US1231445A - Handle device for vacuum-cleaners. - Google Patents

Description

A. J. STECKER.

HANDLE DEVICE FOR VACUUM CLEANERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26.1916- Patented June 26, 1917.

(Horne/13 sansarn'r FFltE.

ALFRED J'. S'IECKER, 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGN'OR TO FRED WELL, OF

' DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

HANDLE DEVICE FOR VACUUM-CLEANERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 26, 1916. Serial No. 117,001.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. STEGKER,

and relates particularly to portable vacuumcleaners such as are commonly provided wlth swinging handles.

It is desirable under certain conditions to retain the swinging handle of a portable vacuum cleaner either in substantially vertical or a substantially horizontal position, the former position being desirable when the, appliance is not in use and the latter position being convenient when it is desired to use the appliance in a raised position as for cleaning mattresses or stair treads.

Theobject of the invention is broadly to provide means for yieldably retaining a plvoted'handle of a vacuumcleaner in a certain position of adjustment relative to the retaining the pivoted handle of unit.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a common means for yieldably a vacuum cleaner either in a substantially vertical or substantially horizontal position.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner employing my lim'provement, the

handle being shown retained upright;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation and partial section, the handle being shown in substantially horizontal position;

Fig. 3 is a detail front elevation view showing the device employed to retain the handle upright.

In these views the reference characters'l, 2 and 3 respectively designate the motor casing, fan casing and suction inlet of a vacuum cleaner. The handle 4 thereof is connected to the body of the vacuum cleaner by a bifurcated bracket, the furcations 5 of which straddle the motor casing and are pivoted thereto at diametricallyopposite points. To connect said bracket to Y the handle proper, there is employed a member, the upper portion 6 of which forms a socket receiving the handle, and the lower portion of which is of rectangular form and is engaged between the upper ends of the furcations 5 by any suitable securing means. Upon the parts 6 and 7 there are respectively formed bosses 8 to which is secured a channel shaped guide 9 by means of screws 10, said guide extending parallel with the handle. At its end closest adjacent the motor casing the bottom of the guide 9 is formed with an aperture 11 into which projects a curved portion 12 of a spring 13, said spring being disposed between the guide 9 and the member 7 and being retained in place by engagement of one of its extremities between said guide and one of the bosses 8. The sides of the guide are formed with inwardly projecting flanges 14, beneath which flanges are engaged the extremities of a pin 15 adapted to be displaced longitudinally of the guide. Said pin is carried by one extremity of a curved swinging link 16, said extremity being formed with a sleeve 17 toengage the pin. Preferably the link will be reduced slightly in width adjacent the sleeve 17 so as to permit of its passage between the flanges 14. At its other extremity the link 16 is pivotally mounted upon the rear end of the motor as indicated at 18.

When the handle is in either a substantially vertical or a substantially horizontal position, the pin 15 is at the end of the guide 9 nearest adjacent the motor casing, as is shown in the drawing, and the spring 13 presses its curved portion 12 through the aperture 11 and against the sleeve 17 thus acting to yieldably retain said pin in the described position. When the handle is swung either upwardly or downwardly, the link 16 is subjected'to a stress whereby the portion 12 of the spring 13 is forced out of the guide allowing the end of the link carrying the pin 15 to slide toward the rear connecting said appliance and handle having a pivotal engagement with one of said members and sliding engagement with the other, and a common means for yieldably retaining said link against motion in aplurality of positions of the handle relative to the appliance.

2. The combination with a portable ap pliance, of a handle pivoted thereupon, a link connecting said appliance and handle having pivotal engagement with one of said members and sliding engagement with the other, a channeled guide carried by the lat ter named member engaged with said link, the bottom of said guide being apertured, and a spring mounted exteriorly to said guide having a portion projecting through the aperture thereof and engageable withthe link to yieldably hold the same against motion in a certain relative position of the handle and appliance.

f 3. The combination with a portable 'ap-- pliance, of a handle pivoted thereupon, a channeled guide carried by the handle having its sides formed with inwardly projecting flanges, a pin having its extremities engaged beneath said flanges, said pin being slidabie longitudinally of said guide, a link carrying sa1d pin at one extremlty and pivoted upon said appliance at its other extremity and means associated with one extremity of said guide for yieldably retaining the pin carrying end of the link at said extremity when the handle occupies a certain pivotal position relative to. the appliance.

v 4:. The combination with a portable appliance, of a handle pivoted thereupon, a ink connecting said appliance and ,handle having one of its extremities pivotally engaged with one of said members and slidably engaged with .the other member, a guide carried by the latter member engaging the slidlng end of said link and a latch member' carried by said guide engageable with the sliding end of the link in a plurality of positions of the handle and establishing the handle in a rigid relation with the appliance in said positions, said latch member being yieldable under the applicamotion when the handle is angularly displaced, the relative positions of the guide member and link extremity engaged thereby being substantially the same when the han-.

dle occupies either a definite raised or definite lowered position, and means carried by the guide engaging the sliding end of the link in said positions of the handle and yieldably resisting displacement of the slidinv link extremity in said guide.

6. The combination with a portable ap-- pliance, of a handle pivoted thereupon, a link having one of its extremities pivotally engaged with one of said members and its other extremity slidably engaged with the other member, the relative positions of the sliding link extremity and the member engaged thereby being substantially the same when the handle occupies either a definite raised or definite lowered position, and means engaging the sliding end of the link in said definite positions of the handle and resisting displacement thereof.

7. The combination with a portable appliance, of a handle pivoted thereupon, a channeled guide carried by one of said members having its sides formed with inwardly projecting flanges, a pin having its extremities engaged beneath said flanges, said pin being slidable longitudinally of said guide, a link carrying said pin at one extremity and pivoted upon the other off said members at its other extremity, and means associated with one extremity of said guide for yieldably retaining the pin carrying end of the link at said extremity when the handle occupies a certain pivotal position relative to the appliance.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALFRED J. STECKER.

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