Carpet cleaning and dyeing apparatus

An elongated tubular handle and support member connectable at its upper end with a vacuum hose and at its lower end with a vacuum head having a perpendicularly extending, elongated suction opening and including a pair of spray nozzles fixed with respect to the vacuum head and adapted to spray, respectively and selectively, either carpet cleaning fluid or carpet dyeing fluid behind the vacuum head, supports along the length thereof an open-topped container for removably receiving a liquid dye container. The tubular handle and support member also has attached thereto a control valve assembly for directing fluid under pressure to either of said spray nozzles, selectively, from a single remote source. The means supplying pressurized fluid to one of the spray nozzles includes a flexible conduit series-connected in which is a venturi member having a venturi orifice communicating through a control valve with the dye container for withdrawing dye into the flow path of the pressurized fluid supply to the dye spraying nozzle.

This invention relates to carpet cleaning and dyeing apparatus, and is 
directed particularly to such apparatus wherein a liquid spray cleaning or 
dyeing solution deposited on a rug or carpeting to be treated is withdrawn 
through an elongated vacuum opening in a vacuum head reciprocated along 
the rug or carpeting during the preselected cleaning or dyeing operation. 
Such known appartus comprises, generally, an elongated handle carrying a 
vacuum head at its lower end, which can be manipulated as one would an 
ordinary carpet sweeper or vacuum cleaner. In addition to the vacuuming 
feature, wherein vacuum is usually supplied through a flexible hose from a 
remote source connected in communication with the upper end of the tubular 
handle, a pair of fluid discharge nozzles are provided for spraying 
directly behind the vacuum head. Pressurized fluid from a remote source, 
also supplied through a flexible hose, connects through suitable valve 
control means with one of the spray nozzles for cleaning. Heretofore, for 
carpet or rug dyeing, dye solution was alternatively supplied from a 
remote source through a second flexible hose to the other spray nozzle. It 
is accordingly the principle object of this invention to provide a novel 
and improved cleaning and dyeing apparatus wherein the dyeing means is 
fully self-contained and supported by the elongated handle, for simplicity 
of operation, and to eliminate the usual dye fluid supply hose leading 
from a remote source. 
A more particular object of this invention is to provide valve means 
supported by the elongated handle for selectively dividing the pressurized 
fluid supplied through the flexible hose into two flow paths, one of which 
communicates with the carpet cleaning spray nozzle, and the other which 
communicates with the carpet dyeing spray nozzle, and wherein the flow 
path leading to the carpet dyeing nozzle comprises conduit means series 
connected in which is a venturi member having a venturi oriface 
communicating through a length of flexible tubing with a replaceable dye 
container receivable in an open ended container supported by the tubular 
handle. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a carpet cleaning and 
dyeing apparatus of the character described wherein the dye container is 
in the form of a flexible plastic bag with removable connection thereto 
being made by use of a hollow needle inserted therein. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a carpet cleaning and dyeing 
apparatus of the character described including a metering valve in the 
flexible conduit leading to the dye container for fine manual adjustment 
of dye being withdrawn from the dye container through the venturi oriface 
for mixture with the pressurized fluid being supplied to the dye spraying 
nozzle. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a carpet cleaning and 
dyeing apparatus of the above nature which will be simple in construction, 
compact, light in weight, easy to adjust and control in changing between 
cleaning and dyeing operations, and dependable and durable in use.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, reference numeral 10 
designates, generally, a preferred form of carpet cleaning and dyeing 
apparatus embodying the invention, the same comprising an elongated 
tubular handle and support member 11, the lower end of which is fixed to 
and communicates with the interior of a hollow, flared vacuum head 12 
terminating in a narrow, horizontally-extending, elongated opening 13. The 
upper end of the tubular handle and support member 11 is curved, as 
indicated at 14 in FIG. 1 for use as a handle in pushing the apparatus 
back and forth along carpeting C when in use, as is hereinafter more 
particularly described. In use, the upper end of the tubular handle 
portion 15 is adapted to be interconnected, by telescoping friction fit, 
with a flexible vacuum hose 15 (partially illustrated in FIG. 1) leading 
from a portable source of vacuum or air suction, in a known manner. A 
bracket 16 attached to the tubular handle and support member 11 slightly 
below the curved upper end portion 14 thereof has secured thereto, at the 
inside, a manually-controllable, pressurized water flow valve 17. A valve 
inlet fitting 18 at the upper end of valve 17 connects with a pressurized 
water hose 19 (partially illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2) leading to a source 
of pressurized water or water solution for use in cleaning or dye dilution 
as is hereinbelow described. The pressurized water control valve 17 has a 
lever 20 convenient for manual manipulation in controlling the flow of 
pressurized water into a T-fitting 21 fitted in the lower end of said 
valve. The T-fitting 21 connects at each side with a pair of right-angular 
fittings 22, 23 (see FIG. 2) which, in turn, connect with individual fluid 
flow control valves 24, 25, respectively. The outlet port of control valve 
25 has attached thereto a flexible fluid hose 26 the lower distal end of 
which is attached to connector fitting 27 mounted in a right-angular 
bracket 28 fixed to flared vacuum head 12. The connector fitting 27 
terminates in a spray nozzle 29, the spraying orifice of which is of such 
elongated shape as to produce a fan-shaped dispersion of the fluid being 
dispensed, directly behind the flared vacuum head 12 as indicated at S in 
FIG. 2. 
The fluid flow control valve 24 has its outlet port connected, through 
filter member 30, with flexible hose 31, the lower distal end of which 
connects in communication with elbow fitting 32. The elbow or 
right-angular fitting 32 communicates with the inlet port of a venturi 
mixing unit 33 fitted within the lower end of an open-topped, cylindrical 
housing member 34 supported along the length of the tubular handle and 
support member 11 as by bracket 35. The outlet port fitting 36 of the 
venturi mixing unit 33 extends through the bottom of the cylindrical 
housing member 34 and connects with flexible hose 37. The lower, distal 
end of the hose 37 communicates with connector fitting 38, also supported 
by bracket 28, and located directly behind connector fitting 37. The 
connector fitting 48 terminates in a spray nozzle 39, which may be 
identical with spray nozzle 29, for producing a laterally-extending, 
fan-shaped spray of the fluid being dispensed directly behind the flared 
vacuum head 12. 
Means is provided to mix liquid dye with water under pressure being 
supplied through the venturi mixing unit 33 to spray nozzle 39. To this 
end, the venturi port 33a of venturi mixing unit 33 communicates with 
flexible conduit 40 extending upwardly through cylindrical housing member 
34 and communicating at its upper end with the oulet port of metering 
valve 41 through a rightangular fitting 42 communicating with support 
block 43 attached to bracket 16 as by machine screw 34. The support block 
43 also has an outlet port attached to which is a downwardly-extending 
fitting 45 communicating with the internal passageway thereof and a 
flexible hose or tubing 46. The lower or distal end of the flexible tubing 
46 terminates in a hollow needle fitting 47 adapted to piercingly 
penetrate a plastic concentrated dye container 48 receivable within the 
open-ended cylindrical housing member 34. 
In ordinary use of the apparatus for carpet cleaning, the flexible vacuum 
hose 15, (partially illustrated in FIG. 1), will be connected with a 
vacuum unit, preferably portable, as is known in the art, for producing 
suction at the elongated opening 13 in the flared vacuum head 12. The 
water hose 19 will be connected to a supply of water solution under 
pressure, preferably a separate water pressurizing unit, not illustrated. 
Since auxiliary vacuum producing and pressurized water or water solution 
devices are commonly known and form no part of the claimed invention, they 
are not further described herein. 
For simple carpet cleaning, the fluid flow control valve 24 is shut 
completely off so that pressurized water or water and detergent solution, 
for example, controlled by manual control lever 20, will flow only through 
hose 26 and spray nozzle 29. In such operation, the fluid flow control 
valve 25 will be adjusted for the maximum desired spray pressure, which is 
otherwise controlled for lesser pressure by manual control lever 20. As 
illustrated in FIG. 2, a fan-shaped pattern of water or water solution 
spray S is thus discharged behind the flared vacuum head 12 for uniformly 
wetting the carpet just prior to suction removal of this moisture together 
with carpet dust and dirt as the apparatus is drawn backwardly along the 
carpet C as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
In use of the apparatus for carpet dyeing, (or tinting), the carpet will 
first be cleaned as described above, after which fluid flow control valve 
25 will be closed and valve 24 will be opened to permit pressurized water 
to flow through the inlet and outlet ports of venturi mixing unit 33 to 
the spray nozzle 39. Since the venturi port 33a of ventui mixing unit 33 
connects through flexible tubing 40, metering valve 41 and flexible tubing 
46 with the interior of plastic dye container 48, a certain amount of the 
dye will be sucked in through the venturi port to mix with the water 
passing through the venturi mixing unit 33, as described above. The 
proportionate amount of dye being mixed is controlled by adjustment of 
manual adjustment knob 41a. In this manner, the intensity of the dye in 
the sprayed water can be controlled to produce the desired color effect in 
the rug or carpet being treated; i.e. either to tint for enhancing color, 
or to change color by dyeing. Water pressure control lever 17, as well as 
maximum pressure setting valve 24, provide for uniform proportioning of 
the dye mix and its volume of discharge at spray nozzle 39, as required, 
to effect uniform color dyeing or tinting of the rug or carpet. It will be 
understood that because the plastic dye container 48 is flexible, it will 
readily collapse as the dye is withdrawn through hollow needle fitting 47, 
so that no venting is required. Replacement of the dye container 48 is 
readily accomplished simply by withdrawing it from the cylindrical housing 
member 34, and removing hollow needle fitting 47, after which a new 
plastic dye container can be punctured for replacement within the housing 
member 34. 
FIG. 3 illustrates a modification of the invention wherein a substantially 
rigid cylindrical dye container 53 is used instead of the collapsible dye 
container 48 described above. The modified container 53 is reusable, and 
has a screw-on cap 54 at its upper end which supports a short, 
upwardly-extending vent tube 55. Also passing through the cap 54 is 
flexible tube 46a which terminates in a filter element 52. As illustrated 
in FIG. 3, when the container cap assemblage 54, 55 and 46a is fitted on 
the dye container 53, the filter element 52 extends just short of the 
bottom of the container. In this embodiment of the invention the length of 
flexible tubing 46a replaces the tubing 46 leading from fitting 45 as 
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
FIG. 5 illustrates a modification of the invention which serves to smoothen 
any fluid pressure pulsations caused by operation of the remote pumping 
mechanism supplying fluid to pressurized hose 19. As illustrated, a 
pressure reducing member 49 is connected in series with conduits 50 and 
51, bypassing the inlet and outlet ports of venturi mixing unit 33. The 
cross-sectional area at the flow reduction zone 49a of pressure reducing 
member 49 is less than that of the restrictive flow portion 33b of the 
venturi mixing unit 33, whereby any pressure surges or pulsations caused 
by pump operation will be smoothened in outlet hose 37a leading to dyeing 
or color tinting spray nozzle 39 for uniform spraying. 
While there are illustrated and described herein only three forms in which 
the invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to be 
understood that these forms are given by way of example only and not in a 
limiting sense. The invention, in brief, comprises all the embodiments and 
modifications coming within the scope and spirit of the following claims.