Modular grinder vehicle

Abstract

Herein is disclosed a floor grinder. The apparatus includes a self propelled vehicle having a driver seat mounted on a top portion and facing a front end of the vehicle and a steering mechanism mounted adjacent the driver seat. Three separate grinders are releasably attached to the vehicle by three elongated mounting arms which position the three grinders adjacent each other in front of the vehicle. One of the grinders is positioned directly in front of the vehicle slightly forward of the remaining grinders. The remaining grinders are position to the left and right of the forward grinder by their mounting arms which mount to a left and right side of the vehicle, respectively. Each of the mounting arms are pivotally coupled to the vehicle to permit the mounting arms to pivot up and down relative to the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for grinding a floor surface comprising:
 a. A vehicle having a front end, a back end and opposite left and right sides, a bottom portion and a top portion, a driver seat mounted on the top portion and facing the front end, a steering mechanism adapted to steer the vehicle mounted adjacent the driver seat, a drive means for driving the vehicle;   b. A first grinder unit detachably mounted to the front end by a first elongated arm having opposite first and second ends, the first arm having a Y shaped yoke formed on the first end for mounting to the first grinder, the second end being pivotally mounted to the front end by a first pivotal connection to permit the first arm to pivot up and down, the first arm dimensioned to position the first grinder directly in front of the front end of the vehicle;   c. A second grinder unit mounted to the right side of the vehicle by a second elongated arm having opposite first and second ends, the second arm having a Y shaped yoke formed on the first end for mounting to the second grinder, the second end being pivotally mounted by a second pivotal connection to a first transverse arm projecting from the right side of the vehicle, the second pivotal connection configured to permit the second arm to pivot up and down, the second elongated arm and the first transverse arm being dimensioned to position the second grinder in front of the front end of the vehicle but to the right of and slightly behind the first grinder;   d. A third grinder unit mounted to the left side of the vehicle by a third elongated arm having opposite first and second ends, the third elongated arm having a Y shaped yoke formed on the first end for mounting to the third grinder, the second end being pivotally mounted by a third pivotal connection to a second transverse arm projecting from the left side of the vehicle, the third pivotal connection configured to permit the third arm to pivot up and down, the third elongated arm and the second transverse arm being dimensioned to position the third grinder in front of the front end of the vehicle but to the left of and slightly behind the first grinder;   e. An electrical panel on the vehicle configured to supply electric power to each of the grinders.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the vehicle further comprises a conduit extending from the front of the vehicle to the back, the conduit having a front opening at the front of the vehicle and a back opening at the back of the vehicle, the conduit having a left branch extending to a left opening positioned at the left side of the vehicle, the conduit having a right branch extending to a right opening positioned at the right side of the vehicle, the first grinder having a first exhaust port releasably coupled to first opening by a first flexible conduit, the second grinder having a second exhaust port releasably coupled to right opening by a second flexible conduit, and the third grinder having a third exhaust port releasably coupled to left opening by a third flexible conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the electrical panel comprises three separate control boards mounted adjacent each other, each control board coupled to one of the grinders and adapted to control the operation of the grinder coupled thereto, the separate control boards each being coupled to a three phase power distributor which is adapted to couple to an external power line. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first, second and third elongated arms, and the first and second transverse members comprise rectangular steel tubes and wherein the front end, and the left and right sides of the vehicle are each provided with a rectangular socket configured to receive an end of the rectangular steel tubes. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the drive means for the vehicle comprises an electric drive motor coupled to a rechargeable battery, the rechargeable battery coupled to a power converter which is in turn coupled to the three phase power distributor for recharging the rechargeable battery, the grinders being powered by three phase electric power from the separate control boards separate from the rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         6 . A device for grinding the surface of a floor comprising a self propelled vehicle having a driver seat mounted on a top portion and facing a front end of the vehicle, the vehicle having a steering mechanism adapted to steer the vehicle mounted adjacent the driver seat; the vehicle further comprising three separate grinders releasably attached to the vehicle by three elongated mounting arms which project from the vehicle and position the grinders adjacent each other and in front of the vehicle; each of the mounting arms being pivotally coupled to the vehicle to permit the mounting arms to pivot up and down relative to the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein each of the grinders is adapted to exhaust grinder dust through an exhaust portal and wherein the vehicle is provided with an exhaust conduit system coupled to the grinders, the conduit system configured to direct the grinder dust from the grinders and out a back end of the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the exhaust conduit system comprises a first conduit extending between the front and back ends of the vehicle, a front open port formed on the conduit at the front end of the vehicle and a back open port formed on the back end of the vehicle, a left transverse conduit branching from the first conduit and extending to a left port on the left side of the vehicle and a right transverse conduit branching from the first conduit and extending to a right port on the right side of the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein each of the grinders is adapted to exhaust grinder dust through an exhaust portal and wherein the vehicle is provided with an exhaust conduit system coupled to the grinders, the conduit system configured to direct the grinder dust from the grinders and out a back end of the vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein the exhaust conduit system comprises a first conduit extending between the front and back ends of the vehicle, a front open port formed on the conduit at the front end of the vehicle and a back open port formed on the back end of the vehicle, a left transverse conduit branching from the first conduit and extending to a left port on the left side of the vehicle and a right transverse conduit branching from the first conduit and extending to a right port on the right side of the vehicle.