US2880447A

US2880447A - Multiple purpose nozzle

Info

Publication number: US2880447A
Application number: US451174A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oliver L Allen
Original assignee: Electrolux Corp
Current assignee: Electrolux Corp
Priority date: 1954-08-20
Filing date: 1954-08-20
Publication date: 1959-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 1976-04-07

Description

man a--1 A ril 7, 1959 O. L. ALLEN MULTIPLE PURPOSE NOZZLE Filed Aug. 20, 1954 INVENTOR United States Patent 2,880,447 MULTIPLE PURPOSE NOZZLE Oliver L. Allen, Riverside, 'Conn.,

Corporation, Old Greenwich, Conn., Delaware Application August 20, 1954, Serial No. 451,114 2 Claims. (61.15-417) a corporation of ber 180 around the conduit, such rotation at the same,

time shifting a valve so as to connect the proper nozzle to the source of suction. However, such an arrangement imposes a limitation on the minimum height of the tool, inasmuch as such height the diameter of the smallest suction conduit which is capable of transmitting the desired air flow. Especially in a combination tool for use on the floor, it is advantageous to have the overall height of thetool as small as possible in order that it may be used under low furniture and it is one of the objects of my invention to provide a combination rug nozzle and floor brush having such minimum height.

In accordance with my invention this is accomplished by using a suction conduit having a noncircular crosssection with the minor axis thereof extending in a vertical direction. This of course makes it impossible to have the cleaning tool rotatably mounted on the suction conduit, and in order to turn rotatably connected to another suction conduit, preferably in the form of an elbow, and the suction conduit is slidable with respect to the tool so as to provide a valve arrangement for connecting the proper nozzle to the source of suction.

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 application and of which;

Fig. l is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of my invention with the rug nozzle in operativeposition and is taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 1, but with the cleaning tool reversed so that the floor brush is in operative position;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing another embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a still further embodiment;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 6, but showing certain parts in a different position.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 through 3, reference character 10 designates the body member of a suction cleaning tool having a suction throat 12 of a rug nozzle on one face thereof and a suction throat 14 of a floor brush on the opposite face. The rug nozzle inmust be somewhat greater than the tool over this conduit is cludes a forward lip 16 assignor to Electrolux 2, engages one of the notches 40,

- made thick enough to ice 2 and a rear lip 18 and end lips 20 of suitable configuration to contact a soft floor covering, such as a rug or carpet. The floor brush includes rows of bristles 22 which bound the throat 14 and are suitable for cleaning a hardwood floor or any hard floor covering.

Extending into the body 10 from the rear face thereof is a passageway 24 having a rectangular cross-section,

the minor dimension of which extends vertically. An opening 26 connects throat 12 with this passageway, while an opening 28 connects throat 14 with the passageway, the two openings being displaced with respect to each other lengthwise of the passageway.

A suction conduit 30 has its forward end formed as a hollow rectangular valve member 32 which is slidably mounted within the passageway 24. This valve member is formed with

aligned ports

34 and 36 adapted to cooperate with the

openings

26 and 28, respectively, in the body 10.

One of the surfaces of the rectangular portion of suction conduit 30 is provided with a pair of

notches

38 and 40 which are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the center lines of

openings

26 and 28. Pivotally mounted on the rear face of the body. 10 is a latch member 42 which, in the position shown in Figs. 1 and but which may be pivoted in either direction so as to disengage the end thereof from the notch.

The opposite end of conduit 30 is cylindrical and there is rotatably mounted therein the cylindrical end of an elbow 44 which is arranged to receive the end of the usual suction wand connected to a source of suction in a vacuum cleaner.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the rug nozzle including the throat 12 between the

lips

16 and 18 is in communication with the interior of suction conduit 30 through the opening 26 and the port 34. Consequently, if suction is applied to the conduit 30 through the elbow 44, air will be caused to flow in the direction of the arrows and this air will pick up and remove dirt from the rug or other surface over which the nozzle is moved. If it is desired to use the tool under low furniture, the rigid wand connected to the elbow 44 may be lowered to a position parallel with the floor by rotating the elbow with respect to the conduit 30, without in any manner interfering with the flow of. air. It will be noted that the vertical height of the tool is only slightly greater than the diameter of the cylindrical part of the conduit 30 and is considerably lessthan would be the case if the nozzle body 10 were embrace a cylindrical conduit having such a diameter. conduit 30 which is received in the body 10 of rectangular shape, as particularly shown in Fig. 2, it is possible to have a minimum height of the body 10.

If it is desired to use the floor brush, the latch member 42 is pivoted in either direction sufliciently so as to disengage the end thereof from notch 40, and the suction conduit 30 is slid further into the passageway 24 until the port 36 is aligned with the opening 28. In this position, the latch may be pivoted back so that its end engages the notch 38, thus locking parts in this position. In order to bring the floor brush into contact with the floor, the body 10 and the conduit 30 may then be r0- tated about the end of the elbow 44 so that the parts will occupy the position shown in Fig. 3. In this position it will be seen that the throat 14 of the floor brush is in communication with the suction conduit 30 through the opening 28 and the port 36 and consequently the air drawn in through this path will pick up dust from the surface over which the floor brush is passed.

However, by having the end ofthe shown in the preceding figures, with the exceptionthat the openings 26a and 28a in the nozzle body are in alignment with each other, while the ports 34a and 36a in the valve portion 32 are spaced from each other in the directionof movement of the valve member. Thus, with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 4, the port 36a is aligned with the opening 28a, thus connecting the floor brush to the suction conduit. In order to connect the rug nozzle, the latch 42 is pivoted, and the suction conduit 30 pulled outwardly until the latch may engage the notch 40, whereupon the port 34a will be in alignment with the opening 26a to the rug nozzle.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the nozzle body is made of two parts a and 10b which are joined together by one or more screws 50. The passageway 24 is formed entirely in the part 10b but is bounded on one side by a surface of the part 10a. A slot 52 is formed in this surface of part 10a immediately adjacent to the passageway 24 and a pin 54 extends from the valve member 32 and is slidable within the slot, thus limiting the displacement of the valve member in the passageway so that the suction conduit 30 may not be entirely withdrawn.

Member 10b is formed with a slot 56 extending in from the side of the passageway 24 and pivotally mounted therein is a lever 58 having an exterior handle portion 60. The inner end of the lever is formed as a hook 62 which extends around a pin 64 which is disposed vertically in one corner of the passageway 24 and serves as a fulcrum for the lever. A spring 66 is disposed in the slot 56 behind the lever and urges the latter against the side of the valve member 32. This lever carries a projection 68 which, in the position of the parts shown in Fig. 6, is received within a notch 70 formed in the side of the valve 32. If the lever is pivoted in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6, the projec-- tion 68 is withdrawn from the notch 70, thus permitting the valve member 32 to be moved outwardly as far as is permittedby the pin 54 in the groove 52, that is to the position shown in Fig. 7, in which position the projection 68 abuts against a shoulder 72 formed on the valve member, thus holding it in this position. Incidentally, the cut-away portion of the valve member which forms the shoulder 72, also provides a space for receiving pin 64' when the valve member is in the position shown in Fig. 6.

The operation of this embodiment is the same as that previously described, with the exception that the valve member is released for movement by pressing against the handle portion 60 of the lever 58, instead of by pivoting the latch member 42. An advantage of this embodiment is that the spring 66 automatically reengages the projection 68 with the valve member as soon as the latter reaches either of its terminal positions, hence making it unnecessary for the operator to do this.

While I have shown several more or less specific embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that this" has-- beendone for the purpose of illustration only and that the scope of my invention is not to be limited thereby, but is to be determined from the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a suction cleaning tool,- a relatively rigid body member, dissimilar suction nozzles formed on opposite faces of saidmember, a passageway extending into said body member betweensaid faces and having a rectangular cross-section with the minor dimension thereof disposed normal to said faces, a valve member having a corresponding rectangular cross-section slidably mounted in said'passageway for in and out movement and formed with valve ports in the opposite wider sides towards the respective faces, said body member being formed with an opening from each suction nozzle to said passageway, said openings and valve ports being arranged with respect to-each other so that when one port is aligned with the cooperating opening the other port is out of alignment' with the other opening, latching means for securing the valve selectively in operative position with eithersuctionnozzle and a suction conduit connection member rotatably mounted on said valve member in fluid communicationwith the interior thereof, the vertical distance betweenthe exterior faces of said body member being of a minimal height commensurate with the vertical height at the attached conduit member in order to introduce the tool into narrow openings, such as beneath furniture or cabinets,

2'. In a suction cleaning tool, a body member, dissimilar suction nozzles formed on opposite faces of said member, a passageway extending into said body member between said faces and having a rectangular crosssection with. the minor dimension thereof disposed normal to-said faces, a valve member having a corresponding rectangular passageway forin and out movement and formed with valve ports: in different sides thereof, said body member being formed with an opening from each suction nozzle to said passageway, said openings and ports being arranged with respect to each other so that when one port is aligned with the cooperating opening the other port is out of alignment with the other opening, and latching means. for securing said valve against sliding movement in operative relation with either nozzle.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS cross-section slidably mounted in said that, ant.