US2682604A - Illuminating means for floor polishers - Google Patents

Description

June 29, 1954 GERBER 2,682,604

INVENTOH. pale L". Gerber BY 7 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 29, v 1954 ILLUMINATING MEANS FOR FLOO BOLISHERS Dale C. Gerber, North Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application October 27, 1949, Serial No. 123,910

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to floor polishers and more particularly to an illuminator to indicate to the operator the degree of polish which has been applied to a surface.

Specifically, according to this invention, a light is mounted on the polisher in a position to direct light rays rearwardly of the direction of movement of the polisher onto the surface being polished beneath the propelling handle whereby the operator may readily observe the degree of polish which has been applied to the surface. The light is preferably positioned on the polisher so that the light rays projected from the light will be directed onto the surface immediately to the rear of the cleaner and at an angle such that the light rays will be reflected from the polished surface to the eye of the operator by a simple manipulation of the handle.

Thus, if the surface is dull aand unpolished the operator will observe no gloss and will know that additional polishing action is needed. If a slight polish has been applied, the operator will also so observe and apply additional polishing action. When a bright polish has been attained bright light rays will be reflected to the operators eye from the polished surface to indicate that the polish is satisfactory. Additionally, due to the reflecting action of the waxed surface, any unpolished streaks or spots will be immediately detected as the operator propels the polisher over the floor.

This application is an improvement over a copending application for U. S. Letters Patent by Dale C. Gerber and John E. Vance, Serial No. 123,909, filed concurrently herewith.

In the application above referred to, a light is mounted upon the polisher body in a position to direct light rays over a limited area immediately to the rear of the polisher beneath the handle and at such an angle that the light rays will be reflected from the polished surface to the operators eye. However, in the normal polishing operation with modern polishers the angle of the handle relative to the floor varies during the polishing operation and also with operators of different heights- According to the present invention the light is mounted upon the polisher so as to move concurrently with movements of the handle during normal operation and when the polisher is used by operators of different heights the handle may be manipulated so that the angle of incidence of the light rays onto the polished surface will be such that the light rays will be reflected from the polished surface to the operahandle to move therewith so that the light rays may be projected to the polished surface at such an angle as to be reflected to the operators eye.

According to another modification of the invention the light is applied to a polisher in which the handle is rigid with the body of the polisher and the light is so mounted as to direct light rays downwardly and rearwardly onto the polished surface at such an angle to be reflected to the operators eye upon manipulation of the handle.

In the second modification the light is mounted beneath the hood of the polisher and has a rearwardly directed light transmitting channel of limited area to direct light rays downwardly and rearwardly onto the surface being polished and a forwardly directed light transmitting passageway to direct light rays forwardly of the polisher over a relatively large area of the surface being polished.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 shows an end view of a polisher of known construction having a handle pivoted thereto by means of a bail with a light mounted on the handle bail in a position to direct light rays downwardly and rearwardly onto the surface when the handleis positioned in normal operating position; and

Figure 2 shows a floor polisher of the horizontally rotating brush type with a handle rigidly connected to the body of the polisher with a light mounted on the handle in a position to direct light rays both rearwardly and forwardly onto the surface being polished.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings the reference numeral I0 represents the body of a polisher of known construction. The frame it carries two rotating polishing brushes, one of which is shown at l l, which are rotated in opposite directions by a gear train driven by a motor (not shown). The motor and gear train are mounted on the body [0 beneath a hood 42 having a window it immediately in front of a light M to illuminate the area in front of the polisher.

Pivoted to the frame H1 at [5 by means of a forked bail I6 is a handle H which is shown in dotted lines normally extended upwardly and rearwardly at an angle to the surface being polished during normal polishing operations.

The bail I6 is provided with a socket l8 for receiving the handle I! and with a recess [9 immediately below the socket. A light is suitably mounted in the recess l9 and the rear wall of the recess is cut away to provide a window 2| facing downwardly and rearwardly so as to direct light rays from the light 20 downwardly and rearwardly onto the surface immediately rearwardly of the frame II] when the handle is posiitoned at an angle as in normal use. The angle of the projected light rays is such that the handle may be manipulated whereby light rays are reflected from the floor surface to the eye of the operator for inspection of the polished surface.

In the modification of Fig. 2 the polisher is of the single horizontal axis brush type. The brush 30 is rotatably mounted on the lower end of a frame 3! and is driven by suitable gearing from an electric motor housed within a motor housing 32 at the top of the frame 3|.

The frame 31 is provided with upwardly extending side portions, one of which is shown at 33, which extend upwardly past opposite sides of the motor housing 32 and form means by which a handle may be attached to the frame. The sides 33 are connected by a hood 34 spaced from the motor housing 32 to form a recess in which a light 35 is mounted. The hood 34 is extended downwardly and rearwardly at 36 and forwardly and downwardly at 31 which extensions in cooperation with the motor housing 32 form a pair of light transmitting channels 38 and 39. The hood 3 3 is provided with a socket 40 for rigidly receiving a handle 4 I.

The polisher is shown in its position of use and it is to be noted that as the angle of the handle changes in use the angle of the light rays projected onto the surface through the channel 38 also changes. I he arrangement is such that as the angle of the handle changes relative to the floor the angle of the light rays changes also and the rays may be reflected from the polished sur- ,,f ace to the operators eye depending upon the handle position. Light rays will also be projected forwardly through the channel 39 onto the surface in front of the polisher to illuminate that surface.

From the foregoing it can be seen that according to both modifications of this invention that as the angle of the handle relative to the floor changes the angle of the projected light rays also changes so that those rays may be reflected to the operator's eye a simple manipulation of the handle whereby the degree of polish applied to the surface will be readily visible at all times.

While I have shown but two modifications of my invention it is to be understood that these embodiments are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not wish to be limited to the particular structure shown. and described but to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A floor polisher comprising, a body, power operated polishing means carried by said body, said body having front and rear faces and being adapted to be propelled forwardly during polishing operations, a handle connected to said body for propelling said polisher over a surface, the arrangement being such that said handle extends upwardly and rearwardly from said body at an acute angle to the surface being polished during normal polishing operation and that said angle varies during operation and a light carried by said handle so as to move therewith and being positioned to direct light rays downwardly and rearwardly of the polisher beneath said handle whereby light rays will be reflected upon the polished surface to the eye of the operator to permit ready inspection of said surface.

2. A floor polisher according to claim 1 in which said handle includes a bail pivoted to opposite sides of said body and said light is mounted in the bight of said bail.

3. A floor polisher according to claim 1 in which said handle is rigid with said body and together with said body forms a recess in which said light is mounted. I

4. A floor polisher according to claim 3 in which the walls of said recess in cooperation with said body form light transmitting channels extending both rearwardly and downwardly and forwardly and downwardly of said handle to illuminate the surface both rearwardly and forwardly of the polisher.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,415,254 Maritzen May 9, 1922 2,082,764 Hosier June 1, 1937 2,114,966 Myers Apr. 19, 1938 2,268,015 Broberg Dec. 30, 1941 2,319,294. Breckenridge May 18, 1943

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