Wet/dry utility vacuum cleaner with a wheel mount

• US 5,598,605 A
• Filed: 09/14/1995
• Issued: 02/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Tomasiak, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah, Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US08/528,356
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 16/45, 16/30, 16/35 R, 16/38, 16/39, 16/31 R, 16/40, 16/43, 301/111, 301/112, 301/121
• US Class Current: 16/45
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0009 Storing devices winding devices for electric cables A47L9/26; Supports, stands or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0027 specially adapted for holding the suction cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0036 specially adapted for holding the suction hose
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles

Abstract

A utility vacuum cleaner tool caddy for utility vacuum cleaner drums as well as an axleless wheel mount are disclosed. The tool caddy has rear and front wheels with integral rear and front bumpers at least partially overlying the rear and front wheels. This provides a wider/larger wheel base/caddy which increases the stability of the utility vacuum cleaner during movement. The rear bumper is also provided with a plurality of spaced openings for receiving a corresponding number of vacuum tools which are stored in an out-of-way location when moving or storing the utility vacuum cleaner. The axleless wheel mount provides a snap-in mounting of individual wheels with full bearing support, thus eliminating the need of an axle between spaced and aligned wheels. Additionally, the wheel support increases the load capacity while improving the overall look and appearance of the base unit or tool caddy.

Claims

1. A wheel mount for rotatably mounting a wheel relative to a supporting frame, comprising:

a wheel having an integral centrally positioned axle extending transversely relative to said wheel;

a wheel support for rotatably mounting the wheel relative to the wheel support;

the wheel axle having a transversely extending wall that surrounds the wheel axle and terminates in a generally circular wall that is generally parallel to and radially outwardly spaced from the wheel axle, said generally circular wall being received within a complementary shaped opening of the wheel support for rotatably mounting the wheel;

the wheel axle having an outer free end that extends beyond the complementary shaped opening in the wheel support and is provided with locking means for locking engagement with the wheel support independent of the rotatably mounted wheel; and

said wheel support including an integral frame plate extending above the wheel for cooperative interengagement with an associated supporting frame.

2. The wheel mount as defined in claim 1 wherein the locking means at the free end of the axle element also includes a bearing support for the generally circular wall when mounted within the complementary shaped opening of the wheel support.

3. A wheel mount for rotatably mounting a wheel relative to a supporting frame, comprising:

a wheel having an integral centrally positioned axle element extending transversely relative to said wheel;

a wheel support including a complementary shaped wheel axle element opening extending therethrough to provide a rotatable mounting for said wheel, said wheel support having a predetermined thickness and including a front wall and a rear wall adjacent the wheel axle element opening;

said wheel being connected to said wheel axle element adjacent an inner end of said wheel, said wheel also including a transversely extending wall that surrounds said wheel axle element and terminates in a generally circular wall that extends normal to said transversely extending wall in generally parallel relationship to said wheel axle element, said generally circular wall being received within the wheel axle element opening for rotatably mounting the wheel;

said wheel axle element having a predetermined length greater than the predetermined thickness of said wheel support, said wheel axle element terminating in an outer free end spaced from said wheel;

deflectable shoulder means provided at the outer free end of said wheel axle element, said deflectable shoulder means having a predetermined width greater than the complementary shaped wheel axle element opening for partial inward deflection of said deflectable shoulder means during assembly of the wheel to said wheel support, said deflectable shoulder means returning to its predetermined width when the deflectable shoulder means extends beyond the complementary shaped wheel axle element opening for locking engagement with the rear wall of the wheel support in order to position the wheel in general proximity to the front wall of the wheel support; and

said wheel support including an integral frame plate extending above the wheel for cooperative interengagement with an associated supporting frame, in order to mount said wheel support to said supporting frame while permitting rotation of said wheel relative to said wheel support.

4. The wheel mount as defined in claim 3 wherein the transversely extending wall is axially spaced inwardly from the inner end of said wheel axle element, said transversely extending wall connected at one end to said wheel axle element and a second end connected to a first end of a tapered wall, said tapered wall having a second end connected to a transverse wheel wall which terminates in and is connected to a circular wheel wall that is spaced from and generally parallel to the circular wall surrounding the wheel axle element.

5. The wheel mount as defined in claim 4 wherein said deflectable shoulder means comprise deflectable finger segments integral with said wheel axle element each terminating in a radially enlarged shoulder at an outer free end of said wheel axle element.

6. The wheel mount as defined in claim 5 wherein the integral frame plate of said wheel support comprises a fan shaped element that is adapted to be received in a complementary shaped opening provided in said supporting frame.

7. The wheel mount as defined in claim 3 wherein the deflectable shoulder means at the free end of the axle element also includes a bearing support for the generally circular wall when mounted within the wheel axle element opening.