Abstract: A vacuum cleaner having a cleaning head engagable with a floor and a first suction nozzle and a brush roller mounted therein; a housing connected to the cleaning head, the housing having a dirt storage container and a first passageway leading from the cleaning head to the storage container; a cleaning hose having an at least partially flexible second passageway in communication with the first passageway and having a second suction nozzle at one end; a suction motor mounted in the housing and operatively associated with the storage container for drawing dirt laden air from the cleaning head through the first passageway and from the hose through the second passageway, into the storage container; a flow control valve having a generally cylindrical body mounted for rotation in the housing with one end of the cylindrical body having an opening in constant communication with the suction motor, a first opening in a side portion of the cylindrical body which can be brought into and out of alignment with the first pas

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner height adjustment mechanism including a cleaning head having a pair of laterally spaced front wheels and a pair of laterally spaced rear wheels mounted for rotation within the cleaning head for supporting the cleaning head on a floor during vacuum cleaning operations, the front wheels being mounted to a common axle mounted in the cleaning head for pivotal movement around a fixed axis, the wheels being mounted to the axle offset from the pivotal axis of the axle, an arm extending from the axle, a shaft mounted substantially horizontally in the cleaning head for rotation about a central axis disposed in a plane perpendicular to a plane containing the axis of the axle, one end of the shaft having spiral threads thereon and an opposite end having an adjustment knob fixed thereto for manually rotating the shaft, and a guide member having internal threads matching and engaged with the spiral threads on the shaft for movement along the shaft, the guide member being coupled to the arm extending from

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner is provided having a cleaning head and a main body pivotally mounted to the cleaning head which includes a counter-balance mechanism having at least one torsion spring with a first end thereof mounted for pivotal movement about a fixed axis in either the cleaning head or the main body and a second end thereof mounted for pivotal movement about a fixed axis in the other of the cleaning head or the main body, with the at least one torsion spring having a main body portion which is free to move as the main body of the vacuum cleaner is pivoted relative to the cleaning head, the counter-balancing force of the at least one torsion spring increasing as the main body of the vacuum cleaner is pivoted from a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position while the cleaning head remains generally horizontal.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner having dual cleaning motor and fan units is provided having a cleaning head engagable with a floor and a suction nozzle and a brush roller rotatably mounted therein. A first motor and fan unit is mounted in the vacuum cleaner for producing suction in the suction nozzle and is operatively connected to the brush roller for rotating it. An upright housing is connected to the cleaning head, the housing having a handle for moving the vacuum cleaner along the floor during floor cleaning use. Contained in the housing are a dirt storage container, a passageway leading from the suction nozzle in the cleaning head to the storage container and a second motor and fan unit operatively associated with the storage container for drawing dirt laden air from the cleaning head through the passageway and into the storage container simultaneously with operation of the first motor and fan unit.

Abstract: A book rack has two side walls and a rack extending between the side walls. The side walls each include a core made of a lightweight structural material, such as corrugated or honeycombed paperboard, a coating which coverers inner and outer surfaces of the core, and an edge bead covering an edge of the core. The rack comprises a single sheet of substantially transparent material formed generally as a wave defining a plurality of valleys. Each valley has a forward wall and a rear wall. The sheet is formed such that the a valley is positioned above and behind a preceding valley so that the books which are placed in the valleys will be easily visible.