Abstract: A vacuum system having a closed air flow loop for cleaning rugs and floor or other surfaces. There is a vacuum source having a suction side and a controlled air flow pressure side (exhaust side). A head assembly is adapted to ride on the rug or floor or other surface to be cleaned. At least one rotatable brush is positioned within the head assembly. The suction side of the vacuum source communicates with the head assembly to provide suction within the head assembly for picking up dirt or other materials. The air exhaust side of the vacuum source communicates with the head assembly. A turbine motor is positioned so that the air exhaust from the vacuum source impinges on and drives the turbine motor. The brush and the turbine motor are interconnected whereby the turbine motor drives the brush. The means interconnecting is at a right angle to the axis of rotation of the brush.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner has a power brush which projects dirt particles directly into a specially formed and located vacuum nozzle in such a manner that low air consumption can be used. The vacuum nozzle has an inlet extending along the full axial length of the power brush. Inclined grooming brushes may be provided to eliminate wheel tracks. The front wall forwardly of the power brush may be modified to provide front edge cleaning. A cordless upright vacuum cleaner may advantageously be provided having a cleaning performance comparable with that of mains powered upright cleaners.

Abstract: A carpet cleaning machine includes a pair of counter-revolving brushes for stroking the granules into and across the carpet fibers. A shroud is positioned above the brushes, has a bottom surface spaced from the brushes and generally forms a chamber around the brushes. The machine has at least one vacuum nozzle with its inlet opening into the chamber for creating a vacuum therein. The shroud terminates in a lower perimeter having a front edge, a rear edge and two side edges extending between the front edge and the rear edge. The side edges may be essentially in contact with the carpet at all times but at least the front edge and the rear edge are spaced upward from the carpet. Such front and rear edges define a granule exit opening between each edge and the carpet. A skirt is attached at the front edge and at the rear edge and each such skirt is movable with respect to such edge for closing the exit openings when removing granules from the carpet.

Abstract: A cleaning tool for a fluid vacuum type of cleaning machine having a demand-responsive air port for an automatic determination of air as required by the degree of suction exerted at the perimeter of the cleaning head to the end that there is an adequate stream of air entrained into the cleaning tool such that the cleaning fluid therein is effectively dispersed for engagement with the surface or surface covering material to be cleaned and for the avoidance of over or under powering the suction of the lower perimeter of the tool when engaged with various surfaces and surface coverings.

Abstract: A portable rechargeable battery-operated slender tubular blower for removing relatively light debris from hard surfaces such as sidewalks, driveways, decks or workbench surfaces. The blower uses an axial flow blower fan arranged for noise minimization and energy efficient operation. Blower tube inlet and outlet portions are arranged for debris removal effectiveness by optimizing airflow volume and velocity parameters.

Abstract: A hand-held combination power brush and suction cleaner unit having control means to selectively adjust and shut off suction air flow for brush working a surface without vacuum pick-up and with reserve motor power, the unit being particularly suited for use with dry particle cleaners.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner head with a hood which closely fits the floor has a rotor with a plurality of nozzles supported on a hub with a slot. Outside air is drawn through the hub and nozzles into the hood to provide air jets from the nozzles which assist in disloging particles for recovery by the vacuum.

Abstract: A squeegee attachment for a wet/dry vacuum cleaner having an elongate cleaning head and a deformable blade inserted into the head such that the blade barely extends past a lower portion of the cleaning head which forms part of a suction part, the blade effectively blocking the part in its nondeformed position and opening the part in its deformed position so as to create a maximum amount of suction at the surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing trash in an open-end spinning frame is disclosed herein. According to the invention, an open-end spinning unit is provided with a trash transporting chamber which is communicated with an opening which is formed on part of the inner peripheral surface of a space in which a combing roller is rotatably disposed and through which part of the circumferential surface of the rotating combing roller is exposed. The trash transporting chamber is so constructed that its interior is placed substantially under an atmospheric pressure, and a side wall thereof facing opposedly toward the opening is spaced from the circumferential surface of the combing roller exposed through said opening at a distance falling within a range from a dimension which is substantially equal to the diameter of the combing roller to a dimension which is about two times said diameter.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner structure arranged to provide front edge cleaning fully to the intersection of a floor surface and an upright wall surface by a forward movement of the vacuum cleaner nozzle thereto. The vacuum cleaner structure includes a front wall of the nozzle having openings and associated structure for selectively closing the openings when the nozzle is spaced remotely from the upright wall surface and automatically causing the openings to be opened when the nozzle front wall is closely juxtaposed to the upright wall surface. The closure member, in the illustrated embodiment is pivotally mounted to the front wall and movement thereof is effected by an actuator sensor button slidably mounted in the front wall to overcome the gravity biasing and suction biasing of the closure member to the closed position, as an incident of the front wall of the nozzle being juxtaposed to the upright wall surface.

Abstract: A nozzle for a vacuum cleaner which is provided with a suction conduit for attachment to the vacuum cleaner housing. The nozzle has two working members alternately in contact with the work surface. Either of these working members can be alternately placed into operative position by means of a servo mechanism in the form of an actuating member that is movable between two positions.

Abstract: An arrangement for front suction on a vacuum cleaner, which includes a lever or a spring on a front side of the vacuum cleaner. The lever or the spring lifts the vacuum cleaner from the floor in response to a counter pressure exerted on the lever or the spring by a limiting wall, when the vacuum cleaner abuts against that limiting wall.

Abstract: An extractor head for cleaning soft surfaces such as a carpeted surface or upholstry, which includes a housing defining a slit-type throat and a pivotally movable rigid squeegee pivotally mounted within the housing and extending from the throat of the extractor head to which suction is adapted to be applied and which squeegee is adapted for swinging movement in slit-type throat into and out of engagement with opposite walls of the housing depending upon the direction of the movement of the extractor head across a soft surface for the purpose of dislodging dirt and debris in so moving and sweeping, cleaning and squeegeeing the surface to remove debris and water through suction.

Abstract: A vacuum apparatus for the cleansing of submerged surfaces is provided whereby brush devices are centrally located on opposite sides of a suction element and work with a rib to create a vortex thereby facilitating the cleansing action. The suction element consists of multiple chambers, which are separated by a diaphragm integrally connected to oppositely opening access wings. Variable mounting of wing control arms provide for selective cleaning of large or small debris.

Abstract: Vacuum apparatus for sucking up pollutants with a suction mouthpiece maintained at a given distance above the ground. The mouthpiece is partially defined at least on one side by rollers guided loosely on the apparatus and held in place during operation by the vacuum created in the apparatus. The rollers enable the apparatus to operate effectively over rough ground and to pick up relatively large pollutants.

Abstract: A rotary sweep arm for a self-cleaning filter apparatus in which the nozzle of the sweep arm is provided with a plurality of radially spaced vanes adjustable for equalizing the vacuum along the radial extent of the sweep arm.

Abstract: A ported brush supporting vacuum cleaner accessory capable of being removably mounted on the free end of a pliable hose in which a negative pressure is maintained. The brushes of the accessory are mounted on resilient tabs that normally close a number of spaced ports formed in the accessory. The brushes serve a two-fold purpose; first, when brought into rubbing contact with a surface they tend to dislodge dirt and dust therefrom, and second, the pressure contact of a brush with the surface results in the tab with which the brush is associated being temporarily moved to a second position. A tab when in a second position allows a stream of air at high velocity to flow through the port with which it is associated from the ambient atmosphere to the interior of the accessory. Each such streams of air carries dirt or dust dislodged from the surface into the interior of the accessory.

Abstract: Vacuum removal means for removing excessive developer material from a member having a latent magnetic image developed with magnetic developer material. The vacuum removal means comprises a chamber having entrance and exit ports of predetermined cross-sectional area such that the ratio of entrance port to exit port is sufficiently small to assure substantially uniform air flow across the entrance port when the chamber is subjected to negative pressure through the exit port. The entrance port of the chamber is in communication with means for subjecting the developed surface of the member to a substantially uniform shearing air flow when the chamber is subjected to the negative pressure. A second entrance port of equal cross-sectional area to the first entrance port may be provided to the chamber in association with gating means for selectively varying the cross-sectional area of each entrance port while maintaining a constant combined cross-sectional area for the entrance ports.

Abstract: A sweeping vehicle for sweeping roads and other surfaces comprises a suction mouth located behind a sweeping brush. The inlet portion of the suction mouth is inclined relative to the surface to be swept and faces in a direction towards the brush. Air guide means extending from a trailing edge of the suction mouth approximately parallel to the surface, acts to direct air towards the suction mouth. The arrangement of the suction mouth and air guide means prevents particles of dirt from being discharged from the zone of the suction mouth by a vortex within the suction mouth.

Abstract: A suction port device comprising a shield member extending along at least one of the peripheral edges of an opening formed in a suction port body, so that the suction force of the vacuum cleaner can be made substantially uniform in intensity over the entire length of the suction port body.

Abstract: A wheeled suction nozzle is provided having, generally, a simplified three-piece construction including an upper shell, an intermediate plate and a bottom pan, with the intermediate plate sandwiched between the other two members so that its top surface and the bottom surface of the upper shell form the suction passageways for the nozzle.A rotary valve is included to activate edge or normal suction, with this valve rotating on a vertical axis and snapfit into position and thus not requiring any sort of connecting means which would positively maintain the rotary valve attached to the nozzle.

Abstract: A pencil-size instrument body has a manually operable valve to control an air passage connected to a vacuum source. A first hollow axle projecting forward from the body carries a rotary finger control member. A rigid air tube of small diameter is mounted by one end in a second hollow axle and constitutes therewith a replaceable probe assembly that plugs into the first hollow axle. A rotary hub member on the second hollow axle is operated by the rotary finger control member and is connected to the end of a coil spring that rotatably embraces the rigid air tube. The second end of the coil spring is connected to a rotary tip member on the rigid air tube that picks up small objects by vacuum action and rotates the objects under control of the finger control member.

Abstract: The specification discloses a surface cleaning apparatus having an air blast pickup head in which the suction in the exhaust chamber can be increased by the operator during operation of the apparatus to facilitate the ingestion of larger objects of debris and litter.

Abstract: This application discloses "wiping" of a liquid, molten zinc, for example, across the surface of a strip to which it adheres. A wiping fluid, such as steam, is directed from an orifice at the strip. A valve, preferably an elongated relieved bar is positioned adjacent and behind the orifice, and flow of wiping fluid is controlled by rotation of an elongated valve in the form of a relieved bar or cam.