US2176467A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

1 1939. a. c. MILNER, JR. ET AL 2,176,467

VACUUM CLEANER Filed May 4, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3nventor c ;g udew m (Itton wg Oct. 17, 1939.

B. c. MILNER. JR. ET AL VACUUM CLEANER Filed May 4, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zimaentors 9 39, B. c. MILNER. JR. AL 2,176,467

VACUUM CLEANER Filed May 4, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 3nventor ade/$1.04 flag/4; 8g $a4 'amim Z1 Patented Oct. 17, E939 UNITED STATES VACUUM CLEANER Benjamin 0. Milner, Jr and Frederick Riebci,

Jr., Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Air-Way Electrio Appliance Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application May 4, 1935, Serial No, 19,8053

2 Claims.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners of the type embodying a hollow suction handle and a valve for connecting the suction fan selectively either to said handle or to the floor tool, and has as its object to improve upon such type of cleaner by arranging the fan and fan casing as a fixed part of the floor tool, and providing for pivoting of the handle and bag assembly and relieving of strain on the bag while retaining the distinctive hollow handle and valve features.

The general object in providing the above arrangement, is to place the weight 'of the motor and fan upon the floor tool truck, so that the operator in carrying the handle need carry the weight of only the handle and the bag.

Another object of the invention is to provide in such a cleaner an arrangement in which there is a dust tight flexible tube connection between the fan case discharge outlet and the inlet neck of a porous paper bag, restrained from transmitting any strain to the bag, when the handle is moved, and arranged to offer virtually no resistance to pivoting of the handle. The flexible tube outlet has the advantage over a swivelled elbow outlet in that it can be made absolutely dust tight, but creates the problems of transmitting strain and resisting handle pivoting, which the present invention overcomes.

In this connection, the present invention also contemplates the use of the structural feature which solves these two problems, to confer an added advantage, namely, that of delivering the dust laden air stream to the bag at such a height as to eliminate the possibility of the dirt accumulating in the path of the incoming dust stream.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in such a cleaner embodying a flexible tube delivery connection between fan case and bag, an arrangement wherein the handle may be moved from normal operation position (from 45 to 60 from the vertical) to an upstanding vertical position for storage purposes, without placing undue strain upon the tube.

The invention further contemplates an arrangement in which the flexible delivery conduit is subjected to a downward flexing strain when the handle is in normal operating position, whereby the conduit helps to support the weight of the handle and bag and provides a cushioned stop for limiting theg downward movement of the handle at a position somewhat below normal operating position.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in such a cleaner, an arrangement wherein the fan motor is adapted to drive not only the fan but a rotary agitator as well, with a short, untwisted belt. To this end, the fan case and motor are disposed on top of the floor tool with their axis parallel to that of the rotary agitator.

Another object is to provide such a cleaner wherein the handle pivots around the suction directing valve, on the axis of themotor and fan.

Another object is to provide an arrangement wherein the position of the fan case allows the discharge outlet to leave the fan case on a true tangent and at the same time to be directed up' wardly and rearwardly in substantial alignment with the bag inlet, i. e., substantially parallel to the handle.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of the invention, a part of the outer bag removed to illustrate the interior parts.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the floor tool.

Fig. 3 is a central transverse vertical sectional view of the floor tool.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the floor tool.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the coupling conduit.

Fig. 6 is'a side elevation of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of the floor tool of Fla. d.

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectionai view oi the latter floor tool.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View of the latter floor tool.

Fig. 10 is a partial side elevation of another modification of the invention.

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 12 is a partial side elevation of another modification or" the invention.

The form of the invention shown inclusive, comprises a floor tool asse handle assembly B, and a bag assembly a.

The floor tool assembly A includes the suction chamber it surmounted by the fan and motor housing it formed integrally therewith. Wheel sockets l2 and it formed as rearward projections of suction chamber and fan-motor housing respectivelyfhouse front wheels Id and rear Wheel l5 respectively. A height adjustment the (Fig. 10) is provided for raising and lowering the floor tool relative to the supporting surface.

In the suction chamber I0 is a rotary agitator l6 which may be of the same general construction as that illustrated in U. S. Patent 2,102,221, and detachably mounted in mountings ii such as those illustrated in that prior application. The belt pulley i8 is at one end of the agitator, and is driven by a short untwisted belt 19 which receives its power from a drive pulley 26 on the shaft 2| of the fan motor 22. 1

The motor 22 is carried in a compartment 23 of the housing ii. The fan case 24 forms one end of the compartment 23, and is separated from the suction chamber I0, except where its inlet, or eye 25 communicates with the suction chamber through the valve 26 and suction chamher throat 21. The fan 39 operates in the fan casing 24, being mounted on the shaft'2l.

The valve 26 is cylindrical and is rotatably or oscillatably mounted in the handle knuckle 28. The latter in turn is oscillatably mounted in the valve casing 29, a member complementary to the fan case 24, in symmetrical relation thereto. The knuckle 28 may be journalled either by means of the socketing in the bearing portion 29a of the casing 29, (Fig. 3) or by means of a shaft 30 journalled in bearings 3| in the dummy compartment '32, designed to symmetrically complement the compartment 23.

The handle knuckle 28 is formed with a handle socket 33 in which is secured the lower end of the hollow handle, 34. An opening 35 in the periphery of the valve 26 provides communication between the socket 33, (which is open at its lower endsee Fig. 3) and the interior of the valve 26, when the latter is in the proper position.

An opening 36 in the periphery of the valve 26 provides communication between the suction chamber throat 21 and the interior of the valve 26 when the latter is in another position.

' An operating knob 31 secured to the valve 26, extends through a slot 38 in the periphery of the knuckle 28, and projects up between the spaced casings 24 and 29 where it is accessible to the operator. When at the rear extremity of the slot 38, the knob determines the positioning of the valve for applying the suction to the floor tool, as shown in Fig. 3. When it is at the forward extremity of the slot 38, the valve is in position for applying the suction to the hollow handle.

When the knob 31 is in the normal position shown in Fig. 3, the handle may be swung from normal to upstanding position without disturbing the valve setting relative to the handle knuckle 28 since the valve element 26 will move with the knuckle. When the knob is in its other position, however, movement of the handle to vertical position will move the knob back to its normal position since the knob will engage against the upper bearing portion 29a of the valve casing 29, and will thereby force the valve element 26 to remain stationary while the handle knuckle 28 rotates around it. Storing the cleaner with the handle upstanding will, therefore, cause the valve to be set for normal operation the next time'the cleaner is used.

The fan case is arranged so that its discharge outlet 40 is positioned on its rear side, the axis of the outlet inclining upwardly and rearwardly substantially parallel to but inclining upwardly a somewhat steeper angle than the normal position of the handle 34. In this position it is correctly tangential to the fan case periphery so as to give the highest efficiency of discharge."

The bag assembly C includes an inner porous paper filtering bag 4|, an outer supporting cover 42 of strong permeable material such as cloth or perforated composition sheeting, and the flexible tube delivery conduit 43. The latter is attached at its lower end to the fancase outlet 40, as by means of a. coupling collar II, and at its upper end, to the handle 34 by means of a bracket 44 which constrains its upper end to move in unison with the handle...

A bag coupling 45, such as that shown in Patent Reissue 18,962, has its neck end socketed in the collar 46 of the bracket 44, and its mouth end in position to receive and secure the neck 41 of the paper bag 4|. The neck 41 is formed in an offset in the side edge of the bag, at a assembly 56,

substantial distance from both-upper and lower ends of the bag, although it may be on either side of the mid-point.

The conduit 43 is preferably constructed (Fig. of tubing embodying a coil spring 48 forming a skeleton around which.is vulcanized an impervious wall 48 of rubber, or rubber and fabric, or other equivalent flexible material. The collar H has a threaded portion 50 which engages the convolutions of the spring to secure it firmly to the tubing. 7

The bag cover 42 completely encloses the conduit 43, and has a neck 5| which is secured, as by means of a sewed-in ring 52, around the collar II. It has a longitudinal mouth, defined by a slide fastener 53, which is located in registry with the conduit 43 so as to render the coupling 45 accessible. The upper end of the cover is suspended by a fastener element 54 engaged by a releasable latch device 55 which normally exerts tension against the bag. Push ing the latch 55 downwardly releases the tension. The latch may be mounted as part of a switch such as that shown in Patent 1,905,059. The lower region of the bag is supported by the conduit 43 which in turn is supported by the handle 34 and the fan case outlet 40.

The foregoing described arrangement of fan case outlet, handle, bag, and connecting conduit, produces a large number of advantages. The conduit allows the handle and bag assembly to move relative to the fancase, without transmitting any strain whatsoever to the paper bag 4|. By extending the tube to about midway between the ends of the bag, it may be made long enough to allow the bracket 44 to move freely relative to the fan case outlet 40 without offering substantial resistance to such movement, and will allow the small increase in distance between the bracket 44 and outlet 40 which will be occasioned by raising the handle to an upstanding position. -To facilitate this end, the conduit may be initially placed under some compression, causing it to assume a bowed position somewhat as shown in Fig. l, or the upwardly bowed position shown may be attained simply by arranging the outlet 48 at a steeper inclination than that of the handle in its lowered position, as already noted. As the handle moves upwardly, the conduit may then straighten out and thence pass to an oppositely bowed position allowing the handle to stand vertically.

Another advantage is the delivery of the dirt into the upper region of the bag, so that the incoming air stream need not pass through the accumulated litter which falls to the bottom of the collecting pocket 51 defined below the offset.

.The region of the bag above the offset thus delivered from the conduit.

The outlet,40, being tangential to the fan case periphery and substantially aligned with the neck 41 of the bag, gives virtually straight line of delivery from the interior of the fan case into said neck, which compensates for the increased lift occasioned by delivery into the upper region of the bag, and assures the dirt being carried past the coupling 45.

The conduit serves as a cushioning stop to support the handle at the lower limit of its movement. Being bowed under tension when the handle is in its lowered position, it also helps to support the weight of the handle and bag when the handle is in normal operating position.

The fan case and suction chamber travel as a unit, supported by the wheels I! and IS. The fan case is arranged behind the suction chamber, with its periphery in the lowermost plane of the fioor tool, whereby it has minimum height. Its

axis is closely parallel to the axis of the rotary enables forming the fancase as an integral partof the floor tool. It produces, as a natural result of the interior constructional features, an external design which is quite pleasing.

The suction chamber, being of less height than the fan case, is disposed partly beneath the latter so that it need not project full width forwardly of the fan case, and yet allows the periphery of the latter to extend to the lowermost plane of its mouth.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 6-9 inclusive, the construction is the same as that described in connection with Figs. 1-5 inclusive, with the following exceptions:

The handle, instead of pivoting around the valve 26, is pivoted to a duct as which communicates with the valve casing 29. A. swivel connection is formed by a flange ti on the elbowed lower end of thehollow handle socket 33a, rotatably' received in the laterally directed elbow 62 on the rear end ofthe duct to, and retained by an inturned flange 63. The floor tool casting may be split horizontally along a plane indicated by the line 64, so as to enable assembling this swivel joint.

The handle socket 33a may be forked to inseparate motor 66, housed in the compartment.

32 in alignment with and opposition to the fan motor 22. Here the arrangement secures the.

advantage of placing a secondary motor where it occupies no additional space, and where its casing is perfectly symmetrical to the fan motor casing.

The positioning of the fan case on a horizontail axis parallel to the floor tool, is of particular importance in connection with the useof the long flexible tube conduit delivery to the upper region of the bag, for the reason that it makes it, possible to have a tangential outlet directly aligned with the conduit.

The fan case outlet, instead of being on the underside of the fan casing, as in the two forms of the invention just described, may be located on the top of the fan casing as shown in Figs. 10

and 11. In this case, the lower extremity of the .nonduitjkis preferably positioned above the are of the 'hinged connection between handle 34 and the floor tool, so that as the handle is moved upwardly, the upper end of the conduit will move from one side to' the other ,of the projected center line connecting the hinge axis and the lower end of the conduit, thus keeping the'pull against the conduit at a minimum. Another advantage is the greater height at which the discharge from the fan casing outlet takes place.

With the exception of the features just described, the device of Fig. 10 is the same as that of Fig. 6.

The device shown in Fig. 12', is thesame as that of Fig. loexcept that the conduit is arranged so that. in normal operating position it is bowed below the projected axis of its lower end, so that when the handle is raised, it will pass from said position below to a position above said axis, thus reducing the amount of bowing in any one direction, to a minimum;

The bag of Fig. 6 has the upper regions of its side walls hinged for lateral swinging on an axis at 'rightangles to the longitudinal axis of the bag, about half way between its ends. To this end, the fabric of these upper wall regions is secured to a pair of bows '52 the upper ends of which are hinged tit-i3 to the collar t6 and the lower ends of which are hinged to each other at N.

Fingers 15 projecting from the upper corners of the bows F2, are engaged by the two latch elements 55, for closing the upper end of the bag. Thus the upper wall regions may be either, inde-= pendently, or both, detached from their respective latch elements, and opened outwardly. The latch elements in this case are resiliently urged toward the bag, and are pulled outwardly to release the bag.

We claim:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a door tool, a suction creating unit mounted on said fioor tool, a handle pivtally connected to the suction unit, a substantlally rectangular filter unit suspended from a said handle and having an inlet, said filter unit having one of its longitudinal edges adjacent said handle, said suction creating unit provided with an outlet, said inlet to said filter being placed substantially midway one of the longitudinal edges of said filter, a bracket rigidly secured to said handle substantially midway one of the lon gitudinal edges of said filter, and a flexible tube disposed immediately beneath said handle and connecting said suction outlet and said filter inlet, said bracket firmly holding the upper end of said tube, said tube being bowed upwardly and contacting said handle and having a stillness sufficient to normally maintain said handle and filter in an elevated position.

2. In a portable suction cleaner, 8. floor tool, a fan unit and a motor for driving said fan unit mounted on said floor tool, said fan unit having an exhaust, a handle supported on and swingable relatively of said floor tool and fan motor, a bag supported by and swingable with said handle, and having an inlet, a bracket rigidly attached to said handle and positioned adjacent said inlet, flexible tubing means connecting said-fan exhaust and said bag inlet, said bracket holding the bag inlet end of said tube in position relative to said handle, said means being bowed upwardly and contacting said handle and having a stiffness suflicient to normally maintain said handle in an elevated position and disposed immediately beneath said handle.

, B. C. MIINER, Jn.

FREDERICK RIEBHI, JR.

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