US2886127A

US2886127A - Vacuum cleaner construction

Info

Publication number: US2886127A
Application number: US565336A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clarence A Brock
Original assignee: Martin Parry Corp
Current assignee: Martin Parry Corp
Priority date: 1956-02-14
Filing date: 1956-02-14
Publication date: 1959-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 1976-05-12

Description

May 12, 1959 c A. BROCK 2,886,127

VACUUM CLEANER CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 14, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. C/zrewce 61,3720

May 12, 1959 VACUUM CLEANER CONSTRUCTION 14 //1 j; my

INVENTOR. 624767766 A1 .5700? ahwz/s'.

c A. BROCK 2,886,127

United St tS Patent'jOf VACUUM CLEANER CONSTRUCTION Clarence A. Brock, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Martin- Parry Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application February 14, 1956, Serial No. 565,336

2 Claims. (Cl. 183-37) This invention relates tovacuum cleaners, pertaining particularly to improvements upon vacuum cleaners of the types disclosed in my Patents 2,221,572, granted November 12, 1940, and 2,228,750, granted January 14, 1941.

The objects of this invention are to improve the separation of dust from air in a vacuum cleaner and to improve the separation of dust and liquids from air in cleaners utilizing liquid baths.

Another object of this invention is to reduce thevibration transmitted from the motor to the vacuum cleaner container and to improve the sealing between plural portions of that container. Y

Another object of the invention is to increase the portability and to reduce the size of vacuum cleaners.

A feature of this invention is an improved means for directing the flow of air between an input port and an output port of a vacuum cleaner exclusively through a rotatable filtering and separating element.

Another feature of this invention is an improved means for reducing the water and dust content of the exhaust air from a water-bath type of vacuum cleaner.

Another feature of this invention is an improved means for establishing an air-tight seal between two detachable vacuum-cleaner container portions.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, the nature of the foregoing features, and other objects and features of the invention, may be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention when read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

-1Figure 1 is a side elevational view in partial section of a vacuum cleaner embodying the principles of the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the structure represented in Fig. 1.

While certain of the principles of the invention are equally applicable to both dry and liquid-bath type vacuum cleaners, the principles have been representatively embodied in a cleaner containing provision for the effective depositing of dust in or filtration of dust through a water bath.

The disclosed vacuum comprises a container having three interjoined but detachable portions; a main housing portion 12, a cap assembly 14 and a pan assembly 16.:

The main housing portion 12 includes a generally circular cylindrical sheetmetal element having a rolled lower edge 18 extending substantially around the periphery, a generally horizontal upper flange 20, a generally cylind-rical flange portion 22 depending from the inner edge of the upper flange 20, a generally conical flange portion 24 depending from the lower edge of the flange 22 and a generally horizontal inner flange 26 extending radially inwardly from the flange portion 24.

The cap assembly 14 is an inverted bowl-shaped member having an inturned lower flange 30. An inner cap element 32 issecured within and at the upper end of the cap assembly 14 by any appropriate means, represen- 2,886,127 1C Patented May 12, 1959 tatively by the same screws 34 which secure the handle 36 to the cap assembly 14. A generally circular cylindrical inner canister 38 is secured to the inner cap 32 and extends generally coaxially with the cap assembly 14, the walls thereof being spaced from the walls of that cap assembly. The lower portion of the inner canister 38 fits within and makes intimate engagement with the generally cylindrical flange portion 22 of the main housing portion 12, the sliding engagement between those parts being such as to inhibit the flow of air therebetween but yet permitting removal of the cap assembly 14 if the occasion for such should arise. The inner canister 38 is an element of the output-air bafiiing arrangement, the sole output opening in the portion 38 being through an aperture 40 near the lower edge and at one side thereof. Air flowing through the aperture 40 then normally passes downwardly between the inner canister 38 and the edge of the flange 30 and then passes outwardly through the annular slot extending peripherally of the cleaner and defined by the

spacedapart flanges

20 and 30.

The molded or cast pan assembly 16 includes a socket 42 adapted to accept the coupling portion of a flexible hose (not shown), the remote end of that hose being connected or connectable to any of a number of known types of nozzle attachments. The inflow of air is directed downwardly by a throat portion 44. In the preferred use of the device, the lower portion of the pan assembly 16 contains an appropriate quantity of water 47, a representative level of which is indicated, in which the dust, dirt and other particles may be dissolved, floated or suspended. Except for a discontinuity at the socket 42,21

shoulder 46 extends peripherally of the pan assembly 16,

being engageable with the lip 18 of the main housing portion 12. The lower edge of the main housing portion 12 is provided with a lipped cutout 48 conformed to the configuration of the socket 42, the lipped portion 48 being continuous with the lip 18 so that a substantially ing means are provided for detachably securing the pan assembly 16 to the main housing portion 12.

The upper end of the pan assembly 16 is partially enclosed by wall portion 50 terminating in an annular flange 52, the upper surface of which is planar, or slanting in-- ward and downward to tend to cause any water lying thereon when the pan is open to flow into the pan.

A motor assembly 54 is supported within the main housing portion 12 in a manner to be described and the motor therein is adapted to drive both a lower separator 56 and an upper multi-stage fan 58 so as to draw air through the socket 42 and throat 44, over or through the water 47 and through the separator 56, the exhaust air traveling from the fan assembly 58 over the previously noted course to the atmosphere.

As may best be seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the motor assembly 54 comprises a motor housing 60 within which a motor 62 is secured by means such as machine screws 64. The upper shaft extension 66 of the motor 62, retatably supported by bearing assembly 68, is secured to the movable elements of the multi-stagefan assembly 58 which may be of any appropriate type, such as those dis closed in my abovereferenced patents. The assembly of the fixed elements of the multi-stage fan 58 is supported upon the upper flange 70 of the motor housing 60 and.

is secured thereto by means such as screws 72.

The motor housing 60 is resiliently supported for liniited vertical movement relative to the main housing porassets? tion 12*:by means including motor support ring 76, pref- :erably formedof a resilient material such as rubber. An annular lip 78 at the upper edge of the main, generally frustro-conical sleeve portion of the support ring 76 is clamped to horizontal flange/26 of the main housing 12 by means of an outer clamping ring 8d, the horizontal flange portion:82 of which is secured to the flange '26 by means'of aplurality of annularly disposed screws 85 passing through apertures in the flange portion 82 and in the "lip 78 and'threadedly engaging apertures in the flange'Zfi.

.Support ring 76 is further provided with an inwardly extending annular lip 84 engaging and supporting the lower annular surface of the motor housing on. A plurality of machinescrews, such as screws 86, serve to clamp the annular lip 84 between the motor housing 60 and an inner clamping ring 88. Toinsure a secure engagement between the lip 34 and the motor housing 60, an annular cavity 90 :is formed in the undersurface of the housing 60,-that cavity being defined in part by a depend ing lip 92 at :the outer edge of the motor housing 66!. The inwardly extending annular lip 84- is appropriately .formed with an enlarged inner portion to occupy the cavity .90. This construction obviates any possibility of the.lip.84 slilpping radially outwardly between the inner clamping ring 88 and the housing 60.

Dual air sealing means are provided for insuring that air from the atmosphere can enterthe cavity in the pan assembly 50 only through the socket 42. As one of those means, the motor support ring 76 is provided with a radially outwardly extending lip portion 9 -3, theouter edge of which is beaded as a reinforcement and the undersurface of-Which is adapted to engage, over a horizontal annulus .of substantial width, the upper surface of the flange 52 ofthe panassembly 50. As the other such means, a motor gasket 96, preferably'formed of a resilient material such asgsponge rubber, is disposed in the annular cavity defined by ,the inner face of the lower portion of the motor support ring 76, by the unclersurface of the inner clamping ring .88, and by the outer surface of a motor gasket flange 98 which depends downwardly from but is preferably integral with the inner clamping ring 88. The motor gasket 96 is preferably cemented to portions 88 and 98 and the undersurface of that gasket is adapted to engage, over a horizontal annulus of substantial width, the upper surface of the flange 52 on the pan assembly 50.

The configuration of the support ring flange 94 and the thickness ofthe motor gasket'96 are selected so that when the pan assembly 50 is mechanically latched to the main housing. assembly 12, gasket 96 is slightly compressed and flange 94 is deflected somewhat from its normal, free position ,so'that both elements continuously exert a force to maintain themselves in contact with the upper surface of the pan flange 52. The sealing effect is emphasized when the machine is in operation in two ways. First, the pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the pan 50 tends to force the support ring lip 94 more tightly into engagement with the upper surface of the flange 52. Additionally, the flexible support for the motor housing assembly 54 permits a limited amount of vertical motion of the assembly 54 relative to the canister and hence, relative to the pan assembly 50, with the motor "housing assembly 54 moving vertically downwardly toward the pan assembly 50 when the machine iSzill ioperation'due to the propelling effects of the multistage fan assembly 58. In practice, the amplitude of this motion may be in the order of one-eighth of an inch. Thisdownwardmotion of the assembly 54 further increases the'engaging forces between the sealing elements 94 and .96 and the flange 52, tending further to deflect the former and tending further to compress the latter. Itwill benoted that the described type of mounting for the motor assembly 54 not only permits an enhancing of the sealing to the pan assembly 50, but also the resilient nature of the support results in there being substantially no transmission of the motor vibration to the pan assembly 50 or to the main housing.

It will be appreciated that ring 76 provides an excellent seal to the pan assembly Stlso that the provision of gasket is not imperative for proper sealing. However, as will be seen, gasket 96 serves another important function so that its use is desirable.

The lower motor shaft extension 100 is rotatably sup ported by a bearing assembly 102-secured within a bearing ring 104 A plurality of relatively thin, radially extending ribs 106 are formed integrally with the motor housing 60 and the bearing ring 104 so as to support the latter coaxially with the housing 60, yet permitting air to flow upwardly within the housing 60. Separator 56, which may be of the type disclosed in my Patent 2,228,- 750, is secured to and rotates with the shaft 100. Separator 56 effectively serves to permit the passage of air from the cavity of the pan assembly 50 upwardly through the housing 60, underthe pressure dilferentials created by the fans assembly '58, but to prevent the movement of dust or moisture therethrough. Separator 56 terminates in a generally horizontal annular flange 110. A rotational clearance is established between the peripheral edge of the flange 110 and the housing 60 or parts integral therewith, in this case, the wall of the flange 98.

As in my previous arrangements, in order to prevent moistureand dust-laden air from flowing upwardly from the cavity in the pan St) through the annular gap around the flange 110, in bypass of the separator 56, a spider assembly 112 is provided to-establish a down draft of clean air through that annular gap to oppose and prevent the upward passage of dust or moisture laden air therethrough. In its disclosed form, spider assembly 112 includes a cup-shaped hub portion 114 secured to the shaft Mt) and rotatable therewith, the hub portion 114 partially enclosing the bearing assembly 104 and hence serving as a bearing cover. This configuration provides the requisite protection for the bearing assembly 104 without the need for a separate bearing cover, thereby permitting a reduction in the overall height of the assembly.

A pluralityof blades 116 extend radially from the portion 114, the tips of the blades 116 being interjoined by a ring structure 118 which includes a peripheral notch 120 in which the inner peripheral edge of the separator 56 is seated. The outer tips of the blades 116 and the outer edge 122 of the ring 118 extend into spaced proximity to the vertical wall surface 124 of the motor housing 60. Hence, while the major portion of the air passing through the separator 56 is directed upwardly through the motor housing 60 and past the motor 62, an ancillary air flow is established by the blades 116, clean air flowing downward-1y between the peripheral edge 122 of the ring 118 and the surface 124 and through the space between the flange 110 on the separator 56 and the flange 98, returning to the cavity Within the pan assembly 50.

lf'the water level in the'pan 5f! is too high or if a fanmotor combination is provided which is capable of developing extraordinarily high pressure diiferentials, the arrangement as thus far described may not be totally adequate to prevent the exhausting of some dust-laden air to the atmosphere. In that event, the additional baffling arrangement disclosed in the drawings may beemployed to insure that dust or moisture laden air does not bypass the separator 56.

In the preferred arrangement, the inner clamping -ring 83 is provided with a radially inwardly extending annular flange 128 spaced from the spider assembly 112 and disposed intermediate the tips of the blades 116 and the flange 110 of the separator 56. As a result, a baffling arrangement is constituted whereby the downflow of air is over the serpentine path denoted by arrows in Fig.2 of the drawings.

While it is ,not entirely/clear why the interposition of the baflling flange 128 produces such a substantial improvement in'the sealing of the structure against the movement of dust or moisture laden air in bypass of the separator 56, it is believed that the result accrues, at least in part, from the fact that this arrangement serves to keep the tips of the blades 116 and the periphery of the ring 118 effectively dry since, by virtue of the provided circuitous path, the moistureladen air within the pin assembly 50 cannot so readily come in contact with those rotating elements. It is theorized that any moisture at the periphery of the spider tends to be beaten into water vapor by the action of the blades 116. Since the density of that water vapor is less than the density of the air, the pressure ditferential between the fluid at the tips of the blades 116 and the fluid in the pan assembly 50 is reduced and may, in aggravated circumstances, be reversed so that an upfiow of dust or moisture laden air is permitted. Otherwise stated, the lighter water vapor adjacent the tips of the blades of the spider assembly 112 does not exert as great a centrifugal sealing force as does air.

It has been found in practice that the described arrangement is eflective to prevent passage of water and dirt around the separator 56 even though the pan assembly 50 be filled with water well above its normal level and even though the capacity of the motor 62 and the fan assembly 58 be substantially increased.

A further advantage of the disclosed construction is in the reduction of drippage when the pan assembly 50 is removed. Since Water does not tend to collect upon the separator 56 due to its rapid rotational motion in use and since any water collecting on the undersurface of the pan assembly 50 will drip back into the pan, the total possible drippage of water to the floor when the pan assembly is removed is minimal since the total area, other than those noted, upon which water droplets can collect is very small. To a large part, this advantageous result is achieved by the use of motor gasket 96 which blocks water droplets or moisture-laden air from contacting the undersurface of ring 76 or the undersurface of clamping ring 88. Gasket 96 also serves to keep the upper surface of flange 52 dry, preventing the accumulation of water on that surface which has been an objectionable characteristic of certain of the prior constructions. If desired, that portion of gasket 96 which, when the pan assembly 50 is secured to the unit, is exposed to the cavity of the pan assembly 50 may be formed as a narrow depending lip terminating in a fine edge, as is represented in somewhat exaggerated form in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Alternatively, if the undersurface of resilient gasket 96 is made substantially planar, a depending lip will tend to form when the unit is assembled since the under edge of the gasket 96 is unsupported and since the remainder of that gasket is, to a degree, compressed. If a depending lip be formed in either fashion, any water droplets tending to collect on the exposed portion of gasket 96 will tend immediately to run down and oil of the gasket so that substantially all of the dripping will be completed before the pan assembly is removed.

While it will be apparent that the embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects of the invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a pan, an outer housing surmounting, engaging and detachably secured to said pan, a motor and fan within said housing, and resilient means for supporting said motor within said housing and for establishing a seal between said pan and said outer housing comprising an integral body having a lip clamped to said housing, a tubular sleeve depending from said lip, a flange extending radially inwardly from said sleeve and fixed with respect to said motor, and a portion depending from said flange and engageable in sealing relationship with said pan.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a pan, an outer housing surmounting, engaging and detachably secured to said pan, a motor housing within said outer housing, and resilient means for supporting said motor housing within said outer housing and for establishing a seal between said pan and said outer housing comprising an integral body having generally horizontal, vertically spaced, opposed lips clamped to the respective ones of said housings, a generally frustro-conical sleeve interjoining said lips, and a portion depending from said flange and. engageable in sealing relationship with said pan.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,158,717 Brock May 16, 1939 2,221,572 Brock et al. Nov. 12, 1940 2,228,750 Brock Jan. 14, 1941 2,233,167 Holm-Hansen Feb. 25, 1941 2,244,165 McFarland et all June 3, 1941 2,276,844 Holm-Hansen Mar. 17, 1942 2,314,986 Johnson Mar. 30, 1943 2,709,500 Carter c... May 31, 1955