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Title: Vacuum cleaner suction tool
Claims: Having thus described the invention, the embodiments of the invention in which an enclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. In a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle defining a suction passage having an inlet and an outlet, and means for sucking dirt laden air through said inlet to said outlet, said inlet of the nozzle defining a mid-portion and an edge portion, an improved means for controlling the suction of the dirt laden air through said inlet portions comprising: duct means extending from said edge portion of the nozzle inlet to said outlet; valve means at said outlet selectively movable between a first position and a second position, said valve means in said first position restricting air flow through said duct to said outlet while permitting unrestricted air flow from said mid-portion of the nozzle inlet to said outlet; means cooperating with said valve means for causing said valve means in said second position to permit unrestricted air flow through said duct while concurrently providing a preselected reduced air flow from said mid-portion of the nozzle inlet to said outlet and preventing full shutoff of said air flow from said mid-portion of the nozzle inlet to said outlet, said reduced air flow being substantially less than said unrestricted air flow through said duct; and means for selectively moving said valve means to said first and second positions. 2. The vacuum cleaner suction control means of claim 1 wherein said valve means is arranged to selectively substantially fully block said duct in said first position. 3. The vacuum cleaner suction control means of claim 1 wherein said nozzle includes a removable base plate defining a boundary wall of said suction passage mid-portion and edge portions. 4. The vacuum cleaner suction control means of claim 1 wherein said duct includes a removable portion providing selective cleaning access thereto. 5. The vacuum cleaner suction control means of claim 1 further including comb means adjacent said inlet edge portion. 6. The vacuum cleaner suction control means of claim 1 further including comb means fixedly mounted to said duct means adjacent said inlet edge portion. 7. In a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle defining a suction passage having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatably driven surface agitating brush positioned in said suction inlet, and means for sucking dirt laden air through said outlet, said inlet of the nozzle defining a mid-portion and an edge portion, and said outlet of the nozzle defining spaced, adjacent openings, an improved means for controlling the suction of the dirt laden air from said inlet portion through said outlet openings comprising: duct means extending from said edge portion of the nozzle inlet to one of said outlet openings; means for conducting air from said inlet mid-portion to the other of said outlet openings; valve means for controlling said outlet openings for selectively (a) restricting air flow through said one outlet opening while concurrently permitting substantially unrestricted air flow through said other outlet opening from said inlet mid-portion, and (b) permitting unrestricted air flow through said duct; means associated with said valve means for effectively positively preventing full shutoff of said air flow from said inlet mid-portion when said valve means is selectively arranged to permit unrestricted air flow through said duct thereby to assure at least a limited air flow from said inlet mid-portion at all times during the operation of the vacuum cleaner, said limited air flow being substantially less than said unrestricted air flow through said duct; and valve operator means for selectively positioning said valve means. 8. The vacuum cleaner suction control means of claim 7 wherein said outlet defines a pair of angularly related wall portions, said one outlet opening being disposed in one of said wall portions and said other outlet opening being disposed in the other of said wall portions adjacent said one opening, and said valve means comprises a flap valve swingable between a first position across said one outlet opening to a second position across said other outlet opening. 9. The vacuum cleaner suction control means of claim 7 wherein said outlet defines a pair of angularly related wall portions, said one outlet opening being disposed in one of said wall portions and said other outlet opening being disposed in the other of said wall portions adjacent said one opening, and said valve means comprises a flap valve swingable between a first position across said one outlet opening to a second position across said other outlet opening, said valve operator means being pivotally mounted to said nozzle and including an operator handle exposed outwardly of said nozzle for selectively swinging said flap valve to said positions. 10. The vacuum cleaner suction control means of claim 7 wherein said outlet defines a pair of angularly related wall portions, said one outlet opening being disposed in one of said wall portions and said other outlet opening being disposed in the other of said wall portions adjacent said one opening, and said valve means comprises a flap valve swingable between a first position across said one outlet opening to a second position across said other outlet opening. 11. The vacuum cleaner suction control means of claim 7 wherein said outlet defines a pair of angularly related wall portions, said one outlet opening being disposed in one of said wall portions and said other outlet opening being disposed in the other of said wall portions adjacent said one opening, and said valve means comprises a flap valve swingable between a first position across said one outlet opening to a second position across said other outlet opening, said valve being arranged to substantially fully block said duct in said one portion. 12. The vacuum cleaner suction control means of claim 7 wherein said outlet defines a pair of angularly related wall portions, said one outlet opening being disposed in one of said wall portions and said other outlet opening being disposed in the other of said wall portions adjacent said one opening, and said valve means comprises a flap valve swingable between a first position across said one outlet opening to a second position across said other outlet opening, said wall portions being integral with said duct. 13. The vacuum cleaner suction control means of claim 7 wherein said outlet defines a pair of angularly related wall portions, said one outlet opening being disposed in one of said wall portions and said other outlet opening being disposed in the other of said wall portions adjacent said one opening, and said valve means comprises a flap valve swingable between a first position across said one outlet opening to a second position across said other outlet opening, said valve being swingably mounted to said duct. Other info: Inventors: Johnson, Robert Edward (St. Paul, MN, US) Application Number: 475972 Filing Date: 1974-06-03 Publication_date: 1976-02-10 Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation (Benton Harbor, MI) Primary Class(es): 15/331 15/416 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Hornsby, Harvey C. Assistant Examiner: Moore, C. K. Attorney: Wegner, Stellman, McCord, Wiles & Wood |
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