Floor treating machines

Claim 1

A floor treating machine comprising a body, a floor engaging rotary brush mounted for rotation on said body, a pair of laterally spaced driving wheels mounted on said body, electric motor means for driving the wheels, independent speed control means for each of the driving wheels, a pair of independently movable, manually operable control arms pivotally mounted in a swivel joint at one end thereof to move on parallel axes side-byside on the machine, spring means loading each of the control arms to an off position, an individual electrical voltage control component mechanically and drivably connected to each of the control arms, each of the electrical control components forming part of the speed control means for a separate one of the said driving wheels, a common handle operatively connected between each of the control arms at a point removed from the pivotal mounting to give either conjoint synchronised movement or differential movement thereof, whereBy synchronised movement of the control member provides equal adjustment of the wheel speeds and differential movement of the control members provides differential adjustment of the wheel speeds to give a steering effect and reversing switch means for the motor means located adjacent each control arm with each control arm being arranged to operate the reversing switch means when moved in an opposite direction from the off position.