Abstract: The disclosed bracket can be used to hang vacuum cleaners that have a detachable dolly. A plate on the bracket mounts to a wall. A stem portion fits within a slot on the dolly. Lower wall segments on the stem portion extend from the wall plate and have vertical outer edges. Intermediate wall segments extend between the lower wall segments and upper wall segments that have lower horizontal limits that are closer together than the lower wall segments are, are positioned laterally outwards from the stem portion, and taper toward each other above their lower limits. Side rim portions extend from the upper wall segments and fit within grooves on the vacuum cleaner. The outer edges of the lower wall segments are farther apart than the inner edges of the side rim portions are, and closer together than the outer edges of the side rim portions are.

Abstract: A hand-guided device has a housing and a drive component with a drive element that is movable relative to the housing by way of a motor. A tool is releasably connectable to the drive element. In order to achieve a universal usability of the device by equipping it with various tools as well as with a different way of movement each, the drive element is eccentrically mounted in the drive component with an eccentricity and on the housing, a fixed bearing is disposed at a distance from the drive element for an optional cooperation with a tool.

Abstract: A footwear cleaning apparatus includes a vertically oriented frame with an upper frame for supporting the user that is standing while cleaning the footwear. The apparatus receives water from a garden hose and provides a control valve for regulating the water flow while the user is standing upright. The water is directed upwardly through a foot platform on the lower frame, and also through a lower brush onto the footwear sole, the resulting splash causing water to wet two side brushes that are oriented to bear upon the sides of the footwear. A scraper assembly is also on the lower frame and provides a horizontal scraping edge and two vertical scraping edges for the sole and sides of the footwear, respectively. After the water is turned off a drain outlet allows the device to be drained.

Abstract: Footwear cleaning apparatus includes a housing with an opening for receiving footwear to be cleaned. A first cylindrical brush is rotatably supported about a horizontal axis for cleaning the bottom of the footwear yielding to its insertion movement into the housing but preventing rotation in the opposite direction. A pair of second cylindrical brushes are rotatably supported about generally upright axes oppositely positioned adjacent the path of movement of the footwear for cleaning the sides of the footwear also in a manner yielding to its insertion movement but preventing rotation in the opposite direction. A third cylindrical brush also positioned in the path of movement of the footwear for cleaning its upper surfaces is rotatably supported about a substantially horizontally disposed axis on an axle extending between upright mounting braces for rotation, yielding to insertion movement of the footwear but preventing rotation in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A portable domestic steam cleaning appliance comprises a generally accurate housing having a forward facing barrel portion and a handle portion. A water reservoir is releasably attached to the handle portion. A tube extends into the water reservoir to supply water via a pump to a flash boiler. Steam exits an outlet in use. Power to an embedded heating element is controlled by a thermostat to prevent excessive heating of the boiler. The components are incorporated in the housing that is readily carried in one hand to enable sweeping of attachments that fit to the outlet over surfaces for cleaning and sterilising those surfaces as required. There is no need to carry around or have closely available a significant quantity of water at high temperature or pressurised steam, to provide an adequate supply of steam, being a significant disadvantage over otherwise similar prior art appliances.

Abstract: A beansprouts roots, husks, cleaning machine is disclosed. The machine has an internal spiral (7) and external spiral (6) in opposite directions mounted on the perforated cylinder (3) with integrated grouts bearings (8) driven by a motor rotating inside a casing cylinder (1). When the unclean sprouts are loaded by the given direction into the rotating perforated cylinder (3); causing by the rotating cycle, the roots are broken and the husks separated which then gets through the holes (4) into the gap (5) between the rotating cylinder (3) and casing (1), pushing out in one direction by the external spiral (6) as by-product. The clean sprouts are being pushed out by the internal spiral (7) in another direction as products. The machine can be used as a single or double, even multicylinders to clean the roots and husks and in different quantities of product in demand.

Abstract: Brushing apparatus for cleaning and polishing farm produce includes three rotating cylindrical helical brushes forming a brush channel. The brushes rotate in the same direction but at different speeds to clean and polish the produce, and to "walk" it along the brush channel. The brush bristles are the only things touching the produce, and the sole way by which produce is moved along the brush channel. The brushes and brush channel are adjustable up or down from the horizontal to control the throughput rate of articles of produce.

Abstract: A continuous washing apparatus is provided which comprises an elongate washing vessel 1 having an inlet 2 for receiving objects to be washed at one end thereof. An outlet 3 is provided for discharging objects W to be washed at the other end thereof. The elongate washing vessel is arranged in an inclined manner so that the inlet is located downwardly and the outlet is located upwardly. A conveyor is disposed within the washing vessel for conveying the objects from the area adjacent to the inlet toward the area adjacent to the outlet. A washing structure 14 15 is provided for washing the objects. The conveyor includes a screw body 4 rotatably mounted on the washing vessel 1, and a drive mechanism for driving the screw body. The screw body includes a continuous length of fin 5 which extends helically around the longitudinal axis of the washing vessel.

Abstract: A surfacing machine for discrete objects includes a generally cylindrical drum with first and second ends, a longitudinal axis extending between the drum ends and a generally cylindrical, coaxial inner bore extending between and open at the ends. The drum bore has a surface defined by an abrasive material. A screw auger has first and second ends and is coaxially mounted within the drum bore. A drive system is drivingly connected to the drum and the screw auger and is adapted for counterrotating them. A noise and dust control system partially encloses the surfacing machine and a feed system feeds discrete objects to it.

Abstract: A washer for balls such as golf balls including an entry tube having an open entrance end and a second end joined at an angle to an adjoining end of an exit tube thereby forming an elbow-shaped housing. The exit tube has an inner wall lined with brushes near the adjoining end and sponges near the exit end. A rotatable helical (spiral) array of brushes, or/and sponges, is arranged inside of and concentric with the exit tube. The washer is supported with the entrance and exit above the joining ends so that the housing will hold water up to a level that is determined by a weep hole to keep the brushes submerged. The helical array of brushes can be turned manually by a crank extending from the central shaft of the helical brush array to function as a lift mechanism. Balls are inserted into the entrance end of the housing and as the handle is turned, the ball is scrubbed as it is lifted by the helical brush array toward the exit end of the housing onto a sponge-lined tray having weep holes therein.

Abstract: A rail spike cleaning apparatus includes a tumbler and an arrangement whereby the tumbler is automatically loaded and unloaded. The tumbler is a continuous tumbler in that it is operable to receive spikes continuously while it is tumbling and operable to automatically discharge cleaned spikes while it is tumbling. The tumbler is connected to a motor which causes the tumbler to rotate about a rotation axis, which is preferably horizontal. The tumbler is cylindrical and the axis of rotation is the center axis of the cylinder. The tumbler includes a cleaning chamber separated from a discharge chamber by a wall. When spikes reach sufficient height in the cleaning chamber, they may overflow the wall and go into the discharge chamber. Spikes which land in the discharge chamber are caught by vanes which carry them up to drop upon a conveyor belt whereupon they are carried out of the tumbler.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuously peeling and removing dirt from produce wherein the apparatus comprises an abrading cage with a plurality of rotating spindles and having an internal chamber with an inwardly facing abrading surface and an axis of rotation. The axis of rotation of the cage is generally horizontally aligned, as opposed to being vertically aligned so as to vary the combined force due to gravity and centrifugal force acting upon produce within the cage. The cage is rotated at sufficient speed to substantially maintain the produce in contact with the abrading surface during revolution thereof yet the combined force acting upon the produce varies throughout the revolution so as to prevent clustering and bridging. A peel and dirt collecting drum diverges from one end to a wide end, is rotated and is positioned radially outward from the cage and has a surface thereon positioned to receive debris flung outwardly from the cage.

Abstract: In a produce peeler a plurality of rolls (14) are mounted in a "U" configuration around an auger (26) and are individually rotated by hydraulic drive motors (16) to peel produce passing through. The rolls are positioned in a hyperbolic configuration to enhance the produce tumbling and thereby improve the peeling action. The rolls are also interchangeable with separate speed controls for each.

Abstract: A golf ball washing machine has been invented where a detachable upper vibrating trough may receive numerous golf balls and dispense them individually into a spiral cage encircling a rotating brush in a lower water tank where the golf balls are entrapped between the brush and cage interior and are scrubbed as they are forced along the interior of the spiral cage to an exit leaving dirt and debris in the tank.

Abstract: A fruit and vegetable cleaning apparatus is provided for removing damaged, textured skin impurities which has a loading opening, a housing enclosing a revolving conveyor drum which is partially surrounded by a plurality of abrasive elements by means of which said fruits and vegetables are cleaned.

Abstract: A cleaning and peeling machine (1) with an essentially vertically aligned cylinder (6) and with a conveyor screw (26) located in the latter is designed for cleaning and peeling agricultural products. The shell (18) of the cylinder (6) has a plurality of orifices which are distributed peripherally and through which the waste which occurs, such as skins, passes outwards. So that continuous treatment can take place, the product is fed centrally into the bottom region (27) of the cylinder (6).

Abstract: Method for removing material from the surface of fruits and vegetables (produce) and separating the removed material from the resultant mixture utilizes the rotation of an upwardly directed cage formed of elongated rotating spindles having a material removing surface thereon, the cage rotary speed being sufficient, at the interior radius thereof, to maintain the produce in continuous centrifugal force contact against the spindle material removing surface, but generally insufficient to prevent downward movement or migration of the produce within the cage under the force of gravity. Produce to be treated is urged into engagement with the spindles and the rotating cage causes the produce to accelerate substantially to said rotary speed, whereby the produce travels with the cage in contact with the rotating material removing spindle surfaces.

Abstract: A processing machine for washing, scrubbing, or peeling products, such as vegetables or fruit, comprises a plurality of elongated rotatable processing rollers (with brushes or abrading elements thereon) arranged to define a U-shaped trough through which the products pass for processing. A rotatable waste discharging auger is located below the trough. A rotatable product mobilizer apparatus, comprising a drive shaft, helical rods arranged around and supported on the drive shaft and located in the trough, and augers on the drive shaft at the opposite ends of the helical rods, operates to raise the product layer next to the processing rollers thereby creating a tumbling action, to positively move the products toward the discharge end of the processing rollers, and to control product load level in the trough as a function of the rotational speed of the product mobilizer apparatus.

Abstract: In a windshield wiper assembly (10), a connecting adaptor (14) converts a center mounted pin connection between a wiper arm (11) and a pressure-distributing yoke (13) to a side mounted pin connection. In assembled position, the connecting adaptor (14) is disposed over the cross rivet (28) within a center open space (20) defined by the yoke (13). The connecting adaptor (14) has deflectable claw elements (36) with tabs (53) which engage the side walls (16, 17) of the yoke (13) to fixedly maintain the connecting adaptor (14) in proper assembled position. A connecting pin (33) carried by the connecting adaptor (14) and extending laterally outward therefrom provides a side mounted pin connection for pivotally receiving the terminal end (75) of the wiper arm (11).

Abstract: A chip washer comprising a tank holding washing fluid, a conveyor for supplying chips into the tank, a vane for setting the fluid and therewith the chips into motion in the tank, a conduit provided with valve for removal from the tank of the foreign substances separated from the chips and a washed chips removing conveyor, this latter consisting of a screw conveyor ascending obliquely upwardly from the tank with its lower end extending into the washing fluid and the mantle of which is constituted by a strainer tube. The strainer tube of the screw conveyor is encircled by a collecting tube or trough, which returns the washing fluid running off the chips, back to the tank.

Abstract: A kit for servicing the interior working parts of a cartridge type tape playback unit comprising a completely hollow cartridge case having parallel track guide means disposed in its two sides. The hollow cartridge case is designed to actuate the unit when it is inserted in the unit and provide the user of the kit with an unobstructed view of the playback head, the capstan and the sensing poles as well as other similarly disposed interior working parts over which the tape would normally travel. A tool holder having a plurality of interchangeable service heads is provided. Two of the heads, one of abrasive material and the other of felt or the like, are formed with a concave cleaning surface and are dimensioned so as to be received between the guides in the side walls of the cartridge case. Another cleaning head includes cutter blades and a magnet and is also sized so as to be received within the guides.

Abstract: Ultrasonic systems for use in consumer, and other applications, having electromechanical motor systems providing bursts of ultrasonic mechanical vibration at an applicator repeated at a sonic frequency to produce both ultrasonic and sonic vibratory motion and effect during use of said applicator.