US2227299A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 31, 1940. CRANMER 2,227,299

VACUUM CLEANER Original Filed Jan. 28, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 9 j a; l|l yr 31 --27 23a i 4 x 3 30 /6 i9 10 10 f0 v n K M 45'40a /7 f5 INVENTOR ii 2. .30 BY Dec. 31, 1940. G, H CRANMER 2,227,299

VACUUM CLEANER Original Filed Jan. 28, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Z 43 27 INVENTOIQ Dec. 31, 1940. CRANMER 2,227,299

VACUUM cLEAnfi R Original Filed Jan. 28, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 7W INVENTOR,

A ATTORh lEY Patented Dec. 31 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,221,299 vacuum creme Original application January 28, 1937, Serial No.

122,691. Divided and this application December 6, 1937, Serial No. 178,199

4 Claims. (01. 15-457) This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 122,691 died January 28, 1937.

My invention relates to vacuum cleaners and more particularly to suction nozzles for use in connection with vacuum cleaners.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved thread picking lip for a nozzle, which is both efficient in removing threads and other objects which tend to adhere to the surface of the rug, and which will not become clogged by threads or any object removed from the rug.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and of which:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view, partially in cross-section of the nozzle shown in Fig. 1, and is taken along the line 2--2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the nozzle shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a. cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the lines 55 of Figs. 2, 6 and 7;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, as seen from the rear, of a portion of the nozzle shown in preceding figures;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line l--! of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line llll of Fig. 3;

Fig. 11is a view similar to Fig. 6, but with certain of the parts in a different position;

Fig. 12 is a. cross-sectional view taken on the line l2-i2 of Fig. 11 and is similar to Fig. 5, but shows certain of the parts in a different position;

Fig. 13 is a front view, partially in cross-section, of a second embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 14 is an end view of the nozzle shown in Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a bottom view, partially in crosssection, of the nozzle shown in Figs. 13 and 14;

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lines l6| 6 of Figs. 13 and 15;

Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line ll-I'l of Fig. 15;

Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line l8-l8 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lines l9-l 9 of Fig. 15 and Fig. 20; and

Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 20-20 of Fig. 19.

Referring to the drawings, reference character I0 designates generally my improved nozzle. The nozzle l0 includes a hollow body member ll provided with an elongated suction opening i2 at what is normally the bottom of the nozzle and a small circular opening i3 at what is normally the top of the nozzle. Opening I3 is formed in a substantially flat surface I4 provided with grooves l5 extending tangential to the opening. The rear wall It of the hollow body is formed with a circular opening which rotatably receives a hollow elbow member ii. The horizontal end of elbow is closed by a wall l8 which abuts against the forward wall l9 of the body II, and the elbow is secured in place by means of .a screw 20 threaded into wall l8 and having a. head received in a recess 2i formed in the forward wall. A portion of the cylindrical wall of elbow H in alignment with openings l2 and I3 is cut away, as is shown at 22. In the position of the parts. shown, particularly in Fig. 4, openingl3 is closed by elbow il while opening I2 communicates with the interior of the elbow through the opening 22. If the nozzle body is rotated through 180 around elbow i'l, thus bringing opening i3 to the bottom and opening I2 to the top, the opening l3 will communicate with the interior of the elbow while the opening l2 will be closed.

Opening I2 is bounded by rear wall l6, forward wall [9 and end walls 23 and 24. The lower edge or lip of forward wall i9 is preferably formed with a smooth face 25, while the lips of end walls 23 and 24 are likewise formed with smooth faces 26 and 21, respectively. Faces 26 and 21 are slightly arcuate, as may be seen particularly in Fig. 12. 'The lower edge of rear wall I6 is formed with a semi-cylindrical groove 28 in which is ro tatably received a rod 29, as shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 9. A portion of the surface of rod 29 is smooth and cylindrical, while another portion thereof is formed with a plurality of teeth 30. The outer surface contacting faces 3| of the teeth are straight. A lengthwise slot 32 intersects teeth 30 dividing the teeth into outer portions 33 and inner portions 34. The depth of the crosswise slots 35 formed between the teeth 30 varies from a maximum at the outer end of the slot 5 to a minimum at the inner end thereof which communicates with the nozzle opening l2. This reduction in depth results in a decrease in the cross-sectional area of each slot.

Rigldly secured to one end of rod 29 is an arm 35. The-arm may be secured to the rod by means of a pin 36. The arm is provided with a finger engaging piece 31 and with a finger engaging notch 38. A recess 39 is formed in forward wall l9 for receiving arm 35 when in the position shown, and a recess 46 receives the arm when in. a position substantially 180 from the first position. A fiat spring 46a is disposed between arm 35 and end wall 23 for frictionally resisting turning of the arm and rod 29.

The end of rod 29 to which arm 35 is secured is formed with a cylindrical projection 4| which is adapted to be received in a cylindrical bore formed in end wall 23. The opposite end of rod 29 is formed with a recess into which extends a pin 42 carried by end wall 24. The rod 29-is thus rotatably retained within the semi-cylindrical groove 26 and may be turned through 186 by turning arm 35 against the friction of spring 46a. With the arm in the position shown in Figs. 3, 4,

'1 and 8 the teeth are exposed, while if the arm is I rotated through approximately 180, the teeth are turned to a position within the groove 28 and the smooth cylindrical face of the rod is exposed. Accidental rotation of the rod is prevented by spring 46a. and, when the nozzle is on the fioor, by the fact that the end of the arm 35 must project below the bottom of the nozzle in order to be turned from one position to the other.

End walls 23 and 24 extend rearwardlybeyond rear wall I6 to form wing portions 45 and 46. The smooth faces 26 and 21 thus have a greater contact area than they wouldif the end walls terminated at rear wall I6. Each end wall is formed with a recess extending inwardly from its smooth face 45 and 46, respectively, and members 41 and 48 are movably positioned within these recesses. Inasmuch as members 41 and 48 are. identical, only the member 41 located at the left end of the nozzle as viewed in Fig. 2 need be described. Member 41 is provided with a surface contacting face 49 which conforms in contour with the face 26 of end wall.23 and forms a substantial part of this face. Member 41 is pivotally secured within the recess by means of a pin 56 having a head 5| threaded into the outer portion 23a of end wall 23 and having a shank 52 extending through a cylindrical opening in member 41 and engaging a recess formed in the inner portion 23b of the end wall. Pin 56 is located about opposite the end of forward wall i9, that is, near the front of the nozzle.

Member 41 is formed with a bore 53 within tends into a recess 55 formed in the upper horizontal portion 230 of the end wall 23. The effect of spring 54 is to yieldingly project member 41 to the position shown in Fig. 12 where its face 49 extends beyond the face 26 of the end wall. I

Member 41 is formed with a slot 51 within which is received a flat portion of a latch member 58. A pin 59 is threaded into member 41 and extends through a circular hole in latch 58, whereby the latch is pivotable about the pin. The latch is formed with an opening 66 of suflicient size so that spring 54 may pass therethrough without cpntacting the latch regardless of the position of the latter. Latch 5.8 includes a knurled or roughened portion 6|, at right angles to the fiat portion,

the latch back and forth. From the upperpart of portion 6| there extends another portion 62 having projections 66 and 64 atopposite sides. Outer portion 23a of the end wall is formed with a narrow slot 65 while inner portion 23b is formed with a comparatively wide slot 66. When the latch member is in the position shown in Fig.6.

with projection 63 received within narrow slot-.

65, it holds member 41 in a position with its face 49 flushed with face 26 of the end wall, On the other hand, when latch 56 is pivoted to the position shown in Fig. 11, projection 64 engages within slot 66 and limits the distance which spring 54 is able to project the member 41.

A rigid tubular member 16 is adapted to be secured within the outer end of elbow l1 and serves as a handle for moving the nozzle over the fioor. Tubular member 16 also serves to connect the interior of elbow l1 with a suitable source of suction through the medium of a flexible base.

The operation of the abovedescribed device is as follows:

For cleaning an ordinary rug, rod 29 is rotated to a position in which its smooth face is exposed. The nozzle, being connected to a source of suc-' tion as above described, is moved forward and backward over the surface. Air flows into the nozzle through the opening l2. A portion of this air is drawn through the material of the rug while the remainder passes underneath the nozzle lips. Thus, dirt imbedded in the rug or lying on its upper surface is removed by the air and carried to the vacuum cleaner unit.

In the event that an occasional thread is encountered on the rug which adheres to the surface of the rug so strongly that the air flowing into opening i2 does not remove it, the nozzle body i6 may be rotated through around elbow l1 so as to bring the small opening l3 into contact with the ms. The more concentrated fiow of air combined with the whirling produced by the tangential grooves i5 will remove the thread.

If there is a comparatively large number of threads on the rug, it would be inconvenient to go over the entire rug with the small nozzle opening l3. In this event, rod 29 is turned to the position shown particularly in Figs. 3, 7 and 9 so that the teeth 36 are exposed. Most of the air drawn into thenozzle now passes through the grooves 33 between the teeth. This results in a much greater flow of air under the rear lip than was the case previously when both the rear and the front lips were smooth. This greater fiow of air is better able to remove threads, lint and other materials which cling to the surface of the rug.

Due to the fact that the cross-sectional area of grooves 33 decreases towardthe inner ends of the grooves, the velocity of air increases as it passes through the grooves. This increased velocity near the inner ends of the grooves and in the region of lengthwise groove 32 tends to prevent threads and the like from getting caught in the lengthwise grooves, and around the inner portions 34 or the teeth. This effect is increase by 10- cating the lengthwise grooves 34 close to t e inner ends of the cross-wise grooves 33.

If the nozzle has a tendency to chatter as it is moved back and forth over the rug, latches 58 are moved from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 11, thereby releasing the spring-pressed members 41 and 48. The strength of spring 54 is such that, upon forward movement of the nozzle when the operator naturally bears down on tubular member 16, the members 41 and which may be contacted with the finger to pivot 48 are forced into the recesses so'that the faces 75 48 are substantially flushed with the faces of the end walls, and the nozzle operates as above described. However, on the rearward stroke of the nozzle, the operator does not bear down on the tubular member 18 and the springs 84 are able to project the members 41 and 48 to the position shown in Fig. 12. In this position, the faces 48 project beyond the faces 28 and 21 of the end ,walls and thus raise the entire nozzle a slight distance from the floor. This distance is sufficient to raise the lengthwise lips from the rug, and hence these lips do not have to bend the nap, which, as previously stated, causes the chattering.

In Figs. 13 through 20 there is shown a nomle in accordance with a second embodiment of my invention. This nozzle diifers from that previously described chiefly with respect to, first, the

toothed bar forming the rear lip of suction opening I 2, and second, the latch device for the members 41 and 48. The members and elements which are similar in the two embodiments have been designated by the same reference characters and a repetition of the description thereofis not necessary.

In the embodiment .now under consideration the toothed bar forming the rear lip of the nozzle is not rotatable, as it was in the first embodiment, but is rigidly fixed in the nozzle body. This rod, designated by reference character 88, is formed at one end'with a portion 8| of reduced diameter which is received within an opening formed in portion 23b of the end wall 23. The other end of the rod is formed with two flattened wing portions 82 and, as will be seen particularly in Figs. 19 and 20, these wing portions are adapted to be received in a slot 83 extending upwardly from the bottom face of portion 24b of end wall 24. The central part of slot 83 is enlarged so as to receive a pin 84 which extends into a bore 88 formed in rod 88. Thus, the wing portions 82 received in slot 83 prevent rotation of the rod while pin 84, the diameter of which is bigger than the end portions of the slot 83, holds the wing portions in-the slot. Pin 84 may be inserted before member 48 is secured in place. When the latter member is secured in place it prevents accidental removal of the pin.

Rotatably mounted on rod 88 is a tubular masking member 88. Member 88 is not a complete cylinder, but is formed with a portion cut away so as to provide an open space 81. The left hand end of member 88, as viewed in Fig. 15, encloses a bushing 88 rotatably mounted on the extension 8| of rod 88. Bushing 88 is formed with a rib 88 which engages within a slot 88 formed in masking member 88, whereby relative rotation between the bushing and the masking member is prevented. Integral with bushing 88 is a handle member 8I which may be rotated through approximately 180 from the position shown in Figs. 15 to a position in which the end of the handle is received in a recess 92. A spring 83 is disposed between bushing 88 and portion 23b of end wall 23 to prevent accidental rotation of the bushing.

In the position of the handle 8| and masking member 88 shown particularly in Figs. 15 and 18, the masking member serves to cover the teeth 38 of rod 88, thus presenting the smooth outer face of the masking member to the surface undergoing cleaning. If it is desired to employ the teeth 38, the handle 8| is turned through approximately 180, as above described so as to bring the opening 81 of the masking member in alignment with the teeth 38, whereby the teeth are exposed.

The latch mechanism for members 41 and 48 includes a latch member 88 slidable with respect to the member 41 or 48. Inasmuch as both latch mechanisms are the same only the one used in conjunction with member 41 will be described. Member 41 is formed with a horizontally extending slot 88, a vertically extending recess 81, a horizontally extending recess 88, and a vertically extending slot 88. Latch member 88 includes a portion I88 disposed in slot' 88, a portion |8| disposed in recess 81, a portion I82 disposed in recess 88 and a portion I83 disposed in slot 88. A spring I84 is disposed behind portion |8| within recess 81 and serves to prevent unintended movement of the latch member 88. Portion I82 of the latch member is formed with projections I88 and I88, which correspond to similar projections 83 and 84, shown particularly in Figs. 6 and 11. The length of the latch member is somewhat less than the width of member 41 whereby it may be slid with respect to member 41 so that projection I88 may extend into the narrow slot 88 formed in outer portion 23a of end wall 23, or so that projection I88 may extend into the wide slot 88 formed in the inner portion 23b of the end wall. With the latch in the former position, member 41 is held with its lower face 48 substantially flush with the lower face 28 of end wall 23. When the latch is moved to the latter position, that is with projection I88 extending into slot 88, spring 54 is able to pivot member 41 about pin 58 to an extent which is limited by the projection striking the bottom of the slot.

The embodiment just described may be used in the same manner to accomplish the same results as has been described in connection with the first embodiment. Consequently, a repetition of the description of the operation is not necessary.

While I have shown two more or less specific embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that this has been done forpurposes of illustration only, and that the scope of my invention is to be limited only by the appended claims when viewed in the light of the prior art.

What I claim is:

1. A suction nozzle including a hollow body having lips formed with surface contacting faces and defining a nozzle opening, the face of at least one of said lips being formed with a lengthwise groove and a plurality of grooves extending across said face and intersecting said lengthwise groove, the cross-wise grooves communicating at their inner ends with saidnozzle opening and at their outer ends with the atmosphere and having a greater cross-sectional area at their outer ends than at their inner ends, the lengthwise groove being located closer to the inner ends of the crosswise grooves than to their outer ends.

2. A suction nozzle as defined in claim 1 in which the cross-sectional area of the cross-wise grooves decreases substantially evenly from their outer ends toward their inner ends.

3. A suction nozzle including a hollow body having lips formed with surface contacting faces and defining a nozzle opening, the face of at least one of said lips including a substantially cylindrical member formed with two'rows of teeth, the teeth of each row being separated by transverse grooves and the rows being separated by a longitudinal groove, the lower faces of said teeth being substantially fiat, the transverse grooves communicating at their inner ends with said nozzle opening and at their outer ends with the atmosphere, the lengthwise groove being located closer to the inner ends of the transverse grooves than to their outer ends.

4. A suction nozzle ,dncluding a hollow body communicating at their inner ends with said having lips'formed with surface contacting faces nozzle opening and at their outer ends with the and defining a nozzle opening, the face of at least. atmosphere and having a greater cross-sectional one of said lips including a substantially cyline area at their outer ends than at their inner ends,

drical member formed with two rows of teeth, the lengthwise groove being locatedcloser to the the teeth of each row being separated by transe inner ends of the transverse grooves than to their verse grooves and the rows being separated by a outer ends. V v longitudinal groove, the lower facesof said teeth GEORGE HORACE CRANMER. being substantially fiat, the transverse grooves v

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