Whirlpool Corporation

Erwin E Nordeen

James W Keane

Joseph F Schmitz

Ute K Malz

A vacuum cleaner nozzle having a front suction inlet and a suction passage. A first brush is rotatably mounted to the nozzle at the suction inlet, and a second brush is rotatably mounted to the nozzle adjacent the first brush at the suction inlet. A first transfer passage extends from the suction inlet adjacent the first brush for passing material dislodged by the first brush to the suction passage. A second transfer passage extends from the suction inlet adjacent the second brush for transferring material from the second brush to the second transfer passage. In one form, the brushes are rotated by separate drive means, and in another form, one of the brushes is rotated by drive means and is coupled to the other brush for rotation thereof. The brushes, in the illustrated embodiment, rotate in opposite directions so that a brush is brushing forwardly relative to the movement of the vacuum cleaner and either of opposite directions of movement thereof. The transfer passages are arranged to open generally tangentially to the brushes for improved transfer of material thereinto. Portions of the walls of the structure are disposed to strip from the brushes material clinging to the periphery thereof at the entrance to the transfer passages.

Vacuum cleaner nozzle with double brush

A vacuum cleaner electrical connector for use with a wand removably connected to a suction hose for providing electrical energy selectively to electrical apparatus associated with the wand. The electrical connector includes a plug housing carried on one end of the wand and a plug on one end of a power cord removably received in the plug housing. The plug housing defines a shoulder stop for preventing outward movement of the plug in the installed dispostion. The plug housing further includes cord-gripping structure which functions to retain the plug releasably in the installed disposition in alignment with the stop shoulder. The plug housing, in the illustrated embodiment, includes a base with the stop shoulder and cord retaining structure formed integrally therewith.

Vacuum cleaner electrical connector

A vacuum cleaner beater brush having string guard means for preventing string picked up by the brush from damaging the bearings and drive for rotating the brush. In the illustrated embodiment, the drive is a cog belt drive with a sprocket associated with the rotatable brush. The ends of the brush are rotatably journaled in bearings carried by the nozzle housing of the vacuum cleaner structure. The string guards are defined by spaces provided in the brush assembly defining zones of minimum energy to which zones the picked-up string tends to migrate in the rotation of the brush. The string guard spaces, in the illustrated embodiment, are defined by annular recesses and shoulders located suitably to prevent movement of the string to the bearings and cog belt drive sprocket.

Vacuum cleaner brush having string guard means

A powered floor sweeper having a nozzle housing formed of a plurality of segments and tie elements extending through the segments for retaining the segments in assembled side-by-side relationship. The assembled segments define open ends closed by end caps also secured in the assembly by the tie elements. A pivotable door is secured to the nozzle housing by a tie element and cooperating retaining structure is provided on the door and assembled nozzles for retaining the door releasably in a position closing the dirt-collecting space of the nozzle housing. The device further includes a sweeper brush rotatably carried in the housing and a powered drive for forcibly rotating the brush. Internal baffles separate the sweeper brush bearing zone from the dirt-collecting space. The brush bristle tufts are arranged in preselected spaced relationship to effectively minimize and substantially preclude dust puffing in the operation of the floor sweeper.

Powered floor sweeper

An improved mounting structure for movably mounting the handle of a power driven vacuum cleaner including spring biasing structure urging the handle to a central neutral position and permitting the user of the vacuum cleaner to effect selective forward and rearward movement of the vacuum cleaner by suitable manipulation of the handle against the action of the spring biasing structure. The spring biasing structure is defined by a cartridge which is mounted in a tubular portion of the handle. Improved bearing structures are provided for providing facilitated longitudinal reciprocation of the handle for facilitated control of the forward and reverse operation of the vacuum cleaner.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

Erwin E Nordeen