National Union Electric Corporation

Scott N Lockhart

Samuel E Hohulin

Joseph F Brooks

Joseph F Brooks, Deceased

A suction cleaner capable of rapid conversion for either on-the-floor or above-the-floor cleaning, is disclosed. The cleaner includes an elongated housing arranged in a generally upright manner and having an elongated, upwardly extending handle at the rear side thereof. A floor nozzle is connected to the lower end of the housing so that the latter 'floats' on the surface of a rug or carpet being cleaned. A suction control valve assembly is mounted in a cavity in the rear of the housing so as to be easily removable therefrom. The valve assembly is connected to conduit means extending between a subatmospheric pressure filtering chamber in the housing and the floor nozzle. An auxiliary suction inlet communicates with the filtering chamber, upstream from the suction valve assembly, and one end of an auxiliary suction hose is permanently connected to the auxiliary inlet. The valve of the suction control valve assembly shifts from a position establishing communication between the floor nozzle and the filtering chamber when the cleaner housing is inclined rearwardly for on-the-floor cleaning and to a position preventing communication between the floor nozzle and the filtering chamber when the cleaner housing is in an upright position for above-the-floor cleaning. A recess is provided in the rear side of the handle to receive and releasably retain the suction hose when the latter is not in use and another cavity is provided between the housing and handle to receive an above-the-floor cleaning tool when this tool is not in use. The major components of the cleaner are compactly arranged so that the overall bulk of the cleaner is reduced.

Suction cleaner

A sole plate and rake latch assembly in a vacuum cleaner nozzle is provided which is capable of making the nozzle effective for both raking and cleaning shag-type rugs and rugs with short nap. The sole plate is provided with forwardly and rearwardly inclined walls extending upwardly from an air intake opening disposed lengthwise therein. A pivotal rake member is mounted adjacent the upper edge of both the forwardly and rearwardly inclined walls with the inclined walls preferably having recesses formed in their outer surface to receive the lower ends of the rake members in nesting position therein. Several rake latching means are provided which enable the rake members to be moved into either raking position or in nesting position.

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Normal, IL, United States of America

Scott N Lockhart