assembly  86  is threadingly connected to a second end of straight tube  84 , attach nut  92  is threadingly connected to a second end of valve assembly  86 , and threaded end  96  of elbow tube  94  is threadingly connected to attach nut  92 . 
         [0018]    Rear axle assembly  110  further defines an axle assembly comprising a rear axle  112  and a plurality of wheels  114  rotatably attached to rear axle  112 . Rear axle assembly  110  is preferably constructed of metal such as steel or aluminum. Wheel  114  preferably defines an inner portion constructed of metal such as steel or aluminum and an outer layer constructed of rubber or plastic. 
         [0019]    Swivel casters  120  further defines a caster assembly comprising a caster base  122 , a caster shoe  124 , and a wheel  126 . Caster base  122  and a caster shoe  124  are preferably constructed of metal such as steel or aluminum. Wheel  126  preferably defines an inner portion constructed of metal such as steel or aluminum and an outer layer constructed of rubber or plastic. Caster assembly  120  is assembled such that caster shoe  124  is swivelably attached to caster base  122 , and wheel  126  is rotatably attached to caster shoe  124 . 
         [0020]    Control cable assembly  130  further defines a cable assembly comprising an inner control cable  132  slidingly positioned within a casing  134 . Control cable  132  preferably defines a cable comprised of formed metal strands and having a knob  136  on a first and a clevis  138  on a second end. Casing  134  preferably defines an elongated hollow cylindrical casing formed of plastic, a plastic-metal composite, or other material. Control cable assembly  130  further includes a cylindrical metal retainer pin  140  and a formable metal cotter pin  142 . 
         [0021]    Finish dispensing apparatus  10  is assembled such that handle bar assembly  30  is mounted to chassis assembly  20  by attaching a front end of bar  32  to the vertical portion of frame  24 , hopper assembly  60  is mounted to chassis assembly  20  by attaching base plate  69  to bed  22 , tube assembly  80  is connected to chassis assembly  20  by bolting tube assembly  80  to support arm  26  by means of large U-bolts  152 , tube assembly  80  is connected to hopper assembly  60  by threading attach nut  82  to exit port  70 , rear axle assembly  110  is mounted to chassis assembly  20  by rotatable connecting axle  112  to a rear horizontal portion of frame  24 , each of a plurality of swivel casters  120  are mounted to chassis assembly  20  by connecting caster bases  122  to a front horizontal portion of frame  24 , control cable assembly  130  is connected to handle bar assembly  30  by connecting knob  136  in cable attach hole  48  and by fastening control cable assembly  130  to cable mount bracket  40  by means of small U-bolt  150 , control cable assembly  130  is connected to chassis assembly  20  by bolting control cable assembly  130  to support arm  26  by means of small U-bolt  150 , control cable assembly  130  is connected to tube assembly  80  by positioning clevis  138  over control lever  90  and by placing retainer pin  140  through both clevis  138  and control lever  90  and by retainably forming cotter pin  142  in retainer pin  140 . With finish dispensing apparatus  10  thus assembled, a first movement of lever handle  50  causes a corresponding movement of control lever  90  which in turn causes valve  88  to move from a closed position to an open position, and a second movement of lever handle  50  causes a corresponding movement of control lever  90  which in turn causes valve  88  to move from an open position to a closed position. Furthermore, lesser movements of handle cause corresponding lesser movements or adjustments to valve  88  such that if a liquid finish  160  is contained in hopper assembly  60 , a predetermined flow rate of finish  160  is effected. Specifically, when hopper assembly is substantially loaded with a floor finish  160 , valve  88  is in an open position, and without auxiliary pressure (i.e. regular atmospheric pressure and gravity feed), a flow rate of approximately 4 gallons per minute (gpm) is achieved, but a flow rate of more or less than 4 gpm is also optionally achieved such as a flow rate falling within a range of 1 to 8 gpm. Further with finish dispensing apparatus  10  thus assembled, apparatus  10  may be moved or rolled over a floor surface  162  by pushing forward, backward, rotationally, or a combination thereof on handle bar assembly  30  to effect corresponding movements of apparatus  10 . It is noted that when apparatus  10  is thus assembled and placed on a floor surface  162 , a gap  164  is formed between floor surface  162  and spout  102 . To minimize splatter of finish  160  when finish  160  is flowing from apparatus  10 , and yet to maximize flow of finish  160 , gap  164  is preferably 1.75 inches but may be greater or less than 1.75 inches such as a gap falling within a range of 0.25 inches to 6.00 inches. It is further noted that in assembled finish dispensing apparatus  10 , the distance from tube straight portion  100  to floor surface  162  is preferably 8.75 inches but may be greater or less than 8.75 inches, the distance from valve  88  to tube straight portion  100  is preferably 2.75 inches but may be greater or less than 2.75 inches such as a distance falling within a range of 1.00 inches to 6.00 inches, and the distance from valve  88  to attach nut  82  is preferably 24.75 inches but may be greater or less than 24.75 inches such as a distance falling within a range of 6.00 inches to 40.0 inches. It is further noted that in assembled finish dispensing apparatus  10 , the distance from spout  102  to chassis bed  22  is at least 4.00 inches but may be as much as for instance 36.0 inches or any length therebetween. 
         [0022]    In practice, lid  72  is removed from hopper  62  and a quantity of floor finish  160  such as 10 gallons of floor finish  160  is poured into hopper  62 . It is noted that depending on the intended work to be performed, most any liquid may optionally be placed in hopper  62 . In a preferred embodiment, finish  160  defines ShurGloss 25, Castleguard, or a finish that is compositionally and functionally similar to ShurGloss 25 or Castleguard. Lid  72  is replaced on hopper  62 . Lever handle  50  is moved from a closed position to an open position such that the desired flow rate of finish  160  is achieved, and apparatus  10  is moved across floor surface  162  in a generally backward direction leaving a “puddled” trail of a desired quantity in a desired location on a floor surface  162  of a floor that is to be worked. When a sufficient quantity of finish  160  has been dispensed on floor surface  162 , lever handle  50  is moved from an open position to a closed open position such that flow of finish  160  is terminated. Apparatus  10  is then positioned or parked at a desired location. By using apparatus  10  in such a method, finish  160  is dispensed on a floor surface  162  without undue exertion or effort on the part of the person performing such dispensing, and without splatter, waste of finish  160 , or overspray of finish  160  that are characteristic of other devices and methods. Use of apparatus  10  may further prevent lower back injuries that might otherwise occur from a user repeatedly leaning over a floor and manually pouring finish  160  out of a large bottle. 
         [0023]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.