Abstract: A vacuum cleaner has an electric motor driving an air impeller for creating suction and a pump impeller which is located in the tank and draws liquid material from the bottom of the tank and expels it from the tank. The vacuum cleaner may have an electrical or mechanical shut-off apparatus which turns off the electric motor if the water level in the tank is too high. The shut-off switch may be bypassed by a user to allow the motor to continue driving the pump impeller to remove liquid from the tank.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner has an electric motor driving an air impeller for creating low pressure and a pump which draws liquid material through an inlet tube from the bottom of a tank and expels it from the tank. A priming apparatus is disposed between the air impeller and the interior of the pump to place the interior of the pump in air flow communication with a low pressure area generated by the air impeller. With the interior of the pump in air flow communication with the low pressure area generated by the air impeller, the pump is able to draw liquid material received by the tank up through the pump inlet to prime the pump.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner has an electric motor driving an air impeller for creating suction and a pump which draws liquid material through an inlet tube from the bottom of a tank and expels it from the tank. The vacuum cleaner also includes a mechanical shut-off and override assembly that automatically shuts off the motor if the liquid level in the tank gets too high. The user, however, can mechanically override this automatic shut-off in order to continue pumping liquid out of the tank. A priming apparatus is disposed in the tank in fluid communication with the pump, and a valve is selectively actuable to establish a pressure differential across liquid in the priming apparatus to thereby prime the pump.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner has an electric motor driving an air impeller that creates low pressure inside the tank of the vacuum cleaner. The motor also drives a pump impeller which is located in the tank and draws liquid material from the bottom of the tank and expels it from the tank. Near an inlet to the pump is a priming mechanism having bellows which are compressed to force liquid material up into the pump. Portions of the pump, including the inlet and the outlet as well as the priming mechanism, are attached to a tank extension which fits over the top of the tank. The lid of the vacuum cleaner, which carries the motor and air impeller, fits over the tank extension when the vacuum cleaner is used for liquid material. The tank extension and its associated pump components are removable from the tank to facilitate use of the vacuum cleaner on dry material.