Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
200 words
A nozzle height adjusting mechanism for a vacuum cleaner having a chassis including a suction nozzle inlet at the bottom thereof, said mechanism comprising in combination front and rear wheels for supporting said chassis for movement on a floor surface, front axle means having offset portions on which said front wheels are journaled and rear axle means having offset portions on which said rear wheels are journaled, said front axle means including journal portions turnably mounted on said chassis providing for movement of said front wheels toward and away from said chassis upon turning of said journal portions, said rear axle means including journal portions turnably mounted on said chassis providing for movement of said rear wheels toward and away from said chassis upon turning of said journal portions, linkage means interconnecting said offset portions of said front and rear axle means for simultaneous movement of said front wheels and said rear wheels indifferent vertical directions relative to said chassis, and adjustment means movable between a plurality of positions for selectively moving said linkage means to vertically move said front and rear wheels in different directions relative to the chassis, whereby said nozzle is vertically moved relative to the floor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
200 words
A nozzle height adjusting mechanism for a vacuum cleaner having a chassis including a suction nozzle inlet at the bottom thereof, said mechanism comprising in combination front and rear wheels for supporting said chassis for movement on a floor surface, front axle means having offset portions on which said front wheels are journaled and rear axle means having offset portions on which said rear wheels are journaled, said front axle means including journal portions turnably mounted on said chassis providing for movement of said front wheels toward and away from said chassis upon turning of said journal portions, said rear axle means including journal portions turnably mounted on said chassis providing for movement of said rear wheels toward and away from said chassis upon turning of said journal portions, linkage means interconnecting said offset portions of said front and rear axle means for simultaneous movement of said front wheels and said rear wheels indifferent vertical directions relative to said chassis, and adjustment means movable between a plurality of positions for selectively moving said linkage means to vertically move said front and rear wheels in different directions relative to the chassis, whereby said nozzle is vertically moved relative to the floor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
200 words
A nozzle height adjusting mechanism for a vacuum cleaner having a chassis including a suction nozzle inlet at the bottom thereof, said mechanism comprising in combination front and rear wheels for supporting said chassis for movement on a floor surface, front axle means having offset portions on which said front wheels are journaled and rear axle means having offset portions on which said rear wheels are journaled, said front axle means including journal portions turnably mounted on said chassis providing for movement of said front wheels toward and away from said chassis upon turning of said journal portions, said rear axle means including journal portions turnably mounted on said chassis providing for movement of said rear wheels toward and away from said chassis upon turning of said journal portions, linkage means interconnecting said offset portions of said front and rear axle means for simultaneous movement of said front wheels and said rear wheels indifferent vertical directions relative to said chassis, and adjustment means movable between a plurality of positions for selectively moving said linkage means to vertically move said front and rear wheels in different directions relative to the chassis, whereby said nozzle is vertically moved relative to the floor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
200 words
A nozzle height adjusting mechanism for a vacuum cleaner having a chassis including a suction nozzle inlet at the bottom thereof, said mechanism comprising in combination front and rear wheels for supporting said chassis for movement on a floor surface, front axle means having offset portions on which said front wheels are journaled and rear axle means having offset portions on which said rear wheels are journaled, said front axle means including journal portions turnably mounted on said chassis providing for movement of said front wheels toward and away from said chassis upon turning of said journal portions, said rear axle means including journal portions turnably mounted on said chassis providing for movement of said rear wheels toward and away from said chassis upon turning of said journal portions, linkage means interconnecting said offset portions of said front and rear axle means for simultaneous movement of said front wheels and said rear wheels indifferent vertical directions relative to said chassis, and adjustment means movable between a plurality of positions for selectively moving said linkage means to vertically move said front and rear wheels in different directions relative to the chassis, whereby said nozzle is vertically moved relative to the floor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A nozzle height adjusting mechanism as recited in claim 1 wherein the distance between the offset portion of the front and rear axle means differs from the distance between the journal portions thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
149 words
A nozzle height adjusting mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein said rear axle means comprises a rear axle extending from side to side of said chassis including a central portion, offset arms formed on opposite ends of said central portion, a rear wheel rotatably carried on each offset arm, said central portion having journal portions, spaced bearings on the rear of said chassis pivotably mounting said journal portions, said front axle means comprising a substantially U-shaped shaft at each side of said chassis, each shaft having one leg pivotably mounted on said chassis substantially parallel to the central portion of said rear axle, a front wheel rotatably carried on the other leg of each shaft, said linkage means comprising a linkage assembly at each side of said chassis, each linkage assembly operatively connecting an offset arm portion of said rear axle with a respective front wheel carrying leg.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
A nozzle height adjusting mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein said means for selectively moving said linkage means comprises a lever member, means pivotably mounting said member on said chassis, said member including a pin, the linkage assembly on at least one side of the chassis having a notch formed therein for receiving said protrusion, and means for selectively pivoting said lever to move said linkage assembly and thereby all said wheels.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
85 words
A nozzle height adjusting mechanism as recited in claim 4 wherein said means for selectively pivoting said lever comprises a spring member having one end thereof fastened to said lever and a manually engageable handle mounted on its other end for moving said spring in a direction to pivot said lever, and means for locking said spring to said chassis, said spring being normally biased in the locking direction so that the bias must Be manually overridden to move said spring in the pivoting direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
A nozzle height adjusting mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein the lateral spacing between the central portion of said rear axle and the pivotably mounted leg of each respective U-shaped shaft is smaller than the lateral spacing between each offset arm of the rear axle and the front wheel carrying leg of each respective U-shaped shaft.