Bowling lane maintenance apparatus

Claim 1

A bowling lane maintenance apparatus for applying a conditioning oil to the surface of a bowling lane and then buff finishing the oil applied bowling lane surface, said maintenance apparatus comprising: a body, a box member pivotally mounted on said body and including a pair of parallel spaced side plates, oil applicator and buffing roller means rotatably supported within said box member perpendicular to said side plates and disposed on the opposite sides about the pivot, and a positioning air cylinder mechanism operably interposed between said body and one edge of said box member at its longitudinal center, said positioning air cylinder mechanism being adapted to pivot said box member such that one of said oil applicator and buffing roller means will be brought into contact with the surface of the bowling lane or both the roller means will be separated from the bowling lane surface, said positioning air cylinder mechanism including two air cylinders different in stroke and biasing force from each other, one of said air cylinders having a longer stroke and a smaller biasing force being pivotally connected with said box member, the other air cylinder having a shorter stroke and a larger biasing force engaging said box member, whereby said box member can be shifted to its desired position by the action of said one air cylinder, the pressure exerted on the oil applying roller means through said box member can be controlled by the action of said other air cylinder, and said box member can be held by said other air cylinder at a netural position wherein both the roller means are separated from the bowling lane.