US2311369A - Tank type vacuum cleaner and supporting means therefor - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 16, 1943. l w. J. cLEMENTs 2,311,369

TANK TYPE VACUUM CLEANER AND SUPPORTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed April 11, '1941 2 Sheets ',sheet 1 wa Z'./

Feb. 16, 1943. w. J. CLL-:MENTS 2,311,369

TANK TYPE VACUUM CLEANER AND SUPPORTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed April 11, 1941 2 sheets sheet 2 Harney/15* Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UNTE TE TANK TYPE VACUUM CLEANER AND SUP- PORTING MEANS THEREFOR William J. Clements, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Clements Mfg. Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 11, 1941, Serial No. 388,049

(Cl. 23m- 117) 8 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in vacuum cleaners and has for one purpose the provision of an improved vacuum cleaner of the type in which the dust bag, motor and fan are enclosed within a housing and in which a motor assembly and an associated fan assembly may be readily unitarily removed from the housing, in connection with a supporting member removably secured to the housing.

Another purpose is the provision of such a supporting member to which not only the motor and fan assemblies, but supporting means for the housing, are also secured and may be unitarily removed from the housing.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

The present application is a division in part of my co-pending application Serial No. 282,372, led in the United States Patent Oce on July 1, 1939 issued on the 17th day of June, 1941 as United States Letters Patent No. 2,245,760.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings where- 1n:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a Vacuum cleaner;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a cleaner casing, with some of the mechanism in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of a cleaner illustrating my invention, with parts of the closure cap broken away;

Fig. 4 is a partial section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation illustrating a variant form of my device; and

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the form of Fig. 5.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specication and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, I generally indicates a tubular or cylindrical housing, which has at one end a ring 2, including a flange portion 3 which ts about the exterior of one end of the housing I. V4 indicates any suitable screws or other securing means whereby the ring may be secured to the housing. 5 indicates a spider structure extending generally radially inwardly from the ring andv supporting the inner hub 6, herein shown as unitary with the spider and ring.

'I is any suitable removable-covering or cap having any suitable air outlet apertures 8. 9 is a ring of rubber or the like set within a central aperture of the hub 6. I0 generally indicates a shield or ring having a circumferential flange II and a central air aperture I2. Extending inwardly from the inner edge of thering I0 are supports I3, which carry an inner ring It, which receives the motor eld laminations I1.

22 is an abutment ring abutting against the opposite end of the group of eld laminations I1. Any suitable means, for example bolts 23, may be employed for clamping it and for thereby holding the laminations II against the abutment ledges I6 of the members I5. The ring 22 also is adapted to support any suitable brushes, which brushes cooperate with the commutator of the motor. 26 is a generally cylindrical outer extension of the bridge 25, which penetrates the central aperture within the rubber sleeve 9.

Any suitable switch structure may be used, generally indicated as 28, 29, the details of which do not of themselves form part of the present invention. I illustrate, however, two separate outwardly extending manually manipulatable switch members 30, 3|. 32 indicates anysuitable conductive line extending to any suitable source of electric power not herein shown.

Mounted upon the ange of the ring I0 is a fan housing structure 40. In order to support the ring I0 for ready endwise removal from the housing I, I provide a yielding compressible ring 43 of rubber or the like.

The motor shaft 2| is shown as having an extension into the fan housing. Mounted on the shaft extension 80 are fandiscs 85,'86.

It will be noted that the entire fan and motor assembly can be readily and unitarily removed from the housing I by simply releasing the screws 4 and the below described runner structure. Another ring |00 is mounted at the opposite end of the housing.

It will be noted that the ring 2 is formed with a plurality of downwardly and outwardly extending lugs IOI, which may be apertured, as at |02, to receive the recurved upbent end |03 of any suitable runner structure |04. ing set screws in the lugs |0I, which are shown as an example of practical means for locking the runners in place. Another ring |00 is mounted at the opposite end of the housing. It is formed with corresponding lugs |00 and apertured to vreceive the opposite ends of the runners |04. |01

indicates locking set screws in the lugs |06.

It will be noted that the entire ian and motor "assembly, and the tracks, can be readily and uni- |05 indicate lock- . switch mechanism 28, 29, 30, 3|.

repair or replacement. It will be understood, of course, that any impeding part, such as the switch structures 28, 29, are first removed in order to permit the sliding of the support 48 along the inner face of the housing In the form of device sh'own in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, in place of the runners |04, I provide other ground-engaging supporting means, such as the pivoted casters I I0, of which two may be secured on the lugs of the ring 2, and two on the lugs |06 of the ring |00. Since the cleaner is propelled by pulling it forwardly by means of the hose ||5, when the caster form is employed, it may be desirable to x th'e rear casters on the ring 2 against rotation about their vertical axes, while leaving the front casters secured to the ring |00 free to swivel about their vertical axes as well as to rotate about their horizontal axes.

The vacuum inlet tube ||5, which extends to any suitable oor-engaging tool, may be secured to the end cover plate ||6 in any suitable manner. I illustrate for example latches which are mounted on the ring |00 itself. Similarly, the closure 1 at th'e opposite end of the housing may be secured directly to the ring 2 by any suitable means, for example the screws la; It will thus appear that my structure includes a simple tubular housing having a removable ring at each end. The ring 2 may be released by simply unscrewing the screws 4, and the ring |00 may be released by merely unscrewing the screws |0041.

The rings are additionally connected to each other by the tracks |04, and if desired by th'e longitudinally extending elements lMa, which may be removably secured to lugs |04b on the rings, as for example by screws |04c.

In addition to the rings 2 and |00, the only 'parts which are secured directly to the housing are any suitable handle |30, and of course the The result is economy in manufacture and ease and speed of assembly. Th'e ready removability of the end rings and all the associated parts makes the device not merely easy to assemble but easy and simple to inspect and service.

It will be realized that, whereas I have described and illustrated a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts Awithout departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to my precise showing.

I claim:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a generally tubular housing, means for supporting it normally with its axis horizontal, a motor assembly and a fan assembly secured to the motor assembly, said `assemblies being positioned within said housing housing, means, including supporting tracks, for Vsupporting it normally with its axis horizontal, a

motor assembly and a fan assembly secured to the motor assembly, said assemblies being posiytioned within said housing with their axes horizontal, a normally xed connection between the motor assembly and the end of the housing, including a ring removably secured to the h'ous-i ing end, the motor and fan assemblies being secured to and unitarily removable with said ring, said supporting tracks for said housing being secured to and unitarily removable with said ring, and supporting connections between the opposite ends of said tracks and an opposite portion of said housing, said supporting connections being adapted for the ready removal of the opposite ends of said tracks from the housing.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a generally tubular housing, a removable ring at each end of the housing,`a cover cap mounted on and removably secured to each' ring, a motor assembly and a fan assembly located within the housing and secured to one of said rings and unitarily removable with said ring, said assemblies being positioned within the housing with their axes horizontal, and supporting means for said housing Asecured to said rings and unitarily removable .with one of said rings from the housing, said supporting means including tracks extending between said rings and secured to each of said rings. y

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a generally tubular housing, means for supporting it normally with its axis horizontal, a removable ring at one end of the housing, and means for removably securing it to said housing, a motor assembly and a fan assembly located within the housing and secured to said ring and unitarily removable from the housing with said ring, said assemblies being positioned within the housing, with their axes horizontal, and supporting casters for saidfhousing secured to said ring and unitarily removable from the housing with said ring.

5. Ina vacuum cleaner of the tank type, a

Aunitary tubular housing, a motor and fan unit mounted therein, track-like supports therefor, a ring removably secured to one end of the housing, a second ring removably secured to the hopposite end of the housing, said motor and fan unit being mounted upon one of said rings and .unitarily removable therewith, each such tracklike support being secured at one end to one of said rings, the securing connection 4between said tracks and one of said ringsbeing readilyfremovable. Y Y a Y 6. In a vacuum Vcleaner -of the tank type, a generally cylindrical tubular housing, a motor and fan unit mounted therein, track-like.v supports therefor, a ring removably secured to one end of the housing, a second ring removably secured to the opposite end of the housing', said motor and fan unit being mounted upon one of said rings and unitarily removable therewith, each such track-like support being vsecured at one end to one of said rings, the securing connection between said tracks and one ofv said rings being readily removable,

7. In a vacuum cleaner of the tank type, a

vunitary tubular housing, a motor and fan unit mounted therein,- track-like supports therefor,

a ring removably secured to one end of the housing, a second Yring removably secured to the opposite end of the housing, said motor and f an unit being mounted upon one of said rings and .cured directly to said rings.

8. In aV vacuum cleaner of: the tank type, a

unitary tubular housing, a motor and fan unit mounted therein, track-like supports therefor,

a ring removably secured to one end of the housing, a second ring removably secured to the opposite end of the housing, said motor and fan unit being mounted upon one of said rings and unitarily removable therewith, each such tracklike support; being secured lat one end to one of said rings, the securing connection between said tracks and one of said rings being readily removable, and an end closure secured to the ring on which the motor and fan unit is mounted and unitarily removable therewith.

WILLIAM J. CLEMENTS.

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