An improved floor buffer for operator directed polishing of a floor is disclosed. A carriage disposed substantially horizontal to the floor has a lower surface exposed to the floor and an upper surface exposed away from the floor. A handle is attached to one end of the carriage. The handle extends angularly upward and away from the carriage toward the operator overlying an axis extending longitudinally of and from the carriage. At least two wheels are rotatably mounted to the carriage. These wheels are mounted along an axis extending transverse of or across the carriage substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the carriage. The axis about which the wheels rotate divides the carriage into a forward portion and a rearward portion. A clockwise rotating buffer is rotatably mounted about a vertical axis preferably displaced to the right of the longitudinal axis of the carriage at the forward portion of the carriage and extends below the lower surface of the carriage to confront the floor. The buffer extends a distance below the lower surface of the carriage which is substantially the same as the distance of the lowest point of the wheels below the carriage. Downward and upward rotation of the rearward portion of the carriage by correspondent handle movement produces correspondent upward and downward confrontation of the buffer to the floor. A butane powered engine is mounted to the upper surface of the carriage. Power is transmitted from the butane engine to rotate the buffer. The power transmission includes a centrifugal clutch and belt drive for permitting the buffer to rotate or not rotate responsive to the speed of the motor.
The floor buffer includes an aluminum chassis to which the various operative elements of the floor buffer are affixed. More particularly, a buffer pad driver is journaled to the front end of the chassis and a propane tank is carried from the aft end of the chassis to which end the steering handle is affixed. An air cooled internal combustion engine is mounted to the chassis intermediate the pad driver and the fuel tank. The air cooled engine is mounted in heat exchanging relation with the chassis so that the chassis serves as a substantial heat sink for conduction cooling of the engine, in use.
A floor treating machine of the single rotary brush type having a handle and a motor both laterally offset from the axis of rotation of the brush in a direction to impart a tilting couple opposed to that arising from operator forces counteracting the reaction couple on the handle.
A floor buffing machine powered by a propane engine has a frusto-conical shield and an integral inverted channel extending rearwardly from the shield to provide a mounting deck for the engine and propane fuel tank. A buffing pad is rotated by the engine through a drive train and is carried on an inclined spindle having a flexible connection with the spindle. The incline of the spindle and the flexible construction of the connection causes the rearwardly moving side of the buffing pad to propel the machine forwardly.
A burnishing floor polisher (2) includes a frame (4), an engine (6) mounted on the frame, and a rotary brush or pad (8) mounted through a universal joint (10) to a rotary shaft (12) supported from the frame, enabling flush engagement between the brush and the floor notwithstanding tilting of the frame. Left and right wheels (20, 22) on left and right axles (36, 38) support the frame for forward-rearward movement, and are adjustable forward-rearward relative to the frame for balancing the frame forward-rearward about the wheels as a fulcrum. A pulley and drive belt system (24) couple the engine to the rotary shaft for driving the rotary brush through the universal joint. An electromagnetic clutch (26) is provided for engaging and disengaging the coupling system from the engine. The disclosed subject matter is particularly characterized by its heavy grade durable construction minimizing down-time in industrial burnishing operations.
A high-speed polishing machine is provided which has a polishing pad rotatable at speeds substantially in excess of those heretofore usually employed for polishing machines. The new polishing machine is designed to operate at speeds in excess of 1,000 rpm and preferably about 1,150 rpm. Motors capable of rotating the polishing pads at such speeds operate close to the limits of 110 volt power and if excess pressure is placed on the pad, it will slow down substantially and frequently cause the motor to stall. The new machine has rear wheels which partially support the weight of the machine and has means for raising and lowering the wheels so as to control the pressure on the polishing pad. The machine also has a handle with a latch which enables the handle to raise the front of the machine when it is to be transported and the handle is in an upright, transporting, position. However, the latch will not enable the handle to place additional pressure on the rotating pad when the machine is operating and the handle is in a slanted, operating position.
