Vacuum cleaning

A brush assembly is fixedly mounted to each side wall of a vacuum cleaner head closely adjacent the axis of a rotary brush. The brush bristles of each assembly are directed so as to brushingly engage the wall-floor corner. The brushes are aligned in the direction of longitudinal movement of the vacuum cleaner. A guide slot is formed in the head adjacent the end of each brush assembly, with each slot providing communication between the outside of the head and the vacuum chamber containing the rotary brush. Dirt and debris loosened by the brush assemblies is sucked through the channels formed by the slots and the floor, and then into the path of the rotary brush and into the vacuum chamber.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to vacuum cleaning and more particularly to the 
cleaning of floor surfaces by means of vacuum. 
It is, of course, known to vacuum clean a floor surface by translating a 
vacuum head in a back and forth reciprocating movement over the floor. It 
is also known to provide a cylindrical rotating brush in association with 
the vacuum nozzle or inlet to loosen dirt and debris on the floor and 
sweep it directly into the path of air flowing into the head. 
Such vacuum cleaners are nowdays relatively efficient in cleaning floor 
surfaces spaced from walls and baseboards. However, a problem has long 
existed as to how to clean areas closely adjacent the intersection of a 
wall and the floor. These areas are apt to accumulate large amounts of 
dirt and debris, and yet they have been found to be very difficult to 
clean with known vacuum cleaners. Special attachments and tools or a very 
high powered vacuum have usually been required to get these corners really 
clean, especially when the material is embedded. 
The present invention is directed to a solution to the aforementioned 
problem. 
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a brush assembly is fixedly 
mounted to each side wall of the vacuum cleaner head closely adjacent the 
axis of the rotary brush. The brush bristles of each assembly are directed 
so as to brushingly engage the wall-floor corner. The brushes are aligned 
in the direction of longitudinal movement of the vacuum cleaner. 
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a guide slot is formed 
in the head adjacent the end of each brush assembly, with each slot 
providing communication between the outside of the head and the vacuum 
chamber containing the rotary brush. Dirt and debris loosened by the brush 
assemblies is sucked through the channels formed by the slots and the 
floor, and then into the said vacuum chamber and into the path of the 
rotary brush. The need for special corner tools or a very high vacuum is 
thus substantially eliminated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The concepts of the invention are adapted to be embodied in a vacuum 
cleaner 1 which may be of any well-known type but which in this instance 
comprises an upper unit having a handle 2 and a dirt receiving receptacle 
3 thereon. A cleaning head 4 is adapted to be permanently or detachably 
mounted to the upper unit via a tube 5 which may serve as a suction 
connection from head 4 into receptable 3. 
Head 4 may be of any suitable construction. As shown, the head comprises a 
housing having front and rear walls 6, 7 joined by side walls 8, 9, and a 
top cover portion 10. A bottom panel 11 is suitably mounted beneath the 
housing walls and carries rearwardly disposed support wheels 12 and a 
motor 13. Motor 13 is connected at one end to a vacuum fan 14, and at the 
other end through a drive belt 15 to a transversely extending cylindrical 
rotary brush 16, the ends of which are suitably journalled in or adjacent 
side walls 8 and 9. Brush 16 is disposed in a chamber 17 defined by front 
wall 6, a transverse partition 18 spaced rearwardly from wall 6, and 
forwardly extending partition end walls 19. Chamber 17 forms a vacuum 
nozzle or inlet which communicates through fan 14 and a passage 20 and 
tube 5 to receptable 3. 
A protective peripheral bumper 21 of rubber or other suitable material is 
disposed about head 4 and projects outwardly from its side walls. 
The device is adapted to be reciprocably translated over a floor 22, during 
which time motor 14 rotatably drives brush 16 in the direction shown by 
the arrows in FIG. 3, that is, rearwardly at the line of brush-floor 
contact. Brush 16 forms means to loosen dirt and debris from the floor 
surface so that the suction formed at the nozzle draws the material up 
into tank 3. 
As hereinbefore mentioned, it has previously been difficult to vacuum clean 
corners with devices of the above-described type. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 
3, such corners comprise the intersection of floor 22 with an upstanding 
wall 23, the latter comprising the actual wall itself or a baseboard. 
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, means are provided on the 
outside of head 4 to loosen dirt and debris disposed at a corner. For this 
purpose, a stationary brush assembly 24 is fixedly mounted to the outer 
face of each side wall 8 and 9 and closely adjacent the axis 25 of rotary 
brush 16. In the present embodiment, assemblies 24 intersect axis 25. 
Each assembly comprises a base member 26 having a plurality of tufted 
brushes 27 mounted therein, with the separate discrete tufts spaced in a 
direction to form a brush line extending parallel to the longitudinal 
direction of translation of the vacuum cleaner. Brushes 27 extend 
transversely outwardly and downwardly from the housing at an angle of 
about 45.degree. so that they engage floor 22, and also wall 23 when the 
device is adjacent a corner. During cleaner translation, brushes 27 loosen 
dirt and debris from the floor, corner and wall for subsequent pickup by 
head 4. Because the brushes are longitudinally aligned, they will pass 
over a given spot in succession, thereby enhancing their ability to loosen 
stubborn dirt. 
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, means are utilized to 
provide air flow communication from adjacent brushes 27 outside of the 
head to chamber 17 and rotary brush 16. For this purpose, a pair of 
transverse slots 28 are disposed in head 4, in this case the slots being 
formed in bottom panel 11. Each slot is disposed adjacent one of the brush 
assemblies 24, and as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3, is positioned 
just forwardly of its respective assembly. Each slot 28 includes spaced 
transversely extending edges 29 and a top wall 30, the latter being 
inclined inwardly and downwardly. The slots extend between the outside and 
the forward portion of chamber 17 adjacent rotary brush 16. 
When the device is in its normal operating position on the floor, slots 28 
form, together with floor 22, restricted guide channels 31 for relatively 
high velocity air flow therethrough. Due to the incline of top walls 30, 
the mouth of each channel is higher than the inner terminous discharge 
portion. As the vacuum cleaner moves across the floor, material loosened 
by brushes 27 is first drawn by the vacuum through the wide slot mouths, 
which are high enough to pick up material which may have been flicked 
upwardly by the brushes. The material is then drawn by vacuum through 
channels 31 into chamber 17 where it is drawn by the air flow into 
engagement with rotating brush 16 above the floor. Brush 16 assists in 
propelling the material toward discharge. 
The device of the invention provides a unique solution to the problem of 
vacuuming corners. Manufacturing expense is low, and maintenance costs are 
at a minimum. 
Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being 
within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and 
distinctly claiming the subject which is regarded as the invention.