Barn floor cleaner

1. An apparatus for cleaning a floor, the apparatus attached or attachable to a vehicle that defines a horizontal longitudinal direction of travel, and a horizontal transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a scraper assembly comprising at least one horizontally extending scraper for scraping material on the floor, wherein when the apparatus is attached to the vehicle, the scraper is pivotable in relation to the vehicle for adjusting a transverse position of an end of the scraper in relation to the vehicle; and

(b) for at least one scraper, an associated cleaning head assembly comprising:

(i) a cleaning head that is actuable for moving material on the floor from a position transversely offset from the scraper assembly to a position transversely aligned with and longitudinally in front of the scraper assembly; and

(ii) a horizontally extending arm attaching the cleaning head to the scraper such that pivoting of the scraper in relation to the vehicle adjusts a transverse position of the cleaning head in relation to the vehicle, and wherein the arm is pivotally attached to the scraper for adjusting a transverse position of the cleaning head in relation to the scraper.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one scraper comprises a left scraper and a right scraper, wherein the left and right scrapers are pivotable in relation to the vehicle to position the end of the left scraper and the end of the right scraper transversely on opposite sides of the vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the left and right scrapers are pivotable in relation to the vehicle to at least partially overlap the left and the right scraper in a longitudinal plane.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the scraper assembly further comprises a central scraper, wherein the left scraper and the right scraper are pivotable in relation to the vehicle by being pivotally attached to the central scraper.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arm is pivotable into substantially collinear alignment with the scraper in a vertical plane.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head comprises a rotary brush.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises, for each of the at least one scraper, a scraper actuator for pivoting the scraper in relation to the vehicle for adjusting the transverse position of the end of the scraper in relation to the vehicle, wherein the scraper actuator comprises an electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically powered mechanical device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises, a first arm actuator for pivoting the arm in relation to the attached scraper for adjusting the transverse position of the cleaning head in relation to the scraper, wherein the first arm actuator comprises an electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically powered mechanical device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arm is pivotally attached to the scraper for adjusting a vertical position of the cleaning head in relation to the scraper.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a second arm actuator for pivoting the arm in relation to the scraper for adjusting the vertical position of the cleaning head in relation to the scraper, wherein the second arm actuator comprises an electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically powered mechanical device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the apparatus is attached to the vehicle, the scraper assembly is movable in relation to the vehicle for adjusting a vertical position of the scraper assembly in relation to the floor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a scraper assembly actuator for moving the scraper assembly in relation to the vehicle for adjusting the vertical position of the scraper assembly in relation to the floor, wherein the scraper assembly actuator comprises an electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically powered mechanical device.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the apparatus is attached to the vehicle, the scraper assembly and the cleaning head assembly are positioned longitudinally in front of an operator cab of the vehicle.

14. A method for cleaning a floor, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an apparatus attached to a vehicle defining a horizontal longitudinal direction of travel, and a horizontal transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the apparatus comprises:

(i) at least one elongate scraper for scraping material on the floor; and

(ii) for at least one scraper: a cleaning head actuable for moving material on the floor from a first position transversely offset from the scraper assembly to a second position transversely aligned with and longitudinally in front of the scraper assembly; and an arm attaching the cleaning head to the scraper;

(b) pivoting the at least one scraper in relation to the vehicle to adjust a transverse position of an end of the scraper and to adjust a transverse position of the cleaning head in relation to the vehicle;

(c) pivoting the arm in relation to the scraper to adjust a transverse position of the cleaning head in relation to the scraper; and

(d) actuating the cleaning head to sweep material on the floor from the first position to the second position, and moving the vehicle in the longitudinal direction so that the scraper scrapes material on the floor at the second position.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the cleaning head comprises a rotary brush.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of pivoting the at least one scraper is performed to abut the end of the scraper with a curb formed by an intersection of a lower portion of the floor surface and an elevated portion of the floor.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of pivoting the arm in relation to the scraper is performed to align the cleaning head with the elevated portion of the floor.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least one scraper comprises a left scraper and a right scraper.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises pivoting the left scraper and the right scraper to at least partially overlap each other in a longitudinal plane.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises pivoting the arm into substantially collinear alignment with the scraper in a vertical plane.

21. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises pivoting the arm in relation to the scraper to adjust a vertical position of the cleaning head in relation to the floor.

22. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises adjusting a vertical position of the scraper in relation to the floor.