US2634443A - Spring brush control for carpet sweepers - Google Patents

Description

April 14, 1953 w, UL 2,634,443

SPRING BRUSH CONTROL FOR CARPET SWEEPERS Filed March 30, 1946 IN VEN TOR. f/aa MPzM/en ,4) for/ray,

Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNIT ED STATES OFF! CE;

ass-4,443 SPRING BRUSH. CONTROL FOR CARPETT Fred W; Pullcn', Grand Rapids; Miclm, assignor: I to; Bissellflarpetzz Sweeper: Company;.:Gra-nd.-

I RapidspMich lascorporation of Michigan ApplicationMarch'M, .1946," S'erialN'o; 658398 depthsotnapof; carpets. or rugs on. which the sweeper is-usedzandwithoutregard to the degree to. which thewheels of the sweeper may be. pressed into.- the.v nap 1 or the. downward thrust applied .to

the sweeper; v 1 Second, to; provide. a. carpet sweeper inwhich the rotary brush is yieldinglyurgedito-thesurface tobe cleaned andv at the same. time-one. in which the-springbiasing stress on thebrush-reemains approximately, constant throughout the rangeofverticalmovement of the brush relative to the floor wheels of the sweeper. I

Third, to provide a carpet sweeper which. is very'easily operated and one which doesrnot dependon the skillet the operator for effective sweeping.

"Fourth, to. provide a carpet sweeper embodying these. advantages which is economical in. its parts and very, durable in useandone .whichdoes sciaims. (01.15541):

notunduly wear or. injure. thecarpet. or. rug on which itis used. v

v Objectsrel'ating to. details and economiesof the invention willapp'ear fromthe description to follow. 'The. invention is. definedv andpoint'edout in-the claims. 4 g

Preferred embodiments of. the. invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig: 1' is an end'elevation of a carpetsweeper embodying my invention, parts being. broken away to better disclose structuraldetailsi Fig. 2 is an" enlarged fragmentary" view mainly inhorizontalsection on a line corresponding, to line'2-'2'rof"'Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary endelevationalview'of a modified'form' or embodimentof my invention:

Fig: 4- is a fragmentary view showing another modification or embodiment of myinvention. Fig. 5-is anenlargedfragmentary viewpartially inverticalsection on -1ine5'5'of"'Fig. 3;

Fig: 6 is a perspective view-ofthejournal memher or slideshowrr in Figs: 3 and- 5 prior-"to. the assembly'ofthespring therewith. M-y present invention is-anadaptation of the invention of my" Letters Patent No: 2,418,725, 'i's'suedApril 8,--1947: I have shown only one end of the sweeper structure but itwill beunderstoodthat the parts are duplicated on" the otherendof-"the structure: Further, certain parts are conventionally 'shownand only suchv parts; are detailed as is deemed necessary tolgive'anomplete understandingof a practical. commercialembodiment of my invention.v

Referring-"to -the drawing, the casing is; designated generally by: the numeral. l' and comprises side'amembers Z and: end members: 3 arrangedsin an inset relation relativextovthe... ends ..oi.:the side members. A

The. end bar. 47in thestructure illustratedextends across; the sweeper. fromthexends. ofthe side -members, beingzisecured thereto; This end bar: or. member? 4. is; in the; embodiment: illustrated; relatively. narrow butzin some. types: of sweepers it: iS'. substantially. of; the. contour and width .ofthe. end member of the; casing. Such anend. member is not tillustratedasaitis know inthe art.

The.- fioor; wheels 5.: are. provided with floating axless which are disposed longitudinally through the casingand. endmemberst; thisalso being disclosed inprior patentsof the applicant The-bowed spring)! is-mountedron the angled bracket-z8 secured-to. therend member of thecasing; so thatthe-bracketdepends atrthelouter side ofthe pulleyii. of .thesbrush: I 0.. The ends of. the spring I are secured to. the arms. H of the-wheel bearing members; I 2; this mounting. and L biasing of-the fioonwheelsbeing; ,asstated, shownin prior patents .issued to the. applicant andthereforesn'ot detailed herein; Thepulley Qiis-operatiVeIy. as-?- sociated with the floor; wheels'to be.-driven;there'- The brush is mounted for vertical floating movement, the journal l3 of-the brush beingprovided with a.. slide hi having laterally ofiset flange-like slideway engaging-.members; or portions. |5.. Thebracketrais conformed to. provide averticalslideway-l 6 receiving; the journal membenllliior'vertical slidingmovement.

In. the. structureaillustrated, the end member 4 extends .across the bracket, providingv a. support therefor andpreventing. outward. movement. :of theQslide. or. journal .member. in theeslideway al!- though. in. the structures illustrated the brush tensioningspring I1 extendsethrough .therjournal member or is. engagedwith .thesjournal member so .i that itv also. prevents outward movement of the journal member asisclearly. shown :inEig, 2. However; the bar. A. serves. as a guard for. the bracketand slide and. the embodimentilluse trated constitutes an outer. bearing ,member. for the slideway engaging Darts 15.101. the journal member."

The-brackets" and the slideway therein are formed by stamping operations. member slide is also a stamping.

The brush journal member is yieldingly urged downward by means of the spring I! which in the embodiment illustrated is a reversely bowed spring. The ends of the spring are fixedly secured to the bar it by striking in loops [3 in the bar, the ends of the spring being inserted through these loops and the parts crimped as indicated at is to positively fixedly secure the ends of the spring against sliding movement in the general longitudinal direction of the spring. The bowed or bent reaches of the spring are of such character that they spring laterally under. endwise thrust resulting from the vertical movement of thejournal member.

The spring H is disposed horizontally in approximately the horizontal plane of the journal member and is of such length that the bowed portions thereof flex throughout the full range of; movement of the journal member without substantial variation in the biasing stress of the spring on the brush.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the brush biasing spring 28 is provided with coils 2| adjacent its ends which are down-turned at 22 and engaged through loops 23 struck in from the end bar l. In this embodiment, the coils increase the length of the spring and also serve to receive and absorb the end thrust that may result from the vertical movement of thejournal member. In this structure, the journal or slide member has slots 2% formed therein receiving the spring, the bottom edge 25 of the webof the slide being folded forwardly around the spring as is shown in detailin Figs. and 6. It will be noted that the spring 20 is bowed substantially the same as the spring I! but has the additional feature of the coils.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 4, the brush tensioning spring 25 is substantially straight and is provided with coils 26 which increase the length thereof and serve the further purpose of absorbing such end thrust as results from thevertical movement of the slide 2?. In this case, theslide-is secured to the spring by means of a tongue 28 folded over the spring instead of under-it, this in effect beinga reversal of the position of the slide to accommodate the unbowed spring. In this embodiment of Fig. 4, theends of the spring are secured in brackets 29' mounted on the casing end member 3. The brackets have loops 30 struck out therefrom to receive the down-turned ends 3i of the spring. 7

"By this arrangement of parts, I provide a structurein which proper sweeping action is maintained whether the sweeper is used on a floor, carpet or rug or on rugs orcarpets of varying depth of nap as the biasing stress of the spring on the brush does not vary greatly but remains substantially constant throughout the full range of movement of the brush relative to the floor wheels and other parts of the structure. This is of very great importance as it prevents undue sweeping or brush action on delicate rugs or carpets having long'or deep nap and this without regard to the skill of the operator.

In carpet sweepers ofcommercial types other than the one shown in my said application for The journal Letters Patent it has been the practice so far as applicant is aware to provide structures inwhich the pressure on the handle is the controlling feature as to brush action. The applicant has departed from this principle of operation: and has provided a structure in which the sweeping action not only is not dependent on the pressure thrust which the user may exert but remains substantially constant despite such thrust that may be imparted by the user, it being the applicant's purpose and accomplishment of this invention to secure an eflicient sweepingaction without regard to the manipulation by the use other than the mere matter of translating the sweeper back and forth on the surface to be swept and to secure such efiicient sweeping action with a minimum of wear on the carpets or rugs or injury to the nap thereof.

I have illustrated and described my invention inv practical embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other adaptations or modifications thereof as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a carpet sweeper, the combination with a casing comprising side members and an end member, said side members being disposed on 0pposite sides of said casing, floor wheels disposed on the outer side of the end member, a brush provided with a pulley cooperatively associated with the floor wheels, a bracket mounted on the casing end member to depend at the outer side of the pulley, said bracket being provided with a vertical slideway, an end bar disposed on the outer side of said bracket, a brush journal member mounted on said slideway for vertical movement, and an elongated horizontally disposed reversely bowed spring engaged substantially centrally thereof with said journal member and secured at its outer ends to said end bar in spaced relation from the opposite sides of saidjournal member, the spring being disposed generally horizontally in approximately the horizontal plane of the journal member, said reversely bowed spring being bowed vertically a substantial distance from the general horizontal plane of the spring in portions thereof on opposite sides of said journal member and having its outer ends positively fixedly secured to said end bar against sliding movement in the general longitudinal direction of the spring, said bowed portions of the spring permitting substantial vertical movement of the journal member connected to the central portion of th spring without sliding movement of the fixed ends of the spring in the general longitudinal direction of the spring, said connection of the ends of the spring to the end bar being adjacent said side members on the opposite sides of the casing, said spring being of such length that the bowed portions thereof flex throughout the full range of movement of thejournal member so that the biasing stress of the spring on the brush is approximately constant throughout the range of vertical movement of the brush from initial position.

2.'In' a carpet sweepr, the combination with a casing and floor wheels, of a brush provided. with a pulley operatively. associated with said vfloor wheels, a support member carried bythe casing and disposed'at the outer sid of the pulley, said support member being provided with a slideway, a journal member for saidbrush mounted on said slideway for vertical movement, and anelongated generally horizontally disposed spring con,- s ri s. u s n ia l gene a ly. hereof said brush journal member, and means on said casin adjacent the opposite sides of the casing t which the opposite ends of said spring are connected in spaced relation from the opposite sides of said journal member, said spring being disposed horizontally in substantially the plane of the journal member, said means for connecting the ends of the spring to the casing positively fixedly securing said ends to the casing against sliding movement thereof relative to the casing in the general longitudinal direction of the spring, said spring having portions thereof bowed vertically a substantial distance from the general horizontal plane of the spring on opposite sides of said journal member, said bowed portions of the spring facilitating vertical movement of the central portion of the spring connected to said journal member without longitudinal sliding movement of the fixed ends of the spring, said spring of such length and its bowed prrtions being such that the biasing stress thereof is approximately constant throughout the range of vertical movement of the brush.

3. In a carpet sweeper, the combination with a casing and floor wheels, of a brush provided with a pulley operatively associated with said floor wheels, a support member carried by the casing and disposed at the outer side of the pulley, said support member being provided with a slideway, a journal member for said brush mounted on said slideway for vertical movement, an elongated substantially horizontally disposed rod spring connected substantially centrally thereof to said brush journal member, and means on said casing adjacent opposite sides thereof with which the ends of said spring are secured in spaced relation from the opposite sides of said journal member, said spring being disposed horizontally in substantially the plane of the journal member and being provided with coils between said journal member and the ends of said spring and being of such length that the biasing stress thereof is approximately constant throughout the range of vertical movement of the brush, said means positively fixedly securing the ends of the spring against sliding movement thereof relative to the casing in the general longitudinal direction of the spring, one of said coils being disposed along the spring between the journal member and one of the secured ends of th spring, another of said coils being disposed along the spring between the journal member and the other secured end of the spring, said coils extending vertically a substantial distance from the general horizontal plane of the spring.

4. In a carpet sweeper, the combination with a casing and floor wheels, of a brush provided with a pulley operatively associated with said floor wheels, a support member mounted on said casing and having a vertical slot providing a slideway, a journal member for said brush mounted on said slideway for vertical movement at the outer side of the pulley, said journal member ineluding a U-shaped slide projecting through said I slot, the arms of the U-shaped slid being provided with flanges retainingly engaging the outer side of the support member, an elongated substantially horizontally disposed spring connected substantially centrally thereof to said brush journal member, and means on said casing to which the opposite ends of the spring are connected in spaced relation from the opposite sides of said journal member, said spring being disposed horizontally in substantially the plane of the journal member and being provided with portions bowed vertically a substantial distance from the general horizontal plane of the spring, said bowed portions being disposed on the opposite sides of the journal member between said journal member and the points of connection to said means at the opposite ends of the spring, said means for connecting the ends of the spring to the casing positively fixedly connecting said ends to the casing against sliding movement generally longitudinally of the spring, said means connecting the ends of the spring to the casing adjacent the opposite sides thereof, the spring being of such length that the biasing stress thereof is approximately constant throughout the range of vertical movement of the brush.

5. In a carpet sweeper, the combination with a casing and floor wheels, of a brush provided with a pulley operatively associated with said floor wheels, a support member carried by the casing and having a vertical slot providing a slideway disposed at the outer side of the pulley, a journal member for said brush mounted on said slideway for vertical movement, said journal member including a U-shaped slide projecting through said slot, the arms of the U-shaped slide having flanges retainingly engaging the outer side of the support member, said arms having open ended vertical slots, an elongated substantially horizontally disposed spring having its central portion disposed in said slots, and means on said casing to which the opposite ends of said spring are connected, said slide having a web portion intermediate the arms thereof bent over the central portion of the spring for retaining the sprin in the slots, said connecting means positively fixedly securing the opposite ends of the spring to the casing against sliding movement in the general longitudinal direction of the spring, said connecting means connecting the ends of the spring to the casing adjacent the opposite sides thereof, said spring having portions thereof bowed vertically a substantial distance from the general horizontal plane of the spring on opposite sides of said journal member.

FRED W. PULLEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 433,538 Newlove Aug. 5, 1890 525,721 Ruton Sept. 11, 1894 670,513 Johnston Mar. 26, 1901 824,318 Thorp June 26, 1906 2,228,528 Miller Jan. 14, 1941 2,239,276 Smith Apr. 22, 1941 2,418,725 Pullen Apr. 8, 1947 2,497,885 Heftler Feb. 21, 1950

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