Abstract: A device for cleaning a bristle bed of a conveyor type trained between the rotatable end units employs a carriage which is moveable relative to the conveyor member transversely of its advancement direction and includes a cleaner head which is engagable with individual slats indexed to a cleaning location in line with the head to accomplish cleaning by moving the head laterally of each slat to effect removal of debris contained within the bed.

Abstract: An elongated body, has internally formed a plenum chamber opening to one face of the body. A pair of side brushes mounted on the face projected outwardly thereof and being spaced laterally from each other and extending over the major length of the body. A pair of longitudinally opposed end brushes spanned transversely across the body face from one side brush to the other project outwardly of the one face in the direction of the side brushes and form with the side brushes a vacuum chamber. The tips of the side brushes are formed of bristles of a length in excess of the length of bristles formed by the side brushes, and are engageable with laterally opposed longitudinally extending opposite side edges of planar ceiling fan blades. The side brushes are spaced from each other a distance generally equal to the lateral width of the ceiling fan blades.

Abstract: An attachment for the majority of conventional vacuum cleaners and reversible blower devices for collecting lightweight, loose-fill packaging materials for disposal or reuse includes two, nesting sections. The first section, when used alone, releasably attaches over the bin or the body of a portable, hand held vacuum cleaner. An inlet end defines an irregular collection edge to aid in preventing entry of dust and extraneous, heavier materials. A one-way, hinged door defining perforations allows air to enter to move previously collected packaging material away prior to opening of the door to admit additional packaging material. For full sized vacuum cleaners, the first section removably mounts through an aperture formed in an end wall of a larger receptacle having a universal coupler for attachment to the hose or hose coupler of the majority of full sized vacuum cleaners. The first section may be made larger and used alone to attach to a full sized vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: An automatic dustpan apparatus for central vacuum cleaning systems has a hollow body member that is configured for built-in mounting under cabinetry or in walls adjacent a floor surface, and connection to a conventional central vacuum cleaning system whereby debris on a floor surface may simply be swept to the vicinity of the automatic dustpan and hence into the central vacuum cleaning system where it is discarded. A valve within the dustpan body automatically closes when the dustpan is not in use to permit the other receptacles in the central vacuum cleaning system to function and provision is made to assure against the energizing of the central vacuum cleaning motor when the automatic dustpan is to be used until after the valve of the dustpan has been opened, in order to prevent harmful overloading and other undue damaging strains on the motor during its initial startup and operation.

Abstract: A hose connector for a vacuum having a lid includes a hose inlet having opening extending through a skirt of the lid, surfaces disposed on one of the hose inlet and the connection end defining slot portions extending in a particular direction and flange portions disposed on opposite sides of the other of the hose inlet and the connection end. Each slot portion has a width sufficient to receive a flange portion. The vacuum is assembled by sliding the connection end into the opening along the particular direction before the lid is assembled on the skirt such that the flange portions are received in the slot portions. The lid is thereafter placed on the tank such that a tank receiving portion of the connection end receives a portion of the tank.

Abstract: The herein disclosed invention relates to an improved liquid supply tank which may be releasibly attached to an ambulatory machine such as an upright domestic carpet cleaning extractor. A unique combination carrying handle and securement latch is taught which pivotly attaches to the tank for carrying when the tank is removed from the machine. The handle includes latching means that serves to secure the tank to the machine when the tank is attached thereto.

Abstract: A quick attach-detach assembly of a wet-dry vacuum cleaner for selectively mounting an air blower on a lid includes a blower housing supporting a motor and a fan mounted to the motor and a lid to which the housing can be removably secured. The lid includes an aperture, an annular wall encircling the aperture and an annular ringlike surface defined on the wall. A retaining wall portion extends over a section of the ringlike surface to define a tunnel-shaped section. The blower housing includes a face on which is defined a protrusion. When the blower housing is mounted on the lid, the protrusion of the housing face is located adjacent the tunnel-shaped section. A locking ring is mounted on the lid for limited rotation thereon. A rotation of the ring selectively locks and unlocks the blower housing from the lid.

Abstract: A rapid deployment system for recovering oil from beaches includes an articulated vehicle for propelling and suspending a vacuum head above a beach or the like. A selected area of the beach is irrigated with sufficient quantities of water to saturate the selected area. Oil deposited on the beach is driven to the surface. A sufficient quantity and velocity of air moves over the surface beneath the vacuum head to develop a water column upon which resides a frothy foam mixture of air, water and oil which is drawn into the head. In the vacuum head, the velocity of the air flow is suddenly and significantly reduced above a fluid sump wherein entrained oil and water droplets fall into a sump for processing outside of the vacuum head. A metal auger can be provided within the vacuum head to pump oil from pools and separate entrained oil droplets from the high velocity air flow. A special terrain vehicle which propels and supports the vacuum head is modular and can be transported by helicopter with the entire system.

Abstract: An automatic tack-off machine comprises a generally cylindrical rotary brush for lifting dust, dirt and sanding particles from the surface of a body to be painted without contacting the surface and a control system to position the brush is spaced noncontacting relation to the surfaces to be cleaned. The brush has strands of polymeric material that are radially extended and electrostatically charged by rotation with the control system operating to position the free ends of the strands in close proximity to the body. An ionizing system neutralizes the static charge in the strands to enable a vacuum system to remove the dirt particles from the brush.

Abstract: A vacuum hose storage and access apparatus for a central vacuum cleaning system is described, which includes a power unit. A 12 volt direct current retraction motor powered by the power unit is mounted on a base and has an output shaft. A gear reduction unit is provided having an input shaft and an output shaft. The input shaft is rotatably coupled to the output shaft of the motor. A clutch is disposed between the output shaft of the gear reduction unit and a vacuum hose reel. The clutch has an engaged position and a disengaged position. In the disengaged positioned the reel is freely rotatable thereby enabling vacuum hose to be freely pulled from the reel. In the engaged position the reel is indirectly coupled through the gear reduction unit to the output shaft of the motor such that upon rotation of the output shaft of the motor the output shaft of the gear reduction unit rotates the reel at a reduced rate of rotations per minute in a direction which retracts the vacuum hose back onto the reel.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner system includes a vacuum cleaner having a hollow air inlet, an air outlet, a removable dirt bag communicating with the inlet and the outlet, and means for moving initially dirt-laden air from the inlet to the outlet via the bag. The system also includes a charge generator for generating an electrostatic charge of a given polarity on the bag. The system optionally includes a charge generator for generating an electrostatic charge of the given polarity on the initially dirt-laden air.

Abstract: A suction head for a vacuum cleaner includes a rag roll device which is wetted to perform a wet wiping action across the floor. The rag roll device is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis. A rotation regulating mechanism, comprised of a pawl device and ratchet teeth, is provided which prevents the rag roll device from rotating when the suction head is moved forwardly, while permitting the rag roll device to rotate by a predetermined angle when the suction head is moved rearwardly. This enables different portions of the rag roll device to assume a floor-contacting position.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner with an air vibration suction nozzle for application to a workpiece, whereby air vibrations produced by a transducer supported and sealed in the nozzle housing vibrate the workpiece, or debris with respect to the workpiece, and any loose particles on the workpiece are then drawn into the vacuum cleaner through the suction nozzle. The suction nozzle is provided with an elongated nozzle opening, a plurality of wheels to guide the nozzle over the workpiece, a stationary brush adjacent the nozzle opening, and a viewport and interior light for illuminating and viewing the workpiece through the nozzle opening. Controls for adjusting both the frequency and amplitude of the airwaves produced by the transducer are also provided.

Abstract: A canister vacuum cleaner improved by noise dampening means interposed between the outlets of its internal vacuum pump and the air outlet from the canister. The noise dampening means may comprise a baffle interposed between the pump outlets and air outlet of the canister in a manner which provides little resistance to a flow of air from the pump outlets to the air outlets of the canister. Further means which may comprise further baffles may be provided to dampen noise from the pump driving electric motor and motor cooling fan.

Abstract: A device and a method are provided for the removal of liquid coolant or lubricant edge beads from the side marginal edges of a moving web, such as metal sheet or strip. The device consists of two or more pairs of manifolds, wherein the individual manifolds of each pair are positioned above and below the main surfaces of the moving web and the manifolds also extend beyond the side edges of the web. The manifolds are arranged at an angle to the side marginal edges of the web and compressed gas is introduced to the manifolds. The introduction of the compressed gas, such as air, through the manifolds provides vertical curtains of compressed gas parts of which impinge on the surfaces of the web and thus create turbulence at the side marginal edge portions where the liquid edge bead is located. Due to the turbulence created at the side marginal edge areas of the moving web effective removal of the liquid edge bead can be accomplished.

Abstract: A steam cleaner recovery tank has an inverted cup shape dome sealed thereto. An upright riser tube mounted to the recovery tank bottom wall extends into the dome. A flat horizontal plate intersects the vertical upright riser tube and supports a float ball at a rest position below a riser tube inlet port shielded from a dirt-free return air stream. The float ball rises by contact with liquid accumulating within the recovery tank. The float ball is of a density so as to be rapidly sucked into the inlet port by the dirt-free return air stream. A perforated cup integrally molded to the flat plate supports the float ball in one embodiment and forms a shield. In a second embodiment, a cylindrical wire mesh screen is fixed to the bottom of the flat plate, to the side of the riser tube. The float ball is positioned in the filter screen and the second circular hole constitutes the risers tube inlet port. An air imperforate shrink tube acts as a shield.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a vacuum cleaner bag cover which provides an enlarged access opening into the interior thereof. The vacuum cleaner bag, which is designed to enclose a removable dirt filtering and collecting bag, includes a main section and a front panel section. In a first embodiment, the front panel section is connected to the main section by a pair of parallel, vertically oriented zippers and a top member which snap-fits over the top of the main section. In a second embodiment, the front panel section is permanently attached to the main section along one edge, and releasably attached at an opposite edge by a vertically-oriented zipper. An interior frame is provided to vertically support the vacuum cleaner bag cover. In the first embodiment, access to the interior of the vacuum cleaner bag cover is gained by sliding the zippers downwardly, pulling the bag cover top member off the vacuum cleaner bag cover and folding the front panel section downwardly.

Abstract: A hand-held vacuum cleaner includes a housing, a source of vacuum, a hose removably connected to an intake section of the housing, a rotatably driven brush located at the intake section, and a system to automatically stop the brush from being driven when the hose is disconnected from the intake section. The hose is located on an exterior of the housing and connects the intake section to the source of vacuum. The hose is flexible and expandable with a relatively compact, free-standing, curved shape when connected between the intake section and the source of vacuum, but can be expanded in general accordion-like fashion when the hose is removed from the intake section to expand to about four times its compact length. The system to automatically stop the brush can also automatically reengage driving of the brush when the hose is reconnected to the intake section.

Abstract: A self-propelled floor cleaning machine or scrubber of the walk-behind type includes a one-piece molded main body incorporating an integral solution tank. The main body includes a central cavity in which is received a one-piece molded secondary body defining a recovery tank. The main body receives the secondary body in an interlocking fashion such that the entire unit is self-supporting, such that the use of gaskets or sealers between the tanks and other components is eliminated. The main body is supported on a steel frame which also supports the batteries, cables, wheels, brushes, squeegee, and the like (frame components). The main body fits over the frame components and together with the secondary body provides a water shedding cover therefore.

Abstract: A high velocity air and stationary disturber cleaner for cleaning surfaces by drawing air under flexible film seals. A vacuum enclosed in a housing provides the suction force to draw the air under the seal, tangent to the surface to be cleaned, thus removing adhered particles. Disturbers are placed on the surface of the seals in contact with the surface to be cleaned to loosen particles to be removed. The brush density, the fiber length and a plastic film incorporated into the brush design are all ways to limit the amount of air flow through the bulk of the brushes for better cleaning efficiency.