US2277069A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1942.

M. G. BURWELL VACUUM CLEANER Filed March 31, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 24, 1942. M, B'URWELL 2,277,069

VACUUM CLEANER Filed March 31, 1939 3 sheets-sheet 2 March 24, 1942. .G BURWELL VACUUM CLEANER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 31, 1959 ?atented ar. 24, 1942 This invention relates generally to vacuum cleaners and is particularly directed to a cleaner for use in hotels, business establishments and oflice buildings or bycleaners of air conditioning,

systems. The primary object resides in the provision of a compact portable unit having a high cleaning capacity which is due to the employment of a relatively large air filter.

Another object of the invention residesin the formation of a cleaner from which the soil may be removed without dismantling the machine or removing'the filter therefrom. The filter is vibrated and the dirt falls from the filter by gravity.

A further object resides in the employment of a conical fabric filter and means for supporting the filter to cause it to be arranged in a plurality of telescoped sections. This novel arrangement reduces the size requirements of the casing and pro-'- vides a large area for the filtering of the air passing through the cleaner. I

A still further object resides in the formation of. a cleaner having means connected therewith whereby the device may be readily converted from a vacuum machine to a blower without requiring the removal or substitution of additional parts. I

Other objects will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying'drawings in which the invention has been illustrated in its preferred form. r

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is-a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the machine shown in Fig. 1;.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and shows the mechanism in a normal position;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the mechanism in an adjusted position to convert the cleaner into a blower;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 isa horizontal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 66 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

through which the dirt enters'the cleaner. On the outside of the body, a nipple 6 is provided for the purpose 'of attaching a. flexible hose to the machine. The side wall- 2 is also provided at spaced intervals with bracket members I pr0ject ing inwardly and upwardly and terminating at their upper ends in concentric filter supporting rings 8.

Extending over the bead 3 is the large end of a 'frusto-conical fabric filter 9, the small end of which is closed as at it). The intermediate portion of the filter extends over the rings 8 and is forced downwardly therebetween by tensioning rings ll. These rings have upwardly extending 'bars secured thereto which engage compression springs T2. The closed end of the filter is held down in the casing 2 in the same manner as the intermediate portions.v This method of supporting the filter provides 'a plurality of concentrically arranged sections which are frusto-conical inform and are connected to one another at their upper and lower ends. It also permits the use of a large filter in a comparatively small casing. The springs l2 engage the under surface of a top plate l3 secured by screws I4 to the casing 2.

The concentric sections of the filter are held in spaced relationship by cylindricalspacers M which are formed of wire netting and are placed on either side'of the bars which hold the tension rings l l in engagement with the filter. The plate ll of an electric motor l8 mounted to the under f side of the plate l3 by supporting straps [9. The external diameter of the impeller is slightly greater than the diameter of the opening and when the impeller'is rotated by the action of the the numeral I designates the cleaner in its em I a pan-shaped receiver 5 in which the dirt gathered by the cleaner settles as the cleaner is being used.

Immediately above the; enlargement 6, the side.

wall of the body 2 is formed with anopening motor, the vanes thereon will withdraw air from the interior of the casing 2 through the opening 15.

The air thus withdrawn will be replaced by air passing into the casing through the nipple 6. This air will be cleaned as it passes through the filter and the'dirt thus removed will drop from the filter into the receiver 5. The air discharged by the fan or impeller is thrown by centrifugal force through peripheral openings 20 provided in a dome-shaped cover 2| secured to the top late I3 by screws 22. Atthe center of the cover, there is provided an upwardly directed tubular extension 23 through which air passes when the device is employed as a, blowing mechanism. Beyond the periphery of the cover 2|, the plate 13 is formed with circumferentially spaced openings 24 which are closed when the machine is' operated as a. cleanerby a valve ring 25. The latter member has a pair of diametrically opposedwing sections which register with the openings 24 and v are provided with slots 26 through which screws 'ings 28 register with the openings 24, the openings 29 will be out of registration with those in the periphery of the cover member and the air issuing from the fan will be prevented from passing therethrough. This air must then find another outlet which will be the outlet in the extension 23.

To prevent the, air from churning around in the cover when the openings 20 are closed, a plurality of bafiles 30 are secured to the under side of the cover and projecttoward the impeller. These baflies, by preventing the air from churning within the cover, cause it to be directed toward the outlet in the extension 23 and permit press them. After the flow of current to the 40 force is applied to the springs l2 tending to commotor is discontinued,- the spring compressing force will be interrupted and the springs permitted to expand. This sudden expansion causes a vibration of the filter and any adhering dirt will be loosened and drop into the receiver 5. The operator may turn the motoron and off several times to increase the vibration of the filter to further loosen the dirt.

After the cleaning operation has been completed, the casing may be released from the receiver by the manipulaLion of the clips 3| employed in securing these elements and the re ceiver conveyed to a point where the soil maybe deposited. By providing the filter which is self cleaning, it need not be removed from the casing since it will always be maintained in a clean condition. This is especially desirable in cleaners of this type.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a vacuum cleaner has been provided which is compact, yetpossesses a large cleaning capacity and may be readily converted from a cleaner into a blower without the employment of tools or the removal of parts. The device is self cleaning and the soil may be removed therefrom without inconvenience or requiring the removal of the en ire cleaner to the point whe1e the soil is to. be deposited.

What is believed tobe new and it is desired to secure by, Letters Patent is set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1; Ina vacuum cleaner of the type having a casing formed with an air inlet, air filtering means comprising a. substantially conical fabric ring-like members disposed in longitudinally spaced relation in said casing, said fabric element extending around said ring members to form a plurality of concentrically disposed frusto-conical sections, a pair of cylindrical for-aminated members between certain adjoining frusto-conical sections, and means for maintaining the foraminated members of said pairs in spaced relation.

2. In a vacuum cleaner of the type having a casing formed with an air inlet, air filtering means comprising a substantially conical fabric element, means for securing the larger end of said element to said casing, a set of concentric ring members supported by said casing adjacent to the point of connection of said fabric element thereto, a'secondset of concentric ring members disposed in closer relationship to the air inlet, means for resiliently maintaining the position of the rings of said second set, said fabric element being trained around said ring members to form a plurality of nested frusto-conical sections, and

foraminated cylindrical spacer elements disposed in sets and cooperating with said resilient position maintaining means to prevent contact between adjoining sections of said fill-er when said cleaner is in operation.

3. A vacuum cleaner of thetype having a vertically disposed cylindrical casing having an inlet adjacent to the lower end and an outlet at the upper end'and motor driven means adjacent to the upper end for causing air to flow into the casing througlrthe inlet and out through'the outlet, comprising filter means for the air having a frusto-conical fabric element having its large end secured to the casing, means for forming and holding the element in a plurality of concentric upright and inverted frusto-conical sections, and a pair of re'iculated cylindrical spacer elements disposed in spaced order between each inverted section and the upright section disposed immediately inwardly thereof, the cylindrical elements of each pair being spaced.

4. A mechanism for converting a vacuum cleaner of the type having a casing formed with primary air inlet and outlets and a motor driven fan for establishing aflow of air through said casing into' a blower, comprising secondary air inlet and outlets, and valve means normally closing the secondary air inlet, said valve means being movable to a position to close the first air outlet and open the secondary air inlet.

5. A mechanism for converting a vacuum cleaner of the type having a casing formed with primary air inlet and outlets,"a' filter between whereby air may enter said casing and flow from the secondary outlet without passing through said filter. i

6. In a vacuum cleaner of the type having a casing formed with an air inlet, air filtering means comprising a substantially conical fabric element, means for securing the larger end of said-,element to said casing, spacedsets of concentric ring-like members supported in said casing, said fabric element being trained around said members to produce a plurality of oppositely arranged frustoconical sections disposed in concentric relationship, and cylindrical spacer members positioned I between certain of said frusto-conical sections to prevent contact therebetween when the cleaner is in operation, said spacer members having double foraminated walls.

"7. In a vacuum cleaner of the type having a cylindrical casing with an air inlet, a cover with an air outlet, and a motor driven blower carried by the cover, filter means comprising a conical fabric element secured at its larger end to the casing, a set of concentric ring members supported by said-caslngadjacent to said cover, the intermediate portion of said fabric element extending over said ring members, a second setvof ring members engaging the fabric element between the ring members of the first set, bar means engaging the rings of said second set and extending toward said cover, compression springs. between the ends of said bar'members and said cover, said springs serving to maintain the fabric element taut at all times, and foraminated cylindrical members positioned on the inner and outer sides of said bars, said members serving to maintain the adjacent folds of said fabricvelement in spaced relation.

MAUREL G. BURWELL.

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