Canister type vacuum cleaner

Claim 2

A canister-type vacuum cleaner comprising an elongated tank open at both ends, a pivotally operable front cap closing off the front end of said tank and having an inlet aperture for receiving an inlet hose and hose release means for releasably securing said hose in said inlet aperture, hinge means mounted on said tank and said front cap and supporting a hinge axle which allows said front cap to be pivotally swung open about said hinge axle when a new dust bag is to be inserted into the vacuum cleaner, latch means for securing said front cap over the front end of said tank during operation of the vacuum cleaner, a rear cap having air outlet means mounted on the open rear end of said tank, a dust bag holder supported in the forward end of said tank, an electric motor mounted in said tank to the rear of said dust bag holder, a power cord operably connected for supplying electrical power to said motor, suction-producing means operably connected to be driven by said motor whereby to produce a suction at said hose inlet, said front cap having a sloped surface on the upper portion of said front cap, efficiency-indicating means mounted on said slope surface, said efficiency-indicating means comprising a resilient dome which extends outwardly from said sloped surface, the interior of said dome being in communication with the interior of said tank, said dome being constructed such that is assumes an inverted position when the pressure differential between the interior of said tank and the ambient pressure on the outer surface of said dome exceeds a predetermined amount whereby to indicate a full dust bag or a clogged inlet hose, and adjustable suction-controlling means associated with a vent aperture located in said sloped surface adjacent to said efficiency indicator, said suction-controlling means comprising adjustable vent aperture closure means for achieving said suction control by closing off predetermined portions of said vent aperture in accordance with the adjusted position of said vent aperture closure means.

Claim 3

A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1 wherein said suction-controlling means further comprises detent means for precisely locating said adjustable vent aperture closure means at each of a plurality of positions in accordance with the amount of closure of said vent aperture that is desired.

Claim 4

A canister-type vacuum cleaner comprising an elongated tank, a front cap closing off the front end of said tank and having an inlet aperture for receiving an inlet hose and hose release means for releasably securing said hose in said inlet aperture, means hingedly mounting said front cap on said tank whereby said front cap may be pivotally swung open when a new dust bag is to be inserted into the vacuum cleaner, latch means for securing said front cap ovEr the front end of said tank during operation of the vacuum cleaner, a rear cap closing off the rear end of said tank, and having air outlet means, a dust bag holder mounted in the forward end of said tank, an electric motor mounted in said tank to the rear of said dust bag holder, a power cord for supplying electrical power to said motor, suction-producing means in said tank and adapted to be driven by said motor, means secured to said vacuum cleaner for providing for movability of said vacuum cleaner while it is in contact with the floor, said tank being formed of an upper shell and a lower shell, said upper and lower shells having respectively a pair of integrally formed lower flanges and a pair of integrally formed upper flanges which run for substantially the length of said tank in the direction of the elongated dimension of said tank, each of said upper flanges extending substantially horizontally outwardly on opposite sides of said tank in abutting relationship with one of said lower flanges, which also extend substantially horizontally outwardly on opposite sides of said tank, the outer edges of said upper and lower flanges being bent downwardly and upwardly, respectively, and a pair of elongated removable resilient bumpers, each of said bumpers being recessed in a manner to receive one set of abutting upper and lower flanges including the bent edges thereof whereby said bumpers are mounted on and substantially cover said flanges along substantially the length thereof.

Claim 5

A canister-type vacuum cleaner comprising an elongated tank, a front cap closing off the front end of said tank and having an inlet aperture for receiving an inlet hose and hose release means for releasably securing said hose in said inlet aperture, means hingedly mounting said front cap on said tank whereby said front cap may be pivotally swung open when a new dust bag is to be inserted into the vacuum cleaner, latch means for securing said front cap ovEr the front end of said tank during operation of the vacuum cleaner, a rear cap closing off the rear end of said tank, and having air outlet means, a dust bag holder mounted in the forward end of said tank, an electric motor mounted in said tank to the rear of said dust bag holder, a power cord for supplying electrical power to said motor, suction-producing means in said tank and adapted to be driven by said motor, means secured to said vacuum cleaner for providing for movability of said vacuum cleaner while it is in contact with the floor, said tank being formed of an upper shell and a lower shell, said upper and lower shells having respectively a pair of integrally formed lower flanges and a pair of integrally formed upper flanges which run for substantially the length of said tank in the direction of the elongated dimension of said tank, each of said upper flanges extending substantially horizontally outwardly on opposite sides of said tank in abutting relationship with one of said lower flanges, which also extend substantially horizontally outwardly on opposite sides of said tank, the outer edges of said upper and lower flanges being bent downwardly and upwardly, respectively, and a pair of elongated removable resilient bumpers, each of said bumpers being recessed in a manner to receive one set of abutting upper and lower flanges including the bent edges thereof whereby said bumpers are mounted on and substantially cover said flanges along substantially the length thereof.

Claim 6

A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 3 wherein said front and rear caps are provided with bumper extensions to lengthen the effective lengths of said bumpers.

Claim 7

A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 4 wherein said front cap is provided with a pair of resilient removable bumper extensions.

Claim 8

A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 4 wherein said rear cap is provided with a pair of integrally molded bumper extensions.

Claim 9

A canister-type vacuum cleaner comprising an elongated tank, a front cap for closing off the front end of said tank having an inlet aperture for receiving an inlet hose and hose release means for releasably securing said hose in said inlet aperture, hinge means comprising a hinge axle which allows said front cap to be pivotally swung open about said hinge axle when a new dust bag is to be inserted into the vacuum cleaner, latch means for securing said front cap over the front end of said tank during operation of the vacuum cleaner, a rear cap for closing off the rear end of said tank, a dust bag holder located in the forward end of said tank, an electric motor located to the rear of said dust bag holder, a power cord for supplying electrical power to said motor, and suction-producing means driven by said motor, first hinge axle support means secured to said tank at the bottom of said tank for supporting said hinge axle, means secured to said vacuum cleaner for provding for movability of said vacuum cleaner while it is in contact with the floor, said means for providing movability consisting of a pair of rear wheels and a single front means, said front means comprising a motiontransmitting means in contact with the floor, an upwardly extending shaft from said front means and a substantially horizontal plate secured to the upper end of said shaft, said front cap having integrally formed pair of second axle support means each constructed to support one end of said hinge axle, said first axle support means being positioned intermediate said ends of said hinge axle and intermediate said pair of second axle support means, said front cap also having an integrally formed box-like structure positioned intermediate the ends of said hinge axle and having a front wall and a pair of grooved side walls and an open rear end, said plate being positioned into said grooves in said side walls of said box-like structure from the rear with the forward edge of said plate being in abutment with the front wall of said boxlike structure, and the rear edge of said plate being in abutmenT with said first hinge axle support means and being shaped so that said front cap may be freely pivotally swung downwardly about said hinge axle when said latch means is released in order that the dust bag in said vacuum cleaner may be replaced when necessary and so that said plate is securely locked into place in said box-like structure.

Claim 10

A canister-type vacuum cleaner comprising an elongated tank, a front cap for closing off the front end of said tank having an inlet aperture for receiving an inlet hose and hose release means for releasably securing said hose in said inlet aperture, hinge means comprising a hinge axle which allows said front cap to be pivotally swung open about said hinge axle when a new dust bag is to be inserted into the vacuum cleaner, latch means for securing said front cap over the front end of said tank during operation of the vacuum cleaner, a rear cap for closing off the rear end of said tank, a dust bag holder located in the forward end of said tank, an electric motor located to the rear of said dust bag holder, a power cord for supplying electrical power to said motor, and suction-producing means driven by said motor, first hinge axle support means secured to said tank at the bottom of said tank for supporting said hinge axle, means secured to said vacuum cleaner for provding for movability of said vacuum cleaner while it is in contact with the floor, said means for providing movability consisting of a pair of rear wheels and a single front means, said front means comprising a motiontransmitting means in contact with the floor, an upwardly extending shaft from said front means and a substantially horizontal plate secured to the upper end of said shaft, said front cap having integrally formed pair of second axle support means each constructed to support one end of said hinge axle, said first axle support means being positioned intermediate said ends of said hinge axle and intermediate said pair of second axle support means, said front cap also having an integrally formed box-like structure positioned intermediate the ends of said hinge axle and having a front wall and a pair of grooved side walls and an open rear end, said plate being positioned into said grooves in said side walls of said box-like structure from the rear with the forward edge of said plate being in abutment with the front wall of said boxlike structure, and the rear edge of said plate being in abutmenT with said first hinge axle support means and being shaped so that said front cap may be freely pivotally swung downwardly about said hinge axle when said latch means is released in order that the dust bag in said vacuum cleaner may be replaced when necessary and so that said plate is securely locked into place in said box-like structure.

Claim 11

A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 7 wherein said front means comprises a castor means which is revolveable about said shaft.

Claim 12

A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first axle support means comprises a metallic bracket having a pair of spacedapart substantially closed sleeve members and said second axle support means are sleeve members which have forwardly-facing open portions.

Claim 13

A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 9 wherein said front means comprises a castor means which is revolveable about said shaft.