Fabric cleaning hand tool with recirculating system

• US 4,159,554 A
• Filed: 05/06/1977
• Issued: 07/03/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arlen M. Knight, William R. Hachtmann
• Original Assignee: Arlen M. Knight, William R. Hachtmann
• Inventors: Hachtmann, William R., Knight, Arlen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Christopher K.
• Application Number:
  US05/794,353
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 15/321, 15/322, 222/318, 239/124
• US Class Current: 15/321
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits

Abstract

A recirculating system is provided for use with a cleaning machine including a recovery tank and a heated fluid solution dispensing tank for recirculating a part of the heated fluid passed from the dispensing tank to a hand-held fabric cleaning head. A normal vacuum hose connects a suction chamber in the hand-held cleaning head to the recovery tank of the machine. A dispensing fluid outlet line and a dispensing fluid return line are both preferably contained within the vacuum hose. The ends of the fluid inlet line and fluid outlet line at the machine extend laterally through appropriate fixtures from the vacuum hose to outlet and return inlet ports of the fluid dispensing tank. The far distal ends of the fluid outlet line and fluid inlet line at the hand-held head in turn connect to a block member having a third outlet for passing a portion of the dispensing fluid directly to a spray nozzle in the outlet head. The block structure is arranged to pass another part of the fluid back through the inlet line to the dispensing tank so that continuous recirculation takes place and the fluid dispensed from the nozzle is maintained in a heated condition.

Claims

1. A fabric cleaning hand tool with a recirculating system for use with a cleaning machine including a recovery tank, a heated fluid solution dispensing tank and a pump having an inlet and outlet in said dispensing tank for recirculating fluid solution, comprising, in combination:

(a) a hand-held head structure defining in its interior a suction chamber and an adjacent spray nozzle;

(b) a vacuum hose having one end connected to said head in communication with said suction chamber and its other end extending to said recovery tank;

(c) a dispensing fluid inlet line connecting to the outlet of said pump in said fluid solution dispensing tank and a fluid outlet line connecting to the inlet of said pump to return said fluid solution to said dispensing tank so that fluid is circulated by said pump in said tank; and

,

(d) a member secured to said head connecting to said fluid inlet line and said fluid outlet line and to said spray nozzle so that a portion of heated fluid passing through said fluid inlet line is continuously recirculated back through said member and said fluid outlet line to said fluid dispensing tank and another portion is passed to said nozzle, when said nozzle is operated whereby the portion of fluid passed to said nozzle is maintained in a heated state as a consequence of the recirculation of the said first mentioned portion of fluid.

2. A fabric cleaning hand tool with a recirculating system for use with a cleaning machine including a recovery tank, a heated fluid solution dispensing tank and a pump having an inlet and outlet in said dispensing tank for recirculating fluid solution, comprising, in combination:

(a) a hand-held structure defining in its interior a suction chamber and an adjacent spray nozzle;

(b) a vacuum hose having one end connected to said head in communication with said suction chamber and its other end extending to said recovery tank;

(c) a swivel connection between said other end and said recovery tank, said swivel connection comprising a stationary sleeve having a reduced diameter portion defining an external annular channel at its forward portion;

a collar rotatable in the channel receiving said other end of said vacuum hose, the rear portion of said sleeve having a dispensing fluid inlet fixture radially extending thereinto connected to the outlet of said pump and a circumferentially spaced dispensing fluid outlet fixture radially extending thereinto connected to the inlet of said pump;

(d) a fluid inlet line running longitudinally within said vacuum hose and sleeve to connect to said fluid inlet fixture and a fluid outlet line running longitudinally in said vacuum hose and sleeve connecting to said fluid outlet fixture;

(e) a block member secured to said head within said one end of said vacuum hose, said block member having a fluid inlet bore connected to said fluid inlet line, a fluid outlet bore connected to said fluid outlet line, and a nozzle connection bore communicating with said inlet bore and said outlet bore and communicating with said spray nozzle;

(f) a swivel means connected between said nozzle connection bore and spray nozzle, for permitting swivelling of said spray nozzle relative to said block member;

(g) a flow control connected between said swivel means and said spray nozzle, and

(h) means reducing the diameter of the outlet opening into said outlet line at said outlet bore to a value from one half to one fourth the diameter of the inlet opening of the inlet line at said inlet bore in said member whereby recirculation of a portion of heated fluid between said hand tool and said dispensing tank continuously takes place to thereby decrease loss of heat of the portion of the fluid passed to said nozzle.

3. The subject matter of claim 2, in which the outlet opening into said outlet line is tapped, said means reducing the diameter of said outlet opening comprising an externally threaded body receivable in said tapped outlet opening having a central bore therethrough defining said reduced diameter.