US2223353A - Suction cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 3, 1940. H. s. DEMAREE SUCTION CLEANER Filed Aug. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Early Sflemaree 03141045. M

ATTORNEY H. S. DEMAREE SUCTION CLEANER Filed Aug. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-$heet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES SUCTION CLEANER Harry S. Demaree, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 5, 1936, Serial No. 94,360

2 Claims.

This invention relates to suction cleaners, and particularly to suction cleaners of the type embodying means for reducing the noise of operation caused by air currents; In a general way,

the invention comprises the provision of a suction cleaner in which a muflier is attached to the cleaner outlet and constitutes a part of the handle by which the cleaner is directed over the iioor covering to be cleaned, a dust bag being provided which has a mouth attached to the upper end of the muffler, so that the exhaust outlet of the cleaner, the rigid muffler, the dust bag and the handle move together as a unit.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner by which the noise of the air currents will be muffled without undue increase in bulk of the machine as a whole and without making it cumbersome in handling or in appearance. A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of this type in which a dust bag may readily be connected to, or detached from, the outer end of the muiller; A still further object is to provide such a structure in which the mufller portion of the handle is separable from the cleaner outlet and also from the rest of the handle, to facilitate shipment. A still further object of the invention is the provision of a dust filtering bag, and suitable supporting means therefor, such that the dust will collect in the lower end of the bag, away from the main air stream and close to the handle pivot point, so as not to disturb the balance of the machine, and which can be emptied from the upper end. Still further objects of the invention and features of novelty will be apparent upon reading of the accompanying specification when read in connection with the attached drawings to which it relates, and in which: s

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a suction cleaner embodying the invention, certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in front elevation of the body of the suction cleaner shown in Fig. l, certain of the parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged'fragmentary view, in central longitudinal section, of part of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a reduced fragmentary sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation, similar to Fig. l, but showing the upper portion of the halldle permanently connected to the tubular portion thereof which acts as a muffler;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of part of the structure shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view. in side-elevation, similar to Figs. 1 and 5, but showing a still further modified embodiment of the tubular portion of the handle and the attachment of the upper portion of the handle thereto.

In each of the embodiments shown in the drawings, a portion of the handle is in the form of an enlarged flared tube detachably secured at its end to the outlet of the cleaner body. The invention is shown as embodied in a suction 10 cleaner having a motor arranged with its axis transverse to the direction of movement of the cleaner, but it will be appreciated that the invention can be utilized in suction cleaners of other forms. In the structure disclosed a downwardly 15 facing nozzle II is carried-by a frame I! which is supported by spaced pairs of front and rear wheels I3 and I4, respectively, so that the nozzle is held slightly above the carpet or other floor covering to be cleaned. A driving motor I5 is 20 positioned with its axis parallel to the nozzle, and detachably carries at one end a pulley l6, and at its other end a suction-creating fan [1. A powertransmitting belt 18 connects the pulley IE to an agitator H, which is mounted for rotation in the 25 nozzle H, and the fan ll, in the normal operation of the cleaner, serves to draw air into the nozzle l I and discharge it through a discharge outlet 20, which is an integral extension of a combined outer motor casing and fan chamber 2|, within which 30v the motor 15 is fixedly secured. The motor [5 may be inserted into the outer casing 2| through one end thereof and held in place therein by a understood that the flange 24 extends in a hellcal direction for part of the circumference. The eye of the fan chamber 26 is formed in a plate 45 21 secured by screws 28, or similar means, to the flange 25. The nozzle II has upwardly and rearwardly extending, integral side chann ls 29 and 30, the former housing the belt l8 andthe latter acting as a conduit from the nozzle to the eye of 50 the fan chamber. These side channels are flanged to receive screws ll, or other means, for attaching the nozzle structure as a whole to the frame 12, sealed bearings 32 and 33 being provided whereby the motor l5, including the pulley l6 and fan I1, and the outer motor and fan casing 2| are mounted for rotation as a unit relative to the nozzle II with its side channels 28 and 30 and the frame I2. The front wheels l3 are mounted on the end of a crank shaft the angular position of which is controlled by a member 34 having an adjusting nut 35 by which the shaft and the wheels may be adjusted to control the height of the nozzle lips above the surface to be cleaned. The combined motor and fan casing 2| is provided with a notched sector 36 which is engaged by a roller 31 on the end of a spring pressed arm 38 pivoted to the frame |2, so that the motor casing and discharge outlet will be releasably held in a vertical or a horizontal position, or may be moved freely within a limited range of intermediate positions. The outer walls of the sidechannels 29 and 30 are provided with apertures covered by detachable cover plates 39 and 40, the former permitting access to the belt, and the latter providing access to the fan and for attachment of a dusting tool hose connection to the eye of the fan, if desired.

This structure is generally shown in British Patent No. 412,894, accepted July 5, 1934 and sealed September 20, 1934, and the present invention has to do with combining in such. a structure, or in any suitable suction cleaner having a pivoted discharge outlet, a'muiller construction which constitutes a part of the handle by which the cleaner as a whole may be moved about over the floor covering to be cleaned.

The discharge outlet 20 terminates in a flange 4|, to which a tubular muiiler 42 is attached by bolts 43, or other suitable means, passing through flange 4| and a flange on a ring 44 at the end of the muiiler. The muiller 42 is preferably formed of sheet metal and secured by rivets or other suitable means to the flanged ring 44.

The mufller casing 42 is preferably frustroconical, the surface being preferably inclined at an'angle of approximately '1 degrees to the longitudinal axis. At its outer end it carries a reinforcing ring 45, secured thereto by rivets or 45 similar means, and flanged to receive studs 48 to which a bag ring 41 is detachably secured by nuts 48. As shown, a bag 49, of cloth, is provided with a mouth which is secured to the bag ring 41 by a clamping ring 50 which is sewed 50 in the hem of the bag mouth, but it will be understood that a bag of paper, or other suitable dust filtering and dust retaining material may be used and provided with suitable means for attaching it to the ring 45. The bag 49 is formed 5:5 with a downwardly extending pocket, secured at its lower end by snap fasteners 5|, or similar means, to the lower end of the mufller casing, and folded about the bottom portion of the mufiier casing 42. The upper end of the bag 49 is 60 provided with a wide mouth through which the bag may be emptied, the material of the bag ad jacent the mouth being gathered into folds so that such folded mouth can be slid laterally into a spring-clip 52 which will hold the mouth closed 65 and support the upper end of the bag, such clip being attached by a spring 53, or similar means, to the upper end of a handle portion 54. As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the handle portion 54 is detachably secured by screws 55 to the upper 70 end of the muiiler casing 42 and its reinforcing ring 45. The handle portion 54 is hollow and preferably curved at the top, and carries a switch retaining plate 58 which also acts as an anchor for a. power-supplying electric cable 51, the wires 7 58 extending from the switch down inside of the handle portion 54 to a plug member 59 in the lower end thereof, for electrical attachment to a plug 60 which is located within the muifler casing 42 and held in place therein by a screw 6|.

A similar plug is located in the lower end of the 5 muiiler casing 42, the wires G3 connecting such plugs 80 and 82 being positioned against the inner surface of the muffler casing and preferably provided with sealing washers 64 of soft rubber, or other suitable material. The plug 60 is held in J place'by a clamp member 65 of channel shape and engaged by the screw 6|. A plug 66 is likewise located in a channel 61 in the outlet extension of the casing 2|, which channel communicates with a space in the outer motor casing 2| 15 through which the wires 88 from the plug 66 may be extended to the motor 15, it being understood that the channel 61 does not communicate with the discharge passageway 20 of the fan casing portion of the casing 2|. A seal- 20 ing washer 65 of soft rubber preferably surrounds the plug 66 and the wires 68, and it will be understood that the plug 46 is provided with suitable contacts for establishing connection with the contacts of the plug 52 when the muffler cas- 5 ing 42 is connected to the discharge outlet 20.

A thick lining 10 of sound-deadening material, such as sponge rubber, felt or other suitable material, is positioned within the muiiler casing 42, covering substantially the entire inner sur- 30 face thereof, the rings 44 and 45 being preferably formed with channels into which the ends of the lining 10 may be compressed.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the mufller casing 1| is provided with a channeled, 35 flanged ring 12, similar to the ring 44, and secured to the flange 4| of the outlet 20 by bolts 43. The upper end of the mufller casing 1| is provided with a channeled reinforcing ring 13, adapted to receive a spring wire 14 which is adapt- 10 ed to be contracted therein by a lever 15, such wire and lever being carried by aring 16 which is insert-ed in the bag mouth and to which the bag mouth is secured by a clamping wire 11. When the wire 14 is expanded it can be engaged 45 over the end of the channeled reinforcing ring 13 and the lever 15'may then be moved to contract such wire 14 into the channel in the ring 13, and thereby secure the mouth of the bag 18 to the mufller casing; The bag 18 is preferably of 50 the same shape and construction in other particulars as the bag 49 shown in Fig. 1, and the easing 1| is lined with sound-deadening materialg 19, as in the prior modification. The upper handle portion 80 is rigidly and permanently 55 connected to a socket in a yoke 8|, the arms of which are engaged against the sides of the casing 1| and secured thereto at 82 by welding, or other suitable means. The handle portion 80 carries a switch plate 83 and the conductor cord extends 50 within the handle portion and is secured against the inner surface of one arm of the yoke 8|, entering the upper end of the casing 1| at 84 and extended between the sound-deadening material. 19 and the inner surface of the casing 1| to a 65 plug at the lower end of the casing 1|, similar to the plug 82 shown in Fig. 3. A cord clip 85 is preferably carried by one arm of the yoke 8|, upon which the cable 51 may be stored when the cleaner is not in use.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7, a modifled form of muiller casing is shown .which is curved slightly in a downward direction at its upper end and provided with a flange 81 to receive a bag ring secured thereto by nuts 40, as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. In this embodiment, the upper handle portion 88 is secured in a socket 89 by a rivet 90 or other similar means, the socket 89 being spread laterally to cover a portion of the curved top of the casing 86 and secured thereto by rivets 9|, by welding it thereto, or'in any other suitable manner. The cable 92 leading irom the switch is extended down within the hollow handle portion 88 and enters the muiiier casing 86 at the point 93 and from such point between the sound-deadening material 94 and the muiller casing 86 to a plug at the lower end of the muiiler casing, as in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

It will be apparent that in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4 the handle is formed in two sections detachable from each other and from the body of the cleaner, whtich will permit compact packaging of the cleaner, and that in an of the embodiments disclosed the detachable handle is formed in part as a tubular casing for sound-deadening material, to the upper end of which casing the bag is detachably secured. The bag is so formed that the dirt filtered from the air stream will accumulate in the lower pocket, out of the way of the air stream discharged from the fan through the discharge outlet 20, and the bag may be conveniently emptied through the large opening at the upper end thereof after such end of the bag has been detached from its retaining clip. I

What is claimed is:

L'In a suction cleaner, the combination of suction-creating means including a fan chamber rotative about a horizontal axis and having a radially disposed exhaust outlet, a. rigidtubular member mounted at said outlet and forming a sound-reducing extension thereof, a. short handle fixed to said tubular member, and a filter bag attachedat its ends to said tubular exten-' sion and handle respectively and having an inlet connection intermediate its ends adapted for attachment tothe outer end of said tubular extension.

2. In a suction cleaner, the combination of suction-creating means including a fan chamber rotative about a horizontal transverse axis and having a radially disposed outlet, a tubular mufller forming an extension of said outlet, a handle fixed to the uppermost outer edge portion of said muiller, and a filter bag removably supported beneath said muiiler and handle and having an endwise opening inlet intermediate its ends adapted for detachable connection with the outer end of said extension.

HARRY S. DEMAREE.

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