US20120137464A1

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Info

Publication number: US20120137464A1
Application number: US11/548,287
Authority: US
Inventors: David K. Thatcher; Reed C. Stokes
Original assignee: Spectrum Ind Products Inc
Current assignee: SPECTRUM INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS Inc; Spectrum Ind Products Inc
Priority date: 2006-10-11
Filing date: 2006-10-11
Publication date: 2012-06-07

Abstract

A powered mopping and cleaning machine is described. The machine includes a recovery tank, a filter assembly, a fresh water tank assembly, a vacuum assembly, a battery charger assembly, a control assembly, and a deck assembly. The machine is adapted to clean floors and more especially flat hard floors by means of providing a cleaning fluid to a rotating brush and by vacuuming resultant dirty fluid from the floor. The powered mopping and cleaning machine is adapted to replace the use of a conventional mop and mop bucket. Use of the powered mopping and cleaning machine is designed to result in decreased labor, increased efficiency, and decreased cleaning cost as compared to the use of a standard mop and mop bucket. The powered mopping and cleaning machine, although self-contained, will preferably fit into the same storage space that is otherwise allotted to store a conventional mop and mop bucket.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to floor cleaning devices. More specifically, this invention relates to automatic powered floor mopping and cleaning devices.

2. Description of Related Art

A variety of machines and devices have been developed to clean or mop floors. Typically, such machines are either large and cumbersome or they lack many automated features. Further those machines that are known to be automated require a higher degree of skill to operate (e.g. operated via remote control or complex programming) or lack the mopping efficiency of the present invention.

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, 5,287,583, 5,289,605, 5,371,912, 5,402,559, 5,555,587, 5,797,157, 5,836,045, 6,023,813, 6,357,070, 6,418,585, 6,524,173, 6,550,094 6,741,054, 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. Nos. 09/865,766 and 11/342,042 are also incorporated by reference in their entirety.

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.

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.

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.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,244 discloses a floor buffer for operator directed polishing of a floor.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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'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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,411 describes a rotatable element and a surface-treating device.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,583 discloses a floor treatment machine having a frame, a handle mounted to the frame, wheels mounted to the frame, and a rotatable floor treatment pad mounted to the frame for treating a floor surface.

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.

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.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,559 discloses a floor scrubber is provided which consists of a rectangular head assembly.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,587 discloses a floor mopping machine for automatic mopping of floors having a movable housing and a rotatable mopping member including a plurality of spongy mop pieces.

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.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,813 describes an automatic floor scrubber and buffer that provides for simultaneous scrubbing and buffing of floors through he use of a plurality of pads operating at different speeds to optimize the scrubbing and buffing operation of the device.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,070 discloses a riding cleaning machine that can simultaneously perform sweeping, scrubbing, and burnishing.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,585 discloses a mopping device that may be adapted for manual or electromechanical operation.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,173 discloses an apparatus for cleaning a surface having a handle joined to a cleaning head operable to dispense liquid onto a surface to be cleaned.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,094 discloses a self-contained electrically powered wringer.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,741,05 discloses a robotic floor mopping assembly.

U.S. Pat. No. 2004/0049878 discloses a floor cleaner having a sweeper, a scrubber, and a burnisher.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is desirable to provide an automatic mopping machine that mops, cleans, sweeps, vacuums, and dries a floor surface preferably in one pass. It is further desirable to provide such a mopping machine that is of a compact size, of low weight, easy to use, and easy to store. It is also desirable to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that can be readily maneuvered in tight spaces. For instance in one embodiment, the machine may be driven in a “U-turn” in a space as tight as three feet (e.g. a turning radius of eighteen inches). In yet other embodiments, the machine may be driven in a “U-turn” in a space as tight as two feet.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a self-contained automatic mopping and cleaning machine that is compact and is preferably no larger than a standard mop and mop bucket combination, and is preferably lower in height than a standard mop stored in a standard mop bucket.

Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic mopping machine that reduces the labor otherwise required when conventionally mopping a floor such as moistening a mop, sliding a mop, and wringing a mop, thus resulting in a reduced commercial floor cleaning cost.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that provides for improved cleaning and that imparts a greater luster to a cleaned floor that can be obtained from a convention mop and bucket or other prior art cleaning machines. The improved cleaning and increased luster is in part obtained by the high speed rotation of the preferably soft bristled brush of the cleaning machine which in at least one embodiment, rotates at a rate of 1400 revolutions per minute, but may rotate substantially faster or slower such as 1200 or 1600 revolutions per minute.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that provides for improved cleaning by avoiding the reuse of water or water and a cleaning solution. Such improved cleaning is in contrast to the use of a conventional mop and buck or prior art cleaning machine which recycle the cleaning fluid or in other words such prior art machines reuse dirty water in attempting to clean a floor.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that is very simple to operate due to very simple controls.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that incorporates a self-adjusting squeegee that provides for on-going proper squeegee deflection.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that includes a dirty water level viewing window which provides a means to determine when the machine dirty water should be emptied so as to prevent excess water and debris from entering the vacuum motor or other areas of the machine.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that provides for an adjustable caster assembly so as to provide proper brush loading against a floor resulting in proper cleaning without undue drag being place on the machine motor.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that provides for selective squeegee lifting resulting in selectively greater brush rotation dwell times prior to selectively vacuuming the resultant dirty water and drying the floor.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that provides for handle height adjustment resulting in improved operator convenience and improved compactness in storage and shipping of the machine.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that includes an on-board battery charger and preferably “gel cell” type batteries that may be selectively charged while storing the machine or while operating the machine resulting in even greater portability of the machine.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that incorporates a self-centering drive-belt, the removal and replacement of which requires no tools resulting in improved maintainability of the machine.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that incorporates a quick-change easily installable self-adjusting squeegee that is readily replaceable preferably in no more than two minutes, resulting in improved maintainability of the machine.

Further it is an object of this invention to provide a mopping and cleaning machine that incorporates a quick-change and easily cleanable vacuum hose, resulting in improved maintainability of the machine.

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.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

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: trimetric

FIG. 1 is a trimetric view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a further exploded isometric view of select subassemblies and components of the preferred embodiment of the invention.Recovery tank20 is shown with the near side quarter of the tank removed. Due to the relatively thin wall sections, for drawing clarity, no cross-hatching is shown.

FIG. 4 is an additional further exploded isometric view of select subassemblies and components of the preferred embodiment of the invention.Deck140 is shown with the near side quarter of the deck removed. Due to the relatively thin wall sections, for drawing clarity, no cross-hatching is shown.

FIG. 5 is an exploded isometric view ofbrush assembly240 of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a machine for cleaning and mopping floors. The invention in its preferred embodiment is a rollable mopping machine having wheels and being equipped with an electric motor driven rotatable cleaning brush, a vacuumed powered squeegee, on-board batteries to power the machine, a fresh water/cleaning chemical tank, and a recovery tank. 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.

FEATURE TABLE

#	Feature

10	Mopping machine
20	Recovery tank
22	Tank lower mounting surface
24	Tank upper mounting surface
26	Tank back mounting surface
28	Tank filter mounting recess
30	Tank holding chamber
32	Tank drain hole
35	Filter assembly
36	Filter
37	Filter cover
40	Fresh water tank assembly
42	Fresh water tank
44	Fresh water tank lid
46	Fresh water tank mounting plate
48	Fresh water tube
50	Fresh water tube first end
52	Fresh water tube second end
60	Vacuum assembly
62	Vacuum hose
64	Vacuum hose first end
66	Vacuum hose second end
70	Vacuum motor assembly
72	Vacuum motor
74	Vacuum motor gasket
76	Vacuum motor boot
80	Battery charger assembly
82	Battery charger
84	Battery charger mounting flange
86	Battery charger mounting bracket
88	Bracket charger mounting flange
90	Bracket tank mounting flange
100	Control assembly
102	Control assembly mounting plate
104	Handle bar mounting bracket
106	Handle bar
108	Handle bar hand grip
110	Control switch
120	Deck assembly
140	Deck
142	Deck mounting platform
144	Deck battery holding compartment
146	Deck lower mounting surface
148	Deck rear axle retention hole
150	Deck brush assembly mounting recess
160	Battery
162	Battery positive connection terminal
164	Battery negative connection terminal
180	Rear axle assembly
182	Rear axle
184	Rear axle assembly first wheel
186	Rear axle assembly second wheel
200	Front caster assembly
202	Caster assembly mounting arm
204	Caster
206	Caster assembly adjustment knob
220	Squeegee assembly
222	Squeegee assembly mounting arm
224	Squeegee assembly mounting bracket
226	Squeegee assembly adjustment clamp
228	Squeegee assembly support shaft
230	Squeegee blade
232	Squeegee assembly vacuum connection
	fitting
240	Brush assembly
242	Brush
244	Brush bristle
246	Brush housing
247	Brush housing opening
248	Brush assembly first bushing
250	Brush assembly second bushing
252	Brush pulley
254	Brush assembly end plate
256	End plate brush pulley opening
258	End plate motor pulley opening
260	Brush assembly drive belt
262	Brush axle
264	Brush assembly motor
266	Motor pulley
268	Drive belt shroud

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is a powered mopping and cleaningmachine10 for use in mopping and cleaning tile, linoleum, hardwood and like floors, comprising arecovery tank20, afilter assembly35, a freshwater tank assembly40, avacuum assembly60, abattery charger assembly80, acontrol assembly100, and adeck assembly120.Recovery tank20 defines a generally cubic shaped elongated preferably rotationally molded plastic tank capable of storing liquids having alower mounting surface22, an upper mountingsurface24, aback mounting surface26, afilter mounting recess28, a holdingchamber30, and adrain hole32.Recovery tank20 may further include a substantially transparent portion that functions as a window allowing the user to determine the machine dirty water level inRecovery tank20.

Filter assembly

35 defines a filter assembly comprising afilter36 and a filter cover37.Filter36 defines a generally cylindrically shaped foam filter. Filter cover37 defines a preferably plastic injection molded generally hollow open ended cylindrically shaped cover. Filter cover37 is adapted to snappingly engage to filter mountingrecess28.Filter assembly35 is assembled such thatfilter36 is contained within filter cover37.

Freshwater tank assembly40 defines a tank assembly comprising afresh water tank42, a fresh watertank mounting plate46, and afresh water tube48.Fresh water tank42 defines a generally cubic shaped elongated rotationally molded plastic tank capable of storing liquids having a freshwater tank lid44 removeably connected tofresh water tank42.Fresh water tube48 defines a substantially elongated hollow tube capable of carrying liquids and controllably providing such liquids to a brush assembly, having afirst end50 and asecond end52. Freshwater tank assembly40 is assembled such that fresh watertank mounting plate46 is mounted to a side offresh water tank42 and fresh water tubefirst end50 is mounted tofresh water tank42.

Vacuum assembly

60 defines a vacuum assembly comprising avacuum hose62 and avacuum motor assembly70.Vacuum hose62 defines a generally flexible elongated corrugated hose capable of carrying liquids having afirst end64 and asecond end66.Vacuum motor assembly70 defines a vacuum motor assembly comprising a vacuum motor72, avacuum motor gasket74, and a vacuum motor boot76.Vacuum motor assembly70 is assembled such that vacuum motor boot76 is coveringly mounted to vacuum motor72 withvacuum motor gasket74 sealing sandwiched therebetween.Vacuum assembly60 is assembled such thatVacuum hose62 is vacuum suction portingly connected to vacuummotor assembly70.

Battery charger assembly

80 defines a battery charger assembly comprising abattery charger82 and a batterycharger mounting bracket86.Battery charger82 defines a conventional battery charger capable of charging batteries and having a mountingflange84. Batterycharger mounting bracket86 defines a generally “L” shaped preferably formed sheet metal mounting bracket capable of supporting a battery charger and having acharger mounting flange88 and atank mounting flange90.Battery charger assembly80 is assembled such that mountingflange84 is fastened to mountingflange88.

Control assembly

100 defines a mopping machine controllable assembly comprising a generally rectangular shaped mountingplate102, handlebar mounting brackets104, a tubular shapedhandle bar106, preferably high friction rubber or plastic or the like handle bar hand grips108, and control switches110.Control assembly100 is assembled such that at least one handlebar mounting bracket104 is fastened to mountingplate102, handlebar106 is clamped to at least one handlebar mounting bracket104, handlebar grips108 are press fittingly connected mounted to ends ofhandle bar106, and at least onecontrol switch110 is operably mounted to mountingplate102.Control assembly100 is adapted such that height ofhandle bar106 is adjustable resulting in improved operator convenience and improved compactness in storage and shipping of the machine

Deck assembly

120 defines a deck assembly comprising adeck140, at least onebattery160, arear axle assembly180, afront caster assembly200, asqueegee assembly220, and abrush assembly240.Deck140 defines a generally hollow cubic shaped preferably rotationally molded plastic deck capable of storing batteries and providing a structural support having a mountingplatform142, abattery holding compartment144, alower mounting surface146, a rearaxle retention hole148, and a brushassembly mounting recess150. At least onebattery160 defines a conventional electrical power storage battery capable of powering a mopping machine having apositive connection terminal162 and anegative connection terminal164.Battery160 is preferably a “gel cell” type battery and may be selectively charged while storingmachine10 or while operatingmachine10 resulting in even greater portability ofmachine10. Further, when more than onebattery160 is used inmachine10,batteries160 are preferably fastened together to provide for increased convenience inservice battery160 ormachine10.

Rear axle assembly

180 defines a rear axle assembly capable of bearing and carrying the weight of a mopping machine comprising a substantially elongated cylindrically shapedpreferable steel axle182, afirst wheel184, and asecond wheel186.Rear axle assembly180 is assembled such that withaxle182 rotatably inserted throughaxle retention hole148,first wheel184 is connected to a first end ofaxle182 andsecond wheel186 is connected to a second end ofaxle182.

Front caster assembly

200 defines a caster assembly capable of directionally swiveling and bearing and carrying the weight of a mopping machine comprising a somewhat flexible preferablysteel mounting arm202, a rotatable andswivelable caster204, and a rotatablecaster adjustment knob206.Front caster assembly200 is assembled such thatcaster204 is swivelably mounted to mountingarm202 andadjustment knob206 is rotatingly adjustingly connected to mountingarm202 and such that whenfront caster assembly200 is mounted todeck140, rotation ofadjustment knob206 causes a corresponding height adjustment offront caster assembly200 relative todeck140.

Squeegee assembly

220 defines a squeegee assembly capable of squeegeeing or scraping and collecting water and like liquids comprising a somewhat flexible preferablysteel mounting arm222, a preferablysteel mounting bracket224, anadjustment clamp226, a preferably hollowtubular support shaft228, a preferablyrubber squeegee blade230, and a preferably molded plastic vacuum connection fitting232.Squeegee assembly220 is assembled such that mountingarm222 is slidingly adjustably connected to mountingbracket224 byadjustment clamp226, vacuum connection fitting232 is vacuum portingly connected to mountingbracket224,support shaft228 is mounted to mountingbracket224, andsqueegee blade230 is mounted to supportshaft228. It is noted thatsqueegee assembly220 is a quick-change easily installable self-adjusting squeegee that is readily replaceable within two minutes.Squeegee blade230, a wearable item, is readily replaced by loosening a single wing-nut, removing a first instance ofsqueegee blade230, installing a second instance ofsqueegee blade230, and tightening the single wing-nut.

Brush assembly

240 defines a brush assembly capable of rotating a brush to clean a floor comprising abrush242, abrush housing246, afirst bushing248, asecond bushing250, abrush pulley252, abrush end plate254, a preferably self-centering rubber or thelike drive belt260, a substantially elongated cylindrically shaped preferablesteel brush axle262, amotor264, and abelt shroud268.Brush242 defines a conventional rotatable brush having a plurality ofbristles244.Brush242 may alternatively define a dense foam rotatable brush or another brush of suitable material.Brush housing246 defines a generally hollow semi-cylindrically shaped housing having a plurality ofopenings247 to accommodatebrush242.Brush end plate254 defines a substantially flat plate having a brush pulley opening256 and amotor pulley opening258.Motor264 defines a conventional electrical drive motor having apulley266.Brush assembly240 is assembled such thataxle262 is pressed intobrush242,bushing248 is pressed onto a first end ofbrush axle262,bushing250 andbrush pulley252 are pressed onto a second end ofbrush axle262,brush axle262 is rotatably mounted inhousing246 withfirst bushing248,second bushing250, andbrush pulley252 positioned inhousing openings247,end plate254 is mounted tohousing246 withpulley252 protruding through pulley opening256,motor264 is mounted toend plate254 withpulley266 protruding through pulley opening258,drive belt260 is placed in rotational drive relationship to brushpulley252 andmotor pulley266, andshroud268 is mounted indrive belt260 covering relationship toend plate254 and such that a rotation ofmotor264 causes rotation ofmotor pulley266 which causes rotation ofbelt260 which causes rotation ofpulley252 which causes rotation ofbrush242 which causes a floor to be cleaned. It is noted thatbelt260 is adapted to be removed and replaced without the use of tools.

Deck assembly

120 is assembled such that at least onebattery160 is mounted withinbattery holding compartment144 ofdeck140,rear axle assembly180 is rotateably connected todeck140 withaxle182 being rotateably positioned within rearaxle retention hole148 and

wheels

184 and186 being positioned on sides ofdeck140,front caster assembly200 is swivelably and adjustably mounted to lower mountingsurface146,squeegee assembly220 is connected to lower mountingsurface146, andbrush assembly240 is mounted to brushassembly mounting recess150.

Powered mopping and cleaningmachine10 is assembled such thatrecovery tank20 is mounted todeck assembly120 by connecting lower mountingsurface22 to mountingplatform142,filter assembly35 is connected to filter mountingrecess28, freshwater tank assembly40 is mounted torecovery tank20 by connecting mountingplate46 to back mountingsurface26 and with fresh water tubesecond end52 in fresh water delivery connection tobrush assembly240,vacuum assembly60 is assembled torecovery tank20 withvacuum motor assembly70 mounted substantially withinrecovery tank20 and withvacuum hose end66 in vacuum connection withsqueegee assembly220,battery charger assembly80 is mounted torecovery tank20 by connecting mountingflange90 to back mountingsurface26, andcontrol assembly100 is mounted torecovery tank20 by connecting mountingplate102 to upper mountingsurface24. Further, powered mopping and cleaningmachine10 is assembled such thatbattery charger80 is electrically connected tobattery160, and such thatbattery160 is electrically connected to at least onecontrol switch110, vacuum motor72, andbrush assembly motor264 such that electrical power frombattery160 is selectively distributed to at least onecontrol switch110, vacuum motor72, andbrush assembly motor264, to cause selective rotation ofmotors72 and264 and in turn topower vacuum assembly60 andbrush assembly240 respectively. Powered mopping and cleaningmachine10 may also include a solenoid (not shown) fluid transmissably connected between fresh water tubesecond end52 andbrush assembly240 and electrically connected tobattery160 and at least onecontrol switch110 such that fresh water or like cleaning fluid is selectively sent tobrush assembly240. It is noted that at least a portion ofvacuum hose62 is mounted substantially external torecovery tank20 such that removal of at least one end ofvacuum hose62 is readily removable to facilitate cleaning ofvacuum hose62. It is further noted thatvacuum hose62 may be cleaned by running water from a conventional garden hose intovacuum hose62 to flush debris fromvacuum hose62.

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.