US1899107A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 28, 1933. F. Rl'EB EL, JR 1,899,107

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Feb. 27. 1929 I NI 'EN TOR.

Frederick RieibeZ Jr:

BY $253M: @q

A TTORNEYJ i l atenl:ed Feb. 28, 1933 -J' UN |TED sra 'rr-isv PATENT F FREDERICK RIEBEL, 53., OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOB; TO AIR-WAY ELECTRIC APPLIANCE CORPORATION, OF'TOLEDO, OHIO, A. CORPORATION 01 DELAWARE Q vacuum CLEANER Application flled' February 27, 1929. Serial No. 342,979.

. The present invention, relating, as indicated, to vacuum cleaners, has more specific reference to the floor tools of such cleaners, and its primary object is to provide instru:

5 mentalities whereby the vertical position of the suction slot or its associated agitators can be accurately regulated relatively to the surface over which the machine is being operated.

In one of its embodiments, my invention contemplates providing a vertically movable floor tool with shoes for limiting the descent of the suction slotrand in another embodiment it eontemplatesproviding such a tool with adjustable stops for limiting the pivotal' motion of its floor wheel mountings. In.

the fi st mentioned form, the desired function is effected directly by means which contact with the surface over which the machineis being operated, and in the second mentioned form, the desired'function-is ef-' fected by means which predetermine the extent of permitted relative movement between the floor tool and its wheels. The purpose of both of such embodiments is to enable the operator to select that nozzle, position which- 35 sented by wood and linoleum should be dif-.

ferent from the position of such slot than when cleaning the nap or pile of a rug or carpet. Similarly, when cleaning and aerat- 1 ing the relatively long nap of an Oriental or like rug, the suction slot and its associated a 'tators should have a different setting than w en the same operations are being carried.

out on theusually shorter nap of ,a'carpet. Accordin ly,-and as above stated, it is my present 0 ject to provide a single or unitary floor tool of suchconstruction that the suctionslot and its cooperating agitators (if used) can be preliminarily adjusted to whatever vertical position such parts should have for the most eflicacious, and

, surfaces satisfactory use upon the various types of presented by the materials .to be cleaned. v

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims;

the annexed 'drawing and the following description settlng forth in detail certain structure embodying the invention, such-disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical, forms in which the'prin-- ciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing Fig. lis a. longitudinal section through a vacuum cleaner floor tool embodying one form of the present improvements; Fig. 2 is a transversesection through a complete floor tool which was taken along a plane indicated by the line 22,of-Fig. 1; Fig.'-3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 which was taken along a plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view ofa vacuum cleaner 'fioor tool embodying another form of the present improvements; Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section which was taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a vertical section which-was taken transversely of a complete floor .tool long a plane indicated by the line 66 of That embodiment of my invention illus trated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, comprises certain improvements which are shown in association wlth a vacuum cleaning nozzle or floor tool consistlng of a body having a cavity '10 for connect-mg the slot 11 with the suction tube opening 12, parallel grooves 13 for receiving the upper portions of the tators 14, and end sockets 15 for housing the wheel mountings 16, each mounting 16 comprising a pair of arms 25 and 26 respectively, the former being hereinafter referred to as atang and the latter as a spring. The agitators 14 have v their upper portions 17 removably secured within the grooves 13 by means of the transverselyextendin screws 18, and the bottom surfaces of their inturned lower portions 19- are provided with inclined scorings 20, such scorings desirably form- J I ing triangular shaped teeth or projections 21.

The wheels 22 are mounted upon stub shafts or axles 23, and such axles project laterally from the downturned ends 24 of the tangs 25. To the inner ends of such tangs, the correspondingends of the springs=26 are riveted or otherwise secured, and these 'sprin are outwardly extended to provide sultab emanipulating portions 27, suchportions being centrally perforated as at 28. Normally, the springs 26 make a rather wide angle with the tangs 25, but when such springs are manually compressed 'or flexed downwardly, the

wheel mountings constituted by such parts and the tan s 25 can be readil introduced into the soc et's-1'5. When suc mountings are thus positioned, the tangs may be permitted to move downwardly and into contact with the surfaces 29, and similarly the springs 26 may be permitted to move upwardl into contact with the surfaces 30, the assem 1y thereby effected being maintained by the screws 31 projecting into or through the openings 28. I

Without going into details, it may be mentioned that this invention is particularly I adapted for use in connection with vacuum with the tangs '25, thus'allowing the entire cleanersof the type shown and described in U. S. reissue Patent No. 16,224, and in U. S. Patent No. 1,416,876. Such machines are so constructed that raising of the handle is automatically effective to place additional wei ht upon the springs 26 and to move the soc et surfaces 29 downwardlyand out of contact floor tool to assume a lower positlon with respect to the surface over which the machine 1s being operated. Ordinarily, the extent to whichsuch tool thus descends is dependent upon the characteristics of the surface or material being cleaned, but due to variations in the quantity of dust and dirt in the collecting bag, to differences in the height to which various operators will liftthe handle, and to the continually changing speeds and directions of movement of the cleaner as a whole, intended compensatory changes in the vertical position of the floor tool do not always occur. Therefore, this invention contemplates providing the screws 31 with adjusting heads 32, such heads having skirt portions 33 which are adapted to form indexes for cooperating with scales or the like 34,

- such scales being constituted by peripheral markings on the upstanding bosses 35. Since the lower ends of the screws 31 are long enough to bear against the upper surfaces 0 the tangs 25,"it' is apparent that the vertical position of such screws will be effective to predetermine the extent to which such tan can pivotally move arcuately around their inner ends. Itwill also be apparent that by suitably adjusting such screws, the lowermost position of the floor tool can be regulated in any manner made necessary or deslrable by the specificIsurface to be cleaned, and that the scalesand indexes afford a convenient guide for reference purposes as well as for enablin the operator accurately to adjust both en s of the tool to the same height. If desired, the adjusting screws or their head portions may be provided with means forv maintaining any selected setting, although unless the lead angle of the threads is uncommonly large such means will not ordinarily be necessary as a sufficiently close thread fit will accomplish the same purpose.

In Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, another embodiment of my invention is shown in association with a floor tool which in most respects is identical with the floor tool described in connection with Fi s. 1 to 3, inclusive. Instead, however, of t e screw adjustment shown in Figs. 1- to 3, a common spring retainin screw 36 is employed in the present embo iment,

and the adjustin or regulating means takes the form of a s 0e 37, such shoe having a bearing ortion 38, guide portions 39, and a slotted shank 40. Such shank, as best shown in Fig.6, may be adjustably clamped against the end wall 41 by means'of a suitable set screw 42, this screw affording a convenient means for permitting of the vertical adjust- I I ment of the bearin portion of the regulating shoe relatively to t e bottoms of the agitators 43. .It will be understood that both ends of the floor tool are similarly equipped, and that the bearing faces of the shoes may have any width or length made necessary by the character of their intended function-the predetermination of the lowermost position to .which the floor tool can descend by flexure of the springs constituting a part of the wheel assembly. I

Other modes of applying the princlple of my invention'may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims .or the equivalent of such stated means he employed. I I I I therefore particularlypoint out and dis tinctl claim as my invention 1. {n apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tool having e nd sockets,

mountings in said sockets, said mountings tool including sockets in its end portions, a pair of-floor wheels, mounting devices each includin a tang to one end of which a re-- spective oor wheel is journalled and an aperitured leaf spring secured to its opposite end extending toward and spacedabove the wheel carrying end, said mounting devices bein received in the respective sockets with sai springs in engagement with the upper walls a 10 of the socket, and adjustin screws threaded through the u per walls 0 the sockets, proje cting throng said apertures, and positioned to engage said tangs to limit movement thereof toward said springs.- 4. Avacuum cleaner comprising a floor tool including sockets in its end portions, a air of floor wheels, mounting devices each inc ud-" inga tang to one end of which a respective floor wheel is journalled and ana rtured 2o leaf spring secured to its opposite en extending toward and spaced above the wheel carrying end, said mounting devices being received in the respective sockets with said springs in engagement with the upper walls 28 of the socket, and adjustin screws thread through the upper Walls 0 the sockets, projecting through said apertures, and positioned to engage said tangsf to limit movement thereof toward said springs, said adjust- 30 ing screws including means for determining the ad ustrnent thereof relative to the sockets. 5.A vacuum cleaner comprising a floor tool including sockets in itsend portions a pair of floor wheels, a pair of mounting evices each comprising a tang to one end of which a respective floor wheel is journalled and an apertured spring secured to 'its gpposite end extending toward and spaced above the wheel carrying end, said mounting 40 devices being received in\the respective sockets with said springs in engagement with the upper walls thereof, bosses formed on said upper walls and projecting upwardly, said bosses being provided with scale'faces, and adjusting screws. threaded through said. bosses, extending through said apertures, and positioned to engage said tangs to limit movement thereof toward the springs, said adjusting screws including depending skirts receiving the upper portions of said bosses and coacting with said scale faces to determine the adjustment of the screws relative to the sockets. q Signed 'by me, this 8th day of-October, 551928.-

FREDERICK RIEBEL, JR.

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