DEVICE FOR SOAKING A CLEANING TOOL FOR

FLOORS

DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the fields of tools and apparatuses used for cleaning the floors, and in particular it relates to a device for soaking a floor cleaning tool, for example a mop. Description of the prior art

As well known, in the field of cleaning, both for applications in domestic and professional environments, a trolley is widely used that is equipped with one, or more, tank, or reservoir, which contains a solution of water and detergent, or water and disinfectant. At the moment of washing the floor, the worker puts the end of a floor mop, or a different cleaning tool, which provides a piece of cloth, or brush, in the tank, in order to soak the same with the detergent, or disinfectant, solution that is, therefore, distributed on the surface to be cleaned.

A problem of the cleaning trolleys of first generation is that the amount of detergent, or disinfectant, solution that is distributed on the surface to be cleaned by the worker, at each rub, is different. Therefore, at the end of the cleaning operation, some areas of the treated surface are cleaner than others.

Another drawback is that, when using this kind of cleaning trolleys, the worker, usually, uses more product than is necessary, thus consuming a great amount of liquid product that means high costs for the cleaning Company.

Another drawbacks of these cleaning trolleys which consumes a lot of product is that it is necessary to await a lot of time before the floor, and the environment in which it is arranged, can be used again. This problem is particularly felt in the public areas e.g. supermarkets, shopping centres, ambulatories, offices, etc. that have predefined opening hours to the public that must be respected unless you want to pay money penalties, or incur in other sanctions.

In order to overcome the above disclosed problems some trolleys have been proposed, along the time, equipped with a dosing device that is able to ensure that the floor mop is soaked, each time, of a same amount of detergent, or disinfectant, solution.

These solutions are, for example, disclosed in WO2014/128671 and EP0781524. The dosing device generally provides a store chamber in which a predetermined amount of detergent, or disinfectant, solution is supplied from a tank, by means of a series of valves. This amount of solution is the one soaked by the cloth, or the brush, each time that the worker dips the floor mop in the collection tray.

The above described solutions of prior art uses a predetermined mixture of water and detergent, or water and disinfectant, furnished by the supplier to the cleaning Company .

However, the use of a predetermined solution has many drawbacks .

Firstly, in the case of buildings having rooms for different activities, as, for example, it happens in the hospitals where the rooms of the patients, the bathrooms, the operating rooms, the waiting rooms, needs a different level of hygiene and cleaning, it is not actually possible to diversify the cleaning level.

Therefore, an excessive consumption of product takes place in the environments that need a lower cleaning level, because a solution is used that is suited for cleaning the environments that need a high cleaning level, as for example the operating rooms, or, on the contrary, by using a solution with a low content of disinfectant and sanitizer agent, thus carrying out a superficial cleaning of the environments that, instead, need a high hygiene level .

Alternatively, every time that the worker moves from an environment to a different one, he/she has to replace the detergent, or disinfectant, solution with another, thus with a great waste of time and energy.

Summary of the invention

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a device for soaking a floor cleaning tool, in particular a mop, that is able to solve the above described problems of the prior art solutions.

It is, in particular, an object of the invention to provide a device for soaking a floor cleaning tool that allows to modify quickly and without wasting product, the hygiene and cleaning level of different environments of a same building.

These and other objects are achieved by a device for soaking a floor cleaning tool, in particular a mop, said device for soaking comprising a support frame equipped with: - a first reservoir arranged to contain a first liquid product, said first reservoir provided with a first discharge mouth;

- at least a second reservoir arranged to contain a second liquid product, said second reservoir provided with a second discharge mouth;

- a collection tray arranged to collect a mixture (M) of said first and of said second liquid product, said collection tray being positioned lower than a said first and a said second reservoir, said cleaning tool being arranged to be soaked with said mixture at said collection tray;

- a first hydraulic circuit and a second hydraulic circuit arranged to hydraulically connect, respectively, said first discharge mouth and said second discharge mouth a said collection tray, each said first and second hydraulic circuit comprising:

- a feeding duct arranged to hydraulically connect said discharge mouth ad a respective store chamber each of which having a predetermined store volume;

- a feeding valve associated to said feeding duct and arranged to move between an open configuration, in which is arranged to allow the feeding of said first, or second, liquid product da said first, or second, reservoir in said store chamber and a closed configuration in which is arranged to impede the feeding of said first, or second, liquid product da said first, or second, reservoir in said store chamber;

- a discharge duct arranged to hydraulically connect a respective store chamber to said collection tray;

- a discharge valve associated to said discharge duct and arranged to move between an open configuration in which is arranged to allow the discharge of said first, or said second, liquid product da said store chamber in said collection tray and a closed configuration in which is arranged to impede the discharge of said first, or second, liquid product da said store chamber in said collection tray;

wherein the above mentioned store volumes of the store chambers of said first and of said second hydraulic circuit are in a predetermined ratio, in such a way that the mixture that is present in the collection tray is constituted by the first and the second liquid product in said predetermined ratio; - an actuation lever configured in such a way to be operated in order to cause it to move from a rest position, in which said actuation lever is arranged to operate the opening of said feeding valves and the closing of said discharge valves, ad an actuation position, in which said actuation lever is arranged to operate the closing of said feeding valves and the opening of said discharge valves.

In an embodiment provided by the invention, the actuation lever is positioned at the collection tray and is configured in such a way to be actuated by means of said cleaning tool. More precisely, the cleaning tool, generally a mop, is associated to a pole to which, in use, a worker acts for forcing the cleaning tool against the actuation lever. In this way, it is possible to easily and quickly operate the actuation lever and, therefore, to cause the liquid products to flow into the collection tray, and soaking the cleaning tool.

Preferably, between the first and the second hydraulic circuit and the collection tray a mixing device is provided arranged to mix the first and the second liquid product for obtaining said mixture.

Advantageously, at least a store chamber of the first and the second hydraulic circuit provides a movable part, in such a way that it is possible to move said movable part for positioning the same in a plurality of positions and, therefore, to increase, or decrease the store chamber volume .

In particular, an adjusting device is provided associated to said, or each, store chamber. More precisely, the adjusting device is arranged to move the movable part in a position of said plurality of adjusting positions in order to decrease, or increase, the store volume of the respective store chamber. In this way, it is possible to adjust the amount of liquid product that is supplied from the, or each, store chamber having a variable store volume, and, therefore, the ratio between the two liquid products in the mixture M discharged into the collection tray.

In an embodiment provided by the invention, both the store chamber of the first hydraulic circuit and the store chamber of the second hydraulic circuit have a movable part. In this case, each store chamber is associated to an adjusting device arranged to move a respective movable part for increasing, or decreasing the volume of the corresponding store chamber. More in particular, the, or each, adjusting device can comprise a worm gear operatively connected to the movable part of the store chamber. The worm gear is arranged to translate from/towards the store chamber in order to increase/decrease the store chamber volume.

Advantageously, the, or each, adjusting device is provided of a respective control knob. This is arranged to be manually operated by a worker in order to move the movable part and to position it in a determined position.

In the case in which the adjusting device comprises a worm gear, the control knob is operatively connected to the worm gear and is configured in such a way to cause it to slide from, or towards, the store chamber.

The above described control knob is preferably positioned at the opposite side with respect to the collection tray. In this way, control knob is positioned in a high position and, therefore, it is easily to be reached by the worker.

In particular, a reference device arranged to indicate the volume of the, or each, store chamber, or the amount of liquid product that is contained in the same. These values, in fact, depends, according to relations that can be easily determined by the position of the movable part of the store chamber.

Preferably, between each hydraulic circuit and the collection tray a mixing device is provided arranged to mix the first and the second liquid product for obtaining the above described mixture.

Advantageously, the mixing device is a containing body provided with a mixing chamber having a cross section which decreases going from the first, and the second hydraulic circuit, to the collection tray.

In particular, the mixing chamber provides a plurality of protruding members arranged to produce a turbulent motion in the first and in the second liquid product for uniformly mixing them.

In particular, the feeding duct and the discharge duct of each said first and second hydraulic circuit are not coaxial to each other.

Advantageously, the feeding ducts and the discharge ducts are substantially vertical.

In particular, each worm gear is coaxial to a respective discharge duct. In this way, the control knobs on which the worker acts for adjusting the amount of the 2 liquid products to be supplied in the store chambers from the 2 reservoirs are arranged in a position that can be easily reached. More precisely, in order to rotate the knob in a direction, or in the opposite direction, and, therefore, in order to operate the translation of the actuator inside the duct in a direction, or in the opposite direction, the worker does not need to bend down as, instead, he/she should do, if the worm gear or, more in general, the adjusting device, was horizontally oriented .

Advantageously, an actuation device is provided that is operatively connected to said actuation lever. In particular, the actuation device is arranged to translate with respect to the support frame, in a first direction, when the actuation lever is moved from the rest position to the actuation position, and, in the direction opposite to the first direction, when the actuation lever is moved from the actuation position to the rest position. According to another aspect of the invention, a system for cleaning floors comprises:

- a trolley provided with a plurality of wheels;

- a device for soaking a cleaning tool as above described arranged to be engaged, in use, to said trolley .

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be shown with the following description of its exemplary embodiments, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings in which : :

- Fig. 1A diagrammatically shows a first embodiment of a device, according to the invention, for soaking a floor cleaning tool, as the cloth of a floor mop, in a rest configuration;

- Fig. IB diagrammatically shows an alternative embodiment of the device for soaking a floor cleaning tool of figure 1A;

- Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the device of figure 1A in working conditions;

- Fig. 3 shows the device of figure 1A in an operating configuration;

- The Figures 4 and 5 diagrammatically show the device for soaking of figure 1A in a cross section according to the arrows II-II and III-III, respectively;

- The Figures 6, 7, 10 and 11 show a different perspective views of the device of figure 1A with some parts of the device that have been removed in order to show some constructive features;

- Fig. 8 diagrammatically shows the device for soaking of figure 1A in a longitudinal cross section;

- Fig. 9 shows a possible embodiment of a mixing device provided by the device of figure 1A;

- Fig. 12 shows a perspective view in side elevation of the mobile portion of the actuation device provided by the device of figure 1A;

- Fig. 13 shows in a perspective view in side elevation a possible embodiment of a discharge valve that can be used by the soaking device, according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

As it is diagrammatically shown in the figures from 1 to 3, a device 1 for soaking a floor cleaning tool 100 (figures 2 and 3), in particular a mop, comprises a support frame 10. This provides a first reservoir 5 arranged to contain a first liquid product 35, for example water, and at least a second reservoir 6 arranged to contain a second liquid product 36, for example a detergent, or a disinfectant. More precisely, both the first and the second reservoir 5 and 6 provide a respective discharge mouth 5a and 6a through which the liquid product that is contained in each of them can be introduced in a respective hydraulic circuit 105 and 106.

The reservoirs 5 and 6, and the support frame 10 at the area arranged to receive them, can provide mutual engagement members of releasable type, that are not shown in the figure for reasons of simplicity. In this way it is possible to quickly and easily engage the reservoirs 5 and 6 to frame 10. In particular, this solution allows to quickly and easily remove the reservoirs 5 and 6, when the liquid product that is contained in them, is finished, in order also to quickly and easily replace them in, with reservoirs 5 and 6 full of liquid product.

The device 1 then provides a collection tray 8 arranged to contain, in use, a mixture M of the first and second liquid product 35, 36. More in detail, the collection tray 8 is positioned lower than the first and the second reservoir 5 and 6.

As it is shown in the figures 2 and 3, when the floor of interest has to be cleaned, the cleaning tool 100, and more precisely the mop, i.e. the cloth of which it is provided of, is soaked of the above disclosed mixture M at the collection tray 8 (see figure 3) . Each discharge mouth 5a, 6a, is hydraulically connected to the collection tray 8 by means of a respective hydraulic circuit 105 and 106. Each of them provides a feeding duct 11, or 12, arranged to hydraulically connect the discharge mouth 5a, or 6a, to a respective store chamber 15, or 16 having a predetermined volume VI, or V2. More precisely, each hydraulic circuit 105 and 106 provides a feeding valve 17a, or 17b, arranged to move between an open configuration (figure 1A) and a closed configuration (figure 3) . More precisely, in the open configuration, the feeding valve 17a, or 17b, allows to feed the first, or del second, liquid product 35, or 36, from the first, or the second, reservoir 5, or 6, to a respective store chamber 15, or 16, through the feeding duct 11, or 12. Instead, in the closed configuration, the feeding valve 17a, or 17b, impedes the feeding of the first, or the second, liquid product 35, or 36, from the first, or the second, reservoir 5, or 6, in the respective store chamber 15, or 16.

Downstream the store chambers 15 and 16, each hydraulic circuit 105 and 106, furthermore, provides a discharge duct 11', or 12', arranged to hydraulically connect the respective store chamber 15, or 16, to said collection tray 8. Along the discharge duct 11', or 12', it is, then, provided a discharge valve 18a, or 18b, arranged to move between a closed configuration (figure 1A) in which it prevents the first, or the second, liquid product 35, to or 36, be discharged from store chamber 15, or 16, towards the collection tray 8, and an open configuration (figure 3) in which it allows the discharge of the first, or the second, liquid product 35, or 36, from the store chamber 15, or 16, towards the collection tray 8.

According to the present invention, the store chambers 15 and 16 have respective store volumes VI and V2 in a predetermined ratio, in such a way that the mixture M that is present into the collection tray 8 is formed by the first and the second liquid product 35, 36, in a predetermined ratio. In fact, as it can be easily understood, the amount of the first and the second liquid product 35 and 36 that are present in the respective store chambers 15 and 16, determine the ratio between the same in the final mixture M that is discharged into the collection tray 8. More precisely, the device 1 provides an actuation lever 4 that is operated by the worker acting on the same by means of the cleaning tool 100 (figures 2 and 3) . In this way, the worker causes the actuation lever 4 to move from a rest position, in which the opening is operated of the feeding valves 17a and 17b and the closing of the discharge valves 18a and 18b (figure 1A) , in an actuation position, in which the actuation lever 4 operates, in particular by means of a series of motion transmission components, the closing of the feeding valves 17a and 17b and, therefore, the opening of the discharge valves 18a and 18b (figures 2 and 3) .

In a possible embodiment according to the invention, the actuation lever 4, when it is operated by the worker, in particular acting on the pole 101 of the cleaning tool 100, or by hand, causes a translation of an actuation device 70 which is operatively connected to it, with respect to the support frame 10.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the device 1 can comprise more than 2 reservoirs of liquid products, for example 3 reservoirs of liquid products, each of which associated to a respective hydraulic circuit comprising a respective store chamber. The different hydraulic circuits can be open, or closed, depending on the desired mixture at the collection tray 8. Therefore, when a mixture of only 2 specific liquid products, is desired, only the 2 corresponding hydraulic circuits are operated. Instead, if a mixture is desired of more liquid products, all the hydraulic circuits associated to the respective reservoirs are operated. This alternative embodiment is not shown in detail in the figures, because, it is analogous to the one above described and shown for example in figure 1A. A further alternative embodiment, provides more than 2 reservoirs, but, in cui at least 2 reservoirs can be hydraulically connected to a single store chamber 15, or 16 (see figure IB) . In this way, depending on the needs, it is possible to obtain a first mixture Ml by mixing the liquid product 35, for example water with a second liquid product 36, for example a disinfectant, or alternatively a second mixture M2 by mixing the liquid product 35 with a third liquid product 36' , for example another disinfectant, or a detergent product .

In this case, downstream reservoirs 6 and 6' , each of which containing a different liquid product 36 and 36' , a respective connection valve 23a and 23b is provided.

In preliminary step, depending on the desired mixture M, the possibility is provided of selectively opening only one valve 23a or 23b, in that case, a mixture M of product 35 with the only product 36, or with the only product 36', is obtained. Alternatively, the possibility is provided of opening both the valves 23a and 23b for obtaining a final mixture M formed by 3 the liquid products 35, 36 and 36' .

The functional principle above disclosed with reference to figure 1A in the case of 2 reservoirs, is also valid in the case of more reservoirs as shown in figure IB. More precisely, depending on whether the actuation lever 4 is positioned in the rest position (figure IB), or in the actuation position (analogous to that of figure 2), the feeding valves 17a and 17b are opened and the discharge valves 18a and 18b are closed, or vice versa (see what above described with reference to figure 1A) .

According to the embodiment shown in the figures 4 to

13, the feeding valves 17a and 17b are housed within a respective containing body 71a and 71b. Analogously, the discharge valves 18a and 18b are housed within respective containing bodies 72a and 72b.

In this embodiment, the actuation device 70 comprises a first portion 75a, or 75b, mobile within the containing body 71a, or 71b, and a second portion 76a, or 76b, that is mobile within the containing body 72a, or 72b. In order to ensure the necessary sealing conditions between the mobile portions 75a, 75b, 76a, 76b, and the body of the valves 71a, 71b, 72a and 72b, gaskets 24 and 25 are also provided. These, if they are made of a high friction material, in particular rubber, have also the function of "controlling", in particular by rubbing, and slackening, the motion of the mobile portions 75a, 75b, 76a, 76b with respect to the respective containing bodies 71a, 71b, 72a and 72b.

When the above disclosed translation of the actuation device 70 is operated, the holes 17"a and 17"b (see figures 4 and 5) , through which the liquid products 35 and 36 that are, respectively, present in the reservoirs 5 and 6, flow in the respective store chambers 15 and 16, is closed by a flange portion 17"a and 17"b of piston 17' a and 17'b. In other words, the feeding valves 17a and 17b are moved in the closing position of figure 3.

The above disclosed translation of the actuation device 70 with respect to the support frame 10 is opposed, by a series of return springs 19, 20 and 32. Therefore, when the worker stops to act on the lever 4 by means of the tool 100, the above disclosed springs 19, 20 and 32 bring the actuation device 70 back in the starting position . More in detail, the movement of the actuation lever 4 from the rest position to the actuation position is opposed, for example, by 2 springs 32 (see for example figure 8) . Instead, the movement of the feeding valves 17a and 17b from the opening position to the closing position is opposed by the return spring 19. At last, the movement of the discharge valves 18a and 18b from the closing position to the opening position is opposed by the return spring 20.

More precisely, when the actuation lever 4 is pushed downward by means of the mop 100, the actuation device 70 is caused to slide downward. During this down stroke, the actuation device 70 wins the elastic force of the respective return springs 19 and 20, thus causing the feeding valves 17a and 17b to close, and the discharge valves 18a and 18b to open. In this way, a predetermined amount of mixture M is introduced in the collection tray 8, and the worker can soak the mop 100 with this amount. In fact, as it is shown in detail in figure 3, in this working step, the mop 100 is dipped in the mixture M.

Instead, when the worker stops to act on the actuation lever 4, the, or each, spring 32, bring the actuation device 70 back in the starting position, in particular, in a high position, i.e. it causes the same to slide upward. During this lifting of the actuation device 70, the return springs 19 and 20 bring, respectively, the feeding valves 17a and 17b, back to the opening position, and the discharge valves 18a and 18b in the closing position. Therefore, the store chambers 15 and 16 are, respectively, refilled with a predetermined amount of the liquid products 35 and 36. As it is shown, for example, in the figures 4 and 5, between the first and the second hydraulic circuit 105 and 106 and the collection tray 8 a mixing device 40 is provided that is arranged to mix the first and the second liquid product 35, 36 for obtaining the above described mixture. More in detail, the mixing device 40 is a containing body provided of a mixing chamber 45 having a cross section going from the hydraulic circuits 105 and 106 towards the collection tray 8, in such a way to substantially form a funnel.

The mixing chamber 45 is advantageously provided of a plurality of protruding members 42 arranged to produce a turbulent motion in the mass of the first and of the second liquid product 35 and 36 that are contained in the mixing chamber 45 in such a way to uniformly mix them.

In the example that is shown in detail in figure 7, the mixing device 40 is provided of abutment members 41a and 41b arranged at pistons 18' a and 18'b of which the discharge valves 18a and 18b are provided of. In this case, when the actuation lever 4 is operated in order to be moved in the actuation position, during the above disclosed downward movement of the actuation device 70, the end portions 38a and 38b of pistons 18' a and 18'b abut against the abutment members 41a and 41b. Therefore, the elastic force of the return spring 20 that keeps close the discharge valve 18a and 18b, is won and, therefore, the flange portion 18"a and 18"b of the pistons 18' a and 18'b moves away from the discharge opening thus allowing the liquid products 35 and 36, which are contained in the store chambers 15 and 16, to flow downstream, i.e. first in the mixing device 40 and, then, once they are mixed, into the collection tray 8.

For example, with reference to figure 13, it is possible to provide a discharge valve 18a, or 18b, having a telescopic structure. More precisely, the end portion 38a, or 38b is pressed downward by a spring 37a, or 37b. When the tip of the end portion abuts against the abutment body 41a, or 41b, of the mixing device 40, the spring 37a, or 37b, does not work, because it is provided more rigid than the return spring 20. Therefore, everything behaves as a single body. When the discharge valve arrives at the end of its stroke, the actuation device 70 continues its stoke and, therefore, the end portion withdraws, thus allowing the system to arrive at the end of the stroke. This happens because the stroke that is necessary to the discharge valve 18a, or 18b, is different from that of the actuation device 70.

According to the present invention, at least a store chamber 15, or 16, having a variable volume is provided. More in detail, at least a store chamber 15, or 16 is provided of at least a movable part 21, or 22, for example the upper part of the wall of chamber 15, or 16. This is operatively connected to an adjusting device 65, or 66, arranged to move the movable part 21, 22 for increasing, or decreasing, the store chamber volume 15, or 16.

In this way, unlike the prior art devices in which a single hydraulic circuit is provided that is fed with a mixture having a predetermined fixed ratio of the 2 products, the present invention allows to adjust, as desired, the ratio between the first and the second liquid product, in particular water and detergent, or disinfectant, of the mixture discharged into the collection tray. This is particularly advantageous when it is necessary to differentiate the level of hygiene and sterilization of different environments that are present in the same building. This problem is particularly felt, for example, in the hospital environments where the level of hygiene of the ward is not the same that is required, for example, for the bathrooms, neither the same required for the operating rooms. The present invention allows the worker to quickly and easily change, depending on the environment to be cleaned, the ratio between the 2 liquid products, in particular water and disinfectant, or detergent, that are present in the reservoirs 5 and 6.

Notwithstanding in the embodiments shown in the figures, both the store chamber 15 of the first hydraulic circuit 105, and the store chamber 16 of the second hydraulic circuit 106, are provided of a respective movable part 21 and 22, the possibility is, however, also provided that only one of the 2 hydraulic circuits 105 and 106 is provided of a store chamber 15, or 16, having a variable volume. As it can be easily understood by the skilled person in the art, in fact, also this solution allows to obtain the desired technical effect, i.e. to have a final mixture M having a predetermined volume ratio between the 2 used liquid products 35 and 36, in particular water and detergent, or water and disinfectant.

The adjusting device 65, or 66, can comprise a worm gear operatively connected to the movable part 21, or 22, of store chamber 15, or 16. The worm gear 65, or 66 is arranged to translate from/towards the store chamber 15, or 16, for moving the movable part 21, or 22, and, therefore, for increasing, or decreasing, the store chamber volume 15, or 16. The adjusting device 65, or 66, is operatively connected to a control knob 95, or 96, arranged to be manually operated by a worker for moving the movable part 21, or 22 and arranging it in a determined position corresponding to a predetermined store chamber volume 15, 16 associated to it and, therefore, to a determined amount of liquid product 35, or 36.

At this regard, a reference device 7 is advantageously provided, for example simply a graduated scale (figure 1A) . More precisely, the reference device 7 is arranged to show to the worker the store chamber volume 15, or 16, or the amount of liquid product contained in it. In this way, the worker can adjust the volume of the, or each, store chamber 15, and/or 16, depending on the value that is indicated by the reference device and therefore on the ratio between the 2 liquid products 35 and 36 of the mixture .

As it is shown in the figures 8 and 9, the feeding duct 11, or 12, and the discharge duct 11', or 12', of each said first and second hydraulic circuit 105 and 106 are vertically oriented, but they are not coaxial to each other. In this way, it is possible to position each worm gear 65, or 66, coaxial to a respective discharge duct 11', or 12' and the respective control knob 95 and 96 at the opposite side of the collection tray 8, i.e. in a high position. In this way, the control knobs 95 and 96 are arranged in a position that is easy to be reached by the worker who does not need to assume uncomfortable positions, in particular does not need to bend his/her back too much.

Still as it is shown in figures 10 and 11, the device 1 provides a connection member 26, in particular a plate, arranged to connect the movable portions 75a, 75b, 76a and 76b which form the actuation device 70. In this way, it is ensured that the opening and the closing of the discharge valves 18a and 18b, and of the feeding valves 17a and 17b of the 2 hydraulic circuits 105 and 106, is carried out simultaneously. Furthermore, still according to the invention, and diagrammatically shown, for example, in figures 6, 10 and 11, a series of motion transmission devices 27, 28, 29, 31 can be provided that are operatively connected to the actuation lever 4, and that are arranged to move the movable parts 75a, 75b, 76a, 76b by means of an advantageous lever, in such a way to reduce the effort of the worker for operating the whole above described mechanism. More precisely, the connection member 26 has a first and a second pin 31 welded at opposite sides. A first and a second actuation lever 28a and 28b are also provided adapted to engage said pins 31a and 31b at respective slotted holes 33a and 33b, and pivoted at a rotation axis 27. These actuation levers 28a and 28b are operated by the pins 29a and 29b integral, in particular welded, to the actuation lever 4, at opposite sides of the same, and engaged to the actuation levers 28a and 28b, at respective slotted holes 34a and 34b. The pins 29a and 29b are arranged at the opposite side of the rotation axis 27 with respect to the pins 31a and 31b. Therefore, when the actuation lever 4 is operated, in particular, to slide downward along 2 sliding axes 30, the motion transmission members above described move the movable parts of the actuation device 70 by means of an advantageous lever, thus reducing the operating effort of the worker. The soaking device 1, as above described with reference to the figures 1 to 10, can be provided as a stand-alone module, that can provide wheels 50, for example 3 or 4 wheels, and a handle 51. Alternatively, the soaking device 1 can be engaged to the frame of a cleaning trolley of pre-existing type. In this case, the engagement members of removable type can be provided arranged to firmly engage the soaking device 1 to said trolley.

Even though it has been described that the feeding valves and the discharge valves are mechanically operated, it is, however, also provided that they can be electric valves and, therefore, that they can be electrically operated when the actuation lever 4 is positioned in the actuation position.

The foregoing description exemplary embodiments of the invention will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt for various applications such embodiment without further research and without parting from the invention, and, accordingly, it is therefore to be understood that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiments. The means and the materials to realize the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology that is employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.