US2525282A - Suction cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Oct; 10, 1950 s. A. BRACE 2,525,282

suc'nou CLEANER Filed Se t. 4, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Gear @A. Brace ATTORNEY.

G. A. BRACE SUCTION CLEANER Oct. 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4. 194a IN V EN TOR. Geo/'57s A Brace ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 10, 1950 SUCTION CLEANER George A. Brace, Highland Park, Ill., assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio; a

corporation of Ohio Application September 4, 1948, SerialNo. 47,773

16 Claims. 1

Thisinvention relates to suction cleaners, portable tools and the like having movable operating handles and more particularly to means for controlling the position of the handle relative to the body of the tool.

More specifically, the invention relates to a greatly simplified handle mounting and control which functions automatically to lock the handle against downward-movement beyond one or more predetermined positions'such as a storage position and an intermediate rest position, and which can be 'readilyunlocked from a remote position by a slight rotary movementgof the handle as a whole.

Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide an implement operating handle with a control automatically operable to lock the handle in one or more positions which control is read-' ily releasable by a slight rotary movement of the handle. Another object is the provision of a handle control having a single means to counterbalance the weight of the handle and any attached appurtenances as-well as to bias the locking means toward locking position. Still another object is a new and simplified handle mounting and control arrangement for a suction cleaner, or like device.

Other objects and advantages of this inven tion will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged side View of the handle control of this invention applied to a suction cleaner with certain parts broken away to show thedetails of the handlecontrol;

Figure 2 is a view of the handlecontrol proper at right angles to that of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an exploded view .of the handle control proper.

Referring to the drawings the reference numeral I0 represents the body of a conventional type suction cleaner. The body ID is supported by front wheels H and rear wheels I2. The rear wheels [2 may be rigidly attached-to the body H1 or may be of the resiliently mounted type.

Forwardly of the front wheels II is a suction nozzle I3 which is connected by a suction pas-' sageway to the suction eye of a fan (not shown) which discharges its dust-laden air through an exhaust passageway [4 into a filter bag (not shown). The fan is driven by an electric motor (not shown) which is housed within a hood 15 secured to the body I0 in any suitable manner. An agitator (not shown) is preferably positioned within the nozzle l3 and-is driven by an endless belt passing over an extension of the fan shaft in a manner well known in the art.

Attached to the rear of the body I!) and extending upwardly therefrom are a pair of brackets l6 and H. The brackets T6 and I! carry a pivot pin 18 which extends beyond the bracket [6 for a purpose which wilLpresently appear. A housing or handle socket l9, preferably a casting, is pivotally carried by the pivot pin I8. The housing [9 comprises parallel cylindrical side walls 29 and 2|, a cylindrical wall 22 and an axial circular opening 23 for rotatably receiving the cleaner operating handle 24. Side walls ZIian'd 2i closely fit'between the brackets I6 and" and have openings toreceive pivot pin l8, 7 0

An arcuate handle control sector 25 is mounted on the inside face of bracket I! as by rivetsand carries a plurality of stops 26, 21,- and 28. Stops 26 and 21 have inclined cam surfaces 29 and 3,0 for a purpose to be presently described. The sector 25 is also provided with an upper limit stop 43 spacedfrom the stop 26. Slots 3| in the handle 24 receive pivot pin l8 and permit limited rotary movement of the handle 24 in the housing l9.

The beveled lower end of the handle 24 projects slightly beyond the lower side of cylindrical portion 22 of housing l9. One half of the beveled end is cut away to form a detent or shoulder 34. The inner surface of the handle 24 adjacent shoulder 34 cooperates with the stops 26, 21, and

28 to control the position of the handle in a man-' ner which will presently appear. Shoulder 34 also engages between stops 43 and 26 to hold the handle in storage position.

Due to slots 3| at the handle axis, handle 24 is free for limited rotary movement in socket l 9. Hence it will be clear that shoulder 34 at the lower end of the handle can engage stop'26, 21 or 28 to lock the handle against downward move ment, or upon counterclockwise rotation, as viewed in Fig. 2, can be moved out of engagement with these stops.

In order to insure automatic locking of the handle against any one of the stops, a combined handle counterbalance and handle locking arrangement is provided which may be of the fol lowing construction. A pin 35 passes freely through a slot36 in the lower wall 2| of handle socket [9. The inner end of the pin is secured to the wall of handle 24 adjacent its'lower end in any suitable manner. Slot 156 permits limited rotary movement of the handle and also locks the handle in assembled position in socket l9. P121 5 extends outwardly through anarcuate slot 31 formed in handle bracket [6. This slot is of sufificient length for movement of the handle throughout its intended range of operation.

To counterbalance the weight of the handle and any attachments, such as a cleaner filter bag, as well as to bias shoulder 34 into locking engagement with stops 26, 2'! and 28, a, common biasing means is provided in the form of a torsion spring 38. As shown, this spring surrounds pivot pin l8 with one end abutting stop 39 secured to bracket l6 and the other end abutting pin 35 so as to urge this pin against the left hand end of slot 36 (see Figure 1). It will thus be apparent that spring 38 serves the dual purpose of counterbalancing the weight of the handle and of maintaining shoulder 34 in locking position with respect to any one of the stops on control sector 25. Equally apparent is the fact that the operator can readily release the handle from any one of its locked positions by a slight rotary movement in opposition to spring 38. Immediately the operator relaxes the counterclockwise rotary pressure however, spring 38 automatically restores the handle to a position in which pin 35 abuts the left hand end of slot 36 and in which shoulder 34 is positioned to engage the stops.

Operation terclockwise in oppositionto spring 38 whereby the edge of shoulder 34 will be rotated from behind the stop ZB-permitting the handle to be freely pivotedbackwardly into its operating position against. the counterbalancing action of spring 38. The counterclockwise movement of the hand e is permitted by the slots 3| at the handle pivot and the slot 36 in the housing 19. Downward movement of the handle is permitted by the arcuate slot 3'! in the bracket H5.

The spring 38 also opposes counterclockwise rotation of the hande 24 in socket so that when the handle is moved from its vertical position and the rotating force is relaxed, spring 38 automatically returns shoulder 34 into the path of the stops on control sector 25. The handle 24 may then be used in the usual manner for propell ng the cleaner over the surface being cleaned with shoulder 34 moving over the normal handle operating range between stops 26 and 21.

If it is desired to clean under a bed or other low object where it is necessary to move the handle 124 to its lower operating range, handle 24 is rotated counterclockwise sufiiciently' to move shoulder 34 of handle 24 from behind the stop Z'lpermitting the handle 24 to be moved downwardly therepast. The spring 38 will again automatically return the handle to its normal position with pin 35 against the left hand end of slot 36. Stop 28 forms the lower limit for downward pivotal movement of the handle.

'When the handle is moved backwardly towards its vertical storage position the edge of shoulder 34 will first contact cam surface 38 of the stop 2'! and automatically rotate the handle 24 counterclockwise against the bias of spring 38. After the shoulder over-rides the stop, spring 38 IO- tates the handle clockwise to return the shoulder to its normal stop-engaging position. Further forward movement of the handle 24 towards its vertical storage position will cause the edge of shoulder 34 to engage the cam surface 29 of stop 26 which will automatically rotate the handle 24 counter-clockwise. The shoulder 34 will then clear the stop 26 whereby the spring-38 will automatically move its edge into the recess between the stops 26 and '43 and automatically lock the handle in storage position.

From the foregoing itcan be seen that this invention provides 'a simple handle control for portable tools such as suction cleaners and the like in which the handle is automatically locked in a storage position when it is moved to that position and which may be released from a remote point by a simple turning movement of the handle. The counterbalancing spring which carries the weight of the handle also automatically returns the handle to its normal lock-engaging position. This same mechanism also serves to control the handle in one or more handle operating ranges.

While I have shown but a single embodiment of my invention applied to a particular tool, it is'to be understood that this embodiment is to be taken as illustrative of various equally efficacious applications of the invention. I do not wish to be limited to the particular structure shown and described but to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

" 1. A portable tool comprising, a body, a handle pivoted to the rear of said body for movement from a locked position to an operating range, detent means carried by said body, cooperating movable detent means carried by said handle for locking said handle in said locked position, a single spring for counterbalancing the weight of said handle when in its operating range and for biasing said movable detent means toward its locking position and second detent means carried by said body and engageable with said movable detent means for locking said handle from movement from an inclined operating position to a lower operating position, said spring also biasing said movable detent means into locking engagement with said second detent means.

2. A suction cleaner comprising, a body, a handle pivoted to the rear of said bodyfor movement from non-operating position to an operating range, said handle also being mounted for limited movement relative to said body other than said pivotal movement, detent means carried by said body, coperating detent means on said handle for locking said handle in said nonoperating position, said handle detent means being movable into and out of engagement with said body detent meansby said handle by other than pivotal movement thereof, a single spring for counter-balancing a substantial portion of the weight of said handle and for biasing said handle detent means into position to engage said body detent means and second detent means carried by said body for engagement with said handle detent means for locking said handle against movement from one operating range to a different operating range, said handle detent means being movable into and out of engagement with said second detent means by said other handle movement. I

3. A suction cleaner comprising, a body, a handle, means for attaching said handle to said body rearwardly of the center of gravity thereof, said attaching means including means providing for rotary movement of said handle on its longitudinal axis and pivotal movement thereof with respect to said cleaner body from a nonoperating position to an operating range, a single spring for resisting both said rotary movement and said pivotal movement and means including said handle for positively locking said handle in said non-operating position, said means being releasable by rotary movement of said handle against the bias of said spring.

4. A suction cleaner according to claim 1 in which said handle. has a plurality of operating ranges and wherein said positive locking means includes means for positively locking said handle from movement from one operating range to another, said locking means being releasable by rotary movement of said handle against the bias of said spring.

5. A suction cleaner comprising, a body, a handle pivoted to the rear of said body for movement from a vertical storage position to an inclined operating position, said handle having limited rotary movement on its longitudinal axis, detent means on said body, detent means, on the lower end of said handle engageable with said body detent means to lock said handle in its vertical storage position and being disengageable therefrom by a rotary movement of said handle and a single spring for resisting both rotar and pivotal movement of said handle.

6. A suction cleaner according to claim 5 including a second detent means carried by said body engageable with said handle detent means for preventing pivotal movement of said handle from an inclined operating position to a lower operating position, said handle detent means be- 1 ing disengageable from said second detent means by a rotary movement of said handle against the bias of said spring.

7. A suction cleaner comprising a body, a handle movably attached to said body, said attaching means including a pivot pin carried by said body, a handle socket mounted on said pin for receiving said handle, the lower end of said handle being shaped to form a locking detent, a cooperating detent carried by said body, said handle having limited freedom for rotary movement in said socket to permit said handle looking detent to be disengaged from the detent on said body, a spring having one end anchored to ,said handle and the other end to said body in Such manner as to bias said handle against pivotal movement about said pivot pin in one direction and to bias said handle detent so as 5 to lock said handle against pivotal movement with respect to said body.

8. A suction cleaner according to claim '7 including a control sector carried by said body, a

plurality of detents on said sector defining a plurality of handle operating ranges therebetween, said handle locking detent being biased by said spring to engage any one of said sector detents to limit pivotal movement of said handle to a particular one of said operating ranges, the arrangement being such that rotary movement of said handle against the bias of said spring permits movement of said handle from one operating range to another.

9. A suction cleaner according to claim 8 in which said locking and sector detents are so formed as to over-ride one another when said handle is pivoted in one direction but automatically act to prevent pivotal movement thereof in the opposite direction.

10. A handle control for a suction cleaner corriprising a handle socket pivoted to a cleaner body, an operating handle carried by said socket and having limited rotary movement with respect thereto, a control sector carried by said cleaner body, the end of said cleaner handle being formed and so positioned with respect to said sector as to permit or prevent pivotal movement of said handle with respect to said cleaner body whereby an operator may look or unlock said handle by a slight bodily rotary movement thereof.

11. The combination defined in the preceding claim characterized by the provision of means normally biasing said handle toward lockin engagement with said control sector.

12. The combination claimed in claim 11.

characterized in the provision of common means for biasing said handle toward locking engagement with the control sector and for urging pivotal movement of said handle in one direction.

13. In combination with a floor cleaning tool for treating a floor surface, an operating handle pivoted to said tool for pivotal movement in a vertical plane and having limited rotary movement on the longitudinal axis thereof, handle position control means carried by said tool opposite the lower end of said handle, the lower end of said handle being shaped and positioned to cooperate with said control means and operable to permit unrestricted pivotal movement of the handle in one direction but to lock said handle against pivotal movement in the opposite direction whereby the pivotal movement of said handle can be controlled from the operatin end thereof by a slight. bodily rotary movement of said handle.

14. A handle control as claimed in claim 13 characterized by the provision of a plurality of spaced apart stops on said control mean providing a plurality of operating ranges for said handle.

15. A handle control as defined in claim 13 characterized in that the lower end of said handle rand said stops are shaped to permit free upward movement of said handle from any operating position but which positively lock the handle against downward movement from one range to another unless the handle is rotated bodily to permit over-riding of a stop.

16. In combination, a tool for movement over a surface to be treated. an operatin handle pivoted thereto for movement in a predetermined plane, said handle being arranged for limited axial rotary movement, control means carried by said tool opposite the lower end of said handle, the lower end of said handle being shaped and positioned to cooperate with said last named means to control the pivoted position of said handle, the arrangement being such that the handle can be released for movement from one operating range to another by slight bodily rotary movement, and means normally biasing said handle against said bodily rotary movement.

GEO. A. BRACE.

Name Date Becker May 27, 1941 Number Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,525,282 October 10, 1950 V GEORGE A. BRACE It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 5, line 13, for the claim reference numeral 1 read 3;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice. Signed and sealed this 16th day of January, A. D. 1951.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

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