US1903867A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

F. LEHMANN VACUUM CLEANER April 18, 1933.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 17, 1931 April 18, 1933.

F. LEI- IMANN VACUUM CLEANER Filed Nov.'l7, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I wrcv/T efima 111/ l April 18, 1933. F. LEHMANN 1,903,867

' VACUUM CLEANER I Filed N v. 17. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ZAf/ZM F. LEHMAN N VACUUM CLEANER April 18, 1933.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 17, 1931 [171/0 why.-

Patented Apr. 18, 1933 PATENT OFFICE FRANZ LEHMANN, OF ZURICH, SWITZERLAND VACUUM CLEANER Application filed November 17, 1931, Serial No. 575,620, and in Germany November 28, 1930.

Beating plays an important part in the removal of dust by suction, and for this reason, it is advantageous to furnish the brush rollers of a vacuum cleaner with beating members, which are adapted rapidly to beat on the surface to becleaned as the roller rotates.

This invention relates to a roller device for vacuum cleaners, which differs from the known beating rollers of vacuum-cleaners principally in that the roller is not necessarily provided with special beating members, but has itself at the same time a considerable beating action. For this purpose, the roller 5 is arranged with radial play on its driving shaft and is connected therewith by a driving device, in such a way that the said roller is carried round by the rotation of the shaft, while being capable of being thrown as a whole outwardly in a radial direction with respect to the shaft, thus giving rise to a beating action. The resistance of the surface to be cleaned and the centrifugal force are in such mutual relationship to one another during the runningof the roller, that the roller member not only rotates like a brush roller but effects a rapid beating action.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, it will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a number of embodiments of the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 show one embodiment of the invention in section and partial plan respectively. Figure 3 shows a detail thereof. Figures 4, 5 and 6 show other embodiments. Figure 7 represents another form of the roller body. Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 show some other constructions. Figures 16 and 17 show other forms for the roller body. Figures 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 illustrate still other embodiments of the invention.

Figure 23 shows the arrangement of the beater roller of Figure 1 in a vacuum cleaner.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a shaft a is provided with a cylindrical bushing b rigidly secured thereto, which carries a pulley wheel 0, adapted to be driven through the interwhich is provided with beating lugs (Z is mounted with some radial play on the shaft a or its cylindrical bushing b; It is adapted to be rotated by means of a coupling device, consisting of two driving straps e of leather 65 or the like, one of which is illustrated in plan in Figure 3, and each of which is secured b one of its longitudinal edges to the cylindrical bushing b by rivets or the like, its free longitudinal edge being arranged to be held in position by the centrifugal force due to rotation of the shaft a, so as frictionally to engage theinner circumference of the roller member d. To ensure even contact with the member cl, the straps e are provided with slits in their free portions, in 'the manner illustrated in Figure 3.

The roller member all is illustrated as comprising'separate annular members, which are separated by narrow air gaps 03 It may, however, consist of a singlemember.

As soon as the roller is rapidly rotated, the driving straps e are forced outwards, under the action of centrifugal force, against the inner wall of the roller member d, so that, acting as a coupling, they cause this latter to commence rotating rapidly. When it strikes against the carpet which it is desired to clean, the roller (Z effects a forcible beating action with its beating lugs (1 as it is forced out of its circular path by striking against the carpet. During the usual cleansing operation, the roller member d rotates more slowly than the shaft (1, since it is continually braked by striking against the carpet, and the straps 6 thus exert a dragging and pulling action on the inner wall of the roller (I. As seen from Figure 23, air and the whirling dust contained therein is sucked away from below the beating roller 41 as well as through the gaps (1 thereof (Figure 2) by the suction chamber to of the cleaner as the beating roller cl strikes continually against the carpet.

The roller d is preferably constructed from rubber with a textile filling. Any other suitable material may, however, be used instead of rubber. Moreover, the core of the roller member may be constructed from heavy material, and the. outer shell thereof from soft, lighter material.

Figure 4 illustrates a roller member d, which ma comprise a number of adjacent cylindrical annular members, which are loosely mounted on the shaft (1, being carried along during the rotation of the latter by the driving straps e, and are provided with a number of perforations f. In this case also, the resistance of the surface to be cleaned, owing to which the roller seeks continually to move out of its circular path, comes under consideration for the production of a beating action.

When only one driving strap 6 is used, the beating action of the roller member may be considerably increased by the eccentric position of the roller member caused thereby. The suction action may be increased, if desired, by the provision of a greater number of straps.

The weight of the straps also influences the beatin action, as heavy straps have a greater centri ugal action than light ones, and these transmit the centrifugal force to the roller.

The beating force of the roller can also be increased by giving the inner wall of the roller member d a non-circular shape, as illustrated, by way of example, in Figure 7. With such an inner wall, the coupling force of the driving straps is also considerably increased.

The driving straps may be made, instead of from leather, from any other suitabe material. They may be secured separately or again spirally to the shaft, in order to produce an uneven position or beating by the members of the roller.

The driving straps may be provided separately for each annular member of the roller member or may be constructed from one piece, as illustrated in Figure 3. r

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 5, between each two annular beating members of the divided roller 01 a brush-ring g is arranged, which is also loose y mounted on the shaft a, but may, if desired, be rigidly secured thereto.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figurefi, the roller member d is adapted to be operated, instead of by driving straps, by means of coupling lugs 6 provided on the cylindrical bushing b and adapted to co-operate with coupling lugs d on the inner wall of.

each part of the roller (1.

It will be evident that various other forms of coupling may be used for this type of beating roller. The heating roller may, for instance, be caused to rotate by lateral coupling pressure, e. g. by a spring, which is secured to the end -cover of the device, this end-cover being rigidly secured to the shaft.

Figure 8 shows a beating roller provided with four longitudinal grooves, in each of which a brush-rail h is located, which serves as a driving or coupling member, these brushrails being secured to ether to form a lantern frame connected to t e shaft a, so that the beating roller makes as many rotations as the shaft a, but has free play in a radial sense in all directions, in order that the centrifugal force may be able to come into effect and cause a beating action.

The coupling in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 9 is similar. In this case, the ribs 2' of the cylindrical bushing I) extend into longitudinal slots in the internal wall of the roller d, which is provided with beating lugs. In this case also the roller member, which may be continuous axially or divided transverse to the axis, is movable radially with respect to the bushing b.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, the roller d is again coupled to the bushing b by means of a driving strap 0 and is provided with rounded beating lugs d Further, as illustrated in Figure 11, the roller may be eccentrically turned, its bore normally being co-axial with the axis of the shaft.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 12, on the periphery of the roller 05 centrally or cccentrically mounted beating rollers m, m are provided, and such beating rollers are also provided in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 13, in which these beating rollers are mounted centrally or eccentrically between wa'l members (1 of the roller d. In Figure 13 a further embodiment is illustrated, in which the beating roller m is loosely mounted on its axis with considerable play, similarly to a quoit on a peg. In these embodiments, as-well as the radial transverse movement of the entire roller, a separate r0- tation of the beating members m, m, m, in

some cases centrifugal action, has also to be dealt with.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 14, in which the roTler d is co-axial with the shaft axis, the bushing 11 itself is hollow and eccentric; further, as illustrated in Figure 15, the eccentricity of the shaft on the two sides of the pulley wheel 0 may differ by 180.

Further forms of the roller are illustrated in Figures 16 and 17.

Incases where the beating members have a beating action in addition to that of the roller, these beating members may be constructed centrally or eccentrically, as stated. as rollers or quoits, or they may be so mounted that they oscilate and swing, in accordance with the embodiment illustrated in Figure 22. The shape and mode of mounting of these beating members may, of course, be varied in many respects. The same also applies to the beating roller itself, so long as its radial play with respect to the shaft is permitted.

Figures 18, 19 and 20 illustrate respectively embodiments of the invention in which the beating members comprise continubus beating rails p, as shown in Figure 18, or divided rails, as shown in Figure 19, or heating rollers g, as shown in Figure 20, which are, for example, mounted spirally, but could be arranged in any other suitable manner. The number and subdivision of these beating members on the circumference'of the main roller may vary. The beating rails may, as indicated in Figure 21 be formed integrally with the roller, or they maybe secured thereto by screws, rivets, or any other means.

In order to simplify the mounting of heating members in the form of long rollers, it may be advantageous, in accordance with the example .shown on the right of Figure 20, to divide these beating rollers 9 into several groups 011 the roller and, if necessary, to subdivide this roller itself;

In Figure 22, not only are the beaters s swingably mounted, but also the brushes t. The latter may also be arranged to be fixed or rotatable around their own axis and in either case may be arranged in a winding,

spiral, zig-zag or straight line along the roller.

It may further be mentioned that the core of-the roller shaft may be of metal and its shell or the bushing of the shaft of rubber, or another material which damps impact and noise, for example the shaft may have a rubber lining such as indicated at a in Figure 8.

The roller members may have a play with respect to the shaft amounting to and exceeding 10 mm., so that, during the beating of carpets, differences in height similarly amounting to and exceeding 10 mm. can still be beaten. The fact that in this case the roller members can make very wide oscillations and, when striking the carpet, always adjust themselves to the necessary height renders it possible for very thick carpets with a high pile and also hard and thin carpets with short pile or none at all (cocoa, boucl, etc.) to be equally well beaten and cleaned, without the necessity for lowering or raising the brush roller or the entire dust-sucking nozzle with the roller. It is further advantageous for the roller toremain stationary,

when, during the process of cleaning carpets,

the end fringes thereof are inadvertently sucked into the dust-sucking nozzle, and if it is coupled for rotation by straps 6, it will thus automatically cease its rotation, whilst the shaft a is permitted to continue its rotation. Upon drawing the dust-sucker away from the fringe of the carpet, the roller commences to operate again. The sliding coupling has.

thus the great advantage, as compared with the fixed coupling, that the fringes and the wool of carpets cannot be torn out.

What I claim is 1. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotary driving shaft, a movable beating roller mounted with radial play 011 said shaft and coupling means on said driving shaft adapted to engage the beating roller so as to carry the beating roller round about by the rotation of the shaft while allowing it to be thrown as a whole outwardly in a radial direction with respect to the shaft. I

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotary driving shaft, a movable beating roller mounted with radial play on said shaft and a rib and groove coupling between said driving shaft and heating roller so arranged as to carry the beating roller round about by the rotation of the shaft while allowing it to be thrown as a whole outwardly in a radial direction with respect to the shaft.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotary driving shaft, a movable beating roller mounted with radial play on said shaft and at least one coupling strap secured by one end to the shaft and free at the other end, said strap being so arranged as to be forced with frictional pressure against the inner surface of the roller owing to the centrifugal force due to rotation of the shaft.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotary driving shaft, a movable beating roller mounted with radial play on said shaft, beating members movably mounted on the periphery of said roller, and coupling means between said driving shaft and beating roller so arranged as to carry the beating roller round about by the rotation of the shaft while allowing it to be thrown as a Whole outwardly in a radial direction with respect to the shaft.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotary driving shaft, a movable beating roller mounted with radial play on said shaft and comprising alternate roller sections and loose brushrings, and coupling means on said driving shaft adapted to engage said beating roller so arranged as to carry the beating roller round about by the rotation of the shaft while allowing it to be thrown as a whole outwardly in a radial direction with respect to the shaft.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 9th day of November 1931.

FRANZ LEHMANN.

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