Such floors, after being washed or after the removal of liquid spillage, still remain slippery to the extent that persons walking on them are liable to slip and injure themselves. Thus public places with tiles floors such as hospitals, supermarkets, airports, toilets and restaurants are often cordoned off for a considerable time after such spillages or after washing.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for drying such floors by removing the thin layer or residue of water which floor mops and like devices leave on the floor after washing or spillage removal.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an apparatus for drying a floor comprising at least two rollers with substantially parallel axes of rotation and freely rotatable in a support structure, and a band of liquid-absorbent sheet material extending tautly around each roller with a part of the band being located relative to the support structure for contact with the floor substantially across its full width and with a part extending tangentially between the rollers being located for contact flat against the floor,

whereby the apparatus may be rolled across the floor to bring the sheet material progressively into non- slipping contact therewith.

The invention also provides an apparatus for drying a floor comprising at least one roller freely rotatable in a support structure, and a band of liquid-absorbent sheet material extending tautly around the roller with a part of the band being located relative to the support structure for contact with the floor substantially across its full width, whereby the apparatus may be rolled across the floor to bring the sheet material progressively into non-slipping contact therewith and wherein the roller has an resilient outer layer over which the sheet material is placed whereby the outer layer is flattened in use to increase the area of sheet material in contact with the floor.

The present invention further provides an apparatus for drying a floor, the apparatus comprising at least one roller freely rotatable in a support structure, and a band of liquid-absorbent sheet material extending tautly around the roller with a part of the band being located relative to the support structure for contact with the floor substantially across its full width, whereby the apparatus may be rolled across the floor to bring the sheet material progressively into non- slipping contact therewith.

Preferably, there are two rollers with substantially parallel axes of rotation, the band extending tautly

around both rollers with a part extending tangentially between the rollers being located for contact flat against the floor.

In a preferred embodiment the apparatus is designed to clean as well as dry the floor. In such embodiment, the apparatus further includes selectively operable means for restraining rotation of the roller (s) in at least one direction of rotation such that upon operation of said restraining means the part of the sheet material then in contact with the floor slides across the floor.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an apparatus for drying a floor according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the drying band of the apparatus of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 omitting the top plate, Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the apparatus of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of apparatus according to the invention, Fig. 7 is a front view of the apparatus of Fig. 6, Fig. 8 is a front view of the apparatus of Fig. 6 showing replacement of the drying band, Fig. 9 is a front view of a third embodiment of apparatus according to the invention, Fig. 10 is a side view of the apparatus of Fig. 9, Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of apparatus according to the invention with a band-restraining blade in its inoperative position, Fig. 12 is a front view of the apparatus of Fig. 11 with the band-restraining blade in its operative position, Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of the apparatus of Fig. 11 with the band-restraining blade operative, Fig. 14 is a front view of the apparatus of Fig. 11 with the band-restraining blade inoperative, Fig. 15 is a front view of the apparatus of Fig. 11 showing replacement of the drying band,

Fig. 16 is a front view of a fifth embodiment of apparatus according to the invention, Fig. 17 is a partially cut-away side view of the apparatus of Fig. 16, Fig. 18 is a front view of a sixth embodiment of apparatus according to the invention, Fig. 19 is a side view of the apparatus of Fig. 18, and Fig. 20 is a front view of the apparatus of Fig. 19 showing replacement of the drying band.

In the various embodiments the same reference numerals have been given to the same or equivalent components.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the apparatus comprises a housing 10 including a top plate 12, a pair of substantially parallel side plates 14 depending from opposite side edges of the top plate, and a bottom plate 16 joining the bottom edges of the side plates 14. An elongate handle 18 is fixed by its lower end to the top plate 12 and extends upwardly therefrom at an acute angle.

Two rollers 20 and 22 respectively are mounted between the side plates 14 for rotation about substantially parallel axes defined by respective bolts 24 (Fig. 5) which pass transversely through the housing 10 from one sidewall 14 to the other, the rollers being freely

rotatable on the bolts. If desired, each roller may be covered with a layer 26 of a resilient material such as natural or artificial rubber. By removing the bolts 24 the rollers 20,22 can be removed from the housing 10.

The rollers have, in this embodiment, substantially the same diameter and the plane containing the roller axes (bolts) 24 is substantially parallel to the top plate 12. The lower surface 28 of the bottom plate 16 is flat and extends transversely across the housing substantially parallel to the roller axes 24. The lower surface 28 is located substantially in a plane tangential to the external circumference of the rollers 20,22.

A band 30 of highly liquid-absorbent sheet material extends tautly around the rollers 20,22. A particularly advantageous form of material which may be used is that known as microfibre cloth manufactured by Dahmmi Ind. Co. Ltd of South Korea. This material has the following general characteristics. The material is a microfibre cloth in which the fibres used to produce the cloth weigh less than Ig per 9km of length. It generally comprises two polymers, a polyester and a polyamide, which combine to form a single thread. The material can be non-woven, woven or knitted. Some of the features of the material are as follows: a. Microfibre contains microscopic fibres 100 times thinner than a human hair. These thin fibres penetrate even the smallest crevices of the surface to be dried.

Microfibres are split when they are produced so they possess sharp wedge shaped edges that improve contact with the work surface and trap particles inside the fibre. One of the microfibre polymers is lyophilic, i. e. it has an affinity to oil so that oil and grease adhere directly to the fibres so preparatory treatment with chemicals is not necessary. This is also the reason why microfibre cloths do not rinse well and once saturated require laundering. b. Due to the microfibre material's fine pores, any droplets that remain on a cleaning surface after cleaning evaporate quickly leaving a clean steak-free surface. The superior cleaning ability of microfibre material enables the reduction in need for chemicals and detergents up to 80%. The capillary effect created between the polyester filaments and the polyamide core creates very high absorbency that enables the cloth to clean and polish at the same time. c. It absorbs liquid much more than conventional textiles due to the capillary action created by the microfibre. d. It can be used many times and can last up to two years. e. The microfibre material does not require the use of chemicals that are harmful to the environment for cleaning.

f. The microfibre material is extensively washable.

The knitted cloths can be laundered up to 500 times at 90 degrees Celsius using a standard detergent without the need of a softener or rinse aid.

Alternatively, one could use a cotton cloth towelling or other suitable textile.

The part 32 of the band 30 which extends tangentially between the rollers 20,22 is located outside the housing 10 so that it is free to make contact flat against a floor 34 across its full width and along its full length between the rollers. The flat backing surface 28 is located immediately behind the floor- contacting part 32 of the band 30 so that the band passes across the backing surface when the rollers rotate.

In use, using the handle 18, the housing 10 is rolled back and forth across a wet area of floor 34 with the part 32 of the band 30 flat against the floor. The backing surface 28 ensures that the material of the band 30 is maintained pressed against the floor between the rollers. Due to the low friction in the freely rotatable rollers 20,22 and the relatively high friction between the material of the band 30 and the floor 34, the material of the band does not slip against the floor but rather, as the rollers rotate in a given direction, is brought progressively into non- slipping contact with the floor in a similar manner to a caterpillar track of a tracked vehicle. Thus, the

material dries the wet floor by"blotting"it rather than wiping it. We have found that a band of the aforesaid material having a circumferential length of 24"and a width of 8"is able to dry up to 1500 sq. feet of floor.

The band 30 is formed as a one-piece length of material whose ends are releasably joined along a transverse line 36 by, for example, Velcro fasteners 38. This allows the band to be removed when it is too wet/soiled for further use and replaced by a fresh band.

A second embodiment of the invention, Figs. 6 to 8, is the same as the first but has a different arrangement for removing and replacing the band 30, which in this case is a continuous loop without the releasable join 36 of the previous embodiment.

To allow removal and replacement of the band 30, therefore, one side edge 12A of the top plate 12 is pivoted by hinges 39 to the top edge of one of the side plates 14 (the left hand side plate 14 as seen in Fig.

8) and the other side edge 12B of the top plate is releasably secured to the top edge of the other side plate 14 by a wing nut 40. By releasing the wing nut 40 and lifting the corresponding side of the top plate 12, Fig. 8, a used band 30 can be slid sideways off the rollers 20,22 and over the right hand side plate 14 and a fresh band placed on the device in the same manner. In order to allow this, and with reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings, the dimensions of the plate 14

should be such that when the top plate 12 is lifted, the band 30 can be slid (laterally) over the plate 14 on or off the rollers 20,22. This can be achieved in a variety of ways. For example, when placing the band 30 into position, the band could first partially engage with the roller 22 and subsequently engage with the roller 20 (or vice versa). A similar reverse sequence of steps could be employed for the removal of the band 30. It will be appreciated that the band will have some degree of stretch for assisting in this procedure.

In a third embodiment, Figs. 9 and 10, only a single roller 20 is used and the band of material fits tautly around its circumference. The housing 10 is in this case replaced by a simple fork 10'. Again, because the roller 20 is freely rotatable in the fork 10', the band of material 30 rolls across the floor in non-sliding contact therewith, rather than sliding across the floor.

Referring now to Figs. 11 to 15, the embodiment there shown is similar to that shown in Figs. 6 to 8, so only the differences will be described.

The main difference is the addition of a blade 42 pivoted at the front of the top plate 12 for rotation about a pivot axis 46 substantially parallel to the axes 24 of the rollers 20 and 22. The blade 42 has a serrated edge 44 also substantially parallel to the roller axes 24. The blade 42 may be manually rotated about the pivot axis 46 between an inoperative position

(Figs. 11,14 and 15) wherein the blade 42 is folded back out of contact with the band 30, and an operative position (Figs. 12 and 13) wherein the serrated edge 44 rests loosely on the band 30 across the width of the sheet material.

In the operative position the edge 44 makes an acute angle with the material of the band 30 so that when the housing 10 is moved forwardly across the floor (the forward direction is to the left in Fig. 11) the blade 42 rides over the band material so that the latter is brought progressively into non-slipping contact with the floor in a similar manner to a caterpillar track as previously described. However, when the apparatus is moved rearwardly across the floor the edge 44"snags", or digs in, to the material of the band 30 to prevent its movement past the blade. Thus the part of the band material then in contact with the floor slides across the floor. This allows the user to clean (scrub) the floor as well as dry it when desired.

In the inoperative position of the blade 42, of course, the apparatus operates as described in relation to Figs. 1 to 5, i. e. in both forward and reverse directions of movement across the floor the band material is brought progressively into non-slipping contact with the floor.

The other difference of this embodiment compared to that of Figs. 6 to 8 is that the wing nut 40 is replaced by a latch 48. The latch is fixed to the side

plate 14 and is resiliently biased to snap engage over the edge 12B when the top plate 12 is pushed down to close the housing 10. The top plate 12 may be released simply by prising the latch 48 out of contact with the edge 12B.

In a further embodiment, Figs. 16 and 17, the pivoted blade 42 is replaced by a ratchet mechanism associated with the roller 22. In particular, a ratchet wheel 50 is non-rotatably fixed to the end of the roller 22 and a pawl 52 is pivoted to the top plate 12.

The pawl 52 may be rotated by the user to an inoperative position (not shown) wherein the pawl is held out of contact with the ratchet wheel 50 and therefore the apparatus operates in both forward and reverse directions as previously described in relation to Figs. 1 to 5. However, when the pawl is rotated to the operative position in contact with the ratchet wheel, as shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the mechanism allows rotation of the roller 22 only in the forward (anticlockwise) direction. Thus, due to the high friction between the band 30 and the external circumference of the rollers 22, the band is prevented from rotating in the reverse direction of the apparatus and, as in the previous embodiment, slides across the floor.

Figs. 18 to 20 show a modification of the embodiment of Figs. 9 and 10. In this modification the fork 10'is replaced by a single offset side arm 10"allowing use

of a one piece band 30 which can be slipped over the roller from one end (Fig. 20).

Also, in this embodiment the roller 20 has a resilient outer foam layer 56 over which the band 30 of absorbent sheet material is placed. In use, this outer layer 56 is flattened under the weight of the apparatus to increase the area of the absorbent sheet material in contact with the floor at any given moment (see Fig. 19). The outer layer 56 is covered with a water- impermeable sheet 58 to prevent water from the band 30 entering the layer 56.

If desired, a blade 42 or ratchet mechanism 50/52 can be used in association with the single roller embodiments to allow a scrubbing action in one direction of rotation.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention.