Bypass vacuum cleaner with flexible vacuum hose stored over motor cooling air shroud and carrying handle

Abstract

An electric motor driven bypass type vacuum cleaner apparatus, particularly adapted for wet/dry debris collection includes an open top debris collection tank having opposed integrally formed cup-shaped feet for supporting said apparatus in a stable position on a support surface. The tank includes a recess in a sidewall and a bottom wall for receiving a conduit member which may be interchangeably used as a connector for connecting a flexible vacuum hose to the tank and as a blower discharge nozzle. A flexible vacuum pickup hose is connected to the conduit member generally at the bottom side of the debris collection tank and, in a stored position on the apparatus, is trained through a recess in the bottom wall of the tank and over the top of a motor housing and shroud assembly to a connection point in one of the support feet adjacent the conduit member. The vacuum hose, when stored, is retained in a recess in the shroud which also serves as a carrying handle for the apparatus. The vacuum impeller drive motor is mounted in a housing assembly including separable tank cover, motor base and motor housing members. The motor base and tank cover form a discharge volute chamber for the vacuum impeller. Motor cooling air inlet and discharge passages are formed by and between the motor housing member and the shroud.