Whirlpool Corporation

William J Martin

Keith E Carr

Edward C Peterson

James W Keane

John M Chun

Kwang-Tzu Yang

A canister type vacuum cleaner includes a floor cleaning unit and a canister unit interconnected by a wand and hose assembly. The canister unit has a dust collection bag mounted in a dust collecting compartment by a dust bag mount. A suction fan evacuates the air within the dust collecting compartment causing dirt laden air to flow from the floor cleaning unit through the wand and hose assembly and into the dust bag through an intake port formed in the dust bag mount. The air is exhausted from the canister unit through a discharge port. A performance monitoring and indicating system provides information as to the operative condition of the vacuum cleaner by means of an 'OK' light, a 'No Bag' light, a 'Check Bag' light and a 'Check Hose' light. A dust bag sensor senses the differential pressure between the intake port and the dust collecting compartment and is actuated when a functional dust bag is properly mounted on the dust bag mount. A discharge sensor senses the differential pressure between the discharge port and the dust collecting compartment and an intake sensor senses the differential pressure between the outside of the vacuum cleaner and the intake port. The actuation of the intake and discharge sensors provide information to indicate when the dust bag has become too clogged or that a restriction exists in the wand and hose assembly.

Vacuum cleaner with performance monitoring system

A vacuum cleaner having a wheeled nozzle with a two-piece wand defining a lower end connected to a swivel connector portion of the nozzle. Guide structure is provided for accurately aligning cooperating male and female terminals on the wand and swivel connector of the nozzle for facilitated connection therebetween when the lower end of the wand is connected to the swivel connector for providing a suction connection from an associated cannister to the nozzle. A foot pedal-operated lever is provided for releasing a latch retaining the lower end of the wand to the swivel connector when desired. A connector connects the upper end of the lower portion of the wand to the lower end of the upper portion thereof by a rotatable connection to permit limited rotation of the upper portion of the wand about the axis of the wand for selective disposition of the handle connected to the upper end of the upper portion of the wand. The guide structure guides the latch carried by the lower end of the wand into aligned association with a latch opening in the swivel connector.

Quick release wand for cannister vacuum cleaner

A quick release power cord wrap and caster for a canister vacuum cleaner. The caster assembly includes a hook for supporting or retaining a plurality of power cord turns is stored position on the canister. A hook is movable to release the cord and, in the illustrated embodiment, the hook is pivotable on the caster. The hook has a toggle action for locking the power cord in the stored arrangement. In addition, the hook and canister body are provided with shoulders for providing an augmented locking of the hook in the cord stored position. The caster assembly and canister body are arranged to permit snap-fastening of the caster assembly to the canister body without need for separate metal fasteners and the like. The caster assembly itself is arranged to have the portions thereof snap-fastened together without the use of separate metal fasteners.

Quick release power cord wrap for canister vacuum cleaner

Structure for converting a powered brush vacuum cleaner selectively to define a powder carpet cleaning apparatus. The conversion structure includes a shroud received within the nozzle. In one form, the shroud is movably mounted within the nozzle for selective disposition in a retracted position, permitting use of the nozzle in the normal vacuum cleaning manner, and in an operative position blocking the entrance to the suction passage for permitting the unit to be used as powder carpet cleaner. The shroud defines a smooth inner surface surrounding a portion of the brush for effectively preventing clogging of the space about the brush during the carpet cleaning operation. An opening is provided in the nozzle wall for access to the movable shroud in effecting manipulation thereof between the retracted and operative positions. In another form, the shroud is fixedly mounted within the nozzle and a closure is removably installed for closing the entrance to the suction passage when it is desired to use the unit as a carpet cleaner. In the illustrated embodiment, the closure includes a tongue received in a socket portion of the shroud in the installed arrangement. Provisions are made for accommodating bridging elements extending across the nozzle opening when necessary.

Convertible vacuum and powder carpet cleaner

A vacuum cleaner nozzle having a housing including a top wall. A device for indicating an adjusted characteristic of the vacuum cleaner nozzle is mounted within the housing substantially below the top wall and, in the illustrated embodiment, on a bottom wall of the housing. Structure is provided for causing a selected one of the indicia of the indicator discernible to a user of the vacuum cleaner standing above the nozzle, notwithstanding the recessing of the indicator substantially deeply within the nozzle. In the illustrated embodiment, the structure for causing the indicium to be discernible includes a focus tube formed integrally with the top wall extending to closely adjacent the indicator and having a distal portion configured complementarily to the indicator. In the illustrated embodiment, the device for causing the indicator to be discernible to the user is defined by a synthetic resin magnifier secured to the focus tube so as to be substantially flush with the top wall of the nozzle.

Pile height setting display for vacuum cleaner

Structure for converting a powered brush vacuum cleaner selectively to define a powder carpet cleaning apparatus. The conversion structure includes a shroud received within the nozzle. In one form, the shroud is movably mounted within the nozzle for selective disposition in a retracted position, permitting use of the nozzle in the normal vacuum cleaning manner, and in an operative position blocking the entrance to the suction passage for permitting the unit to be used as powder carpet cleaner. The shroud defines a smooth inner surface surrounding a portion of the brush for effectively preventing clogging of the brush during the carpet cleaning operation. An opening is provided in the nozzle wall for access to the movable shroud in effecting manipulation thereof between the retracted and operative positions. In another form, the shroud is fixedly mounted within the nozzle and a closure is removably installed for closing the entrance to the suction passage when it is desired to use the unit as a carpet cleaner. In the illustrated embodiment, the closure includes a tongue received in a socket portion of the shroud in the installed arrangement. Provisions are made for accommodating bridging elements extending across the nozzle opening when necessary.

A process for oxidizing coal by wet oxidation to produce recoverable heat energy without generating gaseous sulfur-containing by-products. A slurry containing 0.5 or more weight percent coal particles and a stream of oxygen-containing gas are charged to a reaction zone maintained at 475.degree. to 650.degree. F. with pressures of 1400 to 3000 psig.

Growing community of inventors

Watervliet, MI, United States of America

William J Martin