US2540763A

US2540763A - Vacuum cleaner casing construction

Info

Publication number: US2540763A
Application number: US619351A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leland H Snyder
Original assignee: Knapp Monarch Co
Current assignee: Knapp Monarch Co
Priority date: 1945-09-29
Filing date: 1945-09-29
Publication date: 1951-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 1968-02-06

Description

Feb. 6, 1951 L. H. SNYDER 2,540,763

VACUUM CLEANER casmc cous'mucnon Filed Sept. 29, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 EgQl g/OSQ.

571 212-2227? Leland H Snyder Feb. 6, 1951 L. H. SNYDER 2,540,763

VACUUM CLEANER CASING consmuc'rxon Filed Sept 29, 1945 a Sheets-Sheet 2 Leland/i'rgyder Feb. 6, 1951 L. H. SNYDER vncuuu CLEANER casmc consmuc'rxou 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 29, 1945 No B a jZ 7VEI'2Z27F I Le Zena Jnyder sZ/JW/ /WVW Feb. 6, 1951 L. H. SNYDER 2,540,763

VACUUM CLEANER CASING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 29, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 fi s loan.

[Yr E17 727.2 Lelandfifnyaer Feb. 6, 1951 L. H. SNYDER 2,540,763

VACUUM CLEANER CASING consmucnou a Shee t s-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 29, 1945 fi'H Enfczr' Leland H Sn der Feb. 6, 1951 L. H. SNYDER VACUUM CLEANER CASING cons'mucnon 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Sept. 29, 1945 [WI E2722?!" Lgldnd H nyder Feb. 6, 1951 sNYDER 2,540,763

VACUUM CLEANER CASING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 29, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 ZZ IVE'JTZTUF Leland H Snyder ZQY M H22 Feb. 6, 1951 H. SNYDER 2,540.763

VACUUM CLEANER CASING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 29, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Leland HJ'n /aer Z7 WW/yW Patented Feb. 6, 1951-- w VACUUM CLEANER CASING CONSTRUCTION Leland H. Snyder, Chicago, Ill., minor, by

mesne assignments, to, Knapp-Monarch Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Application September 29, 1945, Serial No. 619,351

l This invention pertains to vacuum cleaners, and relates more particularly to a novel housing structure for a vacuum cleaner as well as to a vacuum cleaner having a suction mechanism which may be operated either mechanically or electrically. According to the present invention, the housin for a vacuum sweeper is made up of upper and lower arcuate halves connected somewhat in the manner of a walnut shell. Transverse registering partition walls in the housing halves subdivide the space within the housing or easing into a rear compartment adapted to receive means for driving a suction fan, a middle compartment for housing a suction fan, and a front compartment for receiving the neck of a suction nozzle opening into the suction fan housing. The lower casin half is formed with a bottom aperture coinciding with said front compartment to afford entrance into said compartment for said suction nozzle neck. An arcuate downwardly open cover member integral with the lower casing half extends in front of and, wing-like, on both sides of the lower casing member and serves to receive a suction nozzle made up of a rear part defining the rear wall and neck of the suction nozzle together with a front part defining the front wall and the roof of the suction nozzle. A pair of front wheels are supported from the suction nozzle which also accommodates a rotary brush.

The two casing halves are provided with means for accommodating either electrical or mechanical means for driving the suction fan.

Itis therefore an important object of the pres ent invention to provide a vacuum cleaner having a housing made up of two complementary arcuate halves accommodating in separate compartments means for driving a suction fan, a suction fan and the neck of a suction nozzle, said lower casing half being further provided with a downwardly open cover member for receiving said suction nozzle that in turn accommodates a rotary brush and affords support for a pair of front wheels.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum'cleaner housing capable of accommodating either mechanical or electrical means for driving a suction fan.

Other and further objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, accompanying drawings and appended claims.

The drawings show, by way of an example of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention, a vacuum cleaner identical with that shown in my copending applications Serial Nos.

6 Claims. (Cl. 15-342) 619,350 and 619,352 entitled. respectively, Ad-

Iii

justable Height Mechanism for Floor Cleaners? and Vacuum Cleaner with Illuminating Device," flied of even date herewith. The first mentioned application issued January 9, 1951 as: Patent No. 2,537,166. The second mentioned application is now abandoned. The first mentioned application contains claims drawn to the mechanism for varying the effective working height of the sweeper casing with respect to the floor, while the second mentioned application contains claims drawn to a battery supplied illuminating arrangement. Reference is made to said copendingap plications for features not disclosed or shown in the present application.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention equipped with mechanical driving means for a suction fan;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation, with parts broken away, of the vacuum cleaner of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a greatly enlarged horizontal crosssectional view taken along the line III-4D. of Figure l, with parts broken away and parts shown in plan view.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3, with parts shown in elevation;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of Figure 3, with parts shown in elevation;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line VIVI of Figure 3;

Figure "I is a detail sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of Figure and showing a clutch member forming part of the driving means for the suction fan of the vacuum cleaner of Figures 1 to 6 and 8;

Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 3, with parts broken away and parts shown in elevation;

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the lower casing half;

Figure 10 is a bottom ing half;

Figure 11 is a front elevational view of the rear suction nozzle part; c

Figure 12 is a front elevation of the front suction nozzle part;

Figure 13 is a horizontal cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3 but showing a vacuum cleaner plan view of the top casequipped with electrical driving means for a suction fan; and

Figure 14 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of the suction cleaner of Figure 13.

In Figures 1 to 6 and 8, the reference numeral i indicates generally a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention equipped with mechanical driving means for the-suction fan. This vacuum cleaner includes a body, housing or casing formed by an upper casing half 1 I and a lower casing half l2 together with a cover member 93 integral with the lower casing half l2 and extending in front and on the sides of the latter to form lateral wings for the sweeper body; The vacuum cleaner Ml may be manually pushed over a floor surface by means of a generally tubular handle i4 pivotally connected to the sweeper body'through a yoke having arms i5. Parallel longitudinal slots at} through the roof of the casing half ii admit the yoke arms it into the interior of the casing and permit swinging movement of the handle it. mlcra for the ends of the yoke arms it are provided in the form oi pins or stub-shafts (not shown) accommodated or journalled in slots ll extending upwardly from the lower rim of the upper casing half 6 i near the front portion of the slots it (Figure 10).

A dust bag has its free end attached to the distal portion of the handle it, for example, by means of a spring and hook arrangement 28 (Figure 1).

As best shown in Figures 9 and 10, the upper casing half i I as well as the lower casing half i2 are of generally teardrop-shaped configuration and their rims are formed, respectively, with abuttting surfaces Ho and E201 capable of registering one with another. On each side of the lower casing half i2, the abutting or mating surfaces are locally enlarged and the wall of the casing corresponding thickened, being further pierced by threaded vertical bores 25. The upper casing half H has its wall correspondingly enlarged and tapped from below by upwardly closed threaded bores adapted to register with the bores 24, so that said two casing halves ii and i2 may be rigidly connected by means of screws or bolts (not shown) threaded into the bores 25 from below and extending upwardly into the bores 25.

The upper casing half I i is provided with a rear transverse partition wall 21 and a forward transverse partition wall 28. The lower casing half i2 is provided with a rear partition wall 29 and a front partition wall-3ll adapted to mate with the

upper partitions

21 and 28 to subdivide the interior of the casing into a rear compartment 3! for suction fan driving means, a middle impeller space 32 for the suction fan and a front compartment 33 adapted to receive the neck or a suction nozzle.

The front compartment 33, unlike the rear compartment of. the impeller space, is not enclosed on all sides, for the bottom of the lower casing half l2 extends only up to the partition 3%. Forwardly of the partition wall an aperture 35 co-extensive with the front compartment 33 leaves the same open with respect to the space enconr passed by the cover I3. Further, the curved front wall of the lower casing half, ahead of the partition 30, extends downwardly only to the roof of said cover so as to leave the space therein un obstructed.

The

front partition walls

38 and 30 have their free rims each formed with an arcuate recess (as at Zita and tila respectively), and these recesses register to define a circular entrance to the impeller space 32. On one side of the impeller spacev members lib and I2! are formed with outer grooves lie and i2c whose ends register to form a circumferential groove around the outside of the exit duct, so that the lower end of the dust bag 20 can be tied or otherwise attached about the end of the exit duct.

A plate 38 is amxed to or integral with the partition 28 in front thereof and has a lower rim configured similarly to the lower rim of the partition 28 but extending a short distance therebelow. Thus, the plate 38 is formed with a semicircular recess 38a concentric with the recess 28a. The plate 38 terminates laterally a short distance past each side of the recess 28a.

As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 8, a suction nozzle extends Within the front compartment 33 and the cover 53 and is formed by a rear part 40 and a front part M. This suction nozzle may be generally described as including a central neck Mia and a nozzle proper extending transversely of the sweeper within the cover 63 with its lower rim on the level of the casing bottom. The nozzle is generally bent downwardly ahead of the neck and expanded laterally so that the opening of the nozzle lies in a horizontal plane and extends over the greater part but not the whole width of the sweeper. The exact form and the arrangement of the two nozzle parts M and 4 i' are disclosed hereinbelow, as is also the manner in which the suction nozzle provides communication between the impeller housing 32 and the space encompassed by the cover 53.

The circular aperture formed by the

recesses

28a and 30a aiiords communication between the impeller space 32 and the front compartment 33 in the sweeper housing. Communication between the front compartment 33 and the space the cover member 83 is provided by the aperture 35. The above disclosed suction nozzle serves to regulate the flow of air from the open bottom of the cover member l3 up through the aperture 35, through the front compartment 33 and through the aperture defined by the recesses 28a and 38:: into the impeller space 32. As best shown in Figure 11, the rear part 40 of the suction nozzle includes a constricted middle neck portion Illa tapering rearwardly to define a circular orifice 40b adapted to register with the entrance aperture into the impeller space 32 defined by the

recesses

28a and 30a. The upper rear half of the neck a is formed with an upstanding terminal lip or flange 400 that hooks into the rabbet-like groove formed by the lower end of the partition wall 28 and that part of the plate 38 projecting therebelow. The lower part of the neck 40a around the aperture dilb is thickened, as at 40d, and formed with a rearwardly directed lip #08. The lip 40c overlies the upper rim of the recess 30a, while the thickened portion 40d presents an extended surface abutting against the margin of the partition wall 38 around the aperture 30a.

As shown in Figure 4, the roof of the rear suction nozzle part 40 is bent downwardly ahead of the aperture formed by the

recesses

28a and 30a,

and, as shown in Figure 11, this roof is also flared laterally and slopes downwardly from the neck 40a so as to present in front elevation a generally dome-shaped appearance. The roof terminam forwardly in a generally arcuate edge formed with an extended vertical abutting surface 460. As shown in Figures 3 and 8, the rear wall 46 of the rear nozzle part 40 is flared laterally and downwardly from the thickened lips 40d so that its lower rim extends in a straight line transversely of the sweeper within the cover l3 and the level of the bottom of the lower casing half I2 and a short distance behind the abutting surface 40a. The lateral end portions of the rear wall 40 extend vertically and merge with the very gently sloping narrow lateral end portions of the roof of the part 40, while the middle of the rear wall 40 curves upwardly and rearwardly to merge with the thickened lips 40d and with the wider, domed center of the roof.

The front nozzle part 4| extends ahead of the rear part 40 as a cover therefor with its lower rim extending in a straight line in front of the lower rim of the rear nozzle part 46. The middle upper portion Ala is arched or bulged forwardly and gradually merges with the outer upper portions Mb that extend horizontally. The upper rear rim is formed with an extended arcuate abutting surface Me adapted to lie against the abutting surface 609 of the rear nozzle part 46. The lowest front part Md extends vertically in a straight line in abutment against the inside lower margin of the front of the cover l3.

Apertured ears or lobes 46h project upwardly from the front of the rear nozzle part at each side of the neck 40a, and correspondingly located apertured ears 4|e project upwardly from the rear of the front nozzle part 4|. Screws 42 threaded into the ear apertures hold the two nozzle parts together.

Apertured lugs 4| ,f are formed on top of each horizontal part 4|b. Registering lugs 43 tapped from below depend from the inside of the cover l3. Screws (not shown) threaded into the lugs 4| from the inside of the suction nozzle extend into the threaded bores of the lugs 43 to hold the suction nozzle in place within the cover l3.

Plates 50 integral with the rear nozzle part 40 close off the lateral ends of the suction nozzle and extend behind the latter. The plates 50 are formed at their forward ends with downwardly opening slots 56a that freely accommodate a rotary brush shaft 5| carrying brushes 52 arranged in spiral lines about the brush shaft 5|. As shown in Figures 4 and 8, the brushes 52 are of such a length as to be bent slightly when contacting the curved inside 4| g of the front nozzle part 4|d on counterclockwise rotation of the brush shaft 5|. As a result, when the brushes are rotated clear of the curved inside 4| 9 of the front nozzle part Md, the brushes will tend to throw off particles of dust and lint adhering thereto.

The end plates 50 further carry above the slot 50a outstanding lugs 53 from which are pivotally suspended plates 54 whose rear sides are inwardly and downwardly slotted. as at 54a, to receive the constricted ends 5|a of the brush shaft 5|. More particularly, the plates 54 are suspended from the outer terminal surfaces of the lugs 53 by means of screws 55, and the ends of the screws 55 as well as the plates 54 are spaced from the outer terminal surfaces of the lugs 53 by torsion springs 56 having upper longer arms 56a whose ends lie against the front wall of the lower casing I2 and whose lower ends 56b abut against inwardly projecting spurs 54b on the plate 54 at about the level of the bottom of the slots 54a. The torsion spring 56 thus urges the pivotable 6 plate 64 backward so that serrated surfaces Ilb on the rotary shaft 6| are urged into frictional engagement with front wheels 60 for driving the rotary shaft 5|. Inside the plates 54 the rotary shaft 6| is formed with shoulders 5h: abutting against the plates 54 for preventing lengthwise displacement of the shaft. The front wheels 60 are freely rotatable on a shaft 6| extending transversely of the sweeper behind the suction nozzle through slots 50b in the plate 60 that permit only upward and downward movement of the shaft with respect to the sweeper body. Washers 62 and cotter pins 63 at the ends of the shaft 6| outside the wheels 66 serve to keep these wheels on the shaft 6|. Above the slots 50b a pin 65 is aflixed in each end plate 56 so as to project laterally on both sides: of each plate 56. On the inside of each plate 60 the free ends of a tension spring 66 are hooked around the shaft 6| and the inside end of the pin 65, so as to bias the shaft 6| upwardly as far as permitted by the slot 561).

The front wheels 60 are kept in spaced relationship to the outside of the plate 56 by washers 61 affixed to the shaft 6|. Between each washer 61 and each plate so a cam member I0 is rigidly attached to the shaft 6| which thus acts as a rock shaft to synchronize movements of the two cam members 76. The members 16 are generally of V-shape, and the crotch of said V is formed with a camming surface adapted to contact that part of the pin 65 outside the plate 50 to depress or elevate the shaft 6| with respect to the sweeper body. As shown in Figure 2, the forward end of the crotch of the cam member 10 is formed with a recess Illa adapted to receive and hold the shaft 6| at a certain distance from the pin 65. Adjacent the other and rear leg of the V-shaped member 10, the latter is formed with another recess 10!) adapted to receive and hold the shaft 6| at a smaller distance from the pin 65, as shown in Figure 2. Between these two recesses, the crotch of the V is provided with a curved surface Hlc permitting swinging movement of the member 10 so as to lodge the pin 65 in either of the recesses Illa and 10b. One of the cam mem-- bers 16 is provided with a rearwardly directed arm 1| forming a continuation of the rear leg of the V-shaped member movable in a slot 12 in the rear of the lower casing member I3'for manual actuation of the cam member 10.

It will be apparent that movement of the arm 1| and thereby of the two members III (through the agency of the shaft 6| acting as a rocking shaft) will cause a camming or wedging action of the surfaces Illa, 10b and 10c functioning to space the shaft 6| at a greater or smaller distance from the pin 65, thus elevating or depressing the front wheels (which are freely rotatable about the shaft 6|) with respect to the sweeper body. The rotary brush shaft being spaced with respect to the sweeper body, it is evident that the height of the brush shaft above the surface being swept can be regulated at will for more or less severe brush action and for correlation with the height of the nap of any rug being cleaned.

Besides the suction nozzle, the front wheels and the rotary brush, the front part of the sweeper body also carries illuminating means. An electric bulb 15 is socketed on the suction nozzle neck 40a, being energized by batteries 16 suspended within the cover I3 behind and inside the front wheels. A switch 11 is provided at the distal end of the handle I 4, which latter is hollow and accommodates a cord 18 forming m of the circuit including the bulb 16. the 1mby means of a screw 80. to the lower casing half so as to close the resulting slot. The shield 19 is transversely slotted, as at 19a. to allow penetration of the light from the bulb 15.

The rear compartment 3| holds driving mechanism for a suction fan. A worm shaft 90 having a double threaded worm 90a extends lengthwise of the sweeper body within the compartment 9| for driving a suction fan 9| within the impeller housing 32. The partition 21 is apertured, as at 21a, and the front end of the shaft 90 extends into the impeller housing 92 for receiving the hub 9Ib of the fan which is held thereon by means of a set screw 92. The suction fan 9| further includes a circular plate 9|b integral with the hub 9Ia and carrying impeller blades 9Ic.

The worm shaft 90 is journaled in combined radial and thrust bearings 94. The two bearings are removably held by screws 96 on lugs 95 formed on the inside of the lower casing half I2. As' shown in Figure 4, the bearings 94 include inner ball bearings 94a of smaller diameter than the main portion of the shaft 90 and facing the worm 90a and outer sliding bearings 94b of smaller inner diameter. The shaft 90 is constricted, as at 90b, to fit the ball bearings, and still more constricted, as at 90c, to fit the sliding surface bearings, and formed with shoulders between the constrictions that coact with the bearings to prevent axial shaft displacement.

The worm shaft 90 is driven from a rear wheel- 98 (having an outer serrated rubber thread) operating through a slot 99 in the bottom casing half I2 and carried by a shaft I09 extending transversely through the rear compartment 3|. The wheel 98 may be rigidly affixed to the shaft I by means of a pin IN. The ends of the shaft I00 are journaled in bearings I02 and I03, respectively, formed integrally with the lower casing half I2. These bearings I02 and I03 open to the outside of the lower ca'sing half I2, and are protected by removable'caps I02a and I03a.

A worm gear I05 engaging the worm 98 from below is loosely mounted on a collar I06 on the shaft I00 with its inner margin abutting against a terminal flange I06 on said collar I06 which in turn abuts against the hub of the wheel 96. The collar I06 extends over the shaft I00 away from the wheel 98 beyond the worm gear I05. A short distance past the worm gear I05 the collar I06 is constricted, as at I06b, and further away, the collar terminates on a radial flange I050, removably affixed to the shaft I00 by means of a pin I01. The worm gear I05 is driven from the collar I06 by means of a one-way roller clutch comprising an annular member I09 (Figures 5 and 7) whose inner margin is interlocked with the restricted collar portion I06c (see Figure '7) and whose periphery is recessed to provide a plurality of inwardly sloping tracks I09a distributed about said periphery. A roller H0 is mounted in each recess and is adapted, when the member I09 is rotated forwardly, to move outwardly in saidrecess and'to engage an axial flange IIa on an annular member III aflixed to the worm gear I05, as by means of headed pins II2. An annular shield II9 having an axial flange II3a peened over the flange IIIa extends inwardly therefrom into closely spaced relationship with the collar I06 to protect the clutch against the entry of dirt and the like.

Due to the provision of the one-way clutch. rotation of the shaft 90 and the fan 9| will be effected by actuation of the traction wheel We only when the sweeper is moved forwardly.

It will be noted that after removal of the upper casing half- II, the whole driving mechanism for the suction fan can be removed from the sweeper. The bearings 94 are disengaged from the supports 95 by removal of the screws 96. The bearing caps |02a and I03a are removed, and the shaft I00 is disengaged from the collar I06 and from the hub of the wheel 95 by removal of the pins I01 and I0| and pulled out from the housing. The shaft 90 may then be lifted out of the casing, along with the wheel 98, the worm gear I05, the collar I06 and the clutch I09, III, II3.

When the above described mechanical driving means for the suction fan have been removed, the same may be replaced by electrical driving means, as illustrated in Figures 13 and 14. As there shown, an electrical motor III may be inserted into the rear compartment 3|. Stub-shafts I|6 inserted into apertures provided in the sides of the motor are journaled in the bearings I02 and I03. A caster wheel II1 depending from the bottom of the motor projects through the slot 99 to support the rear of the sweeper. A shaft II8 projects forwardly from the motor through the aperture 21a into the impeller housing 32 and has the hub 9Ia of the impeller affixed thereto by means of the set screw 92. The shaft H8 is journaled in a bearing II9 held in place on the block 95 by means of a screw I20. The lower casing half I2 is suitably apertured, as atiI2I, to admit a cord- I22 carrying electric current to the motor. The upper casing half I I is suitably apertured, as at I23, to accommodate a projecting brush housing 5!: on the motor.

The motor 5 may easily be removed from the compartment 3| (after removal of the upper casing half II) by removal of the journal caps I02a and I03a, pulling out the stub shafts 6 through the open journals I02 and I09, removal of the screw I20 so as to loosen the bearing II9 from the box 95 and lifting out the motor II5 along with the shaft II8.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a vacuum sweeper having a housing adapted to receive both mechanical and electrical driving means and also characterized by a novel and improved structure adapting the same to receive a suction nozzle as well as to shield illuminating means disposed therein. Many details of construction may be varied within a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is therefore not my purpose to limit the patent granted on this invention otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A sweeper housing comprising upper and lower halves subdivided by registering partitions into a rear compartment for accommodating driving means for a suction fan, a middle compartment for housing a suction fan, and a forward compartment for receiving the neck of a suction nozzle, a cover integral with the lower housing half and extending in front of and, as wings, on both sides thereof, the space encompassed by said cover being unobstructed by said 75 housing and communicating with said front compartment through an aperture in the lower casing half large enough to accommodate the neck and middle portion of a suction nozzle, the partition between the forward compartment and the middle compartment being formed with an aperture for receiving the terminal portion of a suction nozzle neck and having in front of said aperture a rabbet-forming projection along the upper edge of said aperture. a suction nozzle extending transversely of said sweeper within said cover and having a neck extending up into said front compartment into communication with the impeller housing through said aperture and having a terminal portion provided with an upstand ng flan e adapted to hook into said rabbet on-said partition wall, said suction nozzle ex-- tending within said cover transversely of said sweeper and being rigidly afiixed to the inside of the roof of said cover. means for supporting a rotary brush within said suct on nozzle, means for supporting front wheels from said suction nozzle. and means for supporting driving means for said suction fan in said rear compartment.

2. A sweeper housing comprising upper and lower halves subdivided by register ng partitions into a rear compartment for accommodating driving means for a suction fan, a middle compartment for housing a suction fan, and a forward compartment for receiving the neck of a suction nozzle. a cover integral with the lower housing half and extending in front of and, as Wings, on both sides thereof. the space encompassed bysaid cover being unobstructed by said hou ing and communicatin with said front compartment through an aperture in the lower casing half large enough to accommodate the neck and middle portion of the suction nozzle, a suctionnozzle made up of a rear part forming a 1 neck and a front part forming jointly with said rear part a suction nozzle proper extending transversely of said sweeper within said cover as well as a tapering duct communicating with said suction nozzle neck, said neck and duct extending up into said front compartment into communication with the impeller housing through an aperture in the forward partition, means defining a rabbet groove in front of the upper edge of said last mentioned aperture. an upstanding terminal flange on said suction nozzle neck hooked into said rabbeted groove, means for rigidly connecting the lateral ends of said suction nozzle with the in ide of the roof of said cover, means rigidly connecting said two suction nozzle parts, and plates closing the end of said suction nozzle and means for suspending front wheels from said plate.

3. A sweeper housing comprising upper and lower halves subdivided by registering partitions into a rear compartment for accommodating driving means for a suction fan, a middle compartment for housing a suction fan, and a forward compartment for receiving the neck of a suction nozzle, a cover integral with the lower housing half and extending in front of and, as wings, on both sides thereof, the space encompassed by said cover being unobstructed by said housing and communicating with said front compartment through an aperture in the lower casing half large enough to accommodate the neck and middle portion of the suction nozzle, a suction nozzle extending transversely of said sweeper within said cover and having a neck extending up into said front compartment into communication with the impeller housing through an aperture in the forward partition. said aperture having a rabbeted groove in its upper edge and said suction nozzle neck having an upstanding terminal flangehooked into said rabbeted groove, means rigidly connecting the ends of said suction nozzle to the inside of the roof of said cover, said suction nozzle flaring from said neck and being bent forwardly so that its lower edge defines a rectangular opening large enough to accommodate a rotary brush and extending within said cover at the level of the lower edge thereof, said suction nozzle being made up of a front part and a rear part rigidly connected to said front part, the rear part including plates closing the lateral ends of the suction nozzle and adapted to support front wheels.

4. A vacuum cleaner comprising a housing subdivided by a. partition into a forward and a rear compartment, a suction fan disposed in said forward compartment, driving means dis osed in said rear compartment, a shaft operatively connected between said driving means and said suction fan and extending lengthwise of said housing from said rear compartment into said forward compartment, a pair of iournals formed in the walls of said housing. transversely and oppositely disposed with respect to said rear compartinent, the base of said rear com artment having an aperture therethrough, said driving means having transverse y projecting shaft portions respectivelv engageable in said journals to position said driving means in said rear compartment, said driving means also having a floor engaging wheel disposed substantially centrally in said housing and projecting downwardly through said aperture to support the rear end of said housing.

5. A vacuum cleaner comprising a housing having upper and lower halves subdivided by registering partitions into a forward and a rear compartment, a suction fan dis osed in said forward compartment, driving means disposed in said rear compartment, a shaft operatively connected between said driving means and said suction fan and extending lengthwise of said housing from said rear compartment into said forward compartment, bearing means for said shaft removably affixed to said partition in the lower housing half, a pair of open ended journals formed in the walls of said lower housing half,

transversely and oppositely dis osed with re spect to said rear compartment, the base of said rear compartment having an aperture therethrough, said driving means having transversely projecting shaft portions axial y insertable respectively in said journals to position said driving means in said rear compartment, and said driving means also having a floor engaging wheel disposed substantially centrally in said housing and projecting downwardly through said aperture to support the rear end of said housing, whereby said driving means may be conveniently disassembled from said housing upon removal of said upper housing half.

6. A sweeper housing comprising upper and lower halves subdivided by registering partitions into a rear compartment, a middle compartment and a forward compartment for receiving the neck of a suction nozzle, a cover integral with the lower housing half and extending in front of and, as wings, on both sides thereof, the space encompassed by said cover being unobstructed by said housing and communicating with said forward compartment through an aperture in the lower casing halt large enough to accommodate the neck and the middle portion of the suction nozzle, the partition between the forward compartment and the middle compartment being formed with an aperture for receiving the terminal portion of the suction nozzle neck, and a suction nozzle extending transversely of said sweeper within said cover with its said neck extending up into said forward compartment into communication with said middle compartment through said aperture, said suction nozzle extending within said cover transversely of said sweeper and being rigidly amxed to the inside of the roof of said cover.

LELAND H. SNYDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

12 1117mm sums PATENTS Number Number 16 4,001

Name Date Daddio July 12. 1927 Adams Sept. 10, 1929 Townsend Apr. 18, 1933 Frantz Jan. 14, 1936 McCabe Nov. 16. 1937 Carlson Oct. 14, 1941 Lang -L-.. Nov. 3, 1942 Radke Sept. 28,1943 Snyder Aug. 8, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1913i