Abstract:
A portable scrubber and methodology for using the scrubber, the scrubber for scrubbing objects such as tools, garden equipment, metal objects, kitchenware, footwear, sporting equipment, grills, plastic objects, and small household objects, and the like, while avoiding the associated mess and pain of the manual scrubbing process. The scrubber has a bottom carriage, a vertical support extending above the bottom carriage and a top carriage hinged to the vertical support. Flaps between the top ad bottom carriages help to suppress the escape of cleaning fluids from the scrubber. A motor in the bottom carriage drives brushes in each of the top and bottom carriages through a drive system. Components of the drive system include sprockets attached to the brushes and timing belts for driving the sprockets. The drive system also includes a driven sprocket having its axis of rotation corresponding to the axis of the hinge and a water containment system. Flaps and suction from and exhaust prevent leakage of fluid and contain undesirable particles from escaping. A basket that can be inserted between the brushes allows smaller objects to be cleansed without loss or damage.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/416,201 filed Oct. 4, 2002. 
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable.  
         REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING” 
         [0003]    Not applicable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0005]    The present invention relates to cleaning devices having power rotated brushes and more particularly to such cleaning devices which house the brushes in separate carriages that open and close to receive an item to be cleaned.  
           [0006]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0007]    Cleaning dirty household items, for example shovels, grills, pans, dishes, car parts, and so forth, has, in the past, been problematic. Industrial as well as commercial establishments also have problems with cleaning parts and tools. This is due in part because debris has a tendency to tightly adhere to the item, particularly where oils or grease is involved. Thus, people usually resort to manually cleaning the item or may go so far as to discard the item in the garbage so as to avoid time consuming difficult scrubbing.  
           [0008]    A simple example includes grills that are found in most homes. Debris, grease, dirt, fire residue and the like is highly adherent to the surface of the grill and can only be removed by someone physically scrubbing the grill. In the past, wire brushes have been used on grills and tools, but these brushes are crude, quickly rust, and frequently scratch/injure the individual using the brush, even when the individual uses the brush with great care. People even resort to using steel wool for cleaning objects. Then, after these objects are finally cleaned, the big clean-up must commence, because the debris removed from the object has a tendency to move onto adjacent areas such as counters, sinks, and/or basins making these area filthy.  
           [0009]    Other cleaning methods include use of cleaning fluids and/or chemical cleaning as may be used on oven or stove parts and cleaning in a dishwasher. Steam cleaners can force debris into the air and sonic cleaners have material as well as other limitations. These conventional cleaning methods are both time consuming and/or costly. Although dishwashers have improved cleansing abilities for dishes and the like, but they do not provide adequate mechanical scrubbing, are not portable, and are large and costly. Steam cleaners are not well adapted to contain the debris, fumes or the heated steam produced by the steam cleaning operation.  
           [0010]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a machine that can clean and scrub objects, including hard to clean objects, in a quick and easy manner with a minimal amount of mess and which requires a minimal amount of clean-up.  
           [0011]    Another object is to provide such a machine that is easy to operate and easy to clean.  
           [0012]    Another objective is to enable the use of steam in a containment thereby improving the cleaning efficacy and prevent fumes from escaping.  
           [0013]    A further object is to provide a scrubber for hard to clean articles that has upper and lower hinged carriages, each carriage including rotating scrubbing brushes.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0014]    The present invention provides a scrubber that fills the long felt need for a scrubber which quickly cleans even the most dirty items without making a mess, and without requiring a significant amount of clean-up. The scrubber comprises a motorized washing and scrubbing machine and system to clean a variety of household and industrial items such as, for example, tools, garden equipment, objects made of metal, wood, plastic and combinations thereof, kitchenware, footwear, sporting equipment, grills, plastic objects and small household objects.  
           [0015]    The scrubber has an interior cleaning zone defined between an upper and a lower carriage that are hinged together. The user simply opens the scrubber and insert objects to be cleaned into the cleansing zone. The upper and lower carriages each include a plurality of motorized brushes for scrubbing an object or objects in the cleaning zone between the carriages. Large objects are held in the cleaning zone using a holder or handle that extends into the cleaning zone from the exterior of the scrubber. Small objects to be cleaned are retained in a basket placed in the cleaning zone.  
           [0016]    Fluids, such as, for example water and detergent, can be introduced into the cleaning zone through common or separate inlets in the upper carriage and spent fluids are discharged from the cleaning zone through a bottom outlet in the lower carriage. If desired, the user can introduce fluids before activating the scrubber or the inlet can be hooked up to any garden spout or faucet to supply water during operation of the scrubber. Different fluids to accommodate different cleaning situations can be used. An exhaust hose extending from the bottom outlet need only sit in a drain enabling the user to direct dirty water and particles removed from the cleaning zone to the sewer.  
           [0017]    The opposite sides of upper and lower carriages meet in a relatively fluid tight closure that serves to contain fluids, debris and fumes in the cleaning zone. Flaps extending from the front and rear edges of the carriages provide a relatively fluid tight closure at the front and rear of the carriages. These flaps over lap and serve to suppress the discharge of fluids from the scrubber. Larger items can protrude through such flaps and the material of the flaps contours with the shape of the item.  
           [0018]    Accordingly, the fluid tight closure along the opposite sides of the carriages and the over lapping flaps at the front and rear surround the cleaning zone to suppress the escape of fluids thereby eliminating the mess associated with present cleaning and scrubbing techniques.  
           [0019]    When a large object such as a shovel or the like is inserted into the cleaning zone, a handle (or a holder for large objects that do not have handles) is accommodated by the flexible rubber flaps that bend around the handle (or holder). This allows the user to stand away from the scrubber and still rotate or otherwise manipulate the object in the cleaning zone for better cleaning and scrubbing particular areas of the object. Although fluid is not completely contained within the scrubber when cleaning such large objects, the quantity of fluid that does leak or escape from the scrubber is relatively small.  
           [0020]    To clean small objects, a small basket, for example a wire mesh basket, which accommodates small objects, is placed into the cleaning zone. The basket effectively prevents small objects from uncontrollably moving about in the scrubber interior.  
           [0021]    An exhaust fan connected to the cleaning zone creates a slight negative pressure in the cleaning zone. This negative pressure helps to move spent cleaning fluids and debris into an exhaust outlet and reduces quantity of fluid that may leak from the scrubber interior.  
           [0022]    The brushes are self-cleaning in that brushes in both the upper and lower carriages respectively rotate in opposite directions and press together so the scraping of one brush against another cleans the respective brushes. Brushes of the upper carriage are prevented from contacting brushes of the lower carriage for safety reasons.  
           [0023]    The brushes also are removable, allowing for worn brushes to be easily replaced. Additionally, brushes made of different materials having different stiffness are easily inserted and removed from the carriages.  
           [0024]    A trigger on the upper carriage can control brush speed and rotational direction. This allows the user to modify both brush speed and direction to further enhance cleaning and scrubbing capabilities. A directed steam inlet is also provided to soften debris and assist in cleaning. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the scrubber in a closed position;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the scrubber;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the scrubber in a closed position, partly broken away and in section to show selected internal components;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the scrubber bottom carriage with certain components removed;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the scrubber in an open position;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 6 is perspective view showing a portion of the scrubber top carriage;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the drive system of the scrubber;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 8 is schematic view showing the scrubber in use;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 9 is a top view of a basket as may be used with the scrubber of the present invention;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of the basket of FIG. 9; and  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of the scrubber showing the basket of FIGS. 9 and 10 positioned therein. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0036]    Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the scrubber of the present invention generally indicated at  20 . The scrubber comprises a top carriage  22  and a bottom carriage  24  which both carry scrubber brushes  100   a  and  100   b  respectively shown in dotted line. A vertical support  26  extending upward from the bottom carriage includes a hinge, a portion of which is shown at  28 , that has its pivot point at  30 . The hinge in turn is connected to the top carriage  22  allowing the top carriage to articulate or pivot about the pivot point  30  from the closed position as shown in FIG. 1 to an open position as shown in FIG. 5. Between the top and bottom carriages is a cleaning zone  49 .  
         [0037]    As shown in FIG. 1, the top carriage  22  has side walls  32 , a front wall  34 , a rear wall  36  and a top  38 . The bottom of the top carriage is open. Extending through the top  38  are a fluid inlet  40  and a cleaner inlet  42 . The top carriage also has a handle  44  and a trigger  46  for purposes of operating brushes within the scrubber set out hereinbelow.  
         [0038]    The top carriage carries a fluid distribution and spray system including a plurality of pipes  39  fixed to the underside of the top  38  (FIGS. 5 and 7). The pipes are connected to the fluid inlet  40  and are arranged to spray a cleaning fluid such as water or steam down into the cleaning zone  49  between the top and bottom carriages. The fluid inlet  40 , in turn, may be connected to any fluid/water source such as a hose, faucet or water spigot (not shown). While the cleaner inlet  42  is shown as communicating directly to the interior of the top carriage (FIGS. 3 and 7), it should be appreciated that the cleaner inlet also may be connected to the pipes  39 . This would allow a cleaner to be intimately mixed with the water in the pipes so that special cleaning compositions and solutions are dispensed into the cleaning zone along with the spray from the pipes.  
         [0039]    While water is mentioned as the fluid introduced into the scrubber through pipes  39 , this is for illustrative purposes only and fluids other than water may be pumped into the inlet  40 . Additionally, the piping  39  may comprise bendable tubing that diverts fluid flow as the device is opened to reduce spraying of fluids outside the scrubber  20 . The user may direct the tubing and a valve may prevent fluid flow when the device is opened.  
         [0040]    Referring again to FIG. 1, the bottom carriage  24  is similar to the top carriage in that it has side walls  48 , a front wall  50 , a rear wall  52  and a bottom  54 . The bottom carriage is open at its top and has an outlet  56  that extends from the rear wall adjacent its bottom. A latch  58  pivotally attached to a side wall  48  of the bottom carriage can engage a pin  60  on the top carriage to lock the top and bottom carriages in the closed position.  
         [0041]    As best seen in FIG. 6, the top carriage includes two interior side walls  62  (only one being shown) that extend generally parallel to the side walls  32  from front to rear so as to define an elongated channel  64  at each side of the top carriage. A cap  66 , generally U-shaped in cross section, is attached to each side and interior wall  32 ,  62  respectively to close off the channels. The bottom face  68  of each cap provides a sealing surface along each side of the top carriage. Along the front wall  34  of the top carriage is a sealing flap  70 . This flap along with a pair of similar sealing flaps  72  at the rear of the top carriage (FIG. 3) and the sealing surfaces provided by the bottom faces of caps  66  help to contain fluids within a closed scrubber.  
         [0042]    Each of the interior walls  62  has a plurality of spaced notches  65  (FIGS. 5 and 6). The notches on opposite interior walls  62  are pared and receive the ends of the brushes  100   a  as described further hereinbelow.  
         [0043]    As best seen in FIG. 4, the interior of the bottom carriage  24  includes two interior side walls  74  that extend generally parallel to the sides walls  48  from front to rear so as to define an elongated channel  76  at each side of the bottom carriage. A cap  78 , also generally U-shaped in cross section, is attached to the side and interior walls  48 ,  74  respectively to close off the channels. The top face  80  of each cap  78  provides a sealing surface along each side of the bottom carriage. Along the front wall  50  of the bottom carriage is a sealing flap  82 . This flap  82  along with a similar sealing flap  82  along an interior transverse dividing wall  84  towards the rear of the bottom carriage and in conjunction with the sealing surfaces provided by the top faces  80  of caps  78  help to contain fluids within a closed scrubber.  
         [0044]    In this respect, when the top and bottom carriages are in a closed position as shown in FIGS.  1 - 3 , the sealing surfaces defined by the top faces  80  of caps  78  press against the corresponding sealing surfaces defined by the bottom faces  68  of the caps  66  on the top carriage. Likewise, the flaps  70  and  82  cooperate by pressing one against the other to seal off the front and rear of the scrubber. Thus in a closed position the interior volume of the scrubber between the top and bottom carriages as bounded in part by the sealing faces  68 ,  80  and flaps  70 ,  82  defines a relatively liquid tight cleaning zone  49 .  
         [0045]    Referring again to FIG. 4, it should be appreciated that space between the interior transverse dividing wall  84  and the front wall  50  of the bottom carriage defines a fluid collecting sump  85 . This sump preferably has a false bottom  86  that slopes downward front to back. An opening  88  in the dividing wall  84  drains fluid into a drainage chamber  90 , which in turn communicates with the scrubber outlet  56  (FIGS. 1 and 3). A fan  92  in the chamber (see FIG. 3) is operated to help expel fluids from the sump through outlet  56 . Operation of the fan also creates a slight negative pressure within the closed scrubber to help prevent the escape of fluids from between the closed top and bottom carriages.  
         [0046]    Next to the drainage chamber  90  is a motor compartment  94 . This compartment provides a liquid-free environment for an electric motor  96  that is used to drive the fan and the scrubber brushes  100 . The vertical support  26  sits over the drainage chamber  90  and motor compartment  94 . A front face  102  of the vertical support is disposed generally at an inclined angle to support the top carriage in a closed position.  
         [0047]    Referring now to FIGS. 1, 3, and  5 , the top carriage  22  is shown as having an a plurality of top brushes  100   a . These brushes extend across the top carriage wherein the ends of the brushes are journaled to the interior side walls  62 . Likewise, the bottom carriage  24  has a plurality of bottom brushes  100   b  that extend across the bottom carriage wherein the ends of the brushes are journaled to the interior side walls  74 .  
         [0048]    As described above, the interior side walls  62  of the top carriage each has a plurality of spaced notches  65  (also seen in FIG. 6). The notches on opposite interior walls  62  are paired and receive the ends of the brushes  100   a . In a similar manner, the bottom carriage has its interior side walls  74  provided with a plurality of spaced notches  75  (FIGS. 4 and 5) that are paired to receive the ends of the brushes  100   b.    
         [0049]    The disposition of the brushes  100   a  and  100   b  allows the brush bristles to pass through the cleaning zone  49  when the top and bottom carriages are closed and the brushes are rotated. Rotation of the brushes is accomplished through a system of gears and timing belts driven by the motor  96 .  
         [0050]    The drive system for rotating the brushes  100   a  and  100   b  is shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, there are cooperating components of the drive system in the top carriage  22 , bottom carriage  24  and in the vertical support  26 . The drive system includes a sprocket  104  driven by the motor  96 . The sprocket  104  meshes with a drive gear  106 . The drive gear  106  in turn is connected by a timing belt  108  to a driven gear  110  at the top of the vertical support  26 . It is important to note that the rotational axis of this driven gear  110  is the axis of the hinge  28  holding the top carriage  22  to the vertical support so the axis of the driven gear  110  corresponds to the pivot point  30 . A second timing belt  112  extends from the driven gear and drives a plurality of sprockets  114 .  
         [0051]    The sprockets  114  are all journaled to a drive support bar  116 . This support bar is fixed to an interior side wall  62  of the top carriage within one of the channels  64  (shown in FIG. 6). The sprockets  114  are spaced along the support bar so that each sprocket  114  aligns with one of the notches  65  along one side of the top carriage. A driven end of each brush  100   a  extends through the notch for connection to a sprocket. After the support bar is fixed in its channel, the channel is covered by one of the channel caps  66 . The opposite end of each brush  100   a  is supported in a bearing (not shown) located in the paired notch  65  on the opposite interior side wall  62 . Preferably the ends of the brushes are releaseably engaged with the sprockets  114  and bearings so that the brushes can be easily removed and replaced.  
         [0052]    The drive gear  106  also meshes with a driven gear  118 . The driven gear  118  is connected by a timing belt  120  to a first sprocket  122  associated with the bottom carriage  24 . A second timing belt  123  extends from the sprocket  122  and drives a plurality of like sprockets  122 . Each of the sprockets  122  is journaled to a drive support bar  124 . This support bar is fixed to one of the interior walls  74  of the bottom carriage  24  within one of the channels  76  (shown in FIG. 4). The sprockets are spaced so that each sprocket  122  aligns with one of the notches  75  along one side of the bottom carriage. A driven end of each brush  100   b  extends through the notch for connection to a sprocket  122 . After the support bar  124  is fixed in its channel, the channel is covered by one of the channel caps  78  as shown in FIG. 4. The opposite end of each brush  100   b  is supported in a bearing (not shown) located in the paired notch on the opposite interior side wall  74 .  
         [0053]    Preferably the ends of the brushes  100   b  are releaseably engaged with the sprockets  122  and bearings so that the brushes can be easily removed and replaced. A thin gasket may be used depending upon the degree of leak prevention from the sump  85  that is desired. Additionally, an overflow hole (not shown) in the transverse wall is positioned to prevent fluid from rising above the brush drives.  
         [0054]    With the arrangement as shown in FIG. 7, the motor  96  drives the lower set of sprockets  122  and these in turn drive each of the brushes  100   b  in the bottom carriage. Thus, when the motor  96  is activated, the lower sprockets  122  spin, and in doing so spin the bottom brushes  100   b . The motor  96  further drives the exhaust fan  92  in the drainage chamber  90  that communicates with the outlet  56 . The exhaust fan  92  is arranged to vent waste fluids from the bottom carriage  24  out through the outlet  56 . As noted above, the bottom carriage preferably has a sloped bottom  86  to facilitate the flow of waste towards the opening  88  and outlet  56 . Operation of the exhaust fan also creates a slight negative pressure within the scrubber  20  and this serves to reduce fluids from leaking from the scrubber  20 .  
         [0055]    The motor also drives the upper set of sprockets  114  and these in turn drive each of the brushes  100   a  in the top carriage. The disposition of the brushes allows the brush bristles to pass through the cleaning zone  49  between the carriages when the brushes are rotated. Preferably there is some space (the cleaning zone  49 ) between the bristles of the top and bottom brushes so that the top and bottom brushes do not touch.  
         [0056]    However, it is preferred that each set of brushes  100   a  and  100   b  be disposed so there is some interference between the bristles as the brushes of each set rotate through the cleaning zone  49 . This allows the brushes in a set to clean each other wherein the bristles of one brush of the set contact the bristles of another brush in the set. For example, as shown in FIG. 7 all the lower brushes  100   b  rotate in the same direction. This means that where the brushes touch, there is peripheral interference in that the bristles are moving in opposite directions. This peripheral interference causes the brushes to clean one another.  
         [0057]    While rotation of the brushes in the same direction is preferred, the sprockets and timing belts may be arranged such that adjacent ones of the top and bottom brushes  100   a  and  100   b  rotate in the same or opposite directions. As noted above, the ends of the brushes  100   a  and  100   b  preferably are snapped into and out of position with the sprockets and bearings in the walls  62 ,  74  of the top and bottom carriages respectively. This permits replacing and/or interchanging the bottom and top brushes with brushes having bristles comprising different properties of stiffness, composition, texture, etc. so the brushes can be changed to accommodate different scrubbing situations.  
         [0058]    In operation, a user opens the scrubber  20  by raising the top carriage  22  as shown in FIG. 5 to gain access to the scrubber interior. An object to be cleaned is placed into the scrubber. The top carriage is closed and latch  58  is engaged to lock the top and bottom carriages in a closed position. In the closed position, the hinge  28  aligns the top carriage  22  and bottom carriage  24  causing the top brushes  100   a  and bottom brushes  100   b  to become substantially parallel, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and  7 . The support face  102  of the vertical support  26  is disposed at an inclined angle and there is a complimentary angled surface  103  on the top carriage. Accordingly, the hinge  28  between the top carriage  22  and bottom carriage  24  also is angled. This not only enables opening and shutting of the scrubber  20 , but also allows the angled support face  102  to support a portion of the weight of the top carriage when the scrubber is closed. The support offered by the support face  102  for the complimentary surface  103  on the top carriage prevents excessive forces from causing the top and bottom brushes  100   a ,  100   b  respectively to touch.  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 8 shows the cleaning of a shovel, rake or other implement having a handle  126  that extends out of the scrubber. When the carriages are in a closed and locked position, the flaps  70 , 82  drape around the handle and deform so as to provide a seal around the handle extending from the scrubber. If the object to be cleaned does not have a handle, it is held by tongs or other holder that extend from the scrubber. With the tongs or object handle extending outside the cleaning zone, the object can be moved and manipulated within the scrubber by the user to contact all surfaces against the brushes  100   a  and  100   b.    
         [0060]    The latch  58  is used when the user places the objects to be cleaned inside the scrubber  20  and closes the top carriage  22  downwardly onto the bottom carriage  24 . If the object to be cleaned is large, the latch  58  may be left unlatched so the top and bottom carriages are ajar. In extreme cases and for larger objects, the top carriage may be partly open.  
         [0061]    After the object is in position, the user presses the trigger  46  that starts the motor  96  and spins the brushes. Fluids, steam, and a cleaner are introduced as needed through the respective fluid and cleaner inlets  40 ,  42 . Operation of the motor  96  drives the vertical belt  108 , which in turn drives the driven gear  110  that drives the top carriage drive belt  112 . This driven gear  110  rotates about an axis  30  that corresponds to the axis of the hinge  28 . With this arrangement, there is no stretching of the vertical belt  108  and top carriage drive belt  112  when the top carriage  22  is swung through an arc to open and close the scrubber. In this respect as the scrubber top carriage  22  is opened the vertical drive belt  108  and the top carriage drive belt  112  simply rotate around the hinge axis (pivot point  30 ) and do not stretch. This ensures smooth operation when closing and opening the scrubber. Also with this arrangement, neither the vertical belt  108  nor top carriage drive belt  112  is tightened, loosed, damaged, or misaligned by the repeated opening and closing of the top carriage  22 .  
         [0062]    For cleaning smaller objects a holding basket  128  is provided as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The basket may comprise a mesh basket made of a metal, plastic, or other durable material and combinations thereof holds small objects and prevents the free movement of the objects in the scrubber cleaning zone. The basket  128  has top and bottom portions  130 ,  132  respectively that are hinged together at  134  so the basket can be fully opened. Legs  136 ,  138  serve to support the basket in the cleaning zone.  
         [0063]    The basket is sized so as to fit between the top and bottom brushes  100   a  and  100   b , as shown in FIG. 10. It is noted that the mesh structure of the basket  128  allows the brush bristles to penetrate the basket and scrub the articles held in the basket. The basket is supported in the cleaning zone  49  by its legs  136 ,  138  that stand on the sloped bottom of the bottom carriage  24 . To maintain the basket level in the cleaning zone, the basket legs  136 ,  138  are of an uneven height or are adjustable.  
         [0064]    In operation and with the top and scrubber closed, the flaps  70 ,  82  and the seal as formed between the faces  68 ,  80  of the caps  66 ,  78  keep the cleaning fluids within the scrubber interior and the exhaust fan  92  moves the waste out of the scrubber through the fluid outlet  56 . After cleaning, the scrubber  20  is opened and the article is removed. The same process occurs when smaller articles to be cleaned are loaded into the basket  128  and then placed in the scrubber interior  52 . In cases where the article to be cleaned is too large to fit into the scrubber, the user may place only a portion of the article to be cleaned in the scrubber at a time and then repeatedly open and close the top carriage while the brushes are spinning so different portion of the article are inserted and cleaned.  
         [0065]    Preferably, the brushes  100   a  and  100   b  are provided with a bristle structure that tends to direct fluids inward towards the center of the cleaning zone. This aids in preventing the escape of fluids from between the faces  68 ,  80  of the caps  66 ,  78  respectively. The bristle structure also preferably directs fluids towards the rear of the scrubber. Thus, the spinning of the brushes acts to direct the fluids inward away from the sides  32 ,  48  and towards the outlet  56  at the rear of the scrubber.  
         [0066]    An embodiment of the invention as been described wherein the support bars  116 ,  124  are fixed to the interior walls  62 ,  74  of the top and bottom carriages respectively. However these support bars may be spring loaded or be adjustable so as to provide greater flexibility for accommodating articles of various sizes. For example FIG. 7 shows that the support bars may be connected to the carriage top  38  and bottom  54  by springs  140 ,  142  respectfully. This spring loading biases the support rods  116 ,  124  (and therefore the brushes  100   a ,  100   b ) together and towards the center of the cleaning zone. However, if a large article is placed in the cleaning zone, the springs allow the support bars (and therefore the brushes) to move apart to accommodate the larger article within the closed and latched scrubber.  
         [0067]    The drive system has been described as comprising a system of sprockets and timing belts. However it should be appreciated that the brushes also can be driven by a system of gears that mesh to transfer the rotary drive of the motor to each of the brushes  100   a  and  100   b . In this case the gears would replace the timing belts  112  and  123 . Meshing gears also can replace the timing belt  108  so long as the driven gear  110  is retained that has its rotational axis the axis of the hinge  28 .  
         [0068]    Thus, the present scrubber  20  of the present invention provides for a methodology of cleaning any of a plurality of differently sized articles with brushes of differing stiffness in rapid reliable fashion. It is further noted the scrubber  20  may be of a small size such that it is readily transportable.  
         [0069]    In other embodiments, the scrubber  20  may be comprised of plastic components such that it is useable in houses and kitchens. In other embodiments the scrubber  20  may comprise industrial sized parts and be made of heavy duty metal components. The scrubber may be battery powered and may be embodied so that the cleansing fluids are filtered and recirculated through the scrubber  20 . This provides an economy both in terms of cost and the amounts of cleaning fluids used.  
         [0070]    In yet other embodiments, the vertical support member  26  may comprise means for vertical adjustment, which allows the distance between the top and bottom carriages  22 ,  24  respectively, to be varied by moving them closer or farther apart as desired in order to accommodate differently sized objects. This embodiment however requires the replacement or adjustment of the timing belt  108  as the height of the support member changes.  
         [0071]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while the scrubber is described in detail in connection with the particular embodiments and examples, the present scrubber is not necessarily so limited and that other embodiments, examples, uses, and modifications and departures from the embodiments, examples, and uses may be made without departing from the scrubber as claimed.