POWER PROPELLED SUCTION CLEANER

• US 3,618,687 A
• Filed: 07/01/1969
• Issued: 11/09/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brandt F. Ziegler, Christian D. Berger, Melvin H. Ripple, Robert F. Dyer
• Original Assignee: Brandt F. Ziegler, Christian D. Berger, Melvin H. Ripple, Robert F. Dyer
• Inventors: Ripple, Melvin H., Ziegler, Brandt F., Berger, Christian D., Dyer, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hersh, Benjamin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paperner, Leslie J.
• Application Number:
  US04/838,302
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 180/19R,19S,19H 15/340,410,411 287/53R,53H 74/502,503 192/48.1,48.9,48.91,49
• US Class Current: 180/19.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/604 Radially sliding catch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20426 Slidable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20468 Sliding rod

Abstract

A power propelled suction cleaner includes a wheeled trolley having selectively operable torque transmitting means thereon for transmitting torque to surface engaging drive wheels. The cleaner includes a housing covering the trolley and the housing has a suction nozzle and rotatably driven agitator thereon. The cleaner also includes a handle adapted to be grasped by an operator for moving the cleaner over a surface. The housing and handle are each pivotally connected to the trolley for independent pivotal movement relative to the trolley and to one another. The handle includes manually actuatable operating means connected with the torque transmitting means for selectively engaging the torque transmitting means to transfer torque to drive wheels. Automatically operable disabling means is provided for preventing operation of the torque transmitting means by the manually actuatable operating means when the handle is placed in a predetermined pivoted position relative to the trolley. The cleaner further includes disabling means for raising the agitator out of contact with a surface being treated when the handle is placed in a predetermined pivoted position relative to the trolley. The manually actuatable operating means includes a hand grip reciprocatingly connected with the handle. The hand grip has a hollow interior which includes a cavity portion at which force transmitting means is attached. The hand grip includes a closure releasably secured thereto and closing the cavity. The closure may be removed from the hand grip while the hand grip is connected with the handle to provide exterior access to the connection for the force transmitting means.

Claims

1. In a power propelled device including a main body having surface engaging drive means thereon, the improvement comprising torque transmitting means carried by said body and including a pair of clutches selectively engageable to cause rotation of said drive means in opposite directions to thereby propel said device in opposite directions, a manipulating handle adapted to be grasped by an operator of the device and said handle being secured to said body for movement between a normal use position and a storage position, and an actuator associated with said handle and effective to engage said clutches, said actuator being movable in opposite directions from an intermediate position in which neither of said clutches are engaged, in the normal use position of said handle, movement of said actuator in one direction from its intermediate position being effective to engage one of said clutches to cause rotation of said drive means in one direction and movement of said actuator in the opposite direction from its intermediate position being effective to engage the other of said clutches to cause rotation of said drive means in the opposite direction, in the storage position of said handle, said actuator being ineffective to engage either of said clutches.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said actuator has a portion bodily movable with said handle between normal use and storage positions of the latter, wherein said actuator portion is positioned for cooperation with said clutches when said handle is in normal use position, and wherein said actuator portion is positioned away from cooperation with said clutches when said handle is in storage position.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein a pivot is carried by and bodily movable with said handle, wherein said actuator portion is mounted on said pivot and is shiftable about the axis thereof in response to relative movement between the device operator and the grasped device, wherein said actuator portion has a part spaced radially of said pivot for cooperation with said clutches to engage the latter when said handle is in normal use position aforesaid, and wherein said actuator portion part is spaced from cooperation with said clutches when said handle is in storage position aforesaid.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein a pivot connection secures said handle to said device body for pivotal movement between its normal use and storage positions aforesaid, wherein said actuator portion part is arcuate and is generally concentric with the axis of said handle pivot connection, and wherein said torque transmitting means includes a follower for actuating said clutches, said follower having operable engagement with said arcuate actuator portion part in all normal use positions of said handle.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said follower comprises a lever having a bifurcated portion, and wherein said arcuate actuator portion part is disposed between said lever furcations in all normal use positions of said handle.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein said follower comprises a lever having a bifurcated portion, wherein said arcuate actuator portion part is disposed between said lever furcations in all normal use positions aforesaid of said handle, and wherein said actuator portion pivot is substantially aligned with said lever furcations in the storage position aforesaid of said handle.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said actuator comprises a handgrip adapted to be grasped by the device operator and reciprocably mounted on said handle, and wherein selectively operable latch means is in part carried by said handle and in part carried by said handgrip for selectively retaining said handgrip in its intermediate position aforesaid.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein resilient means yieldably biases said latch means to position providing for handgrip reciprocation away from its intermediate position aforesaid.

9. The structure of claim 7 wherein said latch means comprises an abutment carried by said handgrip for movement transversely thereof, wherein said handle provides a pocket aligned with said abutment when said handgrip is in its intermediate position aforesaid, wherein resilient means yieldably biases said abutment to spaced relation with said handle pocket, and wherein movement of said abutment into said handle pocket retains said handgrip in said intermediate position aforesaid.

10. In a power propelled device including a main body portion mounting torque transmitting means and a device manipulating handle, the improvement comprising an elongated handgrip adapted to be grasped by an operator and reciprocably connected to said handle, said handgrip having a hollow interior providing a cavity adjacent one end thereof and said hollow interior opening outwardly of said handgrip at the opposite end thereof for receiving said handle, sAid handgrip further having a removable closure portion closing said cavity and providing for access thereinto while said handgrip is connected to said handle, force transmitting means connected to said handgrip within said cavity and associated with said torque transmitting means whereby reciprocation of said handgrip controls said torque transmitting means, and movement limiting means for limiting reciprocatory handgrip movement relative to said handle, said movement limiting means being connected with said handle at a first connecting point and with said handgrip within said cavity at a second connecting point, said movement limiting means being connected for limited longitudinal movement with at least one of said connecting points.

11. The structure of claim 10 wherein said movement limiting means is connected for limited longitudinal movement with said second connecting point, wherein said movement limiting means provides a slot, and wherein said handgrip provides a post extending through said movement limiting means slot.