US2964777A

US2964777A - Vacuum cleaner and cordwinder combination

Info

Publication number: US2964777A
Application number: US647241A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oliver L Allen; Michael E Belicka; Gustaf E Lofgren
Original assignee: Electrolux Corp
Current assignee: Electrolux Corp
Priority date: 1957-03-20
Filing date: 1957-03-20
Publication date: 1960-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 1977-12-20

Description

- Dec. 2o, 1960 0. L. ALLEN mL I 2,964,777`

' vVACUUM CLEANER AND CCRDNINDER COMBINATION INVENTORS OLIVE/e HLLEN Q THEIR ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1960 o. l.. ALLEN ETAL VACUUM CLEANER AND coRDmNDER COMBINATION Filed Marchvzo, 1957 y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. BEL/cm m M ME N n NN IL 0 M/c/mn Gus mf t'. Lora/25N mull- THEIR ATTORNEY United States Patent() i VACUUM CLEANER AND CORDWINDER COMBINATION Oliver L. Allen, Riverside, Michael E. Belicka, Greenwich, and Gnstaf E. Lofgren, Riverside, Conn., assignors to rElectrolux Corporation, Fairfield, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 20, 1957, Ser. No. 647,241

7 Claims. (Cl. 15-323) Our invention relates to the combination of a vacuum cleaner, and particularly a tank type cleaner, with a removable cordwnder.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to secure a cordwnder to the exhaust opening at the rear end of a cleaner Among the objects of our present invention is to pro,

vide a detachable cordwnder which, however, need not be removed from the cleaner or disturbed in any way when it is desired to connect the hose to the exhaust opening. Further objects and advantagesof our invention will be apparent from the following description when'considered in connection with the accompanying drawings whichY form part of the specification and of which:

Fig. 1 is a side view partially in cross-section, showing one embodiment of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the device shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a top view of a portion of the device shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cordholder substituted in place of certain parts shown in the preceding figures;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of our invention; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the device shown in Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 through 3, reference character 10 designates generally the body of a tank type vacuum cleaner which is adapted to be supported on `a horizontal surface by means of a pair of rear wheels 12 and a front caster 14. Removably secured to the front end of body 10 is ra front cover 16 provided with an inlet opening 18.

Mounted within body 10 near the rear end thereof is a motor-fan unit including an electric motor 20 driving a centrifugal fan 22. The motor is supplied with current through conductors 24 which are connected through an electric switch 26 to contact prongs 28.

The rear end of body 10 is formed with a transverse wall 30 having a rectangular opening 32. Suitably Vsecured to the outside of wall 30, as by spot welding is a plate 34 provided with a number of openings 36, as will be seen particularly in Fig. 2. The central par-t of plate 34 carries a threaded member 38.

An end member designated generally by reference character 40 is removably secured to the outer face of wall 30 by means of a bolt 42 which engages the threaded member 38. Member 40 is provided with a transverse wall 44 having a depression 46` in which is received the head 48 of bolt 42. At the upper edge Patented Dee. 2o, 196e of wall 44 member 40 is formed with an outlet passage which terminates in a horizontally extending hose connection 50. A plate 52 is mounted within member 40 so that its large central opening 54 is in alignment with the holes 36 formed in the plate 34. If desired, a filter ggd S6 may be held in place between the plates 34 and Extending rearwardly from member 40 is circular cradle 58 which has an arcuate extent of somewhat more than 180. Reference character 60 designates generally a cordwnder which is cylindrical in shape and has an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the cradle 58. The lower part of the cordwinder is provided with a pair of pins 62 which are adapted to extend through corresponding apertures formed in the cradle 58, while the upper part of the cordwnder is formed with a pin 64 which may be engaged by a latch 66 pivotally mounted at 68 on the underside of hose connection 50.

The cordwnder 60 is provided therein with the usual spring actuated reel or drum upon which an electric cord 70 may be wound when not in use. When it is desired to operate the vacuum cleaner, the cord 70 may be pulled out through the opening 72 formed in the cordwnder casing and the plug 74 inserted in -a suitable electrical receptacle. A comparatively short elec-A tric cord 76 extends from the rear of the cordwnder through a slot 77 formed in the bottom of cradle 58 and is provided with a plug 78 which may engage A the prongs 28, so as to supply current to the motor 20..

During normal operation of the device as a vacuum; cleaner, a fiexible hose is connected to the inlet 18.. Operation of the motor 20 causes the fan 22 to induce flow of air through the inlet 18, and this air is discharged through and around the motor 20 from whence it passes through the openings 36 in the plate 34, through the filter 56 and the opening 54 in the plate 52, to be discharged finally through the hose connection 50. If it is desired to use the vacuum ceaner for blowing purposes, the hose may be connected to the connection 5t) without disturbing the cordwnder 60. lf it is desired for any reason to remove the cordwnder from the vacuum cleaner this may be done by merely pivoting the latch 66 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, so as to release it from engagement with pins 64. The cordwnder 60 may then be pivoted outwardly until its upper edge is beyond the outer end of hose connection 50, whereupon it may be lifted slightly so as to disengage pins 62 from the apertures in cradle 58. Removal of the cordwnder from the end member 4f)y is necessary in the event it is desired to change the filter 56. To do this. after the cordwnder has been removed as above described, the head 48 of screw 42 is accessible so that the latter may be unscrewed from the member 38. Thereupon, the lter 56 may be removed and replaced with a new one and the parts reassembled.

In the event a cordwnder is not desired, the end member 40 may be removed, and replaced by the hollow circular member 80 shown in Fig. 4. This member has an inner arm 81 which carries a threaded bolt 42 having a head 48', the bolt being arranged to engage the threaded member 38 in the same manner as does bolt 42 in Fig. l. Member .80 is formed with a central exhaust opening 82 through which the head 48 is accessible and to which the hose may be connected for blowing purposes. An electric cord for supplying current to the motor 20 may be wound around the exterior of cylindrical member 80 for storage purposes.

A slightly modified embodiment of our invention is shown in Figs. 5 and 6; Here the end member 40 is the same as that previously disclosed with the exception? threaded engagement' with end member 40. A pin 92' extends downwardly from hose connection 50 and is adapted to engage an aperture formed in the casing of the cordwinder.

In order to secure the cordwinder to the member 40, it is placed in position against the outer surface of rear wall 44 with pin 92 engaging the aperture in the cordwinder ease and with the bolt 90 received within the slot 88. Thereupon, the bolt 90 is screwed up tight so as to hold the cordwinder in place.

Otherwise, this embodiment is the same as that previously described.

It will be seen that, in accordance with either of the embodiments of our invention, we have provided an arrangement whereby a cordwinder maybe detachably connected to the rear end of a tank type vacuum cleaner without in any manner interfering with the connection of a hose to the exhaust opening of the cleaner.

While we have sho-wn two more or less specific embodiments of our invention it is to be understood that this has been done for the purpose of illustration onlyl and that the scope of our invention is not to be limited thereby, but is to be determined from the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. In a vacuum cleaner, an elongated housing open at one end, a motor-fan unit in said housing for producing ilow of air therethrough, an end member having a substantially, transverse wall portion and being formed with an outlet passage disposed at one edge of the wall, a fastening member passingv through said wall portion and engageable with an element xed with respect to said housing for removably securing said end member to said housing, said wall portion being formed with a recess for receiving the outer end of said fastening member, a casing enclosing a cordwinder for supplying current to said motor, and means for removably securing said casing to the exterior of said end member closely adjacent to the outer side of said wall covering said recess and entirely 4to one side of said outlet passage.

2. A device as defined in claim l in which said outlet passage terminates in a hose connection extending substantially normal to the plane of said wall, and the means for removably securing said casing to the exterior of said end member includes a member carried by said hose connection removably engaging said casing'.

3. A device as detned in claim 1 in which the means for. removably. securing said casing to. the exterior of said..

end member includes cradle means carried by said mem-- ber outwardly of said wall and having a shape conforming to the outer contour of said casing, and releasable means for securing said casing in said cradle means.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 in which said releasable means comprises` a pivotally mounted latch member.

5. A device as defined in claim 2 in which the means for removably securing said casing to the exterior of said end member includes cradle. means Carried by saidl mem ber outwardly of. said, wall'and opposite said hose connection and having a shapeY conforming to the outer contour of said casing, s aid member carried by said hose connection serving to secure said casing in said cradle means.

6. A device as defined in claim l in which the means for removably securing said casing to the exterior of said end member includes interlocking means for securing the upper part of the casing to said member, an arm secured to the lower part of the casing and extending underneath said member, and manuallyengageable and releasable means for securing said arm to said member.

7. A device as defined in claim l in which said outlet passage terminates in a hose connection extending substantially normal to the plane of said wall, and the means for removably securing said casing to the exterior of said end member includes means mounted on said hose connection for securing the upper part of said casing to said member, an arm secured to said casing and extending underneath said member, and manually engageable and releasable means for securing said arm to said memberA References. Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,260,626 Berg Matr. 26, 1918 1,960,922 Richard May 29, 1934 2,323,275 Lofgren June 29, 1943 2,348,966 Dow et al May 16, 1944 2,375,917 Gross May 15, 1945 2,794,513 Hultberg et al June 4, 1957 2,825,087 Meyerhoefer Mar. 4, 1958 2,825,924 Humphrey Mar. 1l, 1958 2,848,731 Tamarin Aug. 26, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 733,530 Great Britain July 13, 1955