US2131842A - Suction cleaner handle construction - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 4, 1938. E. F. MARTINET 2,131,342

SUCTION CLEANER HANDLE CONSTRUCTION 'Filed March 17, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 9 2a 24 I7 I I 25 /5i 1 55 [29.8 54 46 A 1 2 v25 1 40 46 46' 5/ 57 5] 47 1 56' 5g 30 I] 45 44 6' v '45 56" 54 .45 I 7/ '24 #7? 54 36/ Z5 7 \5, i5 26" Fly/051 Oct. 4,. 1938. SE. F. MARTlNET SUCTION CLEANER HANDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 17, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented 1938 corporation of Ohio SUCTION CLEANER HANDLE. CONSTRUCTION Eugene F. Martinet, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to 1 The P. A. Geier Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a. I

Application March 17, 1930, Serial No. 69,346 5 Claims. (Cl. 306-.-13)

The invention relates to suction cleaners, and more particularly to a handle securing mechanism for an electrically-operated, portable,

- domestic or household, suction cleaner, having a 5 motor driven fan, a suction nozzle and a dust bag, manipulated by a handle; said handle segcuring mechanism being adjustable to various operative positions and being retainable in any [one of a plurality of positions, by foot actuated l J-means.

' A suction cleaner is normally or usually operated in open floor areas and for such purposes it is desirable and convenient to be able 'to freely swing the handle through an arc of approximate- 15 ly 50 rearward from the vertical, in manipulating the cleaner. Moreover, during such normal or usual operation of the cleaner, it may frequently become desirable or necessary to tilt or raise the nozzle upward in order to disengage 20 the nozzle from a corner or an edge of a rug,

or to lift the nozzle over a corner or an edge of a rug, or over some other slightly raised surface.

It is therefore desirable that the handle construction permits a tilting of the cleaner without re 25 quiring the handle to be lowered much below a 50 angled position from the vertical.

However, it sometimes becomes necessary to lower the handle substantially to a horizontalposition in order to clean under beds, or under 30 low objectsor in other low clearance places.

Likewise, it'is sometimes desirable to lock the cleaner .handle in a horizontal position, or in various angled positions such as at "20 and 50 rearward from the vertical. It is likewise de- 35 sirable, when a cleaner is left momentarily in a room or put away in a closet, to move the handle upright to a position where it will stand by itself substantially vertically or angled slightly forward of the vertical.

40 -Moreover, it is very desirable that the cleaner handle be adapted for quick and easy movement from any one to any other of the described positions, with a minimum of effort and without tiring the operator, as by a simple foot operation 45 of handle controlling means so as not to require the operator to stoop or bend over to the floor in order to adjust, lock or unlock the handle controlling mechanism.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present in- 50 vention to provide ahandle construction for suction cleaners which may be freely swung through a working range of approximately 50" rearward from the vertical, during normal operation of the cleaner.

55 It is a further object of the present invention to provide a handle construction for suction cleaners by whlch the cleaner may be tilted to raise the nozzle upward by pushing the handle downward below a 50 angled position from the vertical.

Moreover, it is an object of the present inven tion toprovide a handle construction for suction cleaners, the handle of which may be readily moved, by a simple foot actuation of a controlling device from a free swinging and nozzle tilting range, herein term'ed normal range, to a free swinging position between horizontal and 40 above horizontal; but which handle is again confined to movement in said normal range automatically whenever the handle is raised beyond approximately 40 above horizontal, after having been moved without tilting the nozzle to some position below 40 above horizontal, herein termed horizontal range;-

- It is also an object of the present invention to provide a handle construction for suction cleaners, with a foot actuated controlling device, which not only controls operation insaid normal range, and in said horizontal range automatically returnable .to said normal range; but which controlling device also may be utilized for locking the cleaner handle in a horizontal position, or in various angled positions between horizontal and vertical.

Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a handle construction for 1 suction cleaners with a foot actuated handle controllngfand locking device, which permits the handle to be moved to a substantially upright position, where the handle will stand by itself substantially vertically or angled slightly forward of the vertical, and from which upright position the handle may be readily moved to said normal range.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a suction cleaner handle construction and a controlling device therefor, the handle of which may be readily, quickly and easily moved from any one to any other of the described positions, working ranges, or locked positions, with a minimum of efiort and without requiring any actuation of the controlling device, except in certain cases a simple foot actuation thereof.

Likewise, it is an object of the present invention to provide a suction cleaner handle construction and a controlling device therefor, which .is very easy to construct and is composed of relatively few parts of simple design; and which does not require, for the accomplishment of the aforesaid objects, complicated cam slotted parts, or

hand manipulations, actuation or adjustment of the controlling mechanism.

And finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a suction cleaner handle construction and a controlling device therefor, which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble,

which accomplishes the objects and results described, and which may be operated and manipulated with a minimum of effort.

These and other objects may be obtained by the suction cleaner and handle constructions, parts, elements, devices and combinations, a pre-' ferred embodiment of whichis shown in the accompanying drawings, and is hereinafterdescribed in detail and claimed, which may be stated in general terms as preferably including in suction cleaner construction, a cleaning unit, a handle for manipulating the cleaning unit including a fork pivotally mounted on the unit, a controlling device for the handle including a plate member mounted on the unit having a plurality of locking notches and a plurality of stop lugs thereon and a foot operable latch member mounted on the handle fork selectively engageable with said notches and lugs, tension devices controlling the latch member, and a spring be tween the handle and unit normally urging the handle to an upright position.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an electrically operated portable suction cleaner, in which the improved handle construction is incorporated;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation of the improved handle construction, showing the handle in upright" position in full lines, and showing by dotted lines and an arrow the free swinging and nozzle tilting range of handle movement, herein termed normal range;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional end view of the parts shown in full lines in Fig. 2, taken on the line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the handle locked in an angled position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6--6, Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, taken on the line 1-1, Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 4, but showing the handle in a position within the horizontal range" of handle movement;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional end view taken on the line 9-9, Fig. 8; v

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the handle locked in a substantially horizontal position;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line ||--H, Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is another sectional view taken on the line l2l2, Fig. 9; and

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the handle controlling plate member.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the various figures of the drawings.

A usual type of electrically-operated portable suction cleaner is shown in Fig. 1, which may comprise a motor in a motor housing i4, provided with a fan housing I5, having a fan (not shown) therein, and a suction nozzle 16 communicating with the fan housing. An operating handle I1, and a dust bag I8 connected with the exhaust opening of the fan housing also are provided for the cleaner; and the motor housing I4, the fan housing |5, and nozzle l6, termed herein a "cleaning unit", are mounted on front casters l9, and preferably an adjustable double rear caster 20,- for ambulant motion over a floor or the like indicated at 2|. The cleaning unit also may be provided with a lighting device generally indicated at 22.

The improved handle construction and controlling device is indicated generally in Fig. 1 at 23, and is best illustrated in Figs. 2 to 13, inclusive. The improved handle construction and controlling device 23 preferably includes a handle fork 24, having fork members 25 and 25a, pivotally mounted by a screw 26, within recesses 21 and 21a provided in the motor housing I4; and a portion I 4a of the motor housing preferably is removable for gaining access to the pivotal connection screw 26.

The upper end of the handle fork 24 may be provided with a tubular, preferably round, split socket 28, in which the reduced round lower end 29 of the tubular handle I! is clamped by a bolt 30 (Figs. 2 and 3) and the handle I1 is centered preferably by providing a pin 3| on the lower end 29 thereof, which projects between the walls 32 of the slot 33 forming the split in the upper portion of the handle fork 24.

The handle fork 24 also preferably is provided with a front wall 34 extending between the fork members 25 and 25a, below the upper split socket portion 28, as best shown in Fig. 11; and a preferably round boss 35 projects rearwardly from the wall 34 (Figs. 2 and 11). A lug 36 also projects rearward from the wall 34, as does a notched lug 31. A rib 38, slotted at 39, also projects reaiwardly from the wall 34 and inwardly from the handle fork 25a, as best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 11.

A foot operable latch member or lever generally indicated at 40, is pivotally mounted by the screw 4| on the boss'35 of the handle fork 24; and the latch member 40 may be in the general form of a bell crank lever (Fig. 3), having an actuating portion 42, which projects through a slot 43 provided in the fork member 25, opposite and in alignment with the rib slot 39; and the member 40 has an aligning portion 44 operating in said slot 39, which terminates in a downwardly and preferably angularly disposed latch portion 45.

A coil spring 46 surrounds the boss 35 and one end 41 of the spring 46 is engaged on top of the rib 38 (Fig. 11) and the other end thereof is turned backwardand then reversely forward as at 48 to engage over the lug 36, and then terminates in a downturned portion 49 (Fig. 3) hooked over the actuating portion 42 of the latch member 40.

The spring 46 normally holds the latch member 40 in the position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6 of the drawings where it is in line for abutment with stop lugs 63 and 64, and returns the latch member 40 to such a position automatically from the position shown in Figs. 8, 9, l1 and 12, if no stops engage the latch lever to prevent such return.

A spring washer 50 is interposed between the head of the screw 4| and the latch member 40 for frictionally holding the latch member 40 in the position of Figs. 2, 3 and 6 when moved thereto by the spring 46, or for holding the latch member 40 in the position shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 7, when moved thereto from the position of Figs. 2, 3 and 6.

For accomplishing such operations, the tension of the spring 46 is much greater than that of the spring washer 50, but the spring 46 does not react against the latch member 40 at.any time when the operating member 40 is moved downward from the position of Fig. 3 to the position of Fig. 5, because the 'end 4649 of the spring 46 becomes disengaged from the actuating portion 42 by striking the lug 36 as well shown in Figs. 3, 5,

Sand 7. Thus, when the parts are in the position of Figs. 4 and 5, with the latch portion 45 engaged in looking notch 66, or when the part 45 is engaged in any other locking notch, the spring 46 is rendered inoperative by lug 36.

The controlling device also includes a plate member 5|, best shown in Fig. 13, mounted on the cleaning unit by inserting the lower portion 52 thereof in recess 21a and passing pivot bolt 26 through the large central aperture 53 of the plate member 5|, and by also securing screws 54 and 55 to the housing |4 through apertures 56 and 51 in the plate member.

The upper edge ,of the plate member 5| is preferably arcuately shaped at 58 on a radius from the center of the pivotbolt 26; and terminates in an inturned arcuate flange 59, provided with a plurality of locking notches 66, 6| and62 and a plurality of projecting stop lugs 63 and 64. The flange 59 preferably is slanted from the stop lug portion 63 to the entrance to the notch 62, as indicated at 65.

A coil spring'66 preferably surrounds the pivot bolt 26 (Figs. 2 and 3) and one end 61 of the spring 66 engages on top of the screw 55, while the other end 68 thereof projects through a slot 69 in the motor housing l4 and is engaged in the notched lug 31 of the handle fork wall 34. The spring 66 normally does not quite counterbalance the weight of the handle l1 and parts carried thereby, but is sufficiently strong to move the handle to and to hold it at the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 from any substantially vertical position.

When the suction cleaner is normally operated in open floor areas, the parts are in the position shown in full lines in Figs. 2, 3 and 6. In this position of the parts, the handle may .be freely swung backward and forwardthrough an arc of approximately 50 rearward from the vertical, to manipulate the cleaner, as shown somewhat by the arrow in Fig. 2. The dot-dash line position of the handle parts in Fig. 2 shows the limit of rearward free movement of the handle, because, at that position, the latch portion 45 of the latch member 46 engages stop lug 63 of the plate member 5|. 5

With the parts in the full line position of Fig. 2, and with the handle moved to the dot-dash position, further'downward movement of the handle causes the cleaner unit to tilt on the double rear caster 20 so as -to raise the nozzle in order to disengage the nozzle from the'corn-er or an edge of a rug, or to lift the nozzle over an edge of a rug, or over some other raised surface. This position of the parts just described gives a free swinging and nozzle tilting range of movement of the handle mounting and controlling parts, termed herein a normal range.

When the cleaner is put away in a closet, or is left standing in a room' with the handle substantially vertical, the spring 66 will swing and hold the same to the upright position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. l I

For certain purposes, it may be desirable to lock the cleaner handle at an angled position of approximately 20 rearward from the vertical; and this may be accomplished by moving the handle fork past notch 60 and at the same time depressing the actuating portion 42 of the latch member 40 with the foot to engage the latch portion 45 in notch 66, as best shown in Fig. 4.

-When the manipulations requiring such a locked handle position are completed, all that is necessary is to move the actuating portion 42 of the latch member 40 .upward with the foot, in which event the parts again assume the position for operating in the normal range.

In a similar manner, the parts may be locked in or unlocked from a locked handle position in which the handle extends at an angle of approximately 50 rearward from the vertical by engaging the latch portion 45 in looking notch 6|.

When it is necessary to lower the handle substantially toa horizontal position, in order to clean under beds or the like, or to a position extending rearward within a range from the horizontal to an angle'of 40 above horizontal, herein termed horizontal range, it is only necessary to raise the actuating portion 42 of the latch member 46 with the foot, to the position shown in Fig. 9, whereupon the latch portion 45 is disengaged from the stop lug 63 and rides along slanted portion 65, as well shown in Fig.8.

The instant that the handle is moved beyond the limits of the horizontal range, that is, when the latch portion 45 rides past the stop ing 63, the latch member 46 automatically moves by the pressure of the spring 46 to the position shown in Fig. 3, limiting subsequent movement of the handle to the normal range, whereupon the cleaner handle may be freely swung within the normal range, or the cleaning unit tilted, as above described.

In some instances it may be desirable to lock the handle in-a horizontal position, and this may be accomplished whenever the handle fork is located anywhere within the horizontal range by moving the handle to the position shown in Fig. 10 and then depressing the actuating portion- 42 of the latch member 40 to engage the latch portion 45 in locking notch 62, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 10. a

Accordingly, the improved suction cleaner handle construction and controlling device provides for operation of the cleaner with a minimum of effort, without tiring the operator, without requiring the operator to stoop or bend over to the floor in order to manipulate the handle controlling mechanism; provides for manipulation of the handle controlling mechanism by simple foot operations; provides for normally confining, the handle to movement in a normal range and for automatically returning the controlling device parts to limit the movement to the normal range after operating in a horizontal range; provides for locking the handle at various desired posi- ,tions; and provides for maintaining the handle in a substantially upright position where it will stand by itself angled slightly forward of the vertical.

Having now described the features of the invention and the preferred use and advantages thereby obtained, the new and useful parts, eleinents, devices, combinations and constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

1. In suction cleaner construction;, a motor, fan and nozzle unit; a manipulating handle pivotally mounted on the unit;' and a foot-actuated device selectively controlling operation of the handle, including a plate member mounted on the unit having a plurality of locking notches and a plurality of stop lugs, a foot operable latch member mounted on the handle selectively engageable with said notches and lugs, and tension devices controlling the latch member.

2. In a suction cleaner construction; a motor, fan and nozzle unit; a manipulating handle mounted on the unit; a foot-actuated device controlling operation of the handle; said device including a fork connected to the handle and pivotally mounted on the unit, an arcuate plate member mounted on the unit having a plurality of locking notches and a plurality of stop lugs, a,

foot operable latch member pivotally mounted on the handle fork having an actuating portion 1 and having a latch portion selectively engageable with said notches and lugs, tension devices controlling the latch member, and a spring reacting between the handle and unit normally urging the handle to an upright position.

3. In suction cleaner construction; a motor, fan and nozzle unit; a manipulating handle unit pivotally mounted on the first mentioned unit for operation in a free-swinging and nozzle-tilting range, in a horizontal range, and in a plurality of locked positions; and a foot-actuated handle controlling device including a plurality of locking parts and a plurality of stop parts on one of the units, lever means on the other unit for selective engagement with any of said looking or stop parts, means urging said lever means to a position for abutment with any of said stop parts, and means rendering said last means inoperative when the lever means engages any of said locking parts,

-whereby the stop parts provide for limiting movement of the handle selectively in free swinging and nozzle tilting range, or in horizontal range.

4. In suction cleaner construction; a motor, fan

and nozzle unit; a manipulating handle unit pivotally mounted on the first mentioned unit for operation in a free-swinging and nozzle-tilting range, in a horizontal range, and in a plurality of locked positions; a foot-actuated handle controlling device including a plurality of locking parts and a plurality of stop parts on one of the units, lever means on the other unit for selective engagement with any of said locking or stop parts, means urging said lever means to a position for abutment with any of said stop parts, and means rendering said last means inoperative when the lever means engages any of said locking parts, whereby the stop parts provide for limiting movement of the handle selectively in free-swinging and nozzle-tilting range, or in horizontal range; and spring means holding the lever means in a selected locked position whenever the handle is locked in such selected position.

5. In suction cleaner construction; a motor, fan and nozzle unit; a manipulating handle unit 'pivotally mounted on the first mentioned unit for operation in a free-swinging and nomle-tilting range, in a horizontal range, and in a plurality of locked positions; a foot-actuated handle controlling device including a plurality of locking parts and a plurality of stop parts on one of the units, lever means on the other unit for selective engagement with any of said looking or stop parts, means urging said lever means to a position for abutment with any of said stop parts, and means rendering said last means inoperative when the lever means engages any of said locking parts, whereby the stop parts provide for limiting movement of the handle selectively in free-swinging and nozzle-tilting range, or in horizontal range; and a spring reacting between said units normally urging the handle to an upright position.

- EUGENE F. MARTINET.

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