US3069186A - Suction nozzle - Google Patents

Description

C. E. STEVENS SUCTION NOZZLE Dec. 18, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 11, 1956 INVENTOR.

Dec. 18, 1962 c. E. STEVENS 3,069,186

sucTIoNNozzLE 11114411.11:iiwllmmmumm United States Patent Office 3,069,186 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 3,069,186 SUCTION NOZZLE Clarence E. Stevens, Cucamonga, Calif., assiguor to The Filtex Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Michigan e Filed .lune 11, 1956, Ser. No. 590,492

2 Claims. (Cl. 285 7) This invention relates to suction nozzles for suction cleaners, and more particularly to a new nozzle construction provided with an improved swivelling coupling assembly and various other features to be described in detail below. t y

j The function of a suction cleaning nozzle is to effect a rapid flow of air over a dirt-laden surface in a manner to remove the dirt and transport it to a filtering and dirt collecting chamber. Only free dirt or dirt which can be easily `dislodged from the surface will be carried away in the suction air stream. If the surface being cleaned is a carpet the dirt tends to adhere to the pile with a tenacityfrequently greater than the dislodging effect of the air stream.

A further important feature of the invention is a swivelling coupling at the suction airvou-tlet formed inexpensively and providing an air-tight relatively free swivelling connection between lthe nozzle body and an elbow adapted to be connected to a suction wand or hose. Of particular interest'is the use of a bearing vinsert for rotatably seating the end .of the elbow and forming a retaining cavity for a resilient sealing gasket and a protective wear ring therefor. j

It is primary object of this invention to provide an improved suction nozzle avoiding the disadvantages of prior constructions and which prevents leakage of air at its swivelling coupling and assures a more effective flow o f air into its suction inlet.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a suction nozzle having a new and improved coupling at the outlet thereof including simple means for'holding the parts assembled.

Additionally it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved swivelling connection at the suction air outlet ofva iloor nozzle featuring means eliminating air leakage while permitting relatively free swivelling between an elbow member and a nozzle body.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a combined bearing insert and air seal retainer for use between a nozzle body and a swivelling elbow coupling member.

'Ihese and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon 2 FIGURE 5 is a partial longitudinal section onv the broken line 5 5 on FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional View through the nozzle'- ing 12 and a central tubular air outlet housing 13 open-l ing rearwardly and in a direction at right angles to major dimension of the suction air inlet 12. As best shown in FIGURES 2, 5 and 6, the inlet rim of the suction nozzle is provided with a continuous seat 14 having side and topI walls which lie at right angles to one anotherVthe side.

wall Haring outwardly relative to amedian plane normal to the nozzle inlet. Seat 14 seats a pair of brushes or bristle strips -18 and 19, each having a U-shaped metal strip y15 holding bristles 16 clamped about a rigid core member 17. As will be observed in FIGURE 4, straight bristle strip 1S extends the full length of the forward edge of the nozzle inlet, whereas strip 19 is bent into a generally U-shaped conguration dimensioned to nest snugly against the similarly. shaped portionsl of seat` 14 extending along the rear edge and across the ends of the nozzle inlet. By reference to FIGURES 2, 4 and 6, it will be noted that the adjacent ends of brushes or bristle strips 18 and 19 are slightly spaced to provide narrow openings 20 at the opposite forward corners of the nozzle,

, the size of these openings being reduced somewhat under operating conditions by the tendency of the bristles to ilare toward one another across the opening. However, this Haring is insufficient to close the opening and with the nozzle connected to a source of suction a high velocity jet of air ows inwardly through each opening 20.

As shown in FIGURES l, 4 and 5 the central portion of brush 18 is provided with a plurality of spaced open-y ings 21 formed by cutting -away or omitting bristles at the" points indicated. These openings are positioned centrally of the front of the nozzle and through them high velocity air jets flow like the jets flowing through openings 20 at the forward corners of the nozzle.

It will be understood that bristle strips 18 and 19 may initially form part of the same continuous strip, each strip being cut to appropriate length and then separately processed for mounting against shoulder 14. This processing includes cutting or punching bristles from strip 18 to form openings 21, and placing strip 19 in a forming die to shapey its back to conform to the seat 14 along the rear edge and the end of the nozzle body. These strips are secured in the nozzle by placing them in the seat 114 and tightening the two clamping plates 22, 22 in place against the interior walls of the nozzle by means of screws 23. Clamping plates 22 are stamped from sheet metal and shaped to tit against the inner surface of the nozzle body with their out-turned peripheral edges 24 resiliently engaging the adjacent edges of the U-shaped backing 15 of the bristle strips. In this manner, the adjacent ends of both strips are locked in assembled position by a common clamping plate.

Surrounding the lower perimeter of nozzle body 11 is a continuous integral flange 25 having outwardly flaring opposite side walls a-dapted to interlock with a similarly shaped groove 26 formed in a continuous encircling strip of resilient material 2'7. Strip 27 may be extruded or molded from rubber, plastic or like resilient material and provides a furniture guard to protect furniture from direct contact with the metal nozzle body.

Referring now to FIGURES l to 3, it will be seen that the swivelling coupling by which the nozzle is adapted to be connected to the suction hose or wand of a suction cleaner comprises a hollow elbow member 30 having the shape illustrated in FIGURE 2. The upwardly extending discharge end 31 is adapted to receive telescopically the end of a wand or other coupling member for a suction hose, while the cylindrical exterior surface 32 at its lower end has 'a close rotating t with the interior cylindrical wall of a bearing insert 33 preferably formed from stamped sheet metal. The exterior surface of insert 33 has a press t with the inner wall of annular outlet housing 13 and includes a return bend portion 34 Vat its inner end shaped to form an annular channel 35 to seat a resilient sealing gasket 36 formed of felt, cork, rubber or thelike. Overlying gasket 36 with at least one .peripheral edge frictionally engaging a side wall of channel 35 is a flat metal ring 37 retaining the gasket in assembled position and providing a wear plate for it. In the latter connection it will be understood that the inner end 38 of the elbow 30 bears against the wear plate 37 in a manner to compress gasket 36 slightly assuring the maintenance of an yair-tight seal between elbow 30 and the nozzle body.

Holding elbow 30 assembled to the nozzle and within the bear-ing insert 33 is 'a keeper plate 40 secured to the nozzle body 11 by screws 41 as shown in FIGURE 3. The arcuate edge 42 of keeper 40 seats within an annular groove 43 in elbow 30 formed at the junction of its bearing surface 32 with its larger diameter main body portion 31. During assembly bearing insert 33 is pressed into housing 13 until it abuts the integral stop 44 projecting from the inner wall 'of the nozzle body, its outer end then lying'flush with the seating surface for the keeper 40. Since th'e position of the annular groove in elbow 30 is vaccurately positioned with respect to its inner end 38 and with respect to the axial length of the bearing insert the inner end of the elbow will bear against wear plate 37 and compress gasket 36 suciently to Aprevent air leakage between the elbow and the nozzle body. It will also be understood 'that the housing 13 of the nozzle is vformed with a semi-circular overhanging portion 46 overlying keeper plate 40 and having an end surface flush with the outer surface of this keeper plate to provide a continuous end bearing surface between the nozzle body and the adjacent radial surface 47 of elbow 30.

The method of assembling the swivelling elbow coupling will be apparent from the foregoing. Following assembly of gasket 36 and wear ring 37 within groove 35 of bearing insert 33, the latter is pressed into the air discharge housing 13 until its inner end abuts stop 44 and its outer end lies ush with the bottom of the mounting recess for keeper plate 40. The arcuate edge 42 of keeper 40 is inserted in groove 43 of the elbow and the latter is telescoped into the bearing insert after which screws 41 are assembled to lock the keeper in place. As the screws are tightened its edge 42 bears against the inner side of groove 43 to hold end 38 of the elbow pressed against wear plate 37. The pressure so applied to the wear plate, although providing assurance against air leakage around the end of the elbow does not interfere objectionably with the free swivelling of the elbow with respect to the nozzle body. Additionally, the lower edge of the clip may, if desired, compress the'adjacent edge of the bumper 14 to aid in retaining it in place. When assembled as described, the suction nozzle is in readiness for connection to a suction cleaner in the usual manner.

In operation, the nozzle is placed on the surface to be cleaned, the weight of the nozzle being borne by the bristles of strips 18 and 19, and primarily by those on the interior sides of the strips owing to the angle of are and the trim of their free ends. Due to the outward inclination of bristle mounting seat 14, the bristle tufts incline outwardly and the inner bristles contact the surface being cleaned. The forward and backward movement of the nozzle across the floor will, of course, detiect the bristles in a manner tending to bring a greater part of the bristle ends into contact with the surface at one side of the nozzle. This will not be true of the ends of the bristles along the other side of the nozzle with the result that these bristles will flex outwardly and oifer a minimum resistance to the ow of air directly across the oor surface and beneath the ends of those bristles into the nozzle inlet. The high velocity air flow into the nozzle takes place not only across the surface of the carpet but also downwardly and through the carpet pile as the pile is progressively opened by the passages of the bristle ends thereover. This air entrains dirt from the pile and carries it upwardly into the nozzle and to the cleaner. Reversal of the direction of nozzle movement across the floor reverses the direction of flexing of the bristles and causes the greater inow of air to take place beneath the bristles on the opposite side of the nozzle. Owing to the large number of bristles and their compact arrangement the air flow through the bristles is restricted and the major part of the air ows beneath their ends and through the inlet openings 20, 21.

The p-rovision of openings 20, 20 between the ends of the bristle strips at the forward corners of the nozzle provides high velocity air jets useful in cleaning dirt from corners. The action of these -inlets is increased by positioning one end of the nozzle in the corner to be cleaned and pressing downwardly on the bristles to minimize the iniiow of air therebeneath. In consequence, an increased ow of air takes place through openings 20 thereby entraining dirt `lodged in the corner being cleaned. VOpenings 21 along the central portion of forward strip 13 may be employed similarly to entrain dirt from adjacent baseboards and furniture.

Should either bristle strip become damaged V'or worn excessively it may be quickly replaced by loosening retainer screws 23, removing clamping plates 22 and replacing the damaged strip or strips with a new one. Thereafter the clamping plates 22' and screws 23 are replaced.

Another feature of the present nozzle design is the action of inturned lip 34 of the bearing insert 33 in providing a stream-lined ilow of 'dirt-ladened air past the junction of the nozzle body with swivelling elbow 30. Additionally, it will be apparent that 4lip 34 serves as a dirt guard preventing dirt from collecting in gasket 36 and interfering with its air sealing action.

While the particular suction nozzle herein `shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An air-tight swivelling -coupling for the outlet of a suction cleaning nozzle, comprising a main suction nozzle body having a tubular outlet opening, a sheet metal bearing sleeve having an inturned end, said sleeve having a press fit within said nozzle outlet, resilient gasket means seated within the inturned end of said sleeve, and a combined gasket retainer and wear ring overlying said gasket and frictionally engaging a wall of said sleeve to hold said gasket in .place therein, said sleeve being adapted to seat rotatably and snugly therein the cylindrical end of a rigid coupling member having a portion bearing against said wear ring.

2. An air-tight swivelling coupling as defined in claim 1 including an elbow provided with a cylindrical end forming a close running rotary t with said bearing sleeve 5 with its end resting against the wear ring for said gasket, and means holding said elbow vassembled within said sleeve with the end of the elbow bearing against said wear ring and cooperating therewith in providing an air-tight seal while leaving said elbow relatively free for rotation with respect to said sleeve.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Zacharias Mar. 23, 1939 Lofgren Dec. 5, 1939 Forsberg May 13, 1941 Lang Oct. 21, 1941 Lofgren May 4, 1943 Doyle Nov. 17, 1953 Caddell Aug. 14, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Belgium Nov. 21, 1952 Germany May 29, 1935 France Apr. 13, 1931

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