US2672643A

US2672643A - Vacuum cleaner dust brush supporting means

Info

Publication number: US2672643A
Application number: US152199A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilfred O Langille
Original assignee: Singer Co
Current assignee: Singer Co
Priority date: 1950-03-27
Filing date: 1950-03-27
Publication date: 1954-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1971-03-23

Description

March 23', 1954 W O, LANGILLE 2,672,643

VACUUM CLEANER DUST BRUSH SUPPORT-ING MEANS Fued Ma'ch 27, 195o Jimena/oz Wilfred Lal/gille Wz'fness 9 a@ yaf 3..

Patented Mar. 23, 1954 VACUUM CLEANER yDUST BRU-SH SUPPORTING MEANS Wilfred 0. Langille, Chester,

N. 3., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth,

ia .corporation of New Jersey Application March 27, 1950, Serial No. 152,199

'5 Claims. l

This invention relates to 'ambulatory type vacuum cleaners, and more particularly `to vacuum cleaners constructed from upper and lower casing shells joined together to house and support a rotary dust-brush and other operative elements of the cleaner.

Patent application, Serial No. 80,634, led March 10, 1949, now Patent No. 2,649,609, relates to an ambulatory type vacuum cleaner having `an upper casing shell and a lower casing shell joined together to house a rotary dust-brush carried by the free ends Aof a pair of pivotally mounted arms, and the present invention has for one of its primary objects to provide an improved vacuum cleaner or the type shown in Patent No. 2,649,609, supra.

VAnother object of the invention is to `provi-cie means for pivotally mounting the brush supporting karms of .a vacuum cleaner in such -a manner as to assure free iloating movement of the arms and the brush ,supported thereby.

.A further yobject Aof the invention is to provide improved cushioning means for limiting the upward .and downward movement of a floating dust brush .and the arms supporting said brush.

l.Another object of .the invention is to provide a means for preventing dirt and d-ust `from collecting at :the pivot points of a pair of vacuum cleaner brush :supporting arms.

With the above and other objects in View, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

'In 'the drawings, which form a part yof this specication:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an ambulatory type vacuum cleaner embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the 'vacuum cleaner shown in Fig. 1, portions of 'the upper casing shell being broken away to disclose features `of internal construction;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged lfragmentary vsectional view taken on the line 3-3 o'f Fig. 1'; and

-Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary -sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

A vacuum cleaner, embodying the presen-t invention, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and comprises `a main body portion I-I propelled on front fand rear supporting wheels I2 and i3, and the lvacuum cleaner has a dust bag I# into which dirt is discharged. The main body i2 portion 'itl includes an upper casing shell It and a lower casing shell 1I 1 the two shells being joined on a slightlyinclined plane indicated by the numeral 18. The lower casing shell il is removably held 'to the upper 'casing shell lo by a releasable latch mechanism I9 and keeper 2i), both of which are fully illustrated and described in a patent application Serial No. 16,716, iiled March 24, 1948, now Patent No. 2,532,432. The lower lcasing .shell il, is substantially IU -shaped in its general, plan view outline 'and has an upfac'ing dust-com veying cavity, consisting Aof a pair of upfacing, dust-'conducting leg cavity portions 2i and 2l, extending substantially parallel to outer sidewalls 22 'and Z2' ofthe lower vshell H, and an up facing, Idust conducting and brush 'housing cavity portion 23 ext-ending along the front wall 24 of the shell il and Aconnecting the forward ends oi the cavity portions 2i and 2l'. The cavityportions 2-1-23--21 lare bounded inwardly by 'a ilsh-aped inner wall 25. In addition to the above, the lower Acasing shell fll is provided with Aa pair of `upiacing brush-arm

housing ycavity portions

26 and 26" which are substantially parallel to the cavity portions 2i and 2| respectfully. The cavity portion 2B is bounded on one side by the side wall 2'2 'and on the other side by an upstanding partition or lwall 21 formed integral with the lower casing shell l 'l'. The rear end ofthe cavity portion 26 is closed by a continuation vof the `wail 22, which continuation is designated as 28 and by a ycontinuation of the partition '27, which con* tinuation is designated as '3o. The front end of the cavity 2t isopen except for-a resilient bumper 29 anda portion of a resilient bumper 3-9, presently to be described. In :like manner lthe cavity portion 26 is bounded V'on yone side bythe side wall 22' and on the other -side by an upstanding partition or wall 21'. The rear end of the cavi-ty portion 26" is `closed by a continuation of the wall 22', which is designated Ias 28, land by a continuation of the partition 21', which continuation is designated as 3o. The front end of the cavity portion 2;6 is open 'except 'for a resilient bumper 29" ently to be described.

"The upper casing shell 'I6 has a downfacing U-shaped dust conducting cavity which is `coniplemental to the upfacing lil-shaped vcavity '2|- 23-2 l' of they lower shell il, the said downiac.- ing Icavity yconsisting Aof a -pair of downfacing dust conducting leg cavity Aportions '-I and 31 extending substantially parallel to respective outer si-

de walls

32 and 32" of the shell t8 `anda downfacing, dust conducting and brush housing cavity portion 33 4extending along the Airont wailV 3&1 or the upper shell It yand connecting the ror-` and a portion of ya resilient bumper 39" pres Ward ends of the leg cavity portions 3i and 3|. The cavity portions 3 l-33'3 l are bounded inwardly by a U-shaped inner wall 35, that is complemental to the U-shaped inner wall 25. In addition to the above, the upper casing shell I6 is provided with a pair of downfacing brush-arm housing cavity portions 3B and 36' which are parallel to the cavity portions 3l and 3l' respectively; the cavity portion 36 is bounded by the outer side wall 32 and on the other side by a depending partition 31. The rear end of the cavity portion 36 is closed by a continuation of the side wall 32 which continuation is designated as 38, and by a continuation of the partition 31, which continuation is designated as 40. The front end of the cavity portion 36 is closed by a resilient bumper 39 presently to be described. In like manner the cavity portion 36' is bounded on one side by the outer side wall 32' and on the other side by a depending partition 31'. The rear end of cavity portion 36' is closed by a continuation of the wall 32', which continuation is designated as 38', and by a continuation of the partition 31', which continuation is designated as 40. 'I'he front end of the cavity portion 36 is closed by a resilient bumper 32 presently to be described.

When the lower casing shell I1 is secured or latched to the upper casing shell IB, the complemental U-shaped cavity portions 2l-23-2i' of the lower casing shell i1 and the U-shaped cavity portions 3l-33-3l of the upper casing shell I6 combine to form a U-shaped cavity which has an open mouth 44 for ingress oi dust laden air, and a pair of concentric egresses 46-45' through which the dust laden air passes to the bag I4 by way of a motor driven dual fan unit, indicated generally by 41 and fully described in a patent application Serial No. 784,165, iled November 5, 1947, now Patent No. 2,540,178. Also the

cavity portions

26 and 36, as well as the cavity portions 26' and 36', combine to form a pair of spaced tubular shaped cavities 26-36 and 26'-36 for respectively housing a pair of brush supporting arms 48 and 48' which are similar to the brush supporting arms set forth in the Patent No. 2,649,609 supra. As fully set forth in the Patent No. 2,649,609, the rear ends of arms 48 and 48' are supported from a pair of offset brackets 49-49' the upper ends of which are secured in recesses provided in the opposite side walls 32--32 of the upper shell l5. The lower end of each

bracket

49 and 49 is apertured to accommodate a pivot pin i or 5l', which pivotally mounts the rear ends of the brush support arms 48-48'. Also, in the manner fully set forth in Patent No. 2,649,609, the forward ends of lthe arms 48-48' rotatably carry a rotary dust brush 52 having a plurality of bristles 53. A belt 54, driven by a shaft pulley 56 of the motor-fan unit 41 drives the rotary dust brush 52.

As best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the bracket 49, the pivot 5| and the more than half of the length of the arm 48 are housed in the cavity 26-36, the forward end of the arm 48 extending forwardly through an aperture provided between the lower end of the bumper 39 and the upper end of the bumper 29. In like manner, the bracket 49', the pivot 5|' and the greater part of arm 48 are housed in the cavity 26-36 and the forward end of the arm 48' extends through an aperture located between the bumpers 29'-39'. From this it can be seen that the brackets 49 and 49', and the pivoted ends of the arms 4B and 48' are housed in the tubular cavities 26-36 and` 2636 respectively, thus being shielded from the dust laden air which is picked up by the mouth 44 and carried to the bag I4. It will also be seen that the vertical movement of the arms 43 and 48 and thus the vertical movement of the rotary dust brush 52 are limited by the resilient bumpers 29-39 and 29-39. These bumpers are cemented into the

cavity portions

26, 35, 26', or 36 as the case may be by adhesive and thus may be removed and replaced in the event they become worn from long usage.

In order to prevent the vacuum cleaner from marring furniture, certain outer surfaces of the main body portion ll are covered with resilient material, thereby providing bumpers ISb and 11b; these bumpers being more fully described in U. S. Patents Nos. 2,540,178 and 2,575,554.

From the above description and the attached drawings, it will be evident that the pivots 5I and 5l' and the major portion of the

arms

48 and 48 are housed in tubular cavities. The rear ends of the two tubular cavities are closed and, since the forward ends of these cavities are substantially closed by the bumpers, it is evident that very little if any dirt or dust, that may be picked up by the vacuum cleaner, will get into the cavities to interfere with the movement of the arms 48 and 48' or to foul the pivots 5I-5l. Furthermore, the upward and downward movements of the arms 4S and 48', and thus the movements of the dust brush 52, are limited by the size of the rubber bumpers 29-39 and 28-39. Changing the size of the bumpers, allows greater or less vertical movement of the brush 52.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1.' A vacuum cleaner, comprising, a cavitied upper casing shell; a cavitied lower casing shell attached to said upper casing shell, said lower casing shell being provided in its lower portion with a suction-mouth opening, and each of said shells being provided with a front wall, spaced outer side walls, an inner wall and a partition wall, the latter being located adjacent to one of said outer side walls, said front walls and portions of said inner walls dening a nozzle cavity portion, one set of said outer side walls and said partition walls defining a side cavity portion, the forward end of said side cavity portion being in communication with the nozzle cavity portion, said partition walls and portions of said inner walls defining a dust conducting cavity portion of which the forward end is in communication with said nozzle cavity portion; a motor-fan unit supported by said casing shells; means connecting said dust conducting cavity portion with the fan of said motor-ian unit; a pair of pivots of which one is located in said side cavity portion; a,

pair of support arms carried by said pivots and having at least one arm extending along said side cavity portion and into said nozzle cavity por-- tion; a rotary dust-brush located in said nozzle cavity portion adjacent to said mouth opening and rotatably supported by the free ends of said support arms; bumpers carried adjacent to the forward end of said side cavity portion, said bumpers being engaged by one of said arms; and means for driving said brush from the motor of said motor-fan unit.

2. A vacuum cleaner, comprising, a cavitied upper casing shell; a cavitied lower casing shell" secured to said upper casing shell, said lower casing shell being provided in its lower portion with a suction-mouth opening, and each of said shells being provided with a front wall, spaced outer.

side walls, an inner wall and partition walls, the latter being located adjacent to said outer side walls, said front walls and portions of said inner walls defining a nozzle cavity portion, said outer side Walls and said partition walls defining side cavity portions, the forward ends of said side cavity portions being in communication with the nozzle cavity portion, said partition walls and portions of said inner walls defining dust conducting cavity portions of which the forward ends are in communication with said nozzle cavity portion; a dual-fan motor-fan unit supported by said casing shells; means connecting each of said dust conducting cavity portions with one of the fans of said motor-fan unit; a pair of pivots located in said side cavity portions; a pair of support arms carried by said pivots and having arms extending along said side cavity portions and into said nozzle cavity portion; a rotary dustbrush located in said nozzle cavity portion adjacent to said mouth opening and rotatably supported by the free ends of said support arms; bumpers carried adjacent to the forward ends of each of said side cavity portions, said bumpers being engaged by said arms; and means for driving said brush from the motor of said motorfan unit.

3, A vacuum cleaner, comprising, a cavitied upper casing shell; a cavitied lower casing shell secured to said upper casing shell, said lower casing shell being provided in its lower portion with a suction-mouth opening, and each of said shells being provided with a front Wall, spaced outer side walls, a U-shaped inner wall and partition walls, the latter extending substantially parallel to and inside of said outer side walls, said front walls and portions of said inner walls defining a nozzle cavity portion extending along the front of the vacuum cleaner, said outer side walls and said partition walls defining side cavity portions Y extending along the side of the vacuum cleaner, the forward ends of said side cavity portions being in communication with the nozzle cavity portion, said partition walls and portions of said inner walls parallel thereto dening dust conducting cavity portions of which the forward ends are in communication with said nozzle cavity portion; a dual-fan motor-fan unit supported by said casing shells; means connecting each of said dust conducting cavity portions with one of the fans of said motor-fan unit; a pair of pivots located in y said side cavity portions; a pair of support arms carried by said pivots and having arms extending along said side cavity portions and into said nozzle cavity portion; a rotary dust-brush cated in said nozzle cavity portion adjacent to said mouth opening and rotatably supported by the free ends of said support arms; resilient bumpers carried adjacent to the forward ends of each of said side cavity portions, said bumpers being engaged by said arms; and means for driving said brush from the motor of said motor-fan unit.

4. A vacuum cleaner, comprising, a cavitied upper casing shell; a cavitied lower casing shell secured to said upper casing shell, said lower casing shell being provided in its lower portion with a suction-mouth opening, and each of said shells being provided with a front wall, spaced outer side walls, an inner wall and partition walls, the latter being located adjacent to said outer side walls, said front walls and portions of said inner walls defining a. nozzle cavity portion, said outer side walls and said partition walls dening side cavity portions. the forward ends of said side cavity portions being in communication with the nozzle cavity portion, said partition walls and portions of said inner walls dening "dust conducting cavity portions of which the forward ends are in communication with said nozzle cavity portion; a dual-fan motor-fan unit supported by said casing shells; means connecting each of said dust conducting cavity portions with one of the fans of said motor-fan unit; a pair of pivots carried by said upper casing shell, one being located in each of said side cavity portions; a pair of support arms of which the ends are carried by said pivots and arms of which the free ends extend along said side cavity portions and into said nozzle cavity portion; a rotary dust-brush located in said nozzle cavity portion adjacent to said mouth opening and rotatably supported by the free ends of said support arms; a pair of resilient bumpers carried in the forward ends of each oi said side cavity portions, in each case one of said bumpers being below said support arm and the other of said bumpers being above said support arm; and means for driving said brush from the motor of said motor-fan unit.

5. A vacuum cleaner, comprising, a cavitied upper casing shell; a cavitied lower casing shell secured to said upper casing shell, said lower casing shell being provided in its lower portion with a suction-mouth opening, and each of said shells being provided with a front wall, spaced outer side walls, a U-shaped inner wall and partition walls, the latter extending substantially parallel to and inside of said outer side walls, said front walls and portions of said inner walls delining a nozzle cavity portion extending along the front of the vacuum cleaner, said outer side walls and said partition walls defining side cavity portions extending along the sides of said vacuum cleaner, the forward ends of said side cavity portions being in communication with opposite ends of the nozzle cavity portion, said partition walls and portions of said inner walls parallel thereto defining dust conducting cavity portions of which the forward ends are in communication with opposite ends of said nozzle cavity portion; a dualfan motor-fan unit supported by said casing shells; means connecting each of said dust conducting cavity portions with one of the fans of said motor-fan unit; a pair of pivots carried by said upper casing shell, one being located in each of said side cavity portions; a pair of support arms of which the ends are carried by said pivots and arms of which the free ends extend along said side cavity portions and into said nozzle cavity portion; a rotary dust-brush located in said nozzle cavity portion adjacent to said mouth opening and rotatably supported by the free ends of said support arms; a pair of resilient bumpers carried in the forward ends of each of said side cavity portions, in each case one of said bumpers being below said support arm and the other of said bumpers being above said support arm; and means for driving said brush from the motor of said motor-fan unit.

WILFRED O. LANGILLE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,689,089 Teves Oct. 23, 1928 1,827,402 Reddig Oct. 13, 1931 1,854,042 Kern Apr. 12, 1932 2,253,997 Becker Aug. 26, 1941 2,416,420 Taylor Feb. 25, 1947 2,540,178 Smith Feb. 6, 1951