Underwater cleaning and scrubbing apparatus

Abstract

A motor drives both a scrubbing brush and a propeller. Both rotate usually on the same shaft. The brush rotates against a surface to be cleaned and the propeller provides a thrust of the brush towards the surface. There is ample motion for scrubbing and cleaning combined with force to hold the brush firmly against the surface. A mechanically generated force against the surface is needed to remove debris, and when working underwater, such as against a boat hull, it is difficult to provide the force, since there is no ground on which to stand. The motor is electrical, or is pneumatic or hydraulic, with power brought in via flexible tubes, or power may come via flexible shaft. Manual controls may be underwater mounted on the unit or may transmit commands by electrical or radio signals to the above water power source.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An underwater cleaning apparatus comprising a motor driven brush, and a motorized propeller, said brush having cleaning capabilities against an underwater surface, and said propeller providing thrust of the brush against the underwater surface.  
     
     
         2 . An underwater cleaning apparatus as in  claim 1  in which said motor is an underwater electric motor.  
     
     
         3 . An underwater cleaning apparatus as in  claim 1  in which said motor is a hydraulic motor.  
     
     
         4 . An underwater cleaning apparatus as in  claim 1  in which said motor is a pneumatic motor.  
     
     
         5 . An underwater cleaning apparatus as in  claim 1  in which the said motor drives a gear box, at one end of which is mounted said propeller, an at the other end is the said brush, thus allowing the propeller and the brush to run at different revolutions per minute  
     
     
         6 . An underwater cleaning apparatus as in  claim 1  in which said apparatus is supported by a handle which allows operation from above water and movement of the apparatus to various positions on the surface to be cleaned.  
     
     
         7 . An underwater cleaning apparatus as in  claim 1  in which said brush may be abrasive for optimum cleaning of the said surface.  
     
     
         8 . An underwater cleaning apparatus as in  claim 1  in which the operator has available a control unit which signals to the motor what speed and power are to be used.  
     
     
         9 . An underwater cleaning apparatus as in  claim 8  in which the said control unit uses a wire connect link between the operator and the motor speed control unit.  
     
     
         10 . An underwater cleaning apparatus as in  claim 8  in which the said control unit uses a radio frequency link between operator and the said motor control unit.  
     
     
         11 . An underwater cleaning apparatus as in  claim 1  in which the said brush reciprocates rather than rotates.  
     
     
         12 . An underwater cleaning apparatus as in  claim 2  in which the said electric motor is operated from a battery mounted on the said motor.