Patent GB-442749-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for washing floors and the like
IPC: A47L11/293
Filed: 1934-09-05
Abstract: 442,749. Floor-cleaning machines. SIMON, L. J., 5, Holmdene Avenue, Herne Hill, London. Sept. 5, 1934, Nos. 25515, 25919, 27124, 28105, and 34306. [Classes 19 and 138 (i)] Apparatus for cleansing floors and like surfaces comprises scrubbing or washing means and one or more absorbent wipers for removing liquid from a surface after cleansing treatment, each wiper being in the form of a flap attached at its edge to means adapted to draw the flap or flaps flatly over the surface intermittently or in an intermittent succession. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a frame 1 mounted on wheels 55 carries an electric motor 3 adapted to drive through gearing a rotary brush 13 and a pair of discs 22, 22<a>. The discs support rotatably rods 24 carrying wipers 25 preferably formed of several layers of absorbent material. As the discs rotate the wipers pass between a plate 30 and a resiliently-mounted roller 35 so that they fall flatly on the floor over which they are dragged, removing dirty liquid therefrom. Clean liquid is supplied from a tank carried by a pivoted handle (not shown) through a pipe 40 leading to a space within the top of the brush 13, thence through apertures 39 to the floor. A bushed plate 14 on the brush has a socket adapted to receive the ball-shaped end of a spindle 7 which projects through a slot in the frame 1 into a housing 8 and carries a worm wheel 11. The worm wheel engages a worm 10 slidably mounted on a spindle 9 of square section. The spindle 7 is straddled by the forked end of a lever 47, by the actuation of which the brush may be moved laterally while still rotating, for the purpose of cleaning close to skirtings. In a modification an additional brush for cleaning corners &c. may be provided which normally occupies a position in front of a main brush, but may be moved round the axis of the brush through a right-angle. The wipers 25 during rotation of the discs 22, 22<a>, pass under a squeezer 37 adapted to remove any solids picked up, and then pass between squeezing rollers 34, 34<a>, the liquid thus removed falling into a funnel 31 leading to the hollow shaft 27.. This shaft communicates through pipe 38 with the inlet of a pump 17, the outlet of which is connected to a pipe 38<a>. leading to a tank (not shown), for collecting dirty liquid. The bristles of the brush 13 are arranged on the stock, as shown in Fig. 5, to assist in retaining liquid between the bristles and the centre of the brush. In a modification shown in Fig. 9, four rotary brushes 42 are provided the bristles of which overlap, these brushes being adapted to be rotated by the motor 43 through chains and worm gearing. The wipers 85 are carried by rods the ends of which engage endless chains 83 driven from the motor 43. Liquid from a tank (not shown), is supplied through a pipe 91 to the space between the four brushes. The tank is connected by a link to the handle 92 so that it is moved rearwardly when the handle is lowered. Dirty liquid collected by the wipers 85 is expressed by rollers 87, 87<a> into a tank 88. In a further construction shown in Fig. 11, the machine is provided with two brushes 60, 60<a> rotatable about horizontal axes and connected through gearing to a motor 93. The brushes, which are each composed of narrow brushes placed side by side, are formed with internal slots 69 and are adapted to slide over cross-bars 68 fixed on the brush spindles, springs 70 being provided to allow independent movement of the brushes in consequence of inequalities in the floor. Liquid flows through a pipe 71 to a perforated distributing pipe 72. Squeegees 73, preferably of folded rubber, are provided at the sides of the machine. In a modification, Fig. 14, one brush only is provided which in addition to rotary movement is adapted to reciprocate axially. The brush is mounted to slide on a square shaft 76 and is urged in one direction by a spring 77 near one end of the brush, the other end having a cam 78 co-operating with a fixed cam 79. The brush is surrounded on three sides by squeegers. Mops may be used instead of brushes for washing purposes.