US2188379A - Suction cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 30, 1940. c. H. TAYLOR SUCTION CLEANER Filed June 25,-1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i 2 Charles ETqy/ar INVENTOR ATTOR N EY Jan. 30, 1940. c. H. TAYLOR SUCTION CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V Filed June 25, 1936 Hqylor baffles @f /tllll/l/IIIIII//l/l ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, i940 y PATENT OFFICE 'l SUCTION CLEANER Charles H. Taylor, North Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application June 25, 1936, Serial No. 87,162

14 Claims.

l This invention relates to improvements in suction cleaners and more particularly to improved means for converting a suction cleaner from \normal on-the-floor cleaning operation to a con- Idition for off-the-iioor cleaning operations ,through the agency of a hose and suitable auxiliary cleaning tools.

e Among the objects of the invention is to pro-` vide an improved arrangement of co-acting converter elements, consisting primarily of a converter port in the cleaner casing and a converter member or iitting` carried by the hose,

these elements being so related that upon the insertion of the converter fitting endwise into its port, a limited rocking movement is imparted to said tting which in turn actuates mechanism for accomplishing automatically, the raising of the nozzle and therotating agitator member out of contact with the carpet surface, thus avoid-y prove upon a somewhat similar arrangement of` interconnected converter and lnozzle elevating means disclosed in Patent 2,126,362, wherein the converter element is carried on the under side of the cleaner casing and is swung lby hand into and out of converting position and in its swingving movement simultaneously and automatically elevates the nozzle through a cam actuated lever acting upon the forward carrier. wheels. But considering the fact that most of the cleaning is performed by maneuvering the cleaner over the carpet surface, there is an advantage in transferring the converter tting from the cleaner to the dusting tool hose, thus eliminating the added weight, but still retaining an equally practical and automatic nozzle elevating device. But

` in order to accomplish this end it-is desirable,

if not necessary, to impart an oscillating or rocking movement tothe converter member for actuating the nozzle elevating mechanism. for the reason that it would take considerable physical eifortto force the converter iltting into the converter port with a straight line motion and at the same time raise the nozzle from the carpet surface.` Hence, it is considerably-easier for the operator to insert `the converter member into its port to a point just short of its ultimate position and then'by a forward rocking movement to force the same home into converting position and at the same time actuate the nozzle adjusting mechanism. Y.

Thus,A while 'the feature of an interconnected converter and nozzle elevating mechanisms is not broadly new, the present disclosure embodies im- (Cl. 15-9) f proved means foraccomplishing the same result with the advantages mentioned.

With the foregoing introduction to the subject matter of 'the present disclosure, a preferred embodiment will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a general view inside elevation of a suction cleaner in position for normal on-thefloor cleaning operation, a, portion of the cleaner casing being broken away to show details of the nozzle elevating mechanism.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the cleaner with the parts in positions corresponding to those in Figure 1 and having a portion of the bottom plate broken away to show details of construction.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view in vertical section of the manually operated nozzle height adjusting device, showing a slip joint construction incorporated therein to permit thenozzle height adjustment to be accomplished automatically and independently of the manual adjustment.

Figure 3a is a detailed view closely associated with Figure 3 and showing the lower part of 25 the nozzle height adjusting member 1n elevation.

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of the forward portion of the cleaner casing showing the `nozzle'in elevated position, with portions shown80 in section as taken on line 4--4 of. Figure 5.

Figure 5 is an enlarged bottom plan Viewof the cleaner corresponding generally to Figure 2 but showing the converter member parts in converted positionand the carrier wheels shifted to nozzle 85 elevated position. e

Figure 6 is a detailed view in vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5 and,

Figure '7 is a detailed view in vertical section l taken on section` line 1-1 of Figure 5 and sub- 40 stantially at right angles to Figure 6.

The suction cleaner as disclosed in Figure 1 is more or less of the conventional portable'or hand-maneuvered type consisting generally of a casing I having a nozzleportion 2 extending 45 'transversely of its forward end and Apresenting the rectangular conformation apparent in Figure 2; The main portion of the cleaner casing I con'- stitutes the fan chamber 3; generally circular in shape and housing the fan .4 driven by a motor (not shown) located within a motor casing 5 supported upon the cleaner casing I.v The motor and fan 'are mounted on-a vertical shaft 6, its

, lower end being extended below the fan to provide a pulley loan-ying a driving belt' 8 extend-` 55 ing forwardly' into the nozzle portion of the cleaner casing and having a 'driving connection with a rotary agitator 9 journaled within the nozzle and rotating about a horizontal axis. The

, a rearwardly extending portion Illa forming the bottom wall of a converging passage from the nozzle chamber to the circular opening or veye 3a leading to the lfan chamber. The .bottom plate I0, preferably cast from a light metal, flts tightly against the bottom edges of depending wall segments Il which define the nozzle chamber and rearwardly extending passage therefrom, the contacting edges of said wall segments and bottom plate being suitably sealed against air-leakage as clearly shown in Figures 6 and '7.

The cleaner casing I extends rearwardly from the fan chamber 3 and terminates in a somewhat flared outlet connection I2 communicating with the fan `chamber through a short connecting exhaust passage, said outlet connection I2 having detachably connected thereto a dust bag I3 by means of suitable clamping screws I4.

The entire cleaner is supported upon wheels located adjacent the forward and rear ends thereof, the rear wheel support having the form of a caster consisting of a pair of wheels I5, I5 journaled on a caster bracket I5a attached to the under side of the cleaner casing. This rear A caster is not adjustable with respect to the cleaner casing. The forward supporting wheels I6, I6 however, are journaled at the extremities of a transverse rock shaft I1 having its end portion bent at right angles to form crank arms IIa, Ila. As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the` shaft I1 is pivotally mounted just forwardly of the fan casing 3 in suitable brackets I8, I8, one of said brackets being slightly enlarged diametrically to form a housing for a torsion spring I9 connected at one end to the shaft and at the other end suitably anchored to the cleaner casing so as to exert a tension on the shaft tending at all times to oppose any forcewhich would rotate the vshaft in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1 or Figure 4. Moreover, a bracket 20 partially embracing the shaft I1, has a circumferentially arranged slot 20a therein extending throughout l an arc of slightly over 90 degrees: A radially projecting lug 2l on the shaft engages within this slot and co-acts therewith to limit the rocking movement of the shaft I1 between the extreme position of the supporting wheels in elevating and depressing the nozzle portion of the cleaner. And to complete the cleaner assembly, a handle (not shown) is connected with the 'cleaner casing through the medium of an inverted U-shaped bail 22 which has pivotal connection with either side of the cleaner casing and straddles the motor casing 5.

At this point it may be stated that so much of the cleaner construction thus far described is well known and in common practice in the art, including .the manually operated means for adjusting the height of nozzle relative to the car- .pet surface. A practical device for this purpose consists of a threaded stem connected at its lower end witha pivoted or hinged front or rear wheel supporting assembly and projecting upwardly fan chamber.

either through the wall of the cleaner casing or a bracket and there surmounted by an adjusting screw, and which when turned in one direction or the other raises and lowers the particular Wheel adjusted by oscillating the' wheel support in a direction to shift the wheels bodily in a vertical direction. The manual height vadjusting device of the present disclosure is associated with the front wheels and is directly connected with the crank arm at one end of the shaft I1. As clearly shown in Figures l, 2, and 3, an Lshaped link 23 isconnected at its lower end to the end of the crank arm I1a just inwardly from the adjacent supporting wheel IB,-the upper end of said link 23 having fixed connection with the lower end of threaded stem 24, forming a continuation of the link 23 and extending upwardly yand rearwardly through an opening 25 in the upper wall of the nozzle portion 2 and supported adjacent its upper end in a cap-like bracket 26 extending over said opening 25 and having an aperture in its upper wall through which the stem projects. The outer or. projecting end of the stem 24 is surmounted by a knurled thumb nut 21. Being of a standard design, thisadjusting device need not be described in greater de'- tail except to point out the two-part construction of the threaded stem 24 and the reason therefor. As-clearly shown in Figures 3 and 3a, the stem 24 is tubular and encloses a solid pin 24a having endwise sliding connection therewith but locked against relative rotation therein by a at face and pin connection, the flat face 24h ,the lower end of the tubular portion. This arrangement is simply one variation o f a so-called slip joint, whereby the threaded stem 24 will shift endwise as a unit or one-piece member when the knob 21 is rotated, and -at the same time be extensible to permit the wheels to be adjusted independently of the manual adjusting device as a part o f the converting operation.

Referring now to the novel arrangement for converting the cleaner for off-the-floor suction cleaning, it may be noted at the outset that the conversion operation is primarily that of closing off the air passage fromthe nozzle to the fan chamber and simultaneously establishing connection between the dusting tool hose and the In short, the act ofconversion from .oh-the-oor to off-the-iioor" suction cleaning is merely a matter of by-passing the air flow to the fan chamber from the main noz- `zle to the dusting tool hose. In the present type of cleaner, this is accomplished by inserting an especially designed converter tting 28, secured to the one end of the dusting tool hose (not shown), into a port or passage leading inwardly from one side ofV the cleaner casing and communicating with the main air passage from the nozzle through a normally closed gate valve.

As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the converter port or connection is formed primarily by a metal casing 29 generally U-shaped in cross section and suitably attached to the under side of the cleaner casing I. Thus, the opening or entrance to the passage formed by this casing 29, is located just below the bottom edge of the cleaner casing and immediately behind the rear edge of the nozzle portion 2 on the same side of the casing as the manual nozzle height adjusting mechanism which is readily identified from the exterior of thecasing by the knob 21. The converter passage from the entrance thereof inaisasve cleaner casing I 'and located at its rearmost edge,

withits forward face inclined inwardly at a decided angle to the edge of the casing I.

At the inner end of the converter passage and normally closing its entrance into the main 4air passage leading rearwardly from the' nozzle, is a hinged gate valve 3I consisting essentially of a flat rectangular plate, elongated somewhat in a horizontal direction and fixed along its lower edge to a hinge pin 3Ia having its projecting ends journaled in suitable. brackets 32, 32;4 A torsion spring 33 surrounds the pin 3Ia and acts to normally hold the Igate valve in its closed position, that is, vertically across the opening from the converter passage into the main passage from the nozzle chamber. This opening,`as clearly shown in Figure 5, is located immediately adjacent the fan eye 3a and in that portion of the wallv segment I I extending substantially tangential thereto and parallel with the normal direction of flow of the air from the nozzle to the fan chamber.

Referring in greater detail to the converter fitting 28 carried at the end of the dusting tool hose, the same has a cylindric shaped outer end portion 28a where it connects with the dusting tool hose, but immediately therebeyond it converges abruptly on all sides to form a. iiat sided extension 28h substantially rectangular in cross section and relatively shallow in depth, the contour of the converter member being readily apparent from Figures 5 and 6. The flattened end portionr28b of the converter fitting is perhaps 6 to 8 inches in length and quite straight with parallel edges except at its end portion 28o where one of .the narrow side walls assumes acurvilinear conopposite side wall to form va laterally facing inlet orentrance to the converter fitting, as-perhaps can best be seen in Figures 5 and '7. And further describing the contour at the outer end `of the converter fitting v28, it will be noted that the length of the laterally facing inlet opening is substantially equal to the diameter of the circular fan eye 3a to the fan chamber; and again, that the somewhat irregular linedenoting the bottom edge of the inlet to the converter member 28 conforms generally to a line passing diametrically through the center of the fan eye with a curvilinear recessed portion at the center thereof corresponding generally to the radius of the lower end of the fan shaft 6; and finally, that the upper wall portion of the curved end section of the converter fitting 28 has a substantially semicircular flanged recess 28d (Figure '7) having the same radius as the fan eye 3a. Thus when the `converter fitting is properly inserted, its end portion 28e extends transversely across the main air passage and completely seals or closes offthe space immediately below the fan eye by contact with the inner walls of the chamber, so that the flow of air is diverted from the nozzle to the dusting tool hose through 'the connection made by' more detailed description of the exact formation which the conversion is perform need not be set forth in any greater particul ty, inasmuch as the general type of converter member and method' of sealing off the entrance to the fan chamber from the main air inlet passage from the nozzle is disclosed in an application filed on April15, 1935, bearing Serial No. 16,381. In this earlier disclosure the converter fitting is designed to be inserted directly into the converter port withoutl any rocking movement, an arrangement quite practical since it does not contemplate the automatic actuation'of the nozzle adjusting mechanism. In the present arrangement, however, the converter fitting is initially inserted into the converter port from one angle (as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5) and then is simultaneously rocked forwardly asit is forced into its ultimate and completed position of conversion (as shown in 4full lines in Figure 5) to operate the nozzle elevating mechanism presently to be described.

But before doing so,r the several aids for guiding and directing the converter fitting 28 into its port. will be pointed out: In the first place, there is provided along the rearmost side of the converter passage, the guide member 30, heretofore identified as marking the entrance to the passage with its inwardly projecting nger 38a and immediately beyond the end of the nger, `a guide roller 34 journaled `on a vertical pin 34a; and finally, a guide flange 35 extends inwardly beyond the guide roller 34 to the bearing mem ber 32 at the inner end of passage. Also in the bottom wall of the casing 28 forming the converter passage is .an pwardly facing U-shaped groove 29a (Figure 2) slightly curved of the converter member and method inl to define the center line of the passage and ing from the bottom side thereof, this lug 36 being so located with relation to the guide slot 29a that upon presenting the end of the converter fitting to the converter port, the lug 36 enters the guide slot 29a and thus guides the tting inwardly in the proper path.

converter fitting' is an inclined cam member, the same being formed by the wedge-shaped forward end portion 3'la..of an otherwise fiat elongated housing 31 for a latch member for securing the converter fitting in its Vfinal position. 'I'hus u'pon inserting the fitting from the angle shown in dottedlines in Figure 5, the cam member 31a -first strikes the guide lip 30 and thence the guide roller 3l, the lattertending to throw the fitting .in a forward direction and at the same time `Now, along the rearwardly facing edge of the.

' acting as a fulcrum about which the fitting will 4naturally pivot as the same continues tobe forced endwise into the converter passage, until it finally comes to rest in converted position as shown in full lines in Figure 5. Obviously, the gate valve 3I is swung downwardly into open position when contacted by the end of the converter fitting as shown in Figure 6. l

And finally, the latching device for holding the converted fitting in its proper' position, once it has been fully inserted, is shown in Figure 6. The latch member 38 is preferably in the form of a thin blade pivoted near its inner end within the housing 31 and yieldingly held in latching position by a nat spring 38; The outer end of the latch member projectsowardly through aslot in the rear portionof its casing `to form a finger-piece 38a and immediately forward of the finger-piece is an upstanding detent 38h which co-acts with the bottom edge of the side-wall of the casing I, to hold the converter fitting in place until released by depressing the finger-piece 38a.

Referring now to the mechanism for adjusting the front carrier wheels in the forward rocking movement of the converter fitting 28, there is located just forwardly of the entrance to the converter port, an endwise shiftable bar 40 extending horizontally and in a fore and aft drection in alignment with the adjacent crank arm Ila of the wheel supporting shaft I1. This bar is supported intermediate its ends for sliding endwise movement at the lower end of a vertical post 4I depending from the top wall of the nozzle section 2. The end of said post carries a'screw 4Ia engaging a slot 40a extending generally lengthwise of ,the bar although it has a slight curvature so that as the bar is shifted endwise it is at the same time shifted laterally, to maintain the sliding bar in alignment with the crank arm Ha. The forward end of the sliding bar has abutting contact with the crank arm through the medium of a U-bend 40h, whereas it is pivotally connected at its rear end to the free end of a short link 42 extending substantially at right angles to the bar and laterally along the rear edge of the nozzle portion 2 of the cleaner casing. This link is pivotally supported at its outer end in a fixed U-shaped bracket 43 and turns on a vertical pivot pin 43a. A torsion .spring 44, coiled around the pivot pin 43a, acts upon the link 42 to swing it inwardly and'rearwardly and indirectly, to shift the sliding bar 40 into its normal position at the rearmost extremity of its endwise movement shown in Figure 2. At

- tion between these members.

the junction of the bar 40 and the link 42 is a small roller-45 journaled at the upper end portion of the pin 45a forming the pivotal connec- As clearly shown in Figures 1 and.4 this roller lies above the sliding bar 48 and in the plane of the converter fitting 28 with which it contacts when the latter is inserted into the converter port and then rocked forwardly in the act of completing the converting operation. Manifestly then, the converter fitting contacting the roller 45 produces a cam action which shifts the bar 40 in a forward direction bringing its forward end in contact with the crank arm Ha of theV wheel supporting shaft thereby swinging it forwardly and into a substantially vertical position, as shown in Figure 4, in which position the nozzle or forward portion of the cleaner casing is elevated to its maximum distance above the carpet surface. On the other hand, upon removing the converter fitting 28 in the act of restoring the cleaner to on-the-oor operation, the weight of the cleaner upon the wheels naturally causes the wheel supporting crank arms to oscillate in a counter clockwise direction and resume their normal position shown in Figure 1, this action taking place immediately upon the disengagement of the cam roller 45 by the converter fitting 28.

Thus to summarize the operation of converting the cleaner from on-the-floor to foff-the-fioor cleaning, it is only necessary to insert vthe converter fitting 28, carried at the end of the adjusting tool hose, into the converter port or opening (care being taken that the lateral opening in the forward end of the fitting is facing rearwardly and toward the center of the fan eye) and then it is simply a matter of forcing'the tting into place, its forward rocking movement being largely controlled by the several guides to the end, that the tting performs the task of automatically actuating 'the nozzle height adjusting mechanism without any particular effort on the part of the operator. And, as already stated, to restore the cleaner to normal on-theiioor operation, it is only necessary to release the latch member 38 and withdraw the converter fitting whereupon the gate valve 3l swings upwardly into closed position and the nozzle returns to its normal height setting as determinedv by the manually actuated adjusting device controlled through the externally mounted adjusting knob 21, this action being rendered possible f by the slip joint connection between the adjusting device proper and its connection with the wheel supporting shaft as hereinbefore set forth. Having set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner adapted to be converted to and from off-the-oor cleaning operation, the combination with suction producing means including a fan chamber, of a nozzle chamber, a passage leading from said nozzle chamber to said fan chamber, a converter port opening into. said passage from the exterior thereof and adapted to receive a converter member connected with one end of a dusting tool hose for closing off said passage, mechanism for raising the nozzle above the oor during converted operation comprising a shift lever positioned adjacent said port, and means for imparting a rocking movement to said converter member during its endwise movement into converting position to thereby actuate said shift lever.

2. In a suction cleaner, the combination with a suction producing unit including a fan mounted within a fan chamber, a nozzle chamber and a passage leading from said nozzle to an inlet opening to said fan chamber, of a port opening into said passage adjacent said inlet opening,

a converter member adapted to beconnectedwith a dusting tool hose and to be introduced endwise into said port, the latter having an outwardly aring passage leading thereto, whereby a limited rocking motion may be imparted to said converter member during its endwise move- `ment into converting position, and an adjustable wheel supporting member including a shiftable member mounted on said cleaner and positioned in the path of the rocking movement of said converter member.

3. In a suction cleaner, the combination with a suction producing unit including a fan mounted ,Wheel supporting member mounted on said cleaner, and a shiftable member positioned in the path of the rocking movement of said converter member and operatively connected with said adjustable wheel supporting member.

4. In a suction cleaner, the combination with a suction producing unit, a nozzle chamber leading to said'suction producing unit, means for converting said cleaner for dusting tool operation, comprising a converter member attached to to be inserted endwise into a port opening intov the space surrounding the inlet opening to said suction producing unit, means for guiding said iitting'endwise into said port from a predetermined angle and thence into its converting position with an accompanying bodily rocking movement through a predetermined angle and nozzle elevating mechanism having an operating member mounted in the path of said converter fitting and actuated in the rocking movement thereof.

5. In a suction cleaner, the combination with a suction producing unit and a nozzle chamber leading to said suction producing unit, of means for converting said cleaner for dusting tool operation, comprising a converter member adapted to be attached to one end of a hose and having an end portion insertable endwise into a normally closed port leading into` the space surrounding the inlet of suction producing unit, means for directing said converter member endwise into said port from a predetermined. angle and for imparting a limited rocking movement thereto during 'its endwise movement into converting position and nozzle elevating mechanism carried by said cleaner and operative by contact with said member in its rocking movement to elevate the nozzle during the period of dusting tool operation.

6. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a suction producing unit, a nozzle chamber and a passage connecting said nozzle chamber with said suction producing unit and having a valved port, a converter member connected at one enti` with a dusting tool hose and adapted to have its free end insertable through said port to vclose off said nozzle chamber from said suction producing unit, cam members in the path of said converter member acting to guide the same into said port with a rocking movement, nozzle height elevating mechanism mounted on said cleaner and an endwise shiftable bar having one end positioned to be operated by said converter mem,- ber during its rocking movement and operatively connected with said nozzle elevating mechanism.

7. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a suction producing unit, a nozzle chamber having a passage communicating with said suction producing unit through an inlet opening and having a port adjacent said opening, a valve member in said port normally closing the same, a passage leading to said port and having a nared entrance opening exterior .to the cleaner casing,

a converter member adapted to be connected at one end to a dusting tool hose and insertable endwise through said port to close oi said nozzle chamber from said suction producing unit and to establish communication therewith through said hose, guide members locatedin said passage for directing said converter member through said port at a predetermined initial angle and for imparting a subsequent limited rocking movement thereto, and nozzle height adjusting mechanism including a spring-pressed operating member adapted to be actuated by contact with said converter miemberv in its rocking movement to elevate said nozzle. g

8. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a ksuction producing unit, a nozzle chamber having a passage communicating with said suction producing unit through an inlet opening and having a port adjacent said opening, a valve member in said port and normally .closing the same, a passage. leading to said port and having a ilared entrance opening exterior to the cleaner l the purpose described.

casing, a converter member connected to one end of a dusting tool hose and adapted to be inserted into said passage and through said port to close off said nozzle chamber from-said suction producing unit, co-acting. guide members located in said passage and on said converter member for directing said converter member through said port at a predetermined angle and to impart a subsequent, rocking movement thereto, and nozzle height adjusting mechanism mounted on said cleaner adapted to be actuated by said converter member in its rocking movement to elevate'the nozzle.

9. In a suction cleaner, the combination of` a suction producing unit including a fan chamber, a motor driven ian mounted` in said fan chamber, a nozzle having a passage communicating with said fan chamber through a fan eye, a rotary member mounted in said nozzle, a motor driven shaft extending axially through said fan eye and into said passage, means connecting said shaft with said rotary member, said passage having a port opening laterally thereinto, a converter member adapted'to be inserted end- Wise through said port and transversely of said passage adjacent said fan eye; the inner end of said converter member being shaped to seat over to a portion of said fan eye and partially around said pulley shaft, and means for guiding said converter member in an arcuate path as it approaches its converting position.

10. In a suction cleaner, the combination of suctio-nproducing means, a nozzle communicating with said suction-producing means, an externally opening port leading to saidl suctionproducing means independently of said nozzle and adapted to have a converter member inverter member for imparting the said accompanying curvilinear movement to the latter for 11. In a suction cleaner, thecombination of suction-producing means including a fan. chamber, a nozzle chamber, a passage connecting said nozzle chamber with said fan chamber, an externally opening port leading into said passage and adapted to have a converter member inserted endwise therethrough withl a substantially straight line movement accompanied by a limited curvilinear movement to close oi said nozzle chamber 'from said fan chamber, and coacting guide members on said converter member and leading toward said port for imparting the'said accompanying curvilinear movement to said converter member for the purpose described.

12. In a suction cleaner, the combination of suction-producing means including a fan'cham- .ber and a motor-driven fan, a nozzle chamber having a passage leading to an inlet opening to said fan chamber, a rotary floor contacting member mounted in said nozzle chamber and driven by a belt and a pulley carried by said fan and extending through said inlet opening and into said passage, an externally opening port and adapted to have a converter member inserted endwise therethrough with its end portion traversing said passage adjacent the inlet to saidfan chamber to close off the same from said nozzle chamber, said converter member being provided. with a guide member adapted to contact coactng guide surfaces located along its path to impart a limited curvilinear movement to said converter member as it approaches its seat transversely oi said passage for the purpose described.

13. In a suction cleaner adapted to be con- 5 verted to and from 'oi-the-floor operation, the combination oi a suction-producing unit having a. fan chamber and a'nozzle chamber connected with said fan lchamber through an air inlet passage having an externally opening port-adapted 10 to have a converter member -inserted` endwise therethrough for closing off said passage adjacent its inlet to said fan chamber, a carpet contacting member rotatively mounted in said nozzle chamber, means for imparting a limited trans- 15 verse movement to said converter member during its endwise movement into converting position, and means operative by said converter member in its transverse movement to elevate the nozzle chamber portion of the cleaner suiiiciently to 20 raise said carpet contacting member out of contact with the carpet during oii-the-oor operat on. A

14. In a suction cleaner, the combination of\ a suction-producing unit including a fan chamber having an inlet opening, a motor-driven fan in said fan chamber, a nozzle (chamber having an air passage communicating with the inlet opening"to said fan chamber, a rotary agitator mounted in said nozzle chamber, a motor-driven pulley extending axially through said inlet opening and into said passage, a belt extending from said pulley to said agitator through said passage, thelatter having an externally opening valved port adapted to have a converter member inserted therethrough and into a position transversely of said passageA to close oi said inlet opening from said nozzle chamber, and coacting guide members on said converter member and adjacent said port and acting to guide the end vportion of said converter member around said pulley as it approaches its seat transversely of said passage.

' CHARLES H. TAYLOR.

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