Vacuum cleaner suction nozzle configuration

A vacuum cleaner suction nozzle is provided with inner front and rear ducts and a duct cover piece disposed within the agitator chamber. This chamber is formed by a tunnel piece that is at least partly user observable from above the nozzle. The nozzle includes a hood piece which melds with its underbody at, at least, a portion of their juncture. This is occasioned by an offset or undercut formed in one of the hood piece or underbody, whereby the hood piece and underbody join with coplaner outer surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner and, more specifically, to a 
vacuum cleaner nozzle arrangement. 
2. Summary of the Prior Art 
It is known in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,418, owned by a common assignee, to 
provide forward and rearwardly disposed suction ducts that extend along 
the front and back sides of a suction nozzle to lead suction air to a 
rearwardly extending fan communicating duct. It is also known from this 
patent to make an outer covering piece of a communicating duct portion 
extending between the front and back sides of the suction nozzle 
removable. It is also known from this patent to make the agitator tunnel 
an inner structure in its nozzle. It is also generally known to provide a 
hood structure which either sits on its underbody or obviously overlaps 
it. 
However, the advantageous disposition of the suction nozzle duct cover 
within the confines of an agitator chamber or the use of an agitator 
tunnel arrangement easily discernable by the user of the cleaner or a 
pleasing nozzle outside geometry such as the presentation of a smooth line 
between the hood and its underbody has not been known to heretofore be 
contemplated in the prior art. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved 
suction nozzle configuration. 
It is a further object of this invention to provide a suction nozzle with 
either front and/or rearward ducting which may be accommodated in a nozzle 
having as a structural requirement an inboard duct cover. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an abbreviated 
suction nozzle hood which merges with a necessary suction nozzle under 
carriage to smoothly form at least a portion of the suction nozzle outer 
and top peripheral surfaces. 
It is a further object of the invention to abbreviate the periphery of the 
suction nozzle hood so that the outer outlines of the agitator tunnel 
chamber is viewable to the user so that this structure serves as a portion 
of the outer, observable, suction nozzle per se. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an improved 
suction nozzle structure which includes forward and rearward suction 
nozzle ducts. 
It is an even further object of the invention to provide an improved 
removable suction nozzle duct cover structure and arrangement. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is provided in a suction nozzle which includes rear handle 
journaling structure, rear wheels and more forwardly disposed intermediate 
wheels. These last mentioned wheels are carried on a pivot carriage 
structure on the suction nozzle so that they may pivot inwardly and 
outwardly of the suction nozzle to thereby adjust its height. All the 
structure so far related is carried on a main body for the suction nozzle 
and may be seen fully in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 
08/824,769, filed on Mar. 21, 1997. 
Surmounting this main body, at least in the front portions, is a hood piece 
formed with an opening near its front which includes, in the embodiment 
illustrated, an open discontinuity at the hood piece inner side which 
opens downwardly. The hood piece, aside from this discontinuity, only 
extends partially backwardly from its front covering position on the main 
body so that an observable vertical and horizontal parting line is seen 
generally at about one half the fore to aft depth of the suction nozzle. 
The main body surface is recessed in at least part of its area mating with 
the hood so that the surface on each side of the parting is, within 
manufacturing tolerances, as smooth and coincident as possible to yield a 
very attractive overall nozzle presentation. 
Within the opening formed by the discontinuity in the hood, at its 
rightward side, is an observable portion of the outside of a cylindrical 
shell agitator tunnel chamber (looking from the front of the suction 
nozzle), and the outside of a cross duct communicating with a forward and 
a rearward suction nozzle duct (to the left of the agitator tunnel 
chamber). A suction nozzle height adjusting lever and its indexing means 
is also apparent, situated generally inwardly and behind the agitator 
chamber tunnel. 
A front duct is partly formed on its upper side by an angled face formed 
just outside the agitator tunnel, proper, on the inner front side of an 
agitator housing. This face angles upwardly from its outside end to 
provide a constant carrying velocity attribute to the front duct. This 
face terminates in a smooth, curvilinear manner adjacent a formed cross 
duct portion in the agitator tunnel extending across the inside of the 
agitator tunnel near one of its ends. A short duct face is also formed on 
an opposite inner side of the cross duct portion and on a rear inner side 
of the agitator tunnel. 
A rear duct face also angles upwardly within the agitator tunnel and 
extends generally from a hollow, generally semi-cylindrically shaped belt 
guard, mounted adjacent an opposite end of the agitator housing from the 
cross duct portion, just outside the agitator tunnel. 
The generally semi-cylindrical belt guard is formed integrally with an 
inner, removable duct cover which is in the shape of a substantially 
semi-cylindrical shell and extends internally within and generally for the 
full length and width of the agitator chamber tunnel. The duct cover's 
radically outer semi-cylindrical surface forms the inside wall of the 
inner and outer duct. The duct cover is screw mounted to the agitator 
tunnel and, because it is internal to the agitator tunnel, any leakage 
into it would, advantageously, tend to impose more suction in the agitator 
chamber and thereby provide a suction nozzle with more effective cleaning 
ability. 
The front and rear ducts for the suction nozzle are completed by a bottom 
plate which is screwingly mounted to the agitator tunnel. It includes 
front and rear inwardly and sidewardly extending lips that form the final 
bottom sides of the suction nozzle. The front and rear lips also afford 
the bottom sides of the forward and rearward ducts. These two lips are 
vertically spaced from the bottom terminations of the duct cover, at their 
inner terminations to thereby permit the easy slot entrance of suction 
air, air entrained dirt, and agitator driven dirt into both the forward 
and rearward ducts. The air and dirt are transported from there to a 
rearwardly connected suction hose fitting for eventual movement into a 
motor-fan arrangement (not shown) for the vacuum cleaner of which the 
suction nozzle is a part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
There is shown most specifically in FIGS. 1-4, a suction nozzle 10 having a 
rather extensive main body 12 surmounted by an abbreviated hood 14. The 
main body includes rear wheels 16, 16 and a forward but intermediately 
disposed pivoted, height adjustable wheel carriage 17 (FIG. 10--not fully 
shown but fully disclosed in previously mentioned U.S. patent application 
Ser. No. 08/824,769). The suction nozzle 10 also includes sidewardly 
disposed litter picks 18, 18 and a discontinuity 20 formed partially by a 
cutout portion of the hood and partly by a forward wall termination 22 of 
the main body 12. A furniture guard 19 extends around the suction nozzle 
10 front and sides to terminate behind the litter picks 18, 18 and a foot 
release pedal 21 is disposed at the nozzle's rearward edge. 
With specific reference now to FIG. 4, the suction nozzle 10 includes on 
its bottom side 24 an abbreviated bottom plate 26 having cross bars 28, 
28, 28, 28 and an adjacent belt cover portion 30. A suction opening 32 is 
disposed at the cross bars 28 and a suction opening 34 on the far side of 
belt cover portion 30. The bottom plate 26 is securely mounted to the 
bottom side 24 of the main body 12 by screws 36, 36, 36 and 36 which 
extend into bosses 38, 38, 38 and 38 formed in main body 12. The bottom 
plate 26 also includes a rearwardly extending cover 39 with offset 
vertical strengthening walls 41, 41 and 43. This cover forms the bottom 
side for a belt guard housing 45, integral with the main body 12. 
Rearwardly of the bottom housing plate 26, the suction nozzle 10, along its 
sides, includes a pair of spaced short, integral, outer vertically 
extending side walls 40, 40 that are stepped inward by a pair of right 
angled rear portions 42, 42. These form wells for the mounting of the rear 
wheels (not shown in FIG. 4) through the aegis of wheel axle mounting 
bores 44, 44 (only one shown). Forwardly and inboard of the rear wheel 
mounting wells are a pair of mounting slots 46, 46 for mounting the 
adjustably pivoted wheeled carriage U.S. Ser. No. 08/824,769. This wheeled 
carriage furnishes support for the nozzle 10 forwardly of the rear wheel 
wells. 
A pair of generally centralized openings 48, 48 are provided in the main 
body 12 by a stepped, angled, generally vertically extending integral wall 
50. This wall is disposed slightly forwardly of the mounting slots 46, 46. 
These openings afford clearance for prongs 51, 51 mounted integrally with 
the aforesaid wheeled carriage 17 (U.S. Ser. No. 08/824,769). They are 
engageable by an moved by a projection on the hard bag or handle portion 
(not shown) of the cleaner when the handle portion is disposed in a 
storage position to pivot the wheeled carriage 17 outwardly or downwardly 
to raise the nozzle 10 relative the floor in a conventional manner. 
Behind the angled, stepped wall 50 of main body 12, main body 12 is formed 
with a pair of downwardly projecting concave sections 52, 54 (concave in 
top-view as seen in FIG. 11) that extend axially sidewardly relative to 
the main body 12. The concave section 52 is slightly smaller than the 
concave section 54 since it accommodates a smaller diameter hard bag motor 
housing section (not shown) while the concave section 54 serves as a base 
for the larger hard bag fan housing section (not shown). Mediate these two 
sections is a large rectangular hole 55 (in plan) which accommodates a 
larger end of the hard bag motor housing (not shown). 
The concave section 54 has merging with it, a concave section 56 (concave 
in top-view as seen in FIG. 11). The concave section 56 is transverse to 
it and extends towards forward portions of the main housing and terminates 
forwardly just short of a cutout 58 (both to be described later) in an 
agitator housing or duct cover 60 mounted within a generally cylindrical 
agitator tunnel 62 (See FIG. 2) formed in main body 12. The tunnel 62 
forms, at least partly, the outer envelope for an agitator chamber 64. 
This tunnel includes semi-cylindrical shaped stepped ends 76, 76 having 
semi-cylindrical wells 65, 65 for the lodgement of the ends of an agitator 
(not shown). The concave section 56 provides clearance for a hose fitting 
(also not shown) extending from the cleaner hard bag (not shown). 
An open slot 66, disposed intermediate the front and back sides of main 
body 12, extends parallel to the front and back sides of the main body 12. 
The open slot 66 provides an opening for the actuating part of the height 
adjusting arrangement (not shown) for wheel carriage 17 to extend through. 
Rightward and leftward lattice-like ribbing 70, 70 forms strengthening 
structure for the main body 12. This insures sufficient structural 
rigidity and durability. 
Turning now specifically to FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen that the belt 
guard cover 39 (shown in FIG. 4) obscures a well 72 (shown in FIG. 3) in 
belt guard housing 45 for disposition of a belt (not shown) that extends 
roughly between the leftward termination of the fore and aft middle of 
motor housing covering concave section 52 and a forward terminating 
portion 74 of the duct cover 60. The duct cover 60 takes the form of an 
elongate substantially semi-cylindrical shell and extends longitudinally 
between side ends forwardly extending main body vertical end walls 76, 76. 
The vertical end walls 76, 76 form the ends of the agitator chamber 64. 
The vertical end walls 76, 76 join at their rears to the vertically 
extending side walls 40, 40 by angle transition walls 68, 68. 
The well 72 for the belt (not shown) enclosed by the belt guard housing 45, 
is bordered throughout much of its length by reinforcing and sheltering 
elongated integral main body walls 80, 80. These walls are seen as 
extending generally from the rear side of the agitator chamber 64 to 
nearly the rear side of concave section 52. They terminate in a rear cross 
wall 82. At their fronts, the main body walls 80, 80 extend far enough 
forwardly in the suction nozzle 10 (see FIG. 3) to space the duct cover 60 
sufficiently forwardly to accommodate requisite rear ducting (to be 
described later). 
The duct cover 60, at the belt end, includes a pair of short vertically 
upstanding, laterally spaced, inner walls 84, 84 having arcuate top sides 
to provide therebetween for belt guidance and thereon for agitator bearing 
seals (not shown). These walls are parallel and spaced from each other to 
provide substantially full sealing for the belt (not shown) and extend 
downwardly and outwardly sufficiently to form a cradle 86 for the agitator 
(not shown) which they bearingly receive. There are correspondingly shaped 
pieces 87 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 4) on the inside of the 
bottom plate which serve as the other half of an agitator seal. 
An inside surface 88 of the duct cover 60 includes a rearwardly disposed 
flat 90 that provides clearance for the belt and its operation. Adjacent 
to this flat, the main walls 80, 80 of the belt guard housing 45 are 
extended forwardly by wall sections 92, 92 so as to aid in the aforesaid 
duct cover 60 spacing. This duct cover 60 is also spaced within the tunnel 
62 by integral screw receiving lugs 94, 94, 96, 96 which are disposed on 
its ends so that its forward and rearward terminating sides form forward 
and rearward suction ducts 98, 100 with the inner surface of the tunnel 
62. These two suction ducts form the main flow path for suctioned air 
moving through the suction nozzle and into the hose (not shown). This hose 
is disposed above the concave shaped, hose receiving concave section 56 of 
the main body 12. Suctioned air also, of course, moves through the cutout 
58 to this same hose. The partially cylindrical volume inside the duct 
cover 60 and between the two suction ducts 98, 100 in the suction nozzle 
10, that is, the agitator chamber 64, serves as a lower pressured 
suctioning region which is also depressurized by any air leakage between 
the forward and rearward ducts around the duct cover 60 and the agitator 
chamber. 
The tunnel 62 in the main body 12 is a generally cylindrical shell-like 
piece on both its inside and outside surfaces 102, 104. The tunnel 62 
(FIG. 2) includes adjacent its inside forward surface a forward angled 
face 103 which angles more deeply toward the interior of the main body 12 
(downwardly in FIG. 2) as the face progresses rightwardly. It thereby 
forms a ramp in the tunnel 62 as it extends towards the tunnel's outlet. 
The tunnel's least depth is just outside of the most leftward and forward 
boss 38, just outwardly from adjacent with the belt flat 90, and angles 
inwardly and upwardly from there towards an enlarged cross flow channel or 
duct 106 which is inset from or formed by a recess in the inside surface 
102 of the tunnel 62. 
As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 7, the cross flow channel section 106 
includes a flat surface inner portion 108 joining into a curvilinear, 
semi-cylindrical surface outer portion 110. Both these surfaces are inset 
or disposed upwardly relative to the surface 102 of tunnel 62, as best 
seen in FIG. 2. The inner portion 108 is made flat because of molding 
requirements, while the outer portion 110 provides a smooth mergence with 
the inner portion 108 and an elongated sidewardly extending curvilinear 
face portion 112. This face portion merges smoothly with the outer portion 
110, at that end, in a rounded expanding inset curve 114 and streamlines 
airflow at the suction nozzle 10 front side towards outer surface portion 
110. At its other end, the curvilinear face 112 merges smoothly with the 
angle face of the ramp 103. The curvilinear portion 112 is not quite as 
wide as the face ramp 103 to provide a small ledge 116 for the outer 
portion 110. This spaces it inwardly of a front wall 118 of main body 12 
and accommodates a slight side to side bow in this front wall. The ledge 
116 is flat and spaced outwardly of the curvilinear face portion 112. The 
front inner shape of the tunnel 62 is completed by a curvilinear wedge 
shaped piece 120, formed between the expanding curve 114, the curvilinear 
surface portion 110 and the inset 116. It forms a smooth continuous 
surface with these curved surfaces. The wedge shaped piece 120 forms a 
streamlined continuation of the curve of the outer portion 110. 
Medially of the tunnel 62 and extending parallel to its linear extent is an 
inset in the inside surface 102 that forms a generally rectangular pad 122 
in the tunnel's outer surface 104. This pad provides a convenient 
preferably flat, or alternatively gently curved substantially flat (see 
FIG. 5) surface for graphics use on the top side of the suction nozzle. 
Material is preserved in the formation of raised pad 122 by insetting the 
inner surface 104 of the tunnel 62. 
The inner surface of the tunnel 62 is substantial completed by another 
angled face 124 which forms a downwardly facing air converging ramp on the 
rear side of the nozzle. This ramp angles also inwardly as it moves 
towards and past a centerline of the suction nozzle so that it extends 
upwardly within the tunnel 62 and its internal semi-cylindrical surface 
102. It extends from the inner of the extended walls 92. An inset in the 
top surface 126 (FIG. 1) forms a tapered vertical wall 128 adjacent 
rearward terminating edge 130 of semi-cylinder surface 102. Wall 128 is 
formed as a smooth continuation of tunnel 62. The wall 128 extends 
approximately medially along the angled face 124 from its rightward 
termination and reduces its width slightly but not disadvantageously to 
any marked degree. 
The angled face 124 has a rearwardly disposed, generally vertically 
extending joining wall 132 that extends from the angled face forwardly 
across the flat surface 108 of flow channel 106 to meld with the expanding 
curve 114. The angled face 124 then extends between the short extended 
wall section 92 of belt guard housing 45 to the flat 108 adjacent the 
cutout 58. 
Turning again now to FIG. 3, with the description afforded relating to FIG. 
2 kept in mind, it appears clear that three sides of a front suction 
nozzle duct 136 are formed, respectively, by the front wall 118 of the 
main body 12, by the angled face 103 and curvilinear face portion 112 and 
by an outer shell side 138 (FIGS. 5-7) of the duct cover 60. Because of 
their configuration this duct has an expanding configuration that provides 
a substantially constant velocity and suction across the forward duct 138. 
A rear duct 140 is provided with three sides by the angled face 124, by 
the joining wall 132, and by the outer shell side 138 of the duct cover 
60. Because of this configuration this duct likewise has an expanding 
configuration that provides a substantially constant velocity and suction 
across the forward duct 140. 
The cross flow channel 106 for the front duct 136 is formed by the inset 
flat and curvilinear surface portion 108 and 110, respectively, and by the 
shell side 138 of the duct cover 60. 
The duct cover 60 is also easily removable from the suction nozzle 10 by 
removal of the screws 36, 36, 36, 36 so that the front and rear ducts 136 
and 140, respectively, can be cleaned of any dirt, dust or debris adhering 
to their inside surfaces. In this regard, it should be noted that leakage 
into either of these ducts, advantageously, is not from atmosphere but 
from within the agitator chamber 64. This results in a lowering of the 
pressure in the agitator chamber and an added impetus for suction air to 
move into this chamber from the surrounding floor or rug on which the 
suction nozzle 10 is operating. 
The structure of the duct cover 60 is completed by the use of integral half 
ring-like end pieces 142, 142 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 3), 
which situate the duct cover within the tunnel 62 during assembly so that 
the lugs 94, 94, 96, 96 are properly positioned to aid the fastening of 
the screws 36, 36, 36, 36 to thereby assemble suction nozzle 10. 
Turning now to FIG. 4, with the description of FIGS. 2 and 3 in mind, it 
can be seen that the bottom plate 26 closes the final side (bottom) of the 
forward and rearward ducts 136, 140, respectively. This is occasioned 
through the aegis of forward and rearward integral, strip plate pieces 
144, 146, respectively, of bottom plate 26. These pieces extend generally 
between their front and rear screws 36, 36 and 36, 36, respectively, and 
thereby cover and mask the forward and rearward ducts 136 and 140. The 
bottom plate 26 is also mounted tightly to the main body 12 by the screws 
36, 36, 36, 36 so that suction air passing into the ducts 136 and 140 must 
first move into the suction nozzle 10 and its agitator chamber 64 by way 
of the suction openings 32 and 34. 
Air passing through the suction openings 32, 34 enters the forward and 
rearward ducts 136, 140 because the strip plate pieces 144, 146 of the 
bottom plate 26 are spaced downwardly from terminating bottom edges 148, 
150 of duct cover 60. This occurs because front and rear vertical walls 
152, 154, respectively, (see FIG. 5) of bottom plate 26 locate the strip 
plate pieces 144, 146 at this spaced location. A lip 156 (see FIG. 5) on 
front vertical wall 152 insures the vertical position of the bottom plate 
26 relative to main body 12 while a formed groove 158 on rear vertical 
wall 154 accomplishes the same purpose for it. 
Air moving through the front and rear ducts 136 and 140 is exhausted (FIG. 
9) through an exhaust or air exit port 160 in the air exit wall port 
portion 134. This port is streamlined so as to have an inwardly curved, as 
if rolled in metal, molded port lip 162. As noted before, the cutout 58, 
as shown, is aligned with exit port 160 so suction air is free to exit the 
suction nozzle 10 through this port. Additionally, however the cutout 58 
includes a partially rounded air cutout 164 at each side, in a manner, so 
as to make the cutout 58 streamlined and slightly larger than the air exit 
port 160 in all its dimensions. To this end then, the major outline of the 
cutout 58 is a circle of larger dimension than the exit port 160 with 
scallop edges 164, 164 for streamlining. This arrangement permits the 
passage of large debris into the suction system of the suction nozzle 10. 
Turning now to the assembly arrangement of the hood 14 on the main body 12 
(FIGS. 1, 8, 10, 12 and 13). It can be seen that the hood 14 is 
abbreviated in dimension and includes a pair of curvilinear (in 
cross-section) rearwardly extending top frame pieces 166, 166, between 
which, is a narrow forward cross portion 168 which is also curvilinear in 
cross-section and forms with forward portions of the top frame pieces 166, 
166 the front for the suction nozzle 10. The top frame pieces 166, 166 are 
closed at their rear by a slightly elevated and angled second cross piece 
170. The top frame pieces 166, 166, at their rears and along the sides of 
the suction nozzle 10 have scalloped sections 172, 172 which blend 
forwardly with transversely extending portions 174, 174 of the hood that 
extend sidewardly to cover the ends of the tunnel 62. This also gives the 
suction nozzle 10 a streamlined hammer head hood appearance. 
The hood includes, as noted before, the cutout 20 through which the outside 
somewhat squared and curvilinear portion 106 of cross flow channel 106 can 
be seen heading rearwardly over the tunnel 62. A portion of the tunnel 62 
including, discernably, its outer cylindrical shape compressing surface 
104 is also seen extending in a parallel direction along the front of the 
suction nozzle 10. As well is seen, the raised pad 122 also extends 
parallel to the front side of the suction nozzle. This provides an open 
view of these components, especially the cross flow channel and rounded 
portions of the tunnel, to help the consumer acquire somewhat of a visual 
impression of the unique duct work of the present inventive nozzle 
structure. 
Disposed within the discontinuity 20 and generally inwardly thereof and 
extending from an integral vertical wall 178 of main body 12 is a 
projecting lever 180 having a hook end 182. This lever extends through a 
notched slot 184 in the vertical wall 178. The lever and slotted wall are 
a portion of a height adjusting means fully disclosed in previously 
mentioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/824,769, with the lever 
capable of moving from notch to notch as the aforesaid height adjusting 
means operates. 
Turning to FIG. 13 where the inside surface of the hood can be mostly 
easily seen, there is shown a terminating lower border edge 186 which 
includes a front edge 188 and inwardly bent, right angled, hammer head 
side edges 190, 190 integrally attached to the front edge of the hood. 
These hammer head side edges merge into a curvilinear arched section edge 
192 that extends generally vertically and slightly rearwardly to terminate 
upwardly in rear overlapping edges 194, 194. These edges smoothly merge at 
their outer sides with the curvilinear arched section edges 192, 192. 
Inwardly of the overlapping edges and disposed between them is a vertical 
cross wall 193 that extends along most of the rear side of the hood. 
The main body 12 has a mating edge 196 with which the hood lower border 
edge 186 melds. It comprises a front flat lip 197 which extends from side 
to side of the main body 12 at its front side. The front flat lip 197 
merges on each side into a side lip 198 which extends generally the width 
of the tunnel 62 and then merges into an angled (in plan) lip 200 that 
extends around a rear corner of each end of the tunnel 62. These lips 
receive the respective hood edges 188, 190, 190 in abutting relationship 
therewith when the hood is mounted with the main body 12. 
At the rear, the main body 12 is provided with an upstanding wall 202, 
integral therewith. It receives the bottom side of the vertical cross wall 
193 of the hood 14 in abutting relationship. A terminating discontinuity 
295 in the hood 204 upstanding wall provides clearance for a suction hose 
connection (not shown) leading to the hard bag (not shown) utilized with 
suction nozzle 10. 
Between the combination of the main body upstanding wall 202 or the 
discontinuity 295 and the angled corner lips 200 of the main body 12, it 
is provided with a pair of inset stepped lips 206, 206. These lips extend 
upwardly and curvilinearly from the rearward terminations of the angled 
corner lips 200 to form a mating curvilinear lip portion 208, 208 with 
them. These lips then extend generally horizontally inwardly to form 
horizontal lip portion 210, 210. The hood curvilinear arched section edges 
192, 192 and overlapping edges 194, 194 are positioned to sit against a 
generally vertical edge 212 of the inset stepped lips 206 of the main body 
12 while contiguous inside surfaces 214, 214 and edges 192, 192 of the 
hood 12 rest on a horizontal edge 216 of the main body hood formed by the 
front body lip 197, side lips 198, 198 and angled lip 200. The inset, 
stepped lip 206 is dimensioned so that an outer surface of the hood 218 
smoothly forms a continuation of a contiguous outer surface of the main 
body 12. 
This provides a smooth overall outer surface for the suction nozzle 10 with 
the main body and hood smoothly joining to be coplanar at their 
terminating upper sides. 
The aperture 20 in the hood 14 is completed by a continuous lip 220 
extending around its sides and bottom which closes off the area bounded by 
this same aperture. 
It should be clear from the foregoing that the described structure clearly 
meets the objects of the invention set out in the description's beginning. 
It should now also be obvious that many changes could be made to the 
disclosed structure which would still fall within its spirit and purview.