US3167414A

US3167414A - Central vacuum cleaning apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3167414A
Application number: US233830A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arvell A Carpenter; Harold A Wright
Original assignee: WRIGHT Co
Current assignee: WRIGHT Co
Priority date: 1962-10-29
Filing date: 1962-10-29
Publication date: 1965-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 1982-01-26

Description

Jan. 1965 A. A. CARPENTER ETAL CENTRAL VACUUM CLEANING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1962 the tank type.

United States Patent 3,167,414 CENTRAL VACUUM CLEANING APPARATU Arvell A. Carpenter, Tulsa, Olden, and Harold A. Wright, 216 W. 2nd St, Tuisa, Uhla; said Carpenter assignor to said Wright Filed Get. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 233,830 6 Claims. (Cl. 55296) The present invention relates in general to cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to vacuum cleaning apparatus designed especially for central built-in cleaning systems.

Portable home vacuum cleaners have been in wide use for many years for domestic and building cleaning purposes. These portable cleaners as commercially produced are primarily of two basic types, the bag type and The bag type conventionally includes a wheel supported cleaning head or brush having a motordriven impeller or fan incorporated therein, a handle pivoted at its lower end to the cleaning head, and a collecting bag removably supported at one end on the handle and coupled at the other end to the exhaust duct of the impeller. The tank type of cleaner conventionally employs an elongated horizontal or upright tank adapted to rest on the floor, having the motor-driven impeller and collecting bag housed within the tank and inlet and exhaust openings. The cleaning heads or cleaning attachments are supported on one end of a tubular handle and a flexible hose extends from the other end of the handle to the inlet opening of the tank.

Both of these basic types of portable vacuum cleaners must be moved from room-to-room and the electrical supply cord providing current for the motor-driven impeller must be coupled and decoupled with the electrical convenience outlet socket in the various rooms as the cleaner is moved about the house or building. In both of these basic types of cleaners, the dust laden air drawn in through the cleaning head by the impeller is discharged into the same room in which the cleaner is used, after varying amounts of dust and dirt are filtered out by the walls of the collecting bag. Also, the effective suction in the cleaning head produced by the impeller diminishes rapidly during the initial stages of use of the cleaner, dueto the collection of dust and dirt on the walls of the collecting bag in the path of the air being drawn through the cleaner and the rapid reduction in the porosity of the walls of the collecting bag produced by this accumulation of dust and dirt.

An object of the present invention is the provision of improved vacuum cleaning apparatus for use in association with a ducting system installed in the walls or partitions of a multiroom building and extending to a plurality of rooms to be cleaned, wherein the vacuum cleaning apparatus may be located remote from the rooms while the cleaning attachments to be directly used in the cleaning operation may be removably coupled to outlets of the ducting system in the rooms to be serviced.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a central vacuum cleaning apparatus for use in built-in domestic cleaning installations, wherein novel means are provided for effectively separating the dust and dirt collected by the cleaning head out of the suction air stream and for displacement of the separated dust and dirt from the path of air travel to minimize reduction of the effective suction in the cleaning head by accumulation of such dust and dirt.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel central vacuum cleaning unit which provides effective dust and dirt separation from the air drawn in through the inlet regardless of the load on the cleaner or the amount of velocity of air moved through the cleaner.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing illustrating only preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a central vacuum cleaning unit embodying the present invention, with portions broken away to reveal the interior of the unit;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the separator subassembly of the central vacuum cleaning unit shown in inverted position; and

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the subassembly shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, the central vacuum cleaner ,unit, indicated generally by the reference character 10, normally will be disposd in a shed externally of a house, in a garage or other location wherein the air discharged from the unit 16 may be dissipated to outside air. The unit is housed in a generally cylindrical casing 11 having an upper section 12 and a lower section 13 which are separable from each other and are removably secured together in vertical axial alignment by conventional toggle locks or latches 14. The lower casing section 13 has a bottom 15 and is in the form of an upwardly opening receptacle designed to receive and collect dust and dirt drawn into the unit It).

The upper section 12 of the casing 11 has an inlet opening 16 and an exhaust opening 17 spaced from the inlet opening 16. The usual impeller unit 18 and motor 19 therefor are provided in the upper zone of the upper casing section 12 to provide the desired suction pressure conditions for effective vacuum cleaner operation. A horizontal transverse partition 20 is located within the upper section 12 below which extends a vacuum stack or uptake duct 21 forming an inlet plenum for the impeller 18. This duct 21 is formed by an air separator unit generally designated by the reference character 22 supported cent-rally on the horizontal partition 20 in depending relation. This air separator unit,22, which is especially designed to provide constant separation of dust and dlrt from the intake air at the same high level regardless of how much or how little air may be drawninto the unit and prevent clogging or reduction of suction even under the most severe dirt and dust conditions, includes a light alloy casting 23 of generally frusto-conical configuration having a hollow bore 24 extending therethrough from top to bottom. A cross bar orweb member 25 extends across the casting 23 near the bottom thereof and forms the support for an electric motor 26 which is of such size that its sides are spaced from the bounding walls of the bore 24 to provide an annular air passage therebetween. The cross bar member 25 is provided with an opening at its center to accommodate the depending shaft 27 of the motor 26. The cross bar member 25 may be formed integral with the casting 23 and the motor 26 may be bolted to the member 25 as by bolts 28.

A perforated dirt and dust separator disc 30 is removably mounted against the annular planar bottom surface 39 of the casting 23 by means of screws 31 extending into tapped holes in the casting 23, and includes a central opening 32 through which the motor shaft 27 freely passes. A wiper 33 formed in the preferred example of nylon and beveled at 34 on a 45 angle is fitted on the shaft 27 to be driven by the shaft 27 and turn against the undersurface of the separator disc 30. The wiper 33 may be coupled by a variety of means to the shaft 27 to be driven thereby, but in the preferred example herein shown is intercoupled to the shaft by a helical spring 35, the upper endmost turn of which is run through

holes

36 and 37 in the wiper 33 while its lower end is projected through hole 38 in the shaft 27 and properly secured. a

It will be apparent that the dust and dirt laden air drawn in through the inlet opening 16 is directed in a circuitous path through the central vacuum cleaning unit, the air being first drawn downwardly alongside the casting 23 of the air separator unit 22, and then turned upwardly to pass through the perforated separator disk 30 and then through the annular air passage between the electric motor 26 and the casting 23 and the vacuum stack 21 to the impeller unit 18, the air being discharged through the exhaust opening 17. In order to insure dislodgment of any dust, dirt or other foreign matter which lodges on the lower surface of the perforated separator disk 30, the electric motor 26 is also energized continuously while the impeller motor is operating, to continuously drive the wiper 33. The wiper 33, as previously mentioned, is driven by means of the helical spring 35 coupled at its opposite ends to the motor shaft 27 and the wiper 33 to cause the wiper to scrape the lower surface of the separator disk 30 free of foreign matter. The wiper 33 is not only driven by means of the spring 35, but the spring also serves to maintain the wiper 33 in contacting relation to the separator disk 30 with a constant pressure, the spring 35 being compressed during its assembly to achieve the desired pressure between the wiper 33 and separator disk 30.

During rotation of the wiper 33, the sharp leading edges 33' of the wiper effectively shear the dirt and dust from the surface of the separator disk 30 thus precluding clogging of the separator disk perforations or reduction in suction pressure regardless of the operating conditions of the vacuum cleaning unit. Thus variations in the amount of air drawn through the intake opening 16 or variations in the dust load represented by the intake air will not significantly alter the effectiveness of dust and dirt separation within the cleaning unit.

While but one preferred embodiment of the present invention has been'particularly shown and described, it is apparent that various modifications may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is desired, therefore, that only'such limitations be placed on the invention as are imposed by the prior, art and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Suction cleaner apparatus for central built-in cleaning systems comprising a casing having a lower portion for collecting dirt and foreign matter from dirty air drawn into the casing, said casing having an air, inlet opening and an air exhaust opening therein, motor driven impeller means within said casing for drawing air through said inlet opening and discharging the same through said exhaust opening, vertically arranged duct means within said casing extending downwardly below said impeller means in vertical alignment therewith forming an inner air uptake chamber and having a lower inlet end spaced above the bottomof said lower casing portion, a horizontal, perforated dust separating disc extending entirely over the inlet end of the duct means, an outer annular downtake duct for dirty air extending in concentric relation with at least the lower portion of the inner duct means to direct air from said inlet opening downwardly about the inner duct meansiand into said lower casing portion and thence upwardly through said duct means and said impeller means, an elongated scraper. blade rotatably supported immediately below said perforated dust separating disc for engaging and sweeping the area of the lower surface of said disc to scrape dust and foreign l matter therefrom upon rotation of said scraper blade, and an electric motor supported in concentric relation with said duct means spaced from the sides thereof having a depending shaft extending through said disc and coupled to said scraper blade to rotate the latter about the center axis of said disc, said scraper blade having a central opening therein of greater diameter than said motor shaft, said motor shaft extending freely through said central opening and terminating at a position spaced below said scraper blade, and the coupling between said motor shaft and said scraper blade including an elongated coil spring surrounding the portion of said motor shaft projecting below said scraper blade coupled at its lower end with said shaft to be rotated about its axis upon rotation of said shaft and coupled at its upper end to said scraper blade to rotate the scraper blade and resiliently bias the same upwardly into scraping engagement with said disc.

2. Suction cleaner apparatus for central built-in cleaning systems comprising a casing having a lower portion for collecting dirt and foreign matter from dirty air drawn into the casing, said casing having an air inlet opening and an air exhaust opening therein, motor driven impeller means within said casing for drawing air through said inlet opening and discharging the same through said exhaust opening, a vertically extending, generally cylin drical duct depending Within said casing from the level of said impeller, means and dividing the space within said easing into an inner air uptake chamber extending from said impeller means to a lower level spaced from the bottom of said casing and an outer annular downtake chamber for directing air from said inlet opening downwardly within said outer downtake chamber about the periphery of said duct and into said lower casing portion and thence upwardly through said uptake chamber and said impeller means, said duct having an inlet end at its lower end,'a transverse, perforated, horizontal planar disc forming a dust separating baflie extending entirely across the inlet end of said duct, a rotary scraper blade supported below and immediately adjacent said perforated disc having beveled blade portions radiating from thecenter thereof for scraping the lower surface of said perforated disc, and an electric motor supported in concentric relation within said duct spaced uniformly from the sides thereof to provide an annular air passage surrounding said electric motor, said electric motor having a depending shaft extending through said perforated disc and coupling means intercoupled with said scraper blade to rotate the latter about an axis extending through the center of said disc, said scraper blade having a central opening therein of greater diameter than said motor shaft, said motor shaft extending freely through said central opening and terminating at a position spaced below said scraper blade, and the coupling between said motor shaft and said scraper blade includ ing an elongated coil spring surrounding the portion of said motor shaft projecting below said scraper blade coupled at its lower end with said shaft to be rotated about its axis upon rotation of said shaft and coupled at its upper end to said scraper blade to rotate the scraper blade and resiliently bias the same upwardly into scraping engagement with said disc.

3. Suction cleaner apparatus for central built-in cleaning systems in buildings comprising a casing having a lower portion for collecting dirt and foreign matter from dirty air drawn into the casing, said casing having an air inlet opening and an air exhaust opening therein, a transverse stationary partition within said casing dis posed at an intermediate level along the height thereof, motor-driven impeller means within said casing above said stationary'partition for drawing air through said inlet opening and discharging the same through said exhaust opening, vertically arranged duct means within said casing comprising an annular hollow casting of frusto-conical configuration supported on said stationary partition 5 ing dividing the space within said casing immediately below said stationary partition into an inner air uptake duct extending downwardly from said impeller means to a lower level spaced from the bottom of said casing and an outer annular downtake chamber for directing air from said air inlet opening downwardly within said outer downtake chamber about the lower inlet end and thence upwardly through said uptake duct and said impeller means, a horizontal perforated planar disc forming a duct separating baffle extending entirely across the inlet end of said duct and peripherally secured against said annular planar bottom surface of said casting, an electric motor of smaller diameter than the diameter of the hollow interior of said casting supported in concentric relation therein immediately above said planar disc and spaced uniformly from the sides of said casting to provide an annular air passage therebetween, said electric motor having a depending shaft aligned with the center axis of said disc and extending through the disc and terminating at a position spaced substantially below the level of said disc, a rotary scraper blade having a length substantially corresponding to the diameter of said disc supported below and immediately adjacent said perforated disc having beveled blade portions radiating from the center thereof having sharp scraper edges for scraping the lower surfaces of said perforated disc upon rotation of said blade, said blade having a central opening of larger diameter than said motor shaft through which said motor shaft freely projects, an elongated coil spring surrounding the portion of said motor shaft projecting below said scraper blade and extending in coaxial relation to said shaft, means coupling the lower end of said coil spring to the lower end of said motor shaft to be rotated about said axis upon rotation of the shaft, and means coupling the upper end of said coil spring to said scraper blade to resiliently bias the scraper blade upwardly into scraping engagement with said disc and to rotate the scraper blade responsive to rotation of said motor shaft.

4. Apparatus for use in fluid systems having solids entrained in a fluid stream for removing the solids from the fluid stream comprising a separator unit including an annular, body adapted to be disposed in a vertical position and having a hollow bore extending therethrough from top to bottom, said body having a flat annular bottom surface surrounding the end of said bore to be disposed in a horizontal plane, a perforated solid separating disc having an outer periphery in substantial registry with the outer periphery of said flat annular surface and extending entirely over the bottom end of the bore of said body, means securing said disc to said annular surface adjacent the periphery thereof, means for mounting an electric motor vertically above said separator disc in alignment with a vertical axis through the center of said disc, a rotatable shaft driven by said motor extending downwardly along said vertical axis through the center of said disc and projecting therebelow, an elongated scraper blade journaled on said shaft immediately below said disc having radially oppositely extending blade portions for engaging and sweeping the area of the lower surface of said disc to scrapeany solid material lodged thereon from said disc surface upon rotation of said scraper blade, said scraper blade having a central aperture therein sized to freely receive said shaft therethrough and spring means intercoupled between said scraper blade and said shaft for resiliently urging said scraper blade against said separator disc and resiliently transferring driving torque from said shaft to said scraper blade to rotate the latter.

5. Apparatus for use in fluid systems having solids enti trained in a fluid stream for removing solids from the fluid stream comprising a separator unit including a rigid casting of general frusto-conical configuration adapted to be disposed in a vertical position and having a hollow bore extending therethrough from top to bottom, said casting having a flat annular bottom surface surrounding the end of said bore to be disposed in a horizontal plane, a perforated solid separating disc having an outer periphery in substantial registry with the outer periphery of said flat annular surface and extending entirely over the bottom end of the bore of said casting, means removably securing said disc to said annular surface adjacent the periphery thereof, means for mounting an electric motor vertically above said separator disc in align ment with a vertical axis through the center of said disc, a rotatable shaft driven by said motor extending downwardly along said vertical axis through the center of said disc and projecting therebelow, an elongated scraper blade journaled on saidshaft immediately below said disc having radially oppositely extending blade portions provided with working surfaces inclined at acute angles to said disc for engaging and sweeping the area of the lower surface of said disc to scrape any solid material lodged thereon from said disc surface upon rotation of said scraper blade, said scraper blade having a central aperture therein sized to freely receive said shaft therethrough, and spring means coupled at one end to an eccentric part of said scraper blade and at the other end to said shaft at a point below said scraper blade for resiliently urging said scraper blade upwardly against said separating disc and resiliently coupling driving torque from said shaft to said scraper blade to rotate the latter.

6. Apparatus for use in fluid systems having solids entrained in a fluid stream for removing the solids from the fluid stream comprising a separator unit including a body having an annular body portion adapted to be disposed in a vertical position and having a hollow bore extending therethrough from top to bottom, said body portion having an annular lower end surrounding the end of said bore to be disposed in a horizontal plane, a perforated solid separating disc portion having an outer periphery in substantial registry with the outer periphery of said annular lower end and extending entirely over the bottom end of the bore of said body portion, said disc portion being fixed to said annular lower end adjacent the periphery thereof, means for mounting an electric motor vertically above said separator disc portion in alignment with a vertical axis through the center of said disc portion, a rotatable shaft driven by said motor extending downwardly along said vertical axis through the center of said disc portion. and projecting therebelow, an elongated scraper blade journaled on said shaft immediately below said disc portion having radially oppositely extending blade portions for engaging and sweeping the area of the lower surface of said disc portion to scrape any solid material lodged thereon from said lower surface upon rotation of said scraper blade, said scraper blade having a central aperture therein sized to freely receive said shaft therethrough and spring means intercoupled between said scraper blade and said shaft for resiliently urging said scraper blade against said separator disc portion and resiliently transferring driving torque from said shaft to said scraper blade to rotate the latter.

References flited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,134,294 Supanz Apr. 6, 1915 2,713,921 Turner July 26, 1955 2,942,690 Carpenter -4-.. June 28, 1960

Claims

1. SUCTION CLEANER APPARATUS FOR CENTRAL BUILT-IN CLEANING SYSTEMS COMPRISING A CASING HAVING A LOWER PORTION FOR COLLECTING DIRT AND FOREIGN MATTER FROM DIRTY AIR DRAWN INTO THE CASING, SAID CASING HAIVNG AN AIR INLET OPENING AND AN AIR EXHAUST OPENING THEREIN, MOTOR DRIVEN IMPELLER MEANS WITHIN SAID CASING FOR DRAWING AIR THROUGH SAID INLET OPENING AND DISCHARGING THE SAME THROUGH SAID EXHAUST OPENING, VERTICALLY ARRANGED DUCT MEANS WITHIN SAID CASING EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY BELOW SAID IMPELLER MEANS IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH FORMING AN INNER AIR UPTAKE CHAMBER AND HAVING A LOWER INLET END SPACED ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF SAID LOWER CASING PORTION, A HORIZONTAL, PERFORATED DUST SEPARATING DISC EXTENDING ENTIRELY OVER THE INLET END OF THE DUCT MEANS, AN OUTER ANNULAR DOWNTAKE DUCT FOR DIRTY AIR EXTENDING IN CONCENTRIC RELATION WITH AT LEAST THE LOWER PORTION OF THE INNER DUCT MEANS TO DIRECT AIR FROM SAID INLET OPENING DOWNWARDLY ABOUT THE INNER DUCT MEANS AND INTO SAID LOWER CASING PORTION AND THENCE UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID DUCT MEANS AND SAID IMPELLER MEANS, AN ELONGATED SCRAPER BLADE ROTATABLY SUPPORTED IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID PERFORATED DUST SEPARATING DISC FOR ENGAGING AND SWEEPING THE AREA OF THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID DISC TO SCRAPE DUST AND FOREIGN MATTER THEREFROM UPON ROTATION OF SAID SCRAPER BLADE, AND AN ELECTRIC MOTOR SUPPORTED IN CONCENTRIC RELATION WITH SAID DUCT MEANS SPACED FROM THE SIDES THEREOF HAV-