US3355762A

US3355762A - Wet scrubbing and vacuum cleaning apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3355762A
Application number: US495795A
Authority: US
Inventors: Matthew S Cavell; Stan H Fishman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-10-14
Filing date: 1965-10-14
Publication date: 1967-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1984-12-05

Description

5, 1967 M. s. CAVELL ETAL. 3,

WET SCRUBBING AND VACUUM CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 14, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l INV N MATTHEW S. CAV

STA H. FlSHMTAN BY mu ATTORNEYS Dec. 5, 1967 M. s. CAVELL ETAL 3,355,762

WET SCRUBBING AND VACUUM CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 14, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT'ORS MATTHEW S. CAVELL BY mm P ATTORNEYS WET SCRUBBING AND VACUUM CLEANING APPARATUS Filed 0012. 14, 1965 Dec. 5, 1967 M. s. CAVE-ILL ETAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS MATTHEW S. CAVELL T H. Fl HMAN BY Z/M QM/4X ATTORNEYS United States Patent OfiFice 3,355,762 Patented Dec. 5, 1967 3,355,762 WET SQRUBBENG AND VAEJUUM tILEANliNG AiPARA'iUi Matthew S. Car ell, 3521 Saginaw Drive, and Stan H.

Fishman, 3744 S. Washington Road, both of Fort Wayne, ind. 46804 Filed Oct. 14, 11965, Ser. No. 495,795 12 Claims. (Cl. 15-321) This invention relates generally to wet vacuum cleaning apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for applying a cleaning liquid to a surface, scrubbing the surface, and thereafter removing the liquid by vacuum.

Wet vacum cleaners which remove liquid from a surface by vacuum are well known to the art and a number of different types are commercially available. In the cleaning of large floor areas, such as stores and warehouses, it has been common practice to apply a cleaning liquid, such as water and detergent, by a hose or mop, to then scrub the surface with conventional scrubbing brushes or a powered scrubber, and then to remove the dirty liquid with a wet vacuum cleaner. There are other cleaning applications such as the floor mats and the trunks of automobiles where it has been common practice to apply the cleaning liquid and scrub the surface manually and then merely to wipe up the dirty liquid with sponges, towels, or the like.

Combined scrubbing and wet vacuum cleaning apparatus has been proposed for performing all three operations, i.e., application of the cleaning liquid, scrubbing the surface, and removal of the dirty liquid by vacuum. In such apparatus, it is necessary to spoil the vacuum while the liquid is being applied and during the scrubbing operation. Such prior combined scrubbing and wet vacuum cleaning apparatus has generally been characterized by its complexity and the provision of manually-actuated controls for each of the operations. It is therefore desirable to provide wet scrubbing and vacuum cleaning apparatus for use with a conventional Wet vacuum cleaning device in which the vacuum is automatically spoiled during application of the cleaning liquid and further characterized by its simplicity. It is further desirable that such apparatus be applicable not only to the wet scrubbing and vacuum cleaning of commercial establishments, but also any wet scrubbing and vacuum cleaning operation such as on floors, ceilings, walls and on smaller areas such as the floor mats and trunks of automobiles.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide improved wet scrubbing and vacuum cleaning apparatus. Another object of the invention is to provide improved Wet scrubbing and vacuum cleaning apparatus in which the vacuum is automatically spoiled during application of the cleaning liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved wet scrubbing and vacuum cleaning apparatus which is simpler than prior apparatus.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide improved wet scrubbing and vacuum cleaning apparatus in which the vacuum is maintained in the spoiled condition during the scrubbing operation following application of the cleaning liquid.

The apparatus of the invention, in its broader aspects, includes a cleaning head for scrubbing the surface which includes a liquid passage for applying a cleaning liquid to the surface and a vacuum passage for removing the liquid from the surface. A vacuum conduit is provided having one end coupled to the vacuum passage of the cleaning head and its other end adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source, such as a conventional wet vacuum cleaner, the vacuum conduit having an aperture therein intermediate its ends. A first selectively actuable valve is provided having first and second positions for respectively opening and closing the aperture in the vacuum conduit. A liquid conduit is provided having one end coupled to the liquid passage in the cleaning head and its other end adapted to be coupled to a source of liquid under pressure, which may be the city water supply. The vacuum and liquid conduits may be flexible to permit manipulation of the cleaning head. A second selectively actuable valve is provided in the liquid conduit for admitting liquid to the liquid passage. In order to spoil the vacuum in the vacuum passage while liquid is being applied to a surface to be cleaned, means are provided coupling the liquid conduit and the first valve for actuating the same to its first position, i.e., with the aperture in the vacuum conduit open, in response to liquid flow in the liquid conduit.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the improved wet scrubbing and vacuum cleaning apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the cleaning head of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the eductor and vacuum-spoiling valve of the embodiment of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary drawing, partly in cross-section, illustrating a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the improved wet scrubbing and vacuum cleaning apparatus of the invention, generally indicated at 10, is shown coupled to a conventional wet vacuum cleaner 12 which may be supported on conventional casters 14 for maneuverability. The apparatus 10 comprises a scrubbing head 16, a vacuum conduit 18 coupling the scrubbing head 16 to the vacuum inlet 20 of a conventional wet vacuum cleaner 12, a liquid conduit 22 adapted to be connected to a source of liquid under pressure (not shown), which may be the available city water supply, an eductor 24, a detergent container 26 and a vacuum spoiling valve 28. It will be seen that a section 30 of the liquid conduit 22 extends through section 32 of the vacuum conduit 18, the liquid and

vacuum conduit sections

30, 32 preferably being conventional flexible hoses so as to permit manual manipulation of the scrubbing head 16 with respect to the wet vacuum cleaner 12.

Referring particularly to FIG. 2, the scrubbing head 16 comprises a body portion 34 which may be formed of conventional molded plastic material or alternatively may be a die-cast metal part. Body 34 has a liquid passage 36 formed therein which terminates at the operative end 38 and a vacuum passage 40 formed therein which likewise terminates at the operative end 38. A conventional brush assembly 42 may be mounted on the body portion 34 surrounding the operative end 38, as shown.

An inner sleeve member 44 is provided communicating with the vacuum passage 4t? and extending rearwardly therefrom. The liquid conduit 30, which extends through the vacuum conduit 32, has its outer end 46- extending over the sleeve member 44 and received within an aperture 48 in the body portion 34. A cavity 59 communicates between the outer end 46 of the liquid conduit 30 and the liquid passage 36. A liquid applying valve 52 is provided, valve 52 being a conventional spring loaded valve manually actuated by depression of button 54. It will be readily seen that manual depression of button 54 3 will open the valve 52 so that the cavity 511 communicates with the liquid passage 36 with the result that liquid under pressure in the liquid conduit 36 will be caused to flow therethrough and through the cavity 50 and liquid passage 36 for application to the surface to be cleaned, as shown by the arrows 56.

An outer sleeve member 58 surrounds the inner sleeve 44 and the end 46 of the liquid conduit 31 the outer end 60 of the flexible vacuum conduit section 32 being secured to the outer sleeve member 58, as shown. It will thus be seen that the vacuum passage 40 in the body portion 34 communicates with the interior of the vacuum conduit 32 by way of the

sleeve members

44, 58.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 3, the inner end 62 of the flexible vacuum conduit section 32 is joined to the vacuum inlet 20 of the wet vacuum cleaner 12 by an intermediate conduit section 64 through which inner section 66 of liquid conduit 22 enters the interior of the vacuum conduit section 352, and a rigid T-section 6-8. Inner end 66 of liquid conduit 22 is joined to the eductor 24 which, in turn, is joined to any conventional flexible hose 70 adapted to be connected to a source of liquid under pressure, such as the city water supply.

T-section 68 of the vacuum conduit 18 has a T-portion 72 extending upwardly therefrom to which the vacuum spoiling valve 26 is secured. Vacuum spoiling valve assembly 28 comprises a lower housing portion 74 defining a cavity 76 therein and an upper housing portion '78 defining a cavity 80. The upper end 82 of T-portion '72 extends upwardly into the lower cavity '76 to define aperture 83 and a plurality of openings 34 are formed in the Wall of housing 74 communicating with cavity 76.

A flexible diaphragm 86 separates and closes the two

cavities

76, 80, being sealed between

annular flange portions

88, 90 respectively formed on the

housing portions

74, 78. Diaphragm 86 may be formed of any suitable impervious, flexible material, such as Sylphon, metal, leather, rubber or plastic. A disc member 92 is provided in the lower cavity 7 6 and connected to and supported by the flexible diaphragm 86 by a suitable stud 94. Diaphragm 86 is movable between an upper position, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 3, and a lower position, as shown in dashed lines 96, in turn moving disc member 92 between an upper position in which the aperture 83 defined by the upper end 82 of the T-portion "72 is open, thus exposing an interior of the vacuum conduit section 68 to the atmosphere, and a lower position in which disc member 92 sealingly engages the upper end 82 of the T-portion 72 thus closing the aperture 83. A suitable coil spring 96 is positioned in the upper cavity 80 respectively engaging diaphragm 86 and top wall 98 of housing 78, spring 96 normally urging the diaphragm 86 downwardly so that the disc member 92 engages the end 82 of the T-portion 72 thereby closing the aperture 83 in the vacuum conduit section 6-8. A vacuum port 190 is formed in the top wall 98 of the housing portion 78 with a conventional elbow fitting 162 being secured therein.

Eductor 24 comprises a body portion 104 having a passage 106 formed therethrough. Inner end 66 of the liquid conduit 22 is connected to a suitable fitting 108 which is threaded into end 110 of passage 106 while hose 70 is likewise connected to a suitable fitting 112 which is threaded into end 114 of passage 106. A venturi member 116 is positioned in passage 106 intermediate its

ends

110, 114, and thus, liquid under pressure from the source connected to the hose 7 it will flow through the hose, passage 106, venturi 116 and liquid conduit 22 as shown by the arrows 118. A vacuum port 120 and a detergent inlet port 122 are respectively formed in body 104 and venturi member 116 has

ports

124, 126 formed therein at its minimumi-diameter section respectively communicating with the vacuum and

detergent inlet ports

120, 122, as shown. Conventional fitting 128 is threaded into the vacuum port 121 and a vacuum line 130 is coupled between fitting 128 and fitting 162 on the vacuum spoiling valve 28. Vacuum port 121} and eductor 24 thus communicate with the upper cavity 89 and the vacuum spoiling valve 28 by way of the vacuum line 130.

Body 104 has a projection 132 depending therefrom which may have suitable threads 134 formed at its lower extremity for attachment to top wall 136 of detergent container 26. Body 164 and portion 132 have a passage 138 formed therein communicating between the detergent inlet port 122 and bottom end 146 of the depending portion 132. A suitable detergent inlet tube 142 may be threaded into the bottom end 144 of passage 138 and extends downwardly into the detergent container 26. A conventional ball check valve 146 is provided in enlarged portion 148 of passage 13$ and a conventional needle valve 150 is adjustably threaded in transverse passage 152 which communicates with passage 13% thereby selectively to vary the cross-sectional area of passage 138 and thus the quantity of detergent which flows therethrough and which is entrained with the liquid flowing through passage 166, as will hereinafter be described.

It will now be seen that with the detergent valve 52 in the scrubbing head 16 in its deactuated position, spring 96 in the vacuum spoiling valve 28 Will bias diaphragm 86 downwardly thereby causing the disc member 92 sealingly to engage the upper end 82 of the T-portion 72 of the vacuum conduit section 68 thereby closing aperture 83. Thus, if the wet vacuum cleaner 12 is turned on, vacuum will be applied to the vacuum passage 40 of the scrubbing head 16, as shown by the arrows 154 in FIGS. 2 and 3. It will further be seen that liquid under pressure in the hose 70 is present in the passage 166 of the eductor 24, this liquid under pressure being prevented from entering the detergent inlet tube 142 by ball check valve 146. The liquid under pressure in passage 106 will, however, enter passage 124 in the venturi member 116, vacuum port 120, vacuum line 130 and thus cavity thereby augmenting the force exerted by spring 96 to bias diaphragm 86 into its aperture-closing position.

Assuming now that the detergent valve 52 is manually actuated by depressing button 54, the liquid under pressure in the hose 70 will flow through passage 106, venturi member 116, and liquid conduit 22 to passage 36 in the scrubbing head 16, as shown by the

arrows

118, 56, 58 in FIGS. 2 and 3. As is well understood, the flow of liquid through the venturi member 116 in the direction shown by the arrow 118 will create a vacuum in passage 124 and vacuum port 129. The liquid in the vacuum line and cavity 80 of the vacuum spoiling valve 28 will thus immediately be removed under the influence of this vacuum and a vacuum will then be exerted in cavity 80 and upon diaphragm 86 to cause the diaphragm to be flexed upwardly to its second position, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 3, thereby moving disc member 92 upwardly away from the upper end 82 of the T-portion '72 so as to expose the aperture 83 to cavity 76. Air will thus enter openings 84 and flow into the aperture 83 under the infiuence of the vacuum exerted by the wet vacuum cleaner 12, as shown by the arrows 156, thus relieving or spoiling the vacuum previously exerted on the vacuum passage 41 of the scrubbing head 16, as above-described.

The flow of liquid in the direction 118 through the venturi member 116 likewise exerts a vacuum on passage 126 and detergent inlet port 122 which causes the ball check valve 146 to open so that liquid detergent in the detergent container 26 is aspirated upwardly through tube 142 and passage 138 through the detergent inlet port 122 and passage 126, the thus-aspirated liquid detergent then being entrained in the liquid flowing through the venturi member 116 and mixed therewith, as is well known to those skilled in the art.

It will now be seen that manual actuation of the detergent valve 52 of the scrubbing head 16 will automatically result in shutting off or spoiling of the vacuum at the scrubbing head 16 and also result in application of the detergent mixture to the surface being cleaned. Release of the detergent valve 52 will automatically terminate flow of the detergent mixture and again initiate the application of vacuum to the scrubbing head 16 so that the dirty detergent mixture on the surface being cleaned can be removed under the influence of the wet vacuum cleaner 12.

While the system above-described provides automatically alternative detergent application and vacuum removal, it may be desirable to provide a neutral operating position in which the detergent mixture is not applied and the vacuum is not exerted, this neutral position thus permitting scrubbing of the surface being cleaned by the brush 42 with the detergent mixture previously applied. Referring now to FIG. 4 in which like elements are indicated by like reference numerals, a T-fitting 158 is inserted in the vacuum line 130 between the eductor 24 and the vacuum spoiling valve 28, thus dividing the vacuum line 130 into two sections, 130a and 1301:. A conventional ball check valve 160 is positioned in the passage 162 in the T-fitting 158. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the detergent valve is shown removed from the scrubbing head 16, it being understood that the detergent valve may optionally be located either directly on the scrubbing head 16 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or at some other point along the vacuum conduit 18. Thus, detergent valve 164, which corresponds to detergent valve 52 of FIGS. 1 and 2, is disposed in inner end 66 of the liquid conduit 22, thus defining conduit sections 66a and 66b. Detergent valve 164 comprises a conventional valve body 166 having a passage 168 therein communicating between liquid conduit sections 66a and 66b. A conventional valve spool 170 is positioned in passage 168 and is biased by spring 172 to close the valve, spool 170 being moved against the force exerted by spring 172 so as to open the valve by manual depression of knob 174. For convenience, a vacuum relief valve 178 is also mounted on valve body 166. A cavity 180 is formed in the valve body 166 communicating with the exterior, as at 182, and having a port 184 communicating therewith. Vacuum relief line 186 is provided having its opposite ends respectively coupled to the T-fitting 158 and port 184 by suitable fittings, as shown.

It will now be seen that when knob 174 of detergent valve 164 is depressed, liquid will flow through hose 70, eductor 24, liquid conduit section 66a, and liquid conduit section 66a to the scrubbing head 16, as shown by the arrows 118, this liquid flow through eductor 24 exerting a vacuum on the diaphragm 86 of the vacuum spoling valve 28 byway of Vacuum line section 130a, T-fitting 158 and vacuum line section 13012, as shown by the arrow 155, this vacuum opening the ball check valve 160. The liquid flow through eductor 24 likewise aspirates the liquid detergent from the container 26 into the liquid flow, as above-described. When the detergent valve 164 is deactuated by releasing the manual pressure on knob 174 thereby closing the valve and in turn terminating the liquid flow through eductor 24, the combination of the vacuum in cavity 80 of the vacuum spoiling valve 28 and in vacuum line section 13012, and the pressure of the liquid in the eductor 24 and in turn in the vacuum line section 130a will close the ball check valve 160, thus maintaining the vacuum in cavity 80 of the vacuum spoiling valve so that diaphragm 86 remains deflected upwardly with vacuum conduit section 68 thus remaining open to the atmosphere to spoil the vacuum at the scrubbing head 16. It is thus possible to scrub the surface as desired using the previously applied detergent mixture without applying any additional quantity of detergent mixture.

When the scrubbing operation has been completed and it is then desired to remove the dirty detergent mixture by the vacuum exerted by the wet vacuum cleaner 12, the vacuum release valve 182 is opened by depressing knob 188 against the force exerted by spring 190 in cavity 180, thus opening the cavity 180 to the atmosphere. Since cavity 180 communicates by way of vacuum relief line 186 with T-fitting 158, vacuum line section 1311b and cavity 80 of the vacuum spoiling valve 28, the vacuum detergent valve 164,

in cavity will be relieved by the entry of air into cavit; 180 of the vacuum relief valve 178 and the diaphragm 86 of the vacuum spoiling valve 28 will thus be deflectei downwardly by the influence of spring 96 thereby to ClOSt the aperture 83 formed by the top 82 of the T-portior 72, the vacuum thus being exerted on the vacuum pas sage 40 of the scrubbing head 16, as previously described It will be readily seen that the vacuum relief valve 17! need not be mounted on body 166 of the detergent valve 164, but on the contrary may be located at any othel convenient location. If the detergent valve is located or the scrubbing head 16, it will be understood that the vacuum relief line 186 will extend through the vacuum conduit 18 along with the liquid conduit 22.

It will be readily understood that in applications where city water is not readily available for connection to the apparatus, a container of premixed detergent mixture may be employed with a suitable pump supplying the mixture under pressure to the hose 70. In such an arrangement, the detergent-aspirating portion of the eductor 24 may be eliminated. While the vacuum spoiling valve 28 has been shown as being actuated by diaphragm 86, it will be seen that any other device actuated in response to a differential in pressure or a change in volume of fluid, such as a piston operating in a cylinder, may be employed for selectively opening and closing the aperture 83 defined by the top edge 82 of the T-portion 72 of the vacuum conduit section 68. In both embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 described above, the vacuum spoiling valve 28 is actuated to spoil the vacuum in response to a predetermined pressure condition, in that case a vacuum. It will be readily apparent that the system may be reversed so that the vacuum spoiling valve 28 is actuated to spoil the vacuum in response to the opposite pressure condition, i.e., the static pressure of the liquid in hose 70. Thus, spring 96 of the vacuum spoiling valve 28 may be arranged normally to bias diaphragm 86 and disc 92 to their upper vacuum spoiling positions with the static pressure of the liquid in hose 70 thus deflecting diaphragm 86 downwardly and in turn moving the disc 92 to close the aperture 83. In such a reversed system, the check valve of FIG. 4 will likewise be reversed so as to be opened in response to the static pressure exerted by the liquid in hose '70 when the detergent valve is closed and closed under the influence of the vacuum created by the venturi member 116 when the detergent valve is opened.

While there have been described above the principles of this invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for wet scrubbing and vacuum cleaning a surface comprising: cleaning head means for scrubbing a surface and including liquid passage means for applying a cleaning liquid to said surface and vacuum passage means for removing said liquid from said surface; vacuum conduit means having one end coupled to said vacuum passage means and its other end adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source, said vacuum conduit means having an aperture therein intermediate said ends; first selectively actuable valve means having first and second positions for respectively opening and closing said aperture; liquid conduit means having one end coupled to said liquid passage means and its other end adapted to be coupled to a source of liquid under pressure; second selectively actuable valve means operatively connected to said liquid conduit means for admitting said liquid to said liquid passage means; and means coupling said liquid con-duit means and said first valve means for actuating the same to its first position in response to liquid flow in said liquid conduit means thereby to spoil the vacuum in said vacuum passage means while liquid is being applied to said surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said coupling neans includes means in said vacuum conduit means for :reating a predetermined pressure condition in response to 1 predetermined liquid flow condition therein, and means for actuating said first valve means to one of its positions .n response to said pressure condition and to the other of its positions in the absence of said pressure con ion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first valve means includes means for normally actuating the same to its second position thereby to close said aperture whereby vacuum is applied to said vacuum passage means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes means for creating a pressure differential with respect to atmospheric pressure in response to said liquid flow, means for actuating said first valve means to said first position thereof in response to said pressure differential thereby to open said aperture, and means for actuating said first valve means to said second position thereof thereby to close said aperture in response to said absence of said liquid flow whereby vacuum is applied to said vacuum passage means.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second valve means is manually actuated, and wherein said coupling means includes aspirating means in said fluid conduit means for creating another vacuum in response to said liquid flow therein, means for actuating said first valve means to said first position thereof in response to a vacuum, and conduit means coupling said aspirating means to said actuating means for exerting said other vacuum thereon.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for selectively retaining said first valve means in said first position thereof.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second valve means is manually actuated, and wherein said coupling means includes means in said liquid conduit means for creating a predetermined pressure condition in response to a predetermined liquid flow condition therein, means for actuating said valve means to one of its positions in response to said pressure condition and to the other of its positions in the absence of said pressure condition, conduit means coupling said pressure condition creating means and said actuating means for applying said pressure condition thereto, means in said last-named conduit means for maintaining said pressure condition on said actuating means following termination of said liquid flow condition, and manually actuated means for selectively releasing said pressure condition applied to said actuating means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means operatively connected to said liquid conduit means and adapted to be coupled to a source of cleansing medium for mixing said cleansing medium with said liquid.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second valve means is manually actuated, and wherein said coupling means includes an aspirator operatively connected to said liquid conduit means for creating another vacuum in response to said liquid flow, said aspirator having a vacuum part therein; said first valve means including a member closing said aperture in said second position thereof, said aperture communicating with the atmosphere in said second position of said first valve means, a housing defining a cavity, a flexible diaphragm sealingly closing said cavity, said diaphragm being connected to said member for actuating the same between said first and second positions thereof, said housing having a vacuum port; and another conduit coupling said aspirator and said vacuum port whereby said other vacuum is exerted on said diaphragm thereby moving said member to said first position thereof whereby said aperture is opened to spoil said vacuum in said vacuum passage means.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising spring means in said cavity normally urging said diaphragm to move said member to said second position thereof thereby to close said aperture.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said aspirator includes an eductor having an inlet port adapted to be coupled to a source of cleansing medium whereby said cleansing medium is entrained with said liquid flowing in said liquid conduit means.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising check valve means operatively connected to said other conduit for maintaining the vacuum in said cavity following termination of said liquid flow in said aspirator whereby said member is maintained in said first position thereof, and manually actuated relief valve means coupled to said other conduit intermediate said check valve means and said housing for selectively relieving said maintained vacuum in said cavity.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,200,026 5/ 1940 Juelson 1532l FOREIGN PATENTS 1,401,051 4/ 1965 France.

ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR WET SCRUBBING AND VACUUM CLEANING A SURFACE COMPRISING: CLEANING HEAD MEANS FOR SCRUBBING A SURFACE AND INCLUDING LIQUID PASSAGE MEANS FOR APPLYING A CLEANING LIQUID TO SAID SURFACE AND VACUUM PASSAGE MEANS FOR REMOVING SAID LIQUID FROM SAID SURFACE; VACUUM CONDUIT MEANS HAVING ONE END COUPLED TO SAID VACUUM PASSAGE MEANS AND ITS OTHER END ADAPTED TO BE COUPLED TO A VACUUM SOURCE, SAID VACUUM CONDUIT MEANS HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN INTERMEDIATE SAID ENDS; FIRST SELECTIVELY ACTUABLE VALVE MEANS HAVING FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS FOR RESPECTIVELY OPENING AND CLOSING SAID APERTURE; LIQUID CONDUIT MEANS HAVING ONE END COUPLED TO SAID LIQUID PASSAGE MEANS AND ITS OTHER END ADAPTED TO BE COUPLED TO A SOURCE OF LIQUID UNDER PRESSURE; SECOND SELECTIVELY ACTUABLE VALVE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID LIQUID CONDUIT MEANS FOR ADMITTING SAID LIQUID TO SAID LIQUID PASSAGE MEANS; AND MEANS COUPLING SAID LIQUID CONDUIT MEANS AND SAID FIRST VALVE MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE SAME TO ITS FIRST POSITION IN RESPONSE TO LIQUID FLOW IN SAID LIQUID CONDUIT MEANS THEREBY TO SPOIL THE VACUUM IN SAID VACUUM PASSAGE MEANS WHILE LIQUID IS BEING APPLIED TO SAID SURFACE.