Vacuum cleaner

Claim 1

IN AN UPRIGHT-TYPE VACUUM CLEANER COMPRISING A FLOOR ENGAGING SUCTION NOZZLE, A STICK-TYPE HANDLE, AND AN ELONGATED RIGID BOX-TYPE HOUSING HAVING MOTOR-DRIVEN SUCTION CREATING MEANS CONTAINED THEREIN AT ONE END THEREOF AND DIRT COLLECTING MEANS THEREIN AT THE OTHER END THEREOF, A SWIVEL CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID NOZZLE AND SAID ONE HOUSING END, SAID HANDLE BEING CONNECTED TO SAID OTHER HOUSING END FOR MANUALLY PUSHING SAID VACUUM CLEANER ALONG A FLOOR WITH SAID NOZZLE BEING ENGAGED WITH SAID FLOOR AND SAID HOUSING BEING IN AN UPRIGHT TILTED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLOOR, WHEREBY SAID ONE AND OTHER HOUSING ENDS ARE THE LOWER AND UPPER ENDS RESPECTIVELY OF SAID HOUSING DURING ON-THE-FLOOR CLEANING WITH SAID VACUUM CLEANER; THE IMPROVEMENT OF MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID VACUUM CLEANER IN ITS MENTIONED ON-THE-FLOOR CLEANING POSITION WHILE PERFORMING OFF-THE-FLOOR CLEANING THEREWITH, SAID IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A REMOVABLY COVERED OPENING FORMED IN THE BACK SIDE OF SAID HOUSING AT ITS LOWER END FOR CONNECTING AN AIR HOSE TO SAID SUCTION CREATING MEANS, SAID OPENING BEING FORMED IN SAID HOUSING AT A LOCATION VERTICALLY ABOVE SAID SWIVEL CONNECTION, A RIGID TUBULAR CONNECTOR, THE INNER END OF SAID CONNECTOR BEING INSERTABLE INTO SAID OPENING FOR CONNECTION WITH SAID SUCTION CREATING MEANS, A FLEXIBLE ELONGATED AIR HOSE, ONE END OF SAID AIR HOSE BEING CONNECTED TO THE OTHR END OF SAID TUBULAR CONNECTOR AND THE OTHER END OF SAID AIR HOSE BEING ADAPTED TO HAVE OFF-THE-FLOOR CLEANING FITTINGS ATTACHED THERETO, AND A PAIR OF ELONGATED SUPPORT STRUTS CONNECTED TO SAID TUBULAR CONNECTOR ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID HOSE, SAID STRUTS EXTENDING FROM SAID TUBULAR CONNECTOR TO THE FLOOR AT AN ANGLE OF INCLINATION OPPOSITE TO THE TILTED POSITION OF SAID HOUSING.