US2860724A

US2860724A - Mechanism for rendering a vacuum cleaner inoperative if no bag is in place

Info

Publication number: US2860724A
Application number: US621638A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arnold H Beede; Allen P Cawl
Original assignee: Electrolux Corp
Current assignee: Electrolux Corp
Priority date: 1956-11-29
Filing date: 1956-11-29
Publication date: 1958-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 1975-11-18
Also published as: CH357842A; US2860725A; GB810369A; NL98562C; FR1194432A

Description

INVENTORS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Hen/0Z0 h! 6550: 9am I? 09w:

7HEIR ATTORIYEY Nov. 18, 1958 A. H. BEEDE ETAL MECHANISM FOR RENDERING A VACUUM CLEANER INOPERATIVE IF NO BAG IS IN PLACE- Filed Nov. 13, 1956 REY 1958 A. H. BEEDE ETAL 2,860,724

I MECHANISM FOR RENDERING A VACUUM CLEANER INOPERATIVE IF NO BAG IS IN PLACE Filed Nov. 13, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 g INVENTORS w v He/vow H 5550:

gKg I BY Hus/v R ('nm THEIR ATTORNEY United States Patent 9 i MECHANISM FOR RENDERING A VACUUM CLEANER INOPERATIVE IF NO BAG IS IN PLACE Arnold H. Beetle, amara, and Allen P. Cawl, Noroton Heights, Conn., assignors to Electrolux Corporation, QldGreenwich, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application November 13, 1956, Serial No. 621,638

8 Claims. (Cl. 183- 37) either case it sometimes occurs that the operator forgets to replace the cloth bag;or toinsert a new disposable bag, with the result that the dirt drawn into the cleaner during subsequent operation of the machine fouls the fan and motor and, if {the machine is not provided with a filter, a

large, percentage of the dirt passes through the cleaner and isdischarged into the air in the room.

If thecleaner is of a type using a disposable bag having a relatively stiff cardboard disc formed with a small inlet opening the removable cover of the cleaner may be so constructed that it does not seal the dust bag compartment, the aforementioned cardboard disc being relied upon for this purpose. Consequently, if no dust bag is in position within the cleaner, the dust bag compartment will not be sealed, but will be open to the atmosphere so that if the motor-fan unit is operated relatively clean air will be drawn directly into the dust bag compartment and littleor no flow will take place through the hose, inasmuch as the latter path offers a much greater resistance to flow. Consequently, while the motor-fan unit may be operated, no dirt will be drawn into the cleaner. Such arrangements are shown in Patent No. 2,567,221 issued September 11, 1951 to G. E. Lofgren and Patent No. 2,641,330 issued June 19, 1953 to Lofgren, Lampe and Ferraris.

However, with an arrangement of this nature it is not possible to use a permanent cloth bag having a wide opened mouth, as is preferable for easy emptying, as the dust bag compartment would not be sealed when such a bag is in place. Accordingly, it is an object of our invention to provide an arrangement whereby either a cloth dust bag or a disposable dust bag may be employed, together with means for preventing operation of the vacuum cleaner in the event no bag is placed therein. More specifically, our invention contemplates a movably mounted member so arranged that if no bag is in position a portion of this member is biased into the path of travel of the latch which removably secures the front cover to the casing of the cleaner so that the latch is prevented from engagement, which in turn assures that the front cover will not remain closed. This movable member is so arranged that, if either a cloth bag or a disposable bag is in position, a portion of the member contacts such bag so as to move the member out of the path of travel of the latch, thus permitting the latterto function in the normal manner to secure the cover 'in place.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and on which;

2,86%,724 Patented Nov. 18, 1958 ICC Fig. 1 is a view partially in cross-section of a vacuum cleaner including one embodiment of our invention and showing the cleaner with a disposable bag in place there- Fig. 2 is an end view of the cleaner with the front cover removed, looking in the direction of the arrows 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to Fig. l, but showing the cleaner with no bag in position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a cloth bag in the cleaner;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the mechanism shown in the previous figures.

Referring to the drawings, reference character 10 designates generally the housing of a tank type vacuum cleaner, in one end of which is located a motor-fan unit 12 having an inlet 14. The space 16 within the housing 10 to the left of the motor-fan unit, as viewed in Fig. 1, is a dust bag compartment in which is disposed a bag supporting member 18 formed with a large number of perforations 26. The open end of member 18 is secured to a ring 22 fastened to the open end of casing 14.

A cover or closure member 24 is pivotally secured to the ring 22 by means of a hinge 26. A latch member 30 is pivotally mounted at 32 in the cover diametrically opposite from the hinge 26 and is provided with a spring 34 urging it in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5. The upper part of ring 22 is provided with a pair of cars 36 extending forwardly there from and between which is disposed a keeper in the form of a bar or pin 38. As seen in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, the latch 30 is in engagement with the pin 38 so as to hold the cover closed.

Latch 30 has a button portion 40 which extends out wardly through an opening in the cover 24 so as to be accessible for manual operation. The latch 36 also has attached thereto an arm 42 which is engaged by a stem 44 connected to a diaphragm 46 which constituted one wall of a diaphragm chamber 48 formed in the cover. The interior of chamber 48 is connected by means of a conduit Stl With a space 52 within the housing of a differential pressure responsive device designated generally by reference character 54.

This device includes a pressure responsive diaphragm 56, the right-hand side of which, as viewed in Fig. 1, is subjected through a conduit 58 to the pressure existing within an inlet conduit 60 carried by the front cover. The other side of the diaphragm 56 is subjected to the suction produced by the motor-fan unit and communicated through the dust bag compartment 16,. a short conduit 62 carried by the ring 22 and a conduit 64 in the cover 24. The ends of conduits 62 and 64 are in sealing relationship with each other when the cover 24 is closed. The diaphragm 56 is biased to the right by means of a spring 66. A valve member 68 is slidably mounted in the device 54 and is attached to a valve stem 70 which'is disposed so as to be contacted by the diaphragm when the latter moves to the left. A spring 72 tends to seat the valve 68. As previously described, high suction from the fan will be communicated to the left side of the diaphragm 56 and, if the valve 68 is opened by movement of the diaphragm to the left, this suction will be communicated through the space 52 and the conduit 50 to the diaphragm chamber 48, thus moving the diaphragm 46 to the left so as to pivot the latch 36 in a clockwise direction to thereby disengage it from the keeper 38. The latch 36, diaphragmchamber 48 and control device 54 are enclosed within the cover 24 by a plate 73.

This vacuum cleaner is designed to employ either a disposable paper dust bag or a cloth bag which may be emptied and used repeatedly. In Figs. 1 and 5 there is shown a disposable bag designated generally by reference character 74. This bag includes a substantially rigid cardboard disc 76 to which is secured a bag portion 78 made of pervious paper so that the air may pass therethrough while the dust is retained therein. The disc '76 is formed with a centrally located aperture through which extends the inlet conduit when the cover is closed. Plate '73 of the cover preferably carries a. gasket member 80 which surrounds the inlet'conduit 60 and bears against the disc 76 so as to hold the outer periphery or flange portion of the latter against a seat formed by a gasket 82 carried by the ring 22.

The outer end of conduit 60 is formed as one part of a separable coupling so that a flexible hose carrying the other part of the coupling may be connected thereto. Operation of the motor-fan unit 12 serves to draw air in through the hose and conduit 611 to the interior of the dust bag, which separates from the air any dirt entrained therewith, the clean air passes through the pervious material of the bag.

Secured as by rivets 83 to the upper side of housing 10 is a bracket 84, which is shown in perspective in Fig. 6. Bracket 84 is disposed between the casing and a trim piece 85. This bracket is formed with a forward upwardly extending arm 86 having an opening 88 therethrough and a rear upwardly extending arm 90 having a slot 92 formed therein. As will be seen from Fig. 1, a bolt 93 extends through front ring 22 and has threaded engagement in hole 88 and serves to secure the ring in place. A rod 94 extends through slot 92 and through an aligned opening formed in ring 22. A coil spring 96 is disposed around rod 94 and is confined between arm 90 and a collar or flange 98 formed on the rod. Consequently, this spring tends to move the rod 94 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 5. The righthand end of the rod 94 is connected to the operating member 1118 of an electric switch, the arrangement being such that when the rod is moved tothe left under the influence of spring 96, the rod moves the member ltltl to the ofl position. The left end of the rod which projects through the opening of the ring 22 is disposed so as to contact a projection 101 on the cover 24 when the latter is closed, the closing of the cover pushing the rod to the right so as to compress the spring 96. Hence, when the cover is released by the disengagement of latch 34) from the keeper 38, the rod 94 under the influence of spring 96 starts to pivot the cover to open position.

Bracket 84 has a vertically extending arm 182 disposed to one side of the slot 92 on which is movably mounted structure comprising a member 194- pivotally secured to this arm. This structure includes an arm 1% which extends through an opening 1118 in the upper part of ring 22, as may be seen particularly in Fig. 2. The outer end of arm 106 is bent substantially at right angles and carries 'a depending portion 110, the lower edge 112 of which is curved backwardly as is shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6. The structure is so arranged that if a disposable dust bag 74 is in position within the cleaner, the upper edge of the cardboard disc 76 thereof contacts the lower edge 112 so as to pivot the member 104 upwardly in a clockwise direction against the force of a spring 114 secured to the arm 106 and bearing against the under side of trim piece 85. Portion also includes an upwardly extending arm 116 which extends through the space between the ring 22, the pin 38 and the two ears36; The upper end of arm 116 is hook-shaped, as is shown at 118 in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6 and is so disposed that if the member 184 is in its lowermost position, hook 118 is in the path of travel of the latch member 31) and thus prevents the latch member from engaging the keeper 38. If there is no bag in the cleaner, the member 104 Will be in this lower position, as is shown in Fig. 3', wherein it is seen that the latch 30 is held out of engagement with the keeper 38. However, if the disposable paper bag is in position, as shown in Fig. 1, the member 104 is pivoted upwardly so that the hook 118 is out of the path of travel of the latch 30 and consequently the latter is able to engage the keeper 38.

In-Fig. 4 there is shown a cloth dust separating memher 120 in place within the cleaner. This member includes a metal ring 122 to which is secured the cloth bag itself. The ring 122 has an outwardly extending flange around the periphery of which is arubber gasket 124 which is held against the gasket 82 by the plate 73 when the cover 24 is closed. As is shown in Fig; -4, the presence of the cloth dust bag, and more especially the ring 122 and gasket 124 thereof, contacts the inturned edge 112, thus lifting the member 104 so that the hook portion 118 is moved out of the path of travel of the latch 30 so that. the latter is able to engage the. keeper 38 to hold the front cover 24 in closed position.

As above mentioned, when neithera disposable paper bag nor a cloth bag is in place in the cleaner, the member 104 is moved downwardly under the force of the spring 114 so'that the hook portion 118 prevents the latch 30 from engaging the keeper 38, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Thus, although the cover may be pivoted -to its fully closed position it will not remain in this position, but will be immediately opened by the spring 96 moving rod 94 outwardly as soon as the operators hand is removed and hence, even if the motor could be operated, dirty air would not be drawn in through the hose connected to conduit 65, but only clean air through the open front end of the cleaner. However, in the embodiment disclosed, this movement of the rod also assures that the switch 100 is moved to the oif position and. consequently it is impossible to operate the motor-fan unit without a dust bag.

While we have shown one more or less specific embodiment of ourinvention, it is to be understood that this has been done for purposes of illustration only and the scope of our invention is not to be limited thereby, but is to be determined from the appended claims.

What we-claim is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a closure for said opening, a movable latch member for releasably securing said closure in closed position, movable structure, and means for biasing said movable structure into the path of travel of said latch member for preventing the latter from latching, said structure having a portion contacting said dust separating member when the latter is received in saidcasing for holding said structure out of said path of travel.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a closure for said opening, a pivoted latch member for releasably securing said closure in closed position, a pivoted lever, and biasing means for pivoting one portion of said lever into the path of travel of said latch member for preventing the latter from latching, said lever having another portion contacting said dust separating member when the latter isreceived in said casing for holding the first-mentioned portion out of said path of travel.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a closure for said opening, a pivoted latch member for releasably securing said closure in closed position, a spring for urging said latch member towards latching position, movable structure, and a spring for moving oneportion of said structure into. the pathof travel of said latch member, the relative strengths of said springs being such that the presence of said structure=in-the pathof travel of said latch member :pi'events thevlattertrom latching, Said structure having another portion contacting said dust separating member when the latter is received in, said casing for holding the first-mentioned portion out of said path of travel.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a closure for said opening, a movable latch member on said closure for releasably securing said closure in closed position, a movable element on said casing, and means for biasing said movable element into the path of travel of said latch member when said closure is closed for preventing said latch member from latching, said element having a portion contacting said dust separating member when the latter is received in said casing for holding said element out of said path of travel.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a closure for said opening, a latch member pivotally mounted on said closure for releasably securing said closure in closed position, a lever pivotally mounted on said casing, and biasing means for pivoting one portion of said lever into the path of travel of said latch member when said closure is closed for preventing said latch member from latching, said lever having another portion contacting said dust separating member when the latter is received in said casing for holding the first-mentioned portion out of said path of travel.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, a dust separating member receivable in said casing, a motor-fan unit in said casing for producing flow of air into said dust separating member, a closure for said opening, a rod movably mounted on said casing with one end contacting said closure when the latter is in closed position, spring means urging said rod in a direction to open said closure member, a movable latch member for releasably securing said closure in closed position, a movable element, and means for basing said movable element into the path of travel of said latch member for preventing the latter from latching, said element having a portion contacting said dust separating member when the latter is received in said casing for holding said element out of said path of travel.

6 7. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening, means forming a seat around said opening, a closure for said opening, a pivoted latch member for releasably securing said closure in closed position, a lever, means for pivoting said lever so that the free end thereof is movable substantially in the plane of said opening in the neighborhood of said seat, means for biasing said lever so that said free end is moved inwardly towards the center of said opening and so that a portion of said lever is disposed in the path of travel of said latch for preventing the latter from latching, and a dust separating member receivable in said casing and having a flange seating on said seat, the introduction of said dust separating member causing said flange to pivot said free end outwardly to move said portion of said lever out of the path of travel of said latch member.

8. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening,

means forming a seat around said opening, a closure for said opening, a latch member pivotally mounted on said closure for releasably securing the latter in closed position, a lever, means for pivotally mounting said lever on said casing so that the free end of the lever is movable substantially in the plane of said opening in the neighborhood of said seat, means for biasing said lever so that said free end is moved inwardly towards the center of said opening and so that a portion of said lever is disposed in the path of travel of said latch when said closure is closed for preventing the latch fiom latching, and a dust separating member receivable in said casing and having a flange seating on said seat, the introduction of said dust separating member causing said flange to pivot said free end outwardly to move said portion of said lever out of the path of travel of said latch member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,322,948 Lofgren June 29, 1943 2,656,897 Yonkers Oct. 27, 1953 2,742,105 Dow Apr. 17, 1956