Abstract:
A powered carpeted floor scrubbing and combing machine is described. The machine includes first and second scrubbing pads, followed by a combing head having cylindrical shaped counter-rotating brushes, which is in turn followed by a carpet shoe having vacuum ability. This invention provides for simultaneous scrubbing and combing of carpeted floors. The machine is powered with an internal engine and has a user control panel for the control/driving of the machine.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation in part of co-pending application Ser. No. 09/865,766 filed May 25, 2001. The benefit of the filing date of this earlier filed application is claimed under 35 USC § 120. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to floor cleaning devices. More specifically, this invention relates to automatic powered carpet scrubbing, combing, vacuuming, and cleaning devices. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    A variety of machines and devices have been developed to clean floors. Typically, such machines are designed to either clean or polish or perform some other single floor or floor covering maintenance function. Some machines can be selected to do either cleaning, scrubbing, combing or polishing, but generally they do not scrub and comb a carpeted floor simultaneously. Moreover, most such cleaning machines do not provide a plurality of scrubbing pads independent from a carpet combing, brushing, and cleaning head in order to scrub and clean a carpeted floor. 
         [0006]    Different aspects of floor cleaning machines and components thereof have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,107,387, 3,204,280, 3,600,735, 3,742,546, 3,795,933, 3,866,541, 3,879,789, 3,921,244, 3,931,659, 3,931,662, 3,942,215, 3,952,361, 3,972,088, 4,094,034, 4,096,084, 4,118,819, 4,122,576, 4,150,456, 4,196,492, 4,214,337, 4,217,671, 4,237,517, 4,295,243, 4,319,434, 4,322,920, 4,391,548, 4,393,534, 4,407,040, 4,506,405, 4,523,411, 4,577,364, 4,633,541, 4,654,918, 4,783,872, 4,910,824, 4,956,891, 5,054,245, 5,127,124, 5,253,384, 5,289,605, 5,371,912, 5,402,559, 5,797,157, 5,836,045, 6,023,813, 6,357,070, and 2004/0049878 each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material disclosed therein. Further, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/865,766, of which the current application is continuation-in-part, is also incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,735 describes a drive connection for a floor polisher, which permits ready removal from an attachment of brush units to the vertical shaft driven by the motor. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,546 describes a surface treating apparatus having rotatable treating members movable over a surface, a container for liquid wax, which is positioned in a compartment, and has an outlet at its bottom normally closed by a value having a vertically movable stem. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,933 discloses a multi-purpose cleaning implement includes a base member supporting a sponge mop type work head and an auxiliary implement such as a brush, squeegee, scraper, spreader or similar implement. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,244 discloses a floor buffer for operator directed polishing of a floor. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,659 discloses a floor treating machine supported at the floor or surface to be treated by means of a work disk arranged beneath a substantially ring-shaped stop member, the work disk being detachably coupled with a drive motor. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,361 discloses a floor treating machine having laterally spaced drive wheels driven by separate electric traction motors under electronic control so as to be driven by a separate train of pulses, comprising means for recording the trains of pulses to the traction motors and means for replaying the record to reproduce the trains of pulses whereby the machine will repeat the operation. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,088 discloses an electric floor scrubber and buffer having its scrubber or buffer pad attached to the underside of an oscillating plate. 
         [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,034 discloses a floor treating machine of the rotary brush type in which, in operation, the weight of the machine is, to at least a significant extent, supported by the rotary brush or brushes, in which a brush mounting member is flexibly suspended between resilient elements for limited universal movement. 
         [0015]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,084 discloses a method for cleaning surfaces such as floors and pavements that includes incorporating a polyelectrolyte in the cleaning solution and a surface-scrubbing machine for carrying out the process. 
         [0016]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,819 discloses a floor treating machine of the single rotary brush type having a handle and a motor both laterally offset from the axis of rotation of the brush in a direction to impart a tilting couple opposed to that arising from operator forces counteracting the reaction couple on the handle. 
         [0017]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,576 discloses a manually operated floor polishing machine comprising a polishing pad or brush rotatable at a speed above 660 rpm, pressing against the floor with a force of less than about 25 lbs., and positioned so that one segment of the pad presses harder against the floor than the other, such as by mounting the pad&#39;s driving plate or disc to that its plane of rotation is at an angle less than about 10 degree to the plane of the floor. 
         [0018]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,456 discloses a floor scrubber with a propane powered internal combustion engine which is mounted on a wheeled dolly and which is attached by its rotary output shaft to a circular cage provided with a plurality of rotary brushes on the underside thereof. 
         [0019]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,214,337 and 4,237,571 disclose compact floor polishers including a base supporting an electric motor having a vertically oriented output shaft and driving a circular brush. 
         [0020]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,671 discloses a multipurpose cleaning device which can be used as a bath and tile scrubbing device as well as being adapted for use in conjunction with floors, walls, ceilings and the like. 
         [0021]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,243 discloses an apparatus for cleaning, waxing, polishing and otherwise treating the surface of a floor, where the apparatus includes a carriage or frame with a handle for guiding and maneuvering, several containers for dispensing several selected types of fluids or solutions to the floor where a reciprocating scrubber, such as steel wool or a buffing pad operates with a solution to effectively clean, strip, wax or polish the floor surface. In addition, there is a vacuum means, which removes and carries away any excess liquid, solution or dirty cleaning fluids from the floor surface. 
         [0022]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,434 describes a surface processing machine that includes at least one motor-driven spider arm assembly, each of the arms of the spider having rotatably mounted as the ends thereof a surface processing tools such as a brush, buffing pad, grinding stone or the like and wherein the surface processing tools are mounted on an axis which is substantially parallel to the axis. 
         [0023]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,920 discloses an attachment for use on a rotary floor-conditioning machine comprising a master block, which is integrally molded of a urethane elastomer including a centrally located hub with a circular flange member extending radially from the base thereof. 
         [0024]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,548 describes a coupling device adapted for use with floor maintenance machines of the type such as floor brushing, buffing, polishing, scrubbing or the like which enables automatic coupling of the maintenance element without direct manual implementation thereof. 
         [0025]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,534 discloses an apparatus for mechanically varying the speed of a disk, such as a floor treating pad, mounted for rotation about the axis of elongation of a shaft powered by a fixed speed motor. 
         [0026]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,040 describes a pad drive assembly that detachably grips and rotatably drives a selected maintenance pad by a floor maintenance pad by a floor maintenance machine. 
         [0027]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,405 discloses a floor-treating machine adapted to operate as a floor scrubber and a floor polisher or buffer includes a main housing or support frame structure from which extends a brush housing assembly. 
         [0028]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,411 describes a rotatable element and a surface-treating device. 
         [0029]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,364 discloses a floor-cleaning machine including a support frame with a handle attached to the upper end of the support frame for guiding the machine along the floor and a wheel assembly attached to the lower end. A plurality of disc-shaped floor cleaning pads disposed and held adjacent one another such that a floor pad cylinder having a horizontally disposed and held adjacent one another such that a floor pad cylinder having a horizontally-disposed longitudinal axis is formed are attached to the lower end of the frame. 
         [0030]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,541 discloses a floor-treating machine adapted to operate as a floor scrubber and a floor polisher or buffer, which includes a main housing or support frame structure from which extends a brush housing assembly. 
         [0031]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,918 describes a buffer deck assembly for floor scrubbing, cleaning and polishing machine that includes a displaceable buffer deck housing mounted to the machine through a substantially U-shaped mounting frame having a pair of sleeves that each slid ably receive a cantilever support arm. 
         [0032]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,872 discloses a high-speed floor-treating machine is provided comprising a frame, a control and guiding handle extending rearward of the frame and an electric motor for rotating a floor-contacting pad is secured. 
         [0033]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,824 discloses a floor polisher, which causes a pad to rotate at a high speed to polish a floor. The floor polisher has a vertically moving mechanism adapted to move the pad in the vertical direction with respect to the floor, a ground pressure adjusting mechanism adapted to maintain a ground pressure of the pad at a set pressure by controlling the vertically moving mechanism and a floor protecting mechanism adapted to actuate the vertically moving mechanism to lift the pad immediately when the travel of the floor polisher is stopped. 
         [0034]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,245 describes a combination of cleaning pads, cleaning pad mounting members and a base member for a rotary cleaning machine. 
         [0035]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,124 describes an apparatus for adjusting the height above the floor of a plate to which is attached a pad in a rotary floor machine to accommodate pads having a range of thicknesses. 
         [0036]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,384 discloses an electric buffing machine and a method for buffing waxed floors. The buffing machine comprises a molded plastic housing, a foldable handle and a DC drive motor directly driving a buffing pad holder. 
         [0037]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,605 discloses a cleaning apparatus in the form of a scrubber that is a motor driven by a direct current (DC) motor driving a rotatable scrubber unit which includes a scrubber disc with the motor and scrubber disc forming a power head supported from a detachable and adjustable length pole which enables surfaces that are normally out of reach to be easily scrubbed. 
         [0038]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,912 discloses an electric floor and baseboard-cleaning machine which includes a motor assembly attached to a medium frame in which the movement thereof is adjustable for either straight line or circular motion. 
         [0039]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,559 discloses a floor scrubber is provided which consists of a rectangular head assembly. 
         [0040]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,157 describes a floor buffer having the power source and drive means mounted at one end of an elongate handle, and a buffer head mounted at the other end, such that the center of gravity of the machine is roughly at the midpoint of the elongate handle. 
         [0041]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,813 describes an automatic floor scrubber and buffer that provides for simultaneous scrubbing and buffing of floors through the use of a plurality of pads operating at different speeds to optimize the scrubbing and buffing operation of the device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0042]    It is desirable to provide an automatic carpet scrubber and combing machine that simultaneously scrubs and combs a carpet in one pass and vacuums dirty cleaning solution and moisture from a carpeted floor. 
         [0043]    Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a carpeted floor scrubbing and combing machine that provides separate scrubbing and combing heads to thereby permit simultaneous scrubbing and combing of carpeted floors. 
         [0044]    Another object of this invention is to provide a floor scrubbing and combing machine that employs a carpet combing head having cylindrical shaped counter-rotating brushes along with one or more scrubbing pads for the simultaneous scrubbing and combing of a carpeted floor. 
         [0045]    Another object of this invention is to provide a carpeted floor scrubbing and combing machine that is compatible with a variety of power devices or motors, including electrical motors, battery powered motors, natural gas powered engines, propane powered engines, and gasoline engines. 
         [0046]    Another object of this invention to provide a carpeted floor scrubbing and combing machine that provides separate scrubbing and combing heads wherein the combing head is readily substituted for a buffing and polishing head. 
         [0047]    Additional objects, advantages, and other novel features of this invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of this invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Still other objects of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description wherein there is shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention. As it will be realized, this invention is capable of other different embodiments, and its several details, and specific configurations, are capable of modification in various aspects without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
         [0048]    To achieve the foregoing and other objectives, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, this invention is provided with separate powered scrubbing pads and combing brushes in combination with a vacuum powered squeegee device for removing fluid from a carpeted floor subsequent to scrubbing and combing. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0049]    The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Some, although not all, alternative embodiments are described in the following description. In the drawings: 
           [0050]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0051]      FIG. 2  is a trimetric view of the preferred embodiment of the invention with the view oriented as looking upward towards the bottom of the invention. 
           [0052]      FIG. 3  is a partially exploded isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0053]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the invention showing select covers removed. 
           [0054]      FIG. 5  is a partially exploded isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the invention showing the exploded relationship of various subassemblies of the preferred embodiment. Some portions of the machine are not shown for clarity. 
           [0055]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of the carriage assembly portion of the preferred embodiment of the invention with the covers shown removed. 
           [0056]      FIG. 7  is a partially exploded isometric view of the carriage assembly portion of the preferred embodiment of the invention with the covers shown removed. 
           [0057]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the carriage frame assembly portion of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0058]      FIG. 9  is an isometric view of the comb head assembly portion of the preferred embodiment of the invention. A cover of the comb head assembly is shown exploded. 
           [0059]      FIG. 10  is a partially exploded isometric view of the comb head assembly portion of the preferred embodiment of the invention with a cover and a gear housing shown removed. 
           [0060]      FIG. 11  is an isometric view of the scrub head assembly portion of the preferred embodiment of the invention with the scrubbing pad cover and skirt shown removed. 
           [0061]      FIG. 12  is a partially exploded isometric view of the scrub head assembly portion of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0062]      FIG. 13  is an isometric view of the engine assembly portion of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
       [0063]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, and example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0064]    This invention is a machine for simultaneously scrubbing, combing and removing cleaning solution and moisture from a carpeted floor. This invention in its preferred embodiment is equipped with multiple scrubbing pads, multiple brush like combing devices or combs, and vacuum assisted squeegee shoe for removing water, refuse and cleaning fluid from a carpeted floor. This invention is provided with a motor means, both for driving the drive wheels and for powering the scrubbing pads and combs. In the present preferred embodiment, the motor means is a propane engine, although alternative engines or motor, including gasoline or battery powered electric motor can be substituted without departing from the concept of this invention. 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 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 100 
                 Scrubbing and combing machine 
                 110 
                 Water and chemical mixture tank 
               
               
                 112 
                 Water and chemical mixture tank opening 
                 114 
                 Water and chemical mixture tank cover 
               
               
                 120 
                 Waste water tank assembly 
                 122 
                 Waste water tank 
               
               
                 123 
                 Waste water tank pocket 
                 124 
                 Waste water tank opening 
               
               
                 126 
                 Left side vacuum unit 
                 128 
                 Right side vacuum unit 
               
               
                 130 
                 Left side grill 
                 132 
                 Right side grill 
               
               
                 134 
                 Waste water drain tube assembly 
                 136 
                 Guide brackets 
               
               
                 138 
                 Adjustment bracket 
                 140 
                 Rear cover mounting plate 
               
               
                 150 
                 Front cover 
               
               
                 160 
                 Rear cover assembly 
                 162 
                 Rear cover 
               
               
                 164 
                 Rear cover tank receiving cavity 
                 166 
                 Tank mounting strap 
               
               
                 168 
                 Control handle bars 
                 170 
                 Propane tank 
               
               
                 172 
                 Electronic control unit 
                 174 
                 Control panel 
               
               
                 200 
                 Carriage assembly 
                 202 
                 Carriage assembly left side cover 
               
               
                 204 
                 Carriage assembly right side cover 
               
               
                 220 
                 Frame assembly 
                 222 
                 Frame 
               
               
                 224 
                 Drive axle 
                 226 
                 Drive axle motor 
               
               
                 228 
                 Drive wheels 
                 230 
                 Scrub head assembly mounting arms 
               
               
                 232 
                 Scrub head assembly adjustment cable 
                 234 
                 Scrub head assembly adjustment shaft 
               
               
                 236 
                 Adjustment cable mounting bracket 
                 238 
                 Swivelable wheels 
               
               
                 240 
                 Rear cover assembly mounting brackets 
               
               
                 260 
                 Comb head assembly 
                 262 
                 Comb head frame 
               
               
                 264 
                 Counter-balance apparatus 
                 266 
                 Squeegee shoe 
               
               
                 268 
                 Vacuum connection port 
                 270 
                 Vacuum opening 
               
               
                 272 
                 Shoe flange 
                 274 
                 Shoe mounting arm 
               
               
                 280 
                 Front comb 
                 281 
                 Front comb bristles 
               
               
                 282 
                 Left side gear cluster 
                 283 
                 Left side gear cluster housing 
               
               
                 284 
                 Left side drive motor 
                 286 
                 Left side cover 
               
               
                 288 
                 Front cover 
                 290 
                 Rear comb 
               
               
                 291 
                 Rear comb bristles 
                 292 
                 Right side gear cluster 
               
               
                 293 
                 Right side gear cluster housing 
                 294 
                 Right side drive motor 
               
               
                 296 
                 Right side cover 
                 298 
                 Rear cover 
               
               
                 310 
                 Scrub head assembly 
                 312 
                 Scrub head frame 
               
               
                 314 
                 Scrub head mounting arms 
                 316 
                 Pad pressure adjustment apparatus 
               
               
                 318 
                 Pad pressure adjustment bar 
                 320 
                 Pad pressure adjustment handle 
               
               
                 322 
                 Pad pressure adjustment release strap 
                 330 
                 Left side drive motor 
               
               
                 332 
                 Left side gimbal 
                 334 
                 Left side pad driver 
               
               
                 336 
                 Left side scrubbing pad 
                 340 
                 Right side drive motor 
               
               
                 342 
                 Right side gimbal 
                 344 
                 Right side pad driver 
               
               
                 346 
                 Right side scrubbing pad 
                 350 
                 Scrubbing pad cover 
               
               
                 352 
                 Scrubbing pad skirt 
               
               
                 360 
                 Engine assembly 
                 362 
                 Engine assembly mounting frame 
               
               
                 364 
                 Propane engine 
                 365 
                 Propane engine shaft 
               
               
                 366 
                 Adjustable alternator mounting arms 
                 368 
                 Alternator mounting brackets 
               
               
                 370 
                 Alternator 
                 372 
                 Alternator drive belt 
               
               
                 374 
                 Alternator shaft 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0065]    Referring now to the drawings, the invention is a powered scrubbing and combing machine  100  for use in scrubbing, combing and cleaning carpeted floors comprising a water and chemical mixture tank  110 , a waste water tank assembly  120 , a front cover  150 , a rear cover assembly  160  and a carriage assembly  200 . 
         [0066]    Water and chemical tank  110  defines a substantially elongated rotationally molded plastic tank having an opening  112  and an opening cover  114  removably attached to opening  112 . 
         [0067]    Waste water tank assembly  120 , defines a tank assembly comprising a rotationally molded plastic tank  122  having a formed pocket  123  and an opening  124 , a left side vacuum unit  126 , a right side vacuum unit  128 , a left side grill  130 , a right side grill  132 , a waste water drain tube assembly  134 , guide brackets  136 , adjustment bracket  138  and a rear cover mounting plate  140 . Waste water tank assembly  120  is assembled such that left side vacuum unit  126  and right side vacuum unit  128  are mounted within formed pocket  123 , left side grill  130  and right side grill  132  are mounted on sides of tank  122 , drain tube assembly  134  is attached to and in fluid communication with a lower surface of tank  122 , guide brackets  136  and adjustment bracket  138  are mounted to a front surface of tank  122  and rear cover mounting plate  140  is attached to a rear surface of tank  122 . The attachment of drain tube assembly  134  to tank  122  is such that waste water may be selectively drained from tank  122 . 
         [0068]    Front cover  150  defines a substantially thin formed cowling type cover. 
         [0069]    Rear cover assembly  160  defines a rear cover assembly comprising a rear cover  162  having a receiving cavity  164 , a tank mounting strap  166 , control handle bars  168 , a propane tank  170 , an electronic control unit  172  and a control panel  174 . Rear cover assembly  160  is assembled such that mounting strap  166  is hingedly connected to rear cover  162  and such that propane tank  170  is removably retained within receiving cavity  164  by being secured by strap  166 . Rear cover  162  further includes handle bars  168  substantially rigidly connected to an upper portion of rear cover  162 , and rear cover  162  includes a control panel  174  mounted to an upper external surface of rear cover  162  and an electronic control unit  172  mounted within cavity  164 . 
         [0070]    Carriage assembly  200  defines a carriage assembly comprising a carriage assembly left side cover  202 , a carriage assembly right side cover  204 , a frame assembly  220 , a comb head assembly  260 , a scrub head assembly  310  and an engine assembly  360 . Carriage assembly  200  is assembled such that comb head assembly  260  and scrub head assembly  310  are movably and adjustably mounted to frame assembly  220 , and such that carriage assembly left side cover  202 , carriage assembly right side cover  204  and engine assembly  360  are substantially rigidly mounted to frame assembly  220 . Carriage assembly  200  is further adapted such that comb head assembly  260  is readily replaceable with a conventional buffing and polishing head such as the buffing and polishing head disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/865,766. 
         [0071]    Frame assembly  220  defines a frame assembly comprising a frame  222 , a drive axle  224 , a drive motor  226 , drive wheels  228 , scrub head assembly mounting arms  230 , scrub head assembly adjustment cable  232 , scrub head assembly adjustment shaft  234 , adjustment cable mounting bracket  236 , swivelable wheels  238  and rear cover assembly mounting brackets  240 . Frame assembly  220  is assembled such that drive axle  224 , adjustment cable mounting bracket  236  and rear cover assembly  240  are substantially rigidly mounted to frame  222 , scrub head assembly mounting arms  230  and swivelable wheels  238  are swivelably mounted to frame  222  and scrub head assembly adjustment shaft  234  is slidingly mounted to frame  222 . Drive axle wheels  228  are rotatably connected to drive axle  224  and drive axle motor  226  is drivingly connected to drive axle  224 . Scrub head assembly adjustment cable  232  is movably connected to scrub head assembly adjustment shaft  234  and adjustment cable mounting bracket  236  such that a forward or rearward movement of cable  232  causes a corresponding movement of adjustment shaft  234 . 
         [0072]    Comb head assembly  260  defines a comb head assembly comprising a comb head frame  262 , a counter-balance apparatus  264 , a squeegee shoe  266 , a substantially elongated cylindrically shaped front comb  280  having a plurality of bristles  281 , a left side gear cluster  282 , a left side gear cluster housing  283 , a left side drive motor  284 , a left side cover  286 , a front cover  288 , a substantially elongated cylindrically shaped rear comb  290  having a plurality of bristles  291 , a right side gear cluster  292 , a right side gear cluster housing  293 , a right side drive motor  294 , a right side cover  296  and a rear cover  298 . Squeegee shoe  266  further defines a squeegee shoe having a vacuum connection port  268 , a vacuum opening  270 , a shoe flange  272  and a shoe mounting arm  274 . Comb head assembly  260  is assembled such that squeegee mounting arm  274 , left side gear cluster housing  283 , left side cover  286 , front cover  288 , right side gear cluster housing  293 , right side cover  296  and rear cover  298  are mounted to comb head frame  262 , front comb  280 , left side gear cluster  282 , rear comb  290  and right side gear cluster  292  are rotatably mounted to comb head frame  262  and counter-balance apparatus  264  is swivelably mounted to comb head frame  262 . Left side drive motor  284  is drivingly connected to left side gear cluster  282  and right side drive motor  294  is drivingly connected to right side gear cluster  292  such that when said motors  284  and  294  drive combs  280  and  290  respectively, combs  280  and  290  counter-rotate with respect to each other. To adapt to varying types of carpets, combs  280  and  290  are readily replaceable by combs having greater or lesser aggression. For instance, combs  280  and  290  may be readily substituted for combs having fewer, shorter, and stiffer bristles. Comb head assembly  260  is further adapted such that a swivel type adjustment of counter-balance apparatus  264  causes a change in the downward load applied by the Comb head assembly  260  to a carpeted floor when machine  100  is resting on a carpeted floor. It is noted that rather than gear clusters  282  and  292  driving brushes  280  and  290  respectively, alternate means such as a system of pulleys and fan belts may be used to drive brushes  280  and  290 . 
         [0073]    Scrub head assembly  310  defines a scrub head assembly comprising a scrub head frame  312 , a pad pressure adjustment apparatus  316 , and a scrubbing pad cover  350 . Frame  312  includes scrub head mounting arms  314  fastened to frame  312 . Pad pressure adjustment apparatus  316  further defines a pad pressure adjustment bar  318  connected to a pad pressure adjustment handle  320 , with a pad pressure adjustment release strap  322  connected to handle  320 . Scrub head assembly  310  is assembled such that pad pressure adjustment apparatus  316  and scrubbing pad cover  350  are mechanically attached to frame  312 . Cover  350  further includes left side drive motor  330 , right side drive motor  340 , and scrubbing pad skirt  352  connected to cover  350 . Left side drive motor  330  is further connected to a left side gimbal  332 , which is in turn connect to a left side pad driver  334 , which is in turn connected to a left side scrubbing pad  336 . Right side drive motor  340  is further connected to a right side gimbal  342 , which is in turn connect to a right side pad driver  344 , which is in turn connected to a right side scrubbing pad  346 . Scrub head assembly  310  is adapted such that scrubbing pads  336  and  346  may be independently driven by motors  330  and  340  respectively and preferably such that scrubbing pads  336  and  346  are counter-rotatingly driven with respect to each other. To adapt to varying types of carpets, scrubbing pads  336  and  346  are readily replaceable by scrubbing pads having greater or lesser aggression. For instance, scrubbing pads  336  and  346  may be readily substituted for stiffer and more course scrubbing pads. 
         [0074]    Engine assembly  360  defines an engine assembly comprising an engine assembly mounting frame  362 , a propane engine  364  having a propane engine shaft  365 , adjustable alternator mounting arms  366 , alternator mounting brackets  368 , an alternator  370  having an alternator shaft  374  and an alternator drive belt  372 . Engine assembly  360  is assembled such that propane engine  364  is substantially rigidly mounted to mounting frame  362  and such that first ends of adjustable alternator mounting arms  366  are adjustably mounting frame  362 . Further second ends of adjustable alternator mounting arms  366  are adjustably mounted to first ends of alternator mounting brackets  368 , and second ends of alternator mounting brackets  368  are substantially rigidly mounted to alternator  370 . Alternator drive belt  370  is movably mounted to engine shaft  365  and alternator shaft  374  such that a rotation of engine shaft  365  causes a corresponding rotation to alternator shaft  374  to cause the production of electrical power. Engine assembly  360  is adapted such that alternator  370  may be adjusted with respect to engine  364  so as to obtain proper tension in alternator drive belt  372 . 
         [0075]    Scrubbing and combing machine  100  is assembled such that waste water tank assembly  120  is mounted to carriage assembly  200  and chemical mixture tank  110 , front cover  150  and rear cover assembly  160  are mounted to waste water tank assembly  120 . Further, alternator  370  is electrically connected to motors  226 ,  284 ,  294 ,  330  and  340  such that electrical power produced by alternator  370  is selectively distributed to motors  226 ,  284 ,  294 ,  330  and  340  to cause selective rotation of motors  226 ,  284 ,  294 ,  330  and  340  and in turn to power drive wheels  228 , combs  280  and  290  and scrubbing pads  336  and  346  respectively. Chemical mixture tank  110  is provided with a fluid transmission connection to scrubbing pads  336  and  346  so as to selectively deliver a water and chemical mixture from chemical mixture tank  110  to scrubbing pads  336  and  346 . Waste water tank  122  is provided with a fluid transmission connection to squeegee shoe  266  such that when a vacuum type negative pressure is created by vacuum units  126  and  128 , fluid and dirt are drawn through shoe vacuum opening  270 , through vacuum connection ports  268  and into waste water tank  122 . 
         [0076]    In practice, with scrubbing and combing machine  100  assembled and resting on a carpeted floor, engine  364  is started, and electrical power is transmitted to motors  226 ,  284 ,  294 ,  330  and  340  to cause rotation of drive wheels  228 , combs  280  and  290  and scrubbing pads  336  and  346  respectively. Scrubbing and combing machine  100  then moves across the carpeted floor at a selected rate, and the carpeted floor is simultaneously scrubbed, combed and vacuumed in a single pass. Scrubbing and combing machine  100  is selectively operated by means of control panel  174 . Further scrubbing and combing machine  100  is selectively steered by applying a predetermined load to handle bars  168 , causing swivelable wheels  238  to swivel and causing scrubbing and combing machine  100  to be turned. It is noted that the counter-rotation action of combs  280  and  290  of comb head assembly  260  causes the pile of a carpet to be lifted and cleaned on both sides of the pile and in combination with scrubbing, squeegeeing and vacuuming, provides a cleaned carpet with a manicured or groomed look. 
         [0077]    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.