James F Godfrey

US Patent:

45134693, Apr 30, 1985

Filed:

Jun 13, 1983

Appl. No.:

6/503771

Inventors:

James O. Godfrey - Sarasota FL
Robert E. Godfrey - Sarasota FL

International Classification:

A47L 928

US Classification:

15319

Abstract:

A remote controlled self-propelled vacuum cleaner comprising a manually held radio transmitter and a radio receiver installed in the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner is provided with a pair of freely rotating wheels driven by friction rollers on the ends of a driveshaft driven by an electric motor through an elastic belt. Each drive roller may be disengaged from the tire of the corresponding wheel by a solenoid operated lever. Lifting of a drive roller from a wheel tire causes the simultaneously application of a brake on the wheel such as to cause the vacuum cleaner to be steered in an appropriate direction. The electric motor is reversed for reversing the direction of motion of the vacuum cleaner. The steering solenoids and the direction of rotation of the electric motor are controlled by servos according to the command signals received by the radio receiver.