US1713946A - Cabinet fan - Google Patents

Description

A. H. EUCZKLEY CABINET FAN Filed Jan. 15, 1928 3 Sheets--Sheet l ATT RNEYE.

y 21, 1929- A. H. BUCKLEY 1, 71,945

CABINET FAN Filed Jan. 13', 1928 3 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTQR May 21, 1929. A H, BUCKLE, 1,713,946

CABINET FAN Filed Jan. 13, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED STATES" ARTHUR H. BUGKLEY, 0F MISSION TOWNSHIP, JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS.

CABINET FAN.

Application filed January 13, 1928: Serial No. 246,643.

This invention relates to electric cabinet fans and more especially to the portable type for standing on a table, mantel or analogous support.

Heretofore fans of the type mentioned have either been of the conventional type with only a wire guard around them which leaves the fan fully exposed to view at all times or of that type completely hidden within an ornamental casing which materially reduces the eiiiciency of operation of the fan because the discharge of air occurs through openings in the casing.

My object is to provide, as a new article of manufacture, a fan which shall in operation, possess the full efliciency of the conventional type of fan and the same advantage, as an ornament, of the hidden type. Accordingly I have provided a casing or housing of attractive contour and open at the front and containing a fan and an ornamental screen at opposite ends of the motor and so arranged as to provide for a rotative adjustment to dispose the fan adjacent the back of the housing and the screen as a 010' sure for the open front side, or with the screen adjacent the back of the housing and the fan exposed at the open front side of the latter, the latter being the position when the fan is in operation and the former when it is desired to utilize the device as an ornament merely. A device of the character above briefly outlined, avoids the necessity of storing the fan during the cold periods of the year and yet leaves it quickly available at all times, for efficient service.

A further object is to produce a device of the character outlined, adjustable to circulate air horizontally or downwardly and forwardly or upwardly and forwardly, and another object is to make provision for the lateral automatic oscillation of the fan, and for permitting the latter, without injurious results, such as the burning out of the motor, to be arrested at any point in its arc of oscillation and to be brought'back to a centralized position relative to the housing, this latter adjustment in an oscillatory fan, being necessary preliminary to hiding the fan within and exposing the screen at the open end' of the housing.

lVith the general objects mentioned and others as will hereinafter appear in view, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed;

and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a cabinet fan embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged central vertical section of the housing element and of a screen forming a part of the appliance, the operative mechanism being disclosed in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a view showing the housing in horizontal section and the operative features in top plan View.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section of the knob or handle for effecting horizontal rotative adjustment of the operative elements of the appliance andan upper pivot plate for engagement by the knob to secure the operative elements at one extreme or the other of the adjustment mentioned.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line VV of- Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the lower pivot plate for the rotative ad justment mentioned of the operative elements.

Figure 7 is a section on the line VHF-VII of Figure 6 and also shows in dotted lines part of the lower supporting bracket for the operative elements.

Figure 8 is a rear View of the operative mechanism when arranged as shown in Fig ure 2, but with the fan shaft in section and the fan element and the guard therefor omitted.

Figure 9 is a detailed side view showing a yieldable connection between a power transmitting shaft of the motor and a fixed part for permitting a fan of the oscillatory type to be arrested at any point of its are of operation without injurious results.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the construction shown by Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the screen supporting brackets and the motor carrying bracket showing the relative positions occupied when the fan is adjusted to stand beyond the face or front side of the housing.

Figure 12 is a section on the line XII XII of Figure 11 but also showing the clamping nut to secure said brackets at any desired point in their adjustment.

Figure 13 is a fragmental perspective view ofthe upper end of one of the arms of the motor carrying bracket.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 indicates a suitable base for standing upon a table, mantel or the like, and 2 is a horizontally arranged cylindrical housing, preferably closed at its rear side by a back plate 3, which plate toavoid unnecessary width of the housing and to enhance the appearance thereof, may be of bowed form, and if desired is of any suitable openwork, being shown as provided with slots 4 of which only a view appears. The front end of the housing is open but for ornamental effect the front margin is provided with a circular bead or flange 5.

When the appliance is not in use the open front end is normally closed by an ornamental screen. As shown the screen is composed of outer and inner concentric rings 6 and 7 rigidly connected by an ornamental circular panel 8, preferably of openwork construction. The ring 7 forms a frame within which a decorative picture may be mounted. In the drawing, 9 indicates such a picture protected by a glass plate 10, it being desirable that the housing with the screen exposed as in Figure 1, shall constitute a distinct ornament not indicative of its utilitarian function or purpose.

Located within and vertically below the axis of the housing and upon the lower part thereof, is a pivot plate 11 having a cen tral upstanding hub portion 12 providing a central socket 13, and radiating from the raised portion is a rib 14. Engaging the socket 13 is a tubular pivot 15 formed at one end of a rigid bracket 16 securedas at 17 and 18 respectively, to the rings 6 and 7 of the screen. An upper bracket 19 substantially the same as bracket 16, is secured as at 20 and 21 respectively, to rings 6 and 7, and terminates in a pivot sleeve 22 vertically alined with the tubular pivot 15, and said sleeve is rigidly secured upon a vertical pivot pin 23 extending up through the top of the housing and through a pivot plate 24 secured rigidly upon the housing. The

' pivot pin terminates in an enlargement or head 25, and at an intermediate point in its length in a plane above plate 24, with an enlarged angular portion 26 on which nonrotatably fits a. knob 0r handle 27. In a, plane above the angular portion 26, the knob is formed with a socket. 528 capable of receiving the head of the pivot pin, and an expansion coil spring 29 iitsaround the pivot pin within said socket and bears at its upper end against the head 25 and at its lower end against a washer 30, which in turn bears downward upon the base of the socket and thus normally holds the knob depressed below the top of the head 25, with locking lugs 31 depending from the bottom of the knob, in engagement with locking sockets 32 formed in the top of the pivot plate 21, as shown most clearly by Figures 1 and 5.

By this arrangement it will be apparent that before the screen can be rotatably adjusted in a horizontal plane, the operator must first apply conjoint pressure downward upon the pivot pin and upward upon the knob.

By so doing the spring 29 yields and the knob moves upward out of engagement with the pivot plate 2 1. \Vhile thus holding the knob disengaged with the pivot plate, the knob is turned, the initial movement drawing the lugs. 31 out of register with the sockets 32, the knob movement being continued, until it has been turned through one hundred and eighty degrees, when the action of the spring 29 will depress the knob and cause its lugs 31 to engage the registering notches 32, at which time it will be apparent the screen is standing within the housing and near the back thereof, the front side of the screen facing rearwardly.

Any suitable or conventional electric fan mechanism either of the fixed or oscillating type may be cnn'floyed, that shown being one of a convcntiomll oscillating type. For the support of the fan a pair of vertically arranged brackets are employed, each being generally of Y-shape and comprising a horizontal stem 33 and a pair of diverging arms 3-1, the arms bridging the inner ring 7 at 35.

The stems of said brackets are provided with longitudinal slots 36 terminating at the bases of the stems in circular portions 37 of greater diameter than the width of the slots, and said stems are provided at their outer sides and concentrically of said portions 37 of the slots with outwardly projecting flanges 38.

A substantially Y-shaped bracket consists of the arms 39 and a vertically slotted stem portion 40, this bracket, as hereinafter mentioned more in detail, serving as the actual and direct support for the motor and fan.

The arms- 39 are disposed vertically at their upper extremities and fit flatly against the inner sides of the stems of the pair of brackets carried by the screen. At their outer sides the arms 39 are formed or provided with elongated lugs 41 for slidable action in slots 36, and said lugs are equipped with outwardly-projecting bolt stems 42, the latter being made rigid with the Y-shaped bracket by pinning them as at t3 to the lugs 41 or in any other suitable manner, it. being noted that the abutment of the lugs 41 against the pair of brackets limits relative approaching and receding movements between the Y-shaped bracket and the screen, and' that when the said lugs occupy the circular enlargements 37 of slots 36, it is possible for the bracket 39 to be tilted forwardly or rearwardly relative to the said pair of brackets and the screen, these tilting movements making provision for the cirof the screen and fastened thereto as s the said pair of screen-carried brackets. In

this connection it will be noted by reference to Figures 2, 11 and 13 that the upper ends a of the arms 39 are extended as at 45 so as to provide a'greater area of frictional engagement between the motor-carrying bracket and the screen-carried brackets, this making the connection more stable and less liable to the production of undesirable noises when the motor is in operation.

A conventional oscillatory electric fan motor is indicated at 46, 47 indicating the shaft thereof, 48. the fan and 49 the fan guard. The motor frame is arranged within the Y-shaped bracket carried by the screen-carried brackets, and is swivelled on a fitting 5O engaging in the slotted stem of said bracket and secured rigidly therein by clamping elements 51. The motor has the usual power transmitting shaft 52 for transmitting power to effect oscillation of the fan if of that type, the shaft being provided with a disk 53 having an eccentric or crank pin 54 pivotally connected by a link to a fixed point, so that through the operation of the shaft the motor and fan shall be caused to oscillate.

lVith a fan of the cabinet type such as herein shown, the breaking of the circuit may occur with the fan element at any point in its are of oscillation. If it happens when the circuit is broken, that the fan stops at any other point than immediately opposite and parallel with the screen, it will be necessary to swing the fan back to the lastnamed position before it can be horizontally adjusted with the screen to dispose the latter as a closure for the front end of the housing. For this reason it is necessary that the connection or link between the crank or eccentric pin 54 and the fixed point, shall be capable of yielding under suflicient pressure, to permit the crank pin to approach the said fixed point without effecting rotative movement of the shaft 52.

To provide for such action the link con-' sists of a member 55 pivoted to the crank pin, a member 56 fitted slidinglyon member 55.and pivoted to an off-set lug 57 of the underlying fitting 50 on which the fan is mounted for oscillation, a fixed collar 58 on member 55, and a pair of springs 59 on member 55 and bearing against opposite sides of the collar and ends of member 56. l/Vhen the oscillation is occurring the composite link is practically as rigid or unyielding as the one-piece link conventional in oscillatory fans. Should the operation of the fan cease when the latter is facing at the angle indicated for example, by the dotted lines in Figure 3, it would be impracticable to effect the horizontal swivel adjustment necessary'to dispose the fan near the back and the screen at the front of the casing. To accomplish this the operator simply grasps the fan guard and swings it to face the fan directly forward; the composite link shortening or lengthening as the case may be, under the pressure or pull applied to accomplish such result.

After the clamping nuts 44 are loosened, the fan and motor, including the supporting bracket therefor, can be slid rearwardly an the screen-carried brackets until the ribs 41 have moved from the enlarged ends to the opposite ends of slots 36. The motor and and fan and the possibility of twisting or breaking the feed wire cable 60 leading to the motor through the said pivot plate and the base of the housing, in the event the operator holds the knob elevated too long- When the appliance is not in use the parts are disposed as indicated in Figure 2, it being noted that the fan and motor lie wholly within the casing and that the screen forms a closure for the open front end of the housing. When it is desired to utilize the fan for circulating air, the operator applies pressure on the head of pivot pin 23 and exerts an upward'pull on the knob and rotates the latter to effect an exchange of position befan could operate with the parts relatively positioned as mentioned because air wouldenter the housing through the perforated back plate. lVith the parts of thew relative proportions shown, however, it is necessary to shift the position of thefan with reference to the screen before there will be room for the former to oscillate, that is to say, it is necessary to slide the motor and fan forward on the screen-carried brackets 34 until the lugs 41 reach at that time the front ends of the slots 36, this adjustment increasing the distance between the screen and the fan and projecting the latter beyond the front face of the housing. The clampin nut or nuts are then operated to clamp the motor-carrying bracket in its new position relative to the brackets 34, and the fan will have ample room for operation without conilict with any part of the housing, the dotted lines in Figure indicating the tan after it has been advanced as explained and when it is at one end of its limit of oscillatory movement. When the fan is projected from the lmusing it can take up air at its rear side without drawing it through the back plate 3 of the housing, though it will operate more eiliciently it at least part of the air is permitted to reach the fan by way of said back plate. The oscillation of the fan of course is etl'ected through the mechanism detailed by Figures 8 and 10 though any equivalent or conventional means may be e1nployed for that purpose. It is also obvious that if it is desired to circulate air upwardly or downwardly, it can be accomplished as hereinbetore suggested by proper pivotal ad justt'nent of the fan-carrying bracket on the pair of screen-carried brackets. It will be noted that by locating the rotative axis forward of the center of the housing, the mere act of turning the operative parts through one hundred and eighty degrees will project the tan partly through the front end of the housing, this being desirable as it reduces the distance necessary to slide the fan forward far enough to oscillate without conflict with or abutment against the housing, an incidental advantage being that the housing can be made of smaller diameter than would otherwise be possible.

As the operation of the various parts has been explained in connection with the detailed description of such parts, it is believed no general recapitulation of operation is necessary or desirable, and it is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, the right is reserved to make such modifications or changes as fall within the principle of construction and mode of operation involved and within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a housing open at one end, a screen mounted for horizontal rotative adjustment to stand as a closure for the said open end or within and near the opposite end of the housing, and a rotary tan within the housing rotatably adjustable with the screen, and spaced therefrom and at the opposite side of the axis of rotative move ment and adapted for exposure at the said open end of the housing when the screen is within and adjacent the other end of the latter.

2. The combination of a housing open at one end, a screen mounted for horizontal rotative adjustment to stand as a closure at the said open end or within and near the opposite end of the housing, and an electric fan rotatably adjustable with the screen, the air circulating element of the electric fan being at the opposite end of the motor element from the screen and at the opposite side of the axis of rotative adjustment from the screen and adapted for exposure at the said open end of the housing whenthe screen is within and adjacent the other end of the housing.

The combination of a housing open at one end, a screen mounted for horizontal rotativc adjustment to stand as a closure for the said open end or within and near the opposite end of the housing, and a rotary tan within the housing rotatzably adjustable with the screen, "and spaced thercfromand at the opposite side of the axis ofrotative move ment and adapted for exposure at the said open end of the housing when the screen is within and adjacent the other end of the latter; the tan and screen being adjustable relatively toward and from each other.

4;. The combination of a housing open at one end, a screen mounted for horizontal rotative adjustment to stand as a closure for the said open end or within and near the opposite end of the housing, and a rotary fan within the housing rotatably adj ust'able with the screen, and spaced therefrom and at the opposite side of the axis of rotative movement and adapted for exposure at the said open end of the housing when the screen is within and adjacent the other end of the latter; the fan being tiltable in a vertical plane to direct air upwardly or downwardly as well as horizontally.

The combination of a housing open at one end, a screen mounted for horizontal rotative adjustment to stand asa closure for the said open end or within and near the opposite end of the housing, and a rotary fan within the housing rotatably adjustable with the screen, and spaced therefrom and at the opposite side of the axis of rotative movement and adapted for exposure at the said open end of the housing when the screen is within and adjacent the other end of the latter; the fan and screen being adjustable relatively toward and from each other, and the fan being tiltable in a vertical plane for directing air upwardly or downwardly as well as horizontally.

(3. The combination of ahousing open at one end, a screen mounted for horizontal rotative adjustment to stand as a closure for the. said open end or within and near the opposite end of the housing, an electric fan carried by and adjustable toward or from said screen and rotatably adjustable with the latter and adapted when the screen is within and adjacent the said opposite end of the housing to be exposed at the open end of the latter, and means to secure the screen and fan in either of the positions of adjustment mentioned.

7. The combination of a housing open at one end, a screen mounted for horizontal rotative adjustment to stand as'a. closure for matically limiting the rotative adjustment mentionedto approximately one hundred and eighty degrees. i.

8. The combination ofa housing open at one end,.a screen mounted for horizontal rotative ad ustment to stand as a closure for the said open end or within and near the opposite end of the housing, a pair of brackets projecting from the screen, an upright bracket carried by the "first-named brackets, a fitting carried by the upright bracket, an electric fan mounted for oscillation in a horizontal plane on said fitting, the motor element being disposed between the fan elementand thescreen and the fan element at the opposite side of said pair of brackets from the motor element.

one end, a screen mounted for horizontal rotative adjustment to stand as a closure for the said open end or within and near the opposite end of the housing, apair of brackets projecting'from the screen, an upright bracket carried by the first-named brackets, a fitting carried by the upright bracket, an electric fan mounted for oscillation in a horizontal plane on said fitting, the motor element being disposed between the fan element and the screen and the fan element at the opposite side of said pair of brackets from the motor element; said upright. bracket being adjustable on 7 said pair of brackets toward and from said screen.

10. The combination with a housing open at one end, a screen normally closing the open endof the housing, an electric fan carried by the screen for oscillation ma horizontal plane, thefan element being disposed at the opposite end of the motor element from the screen, means pivotally securing the screen to thehousing, means for horizontally rotating the screen and electric fan to efiect an exchange of position between them, a driven shaft forming a part of the motor, and a link between said shaft and a point fixed With'relation to the screen; said link comprising two members bearin an endwise slidable relation, and a pair 0' springs exerting force tending to hold the two elements against slidable action, one of the springs-tending to prevent extension of the link and the other the shortening of the link.

I 11. The combination with a fitting and an electric fan swivelled thereon for horizontal oscillatory movement, of a link connect- .between the screen and the electric ing a driven shaft of the motor eccentrically with said fitting, and comprising two members longitudinally slidable upon each other, a collar on one. of the members, and a pair of springs on said member and bearing against opposite sides of said collar and 12. In an appliance of the character described, a vertical screen, a pair of vertical brackets carried by said screen and projecting rearwarclly therefrom, an upright applying pressure in opposite directions vagainst the other member.

substantially Y-shaped bracket carried by said pair of brackets, a fitting secured to the stem of said bracket and forming a swivel support for the motor element of the fan,

and aflink cccentrically connected to a driven shaft of the motor and to said fittingeccentrically of the swivel point of the motor element; said link comprising members slid ,ably related longitud1nal-ly,-and a pair of springs tending to resist relative slidable movement "of said members in either direction.

18. In an appliance of the character described, thecombination of a housing open .atxone end, a screen normally closing said 9. The combination of a housing open at open end and pivoted to swing in a horizontal plane, the pivotal axis being nearer the said open end than the other end of the housing,

an electric fan carried by the screen'at the opposite side of the pivotal point of the screen from the latter, the

shall effect horizontal oscillation thereoff relative to the screen.

14. In an appliance of the character de scribed, the combination of a housing open at one end, a screen normallyv closing said open end and pivoted to swing in a horizontal plane, the pivotal axis'being nearer the said open end than the other end of the housing, an electric fan carried by the screen at the opposite side of the pivotal point of the screen from the latter, the fan element being at the oppositeend of the motor element from the screen, manually operable means for effecting an exchange of osition an, the electric fan being adjustable toward and from the screen and tiltable around a horizontal axis when at the most remote point of adjustment from the screen, means to guard against accidental tiltable action of the fan except when in the said remote position of adjustment relative to the fan, and means to clamp the fan against accidental tilting movement when in said remote position of adjustment.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ARTHUR H. BUGKLEY.

, fan element bein at the opposite end of the motor element rom

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