US2658229A

US2658229A - Suction cleaning tool having an air pressure actuated nozzle area varying means

Info

Publication number: US2658229A
Application number: US56850A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald G Smellie
Original assignee: Hoover Co
Current assignee: Hoover Co
Priority date: 1948-10-27
Filing date: 1948-10-27
Publication date: 1953-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1970-11-10
Also published as: FR998191A; GB659039A; NL149543B; NL76087C

Description

Nov. 10, 1953 s. SMELLIE 2,658,229 SUCTION CLEANING TOOL HAVING AN AIR PRESSUURE ACTUATED NOZZLE AREA VARYING MEANS Filed Oct. 27, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Dona [d 6. J'mellie ATTORNEY.

Fig.2

D. G. SMELLIIE SUCTION CLEANING TOOL HAVING ACTUATE Nov. 10, 1953 2,658,229

AN AIR PRESSURE n NOZZLE AREA VARYING MEANS Filed 001;. 27. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 1 1 v1 A A P INVENTOB. Donald & Smellie BY ATTORNEY.

Nov. 10, 1953 D. G. SMELLIE 2,658,229 SUCTION CLEANING TOOL HAVING AN AIR PRESSURE ACTUATED NOZZLE AREA VARYING MEANS Filed Oct. 27. 1948 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I N VEN TOR.

Donald 0. Jmellie ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 10, 1953 SUCTION CLEANING TOOL HAVING AN PRESSURE AOTUATED NOZZLE AREA VARYING MEANS Donald G. Smellie, Canton, Ohio, asslfgnor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application. October 27, 1948, Serial No..56,850

12 Claims, (Cl. 15-9373) The present invention relates to the art of Suetion cleaners and more particularly to a floor cleaning tool adapted for attachment to the opere ating end of a flexible manipulatable suction hose or tube.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a surface cleaning tool construction in which the effective nozzle area may be varied at the will of the operator by suitable manipulation of the suction tube to which it is attached.

It is a more particular object of the present in.-. vention to provide a suction cleaning tool so constructed that the effective nozzle area may be selectively varied from a large normal cleaning nozzle to a small area high air velocity cleaning nozzle in which change from one to the other is accomplished by an air motor under the control of the operator.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a surface cleaning tool including a cleaning brush which is movable into and out of surface cleaning position at the will of the opere ator of the mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds when talzen in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 illustrates the suction cleaning tool forming the subject matter of the present invention partly in front sectional elevation and connected to a suction cleaning device shown on a small scale;

Figure 2 is a large scale view taken substantially along the line 2.-2 of Figure l and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along the line 3.3 of Figure. l and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is an exploded view showing the component parts of the cleaning tool forming the present invention;

Figure 5 is a View taken substantially along the lines 5-5 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of a modification of the invention.

Refer ing now to the drawing and first to Figure 1 thereof, there is shown a suction cleaner 1 of the so-called tank type which is connected by means of a suction tube 2 to a cleaning toolgenerally designated as 3. Customarily the suction hose 2 comprises a flexible suction connected to the cleaner which terminates in an elongated rigid suction tube forming an operative handle or wand for manipulating the tool 3 upon the surface undergoing cleaning.

nann es mo e parti ular y o Figures ended-1e ean n oo ow a comprising a ma n body por ion 4 whi h includes a e Wall a bott m p ate 5- ha n nozzle p g 1 end walls 2} leaving the front portion The body portion 4 is provided witre r a dly roj cted. hollow leev 9 which n to all eng ge a d supp t a c e n e bow 1-9 to which th su o u 2 is c nn c d and secured in suitable manner. The rear wall 5 is. provided with an opening I2 aligned with the interior oi the sleeve to communicate the interior of housing 4. with the suction tube or elhow H),

he to a d; s de edg de n n th Opening n. he. tor-ward por o o f om ort o b the nd a o id w a s e or land '3 et inwardly of the outer faces of the walls of the body 4. lhe body A is also provided with a short upstanding front wall portion l4 defining the lower edge of the. front opening therein. A fluid pressure, motor seats in. the opening in. the body 4' and consists of a flexible sealing membrane 26 having laterally projecting top and side edge cures them into position in the nozzle body .4 and.

also forms an air sea]. therearound. The front closure i8 is provided with a plurality of securing tabs. 19 adapted to seat within depressions 20 in the body 4 formed for that purpose. Suitable securing studs 21 pass through the tabs and engage. into the body of the nozzle structure 4 to secure the various, parts thereof together. By this means the fluid motor construction, to be descri ed mor ful y e na er is c pl te y sealed within the interior of the nozzle body structure 4 and the. front closure plate It. 4

The membrane 26 or the fluid motor forms a bellows and is. made of flexible material such as rubber, leather or flexible plastic which is readily deformable and is impervious to air. The flexible membran 21.5 has a flexin be d r s m l 27 adjacent the inner face of the top wall of the casing 4. The membrane 25- extends the full length of the nozzle housing and is provided with end walls 28 carrying the end flanges l5 which are engagedwi-th the end wall seats of the housing 4' as heretofore described. The bottom and end walls of the membrane 26 are provided with a bellows fold 29. By reason of the sealing en:

gagement between the flanges |5--|6 of the air motor structure, the walls of the housing 4, and the cover plate 3 an hermetically sealed chamber 32 is formed between the membrane 26 and the cover plate l8. Interiorly of the nozzle structure the bellows carries a rigid metallic plate 36 having a curved bottom wall portion 3| which rests upon the longitudinal portion of the bottom plate 6 of the housing 4 which defines one edge of the main nozzle opening 1. The plate 30-3| is securely fastened to the membrane 26 to move therewith.

The plate 36, and the membrane 26, are provided with a central indented portion 33 extending approximately through the central third of the full length of the plate 36. The depression 33 forms a secondary nozzle opening as will be more fully developed hereinafter.

The central portion of the cover plate I8 includes a domed shaped sector 34 which matches with a domed shaped section 35 on the main body 4 forming a projection of the sleeve 9. As shown most clearly in Figure 2, the domed shaped section 34 is provided with an opening 36 into the chamber 32 which matches with an opening 31 formed in the portion 35 of the main housing 4. The portion 35 of the main housing 4 is provided with a sealing gasket 38 to form an air seal with that portion of the dome 34 positioned above the sealing flange |5 of the membrane 26.

As shown most clearly in Figures 2 and 5, a ring shaped valve plate 46 is mounted in the sleeve 9 between the end of the connecting elbow I6 and the inner rear wall 5 of the main body 4. The central opening in the ring 46 coincides with the opening l2 in the wall 5 to provide free communication through the elbow l6 into the interior of the nozzle structure. The ring 46 is provided with one opening 4| which is adapted when in operating position to communicate the opening 3631 with the interior of the elbow I6 to subject the chamber 32 to the suction pressure. The ring 46 is provided with a passageway 42 angularly spaced from the passageway 4| adapted when in operating position to communicate with the

openings

36 and 31 and with an exterior opening 43 in the sleeve 9 by reason of which it communicates the chamber 32 with the exterior atmosphere. The ring valve 46 is rotatably mounted in its seat against the wall 5 and is provided a with a peripheral groove 44, see Figure 5, having right and left hand terminal shoulders and 46 respectively. The end of the elbow I6 is provided with a projecting tongue 41 which projects into the groove 44 in position to engage the

shoulders

45 and 46 when suitably rotated. If the elbow I6 is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 5, the tongue 41 engages shoulder 45 to rotate the valve ring 46 a distance sufficient to align the passageways 31 and 42 which subjects the chamber 32 to atmospheric pressure. If on the other hand the elbow I6 is rotated in a clockwise direction the tongue 41 will engage shoulder 46 and rotate the valve 46 in a clockwise direction to align the openings 4| and 31 and subject the chamber 32 to the suction pressure prevailing in the elbow W. The tongue 41 is so positioned with respect to the

shoulders

45 and 46 that a considerable free range of movement on either side of the vertical plane is allowed the operator of the wand for manipulating the cleaning tool without shifting the valve. The operator must rock the wand a slight distance beyond a normal operating rocking movement in order to actuate the valve 46.

The ring valve 46 is supplied with a small spring tab 56 adapted to engage in suitable depressions 5| in the edge of the opening l2. The depressions 5| are so located that the spring tab 56 engages in one or the other when the valve ring 46 is in position to align

openings

31 and 4| or 31 and 42.

In the position of the apparatus shown in Figure 2, the interior of chamber 32 is subjected to atmospheric pressure through the passageway 3631, 42 and 43 whereas the outer face of the plate 36 and membrane 26 is subjected to the suction pressure of the apparatus, hence the bellows expands to the position shown in Figure 2 and the plate 36 abuts the rear wall 5 of the main casting shutting off the nozzle opening 1 from the suction efiect prevailing in the elbow |6 except for the small nozzle opening 52 which is defined by the space provided between the indentation 33 in the plate 36 and the rear wall 5 of the main housing. This forms a narrow, short, suction nozzle hence the air velocity through this nozzle will be very high as compared to that prevailing when the full nozzle 1 is in operation. This is the condition which prevails for the purpose of picking up threads and similar litter which are difiicult to remove with the normal suction nozzle in operation. The indented portion of the plate 36 carries a plate 53 which projects to the plane of the bottom portion of the main casting so as to form a front lip for the high velocity nozzle opening 52. When the operator twists the wand in the opposite direction to align the

passageways

36, 31 and 4|, the chamber 32 is subjected to the suction pressure prevailing in the elbow ID. This is also the pressure which is acting upon the outer face of the plate 36 producing a balanced condition on each side of the bellows structure formed by the membrane 26. When this condition prevails, the bellows is collapsed under the action of leaf springs 55 mounted on the opposite end walls 8 of the housing 4. The ends of the leaf springs 55 bear against the outer face of the plate 36 and collapse the bellows until the projecting rear nozzle lip element 53 strikes the front margin of the wall 6. When this condition prevails, the full nozzle 1 is open to the elbow l6 and normal cleaning with the suction tool may proceed.

A brush housing 66 is carried by the rear face of the wall 5 in casing 4. A surface cleaning bristled brush 6| is mounted within the housing 66 upon stud pins 62. C011 springs 63 surround the studs 62 and urge the brush 6| upwardly into the housing 66 in off the surface non-cleaning position. One face of the backing of the brush 6| is beveled as shown in Figure 2 and is adapted to cooperate with a beveled wedge 65 positioned against the top wall of the chamber 66. The wedge 65 is connected to the plate 36 of the air motor by means of a linkage 66. In the position shown in Figure 2, the wedge 65 is advanced and has urged the brush 6| into surface engaging position against the bias of the spring 63. When the control valve 46 is actuated by the operator to shift to normal wide nozzle operation the bellows collapses opening the nozzle 1 and simultaneously withdrawing the wedge 65 from position above the brush 6|. When this occurs the springs 63 lift the brush upwardly into the interior of the housing 66 into a non-operative non-cleaning position.

The lower front edge of the plate I6 is secured to the bottom portion of the body 4 by securing studs which extend through tabs 16 projecting from the lower edge of the plate l8. A soft resilient furniture guard ll of rubber, plastic or similar material extends around the lower portion of the nozzle construction except for that portion of the back of the nozzle housing occupied by the brush chamber 60. The furniture guard Ii overlies the joint between the housing sections #3 and I8 and flange I6 of the flexible membrane 26 thus sealing this portion of the apparatus and hiding the joints from view.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figure 6. This form of the invention is identical with that heretofore described in connection with Figures 1 to 5 except with respect to the details of the narrow nozzle opening. Those portions of the apparatus of Figure 6 which are identical with corresponding por-,- tions of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 are given the same reference characters distinguished by the addition of a prime.

In the Figure 6 form of the invention the narrow nozzle extends the full extent of the nozzle opening consequently the plate 86 which corresponds to the plate 38 of the Figure 1 form of the invention is not provided with an indented portion but straight for the full length of the nozzle opening. Expanding movement of the bellows structure and the plate 88 is limited by stop lugs 8| which project inwardly from the inner face of the wall 5' of the casing 4. In thi form of the invention therefore the length of the nozzle is the same under all conditions of use. The nozzle is however changed from a wide normal nozzle 1 to a very narrow elongated nozzle opening 83 when high air velocity cleaning is desired.

In each form of the present invention it is contemplated that the bellows which actuate the floor contacting brush and the nozzle plate which reduces the size of the cleaning orifice shall be controlled by a valve which is actuated by manipulation of the wand or hose upon which the cleaning tool is carried.

In accordance with the present invention mean are provided for selectively varying the cleaning nozzle area by means of an air motor which is under the control of the operator of the machine through manipulation of the handling rod or wand upon which the tool is mounted.

While I have illustrated and described the invention in considerable detail, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the arrangement, proportion and construction of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cleaning tool comprising a body having a cleaning nozzle air inlet, a hollow wand for connecting said tool to a source of suction and for manipulating said tool, means providing a swivel connection between said wand and said body, movable means for varying the effective area of said cleaning nozzle, an air motor arranged to operate said movable means, valve means for controlling the operation of said air motor, and means operated by swivelling movement of said wand with respect to said body beyond a predetermined point for operating said valve means.

2. A device of the character described comprising a surface cleaning nozzle body having a surface engaging air inlet cleaning nozzle and a manipulating wand for connecting said nozzle to a source of suction, means for reducing reducing means into and out of operative re.-. -lation to said air inlet nozzle, and means for selectively subjecting the interior of said bellows to atmospheric pressure and suction pressure.

3. A cleaning tool having an air inlet surface cleaning nozzle, a manipulating wand adapted to connect said tool to a source of suction and connected to said tool for swivelling movement with respect thereto, a surface cleaning brush mounted on said tool for movement between inoperative and surface engaging positions, means biasing said brush to one of said positions, an air motor on said tool connected to move said brush to the other of said positions, valve means controlling theoperation of said air mo! tor, and means operated by swivelling move ment of said wand with respect to said tool for operating said valve means to determine the position of said brush with respect to the surface being cleaned.

4. A suction air surface cleaning nozzle structure of the type having a passageway therethrough for cleaning air extending from a cleaning air inlet nozzle means to an exhaust connector adapted to be connected to a source of suction and means movable between a first position in which said nozzle structure is conditioned to operate at a first nozzle inlet air velocity to a second position in which said nozzle structure is conditioned to operate at a second nozzle air inlet velocity which is higher than said first nozzle air inlet velocity characterized by the provision of an air motor structure connected to operate said movable means to either of said positions, a control valve meansfor said air motor including a member movable to connect said air motor selectively to said passageway 01' to the atmosphere to cause said air motor to operate said movable means to a selected one of said positions, and means for operating said movable member.

5. A cleaning tool adapted to be connected to a source of suction having a suction air passageway therethrough terminating in an air inlet cleaning nozzle, a surface cleaning brush movably mounted on said cleaning tool for movement between a first position in which said brush is positioned to engage a surface to be cleaned and a second position in which said brush is shifted above the plane of the surface engaging portions of said cleaning tool, an air motor in said tool connected to move said brush to said first position when activated, spring means urging said brush to said second position manually operable means for selectively connecting said air motor to the atmosphere to deactivate the same or to said passageway to activate the same whereby said brush may be moved into and out of either of said positions during suction air cleaning operation.

6. A suction air cleaning tool of the type having means movable to a plurality of positions to vary the cleaning air velocity characterized by the provision of a surface cleaning brush mounted on said body for movement into and out of surface engaging position, means for simultaneously operating said movable means and said brush including an air motor operatively connected to said brush and said movable means to vary the cleaning air velocity and the position of said brush simultaneously, means including a movable valve element for selectively connecting said air motor to the atmosphere or to a portion of said tool subject to suction air pressure, and manually operated, means for operating said valve element to regulate the operation of said air motor.

7. A suction air surface cleaning tool of the type having means movable selectively to first and second positions for converting said tool to high and low air velocity cleaning operation respectively and a suction air passageway terminated in a swivelled air exhaust and manipulating wand connector characterized by the provision of an air motor connected to operate said movable means, a control valve structure for controlling the operation of said air motor including a member movable to first position and a second position to connect said air motor to the atmosphere and to said passageway respectively, and means on said swivelled air exhaust member for engaging said valve member to move the same to said first and second positions as said air exhaust member is swivelled beyond a normal range of swivelling motion on opposite sides of a normal neutral position.

8. A suction cleaning tool comprising a body having an air inlet nozzle, means for connecting said body to a source of suction, a plate having a notch in one edge thereof, means mounting said plate in said body for movement to and from a position in which said plate blocks flow of cleaning air into said nozzle except through said notch, a bellows in said body arranged to operate said plate, a valve structure in said body movable between two positions in one of which the interior of said bellows is open to the asmosphere and in the other of which the interior of said bellows is open to said source of suction, and means for moving said valve structure to a selected one of said positions,

9. A surface cleaning tool comprising a body portion having a surface contacting face formed with an air inlet cleaning nozzle, said body portion having an air outlet adapted to be connected to a source of suction and wall members defining an air flow passageway from said nozzle to said air outlet, a casing element and flexible bellows secured to said body portion to define a sealed air chamber therewith, one of said wall members being mounted for movement by said bellows with respect to the other of said wall members, a nozzle varying member mounted for movement by said movable wall member to vary the area of said air inlet nozzle in said surface contacting face, a valve structure including a part movable between two positions in one of which said air chamber is connected to the atmosphere and in the other of which said air chamber is connected to said air flow passageway, resilient means biasing said movable wall to move in a direction to contract said bellows, and means for operating the movable part of said valve structure.

10. A surface cleaning tool comprising a body portion having a surface contacting face formed with an air inlet cleaning nozzle, said body portion having an air outlet adapted to be connected to a source of suction and wall members defining an air flow passageway from said nozzle to said air outlet, a casing element and flexible bellows secured to said body portion to define a sealed air chamber therewith, one of said wall members being mounted for movement by said bellows with respect to the other of said wall members, a nozzle varying member mounted for movement by said movable wall member to vary the area of said air inlet nozzle in said surface contacting face, a surface cleaning brush mounted on said tool, means biasing said brush out of surface engaging position, means operated by movement of said movable wall in a direction to restrict the effective area of said nozzle for moving said brush to surface contacting position, a valve structure including a part movable between two positions in one of which said air chamber is connected to the atmosphere and in the other of which said air chamber is connected to said air flow passageway, resilient means biasing said movable wall to move in a direction to contract said bellows, and means for operating the movable part of said valve structure.

11. A cleaning tool for suction cleaning apparatus comprising a body portion having a surface engaging part provided with a suction cleaning air inlet nozzle opening, means for varying the area of said air inlet nozzle in said surface engaging part, a surface cleaning brush mounted on said body portion for movement to and from surface cleaning position, an air motor for operating said nozzle area varying means and connected to move said brush to surface engaging position when said nozzle area varying means is operated to restrict the area of said nozzle, valve means for controlling said air motor, and means for operating said valve means.

12. A cleaning tool comprising a nozzle body adapted to be connected to a source of suction and having a surface engaging suction air inlet cleaning nozzle, movable means for varying the efiective air inlet area of said cleaning nozzle, a bellows having a movable wall subjected to the suction air pressure applied to said nozzle and connected to actuate said movable means, and valve means for selectively subjecting the interior of said bellows to atmospheric pressure and said suction air pressure.

DONALD G. SMELLIE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,055,771 Matchette et al. Mar. 11, 1913 1,129,817 Tangeman Oct. 23, 1915 1,471,671 Voelker Oct. 23, 1923 1,519,192 Dempsey Dec. 16, 1924 1,904,974 Hoover Apr. 18, 1933 1,908,284 Butcher et al. May 9, 1933 1,925,354 White Sept. 5, 1933 1,970,290 Ernzer Aug. 14, 1934 2,275,357 Gaines Mar. 3, 1942 2,314,081 Dow Mar. 16, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 116,997 Austria Mar. 25, 1930 464,374 France Jan. 12, 1914 467,730 Germany Oct. 31, 1928 667,452 Germany Nov. 11, 1938