Pad pressure control device for a floor burnisher

Abstract

A floor burnisher has a base portion with a rotatable pad. A lower portion of a handle post is pivotally connected to the base portion. A lower portion of a spring rod assembly is pivotally connected to the base portion and an upper portion of the spring rod assembly is connected to an upper portion of the handle post. The pressure at which the pad contacts a floor surface may be selectively adjusted. The handle post may be pivoted about the base portion so that a spring within the assembly is compressed. The force from the compressed spring is communicated to the base portion to pivot the base portion with respect to a floor surface.

1 . A floor burnisher, comprising,
 a base portion having a pad connected for rotation to a motor;   a handle post having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the lower portion is pivotally connected to the base portion;   a spring rod assembly having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the lower portion is pivotally connected to the base portion and wherein said upper portion is pivotally connected to the upper portion of the handle post.   
   
   
       2 . The floor burnisher of  claim 1 , wherein the uppermost end of said handle post has laterally extending operator bars. 
   
   
       3 . The floor burnisher of  claim 1 , wherein a first clamp is provided about said upper portion of said handle post, said spring rod assembly being pivotally connected to said first clamp. 
   
   
       4 . The floor burnisher of  claim 3 , wherein said first clamp is selectively and slidably engaged with said handle post. 
   
   
       5 . The floor burnisher of  claim 1 , wherein the spring rod assembly comprises an upper rod connected to a piston, said piston connected to a spring located within a spring housing, wherein said spring housing is connected to a lower rod that is pivotally connected to said base portion. 
   
   
       6 . The floor burnisher of  claim 5 , wherein a second clamp selectively secures said upper rod from moving with respect to said spring housing. 
   
   
       7 . A floor burnisher, comprising:
 a spring rod assembly comprising an upper rod and a lower rod and a spring located between said rods;   a handle post having a lower portion connected to a base portion of said burnisher and an upper portion connected to said spring rod assembly by a selectively releasable clamp, wherein said upper rod is connected to said clamp;   wherein said lower rod is pivotally connected to said base portion to pivot a selectively rotatable pad on said base portion into and out of engagement with a floor surface.   
   
   
       8 . The burnisher of  claim 7 , wherein a piston is connected to an end of said upper rod, said piston selectively compressing said spring within a spring housing, said lower rod being connected to said spring housing. 
   
   
       9 . The burnisher of  claim 7 , wherein said handle post and said spring rod assembly are both pivotally attached to a rear portion of said base portion, said spring rod assembly being pivotally attached outboard of said handle post. 
   
   
       10 . The burnisher of  claim 7 , wherein said base portion comprises a motor positioned above a set of main wheels, a burnishing pad cover located forward of said main wheels, said pad cover housing said pad. 
   
   
       11 . A method selectively changing the pressure at which a burnishing pad located on a base portion of a burnishing machine contacts a floor surface, comprising:
 selectively engaging an upper rod of a spring rod assembly with a handle post by tightening a first clamp;   pivoting said handle post about said base portion so that a piston connected to said upper rod compresses a spring within a spring housing, wherein said spring urges said spring housing and a lower rod connected to both said spring housing and said base portion downward toward said floor surface;   pivoting said base portion away from said floor surface in response to said downward motion of said lower rod.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein after said handle post is pivoted, said upper rod is selectively secured against motion with respect to said spring housing via a second clamp. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein compression on said spring can be selectively released by releasing said first clamp. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein both said first clamp and a second clamp are selectively released to permit said burnishing machine to operate in a float mode wherein the full weight of the machine is applied to the burnishing pad. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a spring force of said compressed spring is communicated through said lower rod to a connection point of said lower rod to said base portion, said connection point located rearward from a set of main wheels, to pivot said base portion about a center of gravity located forward of said main wheels. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein prior to pivoting said handle post both said first clamp and a second clamp that selectively secures said upper rod against motion with respect to said spring housing are relaxed. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein beyond a predetermined angle of rearward pivot of said handle post, the spring force from said spring fails to pivot said base portion away from said floor surface.