US3334372A - Suction cleaner having improved handle and filter bag mounting - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 8, 1967 1., J. S ZABO ETAL 3,334,372

SUCTION CLEANER HAVING IMPROVED HANDLE AND FILTER BAG MOUNTING Filed June 18, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. l 7 ll] INVENTORS LOUIS I SZABO BY ERNEST R. SCOTT ATTORNEY Aug-y 3, 1967 L. J. SZABO ETAL 3,334,372

SUCTION CLEANER HAVING IMPROVED HANDLE AND FlL'IER BAG MOUNTING Filed June 18. 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS LOUIS J. SZABO ERNEST R. SCOTT lz w/zi w ATTOR NEY g 1967 J. SZABO ETAL 3,334,372

SUCTION CLEANER HAVING IMPROVED HANDLE AND FILTER BAG MOUNTING Filed June 18. 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS LOUIS .T. SZABO ERNEST R. SCOTT ATTOR N EY United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A unique single spring construction for selectively holding a vacuum cleaner handle and for detachably securing a filter bag to the vacuum cleaner. One end of the spring urges a handle release latch into engagement with notches formed on the handle, while the other end of the spring is used to detachably hold a filter bag coupling.

This invention relates to suction cleaners of the type widely used in residences to clean rugs and floors and, more particularly, to an improvement in the portion thereof for mounting the propelling handle for the cleaner body and the filter bag.

In most suction cleaners heretofore employed, particularly of the so-called upright type, the usual cleaner body is ambulatory and includes a propelling handle which is pivoted to the body selectively to various angular inclinations to suit the needs of the operator during a cleaning operation. The arrangement usually includes a mechanism for retaining the propelling handle in a vertical position relative to the body, and release means selectively operated to permit adjustment of the inclination of the handle from the vertical to intermediate inclinations down to a horizontal disposition. The means for mounting the propelling handle and permitting selective control of its inclination relative to the body is. usually a separate assembly that includes a spring-biased handle positioning element and a manual release therefor. Most suction cleaners heretofore employed, particularly of the upright type, also include an external filter bag which is .detachably coupled to an exhaust outlet in the cleaner body. For this purpose, there is usually employed a separate coupling assembly for detachably connecting the filter bag to the body. This assembly ordinarily comprises a plurality of elements including cooperating coupling portions on the body and bag, and a spring-biased latch and mounting therefor.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved suction cleaner having improved means which functions to both pivotally mount the propelling handle to the body and permit selective control of the handle position, and to detachably secure a filter bag to the body, which means is highly economical, in that it comprises a single assembly that replaces two prior assemblies; is simply constructed, and eliminates many parts which were heretofore required, while retaining their function.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved vacuum cleaner as set forth in the precedingparagraph wherein a multifunction biasing element is provided which functions both to control the positioning of the propelling handle, and to control filter bag coupling.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved vacuum cleaner as set forth above wherein the selective positioning of the propelling handle and the selective attachment or removal of the filter bag may be separately and independently performed without alfect- "mg each other.

body, and an exhaust duct formed in the body, a unitary .inclinably positioning propelling handle mounted on the 3,334,372 Patented Aug. 8, 1967 multifunction biasing means having a portion for retaining the propelling handle in the position to which it is adjusted, and another portion for releasably securing a filter bag to the body, and wherein, said element is readily mounted in the suction cleaner, is seated by its own generated pressure and is readily removable.

The above and other objects and further details of that which we believe to be novel and our invention will be clear from the following description and claims taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a suction cleaner embodying the invention showing a side, rear and top of the vacuum cleaner body, with a portion of the propelling handle connected to the body and a portion of the filter bag connected to the body, and related elements illustrated;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on a horizontal plane passing through line 22 of FIG. 1, with portions of the top of the body broken away to show internal parts thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of FIG. 2 showing the propelling handle inclined at an intermediate position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of FIG. 3, but showing the filter bag partially detached from the body, and

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the FIG. 1 cleaner showing the exhaust portion of the cleaner body with the .filter bag removed.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is illustrated a suction cleaner of the upright type essentially comprising an ambulatory body B, a propelling handle H pivotally secured to the body, and a filter bag F detachably secured to the body. The body B comprises a main frame 10 which may be conveniently formed of a casting of metal or the like, and a hood 12 which are secured to form an enclosure. To render the body B ambulatory, a

plurality of wheels 14 are provided and appropriately mounted on the main frame 10. A resilient bumper 1-6 is mounted about the skirt of the main frame to prevent damage to furniture and other articles with which the suction cleaner body may come into contact during a cleaning operation. The main frame 10 and hood 12 cooperate to form an enclosure which houses the customary electric motor and suction fan means, which are not illustrated as they may take a known form. The lower wall at the front of the main frame 10 is formed with a nozzle opening which is also not shown as it may be of conventional form. The body B may be provided with means for raising and lowering the lower wall of the frame 10 relative to a horizontal surface to elfe'ct different cleaning characteristics; for the purpose of making such adjustments, an adjusting lever 18 protrudes above the main frame 10 through an opening 20 formed therein.

The suction cleaner structure described thus far may be considered a background setting for the invention, which resides in the means for mounting and controlling the handle H and the filter bag F in the desired manner. The main frame 10 includes a forwardly sloping rear wall 22 having an exhaust port 24 formed centrally thereof. As can best be seen in FIG. 5, exhaust port 24 is shaped as a parallelogram with parallel horizontal upper and top sides, and parallel inclined lateral sides. Exhaust port 24 is surrounded by a face rim portion 26 which is part of the rear wall 22 and defined in outline by L-shaped ridges 27. Port 24 constitutes the termination of an exhaust duct 28 Which extends within the body B internally to the usual suction chamber therein, and constitutes the usual exhaust outlet therefor. For purposes of understanding the present invention, it should be understood that when the suction cleaner is operated fora normal cleaning operation, a flow of air is induced through the nozzle in the main frame 10,

through the suction chamber and out the exhaust duct 28 and exhaust port 24, and into the filter bag F, as indicated by the schematic arrows in FIG. 3. The main frame adjacent rear wall 22 includes a bottom wall portion 30 to which is secured a retaining plate 32 which assists in mounting the axle 34 for the rear wheels 14. Screw fasteners 36 pass through openings in the retainer plate 32 and are anchored in tapped openings in the bottom wall portion 30 to mount the retainer plate. Retainer plate 32 has an upwardly bent rearward lip 38 that extends horizontally for approximately the width of the exhaust port 24 and is disposed adjacent to but rearwardly spaced from the lower side thereof. As can best be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lip 38- cooperates with the portion of face 26 adjacent the lower wall of exhaust port 24 to form a horizontally extending channel which is adapted to receive a portion of a flange on the filter bag coupling 40.

The filter bag F may be of any known type, and as illustrated includes an outer permanent "bag portion 42 made of a durable material, and an inner disposable bag portion 44 made of an expendable material. The assembled bags 42, 44 are detachably secured at their adjacent necked-down opened ends in a peripheral groove 46 formed in the coupling 40 and retained therein in any convenient known manner. The coupling 40 is a hollow rigid member and also includes a peripheral groove 48 which is forwardly spaced from the peripheral groove 46. In the forward face 50 of the coupling 40 there is formed a somewhat generally rectangular groove 52 about the similarly generally rectangular opening 54 that extends through the coupling 40. A resilient sealing gasket 56 is mounted in the groove 52 and protrudes slightly forwardly therefrom. At the forward end of the coupling 40 there is formed a generally rectangular outwardly directed flange 57, and at the upper side of the flange there is centrally formed an upwardly extending lug 58.

The structural interrelationship of the exhaust portion of the vacuum cleaner body and the filter bag coupling is such as to permit the selective attachment or detachment of the filter bag coupling with its filter bag relative to the suction cleaner body. Assuming the filter bag is detached, attachment is effected, as can best be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, by positioning the lower portion of flange 57 of the filter bag coupling in the channel formed by the lip 38 and the adjacent portion of face 26 in the general position illustrated in FIG. 4. By tilting the filter bag coupling 40 on the pivot axis formed by its flange 57, counterclockwise to the position illustrated in FIG. 3, the coupling is in position to be secured to the body by a spring detent 60, which is disposed so as to permit the lug 58 on the coupling 40 to snap beneath the detent 60 and to cause firm planar engagement of the face 50 of the coupling and the face 26 about the exhaust duct 24, causing compression of the sealing gasket 56 to form a sealed joint between the coupling 40 and the face 26 of the rear body wall 22. Assuming that the coupling 40 is secured to the body, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and it is desired to detach the filter bag with its coupling, the spring detent release finger 62, which extends upwardly from the spring detent 60, is moved upwardly relative to FIGS. 3 and 4 until the spring detent 60 clears the coupling lug 58 and permits the coupling to be rotated clockwise to the FIG. 4 position, in which condition the coupling 40 may be lifted off of the seating lip 38 to completely remove it from the body.

The foregoing constitutes a complete disclosure of the improved means for securing, retaining and permitting removal of the filter bag relative to a suction cleaner body. The spring detent 60 and its release finger 62 form an important part of the filter bag coupling mounting means. They are mounted on the body in the proper position for their described functioning. They are supported and positioned by, and form a part of, a unitary spring element 64 which is mounted on the vacuum cleaner body and related to the handle H and its mounting means to also function as a handle positioning and release means.

The spring element 64 comprises a bent spring strip formation which includes an essentially C-shaped portion 66 having its lower end of the C bent at 72 and formed into an upward extension 68 which is, in turn, horizontally and then downwardly bent to form the detent portion 60, and then upwardly directed at an angle to form the detent release finger 62. The upper end of the C is bent downwardly and into a U-shaped hook 70.

The spring element 64 is seated and positioned on the suction cleaner body by having its lower bend 72 seated in a notch 74 formed in a rearward shelf-like upper wall 76 forming a part of the frame 10, as can clearly be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The spring element 64 is located by the upward extension 68 resting against a vertical shoulder 77, and an upwardly extending rib 78 and a spaced upwardly extending lug 80 formed on wall 76, which are contacted by the C-shaped portion 66. The hook 70 of the spring element 64 is seated on the central portion 84 of a pivotally mounted handle positioning and release rod or lever 82. In operation, the lever 82 is selectively adjustable to a plurality of angular positions, but its mounting is such that in all positions it operates to compress the spring element 64, whereby the U shaped hook 70 always biases the lever 82 upwardly and counterclockwise, and the spring detent 60 is always biased downwardly. The arrangement is such that the spring detent 60 is always urged to its position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, but is selectively manually movable upwardly by selective movement of the spring release finger 62.

The handle positioning and release rod or lever 82 comprises a bent rigid round wire formation including the central U-shaped rod portion 84, a pair of oppositely extending axle portions 86, which are pivotally retained in aligned bearings formed by notches 88 and cover plates 90 secured in place by fasteners 92 that also rigidly mount the handle bracket 94 in place on raised bosses 95 formed on the wall 76. The left axle portion 86, as viewed in FIG. 2, is bent and extended into extension 9 6- and passes through a clearance notch 98 formed in the rear wall 22 and supports a handle release pedal 100 at its rearward end.

The handle bracket 94 comprises an integral bent sheet member having mounting feet 102 through which the securing fasteners 92 extend to be anchored in bosses 95 to mount the bracket, a pair of parallel vertically extending side walls 104 and a connecting back wall 106. Pivotally secured to the handle bracket is the handle socket 108 which is, in turn, rigidly secured to the lower end of the handle H. The handle socket 108 is a bent fiat sheet member having a split tubular upper portion for securement to the lower end of the handle H comprising side walls 112 bent substantially to the shape of a cylinder slit along one side. The securing pin connects the tubular portion to the handle. The handle socket also comprises a pair of spaced, parallel walls 114 connected by a flat back wall 116 having a bent curved tab 118 lanced out of it. The walls 114 of the handle socket 108 nest between the walls 104 of the handle bracket 94 and are pivotally secured thereto by rivet-like pivot pins 120.

On the rearward side of the handle socket walls 114 there are provided saw teeth formations 122, comprising teeth 122a, 12212 and 1220, which are configured and disposed so as to provide three distinct notch positions for the central portion 84 of the handle positioning and re lease lever 82. The arrangement is such that the central portion 84 may be disposed beneath a pair of aligned similar teeth 1220 on the walls 114 to position the handle in the vertical position illustrated in FIG. 1,; beneath aligned teeth 122b in the inclined position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, and beneath aligned teeth 122a in a horizontal position (not shown). In the vertical position as illustrated in FIG. 1, the handle is rigidly held relative to the body so as to be normal thereto. In the intermediate inclined position of FIGS. 3 and 4 there is a limited amount of pivoting which is permitted by the central portion 84 riding on the curved surfaces above lowermost teeth 1220. When in the horizontal position, the handle portion 84 is disposed immediately below the uppermost teeth 122a and a certain amount of limited pivoting is permitted there also on the surfaces above teeth 122]).

In order to adjust the handle relative to the body, if the handle is in the vertical position illustrated in FIG. 1, it is necessary to depress the foot pedal 100 to pivot the handle lever 82 counterclockwise as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 to unseat its central portion 84 from a notch formed in the handle socket Walls 144 by teeth 122c sulficiently to clear the teeth to permit the handle and socket 108 to be pivoted clockwise downwardly. Of course, the release pedal may be released so as to dispose the central portion 84 of the lever 82 in any desired notch to achieve the desired inclination of the handle relative to the body. When the handle and its socket 108 are disposed in a substantially horizontal position, in order to reposition the handle it is simply necessary to raise it to cause it to pivot clockwise, it not being necessary to depress the handle release pedal, because the spring bias generated by the spring element 64 always biases the central portion 84 of the lever 82 upwardly and counterclockwise. This bias causes the central portion 84 to move counterclockwise and seat successively in the middle and lower notches in sequence as the handle is raised without depressing the pedal by a ratchet-like slipping action.

In assembling the improved filter bag coupling and handle positioning means, the spring element 64 is forcibly positioned to its position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4; on being so positioned, it is stressed due to the dimensioning and configuration of itself and its associated parts, and thereby positively seats itself. It is stressed in mounting and generates a spring bias at all times to cause the hook 70 to urge the central portion 84 of the lever 82 counterclockwise and to urge the spring detent 60 downwardly. It will be observed that the spring element 64 performs the dual functions of constituting a spring biasing means for the handle positioning means and the spring detent for the filter bag retaining means.

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

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

1. A suction cleaner comprising an ambulatory body; a propelling handle pivotally secured to said body; an exhaust opening formed in said body; means for selectively holding and positioning said handle relative to said body including a handle release lever, said handle release lever being movable with respect to said handle, a filter including a coupling portion for securing said filter to said exhaust opening, and a single unitary spring member for urging said handle release lever into engagement with said handle and for detachably securing the coupling portion of said filter to said exhaust opening.

2. The suction cleaner of claim 1 wherein said handle release lever comprises a positioning and release rod portion; said filter securing means comprises a hollow coupling having a coupling lug; and said spring member comprises a bent spring element having a portion seated on said body, a hook formed at one end and seated on said rod portion, and a spring detent portion that is disposed to cooperate with said lug; the configuration and disposition of said spring member and its associated parts being such as to compress said spring member in mounting it, whereby said spring member is firmly positioned and exerts a bias on said rod portion.

3. The suction cleaner of claim 2 wherein said spring member includes a spring detent release finger formed adjacent to said spring detent portion.

4. The suction cleaner of claim 2 wherein said spring member comprises a bent strip of spring metal having a C-shaped portion, said hook is formed at one end of said C-shaped portion, and said spring detent portion is formed adjacent the other end of said C-shaped portion.

5. The suction cleaner of claim 2 wherein said handle holding and positioning means further includes a notchforming toothed portions movable with said handle; said positioning and release rod portion is biased against said toothed portions by said spring member into one of said notches; and there is provided selectively operated means for retracting said rod out of said notches against the bias of said spring member to permit angular adjustment of said handle relative to said body.

6. The suction cleaner of claim 5 wherein said retracting means comprises an extension on said rod portion that supports a handle release foot pedal on the exterior of said body.

7. The suction cleaner of claim 6 wherein said rod portion is pivotally mounted.

8. The suction cleaner of claim 1 wherein said handle positioning means comprises a positioning and release rod portion pivotally mounted on said body; said body includes means for locating and supporting a portion of said spring member; and said spring member is stressed when mounted in operative position and comprises a portion disposed in said locating and supporting means, and a hook seated on said rod portion and biasing it to pivot into a handle positioning position.

9. The suction cleaner of claim 8 wherein said rod portion includes an extension that is accessible for selective movement to release said rod portion from its handle positioning position to permit adjustment of the handle position.

10. A suction cleaner comprising: an ambulatory body having a propelling handle pivotally secured to said body at the rear thereof and an exhaust port opening transversely of said body at the rear thereof; a seating lip disposed adjacent the bottom of said exhaust port; means pivotally mounting and angularly positioning said handle including a plurality of notch-forming toothed portions pivotal with said handle, and a positioning and release rod pivotally secured to said body and selectively disposable in said notches to position said handle; a stressed C-shaped spring member seated on said body adjacent the top of said exhaust port and having a hook formed at one end thereof seated on said rod and biasing it toward and into said notches, and a spring detent formed at its other end and disposed adjacent the top of said exhaust port in position to latch a filter bag coupling seated in said lip and covering said exhaust port; and an extension of said rod arranged to be selectively manually actuated to pivot said rod against the bias of said spring member to move it out of said notches and compress said spring member further, whereby said handle mounting means is free to be angularly adjusted to change the angular position of said handle and toothed portions, and on release of said rod extension said spring member biases said rod into the newly selected notch to thereby set the desired angular position of said handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A SUCTION CLEANER COMPRISING AN AMBULATORY BODY; A PROPELLING HANDLE PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID BODY; AN EXHAUST OPENING FORMED IN SAID BODY; MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY HOLDING AND POSITION SAID HANDLE RELATIVE TO SAID BODY INCLUDING A HANDLE RELEASE LEVER, SAID HANDLE RELEASE LEVER BEING MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID HANDLE, A FILTER TO SAID ING A COUPLING PORTION FOR SECURING SAID FILTER INCLUDEXHAUST OPENING, AND A SINGLE UNITARY SPRING MEMBER FOR URGING SAID HANDLE RELEASE LEVER INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID HANDLE AND FOR DETACHABLY SECURING THE COUPLING PORTION OF SAID FILTER TO SAID EXHAUST OPENING.

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