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 power head is provided which has a bare floor feature. A vacuum cleaner head assembly defines a vacuum chamber which contains a power driven rotary brush. Located outside of the vacuum chamber adjacent the rotary brush is a generally U-shaped trailing brush. The trailing brush cooperates with a height adjustment mechanism which is movable between a deep carpet position and a bare floor position. As the height adjustment mechanism of the head assembly is moved toward the bare floor position, the trailing brush is automatically moved to an extended position into engagement with the floor. When the height adjustment mechanism is moved from the bare floor position, a biasing means biases the trailing brush toward a retracted position within the head assembly. An actuator cooperates with the height adjustment mechanism to automatically move the trailing brush between the retracted position and the extended position in response to movement of the height adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: An electrical implement having a bypass mechanism for controlling a variable speed motor is disclosed. The implement includes a tool, a variable speed electrical motor activatable for driving the tool, a housing supporting the motor and tool, and a control knob for controlling the speed of the motor. The control mechanism includes an on/off switch and a variable speed control circuit. The variable speed control circuit includes a variable resistance rheostat and bypass switch. The control knob controls whether the bypass switch causes current to bypass the rheostat to operate the motor at a predetermined speed or else whether the resistance in the rheostat is variable to change the speed of the motor. The control mechanism includes a cantilevered beam engageable by the control knob to operate the bypass switch. The cantilevered beam is sufficiently flexible to allow for large deflections while placing only limited force across the bypass switch.

Abstract: A vacuum power head is provided which has a bare floor feature. A vacuum cleaner head assembly defines a vacuum chamber which contains a power driven rotary brush. Located outside of the vacuum chamber adjacent the rotary brush is a generally U-shaped trailing brush. The trailing brush cooperates with a height adjustment mechanism which is movable between a deep carpet position and a bare floor position. As the height adjustment mechanism of the head assembly is moved toward the bare floor position, the trailing brush is automatically moved to an extended position into engagement with the floor. When the height adjustment mechanism is moved from the bare floor position, a spring biases the trailing brush toward a retracted position within the head assembly. An actuator cooperates with the height adjustment mechanism to automatically move the trailing brush between the retracted position and the extended position in response to movement of the height adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: Support structure for a table saw blade assembly includes a cast aluminum bracket member with a rectangular opening upon which is movably supported the saw blade assembly. The bracket member is formed with a cavity for containing the saw blade and a discharge chute communicating with the cavity. A cover plate encloses the cavity. On the other side of the bracket member there are stiffening ribs for reducing the vibration of the bracket member. The density of the stiffening ribs increases as the distance from the opening decreases.

Abstract: The handle section of a canister vacuum cleaner hose is formed with a noise reducing bleed hole shaped with an inwardly converging wall on the side directed toward the nozzle end of the wand.

Abstract: A floating cleaner head used with a self-propelled front wheel drive floor cleaning apparatus, such as a vacuum cleaner. Both the forwardly located drive wheels and the drive transmission therefor are pivotably mounted on a bracket beneath the cleaner head. A skid plate attached to the bracket extends rearwardly from the bracket pivot to sense the carpet pile height of a floor to be cleaned. As the pile height increases, the bracket is pivoted so as to force the drive wheels deeper into the carpet pile which increases the propelling force. Additionally, since the drive wheels and transmission are located intermediate freely-rotatable rear wheels and a forwardly located rotary brush and nozzle area, operation of the skid plate also cause the entire cleaner head to float or pivot about the axis of the rear wheels so as to automatically adjust the elevation of the rotary bar and nozzle area.

Abstract: A disposable filter bag accommodating tray insertable through an opening in a vacuum cleaner includes a front wall closing the cleaner opening and features absence of a tray rear wall permitting rearrangement of bag shape during tray withdrawl to minimize bag rupture and easy bag disposal by simply inverting the tray.