US2219567A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 29, 1 M. H. SPIELMAN VACUUM CLEANER Filed July 16, 1938 INVENTOR.

M rm m m E Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFica Milton H. Spielm or to The B an, Cuyahoga Falls, out, assignlack & Decker Electric Company,

Kent, hio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 16, 1938, Serial No. 219,010.

. 10 Claims. This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner'and especially to an electric vacuum cleaner for use i may be quickly removed in garages.

Vacuum cleaners are used extensively in garages and automotive service and car washing stations, to remove dirt from the interior of automotive vehicles. It is fast becoming a general practice to' cleanse'the upholstering of automobiles with a solution containing a cleaning agent. This solution is applied to the fabric of the vehicle by abrush orsponge and it has been found desirable to remove the cleaning solution with a vacuum cleaner. In this manner the solution before the liquids enter the fibers of the fabric. Thus, when the cleaner is removed in this manner, the fabric, after such removal is substantially dry. Obviously, it is highly desirable that the vacuum cleaner used for this purpose may also be used to remove dirt and dust from the vehicle in the usual manner. The general object of the present invention is to provide an electric vacuum cleaner for the uses above set forth.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner of a comparatively small size, yet which will advantageously utilize a comparatively large filtering element, and to'so arrange the element that it will be protected from the effects of cleaning liquids which are to be removed immediately following the cleaning operation.

It is likewise an object of the present invention to protect the filtering element in such a manner that the larger particles of dirt will not reach the main filtering element, and to so arrange the cleaner as to facilitate assembly or replacement of the filtering elements, as well as to facilitate the removal of the dust, debris "and liquids.

Other objects of the present invention willbecome more apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which I illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention; The essential features ofthe invention-will be claims. A

Referring now to the, drawing, in which I illustrate a preferred form of my invention, Fig. 1 is a vertically extending, centrally located sectionthrough a preferred form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, as indicated by the lines 2-2 on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view. on a smaller I scale'than Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating the filteri and power unit removed from the cleaner receptacle; Fig. 4 is a view of the dust collector'receptacle removed from the cleaner; Fig. 5 ia-a view the cylinder l0, and provides a housing 'for a summarized in the of the liquid collecting receptacle; and Fig. 6 is a view of the cleaner bases Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, are partially broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction of the various units which comprise the cleaner. 5 -My improved cleaner comprises an open ended, comparatively light-weight sheet-metal cylinder l0, into which a power filtering unit A is 81189 pended by a cover II. The cylinder is removably mounted on a liquid and refuse collecting +10 receptacle i2, which in turn is removably supported on a base ll. The base is provided with castors l5 to enable it to be removed from place to place.

The side walls of the base ll extend upwardly around the receptacle l2, and as illustrated are more rigid than the walls of the receptacle, to provide a protecting skirt therefor. The base ll also maintains the bottom of the receptacle spaced above the cleaner supporting surface, and forms a counterbalance for the motor and filter unit.

The cover, together unit supported thereby, same as that shown and claimed in Patent No. 2,116,233, issued December 21, 1936, to Black and Decker Electric Company. Therefore, reference to such patent may be had for a complete description of this unit. Briefly, the power filtering unit comprises a sheet-metal cover l6, which is secured to upstanding lugs IQ of a closure member20. The closure member is removably secured to the upper rim of the cylinder II byscrews 2|. The closure member depends into with the power filtering is' substantially themulti-stage suction fan 28 and an electric motor 24, which is drivingly connected to operate the fan. The arrangement is such that the fan draws air from the motor and exhausts it through I an opening 25 inthe closure member from whence it escapes between the overhanging skirt of the cover and the periphery of the closure member, as indicated by the arrows in-Fig. 1. This arrangement provides a chamber between the walls of the motor and fan housing, 'and the internal walls of the cylinder l0.

The filtering element comprises a bag-like member 28 of cloth, paper or similar flexible dust and dirt pervious material. This element is open at its upper end, which is tightly secured to a dependingannular rib 21 of the closure member. As shown in. Fig. 1, this filter bag encloses the fan and motor unit and is spaced apart fromthe walls thereof as well as from the walls of the container ll.

The filter bag is preferably resiliently maintained in an expanded position bysprings 28 whichencircle posts 29 carried by theclosure member 23. These springs are interposed betweenpins 33, carried by the posts, and ears 3| formed on a reinforcingring 32, which is secured to the bottom of the filter bag.

The cylinder l extends substantially to the bottom of the filter unit and rests on the receptacle I! as shown in Fig. 1. Preferably, I insert arubber packing ring 33 between the adjacentrims of the cylinder l0 and the receptacle l2. Any well known latch such as that indicated at 34 in Fig. 1, may be used to maintain the cylinder ill in position on the receptacle 1!.

Dirt and/or moisture laden air is drawn into the receptacle l2 through anopening 36 in the upper portion of the side wall of the receptacle I 2. This opening is provided with, a fitting 33, to which the usual cleaner hose arrangement is secured in any well known manner.

The greater part of the moisture, or water, as well as the larger particles of.dirt are removed from the air, before such air reaches the cylinder I 0 or the power filter unit A. Extending across the receptacle I2, above the inlet opening 36, and below the power filter unit A, is acoarse filter 40. vAs illustrated, thiscoarse filter 40 is in the form of a wire screen mesh or fabric having openings of approximately one-eighth inch. However, the

.iilter 40 may be a perforated metal plate. The

filter orscreen 40 is shown as being supported by angle clips secured to the internal walls of thereceptacle 2. I have found that thescreen 40 removes, from the moisture and dirt laden air, the greater portion of the'water and the larger par- .ticles of dirt, which fall to the bottom ceptacle l2.

Obviously dust,.small' particles of dirt, and a certain amount of moisture passes through the screen upwardly toward the power filter unit A. While the dust and smaller particles of dirt may be permitted to reach thefilter 28 of the unit A, obviously moisture should be prevented from contacting such filter, as were it to become saturated, the efilciency of the unit would be materially impaired; first because of the increased vacuum required to draw air through the filter, and second, because moisture would be detrimental to the mo- .tor 24 through which all of the air is drawn. I have found that this may be accomplished by shielding the filter unit so as to cause the air passing through the screen orcoarse filter 40 to .pass a considerable distance upwardly prior to its contact with thefilter 28 of the unit A. I prefer to accomplish this by using a shield such as is shown at 45 in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

Theshield 45 is a cylindrical receptacle having ,a sheet-metal side wall 4 and is closed at the bottom by a wall 41. As shown in Fig. 1, this shield substantially encloses the filter unit A. The sidewall of the shield is spaced both from thefilter 26 and the wall of the cylinder ll, while the bottom of the shield is spaced both from the coarse filter orscreen 40 and the filter II. As illustrated, the shield 43 is supported by the coarse screen 43 being secured thereto by bolts 43. Suit- .able spacers 43 are interposed between the screen 43 and the bottom of the receptacle or shield 44 to maintain the'spaced relation heretofore referred to I have found that when the cleaner is inoperation with the usual suction unit, the air will not have sufilcient velocity to carry the particles of water or moisture above thelevel indiof the recated by the line B in Fig. 1. Thus, the moisture does not reach thefilter 26 or the motor 24.

Theshield 45 has a further advantage. I have found that when the cleaner is used as a simple vacuum cleaner, the dust is drawn upward through the coarse screen 43, between the walls of theshield 45 and the cylinder l0 into theshield 45. This shield thus serves as a receptacle for such dust and prevents it from falling into the water receptacle l2, thus facilitating cleaning of the unit. I From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a simple cleaner which may be used to remove both dust and cleaning liquids from fabric such as the upholstering of automotive vehicles and for many other obvious uses.

The cleaner is so arranged that the liquid is prevented from reaching the suction mechanism without materially increasing the suction resistance, and eliminating clogging of the dust separator, thus enabling the provision of a compact structure in which the dust filler together with the suction and power driving mechanism may be removed as a unit for cleaning or inspection.

I claim:

' 1. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination of a hollow casing, a pump and motor carried by one wall and depending into the receptacle, a bag of flexible pervious-material surrounding the motor and removably secured to said wall; a shield supported by said receptacle extending upwardly between the outer wall of said bag and the inner wall of the receptacle to a point adjacent the top of the bag, whereby airentering the receptacl must travel upwardly between the receptacle and the shield to a point adjacent the top of the bag and then downwardly between and in contact with the walls of the pervious bagand the shield.

2. In a pneumatic cleaner. the combination of a hollow casing, having comparatively stiif walls, a filter cell enclosing a part of the space within said casing, a pump hav ngits outlet in the top wall of such casing, a motor secured to the inletside of the pump and depending within the casing, a driving connectioirbetween the motor and the pump; a shield comprising a receptacle open at its top and enclosing said filter cell, said shield being spaced from the walls of the casing and from said cell and being open at its top, a coarse filter extending across said casing beneath the shield and, spaced from said shield and from the carried by said cover and disposed between the outer walls of the suction-producing means and .the inner walls of the receptacle, a receptacle open at its top, means to secure said cylinder to said receptacle, a base adapted and arranged .to removably support said receptacle and cylinder: a coarse filter extending transversely across saidreceptacle, a cylindrical shield spaced from and disposed between said cylinder and said dustseparator and open only at its top. means carried b ysaid receptacle to removably support said filter and said shield, and wherein said receptacle has aninlet opening below said filter.

4. In: a vacuum cleaner, the combination of a motor, a pump andafilter bag so arranged thatair is. drawn through-the filter bag, the motor and thepump in that order, and means to intercept the flow of air and adsorb suspended moisture thereinbefore it reaches the bag and pump.

; In a vacuum cleaner, a motor, a pump and Y a filter bag mounted in a common receptacle hav-.

ing an outlet for said puni-p adjacent its top and ,an inlet intermediate its top and bottom, a shield within said receptacle to and adsorb suspended moisture therein before it passes into contact with said filter bag.

6. he vacuum cleaner, a vertically disposed receptacle; a suction-producing mechanism disposed within the-receptacle in' the upper region of the receptacle, an region of thereceptacle, a filtering bag surrounding the suction-producing mechanism and disposed in the upper region of said receptacle, a pervious moisture bafliing diaphragm disposed between the receptacle inlet-and said filteringQbag and serving to intercept, liquid from the airbefore it is drawn upwardly 'to said filtering bagv and an auxiliary dirt receptacle disposed within the first-named receptacleand surrounding the 4 filtering bag and serving as a baiiie means to cause air and liquid being drawn into the receptacle to pass upwardly to substantially the top of the receptacle before striking said filtering bag.

receptacle member,

' within the receptacle adjacent one end thereof,-

7, In a vacuum cleaner, a vertically disposed elongated-receptacle comprising upper and lower detachable members, a suction-producing mechanism disposed within the upper receptacle member, ,an inlet leading into the lower receptacle member, a filtering bag surrounding the suctionproducing mechanism and disposed in the upper a moisture-battling diaphragm disposed in the lower receptacle member and serving to intercept heavy moisture and an auxiliary dirt receptacle disposed within the upper receptacle member" and surrounding the filtering bag andserving as a baflle means to cause moisture laden air being drawn into the receptacle to pass upwardly to substantially thetop of the receptaclebefore striking saidfiltering bag.

8. In a" vacuum cleaner, an elongated receptacle, a suction-producing mechanism disposed an inlet in the receptacle and disposed remotely intercept the flow of air inlet leading intothe lower ceiving chamber in its -leading1into the air chamber of the-receptacle,

bag through which spaced relation below [the receptacle.

from the suction mechanism, aiiltering bag surrounding the suction-producing mechanism, a pervious moisture-bathing diaphragm disposed between the receptacle inlet and said filtering bag and serving to intercept liquid from the air before it is drawn upwardly to said filteringlbag' and an auxiliary dirt receptacle disposed within the first-named receptacle and surrounding the filtering bag and serving, as a bathe means'to cause moisture-laden air being drawn through the membrane to" pass substantially to one 'end of the receptacle before striking, said filtering bag.

9. A housing-structure for afilter bag comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a filter bag in its upper portion and having an air relower position, an inlet an auxiliary dirt receptacle mounted in the upper. portion, of the receptacle, open at its top and surrounding the filter bag and serving to cause air being drawn into the wardly to substantially the top of the receptacle before striking the filter bag,- and a pervious moisture-bathing diaphragm disposed between the receptacle inletand the filter bag and serving to interceptwliquid'from the air before the same is drawn upwardly to the filtering bag.

10. A housing structure for a cylindrical filter dust-laden air is drawn by suction means communicatingwith the interior of the bag, said housing comprising a receptacle having an inlet leading into its lower portion and spaced from the bottom or saidreceptacle, and having an upper portion adapted to receive the filter bag, an-open topped container in the upper portion of said recept'acle,'the walls of said container being disposed between the exterior of thefilter bag and the sids and bottom of the receptacle and being spaced from the top of the receptacle, 9, screen, secured to said container in the-bottom wall thereof and extending across the receptacle so that all air must pass through said screen prior to the entrance. of such air into thefilter bag, said container and screen being removable .as a unit from.

receptacle to pass upw rm rronnsrm'rarm.

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