VACUUM CLEANER WITH NOZZLE HEIGHT ADJUSTING MECHANISM

• US 3,713,185 A
• Filed: 03/29/1971
• Issued: 01/30/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ryobi Motor Products Incorporated (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Earl R. Clowers, Walter G. Azelkas
• Inventors: Clowers, Earl R., Azelkas, Walter G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moore, C. K.
• Application Number:
  US05/128,755
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 15/354,358,361,355,356,357
• US Class Current: 15/354
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/34 with height adjustment of nozzles or dust-loosening tools

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner having a suction nozzle at the front of an access plate mounted on the bottom of the chassis. At least four nozzle height positions relative to the surface of the floor to be cleaned is obtained by manually indexing an adjusting lever pivotably mounted on one side of the cleaner and having a pin mounted in one leg thereof. The rear wheels of the cleaner are rotatably mounted on the ends of a crank type offset axle pivotably mounted on the bottom of the cleaner frame. Two front wheels of the cleaner are each mounted on one leg of separate Ushaped axles, each having its other leg pivotally supported on opposite sides of the bottom of the frame. Linage assemblies connect each end of the rear axle to the respect wheel mounted leg of each front wheel axle. The linkage on the adjustable lever side of the cleaner includes a slot for receipt of the lever pin so that as the lever is pivotably moved the pin drives the linkage, thus causing the front and rear axles simultaneously to pivot on their respect journals. This effects a change in the relation between all four wheels and the cleaner housing, thereby raising or lowering the nozzle relative to the floor.

Claims

1. A nozzle height adjusting mechanism for a vacuum cleaner having a chassis including a suction nozzle inlet at the bottom thereof, said mechanism comprising in combination front and rear wheels for supporting said chassis for movement on a floor surface, front axle means having offset portions on which said front wheels are journaled and rear axle means having offset portions on which said rear wheels are journaled, said front axle means including journal portions turnably mounted on said chassis providing for movement of said front wheels toward and away from said chassis upon turning of said journal portions, said rear axle means including journal portions turnably mounted on said chassis providing for movement of said rear wheels toward and away from said chassis upon turning of said journal portions, linkage means interconnecting said offset portions of said front and rear axle means for simultaneous movement of said front wheels and said rear wheels indifferent vertical directions relative to said chassis, and adjustment means movable between a plurality of positions for selectively moving said linkage means to vertically move said front and rear wheels in different directions relative to the chassis, whereby said nozzle is vertically moved relative to the floor.

2. A nozzle height adjusting mechanism as recited in claim 1 wherein the distance between the offset portion of the front and rear axle means differs from the distance between the journal portions thereof.

3. A nozzle height adjusting mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein said rear axle means comprises a rear axle extending from side to side of said chassis including a central portion, offset arms formed on opposite ends of said central portion, a rear wheel rotatably carried on each offset arm, said central portion having journal portions, spaced bearings on the rear of said chassis pivotably mounting said journal portions, said front axle means comprising a substantially U-shaped shaft at each side of said chassis, each shaft having one leg pivotably mounted on said chassis substantially parallel to the central portion of said rear axle, a front wheel rotatably carried on the other leg of each shaft, said linkage means comprising a linkage assembly at each side of said chassis, each linkage assembly operatively connecting an offset arm portion of said rear axle with a respective front wheel carrying leg.

4. A nozzle height adjusting mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein said means for selectively moving said linkage means comprises a lever member, means pivotably mounting said member on said chassis, said member including a pin, the linkage assembly on at least one side of the chassis having a notch formed therein for receiving said protrusion, and means for selectively pivoting said lever to move said linkage assembly and thereby all said wheels.

5. A nozzle height adjusting mechanism as recited in claim 4 wherein said means for selectively pivoting said lever comprises a spring member having one end thereof fastened to said lever and a manually engageable handle mounted on its other end for moving said spring in a direction to pivot said lever, and means for locking said spring to said chassis, said spring being normally biased in the locking direction so that the bias must Be manually overridden to move said spring in the pivoting direction.

6. A nozzle height adjusting mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein the lateral spacing between the central portion of said rear axle and the pivotably mounted leg of each respective U-shaped shaft is smaller than the lateral spacing between each offset arm of the rear axle and the front wheel carrying leg of each respective U-shaped shaft.