US2112372A

US2112372A - Vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: US2112372A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lofgren Gustaf Einar
Original assignee: Electrolux Corp
Current assignee: Electrolux Corp
Priority date: 1936-06-25
Filing date: 1936-06-25
Publication date: 1938-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 1955-03-29
Also published as: GB484372A; FR823324A; GB484370A; DE676626C; NL46718C

Description

March 29, 1938.

G. E. LOFGREN VACUUM CLEANER Filed June 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 vENTbR.

March 29, 1938.

e. E. LQFGREN VACUUM CLEANER- Filed June 25, 1956 WW KA 1N VENTOR.

M Adi/9% 1%; ATTORNEY.

I Patented Mar. 29, 1938 PATE'NT OFFICE VACUUM CLEANER Gustaf Einar Loigren, Riverside, Com, assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Dover, Del, a corporation of Delaware Application June 25,

Claims.

- My invention relates to vacuum cleaners and more particularly to vacuum cleaners of the enclosed bag type. In cleaners of this type, it is common to provide a casing within which are I disposed a motor-fan unit and a dust bag or other dust separating member. In order to clean the dust bag of accumulated dirt, it is necessary to remove it and hence a removable closure member is.provided for this purpose. 10 It is also convenient to arrange the closure-member so that it clamps the vdust bag in place.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a new and improved means for removably securing a closure member in place. In accordance with my invention the closure member may be removed by a simple natural movement of a single handle member which movement first releases the closure member from engagement with the rest of the casing and thereafter removes the closure member. My invention'further includes an automatic operating toggle mechanism which looks the closure member in engagement with the casing upon movement of the single handle member in theproper direction.

It is also convenient in a cleaner of this type to attach a suction hose to the closure member. Inasmuch as-the hose is used to pull the cleaner over the surface on which it rests, this force must be transmitted from the closure member, to

the casing through the means employed to secure the former to the'latterh Hence, another object of my invention is to provide securing means so arranged that this force has no tendency to cause release of the closure member from the casing. I

' Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following descriptionconsidered in connection withv the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and of which Fig. 1 is a side view,'partially in cross-section,

of a. preferred embodiment of my invention; Flgl. 2is an end view. ofthe device shown in Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an enlarged view of the portion of the device shown in Fig. 1 which embodies my invention, and is taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; g v I n "Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the "line I5 ofFlg.4; n

Fig. 6 is a .cross sectional view taken on the lines H of Figs. 4 and 5; .x Fig. is a cross-sectional view of a portion of 1936, Serial No. 87,125. (01. 183-37) the device shown in Fig. 3, but showing certain parts in different positions; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing certain parts in a diiferent position.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 5

reference character Iii designates the main portion of a vacuum cleaner casing, preferably including a rounded upper stamping H and a sub- V stantially flat lower stampingl 2 which are joined together in air tight relationship along the seam l3. If desired, this seam may be covered by' a rubber strip M. which serves as a bumper to prevent marring of furniture or the like with which the device accidentally may come in contact. Lower stamping I2 is preferably formed withrunners i 5 and I6 for supporting the unit on a surface.

Casing I0 is reenforced and divided into three compartments by meansof bulkheads I1 and Ill. The space I 9 between these bulkheads may be 20 v termed a motor-fan compartment and access thereto may be had by means of a removable cover member 20 secured in place in an opening formed in the bottom stamping. Suspended between the bulkheads is a preferably cylindrical 5 case 2| within which is mounted the motor-fan unit including an electric motor 22 and a centrifugal fan 23.

The space M between bulkhead l8 and the adjacent end of the casing may be termed a 30 filter compartment and encloses a suitable filter element 25. This end of the casing is "provided with an opening sufllciently large topermit the insertion and removal of the filter element, which opening is normally closed by means of a clo- 35 sure member 26. v Member. 26 is provided with an exhaust opening 21 acrosswhich extends a plurality of vanes 28 for the purpose of directing air flowing therethrough' in an upward direction.

The space 29 between bulkhead I! and the ad-' jacent end 'of casingl0 may be termed a dust bag compartment. This end of the casing is provided-with a preferably, though not necessarily, circular opening bounded by a flanged ring 30 which provides an outwardly facing seat v 3| fora dust bag 'ring 32. Ring 32 is formed with an outwardly extending flange 33 which carries a packing ring 34 of rubber or other suitable compressible material. A dust bag 35 of cloth which -is pervious with respect to air but im vious with respect to dust has its open end secured to ring 32.v

A closure member designated generally by "eterence character 40 is adapted to close the ope..- ing formed by ring 30. The closure member inlet'opening 42 which is adapted to receive and retain one end of a flexible'hose 43. To .the other end of the hose may be connected a suction nozzle 44 by means of a hollowrigid handle 45.

Preferably integral with plate 4| is a pair of spaced members 46 between which is pivotally mounted a handle 41 by means of a pivoting pin 48. Handle 41 includes a preferably curved hand grasped portion 49 and a substantially circular portion 56.

A double rack 5| is slidably mounted on the outer surface of plate 4| and preferably slides on tracks 52 which are raised slightly above the surface of the plate. These tracks may be machined so as to provide a smooth sliding surface. Rack 5| is retained against tracks 52 by means oi headed pins 56 which extend through slots 51 formed in the arms 58 of the rack.

Rack 5| is provided with a pair-of ears 53 disposed on either side of circular portion 50 of the handle and between portion 56 and members 46. Ears 53 are provided with slots 54 which are engaged by a pin 55 rigidly secured to central portion 56 and projecting from. both sides thereof.

Ann 56 are formed with gear teeth 59 which engage similar gear teeth formed on gear segmerits 66, which are pivotally secured to plate 4| by means of headed pins 6|. Integral with gear segments 60 are latch members 62. Ring 36 is formed with box-like recesses 65 on opposite sides of the ring and in alignment with the pivots 6| of the cover member. Retained within each recess 65 is a spring member 66 having the shape clearly shown in Fig. 6. That is to say, spring member 66 is made of a flat piece of spring material and is formed so as to have a substantial flat central portion 61 and curved end portions 68. Furthermore, these spring-members are so formed that the fiat central portion 61 is inclined slightly to the plane of movement of the latches 62, as is likewise clear from Fig. 6. Plate 4| is formed 1 with flanges 69 adapted to receive the box-like entrained in this air.

portions of ring 36 which form the recess 65, thus assuring that the cover member is properly located with respect to the ring 36.

The outer surface of plate 4| is also provided with a projecting arm 16 to which is pivotally secured at H one arm 12 of the toggle mechanism. The'other arm 13 of this mechanism is pivotally connected at 14 to a projection formed on central portion 56 of the handle. A spring 15 surrounds arms 12 and 13 and tends to lengthen the toggle.

A stamping I6 is preferably secured to plate 4| for the purpose of concealing the mechanism carried on the outer surface of the plate, and the shape of stamping 16 is preferably such as to carry out and blend with the shape .of the main part It of the vacuum cleaner casing. Stamping 16 may be secured to plate 4| by means of a screw 11 which engages arm and by means of a threaded ring 18 which may be screwed on to the outer threaded end of inlet 42 so as to clamp a flange 19 formed on the stamping.

The operation of the above described device is as follows:

With the unit assembled as shown in Fig. 1 rotation of the fan 23 by the motor 22 causes air to be drawn in through nozzle 44, handle 45, hose 43 and inlet 42 to the interior of dust bag 35. As the nozzle is passed over a dusty surface dust is This dust is deposited within the dust bag, while the air passes therethrough and is discharged by the fan through filter element 25 and finally passes to the atmosphere through exhaust opening 21.

After the vacuum cleaner has been operated for some time, sufiicient dust has accumulated within the dust bag 35 to require the cleaning thereof. This is accomplished by removing closure member 46, which may be done by grasping the part 49 of handle 41 and rotating it in a counter-clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 7. This movement causes pin 55 attached to the handle to move in an-arc generally upwardly. Rack 5| is hence caused to slide upwardly in a straight line along tracks 52, the pin and slot connection between the rack and the handle permitting arcuate movement of the handle to cause straight line movement of the rack. This movement of the rack causes gear segments 60 to pivot in opposite directions to the position shown in Fig. 8. In this position the latch member 62 has been pivoted out of recess 65 and out of engagement with the springs 66 contained therein. Consequently, the closure member is no longer secured to the rest of the casing and it may be removed therefrom by movinghandle member 41 away from the casing. It will be seen that this latter movement is a continuation of, and in substantially the same direction as, the movement of the handle which releases the latch members 62. Consequently, as far as the operator is concerned, both the releasing and removal of the cover member is effected by merely grasping the handle and pulling it in a direction away from the cleaner.

The dust bag may now be removed from the compartment 29 and emptied. It is-then replaced in the compartment and. the cover member put back. In order to engage the cover member with the rest of the casing, it is placed on the ring 36 with the flanges 66 embracing the box-like structures 65. Thereafter, the handle 41 is turned or rotated in a clock-wise direction. This causes the rack to move downwardly and to rotate the gear segments 60 so as to project the latches 62 into engagement with the spring 66 contained in the recesses 65. As will be seen from Fig. 6, as the latch 62 moves toward the right, as viewed in this figure, it deforms the spring 66, by virtue of the inclination of the fiat ring 30. This results in the formation of anair 7 tight seal around the opening.

The toggle mechanism assures that the latch member 62 will remain in engagement with the springs66. Inthe position shown in Fig. 3, the

spring 15 of the toggle tends to rotate the handle member in a clock-wise direction, thus tending to force the latch member 62 further to the right, as viewed in Fig. 6, against spring 66. Likewise, when the handle is in the position shown in Fig. '7, the spring 16 of the toggle mechanism tends to rotate the handle in a counterclockwise direction, thus assuring that itwill remain in this position when it is picked up by the operator and until the closure member is in place and the operator intentionally exerts suflicient force on the handle to overcome the resistance of the spring 15. i

When removing the closure member not necessary to detach the hose 43 therefrom, inasmuch as the presence of the hose has no effect whatsoever. upon the releasing or attachclosure for the dust bag opening, it could be used has been done for purposes of illustration only air'aa'ra vacuum cleaner, a member pivotally mounted on the vacuum cleaner unit is moved over the surface on which it is supported by the operator pulling on the hose 43. The force resulting therefrom is transmitted to the closure member and from there to the casing through the latching' lmechanism. It is important that this force, which is applied in a direction tending to open the seal formed by packing 34, shall not have .this eiiect. Leakageat this point would result in a substantial reduction in the emciency of the'vacuum cleaner. It will be notedthat the direction of this force is at right angles to the plane in which the latch members 62 are,rotated to release them. Consequently, this force has no tendency whatsoever to turn the latch members, and hence does not tend to loosen or release the closure member from the casing.

It will be noted that the engagement between the latch .members 62 carried by the closure member 40 and the spring 66 takes place within the casing proper, inasmuch as these springs are retained within'recess formed in ring 30 which is part of the casing. This adds greatly to the appearance oi the vacuum cleaner inasmuch as all fastening mechanism is within the casing and hence out of sight. Although the present invention has been described in connection with the as well for securing the member 26 to the main portion ill of the casing.

While I have shown and described one more or less specific embodiment of my invention, this as required by the patent statutes, and does not constitute a limitation of my invention, the scope of which is-to be determined by the appended claims viewed in the light oi the prior art.

, What I claim is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing formed with an opening, a closure member for said opening, a member connected to said closure member for exerting a force thereon to move said vacuum cleaner, means movably mounted on said closure member and movable to engage said casing to secure said closure member to said casing and being constructed and arranged for transmitting force from the closure member to the casing for moving the vacuum cleaner, the plane of movement of said means being substantially at right angles to the direction of application of said force, and a handle mounted on said closure member for moving said means. I

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing formed withfl-i...

an opening, a closure memberior said opening provided with an air'passage, a flexible hose adapted to be connected to said-member so as to communicate with said passage and adapted to exert a force on said member 'for moving said vacuum cleaner, a member pivotally mounted on said closure member and rotatable to engage said casing toremovably secure said closure member to said casing, the plane of rotation of the -piv-' otal member being substantially normal to the direction of the force applied by said hose, whereby force for moving the vacuum cleaner is transmitted to the casing from the closure member, and a handle mounted on said closure member for rotating said means. i

' 3 In avacuum cleaner, a casing formed with anopening, a closure member for said opening provided with an air passage, a flexible hose adapted to be connected to said member so as to communicate with said passage and adapted to exert a force on said member for moving said said closure member and rotatable to engage said casing, the plane of rotation of the pivoted member being substantially normal to the direction of the force applied by said hose, whereby force for moving the vacuum cleaner is transmitted to the casing fromthe closure member, and a handle movably secured to said closure-member and movable in substantially the same direction as the direction of said force to rotate said pivoted member out of engagement with said casing.

4. In a vacuum cleaner of the kind having a unit pulled on the rug by a hose and including acasing having a dust separator opening, a dust separator ring seating in said opening, a cover,

means for compressing the dust separator ring I between the cover and the casing, a handle on said cover mounted to move toward and. away from said dust separator opening, and means connecting said handle with said compressing means to compress the dust separator ring when the handle is moved toward the dust separator opening and to release the, compressing means on moving the handle away from the dust separator opening.

5'. In a vacuum cleaner of the kind having a unit pulled on the rug by a hose and including a.casing having ,a dust separator opening, a

" dust separator ring seating in said opening, a

cover, means for compressing the dust separator ring between the cover and the casing, said cover having'a hose receiving aperture, a hose adapted to communicate with the interior of said casing through said aperture, a handle on said cover mounted to move toward and away from said dust separator opening, and means connecting said handle with said compressing means to compress the dust separator ring when the handle is moved toward the, dust separator opening and to release the compressing means on movingv the handle away from the dust separator opening, said compressing means also serving to transmit pull between the hose and the casing.

6. In a vacuum cleaner of the kind having a unit pulled on a rug by a hose and including a casing having a dust bag opening, a dust bag ring seating in said op ning, a cover having an air passage and adapted to have a hose connected thereto, said cover being movable substantially horizontally to and from said opening, means for securing said cover to said casing and for compressing the dust bag ring between the cover and the casing, a handle on said cover pivoted .on a horizontal axis-and mechanism connecting said handle with said securing and compressing means to release said means on movement of the handle away from the cover, whereby a conti-v nuity of movement in the same general direction releases the cover and removes it from the casing.

7. In a vacuum cleaner oi the kind having a unit pulled on a rug by a hoseand including a casing having a generally vertical dust bag opening, a dust bag ring seating in said opening,

a cover having a horizontal air passage, a hose connectible to said air passage, and means for sealing the dust bag ring between the cover and the casing, a handle on said cover pivoted on a horizontal axis, and mechanism connecting the handle and the sealing means to cause sealing onmovement oi the handle toward the cover as a continuing movement after bringing the cover into position. i

8. In a vacuum cleaner of the kind having a unit pulled on the floor by a hose and including a' casing having a dust bag opening, a dust bag having a rubber ring seating in said opening and a cover seating against said dust bag ring, means adapted to exert a pull on said cover, pull transmitting and ring compressing fingers movably mounted on said cover, said casing having receiving means for saidfingers, a handle mounted on said cover, and mechanism connecting said handle and fingers.

9. In a vacuum cleaner, a body including a ring bounding a dust bag opening, said ring having a seat for a dust bag in a given plane, said ring having projections extending from said plane with respect to the body providing recesses, a cover having fingers adapted to enter said recesses, a dust bag ring fitting said seat, said cover having an annular surface for contacting the dust bag ring, said fingers being pivoted adjacent said annular surface, a hose for pulling the body, means to connect the hose to the cover, snap-action mechanism for moving said fingers into and out of said recesses, and said cover pro viding supporting surfaces for said fingers to transmit force between the hose and the body.

10. In a vacuum cleaner of the kind having a unit pulled on the rug by a hose and including a casing having an access opening for removal of dust, a sealing ring seating in said opening, a cover, means for compressing the sealing ring between the cover and the casing, a handle on said cover mounted to move toward and away from said opening, and means connecting said handle with said compressing means to compress the sealing ring when the handle is moved toward the opening and to release the compressing means on moving the handle away from the opening.

GUSTAF EINAR LOFGREN.