US2923960A

US2923960A - Vacuum cleaner wand connector and detacher

Info

Publication number: US2923960A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1960-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 1977-02-09

Description

Feb. 9, 1960 w. E. DAVIDSON 2,923,960 VACUUM CLEANER WAND CONNECTOR AND DETACHER Filed Nov. 15, 1957 /77/ /7/?/ [ma/27 I 021 /0 50 VACUUM CLEANER WAND CONNECTOR AND DETACHER William E. Davidson, Tyler, Tex., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York This invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and particularly to mobile vacuum cleaners having means for pushing or pulling them about over a floor surface.

The vacuum cleaner art recently has stressed mobility, and most contemporaneous vacuum cleaners are equipped With means for moving them about over floor surfaces. In order to maneuver mobile vacuum cleaners, some advanced designs utilize the rigid vacuum cleaner wand, which is normally provided with vacuum cleaners, as a pushing or pulling handle, and include means for effecting temporary coupling of the wand to the vacuum cleaner casing in some mannerin order to effect a temporary pushing handle. In those cases where the wand is rigidly coupled to the vacuum cleaner casing to effect the temporary pushing handle, it is normally necessary to exert some effort to couple and uncouple the wand from the vacuum cleaner casing, and normally requires the user to stoop or bend to effect coupling and uncoupling.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved mobile vacuum cleaner which includes a wand connector and detacher, i.e., means for effecting a positive coupling between the vacuum cleaner casing and the wand, and

for facilitating uncoupling and coupling of these parts without requiring the user to exert much effort or stoop.

The object of the invention is accomplished in one form by providing in a mobile vacuum cleaner, a wand con nector and detacher comprising a pivotal wand receiving socket and a spaced cam surface which are positioned relative to each other so as to cooperate with the wand to provide for effortless coupling and uncoupling of the wand and the wand receiving socket.

Other objects and further details of that which I believe to be novel and my invention will be clear from the following description and claims taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a mobile vacuum cleaner incorporating the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the wand connector and detacher illustrated in an enlarged manner;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a portion of the wand and the wand receiving socket in section;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the wand removed from the wand receiving socket and having a vacuum cleaning tool attached thereto for use in cleaning a floor surface.

In the drawing, the wand connector and detacher is illustrated as being incorporated in a mobile vacuum cleaner having a casing 10 for housing conventional, internal, vacuum cleaning structure, wheels 12 for supporting the casing and for moving it about over the floor surface S, the flexible hose 14, and the rigid wand 16, which is connected to the flexible hose at their unshown ends in a conventional manner. Before describing the wand connector and detacher in detail, it is desired to point out that the precise form of vacuum cleaner casing illustrated is not a vital element of the invention, and that other forms, such as, for example, a large cylindrical casing which is supported on a pair of large rotatable wheels, one at each end of the casing, may be utilized; and that the illustrated casing is merely exemplary of one type of easing with which the invention may be utilized.

The wand 16, as pointed out above, is connected at one of its ends to the flexible hose 14 in a conventional manner; at its other eud,'the wand includes latching structure for either securing a vacuum cleaning tool to the wand or for coupling the wand to the wand connector and detacher to effect a temporary pushing handle. It should be understood that in the former instance, the vacuum cleaner is in condition to vacuum clean in the normal manner, and in the latter instance, the vacuum cleaner is in condition for being moved about over a floor surface.

The wand latching structure, which can best be seen in Fig. 4, includes an elongated latch spring 18, which is rigidly secured at one of its ends 20 to the inner surface of the wand by conventional securing means, such as the riveted construction illustrated, which supports a radially outwardly projecting latch button 22 intermediate its ends which extends through an opening 24 in the wand to the exterior thereof, and supports near its other end, which is free, a radially outwardly projecting latch 26, which extends through a second opening 28 in the wand. It will be understood that the latch 26 is normally positioned to extend through the opening 28 to the exterior of the wand, but is adapted to be resiliently retracted within the confines of the wand, either by having the latch button 22 depressed or by having the latch 26 depressed.

The wand connector and detacher comprises a wand receiving socket 30, which is generally cylindrical and includes a mounting portion 32 for pivotally securing 'the socket to the bracket 34, which is rigidly secured to the generally horizontal platform 36 that is formed on the casing 10. As can best be seen in Fig. 5, the bracket 34 comprises a pair of upstanding ears 38 which includes apertures 40 which are adapted to be aligned with the aligned openings 42 in the socket mounting portion 32 and receives a pivot pin in the form of cooperating headed sleeve 44 and securing stud 46. It will be understood that when the socket 30 is mounted on the bracket 34 it is capable of pivoting fore and aft on the sleeve 44, which has a generally horizontal axis.

On the casing 10, there is mounted a cam 48. As can best be seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the cam 48 is spaced from the socket 30 and projects horizontally and rearwardly from the casing 10. The precise dispositional relationship of the cam and socket is determined by the dimensions of the wand latching structure, for it is necessary that the cam be located so that the latch button 22 will contact it when the wand is coupled to the socket 30 and the latter are jointly pivoted forwardly toward the cam.

Within the socket 30, there is spaced a disk-like cushion 50 which is made of a closed cellular rubber material or material having equivalent compressive spring qualities. Adjacent to the cushion 50 is disposed a disk 52 which is loosely mounted within the socket 30, and which may be made of a rigid material, such as metal. The parts are dimensioned so that when the wand 16 is rigidly coupled to the socket 30, the cushion 5G is compressed slightly, and the latch 26 extends through the opening 28 in the wand and through an opening 54- in the socket 30. When in this position, the wand 16 is rigidly connected to the socket 3i) and maintained in firmly latched condition by the cooperative action of the latch 26 being disposed in the

openings

28 and 54 in the wand and socket, respectivewhen the wand 3 ly, and the compressed cushion of the socket, and thereby firmly holding the parts n coupled relationship. The wand is illustrated in its coupled position relative to socket 30 in Figs. 1 through 4. It will be understood that when in this coupled position, the wand 16 may be utilized as a pushing handle for the vacuum cleaner casing It in that it may be used to push the vacuum cleaner casing on the wheels 12 over the floor surface S.

Let us assume that the vacuum cleaner has been utilized in one room in a house to vacuum clean in the normal manner and it is desired to clean another one; at this time the vacuum cleaner is in the Fig. 6 condition. The vacuum cleaning tool T, which has just been used to vacuum clean in the conventional manner, is uncoupled and removed, from the wand 16, and the wand is inserted into the socket 30 to firmly couple it therein; it may then be utilized as a pushing handle to propel the cleaner to the next room. On arriving in the next room, it is desired to uncouple the wand from the socket in order that a vacuum cleaning tool, such as tool T, may be coupled to the free end of the Wand and a vacuum cleaning operation performed.

In order to effect the uncoupling of the wand 16 from 50 urging the wand out the socket 30 in an eifortless manner and without requiring the user to stoop, the instant invention contemplates the joint pivoting of the coupled wand and socket toward the vacuum cleaner casing until the latch button 22 contacts the cam 48, as illustrated in Fig. 3. On further joint urging of the wand 16 and socket 30 toward the casing, the latch button 22 is forced inwardly relative to the wand against the bias of latch spring 18, and the condition illustrated in Fig. 4 results; namely, that of retracting the latch 26 fully within the confines of the wand 16. At this point, the cushion 59, which was previously compressed was coupled to the socket, releases some of its stored energy and forces the wand axially out of the socket. Of course, manual pulling of the wand out of the socket will further assist to remove the wandfully from the socket. When the wand is completely free of the socket, it may have a vacuum cleaning tool attached to it in a conventional manner.

Fig. 6, as mentioned above, shows the vacuum cleaner after the wand has been withdrawn from the socket and has had a cleaning tool T temporarily coupled to its free end; it is generally understood how a cleaning operation may be performed in a conventional manner when the vacuum cleaner is in the Fig. 6 condition, and that, if it is desired, other types of vacuum cleaning tools may be substituted for the illustrated vacuum cleaner floor tool T.

After vacuum cleaning is completed-and it is desired to move the vacuum cleaner to a new location, it is simply necessary to uncouple the cleaning tool from the wand 16 and to insert the free end of the wand into the socket 30 as explained previously. A particularly facile manner of coupling the wand to the socket is to first move the socket to its forward position (as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4), and then to insert the Wand into the socket with the latch button 22 oriented to contact the cam 48 on subsequent insertion. As insertion continues, the latch button 22 contacts and rides down the curved surface of the cam 48, and this results in retracting the latch 26 into the wand. When the tube contacts the disk 52, further insertion of the Wand results in compressing the cushion 50. This operation continues until the latch 26 snaps through the opening 54 in the socket, at which time the wand is securely coupled to the socket.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of my invention are not limited to the particular details of construction of the example illustrated, and I contemplate that various and other modifications and applications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, my intention that the appended claims shall cover such modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a casing; wheel means for moving said casing over a floor surface; a rigid wand having latch means at one of its ends for detachably receiving vacuum cleaning tools or for being detachably secured to said casing; means on said casing for detachably receiving said wand for effecting a temporarly pushing handle; said last named means being pivotal and including means for cooperating with said wand latch means of effect a connection between said wand and said wand receiving means; and a surface on said casing spaced from said wand receiving means and located for selectively cooperating with said Wand latch means and said wand receiving means when they are connected and pivoted toward said surface until contact therewith is made to effect disconnection of said wand from said wand receiving means.

,2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said wand latch means includes a depressible latch button; and said surface is located so as to contact said latch button when said wand is connected to said wand receiving means and said wand and wand receiving means are jointly pivoted toward said surface, whereby on contact of said latch button and said surface, said latch button is depressed and unlatches the connection.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said wand includes a tubular end; said latch means is mounted at .said tubular end and comprises a latch and a latch button that protrudes through openings in said tubular end; and said latch and said latch button are resiliently mounted for joint movement, whereby said latch and said 'latch button may be jointly retracted within said tubular end by forcing either said latch or said latch button inwardly, and wherein said latch receiving means comprises a pivotal socket which is adapted to receive said tubular end and includes an inner end which supports a resilient cushion; said pivotal socket has an opening spaced from said cushion; and said socket opening is spaced from said cushion a distance slightly less than the distance from said latch to the free edge of said tubular end, whereby on full insertion of said tubular end into said socket, said latch projects through said socket opening and said cushion is compressed and thereby urges the parts together and firmly connects said wand and said socket, and wherein said surface is located so as to contact said latch button when the coupled wand and socket are jointly pivoted toward said surface, whereby on such contact the latch button is forced into the Wand, resulting in both the latch and latch button being retracted unil the latch clears the socket opening, at which time the cushion urges the wand out of the socket.

Penfold Aug. 1, 1950 Shalvoy et a1. Nov. 13, 1956