Abstract: A vacuum cleaner for cleaning a surface is disclosed. The vacuum cleaner comprises a main housing including a tank chamber, a motor-blower assembly for creating a vacuum, a recovery tank disposed within the tank chamber for storing contaminated liquid, a supply tank for providing cleaning liquid, a hose assembly and a fluid pump. The fluid pump pumps fluid from the supply tank onto a surface to be cleaned. The vacuum pump creates a vacuum across the recovery tank assembly and hose assembly to vacuum up dispensed cleaning fluid into the recovery tank assembly. Preferably, the supply tank may be a flexible bladder disposed within the recovery tank. The flexible bladder contracts as liquid is dispensed so that the volume for storing contaminated liquid within the recovery tank assembly increases. Preferably, the recovery tank may be removed from the main housing and a vacuum bag is fluidly connected between the hose assembly and the motor-blower assembly for dry vacuuming.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner having pivotally interconnected body and nozzle head portions and a handle which is extendable for upright floor cleaning operation or retractable for hand carried or cannister type vacuuming operation, in which the handle in retracted position fixes the cleaner body and nozzle head portions against pivotal movement.

Abstract: A floor care appliance having a main housing with a handle extending from an upper portion thereof, and having a motor blower assembly affixed thereto with an inlet tube extending from a lower portion thereof. The main housing is fashioned with a rearwardly open cavity portion for receiving a filter arrangement including a paper filter bag having connection to an outlet tube of the motor blower assembly, and a second stage of filtration implemented by an air permeable closure covering the rearwardly open cavity portion. A floor unit carries a brush actuated by a reversible motor, a dry chemical carpet cleaning powder receptacle and dispensing arrangement for selectively dispensing the powder adjacent the brush, and a plenum chamber extending from adjacent the brush to a swivel having an outlet tube connected and affixed to the inlet tube of the motor blower assembly. A switch assembly is carried by a cover for the main housing and provides for operator selection of one of several modes of operation.

Abstract: Home or residential cleaning apparatus of the hot water or steam extraction type comprising a hot solution tank, a pump for pumping the hot cleaning solution to an applicator nozzle, a wet pick-up vacuum for extracting soiled cleaning solution, an electrical resistance heater of relatively low wattage at the bottom of the solution tank, a thermostat thermally coupled to the heater in series electrical connection therewith set to open at a temperature slightly above the boiling point of the cleaning solution to function as a safety device and also in series with the solution pump, and a signal device provided in parallel with the thermostat.

Abstract: A surface cleaning vacuum nozzle having a cleaning materials dispenser slidingly attached thereto, the entire assembly being connectable to a hand held suction wand having a valve attached thereto which is in fluid communication with a cleaning fluid supply. The sliding action of the dispenser aids in the connecting or disconnecting of the nozzle.