U.S. patent number 3,708,824 [Application Number 05/108,895] was granted by the patent office on 1973-01-09 for suction-cleaning implement.
Invention is credited to Siegmund B. Holubinka.
United States Patent |
3,708,824 |
Holubinka |
January 9, 1973 |
SUCTION-CLEANING IMPLEMENT
Abstract
A pneumatic suction-cleaning implement for use with a vacuum
cleaner on rugs, and the like, comprising a suction nozzle
structure having wall means movable over a surface to be cleaned.
Means is provided defining first and second nozzle openings on
spaced-apart levels in said wall means, and valve means is provided
for selectively directing suction flow between said first and
second openings in order to clean at a lower level deep-down at the
base of the nap of a high-pile rug or at an upper level on the top
of the rug.
Inventors: |
Holubinka; Siegmund B.
(Naperville, IL) |
Family
ID: |
22324675 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/108,895 |
Filed: |
January 22, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/397; 15/420;
15/416 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L
9/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47L
9/02 (20060101); A47l 009/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;15/397,415-419 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Roberts; Edward L.
Assistant Examiner: Moore; C. K.
Claims
What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent
of the United States is:
1. A pneumatic suction air flow cleaning implement for rugs and the
like comprising a suction nozzle structure having wall means
movable over a surface to be cleaned, means defining a first and a
second series of suction inlet openings in said wall means at
respective and substantially spaced-apart levels, and valve means
for selectively proportioning the suction flow between said first
and said second series of suction inlet openings.
2. The suction cleaning implement of claim 1 wherein said first and
second suction inlet openings are arranged at spaced-apart
intervals in a line and said second inlet openings are provided at
the lower end of spaced-apart and downwardly projecting hollow
teeth.
3. The suction cleaning implement of claim 2 wherein said teeth
have open upper ends on a level adjacent said first openings, and
said valve means includes a member slidable along said line, said
member having a plurality of valve apertures defined therein at
spaced-apart intervals adapted to line up alternately with said
first and second openings.
4. The suction cleaning implement of claim 3 including control
means for moving said valve member between a first position
blocking said first openings and a second position blocking off
flow through said second openings in said hollow teeth.
5. The suction cleaning implement of claim 4 wherein said nozzle
structure includes longitudinal groove means in communication with
said first and second openings, said valve means being mounted in
said groove means for movement between opposite ends thereof
between said first and second positions.
6. A pneumatic suction cleaning implement for rugs and the like
comprising a suction chamber having a bottom wall for movement over
a surface to be cleaned, means defining a plurality of spaced-apart
suction holes in said bottom, a plurality of spaced-apart, hollow
fingers projecting downwardly of said bottom walls, said fingers
having the hollow portions opening at the lower end for suction
cleaning and in communication at the upper end with the interior of
said suction chamber, and manual valve means movable between
alternate positions blocking said suction holes and the upper end
of said fingers, respectively.
7. The suction cleaning implement of claim 6 wherein each of said
fingers comprises a hollow tubular wall having a lower end defining
a suction opening, and an opening means formed in said tubular wall
above the level of said lower end and on at least one side thereof.
Description
The present invention is directed towards a new and improved
suction cleaning implement and, more particularly, to a suction
nozzle for use with vacuum cleaners and especially adapted for
cleaning high-pile rugs, and the like, having a long nap, as well
as ordinary rugs and carpets.
Presently available suction-cleaning attachments for vacuum
cleaners do not provide for good cleaning suction at a lower level
along the base of the nap or pile of a rug. Moreover, when cleaning
shag or high-pile rugs, penetration of the pile to get down to the
lower levels is not afforded except in specific implements
especially designed for this purpose with long nozzle fingers, like
the teeth of a comb, adapted to project down into the rug. These
special implements are not suitable for cleaning the upper surface
of ordinary short nap, close-weave rugs or carpets.
Accordingly, it is a desirable feature and an object of the present
invention to provide a suction-cleaning implement which is capable
of effectively providing good cleaning action at two different
selected levels. At a lower level, the implement of the invention
picks up dirt at the base of the pile, and the dirt may also be
picked up on top of the rug surface at the upper ends of the
pile.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and
improved vacuum cleaner suction nozzle of the character described
including means for switching between high and low level
suction.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and
improved suction-cleaning nozzle of the character described which
is neat in appearance, easy to use, and easy to change between high
or low level suction pickup.
Briefly, the foregoing and other objects and advantages of the
present invention are accomplished in a new and improved vacuum
cleaner suction implement for cleaning all types of rugs and
carpets including shag and high-pile rugs, and the like, which
implement comprises a suction nozzle structure with wall means
having a first and second suction opening defined therein lying on
spaced-apart, high and low levels. Valve means is provided for
collectively directing suction flow between the first and second
suction openings.
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference
should be had to the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a new and improved vacuum
cleaner suction nozzle implement in accordance with the features of
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the suction implement looking
upwardly;
FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the suction implement;
FIG. 4 is a transverse, cross-sectional view of the suction
implement taken substantially along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view of the suction
implement taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 1 and showing the selector
valve means in one operative position;
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 and showing the selector valve
means in an alternate operating position;
FIG. 7 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken substantially
along line 7--7 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the selector valve means of the
suction implement of the present invention.
Referring now, more particularly, to the drawings, therein is
illustrated a new and improved, vacuum cleaner, suction nozzle
implement generally referred to by the reference numeral 10 and
constructed in accordance with the features of the present
invention. The suction implement 10 is especially well suited for
use in cleaning shag or high-pile, long-nap rugs, and the like, as
well as ordinary rugs and carpets. The implement provides for
suction cleaning at two different levels so that a rug may be
cleaned at the base of the pile and at an upper level on the top or
upper surface of the nap. The suction nozzle implement 10 is
adapted to be connected to a source of suction through a flexible
hose 12 (FIG. 1, dotted line) and includes a swivel mounted
connecting elbow 14 having an open upper end for receiving the end
of the hose. The elbow includes a lower, horizontal leg which
projects inwardly and is connected for axial rotation on a
rearwardly and upwardly projecting central inlet chamber 16. In
order to limit the relative pivotal movement of the elbow 14 with
respect to the inlet chamber 16, a stop lug 14a is formed on the
underside of the lower elbow leg for limiting engagement with stop
lugs 16a on either side of the elbow when axially rotated in the
direction of the arrows (as shown in FIG. 3). The right- and
left-hand stop lugs 16a are integrally formed on the rear wall of
the inlet chamber radially outward of the circular inlet opening in
which the lower elbow leg is seated.
As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inlet chamber 16 is positioned
adjacent the center of an elongated suction nozzle housing
indicated generally by the reference numeral 20. The housing 20 is
formed in two pieces comprising an upper or top section 22 and a
lower or bottom section 24, as shown in FIG. 4. The upper housing
section 22 is preferably formed of flexible plastic material, such
as polyvinylchloride, in an injection molding process and includes
a top wall 26, front and rear longitudinal sidewalls 28 and 30, and
a pair of short opposite end walls 32. The interior of the upper
housing section is formed with a pair of spaced-apart parallel,
longitudinally extending stiffening ribs 34 which define the sides
of a central suction channel 36 extending in opposite directions
laterally with respect to the inlet chamber 16. In addition to the
longitudinal stiffening ribs 34, a plurality of short, transverse,
stiffening ribs 38 are provided between the ribs 34 and the outer
sidewalls, as best shown in FIG. 7.
In accordance with the present invention, the lower housing member
24 is preferably formed of relatively heavy, strong and rigid
material, such as cast metal, hard plastic, and the like, and the
upper surface of the lower section 24 forms the bottom wall of the
suction housing 20 when assembled with the upper half section 22.
The lower section is formed with an outwardly projecting lip 24a
extending around the periphery for engagement within a continuous
peripheral groove 25 (FIG. 4) defined in the sidewalls 28 and 30
and the end walls 32 of the upper housing section. A holding lip 40
is formed on the lower edges of the side and end walls of the upper
housing section 22 in order to seal beneath the peripheral
projection 24a on the lower housing section 24 and provide an
airtight enclosure.
In accordance with the present invention, the lower housing section
24 is formed with a plurality of spaced-apart, upper suction
apertures 42 arranged in a single row in alignment along the center
of the housing longitudinally in communication with the flow
channel 36. The flow channel 36 is substantially smaller in
transverse cross section than the whole housing in order to
maintain a sufficiently high suction velocity to provide excellent
cleaning action. Intermediately spaced between adjacent upper level
suction apertures 42, a plurality of downwardly projecting hollow
teeth 44 are provided, each having a lower level suction opening
44a at the lower end thereof.
The lower level section openings at the lower end of the downwardly
projecting hollow teeth 44 are adapted to pick up dirt and debris
from a lower level adjacent the base of the nap or fibers of a rug
while the upper level suction apertures 42 are provided to pick up
dirt and material on the upper surface of a rug. The hollow teeth
or fingers 44 act like the teeth of a comb to spread and separate
the rug pile at the base for pickup of dirt at a lower level. It
will thus be seen that the suction nozzle implement 10 is well
adapted for suction cleaning at different levels in a rug including
a lower level at the base of the rug pile and on the upper
surface.
In accordance with the present invention, a sliding selector valve
50 (FIG. 8) is provided for switching between the upper and lower
level suction inlets. The selector valve includes a plurality of
circular suction openings 50a at spaced intervals equal to the
spacing between the teeth 44 and upper level openings 42 in the
housing wall. The valve selector is mounted for longitudinal
sliding movement on the lower housing member 24 between two
positions. In one position the upper suction inlet apertures 42 are
blocked or closed off and in the other position the upper ends of
the hollow teeth 44 are closed or blocked off. The spacing between
the apertures 50a provided in the sliding selector valve 50 is
equal to spacing between each adjacent pair of teeth 44, and this
spacing is equal to the spacing interval between each pair of
adjacent upper level suction openings 42. Because of this, either
the upper or lower level suction openings can be completely closed
off, depending upon the position of the selector valve 50, or an
intermediate position may be set up wherein suction openings on
both levels are partially open.
As best shown in FIG. 5, when the elongated selector valve 50 is in
a position on the right, the openings 50a therein are aligned with
the upper ends of the hollow teeth 44 and suction is drawn through
the teeth and the low level openings 44a at their lower ends.
Movement of the selector valve 50 to a position on the left, as
shown in FIG. 6, aligns the valve apertures 50a with the upper
level openings 42, so that the suction is drawn from an upper
level. Intermediate positions of the selector valve 50 permit
suction to be drawn from both the lower and upper levels.
The selector valve 50 slides along the bottom surface of an
elongated longitudinal groove 24b formed in the lower housing
section 24 directly below the suction channel 36 in the upper
housing section 22. The valve 50 is freely slidable between
opposite ends of the groove, and the length of the groove is
dimensioned so that opposite ends provide stops for aligning the
valve between its alternate high and lower level suction positions,
as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The groove 24b is dimensioned slightly
larger in width than the sliding selector valve 50 to provide free
sliding movement and the valve is maintained in contact against the
bottom surface of the groove by means of lugs 24c on the top side,
which are formed by gouging out portions of the housing material
along the edges of the groove after the valve has been positioned
in place.
The valve is moved longitudinally within the groove between
alternate positions by means of a beveled gear 52 mounted on the
inner end of a control shaft 54 which extends through a passage
formed in the lower housing section 24 transverse to the
longitudinal axis thereof. A control knob 56 is provided at the
outer end of the shaft which is readily accessible from the rear of
the nozzle housing. The beveled gear 52 is adapted to engage rack
teeth 50b, formed in the upper surface of the selector valve strip
50 (best shown in FIG. 8) and rotation of the knob 56 in one
direction moves the valve member towards one end of the groove 24b
while rotation of the knob in the opposite direction moves the
valve in an opposite direction. The housing is appropriately
labeled adjacent the control knob 56 to indicate in which direction
the knob should be turned to provide for high or low suction
pickup.
It will thus be seen that the vacuum cleaner suction nozzle
implement of the present invention provides means whereby a
housewife can adjust the nozzle to provide suction both at an upper
level and a lower level deep down within the pile of a rug. The
teeth 44 provide combing action and the lower suction openings 44a
provide for pickup of the material dislodged by movement of the
teeth through a rug. It should be noted that the lower suction
openings 44a extend upwardly onto the opposite sidewalls of the
teeth, as shown best in FIG. 1. Moon-shaped apertures 45 are formed
in the teeth sidewalls to permit suction flow into the hollow teeth
even though the bottom of the teeth is blocked off completely by
contact with a rug or other surface. Because the openings 44a at
the lower end of the teeth 44 are extended by the moon-shaped
recesses 45 on the sides of the teeth, plugging up of the lower
level openings in the implement is almost impossible. The implement
10 is easy to use, neat in appearance, and universal in
applications for regular close-pile rugs, as well as loose- or
long-pile shag rugs, and the like.
While there has been illustrated and described a single embodiment
of the present invention, it will be appreciated that numerous
changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art,
and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all those
changes and modifications which fall within the true spirit and
scope of the present invention.
* * * * *