Abstract: A vacuum cleaner is provided with a wheel housing having at least one axle bracket extending therefrom along a transverse axis and at least one axle bracket-receiving socket formed in a foot of the vacuum cleaner whereby the socket slidably receives and pivotally mounts the at least one axle bracket. The wheel housing is thereby pivotally mounted to the foot. A height adjustment mechanism is provided with the wheel housing having an actuator having a bearing shaft and a bearing sleeve with a longitudinal bore. The longitudinal bore of the bearing sleeve receives the bearing shaft to rotatably mount the actuator. A detent mechanism is provided between the bearing shaft and the bearing sleeve to releasably mount the actuator to the foot. The actuator can be adapted to release upon encountering abnormal forces applied against the vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner comprises a housing having a floor-engaging nozzle fluidly interconnected with a filter bag in a closed filter bag chamber in the housing through a suction passageway, an exhaust vent in the filter bag chamber to exhaust filtered air exiting from the filter bag chamber and a vacuum motor provided in the housing to draw air from the floor-engaging nozzle to the filter bag. An exhaust filter is mounted in the exhaust vent. A sensor in the filter bag chamber detects a condition representative of the flow of air through the exhaust filter element and an exhaust filter indicator interconnected with the sensor provides a signal to a user when the condition reaches a predetermined level to indicate a clogged condition of the exhaust filter. A sensor and indicator can also be provided for the filter bag so that independent signals can be generated relating to the clogged condition of one or both of the filter bag and exhaust filter.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner is provided which has a handle pivotally mounted to a foot. The foot has a releasable mechanism pivotally mounted thereto. The releasable mechanism and the handle are provided with abutting protrusions and recesses which can abut one another to retain the handle in an upright storage position, in an angularly disposed position for normal use and a generally horizontal position. The releasable mechanism preferably comprises a foot pedal which has an integral arm spring extending angularly therefrom and biased against the foot so that the protrusion and/or recess on the foot pedal is urged within a corresponding recess and/or protrusion on the handle.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner comprises a housing, a motor mounted in the housing, and a switch coupled the motor for actuating the motor to an operative and an inoperative condition. The switch includes an actuator button for moving the switch between an opened and a closed position. A foot pedal is pivotally mounted to the housing and has a bottom surface in an abutting relationship with respect to the actuator button. The foot pedal can include an axle having a pair of flat surfaces which pivotally mount to a slotted circular retainer in the housing. The bottom surface of the foot pedal can include a depending flange which is in abutting relationship with the actuator button. Further, a spring can be disposed between the bottom surface of the foot pedal and the housing to bias the foot pedal away from the switch wherein the spring at least partially surrounds a portion of the foot pedal and at least partially surrounds the actuator button.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to an improved vacuum cleaner comprising a foot, a handle pivotally mounted to the foot, and a vacuum motor mounted to one of the handle and the foot. The foot has a suction inlet fluidly connected to the vacuum motor and an agitator brush rotatably mounted to the foot. The improvement relates to a wheel assembly comprising a housing, an axle mounted to the housing and at least one wheel rotatably mounted to the axle. The housing has an integrally-molded flange extending therefrom. The wheel assembly rollably supports the vacuum cleaner on a floor surface. A channel is formed in the foot and is adapted to pivotably mount the housing flange for movement between a first and a second position. In the first position, the wheel assembly supports the suction inlet at a first distance relative to the floor surface. In the second position, the wheel assembly supports the suction inlet at a second distance therefrom.

Abstract: A convertible vacuum cleaner operable in both on-the-floor and above-the-floor cleaning operations is shown. Depending upon the location of the handle which is pivotally supported by the vacuum foot, a conversion valve interconnected to the handle automatically converts the vacuum between on-the-floor and above-the-floor cleaning operations. The conversion valve includes a flapper valve member which is actuated between a first position blocking fluid communication between the vacuum motor and the brush roll chamber and a second position blocking fluid communication between the vacuum motor and the accessory hose. The valve member is actuated between these two positions by a pin and actuator arm provided on the pivotally mounted valve member. The pin is received in a contoured groove formed on the motor housing and the motor housing is securely mounted to the handle and pivotally mounted with respect to the foot and valve member.

Abstract: A manually operated carpet sweeper which can be assembled and disassembled without the need of tools. The sweeper has a frame which supports front and rear wheels, a cleaning brush and a dirtpan, all of which are fastened to the frame by finger operable latching surfaces. The sweeper is operated with a handle which is fastened to a bail which is releasably supported on the frame. The front, side and top forward surfaces, all potentially marring surfaces, are covered with an elastomeric material which has finger actuable gripping surfaces for fixing the cover in place on the frame of the sweeper. The height of the sweeper, and in turn the height of the cleaning brush, can be adjusted using a wheel or a sliding member on the top surface of the sweeper. Also, the rear wheels for the sweeper are held by configured stub shafts which are held by the sweeper frame thereby avoiding the use of an axle extending across the width of the sweeper. A large dirtpan is thereby made possible.

Abstract: The specification discloses an impeller for cleaning devices. A plurality of impeller segments are slipped over a twisted flat wire to provide the impeller. Each of the impeller segments preferably includes a plurality of paddles, and a central section with a non-cylindrical opening for receiving said twisted flat wire.

Abstract: A wall mountable vacuum accessories caddy has a generally planar front surface with a rearwardly projecting perimeter flange and forwardly projecting arms for releasably receiving and supporting vacuum accessories. In one aspect of the invention, the caddy is a one-piece injection molding, moldable in a simple two-piece mold.

Abstract: A control switch is disclosed for a two-speed vacuum cleaner motor and the like. The switch provides three sensors which operate in response to the mounting of three different types of accessories on a vacuum cleaner. One sensor causes low motor speed operation when an accessory is mounted requiring low speed operation. Another sensor operates to provide high speed motor operation when a high speed accessory is mounted. The third sensor prevents motor operation when an accessory is not mounted on the outlet of the vacuum cleaner. The control switch provides a high speed/low speed switch and a power switch. The power switch is automatically moved to its open or OFF position in response to the mounting of an accessory. Consequently, the high speed/low speed switch cannot oeprate ot start the motor, and is therefore provided with low cost contacts. The control switch and motor provide plug-type connectors which automatically connect the internal motor wiring when the switch is installed.

Abstract: A control switch is disclosed for a two-speed vacuum cleaner motor and the like. The switch provides three sensors which operate in response to the mounting of three different types of accessories on a vacuum cleaner. One sensor causes low motor speed operation when an accessory is mounted requiring low speed operation. Another sensor operates to provide high speed motor operation when a high speed accessory is mounted. The third sensor prevents motor operation when an accessory is not mounted on the outlet of the vacuum cleaner. The control switch provides a high speed/low speed switch and a power switch. The power switch is automatically moved to its open or OFF position in response to the mounting of an accessory. Copnsequently, the high speed/low speed switch cannot operate to start the motor, and is therefore provided with low cost contacts. The control switch and motor provide plug-type connectors which automatically connect the internal motor wiring when the switch is installed.

Abstract: A small self-contained unit is provided to indicate rotation of a machine element such as a brush in a domestic vacuum cleaner. The rotation indicating device may be mounted inside the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner so that through an aperture in the vacuum cleaner nozzle, an indicator lamp may be observed, and it will be illuminated upon rotation of the vacuum cleaner brush. The rotation indicating device includes a housing which carries the lamp in a fixed longitudinal position on the housing, which accommodates a wire coil within the housing and the coil cooperates with a rotating magnet on the rotating brush. All of the parts are fixed in longitudinal position so that when the indicating device is mounted in the vacuum cleaner, the wire coil is in position to cooperate with the magnet and the lamp is in position adjacent the vacuum cleaner nozzle aperture.

Abstract: A rug cleaning attachment for a vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The attachment has a suds confining chamber and a scrubbing brush roll mounted thereon for rotation about a horizontal axis within the chamber. The brush roll has a multiplicity of tufts which are adapted to scrub suds into the rug and which define a cylindrical envelope upon rotation of the brush roll. A shield closely conforms to the cylindrical element and guards against suds being centrifugally thrown into the drive and/or suction components of the vacuum cleaner. A scalloped doctor blade is provided for the brush roll which projects into the cylindrical envelope defined by the tufts to scrape spent suds and lint from the brush roll.

Abstract: A system of combining a microwave oven and ventilator over a range top or the like wherein the ventilator comprises an assembly including a central oven receiving compartment and air handling components providing for an exhausting of the range top atmosphere and a maintenance of the oven in a relatively contamination free environment. The ventilator includes a downwardly directed filter-mounting cavity underlying the oven. A pair of vertically extending air directing channels are provided to each side of the oven receiving compartment and extend vertically from communication with the underlying cavity to a pair of chambers located above the oven compartment and in direct communication with an exhaust blower positioned centrally therebetween. The exhaust blower is communicated with the ambient atmosphere above the oven compartment for introduction of cooling uncontaminated air.