Floor cleaning machine

Abstract

A floor cleaning machine includes a supporting structure that has, along a forward travel direction of the machine, a front part and a rear part and supports a brush, which can be actuated rotationally, about a rotation axis that is arranged substantially vertically in use. The machine also includes a squeegee located in a rear position with respect to the brush along the forward travel direction of the machine The squeegee is mounted rotatably about an oscillation axis that is substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the brush. Connection elements are provided which can be activated on command and are adapted to couple rigidly the squeegee to the brush in its rotation about the rotation axis, in order to move the squeegee from the rear position to a forward position with respect to the brush, along the forward travel direction of the machine

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A floor cleaning machine, comprising a supporting structure that has, along a forward travel direction of the machine, a front part and a rear part, said supporting structure supporting a brush, which can be actuated rotationally, about a rotation axis that is arranged substantially vertically in use, and a squeegee located in a rear position with respect to said brush along said forward travel direction of the machine, wherein said squeegee is mounted rotatably about an oscillation axis that is substantially parallel to said rotation axis of said brush, connection means being provided which can be activated on command and are adapted to couple rigidly said squeegee to said brush in rotation about said rotation axis, in order to move said squeegee from said rear position to a forward position with respect to said brush, along said forward travel direction of the machine. 
     
     
         2 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said connection means can be activated by means of an inclination of said supporting structure, with lifting of said front part from the floor with respect to said rear part. 
     
     
         3 . The machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising stop means adapted to stop the integral rotation of said squeegee with said brush at said front position. 
     
     
         4 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said squeegee is connected to one end of a supporting arm that is pivoted, at another end thereof, to said supporting structure about said oscillation axis. 
     
     
         5 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said connection means comprise a friction body that is supported by said supporting arm and is adapted to make contact with said brush, so as to render said supporting arm integral with said brush. 
     
     
         6 . The machine according to  claim 4 , wherein said supporting arm can rotate with respect to said supporting structure about an articulation axis that is substantially perpendicular to said oscillation axis, in order to allow said friction body to pass from an inactive condition, in which it is disengaged from said brush, with said supporting structure in a non-tilted condition, to an active condition, in which said friction body is in contact with friction against said brush, with said supporting structure in the inclined condition, with lifting of said front part from the floor with respect to said rear part, and vice versa.