Retractable snorkel nozzle

Claim 1

VACUUM PACKAGING EQUIPMENT COMPRISING: (A) A MEANS FOR REDUCING PRESSURE TO LESS THAN ATMOSPHERIC, (B) A VACUUM CHAMBER IN COMMUNICATION WITH (A), (C) THE UPPER END OF SAID CHAMBER FIXEDLY SECURED TO THE LOWER PORTION OF A LIFTING MECHANISM, (D) AN ELONGATED CONDUIT FIXEDLY SECURED TO THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID LIFTING MECHANISM AND POSITIONED INTERIORLY OF SAID CHAMBER, (E) SAID CONDUIT SEALABLY EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER AND HAVING AN APERTURE IN THE UPPER PORTION IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CHAMBER, (F) SAID CONDUIT TERMINATING IN A NOZZLE EXTERIORLY OF SAID CHAMBER AND COMMUNICATABLE WITH THE INTERIOR OF AN OBJECT TO BE VACUUMIZED, (G) AN ELONGATED SLEEVE SLIDABLY CIRCUMENVELOPING THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID CONDUIT AND SEALABLY ENGAGING THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID LIFTING MECHANISM, SAID SLEEVE CONTINUING TO CIRCUMENVELOP SAID CONDUIT EXTERIORLY OF SAID CHAMBER BUT TERMINATING SHORT OF SAID NOZZLE, (H) MEANS FOR REMOVABLY POSITIONING THE UPPER PORTION OF AN OBJECT TO BE VACUUMIZED ABOUT THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SLEEVE SO THAT SAID NOZZLE EXTENDS INTO THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID OBJECT, (I) AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SLEEVE, AND THUS THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID OBJECT, DOWNWARDLY THUS DISENGAGING THE UPPER END OF SAID SLEEVE AND ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID VACUUM CHAMBER AND SAID NOZZLE, THE LOWERING OF SAID SLEEVE THUS CAUSING THE RELATIVE RETRACTION OF THE NOZZLE FROM THE CENTRAL PORTION TO THE UPPER PORTION OF THE OBJECT BEING VACUUMIZED.