Patent ID: 7306012

Claim:
A retractable hose extension for a vacuum, which comprises: an expandable hose having a first end and a second end; a containment structure having a first end, a second end which is sufficiently open that said hose can pass through it, and a longitudinal axis; a first coupling located in the first end of said containment structure, said first coupling having a first end available for connection to, and fluid communication with, a vacuum system and also having a second end that is connected to and in fluid communication with a first end of said hose; a valve of such dimensions that said valve can pass through the second end of said containment structure, said valve having a first end attached to, and in fluid communication with, said hose and said valve also having a second end; a means for releasably retaining said hose within said containment structure; and a means for rotatably attaching the first end of said containment structure to a free end of a tube contained within or running below a ceiling and extending from, as well as being in fluid communication with, a vacuum system so that said containment structure can be moved horizontally with respect to the tube while the orientation of said containment structure is adjustable and releasably lockable between a substantially horizontal position and an orientation where the second end of said containment structure is below horizontal alignment with the first end of said containment structure.