US2865465A

US2865465A - Vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: US2865465A
Application number: US557766A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stanley F Lachowicz
Original assignee: Landers Frary and Clark
Current assignee: Landers Frary and Clark
Priority date: 1956-01-06
Filing date: 1956-01-06
Publication date: 1958-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 1975-12-23
Also published as: GB812835A

Description

Dec. 23, 1958 S. F. LACHOWICZ VACUUM CLEANER Filed Jan. e, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 www INVENTOR. STANLEY E LACHOW/CZ ATTORNEYS Dec. 23, 1958 s. F. LAcHowlcz 2,865,465

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Jn. 6, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. STANLEY E LACHOW/CZ ATTORNE YS construction, combination of Vof partsV which will be exemplified in theconstruction erallyrectangular box-like sheet which for convenience-inv manufacture may comprise an 'upperlshell or section 11 and a lowershellor section'lZ. "The upper and lower sections are rlaterallyv from the side walls of the Unite States VACUUM CLEANER Staniey F. Lachowicz, NeWBritaimConn., assignor to Landers, Frary & Clark, Newritain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut 1 This invention relates generally to vacuum cleaners and more particularly to an improved construction for vacuum Acleaners of the tank type.

It is a general purpose of the invention to provide a tank type vacuum cleaner which is rugged yet light weight and simple and economical to manufacture, and which will incorporate improved and more eiiicient air liow characteristics.

. It is a more specific object of the invention toprovide, in a tank type vacuum cleaner of the typeA having a vertically arranged dust bag compartment and a horizontally arranged fan and motor assembly, atnovel and improved air ow arrangement between the dust bag compartment and the fan and motor assembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide-a novel and improved arrangement for mounting the fan and which willimprove the `operation of Va motor assembly machine of the -type'described withfrespect to vibration and noise level, and which will further -result in a more compact and economical structure.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in thefeatures of elements and arrangement hereafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which willbe indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. l isa longitudinal vertical cross sectional view of a ta-nlctype vacuum cleaner constructed' in accordance with the-invention;

"Fig 2- is fan elevational view of the dust4 bag compartment of -themachine of Fig;v l'illustratingone of-the elements of the invention; and f' I *Figi 3 is a fragmentary ycross sectional 174view of a portion 'ofthe vacuumcleaner of Fig.' l. f i

With reference to the' drawings,V a 'cleaner constructed in accordance with the invention -is comprised of algenmetal outer housing 10,

ing peripheral flanges 13 andk .14 respectively, whichsare connected: together such as by screws 15. A strip: '16 of resilient material such as rubber or plastic lsurrounds the llanges i3 and i4 to provide a bumperfor the cleanerand Kto cover the joint between the interconnectedsections of the housing.

. Disposed vertically within the outer housing and spaced o uterhousingis a dust bagcompartment 20. The compartmentlt), as ein be seen from Fig. l, extends substantially the full height of the outer housingwith its-open end extending. upwardly. The bottom 21, `of the compartment, as can ybe seen in Fig. 1is curved inwardly and upwardly from the periphery thereof toform a Vc oncaveannular portion directed inwardly of the compartment and having an apex provided with cooperat atetlt r' corporates as at 27 means for attaching a hosethereto in communication with the n interior of the dust bag compartment 20.

The top of the upper shell 11 is provided with a down-` wardly'directed liange 30 having an inwardly directed rim portion 31 on which' is mounted a ring 32 fabricated from suitable resilient material such as rubber or plastic. The inner diameter of the ring 32 engages theouter diam'- eter of the top of the dust bag compartment A20 to position the open end of the compartment in registrywith the cover 24. A ring -33 is supported onthe ring ,32 andfin turn supports a ring 34, to which is mounted a cloth bag 35 which extends inwardly of the dust bag compartment y 20. A paper dust bag 36 is supported at its open end from a ring 37 which is supported by the cloth bag ring 34.

The lower portion of the dust Vbag compartment 20 is reduced in diameter to form an inclined surface 38, lon

which is supported a iilter pad retainer 39. The filter pad e retainer 39 is held in position by means such as the, screw i0 extending through the retainer, and engaged withthe apex of the upwardly directed portion of thexbottomof y the compartment 2li. The retainer 39 has a radially inwardly directed shoulder d5 on which is supported a ilter pad'lt. The lower surface of the retainer 39 is provided with a plurality of perforations as at 47 to permit the passage of air through the filter. pad retainer.

The si-de wall of the compartment 20 is provided with j an elongated horizontally directed aperture 48 adjacent the bottom thereof and in communication'with the underside of-.the lilter pad retainer. 39. A vertically disposed air duct element 49 fabricated preferably from sheet metal is mounted along the sidel of compartment 20 .by means such as the rivets 50. vA ring preferably of rubber orthe v like is mounted intermediate .the air duct element 49 and the side of the compartment 20 to form an airtight connection between the duct and the compartment, and as will be later seen, to reduce vibrations within the machine.

The air duct element 49 is provided with a horizontally j directed aperture 51 adjacent the upper end thereofwhich. is surrounded by a horizontally extending flange 52. .As can be seen from the drawings, the airduct element 49 in cooperation with the side of the compartment 20, forms a wide enclosed air passageway 63 between the aperture 48 in the -compartment 20 and the aperture 5l of the air duct element. -The passageway. 63 is unobstructed and provides minimum resistance to air flow between the compartment and the aperture 51. i

A fan and motor assembly 53 is disposed horizontally within the outer housingltl and externally of the dust bag compartment 20 in spaced relation to the sides of the outer housing. The motor end 6l of the vassembly v53 is mounted on a motor mounting..bracketed` conibatented Dec. 23, 95@- f a cupflike portion v preferably in t-received in a radially extending aperture or slot 90 in `be seen from Fig. l, are less and the sleeve 74 projects lnthe disc 66 and the'disc 57 respectively,w'ithsashoulder 62 on the axial extension limiting thegaxial movement of-the plate 67 relative vto the axial extension 260. 'These plates in cooperation Awith a bolt 69 threadably received within the axiall bore-65 serve to compress the'discs 66 and S7 therebetween, to provide aresilient support for the motor end 21 of the fan andl motor assembly. A washerlike member 79 disposedvbetween the plate 68 andthe end of the axial extension 60 'limits the compression-of the discsto that necessary for proper support of the fan` and motor assembly. As can be seen from Fig. l, the aperture'in the mounting bracket 54 is larger thanthe axial extension 60, Vthus permitting the fantand motor assemblyto move relative to themounting bracket as provided by the resiliency of the discs57 and 66. Thus, it cantbe seen that there has been provided a means for `mounting theA motor end 61 of the motor so as to substantiallyA eliminate the transfer tothe remainder of the cleaner of any vibration due to operation of the fan and motor, and `thus reduce the noise level of the machine.

. It has been' found in a vacuum cleaner constructed, as thus far described, with a horizontally disposed fan and motor assembly that there is a tendency for the fan and motor assembly to be rotated about its rotation axis .when the motor is rst energized due to the starting torque of the motor. This rotation of the fan and motor assembly of course cannot be permitted for obvious reasons... lTherefore, in accordance withthe invention, the

plate 67is, as can be seen in Fig. 3, provided withan extension or finger 85 directed radially of the plater and having an end portion 86 directed axially of the fan and vmotor assembly and bifurcated to provide a pair of spaced apart members, as at 87, which'engage either side of a radially disposed protuberance or rib 88 on one end of thefan and motor assembly. The plate 67 is -further provided with an axially extending projection the formt ofthe struck-out tab S9-which is the resilient disc 66. The disc 66 is also provided with la .second radially `extending aperture or slot 9i dia- Ametrically disposed relative Vto the slot 90 and in which is received an axially 'extending projection 92 on the cuplike portion 56 of facture and which provides a resiliency which is desir able to maintain the vibrations and attendant noise level of the machine at a minimum.

The other end of the fan and motor assembly is,

-in accordance ,with the invention,` supported by the air duct element 49. As can be seen from the drawings, the

fan and motor assemblyis provided with a casing-member 71 serving to limit the inlet of air to the fanA 72 to the aperture formed by the axially directedilange73 Y of the casing member 7l. A sleeve 74 is mounted within the flange 73 and has a flange '75 in engagement with the inner surface of the casing member 71. The combined diameters of the ilange 73 and sleeve 74, as can than the inner diameter of the air `duct flange 52 wardly of the aperture 51' formed by the Viiange S2 to Vform an air passageway between the fan` and theair passageway 63. In accordance with the invention, there is disposed between the inner 4diameter of the flange SZ andthe outer diameter of both the sleeve 74`and flange `73, a large bushing or collar 78 'of suitable resilient-mathe motor mounting bracket 54. The `projection92 is also preferably in the form of a struck- ,out tab. It can thus be seen that there has yopening to -serves yto, further reduce the overall noise level of the machine. vis permitted to'ow outwardly thereof through an aper- .ture 79 provided in one end of the outer housing 10. An escutcheon plate 80 is mounted such as by a bead` bearings; the passage of air from the dust bag ment to the fan is free and unobstructed, and is accomterial such as rubber, which provides a resilient support for the casing member 71, andthus the fan end of the fan and motor assembly on the air duct element 49. This means of mounting the fan and motor assembly to the air duct 49 provides, of course, an increase in the economy of manufacture of the cleaner as well as providing a vibration-absorbing mounting to substantially reduce the overall noise level of the machine, As noted above, the manner of supporting the motor and fan assembly on the air duct 49 also serves to provide an enclosed, low pressure drop air passageway for the flow of air fromthe air passageway 63 to the inlet side of the fan.

In the operation of the machine las a suction cleaner, air is drawn through the dust bag compartment 20 and its aperture 4S, through the air passageway 63, and into the fan 72 through the duct formed by the sleeve 74. Air is directed from the outlet side of the fan through a passageway 76 in the motor and fan assembly into -themotor and thence outwardly through the stator 77 of the motor for expansion into the spaced interior of thelouter housing 10 externally of the motor and fan assembly 53, the dust bag compartment Z0, and their interconnecting air passageways. This expansion of the VVair into the interior-of the housing, rather than immediately directing the air from the fan through a restricted the atmosphere outwardly of the housing The exhaust air in the interior of the housing .S1 tothe kouterhousing and has mounted thereon a hose connection 82 in'registry with the aperture 79. A filter element 83 such as a flockv screen is mounted within the outer housing in registry with the aperture 79 and is `retained in place by the engagement of a peripheral lip thereof between the escutcheon plate 80 and the 4outerfhousing 10 as at 84,

The advantages of the novel structure herein described should be apparent from the above description. 'The mounting of the fan and motor assembly in the horizontal position rather than a vertical position, of course, reduces the tloads on the thrust bearings of the motor and fan assembly, inasmuch as the weight of the assembly is not added to any thrust loads imposed on the compartplished by the most direct route possible, eliminating Yany tortuous redirections of the air in its flow; and

:most particularly the supporting of one end of the fan and motor assembly on tbe air duct kelement 49 provides the novel combination of a simplified means of mounting of the fan and motor assembly with an improved air' passageway arrangement between the fan Vandthe dust bag compartment.

It can thus be seen that there have been provided novel improvements in the construction of a tank type vvacuum cleaner resulting in increased economy and simplicity of manufacture, and providing improvement in the air ow characteristics of the machine, as well as a reduction in the vibration and attendant noise level of the overall machine.

As many changes could bev made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without depart- 'ing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above companying drawings shall be interpreted as illustra- `'tive and not 4in a limiting sense.

description or shown in the ac- It is also to be understood that the language used fin-the following claims is intended to cover all of the "generic andspecic features of the invention herein desc'ribed audalls'tatements of the scope of the invention vwhich,` as a matter of language, might besaidto fall therebetween.

I claim:

l. In a vacuum cleaner of the tank type,` an outer housing, a vertically arranged dust b ag compartment within the outer housing, meansforming an aperture in vthe side of said compartment adjacent thebottom thereyof, means .forming a vertically disposed air duct externally of the compartment, said air duct communicating -at one end vwith said aperture in said compartment and .being provided with a horizontally directed aperture adjacent its other end, a horizontally-disposed fan and motor assembly within and spaced from the outer housing having an inlet air passageway at one end, means connecting said one end of fan and motor assembly to said means forming said air duct for the support of said one end of the fan and motor assembly thereby and forming an enclosed air-passageway connecting said linlet airY passageway with said horizontally directed aperture in the air duct, and means on the outer housing resiliently supporting the other end of said fan and lmotor assembly. n

'2. In a vacuum cleaner of the tank type, an outer housing, a vertically arranged dust bag compartment within the outer housing, means forming lan aperture in the side of the compartment adjacent the bottom thereof, a vertically disposed duct element mounted on the :periphery .of the compartment to form in cooperation .with the outer peripheral surface of the compartment an enclosed air passageway communicating at one end with said aperture in the compartment, the duct element being provided with a horizontally directed aperture adjacent the other end thereof, a horizontally disposed fan and motor assembly within and spaced from the outer housing having an inlet air passageway at one end, means connecting said one end of the fan and motor assembly to the air duct fork support thereby and formingan enclosed air passageway connecting said inlet air passage- 4way with the horizontallydirected aperture in the air duct, and a'resilient support for the other end of the fan and motor assembly mounted on the outer housing.

3, In a vacuum cleanerof the tank type,-the combination comprising an outer housing, a vertically arranged cylindrical dust bag compartment within the outer housing, the bottom of the compartment being curved radially inwardly and upwardly from the periphery thereof, iilter means disposed internally of the compartment and supported on the apex of the bottom of the compartment, the compartment being provided with an aperture in a vertical side thereof communicating with the under side of the lter means, a vertically disposed duct element mounted on the outer periphery of the co-mpartment to form in cooperation with the compartment an enclosed air passageway communicating at one end with the aperture in the side of the compartment, the duct element being provided with a horizontally directed aperture adjacent the other end thereof, a horizontally disposed fan and motor assembly within and spaced laterally from the outer housing and having an axially extending flange at one end forming a horizontally directed air inlet passageway, and a flange on said duct element surrounding said horizontally directed aperture and extending coaxially of and connected to said axially extending flange to support said one end of the fan and motor assembly on the duct element and form Ian enclosed air passageway between said horizontally directed aperture and said one end of the fan and motor assembly.

4. ln a vaccum cleaner of the tank type, an outer housing, a vertically arranged compartment within the outer housing, a dust separating bag vertically positioned in the compartment with the bottom of the bag being vertically spaced from the bottom of the compartment, means forming an aperture in the side of the compartment intermediate the bottom of the dust bag and the bottom of the compartment, a vertically disposed air ductexternally lof the compartment and spaced from the outer housing, said air duct communicating at one end with said aperture vin the side of the compartment and being provided'with ahorizontally directed aperture adjacent the other -end thereof, a horizontally extending flange surrounding said horizontally directed aperture, a horizontally disposed fan and motor assembly within and spaced from the outer housing, and having means on one end thereof forming an inlet air passageway to the fan,va;angeion said lone end of the fan and motor assembly disposed coaxially of said horizonvtally extending flange in registry with said inlet Vair passageway, one of said iianges being of a lesser diameter than and extending within the other, and a resilient collar disposed intermediate said` flanges to form a resilient connection therebetween whereby said one end of the fan Vand moto-r assembly is supported by said air duct.

5. In a vacuum cleaner of the tank type, the combination comprising an outer housing, a vertically arranged compartment within the outer housing and having its upper end open, ka dust separating bag vertically positioned. in the compartment with the bottom of the bag being vertically spaced from the bottom of the compartment, means, providingan aperture in the side. of the compartment intermediate the bottom of the vdust bag and the bottom of the compartment, a fan and driving motor assembly -disposed horizontally within and spaced laterally from the outerho-using externally of the compartment and having air inlet means on one end, a flange on said one end of the fan and motor assembly vforming any enclosed horizontally 4directed air passageway communicating at one end of said air-inlet means,

la vertically disposed duct element mounted on the outer periphery of the compartment to form in cooperation with a'portion of the outer periphery .of the compart- 'ment and an enclosed air passageway within and. spaced laterally of the outer housing and co-mmunicating at one end with said aperture in the compartment, the duct element being provided with a horizontally directed aperture adjacent its other end in sealed communication with the other end of said horizontally directed passageway,

` the fan and motorV assembly being provided with an air outlet passageway exhausting into the interior of the outer housing, and means forming an aperture in the outer housing through which exhaust air from the fan and motor assembly may flow outwardly of the outer housing.

6. In a vacuum cleaner of the tank type, an outer housing, a fan and motor assembly .disposed within the outer housing and having an axial extension at one end, mounting means supporting the fan and `motor assembly relative to the outer housing, a plate member mounted on said axial extension intermediate the mounting means and said one end of the fan and motor assembly, the

` plate member Abeing connected to the fan and motor assembly to substantially prevent relative rotation of the plate member about the rotational axis of the fan and motor assembly, the mounting means and the plate member each being provided with a projection spaced radially outwardly of the axial extension, the projections being oppositely directed axially of the fan and motor assembly, and a resilient member disposed intermediate the mounting means and the plate member and having means to respectively receive and engage said projections whereby relative rotation of the plate member and mounting means will be resiliently restricted.

7. In a vacuum cleaner of the tank type, an outer housing, a fan and motor assembly disposed within the outer housing and having an axial extension at one end, a mounting bracket having means receiving a portion of and supporting said axial extension relative to the outer housing, a plate member mounted on said axial extension and having a linger portion extending axially of the fan and motor assembly, means on said one end of the fan and motor assembly engaging said finger portion to substantially prevent relative rotation of the plate member and fan and motor assembly, a projection on the plate member spaced radially outwardly of the V`axial extension and extending axially Vaway fromjsai'd one end of the fan and motor assembly, a projection on thel mounting bracket spaced radially outwardly of the axial mounting bracket.

8. In a vacuum cleaner of the tank type, an outer housing, a fan and motor assembly disposed within the outer housing and having an axialextension and in a ra dially disposed rib at one` end, a mounting bracket on the louter housing, means on themounting bracket receiving a portion and supporting said axial extension, a plate `membe`r mounted on the axial extension and provided with a bifurcated iinger portion directed axially of the fan and motor assembly for engagement with either side of said radially disposed rib, the plate member being pro vided with a struck out tab disposed radially thereof and extending toward said mounting bracket, a struck out tab on the mounting bracket disposed radially thereof and extending toward the plate member, the tabs on the plate member and mounting bracket being diametrically disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the axial extension, and a resilient member disposed intermediate the plate member and the mounting bracket and being provided with a pair of slots extending radially thereof and respectively receiving the struck out tabs on the plate member and mounting bracket.

9. In a vacuum cleaner of-the tank type, an outer housing, a fan and motor assembly disposed horizontally within the outer housing and provided with an axial extension at one end thereof, a motor mounting bracket mounted on the outer housing having a cup-like portion provided with a centrally located aperture coaxially receiving said axial extension, the edge portion of said aperture being spaced radially outwardly from the outer diameter of said axial extension, a resilient member disposed within said cup-like portion and surrounding a portion ofand supporting said axial extension relative to the mounting bracket, a projection on said cup-likeportion extending axially toward the fan and motor assembly, a plate member mounted on the axial extension intermediate said oneend of they fan and motor assembly and the mounting bracket tand provided with a projection extending axially of the fan and motor assembly toward the cup-like portion, said plate member being connected to the fan and motor assembly to substantially prevent relative rotation of the plate member and fan and motor assembly, and a second resilient member mounted on the axial extension intermediate the cup-like portion and the plate member and provided with a pair of apertures respectively -receiving the projections on the cup-like portion and plate member to restrict relative rotation therebetween. t

l0. In a vacuum'cleanr of the tank type, an outer housing, a fan andfmotor assembly horizontally disposed within the outer housing, mounting means on the outer housing for thesupport of one end of-the fan and motor assembly, aV resilient member disposed between the mounting means and said one end of the fan and motor assembly, and oppositely directed means supported on the mounting means and said end of the fan and motor assembly engaging said resilient member to impede and limit rotation of saidy fan and motor assembly about the rotational axis thereof and relative to said mounting means.

ll. In a vacuum cleaner of the tank type as set forth in claim 1, wherein said horizontally disposed fan and motor assembly have' air discharge means communicating with the interior of said outer housing, and with said outer housing having independent air outlet means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITD STATES PATENTS 942,037 Markstein Nov. 30, 1909 1,847,352 McClatchie a Mar. 1, 1932 2,158,717 Brock May 16, 1939 2,174,443 Lofgren Sept. 26, 1939 2,400,558 Lindberg May 2l, 1946 2,688,379 Anderson Sept. 7, 1954