US2142149A - Tubular element of air-method cleaning systems - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 3, 1939. D. B. REPLOGLE 2,142,149

TUBULAR ELEMENT OF AIRMETHOD CLEANING SYSTEMS Original Filed Jan. 12, 1932 Inventor Patented Jan. 3, 1939 l UNITI-:D STATES PATENT GFFICE TUBULAR ELEMENT ,0F AIB-DIETHOD CLEANING SYSTEMS Application January 12, 1932, Serial No. 586,192 Renewed December 22, 1936 1 Claim.

This invention relates to Air-way" cleaning systems, such as is shown in my U. S. Patent No. 1,533,271, of April 14, 1925, and particularly to that part of such systems, which constitutes the tubular or pneumatic handle elements of the individual or portable sweeper, and such as ls more particularly shown in my patent for Pneumatic cleaner No. 1,345,550, patented July 6,

1920 and reissued as No. 16,224 December 15,

1925. Cleaners of this type are known com- 0 mercially under the registered trade-mark Airway.

One of the first requisites of such tubular parts is that they should be of extremely strong or tough material so light in weight that the greatest carrying capacity can be had with the least possible bulk; another is that the parts should be non-conductors of electricity; and still another, that they should be nonabrasve so as not to mar furniture when struck with the same, and they should be agreeable to the hands of the user.

Such tubular parts have heretofore entered into the construction of such suction or Airway cleaning apparatus, but generally where the same have been attached to the necessary metallic parts, they have been inserted into clamps or heavy parts with bolts or screws to secure the tubular ber to the metallic parts.

The objects of the present invention are therefore to simplify practice or to provide simple and effective means for joining fiber tubes to relatively thin metallic tubes of such Air-way apparatus so as to maintain the lightness required; to provide such construction that the inner surfaces or passageway of the tubes may be kept continuous with uniform diameter and carrying capacity where they are attached to such metallic parts; to provide adaptable joints of such a ber tube where fiber is permanently joined to liber; and to make a complete and continuous handle or tubular conduit with separable joints, as well as permanent joints of ber' to fiber; to maintain electrical nonconductivity in such tubes or handles, and other objects as may herein appear and be pointed out in the claims.

These objects are attained by the use of the material, construction and methods of construction as set forth herein, or the equivalent of the same. The Word ber as used in this specification refers to 'what is commercially known as vulcanized fiber; but must be of .a good strong quality, such as is made into tubes by winding rag 55 paper on mandrels, treating with chlorides, and

rolling to a suitable hardness. Any other. product having sumcient strength, hygrometric quality of expansion and contraction, and dielectric qualities may be substituted.

'I'he construction and methods of construction are set forth herein, and explained and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l shows a portable electrically operable cleaner in the assembly of which my invention is employed.

Fig. 2 shows thehandle portion at right angles to the view in Fig. 1, with the electric motor removed and a hose-pipe adapted to lead from remote suction producing means, connected in place of the motor and fan of the portable de- 15 vice.

Fig. 3 shows a segregated side'elevation of the metallic valve member to which air conduit tubes, according to my invention, are joinable.

Fig. 4 is a view in longitudinal section, illustrative of the arrangement where a metallic pipe or nipple of the valve member is permanently joined to a ber tube, according to my invention.

Fig. 5 is a view in similar section illustrative ef the slip joint where aber tube joins aber tube. 25

Fig. 6 is a `view similar to Fig. 5 wherein a permanent joint is formed by a fiber or plastic rivet.

Fig. 7 is a view showing a modied form of the joint shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modification of the riveting shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 further illustrates a modification of the riveting shown in Fig. 8.

Similar characters of reference denote like 35 and corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawing, I denotes the longer or handle tube of an Air-way cleaner, which is joined to a valve member 2; and l denotes the shorter or floor connecting tube of the same 40 device, both of which tubes are joined to the valve member 2, according to the construction and method of my invention.

Within the valve member 2 is the transparenttopped valve 3, designed to interchangeably direct air currents from the several sections of tube as suction is set up by the motor means 6; so that suction may proceed from the oor tool 5, or from the outer curved handle end 1,'ac- 5o cording as the valve 3 is turned. When remote suction producing means, not shown, is used, a flexible conduction hose-pipe 9 is substituted and attached to the Valve member 2 in place of the motor means 5; and serves to carry away the dust-laden 4air, in operation; whereas, when the v motor means 5 is used, an electric conductor 9.

of the device, an applicatory hose Il, is attached to the handle at I4; and is intended to have applicator devices connected to its end I5, for such service as is not the usual sweeping or oor cleaning.

With the purposes of these devices now clearly set forth, the nature of my present invention, and its applications, may be readily comprehended.

I have found that where a ber tube of a diameter suitable for handles of such devices, has walls of a thickness approximately one-thirtieth part of its circular diameter, it will provide an adequate air ow at pressures such as can be produced by one or more limited weight electrical motor driven fans; and the coelcient of circular expansion produced by soaking such a tube in water, is sufficient to permit it'to be fitted over the end of a rigid tube or mandrel about onethirtieth greater'in diameter than the inside of the tube before it was soaked; and that thereby a secure and dependable joining is effected, by contraction of the ber tube end, placed thereon.

I have also found that where a previously expanded and dried tube end is removed, even though with dilculty, it remains in practically the same-enlarged condition, due to an apparent molecular adjustment or limited plasticity; but nevertheless if soaked again as before, it is subject to considerable additional enlargement but still retains its contractile qualities.

Therefore the present invention utilizes the discovery just mentioned in the constructions as shown in the drawing.

In Figs. 4 and 7 is shown, in full size, the details of construction of joints similar to those shown at Ii, I1 and I8, in Figs. 1 and 2, the metal shank I 9 in said gures corresponding to any one of the shanks I 6' of the oor tool 5, or I1' and I8' of the valve member 2. 'Ihe thickness of the wall of the metal shank is about one half of the total enlargement of the ber end 20, in this construction, so that the inner concave surfaces of the metal tube I9, and the ber tube 2l are ush.

Although the contraction of the ber tube end, on smooth metal may be quite suicient ordinarily, to hold rmly enough; it is sometimes desirable where a relatively permanent connection is required that the exterior or convex surface of the metal tube be roughened by some means, to give security against slipping off, or rotating. Sharp projections on the metal surface are however objectionable; since they may cause mutilation and weakening of the softened ber, when being slipped to position.

In the construction of ber to metal joint I therefore prefer to have an embossment or rimple 2i, pressed into the metal, over which the ber end 2l may conform in contracting, as at 2i Or as a substitute, beads 22 and 23 may be used as shown in Fig. 7. And as a further security, after the parts have been connected and the ber has been allowed to dry, a metallic ring 24. may be contracted over the joint, as is further shown in Fig. 7. A method of securing the ring 24 is to heat it with a suitable flame while in the position moisture content has been driven, soon the ber end, binding it to shown in dotted lines, until sulciently expanded by heat; then to slip to the position shown in solid lines, where it contracts as it cools.

Where ber tube is to be joined to ber tube, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6'; the enlarged end of tube I, is prepared, as previously suggested. by successive applications of soaking and stretching until it shall tover the end of a similar or nearly similar tube I', or the end of the tube I' may be contracted in part, by pressing the same into a hot iron bored with a tapering cavity suitable for reducing the same; since heating increases the plasticity, so that proper tapering and reduction is readily attained in that way; and because of its driving out moisture, a tendency to subsequent slight enlargement occurs. which assists tting.

Permanency of ber ,to ber joints maybe effected by boring through both walls as shown at 2l, and driving into said bore an expansible rivet, such as dried ber, which may be out close and polished down to a surface with the outside of the tube I. The rivet, from which the normal absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and expands. providing the uid-tight t. Or as a substitute for such bore as shown at 2l, that part of the bore extending through the lwall of tube I', may be counter-bored as shown at 2l' in Figs. 8 and 9.

'This counter-boring is e'ected by taking the ends 1 apart, after first boring as shown in Fig. 6. Instead ci' a ber rivet however, the parts are now to be anchored into permanent relation with each other, by rubbing into the bore, a congeniable plastic or liquid. particularly a thermoplastic setting compound of the phenol condensation type, such as is known under the trade name as Bakelite. If the holes are brought to match perfectly. as shown in Fig. 8, or only imperfectly, as shown in Fig. 9, the counter-bore 25', in either case forming an interior anchoring ange within the bore ZI as modied by the counter-bore 2l'. The use of material which expands on setting and which does not require such a high degree of heat to apply 'as will burn or char the ber, insures a fluid-tight connection which is an essential in connection with suction cleaning apparatus, to which the present invention primarily relates.

Where systematic mass production is to be obtained, it should be noted that the tube ends to be expanded, should be set into water. sumciently deep, in numbers, as for example a days quota, each day in advance of the day it is to be operated upon. Hot water, in place of cold,

the plastic wm nu into I,

will reduce to a pliable softness and expansion,-

in much less time than cold water.

The ber tube ends are softened and expanded until they can be pressed over the unexpanded ends with a hugging grip while still in a moist, moist ends are alcondition, after which the lowed to dry and contract. If the unexpanded end is smooth, a uid-tight but removable Joint is obtained. If the unexpanded end is provided with irregularities, the expanded end contracts over the irregularities, conforming thereto in drying, and thus a relatively permanent Joint is obtained. Where a relatively fixed joint composed of two ber sections is desired, the sections may be secured together by use of rivets composed of material which expands on setting and which does not require a high degree oi' heat to apply. When a relatively xed metal to ber joint is required a metal ring may be shrunk over the metal end.

While the construction and method set forth, is particularly applicable to the tubes utilizable in Air-way" cleaning systems, they are applicable to any analogous or similar purpose, and are likewise capable of considerable variation Without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention.

Having now set forth the invention and its manner of operation, what I claim and desire to 10 secure by Letters Patent is:

In an air-method cleaning system, a. tubular conduit composed of a plurality of abutting tubular sections at least one of which is composed of fiber, the abutting sections being arranged to overlap one another at their ends with a uid tight gripping lt, bores extending through the walls of the overlapping portions, and non-metallic initially plastic rivets connecting said bores fluid tight.

DANIEL BENSON REPIDGLE.

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