Scrubber with mechanism for automatically raising and lowering a squeegee assembly

Claim 2

A walk-behind scrubber comprising: a body; wheels supporting said body above a floor; a scrub brush at a forward portion of said body; a squeegee assembly at a rear portion of said body; mechanical means including electrically driven means for raising and lowering said squeegee assembly, said mechanical means including a follower arm connected to said squeegee assembly and pivotally connected to said body, a pivotable lift rack engageable with said follower arm when said squeegee assembly is raised, said pivotable lift rack being connected to said electrically driven means and having a roller extending transversely of said scrubber which engages said follower arm when said squeegee assembly is raised; a switch connected with said electrically driven means having a first condition in which said mechanical means is moved to raise said squeegee assembly and a second condition in which said mechanical means is moved to lower said squeegee assembly; handle means movably mounted on a rear portion of said body; and means including link means connected to said handle means and engageable with said switch to cause said switch to be in its second condition when said handle means is manipulated to move said scrubber forwardly and to cause said switch to be in its first condition when said handle means is manipulated to move said scrubber rearwardly.

Claim 3

A walk-behind scrubber according to claim 1 characterized by forward means for driving at least one wheel to move said scrubber in a forward direction, reverse means for driving at least one wheel to move said scrubber in a rearward direction, means for connecting said forward drive means to the associated wheel when said switch is in the second condition, and means for connecting said reverse drive means to the associated wheel when said switch is in the first condition.

Claim 4

A walk-behind scrubber according to claim 1 characterized by said pivotable lift rack having second rollers for engaging said follower arm when said squeegee assembly is to one side of said scrubber and said mechanical means is moved to raise said squeegee assembly.

Claim 5

A walk-behind scrubber comprising: a body; wheels supporting said body above a floor; a scrubbing brush at a forward portion of said body; a squeegee assembly at a rear portion of said body; a drive motor; forward means for connecting said drive motor to at least one of said wheels for moving said scrubber in a forward direction; reverse means for connecting said drive motor to at least one of said wheels for moving said scrubber in a rearward direction; raising and lowering means for raising and lowering said squeegee assembly; a follower arm connected to said squeegee assembly and pivotably supported for horizontal movement by said body, said raising and lowering means engaging said follower arm when raising and lowering said squeegee assembly; said raising and lowering means having transverse means extending transversely of said scrubber for urging said follower arm and said squeegee assembly toward a center position, if off center with respect to said scrubber, when raising said squeegee assembly; handle means movably mounted on a rear portion of said body; and connecting means connecting said handle means with said forward and reverse means and with said raising and lowering means to cause said raising and lowering means to lower said squeegee assembly and to connect said forward means with said motor and the associated wheel when said handle means is manipulated to move said scrubber forwardly, and to cause said raising and lowering means to raise said squeegee assembly and to connect said reverse means with said motor and the associated wheel when said handle means is manipulated to move said scrubber rearwardly.

Claim 6

A walk-behind scrubber comprising: a body; wheels supporting said body above a floor; a scrubbing brush at a forward portion of said body; a squeegee assembly at a rear portion of said body; a drive motor; forward means for connecting said drive motor to at least one of said wheels for moving said scrubber in a forward direction; reverse means for connecting said drive motor to at least one of said wheels for moving said scrubber in a rearward direction; raising and lowering means for raising and lowering said squeegee assembly; a follower arm connected to said squeegee assembly and pivotably supported for horizontal movement by said body, said raising and lowering means engaging said follower arm when raising and lowering said squeegee assembly; said raising and lowering means having transverse means extending transversely of said scrubber for urging said follower arm and said squeegee assembly toward a center position, if off center with respect to said scrubber, when raising said squeegee assembly; handle means movably mounted on a rear portion of said body; and connecting means connecting said handle means with said forward and reverse means and with said raising and lowering means to cause said raising and lowering means to lower said squeegee assembly and to connect said forward means with said motor and the associated wheel when said handle means is manipulated to move said scrubber forwardly, and to cause said raising and lowering means to raise said squeegee assembly and to connect said reverse means with said motor and the associated wheel when said handle means is manipulated to move said scrubber rearwardly.

Claim 7

A walk-behind scrubber according to claim 4 characterized by said handle means being pivotally mounted on the rear portion of said body.

Claim 8

A walk-behind scrubber according to claim 4 characterized by said raising and lowering means comprising electrically driven means and switch means for operating said electrically driven means.

Claim 9

A walk-behind scrubber according to claim 4 characterized by said switch means being actuated to cause said raising and lowering means to lower said squeegee assembly before said forward means connect said motor and the associated wheel for causing said raising and lowering means to raise said squeegee assembly before said reverse means connect said motor and the associated wheel.

Claim 10

A scrubber comprising: a body; wheels supporting said body above a floor; a scrub brush at a forward portion of said body; a squeegee assembly at a rear portion of said body; a follower arm connected to said squeegee assembly and pivotally supported for horizontal movement by said body; a lift rack movably supported by said body and engageable with said follower arm for raising and lowering said squeegee assembly, said lift rack having a roller extending transversely of said scrubber which engages said follower arm when said squeegee assembly is raised; electrically-driven means connected to said lift rack for moving same; a switch connected with said electrically-driven means having a first condition in which said lift rack is moved in a manner to raise said squeegee assembly and a second condition in which said lift rack is moved in a manner to lower said squeegee assembly; and movable means to cause said switch to be in its second condition when said scrubber is to be moved forwardly and to cause said switch to be in its first condition when said scrubber is to be moved rearwardly.

Claim 11

A scrubber comprising: a body; wheels supporting said body above a floor; a scrub brush at a forward portion of said body; a squeegee assembly at a rear portion of said body; a follower arm connected to said squeegee assembly and pivotally supported for horizontal movement by said body; a lift rack movably supported by said body and engageable with said follower arm for raising and lowering said squeegee assembly, said lift rack having a roller extending transversely of said scrubber which engages said follower arm when said squeegee assembly is raised; electrically-driven means connected to said lift rack for moving same; a switch connected with said electrically-driven means having a first condition in which said lift rack is moved in a manner to raise said squeegee assembly and a second condition in which said lift rack is moved in a manner to lower said squeegee assembly; and movable means to cause said switch to be in its second condition when said scrubber is to be moved forwardly and to cause said switch to be in its first condition when said scrubber is to be moved rearwardly.

Claim 12

A scrubber according to claim 8 characterized by said electrically-driven means comprising a linear actuator pivotally connected to said lift rack.

Claim 13

A walk-behind scrubber according to claim 8 characterized by said rack having second rollers for engaging said follower arm when said squeegee assembly is to one side of said scrubber and when said squeegee assembly is to be raised.

Claim 14

A walk-behind scrubber according to claim 10 characterized by said follower arm having a downwardly-extending portion connected to said squeegee assembly, said second rollers engaging said downwardly-extending portion when said squeegee assembly is to one side of said scrubber when said squeegee assembly is to be raised.

Claim 15

A scrubber according to claim 8 characterized by said movable means comprising handle means movably mounted on said scrubber body.

Claim 16

A scrubber according to claim 12 characterized by link means connected to said handle means and engagable with said switch to cause said switch to be in its second condition when said handle means is manipulated to move said scrubber forwardly and to cause said switch to be in its first condition when said handle means is manipulated to move said scrubber rearwardly.

Claim 17

A scrubber according to claim 8 characterized by a drive motor, forward means for connecting said drive motor to at least one of said wheels from moving said scrubber in a forward direction, and reverse means for connecting said drive motor to at least one of said wheels for moving said scrubber in a rearward direction, said forward and reverse means being operated by said movable means.