Mercury Floor Machines A-172-1 BOSS Floor Machine Apron – 21", 6 lbs, with Bumper

Mercury A-172-1: 21" Apron with Bumper for BOSS Floor Machines

The A-172-1 is a 21" replacement apron with integrated bumper for Mercury BOSS-1 and BOSS-2 floor machines. It weighs 6 lbs and installs with three thumb screws, making it interchangeable with the 13", 15", 17", and 19" apron sizes without tools. The 21" apron is the widest available in the BOSS apron series, covering more floor per pass in open areas where machine width is not a constraint.

A-172-1 Specifications and Compatibility

• Model: A-172-1
• Apron size: 21 inches — widest in the BOSS apron series
• Weight: 6 lbs — heaviest in the series due to the larger apron deck
• Bumper: Non-marking perimeter bumper — prevents contact damage to walls and baseboards during operation
• Installation: Three thumb screws — tool-free removal and installation
• Compatible machines: Mercury BOSS-1 and BOSS-2 Heavy-Duty Floor Machines only

Choosing the 21" Apron Width for BOSS Machine Operations

The BOSS machine's apron-swap system allows operators to change cleaning width without switching machines — swapping from a 13" to a 21" apron in the same shift using three thumb screws. The 21" apron is the correct selection for open areas: hotel lobbies, school gymnasiums, warehouse floors, and large retail spaces where the operator can run straight passes without needing to navigate furniture, fixed equipment, or tight corners. In these zones, 21" covers more square footage per pass than the 17" or 19" aprons, reducing total pass count and cleaning time. The non-marking bumper is relevant in the 21" apron because the wider machine has less side clearance in most corridors — contact with walls is more likely than with narrower aprons, and the bumper prevents marking.

Bumper Design and Installation Mechanism

The perimeter bumper on the A-172-1 is made from non-marking material that absorbs contact energy without transferring color or finish to wall surfaces. It sits proud of the apron edge, intercepting contact before the apron body can reach the wall. This is particularly relevant during direction changes and when operating near wall-floor junctions, where the operator's attention is on the pad path rather than the apron edge. The three-thumb-screw installation allows apron changes in under two minutes without removing the machine from service — the operator removes the current apron by loosening the three thumb screws, positions the new apron, and tightens. The mounting interface is the same across all BOSS apron sizes, so the A-172-1 mounts to the same receiver points on the BOSS-1 and BOSS-2 as the 13", 15", 17", and 19" aprons.