Abstract: A portable compact extractor having permanent solution and recovery tanks integrally formed in a single main tank portion, with a removable power head attached to the top of the main tank. A fill port passes through the powerhead into the cleaning solution tank and a pour spout is formed in the recovery tank. With this construction, the cleaning solution tank may be filled with water and, if desired, detergent, by pouring the water and detergent into the fill port in the power head, and the recovery tank may be emptied as desired simply by tipping the unit and pouring the contents of the recovery tank out the pour spout and down the drain, without ever having to remove any tanks, bottles or the power head from the unit, or disconnect and reconnect any tubes. A carry handle is located on the powerhead to facilitate transportation of the unit, removal of the power head from the main tank for cleaning the tanks when desired, and to facilitate pouring the contents of the recovery tank out of the pour spout.

Abstract: A self propelled upright vacuum cleaner is provided that has at least one drive wheel, a transmission for selectively driving the drive wheel in forward and reverse and propelling the cleaner in forward and reverse over a floor. A bag housing pivotally connected to the floor engaging portion. An electric power switch located adjacent to a top of the bag housing. A control link extending from the transmission and up the bag housing, with a top end of the control link being located adjacent to the top of the bag housing. An upper handle assembly having a hand grip reciprocally mounted thereon and a power switch button mounted thereon. The lower end of the upper handle assembly is adapted for connection to the top of the bag housing, such that the upper end of the control link and the hand grip are automatically interconnected when the upper handle assembly is attached to the bag housing.

Abstract: A height adjustment mechanism for a vacuum cleaner includes a wheel carriage pivotally mounted to a foot of the vacuum cleaner, a height adjustment cam which engages the wheel carriage, and a cam actuator which attaches to the height adjustment cam for camming the height adjustment cam against the wheel carriage. The height adjustment cam is formed with a stepped bottom camming surface. The camming surface is formed with a plurality of spaced parallel ribs having a rounded outer surface which minimizes the surface-to-surface contact between the height adjustment cam and the wheel carriage. This reduced surface-to-surface contact reduces the frictional resistance between the height adjustment cam and the wheel carriage allowing the cam actuator to be easily slid for height adjustment of the vacuum cleaner foot.

Abstract: A removable suction nozzle inlet adapter is taught for converting the suction inlet of a vacuuming nozzle from a straight line inlet to one having either a convex or concave suction inlet whereby curved carpet and/or upholstery surfaces may be vacuumed. The adapters are particularly useful for use with hand held hot water extractor nozzles upon the curved carpet surface between the step and risers of carpeted stairs and/or the curved carpet transition from the riser to the horizontal step. Further, the invention described and taught may be used to vacuum curved upholstery or carpet surfaces found in the typical household and/or automobile.

Abstract: Floor care apparatus is disclosed wherein a powered brush assembly having a multiplicity of rotary brushes is suspended within the apparatus such that the brush assembly floats freely upon the surface being cleaned without supporting any of the machine's weight. The rotary brushes are generally configured as spur gears and function in a gear train wherein one brush drives all other gear brushes in the system. Axially projecting brush bristles are embedded in each gear tooth such that there is no unbrushed area between adjacent brushes in the brush line. The portion of the gear tooth wherein the bristles are embedded includes a recessed profile to allow for circumferential expansion of the tooth, upon insertion of the brush bristles, thereby preventing gear tooth interference. The brush assembly is particularly suitable for hot water carpet extractors of the upright design.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner suction nozzle is provided with inner front and rear ducts and a duct cover piece disposed within the agitator chamber. This chamber is formed by a tunnel piece that is at least partly user observable from above the nozzle. The nozzle includes a hood piece which melds with its underbody at, at least, a portion of their juncture. This is occasioned by an offset or undercut formed in one of the hood piece or underbody, whereby the hood piece and underbody join with coplaner outer surfaces.

Abstract: A dirt conveying duct arrangement is formed between a nozzle and motor-fan of a vacuum cleaner and includes front and rear duct sections. The front duct section is open at the bottom thereof and covered by a removable bottom plate. The rear duct section is open at the top thereof and is covered by a removable top duct cover. The two-section dirt conveying duct arrangement allows clogs to be removed along the entire length thereof. The corner formed between the rear duct section and the motor-fan inlet may be molded with a radius to improve airflow into the motor-fan and limit losses in suction pressure.

Abstract: An improved carpet extractor is provided having powered brushes for scrubbing cleaning solution on a floor surface and a floor nozzle for extracting soiled cleaning solution from the floor surface in a floor cleaning mode. The extractor may be converted from the floor cleaning mode to an above the floor cleaning mode for cleaning upholstery, stairs, spots on carpet, or the like, with an attached hand held wand having a cleaning solution applicator and an upholstery and stair cleaning nozzle. A pair of motors are provided, one for driving the floor scrubbing brushes when in the floor cleaning mode and one for driving a cleaning solution supply pump and providing pressurized cleaning solution to the wand in the above floor cleaning mode. An automatic conversion mechanism is provided for automatically energizing and de-energizing the motors depending upon the operative position of the handle portion of the extractor.

Abstract: A self-propelled upright vacuum cleaner is provided having a lower portion and an upright handle portion pivotally attached to the floor engaging portion for a pivotal motion between an upright storage position and a pivotal operating position. A drive wheel mounted to the floor engaging portion. A transmission operatively connected to the drive wheel and a motor drivingly connected to the transmission for driving the drive wheel in forward and reverse. A transmission actuator arm pivotally mounted to the floor engaging portion adjacent to the transmission for pivotal motion about a pivot axis located at a central portion of the actuator arm. A manual actuator mounted to the handle portion.

Abstract: A suction nozzle is provided with a linearly movable, stepped cam which adjusts the height of the suction nozzle by acting against a pivoted wheel carriage. The stepped cam is relatively fixedly positioned by an indexing means including a deflectable arm which is manually deformed to release the fixed indexing and then manipulated in a sideward direction to move the position of the stepped linear cam means.