GB2358579A - Vacuum cleaner suction nozzle configuration - Google Patents

Abstract

The floor nozzle for a vacuum cleaner has a semi-cylindrical downwardly facing chamber 60 for housing an agitator [not shown, but could be a rotatable brush]. The chamber has a rearward wall with a bottom edge in which there is formed a so-called relief cutout 58. Behind the chamber 60 is formed a suction duct 140 into which collected dirt is carried and ultimately taken to the dirt collecting means in the cleaner via a suction port [not shown]. The arrangement is such that the cutout 58 communicates with the duct 140 and allows large dirt particles to pass. In the preferred arrangement the nozzle has a bottom plate located below the chamber 60 and defining an elongate inlet opening to the nozzle. This plate also forms the bottom wall of the suction duct 140 and is spaced vertically from the bottom rear edge of the chamber 60 so as to form an elongate transverse opening communicating with the chamber 69 and the duct 140. Effectively this elongate opening widens where the cutout is located.

Description

2358579 VACUUM CLEANER SUCTION NOZZLE CONFIGURATION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of thg Invention

This application is a divisional of 9809641.5 filed on 6 May 1998.

This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner and, more specifically, to a vacuum cleaner nozzle arrangement. Summarv of the Prior Art

It is known in U. S. Patent 5,513,418, owned by a common assignee, to provide forward and rearwardly disposed suction ducts that extend along the front and back sides of a suction nozzle to lead suction air to a rearwardly extending fan communicating duct. It is also known from this patent to make an outer covering piece of a communicating duct portion extending between the front and back sides of the suction nozzle removable. It is also known from this patent to make the agitator tunnel an inner structure in its nozzle. It is also generally known to provide a hood structure which either sits on its underbody or obviously overlaps it.

However, the advantageous disposition of the suction nozzle duct cover within the confines of an agitator chamber or the use of an agitator tunnel arrangement easily discernable by the user of the cleaner or a pleasing nozzle outside geometry such as the presentation of a smooth line between the hood and its underbody has not been known to heretofore be contemplated in the prior art.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved suction nozzle configuration.

2 The present invention provides a suction nozzle comprising a transversely extending downwardly opening nozzle chamber having an internal surface; a recessed wall formed along at least one longitudinally extending side of said nozzle chamber defining a recess, said recess having an open lower edge and an upper edge that is bound by an upper wall, said upper wall joining said recessed wall to said internal surface of said nozzle chamber; and a duct cover mounted inside said nozzle chamber, with at least a portion of said duct cover overlying said recess in spaced relation to said recessed wall, thereby defining a transversely extending duct along said at least one side of said nozzle chamber.

In a preferred embodiment, the suction nozzle includes a suction nozzle hood so that the outer outlines of the agitator chamber is viewable to the user.

A preferred embodiment of the invention includes rear handle journaling structure, rear wheels and more forwardly disposed intermediate wheels. These last mentioned wheels are carried on a pivot carriage structure on the suction nozzle so that they may turn inwardly and outwardly of the suction nozzle to thereby adjust its height.

Surmounting this main body, at least in the front portions, is a hood piece formed with an opening near its front which includes, in the embodiment illustrated, an open discontinuity at the hood piece inner side which opens downwardly. The hood piece, aside from this discontinuity, on'.y extends partially backwardly from its front covering position on the main body so that an observable vertical and horizontal parting line is seen generally at about one half the fore to aft depth of the suction nozzle. The main body surface is recessed in at least part of its area mating with the hood so that 3 surface on each side of the parting therebetween is, within manufacturing tolerances, as smooth and coincident as possible to yield a very attractive overall nozzle presentation.

Within the opening formed by the discontinuity in the hood, at its rightward side, is an observable portion of the outside of a cylindrical shell agitator tunnel chamber (looking from the front of the suction nozzle), and the outside of a cross duct communicating with a forward and a rearward suction nozzle duct (to the left of the agitator tunnel chamber). A suction nozzle height adjusting lever and its indexing means is also apparent, situated generally inwardly and behind the agitator chamber tunnel.

A front duct is partly formed on its upper side by an angled face formed just outside the agitator tunnel, proper, on the inner front side of an agitator housing. This face angles upwardly from its outside end to provide a constant carrying velocity attribute to the front duct. This face terminates in a smooth, curvilinear manner adjacent a formed cross duct portion in the agitator housing extending across the inside the agitator housing near one of its ends. A short duct face is also formed on an opposite inner side of the cross duct portion and on a rear inner side of the agitator housing.

A rear duct face also angles upwardly within the agitator housing and extends generally from a hollow, semi-cylindrically shaped belt guard, mounted adjacent an opposite end of the agitator housing from the cross duct portion, just outside the agitator tunnel chamber.

The semi-cylindrical belt guard is formed integrally with a inner, removable cover which is also in the shape of a cylindrical shell and extends intemally within and generally for the full length and width of the agitator chamber tunnel, A portion of its bottom, upper cylindrical surface forms the inside wall of the inner and outer duct. It is screw mounted to the agitator housing and, because it is internal to the agitator housing, any leakage into it would, advantageously, tend to impose more suction in the agitator chamber tunnel and thereby provide a suction nozzle with more effective cleaning ability.

4 The front and rear ducts for the suction nozzle are completed by a bottom plate which is screwingly mounted to the agitator housing. It includes front and rear inwardly and sidewardly extending lips that form the final bottom sides of the suction nozzle. The front and rear lips also afford the bottom sides of the forward and rearward ducts. These two lips are vertically spaced from the bottom terminations of the duct cover, at their inner terminations to thereby permit the easy slot entrance of suction air, air entrained dirt, and agitator driven dirt into both the forward and rearward ducts. It is transported from there to a rearwardly connected suction hose fitting for eventual movement into a motor-fan arrangement (not shown) for the vacuum cleaner of which the suction nozzle is a part. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Reference may now be had to the accompanying Drawings for a better understanding of the invention, both as to its organization and function, with the illustration being only exemplary and in which:

Figure 1 is a right side, upper perspective top view of a suction nozzle incorporating the invention; Figure 2 is a right side, bottom perspective view of the same nozzle and looking upwardly with its duct cover and bottom plate removed; Figure 3 is a right side, bottom perspective like Figure 2 with the duct cover in place; Figure 4 is a similar view. to Figures 2 and 3 with the nozzle bottom plate in place; Figure 5 is a truncated cross-sectional view of the suction nozzle of Figure I taken on lines 5-5 thereof with the hood removed; Figure 6 is a truncated cross-sectional view of the suction nozzle of Figure I taken on line 6-6 thereof with the hood removed; Figure 7 is a truncated cross-sectional partially diagrammatic view of the suction nozzle of Figure 1 taken of line 7-7 thereof with the hood removed; Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the suction nozzle of Figure 12 taken on line 8-8 thereof; Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the duct cover port and its communicating suction nozzle port; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the suction nozzle taken on line 10- 10 of Figure 12; Figure I I is a right front perspective view of the main body; Figure 12 is a plan view of a suction nozzle incorporating the invention; and Figure 13 is an inside right perspective view of the hood for the suction nozzle looking upwardly; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

There is shown most specifically in Figures 1-4, a suction nozzle 10 having a rather extensive main body 12 surmounted by an abbreviated hood 14. The main body includes rear wheels 16, 16 and a forward but intermediately disposed pivoted, height adjustable wheel carriage 17 (Figure 10 - not fully shown 6 but fully disclosed in Hoover Case 2469). The suction nozzle 10 also includes sidewardly disposed litter picks 18, 18 and a discontinuity 20 formed partially by a cutout portion of the hood and partly by a forward wall tennination 22 of the main body 12. A furniture guard 19 extends around the suction nozzle 10 front and its sides to terminate behind the litter picks 18, 18 and a foot release pedal 21 is disposed at the nozzle's rearward edge.

The suction nozzle 10 includes on its bottom side 24 an abbreviated bottom plate 26 having cross bars 28, 28, 28, 28 and an adjacent belt cover portion 30. A suction opening 32 is disposed at the cross bars 28 and a suction opening 34 on the far side of belt cover portion 30. The bottom plate 26 is securely mounted to the bottom side 24 of the main body 12 by screws 36, 36, 36 and 36 which extend into bosses 3 8, 3 8, 3 8 and 3 8 formed in main body 12. The bottom plate 26 also includes a rearwardly extending cover 39 with offset vertical strengthening walls 41, 41 and 43. This cover forms the bottom side for a belt guard housing 45, integral with the main body 12.

Rearwardly of the bottom housing plate 26, the suction nozzle 10, along its sides, includes a pair of spaced short, integral, outer vertically extending side walls 40, 40 that are stepped inward by a pair of right angled rear portions 42, 42. These form wells for the mounting of rear wheels through the aegis of wheel axle mounting bores 44, 44 (only one shown). Forwardly and inboard of the rear 7 wheel mounting wells are a pair oft-nounting slots 46, 46 for mounting the adjustably pivoted wheeled carriage (Hoover Case 2469). This wheeled carriage furnishes support for the nozzle 10 forwardly of the rear wheel wells.

A pair of generally centralized openings 48, 48 are provided in the main body 12 by a stepped, angled, generally vertically extending integral wall 50. This wall is disposed slightly forwardly of the mounting slots 46, 46. These openings afford clearance for prongs 5 1, 51 mounted integrally with the aforesaid wheeled carriage 17 (Case 2469). They are engageable by and moved by the 0 projecting hard bag handle (not shown) when it is disposed in a storage position to pivot the wheeled carriage 17 outwardly.

Behind the angled, stepped wall 50 of main body 12, main body 12 is formed with a pair of downwardly projecting concave sections 52, 54 that extend axially sidewardly relative to the main body 12. The concave section 52 is slightly smaller than the concave section 54 since it accommodates a smaller diameter hard ba. motor housing section (not shown) while the concave section 54 serves as a base for the larger hard bag fan housing section (not shown). Mediate these two sections is a large rectangular hole 55 (in plan) which accommodates a larger end of the hard bag motor housing (not shown).

The concave section 54 has merging with it, a concave section 56. The concave section 56 is transverse to it and extends towards forward portions of the main housing and terminates forwardly just short of a cutout 58 (both to be described later) in a duct cover 60 mounted vithin a generally cylindrical tunnel 62 8 formed in main body 12. The tunnel 62 forms, at least partly, the outer envelope for an agitator chamber 64. This tunnel includes semi- cylindrical shaped stepped ends 76, 76 having wells 65, 65 for the lodgement of the ends of an agitator (not shown). The concave section 56 provides clearance for a hose fitting (also not shown) extending from the cleaner hard bag (not shown).

An open slot 66, disposed intermediate the front and back sides of main body 12, extends parallel to them for the insertive housing a part of the height adjusting arrangement (not shown) for wheel carriage 17 for the suction nozzle 10. Rightward and leftward lattice-like ribbing 68, 70 forms strengthening structure for the main body 12. This insures sufficient structural rigidity and durability.

Turning now specifically to Figures 3 and 4. it can be seen that the belt guard cover 39 obscures a well 72 in belt guard housing 45 for disposition of a belt (not shown) that extends roughly between the leftward termination of the fore and aft middle of motor housing covering concave section 52 and a forward terminating portion 74 of the duct cover 60. The duct cover 60 takes the form of an elongated semi-cylindrical shell and extends longitudinally between side ends forwardly extending main body vertical walls 76, 76. The vertical walls 76, 76 form the ends of the agitator chamber 64. The vertical walls 76, 76 join at their rears to the vertically extending side walls 40, 40 by angle transition walls 68, 68.

The well 72 for the belt, (not shown) fon-ned generally by the belt guard housing 45, is bordered throughout much of its length by reinforcing and sheltering elongated integral main body walls 80, 80. These walls are seen as extending generally from the rear side of the agitator chamber 64 to nearly the rear side of concave section 52. They terminate in a rear cross wall 82. At their fronts, they extend.far enough forwa:rdly in the suction nozzle 10 to space the duct cover 60 sufficiently forwardly to accommodate requisite rear ducting (to be described later).

The duct cover 60, at the belt end, includes a pair of short vertically upstanding, laterally spaced, inner walls 84, 84 having arcuate top sides to provide therebetween for belt guidance and thereon for agitator bearing seals (not shown). These walls are parallel and spaced from each other to provide substantially full sealing for the belt (not shown) and extend downwardly and outwardly sufficiently to form a cradle 86 for the agitator (not shown) which they bearingly receive. There are correspondingly shaped pieces (not shown) on the inside of the bottom plate which serve as the other half of an agitator seal.

An inside surface 88 of the duct cover 60 includes a rearwardly disposed flat 90 that provides clearance for the belt and its operation. Adjacent to this flat, the main walls 80, 80 of the belt guard housing 45 are extended forwardly by wall sections 92, 92 so as to aid in the aforesaid duct cover 60 spacing. This duct cover 60 is also spaced within the tunnel 62 by integral screw receiving lugs 94, 94, 96, 96 which are disposed on its ends so that its for-ward and reanyard terminating sides form forward and rearward slots 98, 100 with the inner surface of the tunnel 62. These two slots form the main flow path for suctioned air moving into the suction nozzle through the hose (not shown). This hose is disposed above the concave shaped, hose bulge 56 of the main body 12. Suctioned air also, of course, moves through the cutout 58 to this same hose. The partially cylindrical volume between the two slots 98, 100 in the suction nozzle 10 which houses the agitator (not shown) thereby also serves as a lower pressured suctioning region which may be also depressurized by any air leakage into the forward and rearward ducts around the duct cover 60.

The tunnel 62 in the main body 12 is also generally a cylindrical shelllike piece on both its inside and outside surfaces 102, 104. They are both generally smooth and continuous and both resemble a shape at least a part of the inner and outer surfaces of a silo.

The tunnel 62 (Figure 2) includes adjacent its inside forward surface a forward, formed angled face 103 which angles more deeply toward the interior of the main body 12 (downwardly in Figure 2) as the face progresses rightwardly. It thereby forms a ramp in the tunnel 62 as it extends towards the tunnel's outlet. Its least depth is just outside of the most leftward and forward boss 3 8, just outwardly from adjacent with the belt flat 90, and angles inwardly and upwardly from there towards an enlarged cross flow channel section 106 which is inset from the surface 102 of the tunnel 62.

The cross flow channel section 106 includes a flat surface inner portion 108 joining into a curvilinear, partial cylindrical surface outer portion 110. Both these surfaces are disposed upwardly relative to the surface 102 of tunnel 62. The inner portion 108 is made flat because of molding requirements, while the outer por-tion 110 provides a smooth mergence with the inner portion 108 and an elongated sidewardly extending curvilinear face portion 112. This face portion merges smoothly with the outer portion 110, at that end, in a rounded expanding inset curve 114 and streamlines airflow at the suction nozzle 10 front side towards outer surface portion 110. At its other end, the curvilinear face 112 merges smoothly with angle face ramp 103. The curvilinear portion 112 is not quite as wide as the face ramp 103 to provide an inset 116 for the outer portion 110. This spaces it inwardly of a front wall 118 of main body 12 and accommodates a slight side to side bow in this front wall, The inset 116 is flat and spaced outwardly of the curvilinear face portion 112. The front inner shape of the tunnel 62 is completed by a curvilinear wedge shaped piece 120, formed between the expanding curve 114, the curvilinear surface portion 110 and the inset 116. It forms a smooth continuous surface with these curved surfaces. The wedge shaped piece 120 forms a streamlined continuation of the curve of the outer portion 110.

Medially of the tunnel 62 and extending parallel to its linear extent is an inset, generally rectangular pad 122. This pad provides a convenient flat 12 surface for graphics use on the top side of the suction nozzle and preserving material in its formation by being inset.

The inner surface of the tunnel 62 is substantial completed by another angled face 124 which forms a downwardly facing air converging ramp on the rear side of the nozzle. This ramp angles also inwardly as it moves towards and past a centerline of the suction nozzle so that it extends upwardly within the tunnel 62 and its internal cylindrical surface 102. It extends from the inner of the extended walls 92. Because of its inset disposition relative to an opposite top surface 126 (Figure 1), i.e., a disposition eventually upwardly and outwardly of surface 102, a tapered vertical wall 128 is formed adjacent rearward terminating edge 130 of cylinder surface 102 as a smooth continuation of tunnel 62. It extends approximately medially along the angled face 124 from its rightward termination and reduces its width slightly but not disadvantageously to any marked degree.

The angled face 124 has a rearwardly disposed, generally vertically extendl ng joining wall 132 that extends from the angled face forwardly across the 0 flat surface 108 of flow channel 106 to meld with the expanding curve 114. The angled face 124 then extends between the short extended wall section 92 of belt guard housing 45 to the flat 108 adjacent the cutout 58.

Tuming again now to Figure 3, with the description afforded relating to Figure 2 kept in mind, it appears clear that three sides of a front suction nozzle duct 136 are formed, respectively, by the front wall 118 of the main body 12, by the angled face 103 and curvilinear face portion 112 and by an outer shell side 138 (Figures 5-7) of the duct cover 60. Because of their configuration this duct has an.expanding constant velocity attribute. A rear duct 140 is provided with three sides by the angled face 124, by the joining wall 132, and by the outer shell side 138 of the duct cover 60. Because of this configuration this duct has an expanding constant velocity attribute.

The cross flow channel 106 for the front duct 136 is formed by the inset flat and curvilinear surface portion 108 and 110, respectively, and by the shell side 138 of the duct cover 60.

The duct cover 60 is also easily removable from the suction nozzle 10 by removal of the screws 36, 36, 36, 36 so that the front and rear ducts 136 and 140, respectively, can be cleaned of any dirt, dust or debris adhering to their inside surfaces. In this regard, it should be noted that leakage into either of these ducts, advantageously, is not from atmosphere but from within the agitator chamber 64. This results in a lowering of the pressure therein and an added impetus for suction air to move into this chamber from the surrounding floor or rug on which the suction nozzle 10 is operating.

14 The structure of the duct cover 60 is completed by the use of integral half ring-like end pieces 142, 142 which situate the duct cover within the tunnel 62 during assembly so that the lugs 94, 94, 96, 96 are properly positioned to aid the fastening of the screws 36, 36, 36, 36 to thereby assemble suction nozzle 10.

Turning now to Figure 4, with the description of Figures 2 and 3 in mind, it can be seen that the bottom plate 26 closes the final side (bottom) of the forward and rearward ducts 136, 140, respectively. This is occasioned through the aegis of ffirward and rearward integral, strip plate pieces 144, 146, respectively, of bottom plate 26. These pieces extend generally between their front and rear screws 36, 36 and 36, 36, respectively, and thereby cover and mask the fonvard and rear-ward ducts 136 and 140. The bottom plate 26 is also mounted tightly to the main body 12 by the screws 36, 36, 36, 36 so that suction air passing into the ducts 136 and 140 must first move into the suction nozzle 10 and its agitator chamber 64

C by way of the suction opening 32 and 34.

Air passing through these openings enters the forward and rearward ducts 136, 140 because the strip plate pieces 144, 146 of the bottom plate 26 are spaced downwardly krom terminating bottom edges 148, 150 of duct cover 60.

This occurs because front and rear vertical walls 152, 154, respectively, of bottom plate 26 locate the strip plate pieces 144, 146 at this spaced location. A lip 156 on front vertical wall 152 insures its vertical position relative to main body 12 while a formed groove 158 on rear vertical wall 154 accomplishes the same purpose for it.

Air moving through the front and rear ducts 136 and 140 is exhausted (Figure 9) through an exhaust or air exit port 160 in the air exit wall port portion 134. This port is streamlined so as to have an inwardly curved, as if rolled in metal, molded port lip 162. As noted before, the cutout 58, as shown, is aligned with exit port 160 so suction air is free to exit the suction nozzle 10 through this port. Additionally, howeverthe cutout 58 includes a partially rounded air cutout 164 at each side, in a manner, so as to make the cutout 58 streamlined and slightly larger than the air exit port 160 in all its dimensions. To this end then, the major outline of the cutout 58 is a circle of larger dimension than the exit port 160 with scallop edges 166, 166 for streamlining. This arrangement permits the passage of large debris into the suction system of the suction nozzle 10.

Turning now to the assembly arrangement of the hood 14 on the main body 12 (Figures 1, 8, 10, 12 and 13). It can be seen that the hood 14 is abbreviated in dimension and includes a pair of curvilinear (in crosssection) rearwardly extending top frame pieces 166, 166, between which, is a narrow forward cross portion 168 which is also curvilinear in crosssection and forms with forward portions of the top frame pieces 166, 166 the front for the suction nozzle 10. The top frame pieces 166, 166 are closed at their rear by a slightly elevated and angled second cross piece 170. The top frame pieces 166, 166, at their rears and along the sides of the suction nozzle 10 have scalloped sections 172, 172 16 which blend forwardly with transversely extending portions 174, 174 of the hood that extend sidewardly to cover the ends of the tunnel 62. This also gives the suction nozzle 10 a streamlined hammer head hood appearance.

The hood includes, as noted before, the cutout 20 through which the outside somewhat squared and curvilinear portion 106 of cross flow channel 106 can be seen heading rearwardly over the tunnel 62, A portion of the tunnel 62 including, discemably, its outer cylindrical shape compressing surface 104 is also seen extending in a parallel direction along the front of the suction nozzle 10. As well is seen, the outside of inset pad 122. This provides an open view of these components, especially the cross flow channel and rounded portions of the tunnel, to help the consumer acquire a knowledge of some of the ramifications of the operation and features of this double ducted nozzle.

Disposed within the discontinuity 20 and generally inwardly thereof and extending from an integral vertical wall 178 of main body 12 is a projecting lever 180 having a hook end 182. This lever extends through a notched slot 184 in the vertical wall 178. The lever and slotted wall are a portion of a height adjusting means fully disclosed in Hoover Case 2469, with the lever capable of moving from notch to notch as the aforesaid height adjusting means operates.

Turning to Figure 13 where the inside surface of the hood can be mostly easily seen, there is shown a terminating lower border edge 186 which includes a front edge 188 and inwardly bent, right angled, hammer head side edges 190, 190 integrally attached to the front edge of the hood. These hammer head side 17 edges merge into a curvilinear arched section edge 192 that extends generally vertically and slightly rearwardly to terminate upwardly in rear overlapping edges 194, 194. These edges smoothly merge at their outer sides with the curvilinear arched section edges 192, 192. Inwardly of the overlapping edges and disposed between them is a vertical cross wall 193 that extends along most of the rear side of the hood, The main body 12 has a mating edge 196 with which the hood lower border edge 186 melds. It comprises a front flat lip 197 which extends from side to side of the main body 12 at its front side. The front flat lip 197 merges on each side into a side lip 198 which extends generally the width of the tunnel 62 and then merges into an angled (in plan) lip 200 that extends around a rear comer of each end of the tunnel 62. These lips receive the respective hood edges 188, 190, 190 in abutting relationship therewith when the hood is mounted with the main body 12.

At the rear, the main body 12 is provided with an upstanding wall 202, integral therewith. It receives the bottom side of the vertical cross wall 193 of the hood 14 in abutting relationship. A terminating discontinuity 295 in the hood 204 upstanding wall provides clearance for a suction hose connection (not shown) leading to the hard bag (not shown) utilized with suction nozzle 10.

Between the combination of the main body upstanding wall 193 or the discontinuity 204 and the angled comer lips 200 of the main body 12, it is provided with a pair of inset stepped lips 206, 206. These lips extend upwardly and curvilinearly from the rear-ward terminations of the angled comer lips 200 to form a mating curvilinear lip portion 208, 208 with them. These lips then extend generally horizontally inwardly to form horizontal lip portion 210, 210. The hood curvilinear arched section edges 192, 192 and overlapping edges 194, 194 are positioned to sit against a generally vertical edge 212 of the inset stepped lips 206 of the main. body 12 while contiguous inside surfaces 214, 214 and edges 192, 192 of the hood 12 rest on a horizontal edge 216 of the main body hood formed by the front body lip 197, side lips 198, 198 and angled lip 200. The inset, stepped lip 206 is dimensioned so that an outer surface of the hood 218 smoothly forms a continuation of a contiguous outer surface of the main body 12.

This provides a smooth overall outer surface for the suction nozzle 10 with the main body and hood smoothly joining to be coplanar at their terminating upper sides.

The aperture 20 in the hood 14 is completed by a continuous lip 220 extending around its sides and bottom which closes off the area bounded by this same aperture.

It should be clear from the foregoing that the described structure clearly meets the objects of the invention set out in the description's beginning. It should now also be obvious that many changes could be made to thedisclosed structure which would still fall within its spirit and purview.

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Claims (13)

CLAIMS:

1. A suction nozzle including:

a) a trans-venely extendLng generally semi- cyli ndrical wall defining a downward opening agit,--tor chamber therein, said semi -cylindrical wall having a rear bottom edge; b) a transversely extending'duct extending parallel and adjacent to a rear side of said serni-cylindrical wall; c) a suction applying port confluently communicating with said transversely extending duct; and d) wherein an upwardly extending relief cutout is formed in the rear bottom edge of said semi- cylindrical wall for providing confluent communication between said agitator chamber and said transversely extending duct, whereby large particle dirt and debris in said agitator chamber are moved through said relief cuou said u-ansversely extending duct and said suction applying port.

2, A suction nozzle according to claim 1, wherein a generally vertically extt;ndin,c, re-arward portion cef. said senii-eylin&ical wall separates said agitator chamber firom said rearward duct and saiel i':elief cutout is located in said rearward portion of said s(.-mi-cylinclric.l'wall.

3. A suction riozzle' according to claim 2, wherein said relief cutout is located concentrically in front of said suction applying port.

0

4. A suction nozzle according to claim 3, wherein said transversely extending duct expands in cross-sectional area approaching said suction applying 0 port.

5. A suction nozzle according to claim 1, wherein:

a) said suction nozzle includes a bottom plate defining an elongate suction inlet opening located substantially below said agitator chamber; and b) said bottom plate forms a bottom wall of said transversely extending duct.

6. A suction nozzle according to claim 5, wherein saA bottom plate is spaced vertically below said rear portion of said semi-cylindrical wall, thereby defining an elongate opening confluently communicating said transversely extending duct with said agitator ctiamber.

7. A suction nozzle according to claim 6, wherein said suction inlet is delirrdted by front and rear edges connected by side edges, and wherein said Tear edge terminates forward of said rear portion of said semicylindrical wall.

8. A suction nozzle -. accordi ng to claim 6, Wherein said transversely extending duct expands in cross-sectional area approaching said suction applying port.

9. A suction nozzle including:

a) a transversely extenailig generally semi-cylindrical wall defining a downward opening agitator chamber therein; b) a transversely extending duct extending parallel and ajacent to a rear side of said serni-cyLindrical vall; a suction applying port confluently commurdcating with said transversely extending duct; d) wherein a relief cutout:formed in said semi -cylindrical wall confluently communicates said agit ator chamber with said transversely extending duct, whereby large particle dirt and debris in said agitator charnber are rnoved through said relief cutout said transversely extending duct and said suction applying port; e) wherein a generally vertically e:tending rearward portion of said semicylindrical wall separates said agitator chamber from said rearward duct and said relief cutout is located in said rearward portion of said sernicylindrical wall, and f) wherein said relief cutout is located concentrically in front of said suction applying port.

10. A suction nozzle: according to claim 9, wherein said transversely extending duct expands in cro'ss-sectional area approaching said suction applying port.

11. A suction nozzle.i ncluding.

22 a) a transversely extending geneTally semi-cylindrical wall defining a downward opening agitator chainber therein; b) a transversely extending.duct extending parallel and adjacent to a rear side of said semi-cylindrical wall; c) a suction applying port confluently communicating with said transversely extending duct, d) wherein a relief cutout.formed in said semi-cylindrical wall confluently co=isuicates said agitator chamber with said transversely extending duct, whereby large particle dirt and debris in said agitator chamber are moved through said relief cutout, said transversely extending duct and said suction applying port; e) wherein said suction nozzle includes a bottom plate defin ing an elongate suction inlet opening located substantially below said agitator chamber: and said bottom plate forms abottom wall of said t=versely extending duct; and f) wherein said bottom plate is spaced vertically below said rear portion of said scrrd cylindsical. wall, thereby defining an clorigate opening W confluently communicating said transversely extending duct with said agitator chamber.

12. A suction nozzle according to 'claim 11, wherein said suction inlet is delimited by front and rear edgpq connected by side edges, and whe:rein said rear edge teminates forward of said Tear portion of said serni-eylindrical wall.

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13. A suction nozzle according to claim 11, wherein said Wansversely extending duct expands in cross-sectional area approaching said suction applying port.

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