US2291689A

US2291689A - Suction cleaner

Info

Publication number: US2291689A
Application number: US252885A
Authority: US
Inventors: Vernon E Carlson
Original assignee: Hoover Co
Current assignee: Hoover Co
Priority date: 1939-01-26
Filing date: 1939-01-26
Publication date: 1942-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 1959-08-04

Description

A 8- 1942. v. E. CARLsoN I 2,291,689

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Jan. 26. less INVENTOR Vrnon Larlson ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 4, 1942 suc'rrou CLEANER Vernon E. Carlson, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 26, 1939, Serial No. 252,885

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and more particularly to a new and novel motor ventilating system in a suction cleaner. More specifically the invention comprises a new and novel arrangement of parts in a, suction cleaner by which'the heat generated by cleaner motor operation is removed in a new and novel manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. lit is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved motor cooling system in a suction cleaner. A further object oi the inven== tion is to provide a new and improved system of ventilating passageways for motor cooling in a suction cleaner. A. still further object of the invention is to remove the heat generated by the electric motor in cleaner operation by air which is conducted through a system of passageways arranged in a new and novel manner. still further object of the invention is to provide motor and light cooling system in a suction. cleaner which is new and novel in its arrange ment and superior in its operating ciliaracter istics. 'these and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specifica tion and claims and upon considering in connec= tion therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is dis closed:

Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of a modern suction cleaner embodying the present invention with certain parts of the cleaner casing broken away.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the cleaner in Figure 1 with certain parts of the cleaner broken away to show more clearly the motor ventilating system.

Suction cleaners today embody electric motors which drive the suction creating means of the cleaner and the surface agitating means. Modern cleaners also embody headlights which function to illuminate the surface covering undergoing cleaning in front of the cleaner that the operator may more easily observe that covering. Such cleaner motors are generally of high speed characteristics but regardless of the exact type all have in common the characteristic of generating heat when in operation and to obtain emcient operation and long life this heat must be removed. As the light of the headlight is usually positioned near the cleaner motor and as it also generates heat, it is desirable that the headlight .heat also be removed to prevent its radiation ing therefrom the inherent heat of operation. It has been the practice to draw the cooling air through the motor by an auxiliary fan which is motor driven and to exhaust that air from the motor through the headlight aperture and over the cleaner nozzle. Because 01 the relatively large amount of heat which must be removed the volume of air and the speed of its travel is relatively great and it has been found that in some instances the stream of air exhaust= ing through the headlight aperture facing lor wardly of the cleaner has interfered with the cleaning effectiveness of the suction nozzle. .zllso, the air stream exhausted into the surrounding air has been found to carry the noise of the cleaner motor operation.

In the motor cooling system constructed in ac cordance with the present invention motor cooling air is drawn over the cleaner motor, is ex= hausted past the cleaner headlight, and passes downwardly through the cleaner casing to be exhausted into the atmosphere on the underside of the cleaner point at which it cannot interfere with the cleaning operation and atwhich any sound which it conducts will be murlled by the cleaner body and the adjacent covering to a desirable extent.

Referring nowto the drawing in which a pre= ferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated there is found a modern suction cleaner the main casing of which comprises a nozzle l of double wall construction, the inner wall being in cheated by the reference character 2. A fan chamber 3 is interlorly connected to the nozzle 8 by an air passageway l which is preferably formed integrally with the inner wall 2 of the nozzle l excepting its underside which is formed by a removable bottom plate 5. The rear nozzle lip t is formed upon plate 5 while the front nozzle lip l! is formed integrally with the nozzle. The main casing is completed by overhanging side walls or skirts t which extend around the sides of the fan chamber to the rear of the cleaner where they extend along the exhaust outlet ii to which is re movably attached, by manually operable means it, a filter bag it.

A suction-creating fan 33 is positioned within the fan chamberand functions in the operation of the cleaner to draw air through the nozzle l and to exhaust it through the exhaust outlet 9 into the filter bag it where the foreign material is removed. Cooperating with the cleaning air actuated by the suction-creating fan 53 is a rotary agitator M of a common and well known design which is positioned within the nozzle l and which is adapted to contact a surface undergoing cleaning between the lips E and l. Agitator M is rotated by a power-transmitting belt l5 which is driven by the same source of power that drives the suction creating fan E3.

The external construction of the cleaner is completed by the motor hood II which is positioned on the main casing of the cleaner above the nozzle I, fan chamber 3 and exhaust outlet 9 and overlies in part the side skirts 6. Motor hood l'l encloses the driving motor which will hereinafter be described in detail which drives the suction-creating fan l3 and the agitator l4.

The entire cleaner is movably supported by front wheels l6 which are positioned at the sides of the air passageway 4 and under the skirts 6, and by rear wheels l9 and provide means by which the operator can readily propel the machine by a force exerted through a pivoted handle which is partially shown at 20.

The motor which drives the suction-creating fan l3 and the belt i6 connected to the agitator I4 is positioned within the motor hood l'l immediately above the fan chamber 3 and comprises an armature 23 which is rotatably supported at its upper and lower ends by suitable bearing means, the upper bearing being indicated at 24. The motor stator 26 is supported by a motor bottom plate 26 formed with upright side walls which surround the stator 25 and seat it. As the plate is of insulation material, such as Bakelite, the stator can be mount-- ed directly thereon without intermediate insulation. An upper casing section 21, also of insulating material such as Bakelite, is largely of a smaller diameter than the vertical wall of the bottom plate 26 and is formed with a peripheral flange 23 which seats directly upon the top of that plate being suitably secured thereto by screws 29. Near its top, upper casing section 21 is formed with an internal horizontal wall 30 which encloses the motor rotor to provide above itself a ventilating fan chamber, the upper side of which is formed by the removable metal plate 3| which carries the motor bearing 24 and which is secured to the section 21 by screws 32. The

motor ventilating fan 33 carried by the rotor 23 is positioned within this chamber.

Formed upon the Bakelite motor bottom plate 23, and more specifically upon the forward side thereof exteriorly of the vertical wall which seats and encloses the stator 26, is a platform 34 which seats a removable headlight bulb 36;- The curved forward wall of platform 34 is spaced from the bulb-carrying portion of the platform and is connected thereto by a series of integral radially extending vertical webs 36. These vertical connectors 36 define openings in the plat-v form 34 which lead directly to a port 36 formed below the platform in the top wall of the main casing of the cleaner and specifically in the outer wall of the nozzle thereof. Port 33 connects directly to the space between the outer wall of the nozzle and its inner wall 2 and also directly to the underside of the cleaner casing as defined by the space between the surrounding skirts 6 and the air passageway 4. In fact it most directly connects to the space defined by the skirts 6 which could be called the wheel pockets as the front wheels I! are positioned therein.

The motor hood I1 is cut out above the forward curved wall of the platform 34, as indicated at 40. to provide a headlight opening forward of the bulb 36. There is positioned in this opening and between the hood and the curved front wall of the platform a transparent window 4| of material such as Celluloid through which light rays from the bulb 35 may be directed forwardly of the nozzle and onto the surface covering undergoing cleaning. Window 4| is suitably retained by grooves in the edges of the opening.

An air passageway is formed from the fan chamber at the top of the motor casing by cooperating

vertical walls

42 and 43 on the motor hood l1 and the casing section 21, respectively. These vertical side walls cooperate to provide a passageway which leads directly from the exhaust outlet of the ventilating fan chamber to the top of the platform 34 and in which is positioned the headlight bulb 36.

Inlet ports are formed for the motor cooling air in the lower edge of the motor hood, as

indicated at 46, and in the upper edge of the bottom plate 26 as indicated at 46. The air, of course, first enters thru the ports 46 and then passes thru the openings 46 to gain direct contact with the motor windings. It is to be noted that the exhaust passageway formed by the

walls

42 and 43 is sealed from the air passing around the motor casing and between the

ports

46 and 46.

The operation of the cleaner designed in accordance with the present invention is as follows:

With the cleaner in operation and the motor rotating the suction-creating fan l3 creates a flow of air through the nozzle, fan chamber and exhaust outlet into the dust bag II. The suction within the nozzle i lifts the surface covering undergoing cleaning into contact with the agitating elements of the rotating agitator l4 which dislodge from that covering the embedded foreign material which is then carried away by the air stream to the dust bag. This is as in the usual cleaner. The rotation of the motor generates'heat and this heat is carried away by cooling air which is drawn into the motor hood through the ports 46 and into the motor casing through the side ports 46 formed in the lower motor bottom plate 26. This air. drawn by the motor driven ventilating fan 33, passes upwardly over the rotor and stator into the ventilating fan chamber to be exhausted therefrom into the passageway formed by the cooperating

vertical walls

42 and 43 of the motor hood and the easing section 21. The air in this exhaust passageway passes downwardly along the side of the motor casing, past the headlight bulb 36. through the openings defined by the vertical webs 36 of the platform 34 and downwardly through the exhaust port 33 into the space between the outer nozzle wall and the top wall of air passageway 4. The air there divides, part going to each side of the passageway adjacent the wheels it. The air is downwardly deflected at the rear of the nozzle by the skirts 3 and any sound carried thereby is muiiied by reflection against the surface covering undergoing cleaning and by the shielding action of the casing itself.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a casing, a motor on said casing, a hood about said motor, a lamp between said hood and motor, light transmitting means in said hood for transmitting the light from said lamp forwardly of said casing but preventing entrance of air therethrough into said hood, means in said hood defining a ventilating air passageway for said motor, said light transmitting means forming part of said air passageway, said lamp being in s-: id air passageway, and means for circulating air through said passageway to cool said motor and lamp.

2. In a suction cleaner, a casing, a motor on said casing, a hood about said motor, means for supporting a lamp between said hood and motor, means defining a port through said lamp supporting means, light transmitting means in said hood for transmitting the light from said lamp-forwardly of said cleaner casing but preventing entrance of air therethrough into said hood, means in said hood defining a ventilating air passageway communicating with said port in said lamp supporting means, said light transmitting means forming part of said air passageway, said lamp being in said passageway, and means for circulating air through said passageway and port to cool said lamp and motor.

3. In a suction cleaner, a casing, a motor on said casing, a hood about said motor, a lamp between said hood and motor, light transmitting means in said hood for transmitting the light from said lamp forwardly of said casing but preventing the entrance of air therethrough into said hood, means in said hood defining a ventilating air passageway for said motor, said light transmitting means forming part of said air passageway, said lamp being in said air passageway, means defining a discharge air passageway in said casing and having one end communicating with said ventilating air passageway in said motor hood and its other end terminating in an opening at the underside of said casing adjacent the surface being cleaned, and means for circulating air through said passageways to cool said motor and lamp, said air being discharged below said easing into contact with the surface being cleaned.

4. In a suction cleaner, a casing, a motor on said casing, a hood about said motor, means for supporting a lamp between said hood and motor, means defining a port through said lamp supporting means, light transmitting means in said hood for transmitting the light from said lamp forwardly of said cleaner casing but preventing 'entrance of air therethrough into said hood, means in said hood defining a ventilating air passageway communicating with said port in said lamp supporting means, said light transmitting means defining part of said air passageway, said lamp being in said air passageway, means in said casing defining an air discharge passageway extendin from said port in the lamp supporting means to an opening at the underside of said casing adjacent the surface being cleaned, and means for circulating air through said air passageway, port and discharge passageway to discharge the air beneath said casing at a point adjacent the surface being cleaned, said circulating air cooling said motor and lamp.

5. In a suction cleaner, a casing, a motor on said casing, a housing substantially enclosing said motor and having openings for circulation of ventilating air therethrough, a hood enclosing said housing and spaced from the latter, a lamp between said housing and hood, light transmitting means in said hood for transmitting the light from said lamp forwardly of said casing but preventing entrance of air therethrough into said hood, cooperating means on said hood and housing defining an air passageway between one of said housing openings and to said lamp, said light transmitting means forming part of said air passageway, said lamp being in said air passageway, and means for circulating air through said housing and air passageway to cool said motor and lamp.

6. In a suction cleaner, a casing, a motor on said casing, a housing substantially enclosing said motor and having openings for circulation of ventilating air therethrough, a hood enclosing said housing and spaced from the latter, means for supporting a lamp between said hood and housing, means defining a port through said lamp supporting means, light transmitting means in said hood for transmitting the light from said lamp forwardly of said casing but preventing entrance of air therethrough into said hood, 00- operating means on said hood and housing defining an air passageway between one of said housing openings and to said port, said light transmitting means forming part of said air passageway, said lamp being in said air passageway, and means for circulating air through said housing, air passageway and port to cool said motor and lamp.

'7. A suction cleaner comprising a casing. a motor mounted on said casing, means for supporting a lamp forwardly of said motor, means defining a port through said lamp supporting means, means defining an air passageway in said casing in register with said port in said lamp supporting means, and means for circulating air over said motor, port andpassageway to cool said lamp and motor.

8. Asuction cleaner comprising a casing having a nozzle at its forward end, a motor on said casing for rotating a suction creating fan, means for supporting a lamp, means defining a port through said lamp supporting means, said casing having a depending skirt portion spaced from said nozzle to define an open space therebetween exposed to the surface being cleaned, means defining an air passageway in saidcasing and having one end communicating with said port in said lamp supporting means and its other end communicating with said open space, and means for circulating air through said motor, port and passageway to discharge the air in said open space adjacent the surface being cleaned to cool said lamp and motor.

9. A suction cleaner comprising a cleaner body, a lamp supported by said cleaner body, a hood for said lamp, light transmitting means in said hood for transmitting the light from said lamp forwardly of said cleaner body but preventing entrance of air therethrough into said hood, means forming a ventilating air passageway within said hood, said light transmitting means forming part of said ventilating air passageway, said lamp being in said passageway, and means for circulating air through said passageway to cool said lamp.

10. In a suction cleaner, a casing having wheel pockets, a suction nozzle, means in said casing defining an air passageway having a port open to said wheel pockets and out of direct communication with said suction nozzle, 9. motor on said casing, and means to force cooling air over said motor through said passageway and port to discharge the motor cooling air into said wheel p ckets and out of direct communication with said suction nozzle.

VERNON E. CARLSON.

Disclaimer 2,291,689.Vem0n E. Carlson, Canton, Ohio. SUCTION CLEANER. Patent dated Aug. 4, 1942. Disclaimer filed May 22, 1948, by the assignee, The Hoover Company. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 10 of said patent.

[Ofiicial Gazette June 22, 1.948.]

Disclaimer 2,291,689.-Vem0n Carlson, Canton, Ohio. SUCTION CLEANER. Patent dated Aug. 4, 1942. Disclaimer filed May 22, 1948, by the assignee, The Hoover Company. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 10 of said patent.

[Official Gazette June 22, 1948.]