US1756204A - Vacuum-cleaner apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 1930- H. c. LINN 1,756,204

VACUUM ,CLEANER APPARATUS I Filed Dec. 16. 1926 Fi .1. s1

INVEIYTOR. Herman C.Lmn

'ATTOR Patented Apr. 29, 1930:

- U E STATE AT-N ICE HERMAN c. LINN, or CLEVELAND,- onIo, assrenong ro WILLIAM F; jnAwLINes, or

' CLEVELAND, onro j. v

p vacuum-c airmen APPARATUS Application med December 16, 1926. Seria1.No. 155,279.'

This inventionn-relating as .gindicated to vacuum cleaning apparatus is more particularly directed to animproved vacuum clean- .ing device for use inmotor vehicles wherein l gthe suction existing in thetintake manifold of the engine is'utilized to create the vacuum. I e The primary object of the invention is to I providefai cleaning' or di'rt'separating chamber having a connection to such engine intake manifoldand another.connectioninthe form of a flexible tube to which .is attached a. suction nozzle.v Preferablyithe chamber and its connections are formed to be mounted dlrectlyi 'upon the vehicle in ;an1inconspicuOLls position suchfas undertheinstrument board-or 1 within] the engine chamber on the, front side of thec owl board. A further objectlisto con 'struct thechamber of transparent material so asl to permit inspection of the interior 'thereqfand to provide. a detachable connection liipon' the chamberl'proper whereby] the same may beeasily removed from its mounting independently of the intake and flexible I hose connectionslj f A further object of the invention is'topro- "vide Within the chamber acleaning agent which not only prevents any;"dirt from being drawn theretlir'ough into the intake-1 manifoldbut whiohimaintain substantially con- .30. stant the velocity of the inrushing air during the cleaningpr'ocess'. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinflafter fully deseribedf and particularly pointed out in the claims; I d I V ,The annexed drawing. and the following description set forth in detail certain'mechanism 1 embodying. the invention," such dis I 2,. a,.det-ail viewin perspective 'of' one of the dirt filtering elements Fig.. 3, a longitudinal sectionf-through the suction nozzle. and .one

"end its flexible. hoseconnection Fig. {1,

closed means constituting; however; but one of the variousimechanical forms in which a sectional view taken on line of Fig. 3';

and Fig. 5 is a detail view of a'locking ring employed in the present construction.

As indicated in the accompanying drawing,' the present illustrated embodiment of the invention about to be described consists of Va vacuum cleaning device adaptedto be permanently mounted upon-a motor vehicle.

Irwin be of" coursebe obvious that the invention is capable'of being incorporated Referring to ig.1, thengine is indicated bolts '15. The. underside of the bracket is formed with anannular recess 16 in whichis receivable the upper end of a cleaning or dirt.

separating chamber ,17 to be presently de-' scribed. Communicating with such annular v recess 16 through a threaded hole 18*in the.

bracket '13 is a connection19 here shown as a short pipenipple towhich is attached one end of a conduit 20. [The otherend .of such conduit is attached through .a shutoff valve 21 to the intake manifold 110, such valve being provided With a handle or thumb screw 22 for manual operation. W 5

The recess 16 referred to above internally screw threaded and the upper end of the cleaningchamber is formed with external screw threads 24. whereby the latter member 25-.maye'mployed as shown to lock thechamv ber against turning inthe'bracket. .f A packing washer 26 is inserted Ibetweena flange 27 on the chamber 17 and-thelower edge .28 of the flange portion surrounding'uthe.recess 16 to establish an air-'tightoint between the recess and thev interior of the chamber. v

Provided in the flange 14 is a second threaded hole 29 which is arranged centrally of therecess 16 and fixedrin the upper portion thereof is a pipe nipple30. In the lowenend of said hole is screwed a depending tube 3 1, the same extending interiorlypf; the-chamber other types. ofv vacuum cleaning apparatus 'than one specifically constructed for usel in automobiles.

,may be quickly attached to or detaphed from the supporting bracket 13.- A thumb screw I the cleaning chamber.

17. To the pipe is attached one end of a flexible hose 32 which carries at its outer end a vacuum nozzle 33.

As has been previously stated, my invention contemplates the provision of a cleaning or dirt separating agent to be interposed in the vacuum line of the present device which serves both to remove the dirt from the air drawn through the conduit 32 to the intake manifold and to regulate or maintain con-- panding ring 38 having finger engaging pro jections 39' and receivable within a groove 40 in the cylinder is utilized to detachably secure said latter member. to the head 36. The lower end 41 of the cylinder 37 is adapted to lie closely adjacent the bottom of chamber 17. In the lower portion of the verticalwall of the cylinder are provided a number of spaced holes 42. V The cleaningagent, which in the present instanceis a fluid, is placed in the bottom of the chamber 17 and rises to a level about the holes 42 so that an air cell is establishedbetween the interior of the cylinder 37 and the vacuum conduit 20.

The holes 42 referred to above are spaced around the periphery of the cylinder wall and serve to evenly distribute the inrushing dirt-laden air into the fluid surrounding such cylinder. Hence the cleaning element is permitted to function in a very efficient manner. Also the size and number of the holes 42 may bevaried to provide more or less resistance to the air, being drawn through the cleaning Positioned within the cylinder 37 is afloat 43 consisting of an annular ring of cork or other buoyant material and one or more layers ofscreen 44. This float conforms in size to the inner dimension of the cylinder and is prevented from falling beneath the'level of the uppermost of the holes 42 by the annular shoulder or rib 45 provided on the inner side of such cylinder. 7 In operation the float just described serves to preventany large particles ofdirt from entering the fluid in the "lower end of the cylinder; the mesh of such screen being smallerthan the diameter of holes 42. As seen from Fig. 1, the cylinder .37 is considerably smaller than the inner diameter of the chamber 17 and the greater bulk of the liquid is confined in the annular f pocket between such members. A float 46 in the form of a ring is positioned on the top of the column of liquid between the cylinder 37 sta emate-r17.

In the operation of the present novel device the air drawn through the conduit 32 is passed downwardly through the tube 31 into the upper portion of cylinder 37 where the particles of dirt too large to pass through the holes 42 are separated by the screen 44. From there the air passes downwardly through the liquid in the lower end of the cylinder where still more of the dirt is removed from the air column, after which time the air passes outwardly through the openings 42 into the liquid surrounding such cylinder. In the process of passing the air I through the liquid in the cylinder 37 and in the chamber 17, it is found that the dirt is thoroughly agitated and emulsified in such liquid. The float 46 serves to aid in breaking up the air bubbles which strike its under side and to evenly distribute the flow of air through the liquid around its inner and outer, peripheries. v 7

Battle plate 47 may be employed at the upper end of the chamber to collect and break up any liquid containing fog or spray which is formed by the passage of air through the liquid and allow the same to return to the chamber and flow over this plate and then down the walls of the outer container. The baflie plate is shown in the form of a metallic plate provided withan upturned flange 48 fitting the upper portion of the recess 16 and having a central opening 49 of slightly larger diameter than that of'the tube 31 passing therethrough. g

It has also been previously mentioned'that one of the objects of this invention is to construct the chamber 17 of transparent material. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the chamber 17 is indicated as being formed of glass through which the interior thereof may be visible to determine the condition of the liquid carried therein. .Wh'en this liquid is seen to be veryclouded or thickly emulsified. by the dirt coming through the conduit 32, the thumb screw 25 is loosened and the chamber mav be unscrewed from its mounting and the liquid changed. During this process, the ring 38 is compressed and thecylinder 37 removed for suitable cleaning.

In Figs. 3 and 4 is illustrated an improved type of suction nozzle to be utilized in 'connection with the device described above. To the end of flexible hose 32 is secured a hollow connection 50 whichserves as a handle for the vacuum nozzle 51 formed integrally therewith. The nozzle 51 is of conventional shape havingan increasing area from the opening in the'handle 50 to the lower end. 52 thereof.- In such lower end 52'is mounted a cylindrical agitating brush 53. Theaxisof such brush is formed by a twisted wire which has its ends 54 received in'holes 55in the sides of the tacting surface of the nozzle and as this portlon becomes Worn, the screws 56 are loosenedcand an unused portion of the flush is the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such'stated means be employed. l

I therefore particularlypoint out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a chamber adapted to receive liquid therein and having a discharge port, a second chamber also adapted to receive liquid chamber and having a closed bottom and a multiplicity of small openings in its lateral Walls, ner chamber, a float disposed in said firstnamed chamber and substantially closing the prislng and mounted within said first-named an inlet conduit connected to said ining the end of the spacebetween said inner and outer chambers, a second float mounted in said inner chamber, said second float coman annular ring of cork, or the like, fitting closely within said inner chamber and carrying a disk of foraminous material, and

a shoulder Within said inner chamber adapted to prevent said second float from falling below the level of the uppermost of said small HERMAN C. LINN.

end of the space between said inner and outer I chambers, and a baflie mounted between the surface of said liquid and said discharge port to prevent the discharge of liquid through said port. a n- 2. In apparatus of thecharacter described, the combination of a chamber adapted to receive liquid therein and having a discharge port, a second chamber also adapted to re ceive liquid. and mounted Within said firstnamedchamber andhaving a closed bottom and a-multiplicity of small openings in its lateral Walls, an inlet conduit connected to said inner chamber, and an imperforate float disposed in said first-named chamber and substantially closing the end of the space between said inner and outer chambers.

3. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a chamber adapted to receive liquid therein and having a discharge port, a second chamber also adapted to receive a liquid and IHOUIltGd Within said first-named chamber and having a closed bottom and a multiplicity 7 Walls, an inlet conduit connected tosaid inner chamber, a float disposed in said firstnamed chamber and substantially closing the end of the space-between said inner and outer chambers, and a second float mounted in said'inner chamber and carrying a screen through which air from said inlet conduit must pass before contacting said liquid. 11:;

or 4. In apparatus of the character. described,

the combination of a chamber adapted tore- Fceive liquid therein and having a discharge port, a second chamber also adapted to receive liquid and mounted Within said cfirstnamed chamber and having a closed bottom and a multiplicity of small openings in its lateral Walls, an inlet conduit connected to said inner chamber, afloat disposed in said first-named chamber and substantially clos= of. small openings in its lateral

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