US1971059A - Suction cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Allg. 2l, 1934:. KH. B, WHITE L97L59 SUCTION CLEANER Filed Nov. 4, 1932 INVENTOR 57 @www4 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 21, 1934 SUCTION CLEANER Harry B. white, cantan, ohio, assignor The Hoover Company, North Canton, hio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 4, 1932, Serial No. 641,151 z claims. (c1. 15457) The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and more particularly to a new and improved agitator guard for a suction cleaner. More specifically, the invention comprises the provision in a suction cleaner, at the nozzle mouth thereof, of a pivoted guard finger vwhich 'is adapted, when in position, to prevent the lifting of the surface covering undergoing cleaning into the nozzle mouth to an undue extent under the influence of the suction therein, and which, be-

cause it is pivoted, can be moved to an inoperative position which will permit the removal of the agitator from the nozzle. l

It is an object of the present invention to pro- 1| vide a new and improved protective member for a suction cleaner agitator. It is a further object to provide, in a suction cleaner, a new and improved type of guard linger for a nozzle mouth. It is the still further object to provide a pivoted 2 guard finger in a suction cleaner nozzle which functions, in the operation of the cleaner, to limit the displacement of the surface covering undergoing cleaning within the nozzle mouth. These and other more specic objects will appeal.' ,upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed, and in which the same reference character refers to like parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a side view of a suction cleaner embodying the present invention, the side wall of the nozzle being partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a partial bottom view of the cleaner shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the pivoted guard linger and its seat comprising the present invention;

Figure 4 is a view at right angles to that shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section upon the line 5--5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a partial view of the guard finger in an intermediate position;

Figure 'l is a view of the guard finger element removed from its seat;

Figure 8 vis a section upon the line 8 8 of Figure 2 showing the agitator-retaining mechanism.

In the drawing a modern suction cleaner is disclosed which comprises a main casing including a nozzle 1, a fan chamber 2 which is interiorly connected to the nozzle by means of an air passageway 3, and an exhaust outlet 4 to which is removably attached, by suitable means 5, a dust bag 6 of the usual type. Upon the main'casing is a motor casing which is indicated by the reference character '7.- As in the usual suction cleaner the driving motor functions to rotate a suction-creating fan, both the motor and fan being unshown, within the fan chamber 2, which has the effect of creating a suction and drawing cleaning air into the nozzle 1, between the surface-contacting lips 8 and 9 thereof, for the purpose of carrying away" foreign matter from the surface covering and depositing it in the dirt bag 6 into which the air exhausts. 'I'he cleaner body is movably supported by means of front wheels 10, 10 and rear wheels 11, 11 of which only one is shown and which are provided with suitable means 12 by which the cleaner nozzle may be adjusted relative to a surface covering undergoing-cleaning. A pivoted handle 13 is provided, together with its position-controlling means 14, by which the operator can exert a force on the cleaner to move it about upon a surface covering undergoing cleaning.

Within the nozzle 1 of the cleaner is positioned a rotatable agitator of the rigid beater type which is indicated generally by the reference character 15. Agitator 15 is rotated by means of a belt 16 which is suitably connected to the cleaner motor in a manner which forms no part of the present invention. The agitator includes a stationary shaft which is received at each of its ends with- 86 in a slot 17 formed in the end wall of the nozzle, being retained at the upper end thereof by a suitable cam latching member 18 which is springheld in a locking position by a spring 19. To remove the agitator from the nozzle it is only necessary 90 to pivot the lever 18 against the force exerted'by spring 19 so that the agitator shaft may be low-v ered in the slot.

In order to prevent the surface covering undergoing cleaning from being lifted excessively within the nozzle l between the lips 8 and 9 thereof, a danger which is very real with the great suction used in present day eilicient suction cleaners, a guard linger 20 is provided. Finger 20 includes a main portion which extends transversely across the nozzle mouth between the lips 8 and 9 and in the present preferred embodiment is shown formed of substantial spring metal wire although it is to be understood that it is within the scope of the invention to form this finger member in any suitable manner and of any desirable mate-v rial so long as it is capable of performing the desired function and co-operating with the other parts in the manner characteristic of the type v disclosed. Finger 20 is pivotally mounted upon 110 there being suitable washers 23, 23 positioned between the lip and the. member 2 1. Seat member 21 is provided with cam faces 24, 24 at its ends for a denite reason. transversely extending portions or arms of the member 20 are bent .so that they extend substantially in the direction and plane of the main portion of the linger and, with the finger in the operative position, these end portions seat under the end portions of the seat member 21 and hold the finger in place. As figures of the drawing these outer end portions of the finger 20 also limit the pivotal movement of the finger into the nozzle.

If for any reason it is desired to remove the agitator from the cleaner nozzle it is evident that the finger 20 must rst be lowered as it extends directly under the agitator in a protective position. In, order to lower the finger it is only necessary to exert a downward pull upon the main portion thereof. The downward force results in the end portions of the nger sliding upwardly around and out from under the end portions of the seat member 21. As is clearly seen in Figure 5 the washers 23, 23 are cone-shaped thereby providing seats under the end portions of member 21 which slope upwardly/and outwardly so that the end portions of nger 20 are not positively locked in place. Once displaced from under the seat member 21 the endportions of nnger 20 slide along the cam faces 24, 24 as the finger is pivoted downwardly from the nozzle until it reaches a position, as shown in Figure l, in which it in no way interferes with the downward displacement of the agitator.

I'he outer ends of the ,is clearly shown in the that in its normal state it assumes a position shown in Figure 7 whereas in the seated position the two sides of the finger are slightly spread apart as shown in Figure 3. This spring action is characteristic of the linger. As the finger is pivoted upwardly the end portions thereof con- .it is well adapted to be positioned so as to protect any portion of the agitator across its length.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner of the type having an agitator within the suction nozzle and removable therefrom thru the nozzle mouth, a nozzle having a mouth, an agitator guard finger formed of a strong spring wire shaped to provide an elongated main portion, a transversely extending portion, and an end portion adjacent to and extending at an angle to said transversely extending portion,

means pivotally seating said ylinger at the nozzle mouth thru rotatably enclosing said transversely extending portion, and a seat having a cammed approach adapted to receive and seat said end portion under a pressure exerted by said wire.

2. In a suction cleaner of the type having an agitator within the suction nozzle and removable therefrom thru the nozzle a'mouth, an agitator guard iinger including a main portion extended across the nozzle mouth, a second portion extended parallel to a wall of said nozzle, and a third locking portion adjacent the same side of said nozzle mouth as said second portion, means pivotally mounting said finger thru rotatably enclosing said second portion, and

a seat to,resistingly lock said locking portion, and so the entire finger, in the working position, said seat including a cam portion over which said locking portion must be forced against the resiliency of the finger to enter or leave said seat.'

. HARRY B. WHITE.

mouth, a nozzle having.y

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