US3309113A - Coupling for suction cleaner attachments - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1967 J. H. BEACH 3,309,113

COUPLING FOR SUCTION CLEANER ATTACHMENTS Filed Feb. 24, 1966 United States Patent 3,309,113 COUPLING FOR SUCTION CLEANER ATTACIMENTS Justice H. Beach, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 529,767 2 Claims. (Cl. 2857) The present invention relates to couplings adapted to detachably connect an elongated member to a tubular member on a suction cleaner casing.

An object of the invention is to telescopically connect a cleaning tool to a tubular member of a cleaner casing by a coupling device having a locking collar on the tubular member and which positions a locking lug on the tool to transmit the propelling forces applied to the cleaner casing directly to the tool without placing a stress on the locking collar.

Another object is to provide the foregoing coupling with a split locking collar whereby the latter may be spread apart for assembly onto the casing tubular member.

A further object is to provide a coupling comprising a minimum of parts which are easily assembled and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a suction cleaner embodying one form of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the coupling device,

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the locking collar detached from the coupling,

FIGURE 4 is a section along the line 4-4 in FIG- URE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the coupling in locked position, and

FIGURE 6 is a section along the line 6-6 in FIG- URE 2 and is taken transversely of the tubular member on the front wall of the cleaner casing.

The embodiment of the coupling 10 herein disclosed is illustrated in connection with a surface cleaning tool or nozzle 11 and a tanktype suction cleaner 12 having a propelling handle 13. Thecleaner 12 comprises an elon gated casing formed in twosections 15 and 16 secured to gether with suitable clamps 17. Thecasing sections 15 and 16 may be formed of suitable plastic material. Thecasing section 15 has afront end wall 18 through which extends atubular member 19 on theinner end 20 of which is suitably mounted a dust bag 21 disposed in thecasing section 15. An elongated member or nozzle tube 2 2 has oneend 23 telescopically arranged Within thetubular member 19 and its opposite end is connected to the cleaning tool 11 which engages the surface to be cleaned. A conventional motor-fan unit 24 is mounted in thecasing section 16 and provides suction to draw dirt-laden air from the surface being cleaned through the cleaning tool 11 and thetubular inlet member 19 into the bag 21 and the air is discharged through a plurality ofoutlets 25 in thecasing section 16. Thecasing section 16 has arear end wall 26 provided with atubular member 27 in which the handle 13 is secured to propel the tool 11 forwardly and rearwardly over the surface to be cleaned.

The coupling 10 may also be formed of plastic and includes theouter end portion 28 of the casingtubular member 19 which is provided with an externally facingannular recess 29 having a bottom wall 34} and opposedside walls 31 and 32 the latter defining an entrance to therecess 29. Aslot 34 is provided radially through thetubular member 19 and extends from theextreme end 28 of themember 19 longitudinally of the latter and transverse of therecess 29 to anend wall 36 in the tubular 3,309,113 Patented Mar. 14, 1967member 19 for reception of alug 37 projecting from the elongatedtubular member 22, and thelug 37 is spaced inwardly from thefree end 23 of theelongated tube 22.

Rotatably mounted in theannular recess 29 is aplastic locking collar 39 provided with aninner surface 40, and opposedside wall surfaces 41 and 42 the latter slidably engaging respectively theside walls 31 and 32 of theannular recess 29, and the inner surface engaging thebottom wall 30 of therecess 29. Agroove 43 in thecollar 39 extends longitudinally of thetubular inlet 19 and is defined by anouter wall 44 and opposed side walls 4546 the latter walls providing an entrance to thegroove 43.

Thegroove 43 in thecollar 39 provides an entrance to alocking recess 48 extending radially outwardly of theinner surface 40 ofcollar 39 to awall 49 and from the collarside wall surface 42 to an inwardly projectingwall 50 adjacent theother side wall 41 of thecollar 39. Thelocking recess 48 extends peripherally along thecollar 39 between thepoint 51 and theside wall 46 of theentrance groove 43. Theside wall 50 of the locking recess 48 projects below thebottom surface 40 of thecollar 39 as indicated at 52 and is movable in arecessed area 53 formed in thebottom wall 30 of theannular recess 29 andsuch recess 53 extends on opposite sides of theslot 34 to stops 54 and 55.

Thewall 50 of thecollar locking recess 48 is provided with acam surface 56 extending from thepoint 51 to theentrance groove 43. Thecam surface 56 inclines in a direction from thepoint 51 outwardly from the cleaner casing and is such that upon clockwise rotation of thecollar 39, as viewed in FIGURE 5, thecam surface 56 is advanced toward theend wall 36 of the slot 34-. It will be noted thelocking lug 37 is tapered slightly in the form of an inverted truncated cone and the cooperating surfaces of the cam. 56 andend wall 36 of theslot 34 are correspondingly inclined.

Thelocking collar 39 is split at 57 to providespaced ends 58 and 59. Thecollar 39 is assembled in theannular recess 29 by spreading the ends 58-59 apart and sliding the collar over theouter end 28 of thetubular member 19 into therecess 29. In order to more easily spread theends 5859 apart the radial thickness of the plastic material forming thecollar 39 is progressively reduced from themidsection 60 at thegroove 43 to the ends 58-59 as indicated by thelines 61, 62 and 63.

In order to connect the cleaning tool 11 to thecleaner 12 thelocking collar 39 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE 2 to first align thecollar groove 43 with theslot 34 in thecasing inlet tube 19, whereby thetubular member 22 may be telescoped into thetube 19 with thefree end 23 thereof positioned as shown in FIG- URE 5 and thelocking lug 37 in theslot 34 adjacent theend wall 36.

Thecollar 39 is then rotated clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 2 and which causes thecam wall 56 to close thetube slot 34 and thecam wall 56 to engage theouter surface 64 of thelug 37. Continued rotation of thecollar 39 causes thecam surface 56 to exert a force on thelug 37 in a direction toward the cleaner casing and shifts thetool tube 22 inwardly of thetubular member 19 until theinner surface 65 of thelug 37 abuts theend Wall 36 of thetubular member 19 on the cleanercasing end wall 18.

Thus thelocking lug 37 is anchored between thecam surface 56 on thelocking collar 39 and thewall 36 forming part of thetubular member 19 on thecasing end wall 18. In addition the opposite side walls 41-42 of thelocking collar 39 intimately engage theadjacent side Walls 31 and 32 of theannular recess 29 which is a part of thetubular member 19 and thus theend wall 18 of thecleaner 12.

When the operator exerts a forward propelling force on the handle 13 to move the tool 11 over the surface being cleaned, such force is transmitted through the cleaner casing to thefront end wall 18, then to theend wall 36 on thetubular member 19, and then directly to thesurface 65 of thelocking lug 37 to the tool 11 without placing any stress on thelocking collar 39 and itscam surface 56, or theextreme end 23 of thenozzle tube 22.

When the operator pulls the nozzle 11 rearwardly the force is transmitted through thecleaner 12, itsfront end wall 18,tubular inlet member 19, thence to theside wall 41 of thelocking collar 39 which is in engagement with theside wall 31 of theannular recess 29 to thereby support thelocking collar 39 while thecam surface 56 transmits such pulling force to thesurface 64 of thelocking lug 37 and thus to the nozzle 11.

The nozzle 11 is disconnected from thecleaner 12 by rotating thelocking collar 39 counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE 2 until theend 52 on the dependingcam Wall 50 abuts theend 54 of therecessed area 53 and which indicates thecollar 39 is in its unlatched position with thegroove 43 andslot 34 aligned so that thetool tube 22 can be removed.

Although the handle 13 has been shown connected in a conventional manner to thetubular portion 27 of the casingsection end wall 26, the coupling can be arranged in thetubular portion 27 to removably attach the handle 13 to the cleaner casing.

The coupling device has been described in relation to a suction cleaner casing however it is obvious it can be employed as a connection for two telescopically arranged members divorced from a casing.

While I have shown and described but one embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that this embodiment is to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not Wish to be limited to the specific method and apparatus shown and described but wish to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A coupling adapted for use with a suction cleaner comprising:

(a) a tubular member,

(b) an elongated member telescoped into one end of said tubular member,

(c) an externally facing recess in said tubular member adjacent said one end,

(d) a locking collar mounted in said recess for rotation in opposite directions to locked and unlocked positions,

(e) said collar being split longitudinally of said tubular member so that the ends of said split may be spread apart to telescope said collar over said one end of said tubular member into said recess to assemble said collar in the latter,

(f) means defining a slot in said tubular member extending from said one end thereof into said recess and terminating in an end wall integral with said tubular member, and arcuate recesses formed in the bottom Wall of said externally facing recess on opposite sides of said slot, said arcuate recesses having end walls which limit the rotation of said collar in both direc tions,

(g) a locking lug on said elongated member movable through said slot and transversely of said recess into abutting engagement with said end wall on said tubular member during telescopic connection of said members,

(h) means defining a groove in said collar extending longitudinally of said members and adapted to receive said lug when said collar is in its unlocked position,

(i) a cam surface on said collar depending into said external recess and arranged at one side of said groove adjacent said one end of said tubular member,

(j) said collar when rotated to its unlocked position having its groove in alignment with said slot for receiving said lug on said elongated member and upon rotation of said collar to its locked position said cam surface engaging said lug to effect movement of said elongated member inwardly of said tubular member with said lug abutting said end wall on said tubular member.

2. A coupling as described in claim 1, and said collar being of flexible material and having a transverse thickness which decreases toward said split ends to thereby facilitate spreading said ends apart to assemble said collar in said recess.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 343,089 6/1886 Symes 285377 525,522 9/1894 Williams 285-362 557,019 3/1896 Paecourt 285-362 1,609,566 12/1926 Mayo 285362 2,039,787 5/1936 Fogelstrom 285377 2,440,143 4/1948 Hammell 285-7 2,757,966 8/1956 Samiran 285423 3,017,654 1/1962 Allenby 2857 3,083,041 3/1963 Owenmark 2857 CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner. R. GIANG I ORGI, T. F. CALLAGHAN, Examiners,

Claims (1)

1. A COUPLING ADAPTED FOR USE WITH A SUCTION CLEANER COMPRISING: (A) A TUBULAR MEMBER, (B) AN ELONGATED MEMBER TELESCOPED INTO ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, (C) AN EXTERNALLY FACING RECESS IN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER ADJACENT SAID ONE END, (D) A LOCKING COLLAR MOUNTED IN SAID RECESS FOR ROTATION IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TO LOCKED AND UNLOCKED POSITIONS, (E) SAID COLLAR BEING SPLIT LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER SO THAT THE ENDS OF SAID SPLIT MAY BE SPREAD APART TO TELESCOPE SAID COLLAR OVER SAID ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER INTO SAID RECESS TO ASSEMBLED SAID COLLAR IN THE LATTER, (F) MEANS DEFINING A SLOT IN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER EXTENDING FROM SAID ONE END THEREOF INTO SAID RECESS AND TERMINATING IN AN END WALL INTEGRAL WITH SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, AND ARCUATE RECESSES FORMED IN THE BOTTOM WALL OF SAID EXTERNALLY FACING RECESS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SLOT, SAID ARCUATE RECESSES HAVING END WALLS WHICH LIMIT THE ROTATION OF SAID COLLAR IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, (G) A LOCKING LUG ON SAID ELONGATED MEMBER MOVABLE THROUGH SAID SLOT AND TRANSVERSELY OF SAID RECESS INTO ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID END WALL ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER DURING TELESCOPIC CONNECTION OF SAID MEMBERS, (H) MEANS DEFINING A GROOVE IN SAID COLLAR EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID MEMBERS AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID LUG WHEN SAID COLLAR IS IN ITS UNLOCKED POSITION, (I) A CAM SURFACE ON SAID COLLAR DEPENDING INTO SAID EXTERNAL RECESS AND ARRANGED AT ONE SIDE OF SAID GROOVE ADJACENT SAID ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, (J) SAID COLLAR WHEN ROTATED TO ITS UNLOCKED POSITION HAVING ITS GROOVE IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID SLOT FOR RECEIVING SAID LUG ON SAID ELONGATED MEMBER AND UPON ROTATION OF SAID COLLAR TO ITS LOCKED POSITION SAID CAM SURFACE ENGAGING SAID LUG TO EFFECT MOVEMENT OF SAID ELONGATED MEMBER INWARDLY OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER WITH SAID LUG ABUTTING SAID END WALL ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER.

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