US1847870A

US1847870A - Apparatus for cleaning and conditioning fabrics

Info

Publication number: US1847870A
Application number: US272967A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mortimer F Flynn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1928-04-26
Filing date: 1928-04-26
Publication date: 1932-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 1949-03-01
Also published as: USRE18583E

Description

M. F. FLYNN March 1, 1932.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND CONDITIONING FABRICS 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 26 FABRICS M. F. FLYNN March 1, 1932.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND CONDITIONING 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed April 26 N j; ENTOR, MfiI/t/ r ATTORNEY,

Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFI MORTIMER r. FLYNN, or wns'r NEW nnroirron, NEW- xonx APPARATUS non CLEANINGLAND conmrronmo memes Application and April 26; 1928, Serial ing the dust or dirt by vacuum treatment, the

efiiciency of which is greatly increased by the conditioning operation. To these ends, the invention comprises, as broadly described, vacuum cleaning mechanism including an exhaust blower and suction nozzle and usually provided withmeans such as wheels for traversing it over the fabric such as a rug or carpet, and napping or pile,

raising mechanism including a roll having metallic, burred napping .or: pile raising bristles and arranged in relation to the suc tion nozzle so that when the latter is traversed overthe fabric, the bristles first act upon the fabric to open up its weft or woof, or to raise,

" straighten and open the pile of the fabric,

and at the same time loosen any embedded or. matted extraneous matter such as .dust or dirt, whereupon the draft of air enteringthe suction nozzle more efficiently takes up and. removes such extraneous material.

In preferred forms of the invention, ap bristle-alinging or straightening bar is provided and this is also desirably arrangedas sharpening means to sharpen or renew the bristle burrs. The napping cylinder is also desirably movably supported in relation to the head or suction nozzle of the:vacuum mecha.nism,-and provided with means acting automatically to lower the cylinder to active position when the apparatus is advanced upon the fabric and to retract or raise the cylinder to a non-operative position when the apparatus is retracted. 1

I also provide novel and improved means for continuously cleaning the napping cylinder (or bristles), such means including in a preferred example a cleaner or comb which removes extraneous matter from the bristles, and a stripper acting at frequent intervals to clean the comb.

no. 272,967. Renewed my 25, 1931.

The invention is capable of physical'em bodiment as a complete machine,'or it may beembodied by applying to or combining with a vacuum cleaner ofany' known, standard or suitable type, the napping cylinder and other elements of the fabric-conditioning mechanism. I

The'characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufficiently explained in connection with the following'detailxde scription of the accompanying drawings,

: which show one representative embodiment;

After considering this example, skilled per-I sons will understand that many variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed, "and I contemplate-the employmentof any structuresthat are iprop: erly within the scope of theapp ended claims. Fig; 1 is aperspectiveview'of-apparatus embodying the invention in one form. Fig.'2'is a section in a longitudinal-plane of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a similar section showinga different'position of the parts. I Figzis a halfplan view of the machine with some parts broken away. '-Fig.' 5 is a sectionald tail on 5-5, of

In the present particular example, the conditioning mechanism is combined with or aplied to a vacuum cleaner V of known or standard type of which the casing Chas a part 1 enclosing thee'xh'aust' fan or blower, discharging into a bag 2 and connected to the vacuum head 3, the'lower face of whichis formed with the vacuum or-suction nozzle 4. The motor casing 5 is connected at the rear of casing portion 1 and a handle or handle shaft 6'is' also connected to' the casing. The casing or especially the vacuum head is supported at proper elevation above the fabric such as a carpet or rug by wheels 7 revolving on stub shafts S which are connected to arms 9 pivot-ally mounted on ends of the suction h head M10. The arms are connected at the rear of the head bya cross-piece 11, and ad justing means such as the screw 12 isprovided to regulate the height of the nozzle by pivotal movement. of the frame including r arms9 and cross-piece 11. H

inder such as the various devices of this class of my invention. In the present example, the roll structureincludes acoreor shaft 16', the ends of whichare revolubly mounted in hearings in side plates or brackets 17. The

brackets are pivotally connected at 18 to the;

forward ends of arms 19, and these arms are fixedlyconnected by screws or'studs 20 to the arms 9 of the vacuum" apparatus.- Rear- Ward edges'of the brackets 11 are provided with" shoulders or stops 21 and 22" co-operating with pins23 fixed in arms'l9 to'limit the upward and downward swinging movementsof the brackets and the conditioning roll which they support. The swinging frame or 'mechanism including the 'brackets and theconditioning roll are supported and con trolled by wheels 24: revolubly mounted on stub shaft 25 and secured thereon by screws 26. secured in brackets 17 as at 27 ,-Fsig. :5, and

frictionmeans is provided such as the spring.

washers 28=located between the brackets and the wheels,tending to-retard therotation of the wheels in relation to the brackets andaby this frictional reaction upon the'brackets, the frame is caused to rotate counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 and bring the bristles of the conditioning roll in contact with the fabric andma-intain them firmly in proper contact, during advancing movement of the apparatus; and When-the apparatus is retracted or moved to the right asviewed 'in- Fig. 3, the frictional drag acting uponthe brackets raises the frame and roll 16 clear of the fabric and maintains them in this position until the apparatus is again advanced for a cleaning action.v 7

Means may be provided such as a stop 30 slidably mounted-on. one of the arms 19 and engageable above the shoulder member 21, to maintain the swinging frame and rollin: upward, inactive position. while the apparatus is not in use.

The body 1-6 of the conditioning roll is provid'ed with a multiplicity of uniformly arranged and spaced bristles which may be of different forms or arrangements and secured to the rollbody in various ways including the forms or arrangements shown in my U. S. Patent No. 1,:')83,587, and pending applications. The bristles may be angularly bent or straight; as shown in the present example, wherein the bristles. are arranged angularly in relation to radii of the roll and also inclined forwardly withrespeet tothe active or forward motion ,of the apparatus,

The inner ends of the stubshafts are.

that is to the left as viewed in Fig. 2. At the end of each bristle is a tooth or burr 36, these being directed approximately at a right angle to the lower portion of the bristles and also directed forwardly in relation to their active contact with the fabric; that is the burrs project to the left ahead of their respective bristles as they engagev the. fabric F when the apparatus is advanced in the opposite direction.

Means is provided for positioning or straightening the bristles, such means consisting in this example of atransverse bar 37 located above theroll and in contact with the ends of the bristles and adjustably mounted as by screws 38 and 39on lugs or ears 40 which are in-bent members on brackreverse rotation: of the rollv is prevented by the-automatic roll-elevatingaction whenthe apparatus is moved reversely, as sufficientlyv explained above;

A guard 41 is desirably placed above andabout the roll to. prevent improper contact of the bristles with other objects, this guard beingin the form of a part-cylindrical, perforatedflmetal sheet secured in position by: the.

screws

38 or 39. 1

I also preferably provide cleaning means for keeping the bristlescontinually clear of dust, dirt or other extraneous matter, removed from the fabric. Such means con'- sists in the present example of a. comb including teeth 45 secured atregularly spaced intervals in a cross-bar 46 supported by arms 47 fixedly secured to arms 19 as by-screws 48. The'for-ward ends. of the teeth, between which the bristles pass are preferably bent slightly downward as at 50 to more efiectively scrape from the bristles the extraneous matter thereon, some of which will drop to" the fabric surface for subsequent removal by the air draft. Some of this material will however accumulate in the comb and to pcriodically remove such material from the: comb I provide a stripper consistingof a cross-bar 5'1 having-laterally bent ends 52 rigidly secured to brackets 17 and having on its lower face teeth 53 interfitting withthe: teeth of the comb; WVhenever the frame in cluding bracket 17 is elevated in a retractive movementof the apparatus, the stripper teeth 53 are moved upward or to the left'in relation to the comb teeth as viewed iii-Fig. 2, to the position shownini Fig. 3, wherethe stripper teeth are entirely clea'r 'of' the comb Any 111-. ury to the bristles which might 'be caused; by

and in such movement the comb is cleared of extraneous material.

In operatlon, the motor of the vacuum apparatus is put into operation as usual, and

the apparatus is pushed to the left over the fabric such as a rug or carpet, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. At the beginning of this movement, the napping roll is automatically lowered and held in proper firm contact with the fabric in the manner above explained. The roll then rotates counterclockwise with resistance to such rotation provided by the bar 37 in contact with the upward bristles, and the lower bristles enter into the pile of the fabric and engage the weft threads thereof and as the bristles rise out of contact with the fabric they properly separate, elevate and restore the pile to its proper upright position and at the same time loosen or practically pick from the fabric any embedded or encrusted foreign material; and immediately thereafter the suction head passing over the conditioned surface removes the dust and dirt therefrom with greatly increased efficiency due to the fabric conditioning and dirt loosening action of the roll 16. During such movement the teeth or burrs 36 are continually renewed or ning of reverse movement of the apparatus the roll is automatically elevated and remains in elevated position free from contact with the fabric until the beginning of the next advance movement of the apparatus. In the elevating movement of the roll, the comb is stripped or cleaned as also above explained.

My invention provides for positively and mechanically separating, raising, straightening and restoring the pile Without removing any substantial part of it or causing any injury to the fabric and in fact, the condition of rugs and carpets is materially improved while the natural pile surface is being effectively restored and at the same time the fabric surface is placed in proper condition for the effective extraction therefrom of dust and dirt by the vacuum draft.

The apparatus is also valuable for cleaning and restoring the nap of such fabrics as blankets, and it may also be embodied in or applied to vacuum cleaning apparatus'of other types, such as small hand devices and in such cases may be used effectively for cleaning and re-napping garments, etc.

It will be observed from the provision of means of my aforesaid invention, that any depressed portion of the pile of a carpet or the nap of fabric in general is restored to its predetermined normal height above the warp and woof woven structure of the same, and similarly in the event of worn off portions of the pile or the nap, the bristles of the napbristles on the warp and woof strands. Such restoration and renewal. actionsare definrte-.

1y controlled by'the predetermined factors of the constructionof the bristles and their burred ends, and in particular the definite.

height to which the depressed portions and the renewed portions of the pile or nap are raised above the warpand woof structure of the carpet or other'fabric.

. Whereas I have described reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with vacuum cleaning apparatus, a fabric conditioning roll arranged to contact with a fabric in. advance of the vacuum suction nozzle in the active direction of movement and comprising a multiplicity of burred bristles engaging the fabric to open and restore the surface structure thereof and increase the effectiveness of thevacuum action- 2. In combination with vacuum cleaning apparatus including a suction head having a nozzle, a fabric conditioning roll revolubly mounted in relation to said apparatus,

said roll including a multiplicity of burred bristles, and means actuated by movement of the apparatus in opposite directions to lower the roll to contact with a supporting fabric and to raise the roll from contact therewith.

3. In combination with vacuum cleaning apparatus including a suction head having a nozzle adjacent a supporting surface, fabric conditioning mechanism including a conditioning roll revolubly mounted in advance of said head and also supported for vertical movement, means acting in one direction of movement of the apparatus to lower the cond tioning roll into engagement with the fabno and in the other direction to elevate the roll free from the fabric, said roll lowering and elevating means including supporting wheels for said conditioning roll, the coriditloning roll being provided with a plurality of burred bristles, and a bar in contact with the bristles serving as a roll retarder.

4. In combination with the suction head of vacuum cleaning apparatus, brackets pivotally mounted in relation to said head, a

conditioning roll revolubly mounted in the my invention by ion in relation to a supporting surface, the conditioning roll having a multiplicity of-burred bristles.

:6. In combination with the suction'headi of vacuum cleaning apparatus, brackets piv-I otally mounted in relation to said "head a conditioning roll revolubly mounted in the brackets, wheels carried by the brackets,

means actuated by rotation of said wheels.

in opposite directions to oscillate the brackets and move the roll upward anddownward in relation to a supporting surface, and means for releasably retaining the roll in upward position. i

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this 11th day of April,l928. '7

MORTIMER F. FL'YNN.