US2958893A - Suction cleaner - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 8, 1960 E. RCARLBERG r-:TAL 2,958,893

SUCTION CLEANER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1955 %W ,W70/swf? Nov. 8, 1960 E.' R. CARLBERG ETAL 2,958,893

SUCTION CLEANER Filed March '17, 195s 4 sheets-sheet s Ego.

Nov. 8, 1960 E. R. CARLBERG ErAL 2,958,893

sucTIoN CLEANER Filed March 17, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gf VToR 3Q/WMM @4r/amm( United States Patent O SUCTION CLEANER Erik Reinhold lCarlherg, Stockholm, and Carl Oskar Ernolf, St. Essingen, Sweden, assignors to Aktiebolaget glelltrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of we en Filed May 17, 1955, Ser. No. 509,083

Claims priority, application Sweden May 19, 1954 16 Claims. (Cl. 1s327) This invention relates to suction cleaners of the household type.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved suction cleaner of this kind which is of simplified construction and can be readily assembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved suction cleaner of this kind having a chassis in which the cleaner casing is cradled, the casing and chassis being constructed as a single unit in such manner that the parts of the chassis are accurately aligned and rigidly secured to the casing.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become appa-rent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be 'pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a suction cleaner embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the cleaner illustrated in Fig. l;

Figs. 3 and 4 are exploded perspective views of the cleaner shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 are front and rear end vitws, respectively, of the cleaner shown in Figs. l and 2;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at line 7--7 of Fig. 5 to illustrate details at the front end of the cleaner;

Figs. 8, 9 and l0 are fragmentary sectional views to illustrate details for securing the runners in position;

Figs. 11 and 12 are fragmentary sectional views of parts shown in Fig. 1 to illustrate more clearly the mounting of the motor-fan unit in the casing;

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are fragmentary views, partlyin section, to illustrate details for locking the front end cover in position;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 14 illustrating another form of this detail;

Fig. 17 is a view of the inside of the rear end cover of the suction cleaner;

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken at line18-18 of Fig. 17; and

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modification of details at the front end covershown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the invention has been shown in connection with a horizontal tank-type suction cleaner having a casing 11 including a t-op 12, bottom 14 and vertically extending side walls 15.

The casing 11 is provided with removable front and rear end covers 16 and 17 having an inlet 18 and outlet 19, respectively, for air adapted to flow therethrough. A flexible suction hose (not shown) is adapted to be connected to the inlet 18 in the front end cover 16. Within the casing 11 is provided a perforated partition 20, at one side of which is disposed a dust bag 21 for Patented Nov. 8, 1960 2 collecting dirt. At the opposite side of the partition 20 is disposed a motor-fan unit 22 which includes a centrifugal fan 23 carried at one end of an electric motor 24. The motor-fan unit 22 is controlled by a switch 25 which is arranged to be actuated by a button 26 located at the top 12 of the casing 11.

As best shown in Figs. 11 and l2, the motor-fan unit 22 is detachably mounted in position within the casing 11 with the aid of a ring-shaped member 27 and a stationary flange member 28 which coact to form a bayonettype lock, suitable springs 29 and 30 and a resilient member 31 providing a resilient mounting for the motorfan unit. The ring-shaped member 27, springs 29 and 30 and resilient member 31 form part of an assembly 32 which is carried by lugs 33 on the motor 24 and forms a unitary part thereof, while the stationary flange member or stillen-ing rib 28 is fixed in position within the casing 11.

The ring-shaped member 27 is formed with openings which threadedly receive screws 34, the heads of which bear against a bearing plate 35 adapted to distribute pressure about the resilient member 31. The flange 28 is formed to provide a transverse wall within the casing 11 through which the motor-fan unit 22 can be moved. The flange or rib 28, at the inner peripheral edge portion thereof, is provided with notches or recesses which are spaced apart from one another. The ring-shaped member 27 is provided with outwardly projecting parts or projections 27 which, when in alignment with the recesses in the flange 28, allow the ring-shaped member 27 to pass through the central opening in the flange. When the motor-fan unit 22 is being mounted in position in this manner and thereafter turned angularly within the casing 11, the projections 27 on the ring-shaped member 27 become wedged against the peripheral edge portions 28' of the flange 28 which are disposed between the recesses therein, as best shown in Fig. l2. Thereafter, the screws 34 are tightened to secure the motor-fan unit 22 rigidly in position.

A motor-fan unit mounting like that shown in Figs. 1, 11 and 12 is described inl application Serial No. 509,- 042, of Lars Johan Faith-Ell, filed May 17, 1955, now Patent No. 2,843,315, granted July 15, 1958. The disclosure in the aforementioned Faith-Ell application may be considered as being incorporated in this application, and, if desired, reference may be made thereto for a detailed description of the resilient mounting for the motorfan unit.

When the suction cleaner 10 is being operated and the fan 23 driven by the motor 24, dust-laden air is drawn through the suction hose into the interior of the casing 11. During the cleaning operation, dust collects in the bag 21, and air free of such dust passes through the dust bag kand perforated partition 20 into the inlet 36 of the fan 23. The air is discharged from the fan 23 and flows through the shell of the motor 24 to eectpcooling thereof, such air passing from the' motor at 37 into a space 38 defined in part by a transverse wall 39 and the resilient member 31 which includes a diaphragm 31 bridging the gap between the flange 28 and the motor-fan unit Z2. In this way, the passage formed between the casing 11 and motonfan unit 22 is closed by the resilient member 31 and all ofthe air discharged from the fan 23 Vpasses through the motor 24 into the space 38,

nels 46 are provided, `as best shown in Figs. 17 and 18. 'I'he filter 44 is held in place and prevented from flexing toward the discharge opening or outlet 19 by the tins or bafes 45. After passing through the filter 44, the air ows upwardly in the channels 46 at theinside of the cover 17 and is discharged through the opening 19 therein.

The transverse wall 39 and hollow sleeves 41 projecting therefrom, and other parts forming the path of air flow from the fan 23 to the outlet 19, provide an arrangement for dampening sound in which noise produced by air flowing therethrough is effectively silenced. Such an arrangement, and like that shown in Figs. 1, 4, 17 and 18, is described in application Serial No.. 509,043 ofY Karl John Wahlborg and Lars Johan Faith-Ell, tiled May 17, 1955, now Patent No. 2,888,093'gra`rted May 26, 1959. The disclosure in the aforementioned Wahlborg and Faith- Ell application may be considered as being incorporated in this application, and, if desired, reference may be had thereto for a detailed description of the sound-dampening structure. i Y

In accordance with this invention, the casing 11 is cradled in a chassis formed by elongated members 56 and end frames 51 and 52. The members Or bars 50, which extend lengthwise of the casing along the bottom part thereof, include elongated 'intermediate parts which serve as skids to facilitate movement of the cleaner on a surface, and end sections formed with tongue- like parts 53 and 54 extending lengthwise of the casing 11.

As best shown in Fig. 8, the tongue- like parts 53 and 54 are disposed in intersecting planes essentially perpendicular to one another and are held in grooves 55 and 56 formed in the end frames 51 and 52. When the end frames 51 and 52 and members 5t) are connected, the grooves in the frames are placed in the outer extreme ends of the tongue-like parts and the frames are moved lengthwise of the runners until the extreme end portion 53 of each tongue-like part 53 strikes and engages an end `wall or stop 55 in the cooperating groove 55, as best seen in Fig. 10.

In order to take up any possible play between the tongue- like parts 53 and 54 and the grooves 5S and 56 and prevent the members 50 from rattling, resilient members 57 are disposed between the end frames 51 and 52 and the end sections of the members 50. The resilient members 57 desirably are formed of a compressible material like rubber, for example, -and may extend lengthwise of the members 50 between theend sections thereof and also bear against the outside of the casing 11, as shown in Fig. 8. In order to position the resilient memlbers 57 on the members Sil,V the latter may be formed with an elongated recess 50.

The end frames 51 and 52, with the 'ends of the members 50v connected thereto, are removably secured to regions of the casing 11 within the open ends thereof. As best shown in Fig. 1, reinforcing ribs S8 and 59 are secured to the inside of the casing at the opposite open ends thereof. The ribs or ilanges 58 and 59 are of annular form, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, and are formed with openings 60 and 61 at the corners thereof to receive elongated threaded bolts 62 and 63, respectively, for securing the end frames 51 and 52 in position.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the reinforcing rib or flange 59 forms an open groove which receives a gasket member 64 against which the outer peripheral edge portion of the transverse wall 39 is adapted to bear. In order to locate the end frame 52 with respect to the end of the casing 11, the transverse wall 39 is provided with hollow spacer sleeves 65 at the corners in Fig. 4.

After themotor-fan unit 22 is mounted in the casing 11, the transverse wall 39v is lpositioned against the gasket member 64 located in the groove .of the reinforcing rib 59.'. AThe end frame 52 is then positioned at the open end of the casing 11 with the openings 66 in the corners thereof in alignment with the hollow spacer sleeves 65 of the thereof, as shown 4 transverse wall 39. sWith the parts just referred to posi tioned at the end of the casing 11, the bolts 63, which extend through the openings 66 in the end frame 52 and spacer sleeves 65 in the wall 39, are threadedly secured to the reinforcing rib 59 at the openings 61 therein. As best seen in Figs. 1 and 4, the end frame 52 is provided with shoulders 67, which extend into the interior of the casing 11 at the open end thereof, and a flange 68 which overlies the peripheral edge of the casing and is positioned at the outside thereof. Thus, when the bolts 63 draw the end frame tightly against the end of the casing 11, the shoulders 67 and flange 68 serve to guide the end frame into position, as seen in Fig. 1.

With the rear end frame 52 clamped against the end of the casing 11, the line lter 44 is positioned between the transverse wall 39 and the rear end cover 17, the transverse wall 39 being provided with an opening 69 to receive a threaded bolt 70 for securing the rear end cover 17 in position and hold the filter 44 securely in place.

The front end frame 51 also is provided with openings 71 which are in alignment with the openings 60 in the reinforcing rib 58 and receive the threaded bolts 62, the latter securing the end frame to the reinforcing rib 58 at the openings 60 therein. When the end frame 51 is secured in position, Ian edge or flange portion 72 overlies the peripheral edge at the front end of the casing. The front end frame 51 also is provided with shoulders 73 which extend into the interior of the casing 11 at the open end thereof, thus guiding the end frame against the end of the casing, as best seen in Fig. 7.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the front end frame 51 includes an essentially ilat bar or strip 74 extending between the upright sides thereof. The flat bar 74 is disposed essentially in a vertical plane which is spaced from and in front of the opening 18 in the front end cover 16, as best shown in Fig. 1. The flat bar 74 serves to hold in place a hand grip portion 75 of an apertured member 76 which is clamped between the top front edge 77 of the casing 11 and portions of the end frame 51. A ange 78 is provided in the member 76 at the region of the opening therein, the top part 78a thereof cooperating with the extreme upper curved portion 79 of the member to form the U-shaped hand grip portion 75, the closed end of which faces the bottom horizontal flange section 78b adapted to rest across the top of the casing adjacent the end thereof, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 5.

The hand grip portion 75 of the member 76, which desirably may be formed of plastic material, is located above and in front of the front end cover 16. The distance between the hand grip portion 75 and the lower part 78b of the ange 78 is sufficiently great so that a comfortable hand grip is provided for carrying the cleaner 10.

The flat bar 74 also serves to close the open end of the U-shaped hand grip portion of the member 76. As seen in Figs. l and 13, the spaced apart arms of the hand grip portion 75 are not of the same length, the upper arm extending beyond thel lower arm. The flat bar 74 is located within the arms of the U-shaped hand grip portion, the outer extremities of the arms projecting beyond the flat bar 74.

Referring to Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 13, it will be seen that the bottom cross member of the front end frame 51 is provided with a bar or part 79 which is laterally removed from the members'tl and extends downwardly between the` latter. As best shown in Fig. 13, the part 79 is formed with a catch 80 which is removed from and below the bottom 14 of the casing 11. The catch 80 may be employed to suspend the cleaner from a hook, thus providing a convenient way to mount the cleaner on a wall.

In order to provide an airtight seal at the open end of the dust bag 21, the inner face of the front end cover 16 is formed with a ring-shaped groove or recess'81 in which is positioned a gasketASZ` formed of compressible material like foam rubber, for example. As shown in Fig. 13, the reinforcing rib S includes an inwardly extending ange 83 against which the gasket 82 is adapted to bear when the end coverA 16 is positioned at the end of the casing 11. The dust bag 21 is provided with an annular reinforcing member or ring 21a at the open end thereof which is adapted to be clamped between the ange 83 and the gasket 82.

In Fig. 19 is shown another manner of obtaining an airtight seal at the open end of the dust bag 21. In Fig. 19 the reinforcing rib 58 is provided with a ilange 83' which extends lengthwise of the casing 11 and against the extreme outer edge of which the gasket 82 is adapted to bear. The dust bar 21 is provided with a flexible reinforcing ring 21 of a type which permits the open end 0f the dust bag to be folded back upon itself over the extreme outer edge of the ange 83', so that the open end of the dust bag can be clamped tightly between the gasket 82 and the flange 83.

A handle 85 is provided for the front end cover 16 which is also effectively employed to lock the end cover to the end frame 51 and force the gasket 82 against the dust bag at the open end thereof. The handle 85, which is of U-shaped form, includes a horizontal hand grip section 86 and spaced apart sides 87 which form the longer arms of L-shaped levers pivoted at 88 to the sides of the front end cover 16. To the outer ends of the short arms 89 of the levers are journaled rollers 90 adapted to bear and ride against bent or curved flanges 91 formed at the Vertical sides of the front end frame 51.

When the front end cover 16 is secured in position, the rollers 90 rest in recessed portions 91a of the bent or curved flanges 91, as shown in Fig. 13. In such locked position of the end cover 16, the side arms 87 of the handle 85 lit snugly in gaps formed between the front cover 16 and the end frame 51 in which it rests. The cross piece 86 extends below the bottom of the front cover and is readily accessible in front of the frame 51. In order to keep the rollers 90 positioned in the recesses 91a when the cover 16 is in its locked position and the hand grip section 86 accidentally should strike an object during a cleaning operation, stops 92 are provided at the sides of the end frame 51 against which the arms 87 of the handle are adapted to bear. When it is desired to remove the end cover 16, the handle 85 is raised from the position shown in Fig. 13 to that illustrated in Fig. 15. When the rollers 90 no longer are in physical contact with the rear faces of the flanges or shoulders 91, the handle and front end cover 16 can be removed as a unit from the frame 51, as seen in Fig. 15.

In Fig. 16 a modification is illustrated in which the rollers 90a are journaled at the sides of the end frame 51a, and the short arms 89a of the L-shaped levers are formed with hooks 93 adapted to engage the rollers 90a when the handle 85a is moved downwardly to lock the front end cover 16 in position. In other respects, the modcation of Fig. 16 is generally like that just described and shown in Figs. 13, 14 and 15.

In view of the foregoing, it will now be understood that the elongated members or runners 50 and end frames 51 and 52 form a chassis in ywhich the casing 11 is cradled. The abutting ends of the elongated elements or runners 50 and end frames 51 and 52 at opposing sides of the cleaner have substantially the same Width to present strips which appear essentially continuous throughout their lengths, the strips including horizontally extending sections and vertically extending sections which project upwardly from the extreme ends of the horizontally extending sections, as shown in Fig. 2. By securing the end frames 51 and 52 to structure within the casing 11, at the vicinity of each end thereof, and employing the end frames to conceal from view the peripheral edges at the extreme ends of the casing 11, a suction cleaner is provided which is compact and neat in appearance and in 6 which visible joints and seams are at a minimum, as seen in Fig. 2.

The simplified construction of the suction cleaner shown and described becomes quite apparent when it is understood that it is only necessary to remove the threaded bolt 70 to loosen the rear end cover 17, and, after taking out the filter 44, it is only necessary to loosen the four connecting screws 63 to gain access to the motor-fan unit 22. When the screws 63 are removed, the rear end frame 52 can be separated from the casing 11 and the ends of the members 50, after which the transverse wall 39 can be removed from the casing.

After removing the transverse wall 39, the switch 25 is disconnected from the motor-fan unit 22 and removed from the casing 11. Access to the motor-fan unit 22 now having been obtained, the latter can be removed simply by loosening the screws 34 sufhciently to permit the unit to be turned or rotated and free the latter from the bayonet-type locking arrangement within the casing 11. In the event it is desired to take the suction cleaner cornpletely apart, it is only necessary to remove the front end cover 16 by the handle 85, and, after taking out the dust bag 21, loosening the four screws 62 to disconnect the end frame 51 from the casing.

While the front end frame 51 is inclined to the vertical when thesuction cleaner is in a horizontal position, the extreme outer edge of the rear end frame 52 is substantially vertical and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the casing 11. The rear end cover 17 is enveloped and surrounded by the rear end frame 52 and rests therein, the outer edge of the frame 52 forming the outer extremity of the suction cleaner. With such construction, the rear end frame 52 may be employed as a base for supporting the cleaner in an upright position on a horizontal surface.

When the cleaner is supported in an upright position in this manner, the weight of the cleaner is transmitted through the end frame 52 in a path which is independent of the end cover 17, and, since the outer edge of the end frame 52 forms the outer extremity of the cleaner, the end frame supports the weight of the cleaner while the end cover 17 is substantially free of supporting any part of its weight.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and describedsuch variations and modifica-y tions are 'contemplated as fall within the true spiritl and scope of the invention, as pointed out in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a horizontal tank-type suction cleaner, an elongated casing having an openend, a separate frame of annular form which is mounted on said casing at the open end thereof, said frame including a first part overlying the exterior surface of said casing at the open end thereof and a second part projecting axially of said casing from the open end thereof, the second part of said frame being disposed at opposing sides of the cleaner, when the latter is in a horizontal position, and defining an access opening of substantially the same size as that at the open end of said casing, an end cover whose cross-sectional area'is substantially the same as that of the access opening, and means for removably securing said end cover within said frame at the open endvof said casing, said frame forming a base for supporting the cleaner on end with all of the dead-weight load thereof being transmitted through said base and by-passing said end cover.

2. In an open-ended elongated tanktype suction cleaner, an elongated casing, separate frames of annular form which are mounted on said casing at the open ends thereof, said frames including lirst parts overlying the exterior surface of said casing at the open ends thereof and second parts projecting axially of said casing from the open ends thereof, the second parts vof, said frames being disposed at opposing sides of the cleaner, when the latter is in a horizontal position, and defining access openings of substantially the same size as those at the open ends of said casing, end covers, means for removably securing said end covers within said frames at the open ends of said casing, each of said end covers having a cross-sectional area substantially the same as that of the access opening defined by said frame within which it is removably secured, and elongated bars at opposing sides of the cleaner which extend lengthwise of said casing between said frames, means for connecting the ends of said bars only to said frames, said elongated bars and frames forming a chassis within which said casing is cradled, said elongated bars forming the bottom portions of the opposing sides of the cleaner and extending vertically downward below the bottom of said casing when said cleaner is viewed in side elevation in a horizontal position, and said bars forming skids upon which the cleaner is movable on a surface.

3. In an elongated tank-type suction cleaner, an elongated open-ended casing, separate frames of annular form at the open ends of said casing, said frames including first parts overlying the exterior surface of said casing at the open ends thereof and second parts projecting axially of said casing from the open ends thereof, end covers, the second parts of said frame being disposed at opposing sides of the cleaner, when the latter is in a horizontal position, and defining access openings at the open ends of said casing within which said end covers nest, means for removably securing said end covers within said frames, and elongated members at opposing sides of the cleaner which extend lengthwise of said casing between said frames and coact with the latter to form a chassis within which said casing is cradled, fastening means for mounting said frames on said casing at the open ends thereof, means including structure for moving at least one of said frames axially of said casing from one open end toward the opposite open end thereof while it is being mounted on said casing at the one open end, and said frames and elongated members being so constructed and arranged that said members are clamped and held between said frames responsive to movement of said one frame axially of said casing from the one open end toward the opposite open end thereof.

4. In a horizontal tank-type suction cleaner, an elongated casing having an open end, a separate frame of annular form at the open end of said casing, said frame including a first part overlying the exterior surface of said casing at the end thereof and a second part projecting axially of the casing from the open end thereof, the second part of said frame being disposed at opposing sides of the cleaner, when the latter is in a horizontal position, and defining an access opening of substantially the same size as that at the open end of said casing, an end cover whose cross-sectional area is substantially the same as that of the access opening, structure for securing said frame to said casing at the open end thereof, said structure including bracket means fixed to the inner surface of said casing at a region removed from the end thereof and fastening means on said frame which cooperates with said bracket means, and means for removably securing said end cover within said frame at the open end of said casing.

5. Apparatus as set lforth in claim 4 in which said bracket means comprises a ring-shaped part, said ringshaped part serving as a seat to limit inward movement of said end cover within said frame.

6. In a horizontal tank-type suction cleaner, an elongated casing, a frame of annular form at an end of said casing, said frame including a rst part overlying the exterior surface of said casing at the end thereof and a second part projecting axially of the casing from the end thereof, an end cover, the second part of said frame being disposed at opposing sides of the cleaner, when the latter is in a horizontal position, and defining an access opening at the end of the casing within which said end cover nests, structure for securing said frame to the end of said casing, said structure including bracket means fixed to the inner surface of said casing at a region removed from the extreme end thereof and fastening means on said frame which cooperates with said bracket means, means for removably securing said end cover within said frame, said bracket means comprising a ring-shaped part, said ringshaped part serving as a seat to limit inward movement of said end cover within said frame, dust separating means, and said dust separating means being disposed between said ring-shaped part and said end cover when the latter is removably secured within said frame.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which said end cover at the inner face thereof is provided with sealing material in the form of a ring which is adapted to bear against the peripheral edge portion of said dust separating means.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which said dust separating means is in the form of a bag having a ringshaped reinforcement member at the open end thereof, the sealing material at the inner face of said end cover being formed of a resilient material which is adapted to bear against both said reinforcement ring and said ringshaped part, sad ring-shaped part forming a seat for said reinforcement ring.

9. In a horizontal tank-type suction cleaner, an elongated casing, a frame of annular form at an end of said casing, said frame including a iirst part overlying the exterior surface of said casing at the end thereof and a second part projecting axially of the casing from the end thereof, an end cover, the second part of said frame being disposed at opposing sides of lthe cleaner, when the latter is in a horizontal position, and defining an access opening at the end of the casing within which said end cover nest, structure for securing said frame to the end of said casing, said structure including bracket means fixed to the inner surface of said casing at a region removed from the extreme end thereof and fastening means on said frame which cooperates with said bracket means, means for removably securing said end cover within said frame, said bracket means comprising a ring-shaped part, said ringshaped par-t serving as a seat to limit inward movement of said end cover within said frame, dust separating means, said dust separating means being disposed between said ring-shaped part and said end cover when the latter is removably secured within said frame, and said end cover at the inner face thereof having sealing material in the form of a ring and said dust separating means being formed of air permeable material having a peripheral edge portion adapted to be clamped between said ring-shaped part and said ring of sealing material.

10. In a horizonal tank-type suction cleaner, an elongated casing, a frame of annular form which is mounted on said casing at an end thereof and includes a first part projecting axially of said casing from the end thereof, an end cover, said first frame part being disposed at opposing sides of the cleaner, when the latter is in a horizontal position, and dening an access opening at the end of said casing within which said end cover nests, means for removably securing said end cover within said frame, said frame including a second part which, when the cleaner is in a horizontal position, is located above the top of the casing and is spaced therefrom, and a handle for the cleaner including said second frame part and an element held between said frame and the end of said casing upon which said frame is mounted, said handle in the direction of its length extending transversely of said casing.

l1. In a horizontal tank-type suction cleaner, an elongated casing, having an open end a separate frame of annular form which is mounted on said casing at the open end thereof and includes a rst part projecting axially of said casing from the open end thereof, said rst frame part being disposed at opposing sides of the cleaner, when the latter is in a horizontal position, and defining an access opening of substantially the same size as that at the open end of said casing, an end cover whose crosssectional area is substantially the same as that of the access opening, means for removably securing said end cover Within said frame at the open end of said casing, said frame including a second part which, when the cleaner is in a horizontal position, is located above the top of the casing and is spaced therefrom, and a handle for the cleaner including said second frame part, said handle in the direction of its length extending transversely of said casing.

12. In a horizontal tank-type suction cleaner, an elongated open-ended casing, separate frames of annular form which are mounted on said casing at the open ends thereof and include rst parts projecting axially of said casing from the open end thereof, said rst frame parts being disposed at opposing sides of the cleaner, when the latter is in a horizontal position, and defining access openings of substantially the same size as those at the open ends of said casing, end covers, means for removably securing said end covers within said frame, at the open ends of said casing, each of said end covers having a crosssectional area substantially the same as that of the access opening dened by said frame within which it is removably secured, and elongated bars at opposing sides of the cleaner which extend lengthwise of said casing between said frames, means for connecting the ends of said bars only to said frames, said elongated bars and frames forming a chassis within which said casing is cradled, said elongated bars forming the bottom portions of the opposing sides of the cleaner and extending vertically downward below the bottom of said casing when said cleaner is viewed in side elevation in a horizontal position, said bars forming skids upon which the cleaner is movable on a surface, one of said frames forming a base for sup por-ting the cleaner on end with all of the dead-weight load thereof being transmitted through said base and by-passing said end cover removably secured therein, said other frame including a second part which, when the cleaner is supported on end on said one frame, is spaced from and disposed above the end cover removably secured in said other frame, and a handle for the cleaner including said second frame part.

13. In a horizontal tank-type suction cleaner, an elongated casing, a frame of annular form which is mounted on said casing at an end thereof and includes apart projecting axially of said casing from the end thereof, an end cover, said frame part being disposed at opposing sides of the cleaner, when the latter is in a horizontal position, and defining an access opening at the end of said casing within which said end cover nests, means for removably securing said end cover within said frame, said securing means including a bail having spaced apart side arms and a cross arm therebetween, means pivotally connecting said side arms to said end cover at opposing sides thereof, said bail, when said cover nests in said frame, being movable on said end cover to a number of positions including one position in which said cover will be secured to said frame and another position in which said cover will be removable therefrom, the cross arm of said bail serving as a handle for said end cover which extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of said casing across the outer face of said cover when said cover is secured to said frame and the cleaner is in a horizontal position.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 in which the arms of said b-ail and said frame have parts which cooperate to removably secure said cover to said frame when said cover nests in said frame and said bail is moved to said one position.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 in which said frame includes projections forming stops in the path of movement of the side arms of said bail during movement thereof to said one position.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 in which said cross arm is positioned in front of the bottom edge of said end cover when said bail is moved to said one position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 172,136 Florian May 11, 1954 1,670,136 Fetter May 22, 1928 1,757,239 Engberg May 6, 1930 1,860,885 Bilde May 31, 1932 2,157,693 Ernolf May 9, 1939 2,182,343 Lofgren Dec. 5, 1939 2,241,785 Lofgren Dec. 13, 1941 2,287,474 Hansson June 23, 1942 2,311,369 Clements Feb. 16, 1943 2,335,031 Stevens Nov. 23, 1943 2,372,007 Kroenlein Mar. 20, 1945 2,503,918 Osborn Apr. 11, 1950 2,539,257 Limberg Jan. 23, 1951 2,573,091 Brown Oct. 30, 1951 2,595,752 Batts May 6, 1952 2,747,214 Allen May 29, 1956 2,823,761 Duff Feb. 18, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 85,012. Norway Feb. 14, 1955 696,304 Great Britain Aug. 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oEEICE i CERTIFICATE @E CORRECTION Patent No. 2,958,893 v November 8, 1960 Erik Reinhold Carlberg et al. I

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below. l

Column l, line'4O for "vitws" read views column 5, line 13, for "bar" read bag line 36, for "rests" read nests line 57, for "modficat-iornz" read modification column 6, line 30, for "rests" read nests line 67, strike out "open-ended"; line 68, after "an" insert open-ended column 7, lines 48 and 59, after "the", each occurrence, insert open column 8, line 25 for "sad" read seid line 36, for "nest" read nests line 72, for "casing, having an open end" read casing having an open end, -r; column 9, line 18, for "end" read ends line 23, for "frame" read frames column l0, list of references cited, under "UNITED STATES PATENTS" line 32, for "1,670,136" read 1,670,442

Signed and sealed this 18th day of April l96l (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W., SWIDER DAVID I... LDD

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

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