US2961690A - Multi-purpose suction cleaner nozzle - Google Patents

Description

x ETSI Nov, 29, 1960 G. L. HELLsTRoM MULTI-PURPOSE SUCTION CLEANER NOZZLE Filed June l0, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l INVENTOR. I m

Nov. 29, 1960 G. l.. HELLs'rRoM MULTI-PURPOSE SUCTION CLEANER NOZZLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June lO. 1957 R O T m V m Nov. 29, 1960 HELLSTROM 2,961,690

MULTI-PURPOSE SUCTION CLEANER NOZZLE Filed June 10, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent il' MULTI-PURPOSE SUC'IION CLEANER NOZZLE Gesta Ludvig Hellstrom, Stockholm, Sweden, assigner to Aktiebolaget Electrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed .lune 10, 1957, Ser. No. 664,628

'Claims priority, application Sweden June 11, 1956 4 Claims. Cl. 15417) My invention relates to a multi-purpose suction cleaner nozzle which may be employed at will for dilerent types of cleaning operations.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved multi-purpose nozzle employing a rotatable member which may be intermittently rotated in the same direction in stepwise fashion to render any one of a number of operating surfaces available to perform a specific type of cleaning operation.

Another object is to provide a multi-purpose nozzle of this type in which the rotatable member is rmly held in any one of its operating positions and can be readily rotated in one direction about an axis extending length- Wise of the nozzle inlet opening to progress from one operation position to another.

A further object is to provide a multi-purpose nozzle of this type having an air flow passage leading from an elongated inlet, the rotatable member being rotated in one direction only to progress from one operating position to another by mechanism disposed entirely outside the air flow passage.

A still further object is to provide a multi-purpose nozzle of this type in which intermittent rotating movement of the rotatable member is promoted with the aid of one or more resilient members.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize it will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the ,accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a suction cleaner nozzle embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the nozzle shown in Fig. l;

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

Fig. 4 is a View of parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to illustrate details more clearly;

Fig. 5 is atop plan view of the nozzle shown in and 2;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View of the nozzle shown in Figs. l, 2 and 5;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 6 to illustrate the construction more clearly;

Fig. 8 is another transverse sectional view, taken at line 8 8 of Fig. 3, to illustrate details of the nozzle shown in Figs. l, 2 and 5;

Fig. 9 is a bottom perspective view of a nozzle generally like that shown in Figs. 1 to 8 illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view of the nozzle of Fig. 9, which is similar to Fig. 6;

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view of the nozzle of Fig. 9, which is similar to Fig. 7;

Figs. l

Fig. 12 is a sectional View illustrating details shown in' Fig. 9; and

Fig. 13 is a perspective View of a detail shown in Figs. 9 to l2.

Referring to the drawings, in Figs. l to 5 I have shown a suction cleaner nozzle embodying my invention which comprises an elongated hollow body 10 to a central region 11 of which is connected a tubular member 12 bent intermediate its ends. One end of the tubular member 12, which extends through an opening in the rear wall of the hollow body 10, is provided with a groove in which a split ring 14 is resiliently positioned, as shown in Fig. 3, to connect the tubular member 12 to the body 10 and allow the tubular member to be turned or rotated therein. The tubular member 12 serves as an outlet socket adapted to be connected to a suction line or conduit of a suction cleaner through which air is drawn when the suction cleaner is being operated.

The elongated body 10 includes a cover 15 within which is provided a passage 16 through which air is drawn toward the outlet socket 12 from the region of an elongated opening 17. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the cover 15 is provided with end walls 18 which are connected by elongated side walls 19 and 20 disposed at the front and rear of the hollow body 10. Hence, the side walls 19 and 20, which form lips at the front and rear walls of the nozzle body 10, cooperate with the end walls 18 to define the elongated opening 17.

Within the passage 16 is disposed a rectangular-shaped member 21 having elongated side walls 22 and 23 and end walls 2.4. Between the side walls 22 and 23 are held a pair of brushes 25 which are in end-to-end relation. Each of the brushes 25 includes a backbone 25a to which is xed a row of bristles 25b which project downwardly from the nozzle body 10 at the vicinity of the elongated opening 17 when the brushes are in the operative positions shown in Figs. l, 3 and 6. y

In accordance with my invention, the rectangular shaped member 21 is rotatable in a single direction about an axis extending lengthwise of the elongated opening 17 between positions which make the brushes available for operation, as seen in Fig. 6, and unavailable for operation, as best illustrated in Fig. 7, and may be angularly moved intermittently at will from one position to the other, in either of which it is effectively locked and held. To this end, the ,nozzle body 10 is formed with cavities 26 at the bottom thereof which are adjacent to the end walls 18 and within which are adapted to rotate lugs 27 of oblong form which project outwardly from the end walls 24 of the rectangular-shaped member 21 and form a unitary part thereof.

As best shown' in Fig. 4, the Vlugs 27 may be formed integrally with the rectangular-shaped member 21 and connected to the end walls 24 thereof by collars or neck portions 28 which form gaps or notched regions 29 between the lugs 27 and end walls 24. In the operative position of the brush 25 illustrated in Fig. ,6, theA top and bottom faces 30` and 31, respectively, of the rectangularshaped member 21 are essentially at and parallel toone another. It will also be seen in Fig. 6 that, in section, the exterior faces or surfaces 22a and 2311/. of theelongated side walls 22 and 23 of member 21 form arcs of a circle having a common center.

The oblong lugs 27 are formed with opposing dat faces in the same planes as the dat faces 30 and 31 of the rectangular-shaped member 21 and also with curved outer surfaces forming arcs of a circle having a common center in the same manner as illustrated in the modification of Fig. 9 which will be described presently. In the brush operative position illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8, the elon-` gated side walls 22 and 23, at the top face 30 of membery 21, are in abuttingQrelation `with and bear against shoulders" 2,961,690 Y n Patented Nov. 29,1959 f Y f 3 32 and 33 formed at the inner surfaces of the elongated side walls 19 and 20 of the nozzle body 10; and the top faces of tbe oblong lugs 27 are in abutting relation with and bear against the flat closed ends 34 of the essentially `Ushaped cavities 26 adjacent to the end walls 18 of the nozzle'body 10, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3. Therefore, lthe rectangular-shaped member 21 in its brush operative position is snugly positioned and nests within the nozzle body at the vicinity of the elongated opening 17 thereof, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6, and air is effectively ldrawn into the air flow passage 16 through the gap or inlet 17' formed between the elongated side walls 22 and 23 of member 21 when the suction cleaner is being operated.

When the brushes 25 are viewed from below, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the backbones 25a extend lengthwise of the rectangular-shaped member 21 and project beyond Vthe gaps or notched regions 29. 'Ihe oblong lugs 27 are formed with T-shaped recesses 35 opening or commuhicating only with one flat side thereof, the center legs of which are in alignment with inverted U-shaped recesses 36 formed in the end walls 24 of the member 21, as seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The T-shaped recesses 35 receive flared-out flanges 37 formed at the outer ends of the backbones 25a, as seen in Fig. 4. The opposite inner ends of the brushes 25 are provided with tongues 38 which cooperate with the backbones 25a to form guides which move back and forth on a transverse cross piece 39 connecting the center regions of the side walls 22 and 24 of member 21. The T-shaped recesses 35 are of such size that the brushes 25 can pivot about these regions between the solid and dotted line positions illustrated in Fig. 2.

The end walls 24 of the rectangular-shaped member i 21 are formed with lugs 40 at their inner surfaces, at which regions are held the ends of relatively stiff resilient elements 41. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, the

resilient elements 41 pass through the bristles 25b at the ,underside of the backbone 25a and bias the latter toward the closed ends of the inverted U-shaped recesses 36 in Athe end walls 24, whereby the extreme outer ends of the brushes 25 are held in the member 21 and the brushes move between the solid and dotted line positions shown in Fig. 2 when the nozzle is moved back and forth on ra floor during a cleaning operation.

At each end of the nozzle body 10 is provided a wire spring 42 having a shape similar to the spring 142 illustrated in Fig. 13. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the long arms of springs 42 are disposed in slots 43 formed in the cover or hood of the nozzle body 10. From the bends intermediate the ends of the springs 42, the `short arms of the springs extend through openings 44 in the elongated rear side wall of the nozzle body 10, as best shown in Fig. 8. The short arms of the wire springs 42 are disposed in the gaps or notched regions 29 and the outer ends thereof are of semi-circular shape and fit snugly about the collars or neck portions 28, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8, thereby holding the rectangularshaped hollow member or frame 21 axially immovable at the elongated opening 17. In the brush operative positions illustrated in Figs. 3 and 8, it will be seen that the outer curved portions of the springs 42 pass between the bristles b of the brushes 25.

The wire springs 42 are relatively stiff and are capable of firmly holding the rectangular-shaped tmember 21 in the brush operative position shown in Fig. 8. In such brush operative position, the extreme outer end portions of the long arms of the springs 42 are effectively clamped and locked in position in the slots 43.

. The mechanism for angularly moving the member 21 from the brush operative position shown in Fig. 6 toward Aits brush inoperative position, as illustrated in Fig. 7, comprises a manually operable actuating lever 45 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 46a positioned within a hood or enclosure 46. 'Ihe hood 46 is immediately adjacent to the central region 11 of the cover 15 of the nozzle body 10 and provides a space 47 which is exterior of the nozzle body and hencefout of the path of flow of air drawn through the air flow passage 16 from the vicinity of the elongated inlet 17 to the outlet socket 12 when the suction cleaner is being operated.

The actuating lever 45 projects from the interior of the hood 46 through a rear opening therein, the outwardly projecting part thereof comprising a pair of essentially fiat strips 45a which extend at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle body 10 and may serve as a foot operable pedal for moving the brushes 25 at will to their operative or inoperative positions, as will be described presently.

Within the hood 46 the flat strips 45a form the opposing side walls of a U-shaped portion of the actuating lever 45, as best shown in Fig. 3. The side walls of lever 45 are notched at 48 to receive pins 49 projecting from opposing sides of a kicker or feed bar 50, the upper part of which is slotted to receive a long arm of a tension spring 51 having a helical portion which is disposed about a pin 46a fixed to the lever 45, the opposite short arm of the spring 51 bearing against the intermediate region 11 of the nozzle body 10. With the spring 51 under tension, the long arm thereof effectively biases the kicker or feed bar 50 to the raised position shown in Fig. 6 which in turn maintains the actuating lever 45 in its raised position.

In its raised position, the feed bar 50 bears against the underside of the closed end of the inverted U-shaped portion of lever 45 and the latter in turn bears against the underside of the top part of hood 46.

The opposing sides 22 and 23 of the member 21 are notched or indented at 52 and 53, respectively, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. In the brush operative position shown in Fig. 6, the notch 53 receives a finger or prong 50a formed at the lower end of the kicker or feed bar 50. At the region of notch 53 the rear elongated side 20 of the nozzle body 10 is cut away at 54 to provide a gap or passage in which the finger or prong 50a can pass when it is moved from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 7. The finger 50a is narrower than the part of the kicker or feed bar 50 immediately adjacent thereto, and the opposing sides of the gap 54 are provided with shoulders 55 which serve as guide rails over which the kicker or feed bar 50 moves when it is retracted from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fig. 6.

As previously explained, the brushes 25 will move rearwardly toward the rear side wall 23 of member 21 when the nozzle body 10 is being moved forward on a floor or other surface during a cleaning operation. Conversely, the brushes 25 will move forward toward the front side wall 22 of member 21 when the nozzle body 10 is being moved rearward on a floor or other surface during a cleaning operation. These two positions of the brushes 25 are illustrated in Fig. 2. Due to the weight of the nozzle and also the force applied thereto when the nozzle is moved over a surface being cleaned, the bristles 25b of the brushes will be bent in the one or the other direction depending upon the direction the nozzle is being moved over a surface, so that the bottom face 31 of member 21 in its brush operative position, as well as the bottom surfaces of the elongated sides 19 and 20 of the nozzle body 10, will be positioned closely adjacent to the oor or other surface being cleaned. Also, the elongated side walls 22 and 23 of member 21 will bear against and be in good contact with the shoulders 32 and 33 at the inside surfaces of the elongated sides 19 and 20 of the nozzle body 10. In addition, the flat sides of the oblong lugs 27 are seated against the closed ends of the U-shaped cavities 26. With this arrangement, all of the air drawn into the air flow passage 16 of the nozzle body 10, when the suction cleaner vis being operated, will flow through the hollow interior ofthe"rectangular-shaped member 21 fromthe inlet-17 thereof and substantially no air will pass between the rectangular-shaped member 21 and the front and rear sides 19 and 20 of the nozzle body 10. Accordingly, the elongated sides 22 and 23 and end walls 24 of the member 21 will define the suction inlet opening 17 of the nozzle at the immediate vicinity of which the brushes 25 are positioned.

When it is desired to rotate the member 21 from the brush operative position shown in Fig. 6 to a brush inoperative position, the actua-ting lever 45 may be employed as a foot-operated pedal when the nozzle 1t) is connected to an upwardly extending tubular wand, as indicated by dotted lines56 in Fig. 8. When the actuating lever 45 is depressed and moved clockwise in Figragainst fthe tension of spring 51, downward movement is imparted to the kicker or feed bar 50 which is movable only in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated opening 17; and, since the nger or prong 50a is held in the notch or indent 53 at the side wall 23 of member 21, rotating movement is imparted to the latter.

When rotating movement is initially imparted to the member 21 in Fig. 6, the curved outer surface 22a of the elongated side 22 is forced against the shoulder 32 and the member pivots in a clockwise direction about this region. When this occurs, the collars or neck portions 28 move downwardly and cause the short arms of springs 42 to move toward the position illustrated in Fig. 7, the collars turning or moving angularly in the semi-circular portions of the springs 42 with initial clockwise movement imparted to the member 21.

When the member 21 has rotated about 90 in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 6, the short arms of the springs 42 have moved downwardly as far as they will go. After the member 21 has been rotated more than 90 in a clockwise direction and is in the position shown in Fig. 7, the springs 42, which are under considerable tension, effectively bias the semi-circular portions thereof upward. With continued movement irnparted to the kicker or feed bar 50 in a clockwise direction, the lower notched end 50b thereof becomesv effective to receive and hold an edge of the side wall 23, as seen in Fig. 7, to complete the turning movement of brushes 25 from their operative to their inoperative positions. During this portion of the rota-tion of the member 21, the springs 42, which are under considerable tension, effectively cause the member 21 to snap into its new operating position.

When the actuating lever 45a is now retracted, the finger or prong 50a at the lower end thereof rides in a counterclockwise direction over the exposed surfaces of member 21 until the extreme outer end thereof is positioned in the indent or notch 52 in the elongated side wall 22 and is ready once more to impart rotating movement to the member 21 when the lever 45 is again actuated.

With the member 21 inverted from the position illustrated in Fig. 6, it is now in a position which renders the brushes unavailable for operation. Accordingly, it will now be understood that the rotatable member 21 can be moved from the position which renders the brushes 25 unavailable for operation to the position which renders the brushes available for operation, shown in Fig. 6, by again depressing the actuating lever 45 in the manner described above and illustrated in Fig. 7. Whenever the lever 45 is actuated, the rotatable member always rotates in the same direction in the nozzle body from one position to the other.

When the member 21 is in the position shown in Fig. 6, the brushes 25 contact and can be moved over a surface to be cleaned in the manner explained above, the spaces between the brushes and side walls 22 and 23 of member 21 providing an unobstructed passageway through which air may be drawn toward the outlet connector 11. Likewise, when the member 21 is inverted from the position shown in Fig. 6, the smooth edges of j@ the member 21"form surfaceengaging lips whichfcan be readily moved over a rug'or other pile fabric to eiect a cleaning operation. Y

The spaced sides 22 and 23v of the elongatedhollow member or frame 21 form a plurality of parts which are spaced from one another in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis ofthe elongated inlet 17. The feed bar or kicker 50 is disposed in the aforementioned plane intermediate the ends of the rotatable member 21 and is movable in a first direction from a starting point and in a second opposite directionback to -the starting point. The prong 50a formed at the extreme end of the feed bar 50 coacts with the side walls 22 and 23 of the rotatable frame 21 in sequence on successive movements `of the feed bar 50 in one of the directions to impart angular movement to the rotatable member 21. VIn the embodiment just described the prong 50a coacts with the frame sides 22 and 23 alternatively on successive movements of the feed bar 5t)` from the starting point in a irst'or lefthand direction, as illustrated in Fig. 6. As best seen in Figs. 6 and 7, thehollow rectangular frame '21 bodily moves when it is moved from the position shown-in Fig. 6 to the position illustrated in Fig. 7. In other words, the frame 21 is not rotated about an axis which is stationary.

The modification illustrated in Figs. 10 to 13 is generally similar to the embodiment just described, and like parts are referred to by the same reference numerals with added thereto. In the embodiment of Figs. 10 to 13 a second suction inlet 57 is provided at the top intermediate region 111 of the nozzle body 111i, which is smaller than the elongated inlet opening 117 and is delined by'serrated edge portions of the intermediate region 111 of the noozle body 11), as indicated at 58 in Figs. l0 and 11.

Within the nozzle body 11!)` is provided a hollow sleeve 59 which is rigidly connected at an open end thereof to the outlet socket 112 and is rotatable therewith. The opposite closed end 60 of the sleeve 59 is journaled at 61 to the front wall of the nozzle body 111i. In the position illustrated in Fig. l0, an apertured region 62 o-f theV sleeve 59 faces downwardly and is in open communication with the air iiow passage 116 leading from the elongated suction inlet 117 defined by the rotatable member 121. In Fig. l0, it will be noted that the suction inlet 57 is closed by a wall portion of the hollow sleeve 59. When the sleeve 59 is rotated 180 about its axis, the opening 62 therein will be in open communication With the suction inlet 57, While the air flow passage 116 will be closed by a wall portion of the sleeve 59.

The embodiment of Figs. 10 to 13 further differs from the first-described embodiment in that the nozzle body is formed with front and rear elongated side walls 119 and 121i only and no connecting end walls are provided which would correspond to the end walls 18 in Fig. 2. Accordingly, the nozzle body is formed to provide an openended U-shaped recess or opening 117 Within which the rotatable member 121 nests and is axially held in position by the semi-circular end portions of the short arms of the springs 142. The overall length of the member 121 is less than the axial length of the recess formed by the elongated side walls 119 and 120 of the nozzle body 110. The lugs 127 are adapted to be positioned in cavities 126 which are essentially U-shaped, the flat closed ends 134 of which are adapted to form bearing surfaces for the flat sides of the oblong lugs 127 when the member 121 is in either one of its two operating positions. Within the body 110, in a lengthwise direction between the extreme outer ends thereof, a hollow region 63 is formed which is of suflicient height to allow the brushes to turn freely when the member 121 is shifted or turned to and from the position which makes the brushes ava-ilable for operation.

As shown in Fig. 10, the long arms of the springs '142 are disposed in an elongated pocket 143i, having a suitable cover lea which may be formed of resilient material,

such as soft plastic, for example, which is provided at one side of the nozzle body 110. The long arms of the springs 143, which are subjected to a torsional turning movement when the member 121 is being rotated from one cleaning position to another, may be of such length that they overlap one another in the pocket 143.

The operation of the embodiment of Figs. to 13 is essentially the same as that of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 9. When the foot pedal 145 is depressed so that it will move in a clockwise direction about the pin 146a against the tension of spring 151, downward movement is imparted to the kicker or feed bar 150, which in turn causes the member 121 to rotate initially in a clockwise direction at the region the outer surface 122:1 of member 121 contacts the shoulder 132 and the inner surface of the front side wall 119 of the nozzle body 11d. rfhe extent of this initial angular movement is dependent upon the lengths of the upwardly bent ends 142a of the springs 142. When the bent ends 142a have turned sufficiently so that they are firmly clamped against the front wall of the nozzle body 110, the short arms of the springs 142 then move downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1l. During downward movement of the short arms of the springs 142, the collars 128 at the ends of the member 121 rotate in the semi-circular portions at the outer ends thereof. While rotating movement is being imparted to the member 121, the lugs 127 are constantly being biased toward the bearing surfaces 134, as illustrated in Fig. 9, by reason of the springs 142 being under considerable tension.

With continued movement imparted to the kicker or feed bar 150 in a clockwise direction, the lower notched end 1501: thereof becomes effective to receive and hold an edge of the side wall 123, as seen in Fig. 1l, to complete the turning movement of the brushes 125 from their operative to their inoperative positions. During the last portion of the rotation of the member 121, which is illustrated in Fig. 11, the springs 142, which are under considerable tension, effectively cause the member 121 to snap into its new operating position. When the actuating pedal or lever 145 is released, the spring 151 becomes effective to move the lever back to the position illustrated in Fig. 10.

In the embodiment of Figs. 10 to 13, the kicker or feed bar 150 is provided with an opening or pocket 64 through which the long arm of spring 151 extends, as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 8. Since the long arm of spring 151 bears against the top edge of the pocket 64, at a region forward of the pins 149, a turning moment is always imparted to the feed bar 150, even when in the position of rest shown in Fig. 10, whereby the finger 15tla is always in position in one of the indents 152 or 153 at the opposing sides of the rotatable member 121. The spring 151 also functions to render finger 159e or catch 156]; effective at all times to impart turning movement to the member 121 by reason of the clockwise turning moment spring 151 imparts to the feed bar 150.

It has been pointed out that the finger 50a in the firstdescribed embodiment is narrower than the part of the feed bar 50 immediately adjacent thereto, and that the opposing sides of the gap 54 in the nozzle body 10 are provided with shoulders 55. By reason of the bottom portion 50c of feed bar 50 being wider than the top portion 50d thereof, the shoulders 55a are formed which ride over the shoulders 55 when the feed bar 5t) is retracted from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fig. 6. The embodiment of Figs. 10 to 13 is like the first-described embodiment in that shoulders 155 are provided at opposing edges of the gap 154 in the side wall 120 of the nozzle body 110, and since the top portion of the feed bar 150 is undercut, shoulders 15511 are formed which ride over the shoulders 155 when the feed bar 150 is moving toward its retracted position. j

The clockwise turning moment imparted to the feed bars 50 and 150 by the springs 51 and 151, respectively,

is useful in the event the rotatable member in either embodiment is moved to the position of member 121 in Fig. 9 and the feed bar is retracted to its position of rest, it being assumed that the rotatable member 121 remains in the position shown in Fig. 9 due to friction between the lugs 127 and bearing surfaces 134. When this occurs the shoulders 55 and 55a in Fig. 6 and shoulders 155 and 155a in Fig. l() will function so that depression of the feed bar, while the rotatable member is in the position shown in Fig. 9, will cause the shoulders on the feed bar to ride on the shoulders at opposing sides of the gaps 54 and 154 and the feed bar will take a predetermined path of movement whereby the finger or prong 50h or 15b will engage the inner surface of the elongated side of the rotatable member projecting outwardly from the nozzle body and impart movement to the rotatable member in the direction which will complete the turning movement in the direction initially imparted thereto. In other words, the cooperating shoulders 55 and 55a in Fig. 6 and 155 and 155:1 in Fig. 10 prevent the feed bar from moving into the space between the elongated sides of the rotatable member when it is in the position of Fig. 9 and the feed bar has been retracted and actuated a second time, and prevent the feed bar from acting on the rotatable member in such a manner that it will return to its starting position instead of completing the half-turn intended to be imparted to it.

In view of the foregoing, it will now be understood that in each of the embodiments illustrated and described, the mechanism provided for rotating the rotatable members 21 or 121 is disposed entirely outside the air flow passage of the nozzle when the members 21 and 121, respectively, are in one or the other of their nozzle operation positions. In Fig. 9, for example, the gap between the side walls 119 and 120 of the nozzle body 110 defines the inlet end of the air dow passage 116 through which air passes from the suction inlet end 117 to the outlet socket 112. When the rotatable member 121 is Vmoved to a position in which the brushes 125 are available for use, the outer curved surfaces 122a and 123a of the member engage and are in abutting relation with the shoulders 132 and 133, as shown in Fig. l0. Further, the flat sides of the oblong or non-circular lugs 127 will bear against and are in abutting relation with the bearing, surfaces 134, as best shown in Fig. 9. In this way, the aperture in rotatable member 121 defines the effective suction inlet opening 117 of the nozzle body 110. Since the collars or neck portions 128 of the rotatable member 121 project outwardly from the end walls 124 of the rotatable member 121, it will be evident that the semicircular portions of springs 142, which receive the collars 128, are outside the rectangular-shaped rotatable member 121. Hence, all of the mechanism for rotating member 121, including the feed 'oar 150 and actuating lever 145, together with the springs 142, are disposed entirely outside the air tiow path of the nozzle when the members 21 and 121, respectively, are in one or the other of their nozzle operation positions.

While I have shown several embodiments of my improved multi-purpose suction cleaner nozzle, I do not wish to be limited to the particular constructions set forth. Therefore, I intend in the following claims to cover all changes and modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a multi-purpose suction cleaner nozzle, a hollow body having an air flow passage leading from an elongated opening, a rotatable member having a plurality of operating surfaces for performing different types of cleaning, said member comprising an elongated hollow frame including spaced opposing sides extending lengthwise thereof, structure for holding said hollow frame substantially in abutting relation with said body at the opening therein with said hollow frame defining an elongated inlet of the air flow passage when any one of its operating surfaces is positioned to perform cleaning, and mechanism for rotating said hollow frame in one direction about an axis extending lengthwise of the elongated opening to move said frame from one holding position to another, said mechanism including an element which is disposed in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said hollow frame and movable in a first direction from a starting point and in a second direction back to the starting point, said mechanism being so constructed and formed that said element coacts with the opposing sides of said frame in sequence on successive movements in one of said directions to impart angular movement to said frame and said mechanism being disposed in its entirety exteriorly of said air ow passage when said hollow frame is disposed at the opening of said body with any one of its operating surfaces positioned :to perform cleaning, the opposing sides of said frame having parts adapted to be engaged by said element, and said element having a catch which coacts with one side of said frame after said element initially coacts with one of the parts of an other side of said frame to rotate said frame from one holding position to another.

2. A suction cleaner nozzle as set forth in claim 1 which includes enclosure means provided at the exterior of said hollow body which is out of communication with said air Iflow passage, said mechanism including parts disposed within said enclosure, and a manually movable actuating member projecting exteriorly of said enclosure `for imparting movement to said element in said rst direction.

3. In a multi-purpose suction cleaner nozzle, a hollow body having an air flow passage leading from an elongated opening, a rotatable member having a plurality of operating surfaces for performing different types of cleaning, said member comprising an elongated hollow frame including spaced sides extending lengthwise thereof, means for journaling said hollow frame on said body at the elongated opening, said journaling means including parts of non-circular form at opposing ends of said hollow frame and cooperating parts on said hollow body and means including spring members for resiliently biasing said non-circular parts toward the cooperating parts of said hollow body for maintaining said frame substantially in ab-utting relation with said body at the opening therein with said hollow frame delining an elongated inlet of the air ow passage when any one of its operating surfaces is positioned to perform cleaning, said hollow rotatable frame having cylindrical-shaped portions at the ends thereof, said journaling means comprising struc-ture including said spring members for carrying said rotatable hollow frame on said body, said spring members having semi-circular portions which receive and hold the cylindrical-shaped portions of said rotatable frame, and mechanism for intermittently rotating said hollow frame in the same direction in stepwise fashion to render any one of its surfaces available to perform cleaning, said mechanism including an element which is disposed in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said hollow frame and movable in a first direction from a starting point and in a second direction back to the starting point, and said mechanism being so constructed and formed that said element coacts with the sides of said frame in sequence on successive movements in one of said directions to impart angular movement to said hollow frame and said mechanism being disposed in its entirety exteriorly of said air flow passage when said hollow frame is disposed at the opening of said body with any one o-f its operating surfaces positioned to perform cleaning.

4. A suction cleaner nozzle as set forth in claim 3 in which said spring members are elongated and move with respect to said body responsive to rotation of said non-circular parts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,081,340 Spangler Dec. 16, 1913 1,348,582 Roseneld Aug. 2, 1920 2,180,930 Mortensen Nov. 21, 1939 2,488,625 Hallock Nov. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 309,901 Switzerland Dec. 1, 1955

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