Suction-cleaning dust retriever

#This invention relates broadly to the art of vacuum cleaners, and more particularly to specialized attachments therefor for cleaning in difficult-access locations.

#Some patents which describe specialized vacuum-cleaner nozzle attachments include U.S. Pat. Nos.: 986,245 to Thurman; 1,404,889 to Owen; 1,651,894 to Kent et al.; 2,448,693 to Trelease et al.; 2,581,002 to Creswell; 2,715,240 to Pieper et al.; 2,740,153 to Bishop; and 3,751,755 to Smith.

#Thurman disclosed a vacuum nozzle comprising a flattened tube having rectangular openings on the sides thereof for cleaning the tops of books, under desks, and the like. An opening O' is formed in a small edge of the tube so that the tool may be inserted in a narrow way between two books to reach the tops of shorter and thinner books.

#The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating principles of the invention in a clear manner.

#FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a vacuum cleaner nozzle attachment employing principles of this invention mounted on a vacuum-cleaner nozzle;

#FIG. 2 is an end view of the attachment of FIG. 1 taken from line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

#With reference to FIG. 1 a vacuum cleaner nozzle attachment 11 comprises an outer working section 13 and an inner attaching section 15. Preferrably, both sections are made of polystyrene. The nozzle attachment 11 is approximately 24 inches long including both sections.

#The attaching section 15 includes a smaller tubular portion 17 having a circular cross-section and a larger attaching portion 19. The smaller tubular portion 17 has an internal diameter of 1/2 inch. The larger, attaching portion 19 defines a cavity 21 for receiving a nozzle 23 of a vacuum cleaner. The wall of the attaching portion 19 is shaped to form a tapered, stepped inner surface 25. Steps 27a, b, and c are themselves tapered inwardly toward the tubular portion 17 so that they can be forced fitted onto various size nozzles 23. The internal diameters of these steps are designed to fit nozzles having 11/4 and 11/2 inch external diameters, among others.

#The outer working section 13 of the vacuum-cleaner nozzle attachment 11 has a mounting end 29 and a working tip 31. The mounting end 29 includes a round mounting tube 33 whose outer diameter is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the tubular portion 17 of the attaching section 15. Thus, the mounting tube 33 can be force fitted into the end of the section 15. An enlarged abutting portion 35 formed on the outer surface of the working section 13 abuts against the end tip of the attaching section 15 when the mounting tube 33 is mounted therein. The mounting tube 33 is circular in cross-sectional shape so as to fit into the tubular portion 17 of the attaching section 15; however, the remaining tubular portion 37 of the working section 13 is oblong in cross-section as is clearly depicted in FIG. 3. In this regard, the top and bottom walls thereof have internal diameters of 1/4 inch, while the side walls are 3/16 of an inch long, thus providing an oblong shape. This oblong shape makes the working section 13 narrow for entering narrow areas.