Abstract: A rotary brush sweeper includes a debris pan with an inlet portion that glides on a surface being cleaned. The debris pan automatically disengages from the sweeper upon being engaged by an obstacle in the path of the sweeper. The debris pan is configured with an inlet portion or scoop for directing debris propelled by a rotary brush into the debris pan. The scoop portion has a first upwardly and rearwardly inclined surface and a second surface beneath the first surface and facing downwardly. A low friction material covers the first and second surfaces of the scoop to facilitate collection of debris into the debris pan. The covering may include an integrally formed tip portion of abrasion-resistant material, and is preferably configured in cooperation with the scoop to mechanically grip onto the scoop without the need for screws or adhesives.

Abstract: A rotary brush sweeper includes a debris pan with an inlet portion that glides on a surface being cleaned. The debris pan automatically disengages from the sweeper upon being engaged by an obstacle in the path of the sweeper. Rotary brooms may be attached to the left and right front sides of the sweeper. The support structure for the front wheel provides broom-to-ground height adjustment for the side brooms. Additionally, brush-to-ground height adjustment is obtained through a support structure for the front wheel. The axle of the rotary brush is held in place under the tension of a drive belt for the rotary brush.

Abstract: A rotary brush sweeper includes a rotary brush which is rotatable about a brush axis and which may be of generally cylindrical form. The rotary brush is supported in a brush support assembly that is pivotable about a central axis, with the brush axis being offset from the central axis. As a result, rotation of the pivotable brush support assembly accomplishes the raising or lowering of the rotary brush with respect to a surface being cleaned. In a preferred configuration, the pivotable brush support assembly includes a pair of spaced support members having respective annular convex mounting surfaces. The spaced support members are received within respective annular concave mounting surfaces situated on a housing structure for the sweeper.

Abstract: A hand held vacuum cleaner is provided with a frictionally held soft plastic nozzle that constitutes a snout for the vacuum cleaner casing. The fan for creating a flow of working air and the motor for driving the fan are parts of a subassembly that is selectively positionable within the casing. In one position of the subassembly, working air is drawn into the casing through the nozzle at the front thereof and is expelled at the rear of the housing. In the other position of the subassembly, working air is drawn in at the rear of the casing and is blown out the front thereof.

Abstract: The electric vacuum cleaner here disclosed includes a main motor housing supporting a bypass type motor within it. The motor housing is separably connected to and swingable about the materials collecting tank beneath it. A tube projecting above the cover of the tank and extending laterally over the cover defines the air flow communication between the tank and depending side sections of the motor housing which meet and are releasably attached to the ends of the tube. The tube also defines the swing axis of the motor housing. Detents control this swinging. A resilient cuff over the motor in the housing separates the fan motor bypass cooling air inlet and outlet from each other and from the main suction fan outlet and also separates all of these from the main suction fan inlet, while also defining respective flow paths communicating with inlets and outlets from the motor housing.

Abstract: A portable vacuum cleaner having a nozzle extending from the housing and a dust bag supported within the nozzle. The nozzle consists of two longitudinal sections one of which is an extension of the housing and the other of which is removable, to permit insertion removal and replacement of the dust bag, and may also be locked in position. To lock the removable portion of the nozzle, there is a retainer for the housing end of the removable section and a tubular member which has a modified breech block type of locking flange at its front. The inner portion of the tubular member supports the dust bag in the nozzle. The locking flange is placed on a tab extending from the section of the nozzle which is an extension of the housing and receives a tab from the removable section of the nozzle. The locking flange is then rotated to effect the lock at the front end of the nozzle thereby locking the tubular member into the front end of the nozzle and locking the removable section of the nozzle in place.

Abstract: A rug shampooing machine, including means for producing dry foam from a liquid detergent source and for working such foam into a rug or carpet by means of a brush rotating on a horizontal axis; further comprising a vacuum nozzle, roller and squeegee means for picking up the dirty solution resulting from the scrubbing or shampooing action.A foam generator mechanism is especially adapted to produce the aforesaid foam from the detergent source. This mechanism includes two rollers situated above the scrubbing brush, just below the outlet from the detergent source. The axes of the rollers are in a substantially horizontal plane and parallel to the surface to be cleaned. The rollers are of different diameters, the larger of the two being a foam plastic roller, which is driven by a belt connected to the scrubbing brush. The two rollers are continuously compressed together in order to create the desired foam.A reverse-stroke brush lift-off mechanism is also incorporated in the rug-shampooing machine.