US3273195A

US3273195A - Push-broom-type vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: US3273195A
Application number: US374029A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jepson Ivar; Julius P Wied
Original assignee: Sunbeam Corp
Current assignee: Sunbeam Corp
Priority date: 1964-06-10
Filing date: 1964-06-10
Publication date: 1966-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-20
Also published as: GB1032229A

Description

Se t. 20, 1966 1. JEPSON ETAL PUSH-BROOMTYPE VACI JUM CLEANER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10, 1964 Sept. 20, 1966 1. JEPSON ETAL 3,27

PUSH-BROOM-TYPE VACUUM CLEANER Filed June 10, 1964 4 h s-Shee 2 l VENTORE" BY MZM Se t. 20, 1966 1. JEPSON ETAL 3,273,195

PUSH-BROOM-TYPE VACUUM CLEANER Filed June 10, 1964 4 heets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS.

United States Patent C) 3,273,195 PUSH-BROOM-TYPE VACUUM CLEANER Ivar Jepson, Sister Bay, Wis, and Julius P. Wied, Oak Park, Ill., assignors to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 10, 1964, Ser. No. 374,029 6 Claims. (Cl. 15344) This invention relates to a push-broom-type vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a push-broom-type vacuum cleaner which is light weight, low cost, compact, uncomplicated, and easy to manufacture and assemble.

It is an object of this invention to provide a pushbroom-type vacuum cleaner which is light weight, low cost, compact, uncomplicated and easy to manufacture and assemble.

One prior art form of upright vacuum cleaner comprises a heavy metallic casting mounted on wheels. The casting provides a housing for a powerful motor and blower. The front of the casting is provided with a suc tion nozzle having a rotary rug cleaning brush driven by the motor. A handle is connected to the rear of the casting and a dust collecting bag connected to the rear of the casting is suspended off the handle. This type of vacuum cleaner is intended for heavy duty rug cleaning operations. Therefore, the brush, motor and fan are designed large and powerful, requiring a heavy metal casting and also the bag capacity is large. This means that the vacuum cleaner is large, cumbersome, heavy, and high cost. In other words, it is not suitable primarily as a vacuum cleaner for light duty rug and floor cleaning operations. However, there is a need for a light weight, compact and low cost vacuum cleaner. For example, such a vacuum cleaner would be useful to apartment dwellers and also to home owners as a second vacuum cleaner for performing light duty rug and fioor cleaning operations.

Briefly, in the preferred form of the invention a compact, low cost and light weight vacuum cleaner is provided. In its commercial form the cleaner weighs only five pounds and requires considerably less storage space than heavy duty upright vacuum cleaners. It can be readily lifted and carried about with one hand. Additionally, its design is uncomplicated and easy to manufacture and assemble so as to be low cost. Structurally the cleaner comprises a main housing and support member constructed from molded plastic material which is light weight. The suction nozzle portion, motor, fan scroll, and dust collecting chambers are integrally formed on the main molded plastic member. The same is true of the exhaust passageway interconnecting the fan scroll and dust collecting chambers. The fan scroll chamber and exhaust passageway are formed on the bottom of the main member whereas the motor and dust collecting chambers are formed on the top of the main member. The motor chamber is positioned above the fan scroll chamber and is closed at its open bottom by a motor mounting plate. A motor mounted on the plate is inserted into the motor chamber through its open bottom. Single piece cover members are provided for closing the fan scroll chamber and exhaust passageway on the bottom of the main member and thedust collecting chamber on the top of the main member. Also, the cover member for the dust collecting chamber is readily removable for affording quick access to the dust collecting chamber.

The invention will be better understood by considering the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the invention;

Patented Sept. 20, 1966 FIG. 2 is an enlarged rear elevation view of the cleaner with the stick type handle being broken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the section line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the section line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the section line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the section line 66 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the section line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the section line 88 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the section line 9-9 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the section line 10-10 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of the preferred form of the invention, the pushbroom-type vacuum cleaner comprises an elongated main housing and support member 10. Member 10 is constructed from light weight molded plastic material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Member 10 provides the support for all the parts of the vacuum cleaner.

At its lower end member 10 is provided with an integral suction nozzle portion 11. Positioned behind the suction nozzle portion 11 and integrally formed on the bottom of member 10 is a depending fan scroll chamber 12 and exhaust passageway 13. Passageway 13 extends from the fan chamber 12 to the upper end of member 10. Fan chamber 12 and passageway 13 are bounded by a continuous depending integral wall 14 on the bottom of member 10.

Positioned above the fan chamber 12 and integrally formed on the top of member 10 is a motor chamber 15 which is open at its bottom. A motor mounting plate 16 closes the open bottom of chamber 15. A motor, indicated generally by reference numeral 17, is mounted on the plate 16. Motor 17 is assembled on plate 16 in a motor casing 18, and the encased motor is positioned in chamber 15 by inserting it through its bottom opening which is then closed by plate 16.

An elongated single piece molded plastic bottom cover member 19 is provided for the bottom of member 10 to close the fan chamber 12 and exhaust passageway 13. On its inside cover 19 is provided with an integral sealing gasket channel 26. Channel 20 is continuous and seats a continuous gasket 21 which engages the depending Wall 14 of fan chamber 12 and exhaust passageway 13.

Aligned

apertures

22 and 23 are provided in the motor mounting plate 16 and the lower end of cover 19 that closes the fan chamber 12. The aperture 22 seats a motor shaft bearing 24 and aperture 23 is an inlet opening to the fan chamber 12. A shaft 25 of the motor depends from the motor through the

apertures

22 and 23 to outside or below the cover 19. A fan 26 is mounted on shaft 25 inside fan chamber 12.

Positioned in the lower or front end of the nozzle portion 11 is a rotary brush 27. Brush 27 is driven off shaft 25 by drive connecting means extending between shaft 25 and brush 27. The drive connecting means comprises a pulley drive belt 28 positioned outside the member 19. Drive belt 28 is covered by another bottom cover member 29. Actually, the nozzle portion 11 has an inverted U-shaped cross section and cover 29 also serves to close the open bottom of nozzle portion 11.

The brush 27 extends across the open lowermost end of the nozzle portion 11. Brush 27 is carried by bearing blocks 34}, see FIG. 10, mounted in integral side portions of the nozzle portion 11. The bearing blocks 30 are retained in place by integral portions of the cover 29. A

rug engaging slotted plate 27 is positioned ahead of the brush 27. This plate is carried by bottom cover 29 and nozzle portion 11. Bottom cover 29 also supports a pair of small wheels or rollers 29'.

On its top the member has an integrally formed elongated dust collecting chamber 31. Chamber 31 is defined 'by integral upstanding sides 32 of member 10. .The exhaust passageway 13 and dust collecting chamber 31 are in communication with each other by virtue of an opening 33 formed in the upper end of member 10. Disposed inside the chamber 31 is an elongated paper throwaway type dust filter and collecting bag 34. The upper end of bag 34 is connected to the opening 33.

For purposes of cooling the motor the filtered air leaving bag 34 is directed through the motor housing 15. The motor housing 15 is provided with an opening 35 at the lower end of dust collecting chamber 31. This opening 35 is covered by a dust filter element 36. Air entering chamber 15 passes into the motor casing 18 by way of openings 37 formed in the bottom of casing 18. After passing over the motor the air is exhausted to the atmosphere by way of events 38 formed in the upper end of motor chamber 15.

The dust collecting chamber is closed by a top cover member 39. Cover member 39 is elongated, and is constructed from light weight molded plastic material as are the main part and

other covers

19 and 29. At its lower end cover 39 has a tab 40 that slips under the upper edge of opening 35. Its upper end is removably locked in place by manually operable retaining means. The manually operable retaining means comprises a pair of resilient molded plastic fingers 41. Fingers 41 are fastened to main member 10 at their lower ends and at their free ends extends through apertures 42 formed in cover 39. The free ends of fingers 41 have hooklike enlargements 43 which overhang the edges of apertures 42. In order to remove cover 39 it is merely necessary to disengage the enlargements from the portions of cover 39 bounding the apertures 42. This is accomplished by finger pressure on enlargements 43 since fingers 41 are readily yielda-ble due to their resiliency.

A stick type handle 44 is connected to the upper end of the vacuum cleaner. Actually, this handle 44 is packaged with the cleaner in disassembled position. In assembled position the handle 44 is positioned between main member 10 and top cover member 39 in a channel 45. Handle 44 is fastened in place to member 10 by a screw 46 which enters a boss 47 on the member 10.

The main member 10 also supports an on-off switch 48 at the upper end of the cleaner. Switch 48 is supported off integral portions 49 on the bottom of member 10. A thumb button 50 of switch 48 extends through an aperture 51 in the upper end of bottom cover 19. An electric extension cord 52 enters the upper end of the cleaner and is connected to switch 48. Extending from switch 48 to the motor 17 are electrical leads 53. These leads 53 are disposed in a channel or conduit 54 defined by integral portions of main member 10, and channel 54 is closed by bottom cover member 19.

In assembling the cleaner, the encased motor 17 mounted on plate 16 is inserted into the motor chamber 15. Plate 16 closes the bot-tom end of motor chamber and is fastened in position by screws 55 entering integral bosses 56. A bafile 57 is mounted on the upper end of the casing 18. Baffle 57 serves as a retainer for commutator brush holders 58 of the motor. Additionally, it isolates the vents 38 from direct communication with the opening 35. Therefore, air coming into motor chamber 15 first has to pass through the motor before being vented to the atmosphere through vents 38.

After the motor is connected in position the fan 26 is assembled on shaft 25 or itcan be premounted on the motor assembly. The switch 48 is mounted on the bottom of main member 10 and the cord 52 is connected to the switch 48 and the leads 53 to the switch and motor. The leads 53 are nested in the channel 54 on the bottom of main member 10. After this the bottom cover member 19 is superposed over the member 10. Cover 19 extends from the switch 48 to inside the nozzle portion 11. The seal 21 on cover 19 seals the wall 14 of fan scroll chamber 12 and exhaust passageway 13 closed. Cover 19 is retained in closed position by means such as screws 59 extending through member 10 into integral bosses 60 on the inside of cover 19. Thereafter the brush 27 and pulley belt 28 are assembled, and then the other bottom cover member 29 is superposed over the underside of nozzle portion 11 to close it and retain the brush 27 in position. Cover 29 is held in position by screws 61 entering

integral bosses

62 and 62 formed on member 10 and cover 19 repectively. An opening 63 is formed in the cover 29 adjacent to the lower end of shaft 25. Opening 63 is closed by a removable cap 64. Opening 63 is for the purpose of cleaning out lint or threads which may become entangled with pulley belt 28. At the top and near the bottom of cover 19 just above cover 29 hooks 67 and 68 respectively are provided. These hooks are for the purpose of storing the cord 52 on the cleaner in coiled position.

In order to connect the handle 44 the cover 39 must be removed to provide access to channel 45. The handle is packaged separated from the cleaner to conserve on the size of the packaging carton. The cover 39 is assembled with the cleaner merely by slipping the tab 40 into opening 35 and snapping the fingers 41 into their openings 43. To remove the cover 39 fingers 43 are squeezed towards each other and then cover 39 is lifted. Handle 44 has aligned apertures 65 and' 66. Aperture 65 is for the screw 46 and aperture 66 is for receiving the boss 47. After the handle is connected in position, the chamber 31 is closed by cover 39 by slipping tab 40 under the upper edge of opening 35 and snapping the enlargements 43 into the openings 42.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention, and that it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Pattent of the United States is:

1. A push-broom-type vacuum cleaner, comprising an elongated upwardly projecting main housing and support member constructed from molded plastic material, an integral suction nozzle portion formed at the lower end of said main member, an integral fan scroll chamber formed on the bottom of said main member behind said nozzle portion, an integral motor chamber formed on the top of said main member above said scroll chamber, the bottom of said motor chamber being open, a motor mounting plate closing the bottom of said motor chamber, a motor mounted on the top of said plate, said motor being insertable into said motor chamber through its bottom opening, an elongated one piece bottom cover member for said scroll chamber and the bottom of said main member, an integral elongated exhaust passageway formed between said main and cover members, said passageway extending from said scroll chamber to the upper end of said members, an aperture formed in said plate, said motor having a depending motor shaft, said shaft extending through said aperture into said scroll chamber, a fan on said shaft in said scroll chamber, an elongated dust chamber formed on top of and integrally with said main member behind said motor chamber, an elongated top cover member for said dust collecting chamber, an opening formed in the upper end of said main member between said passageway and dust collecting chamber, and

a stick type handle rigidly connected to the upper end of said main member.

2. In a push-broom-type vacuum cleaner as in claim 1, an on-ofI switch mounted on the upper end of said main member, an electrical extension cord connected to said switch, and electric leads extending from said switch to said motor, said leads being disposed in another integral passageway formed between said main member and one of the cover members.

3. In a vacuum cleaner as in claim 1, said top cover member having a manually operable removable connection with said main member for affording quick access to said dust collecting chamber, said manually operable removable connection comprising a pair of resilient molded plastic fingers formed on said main member, apertures in said top cover member aligned with said fingers, the free ends of said fingers having enlargements formed thereon for overhanging portions of said top cover member bounding said apertures, and said fingers being yieldable in response to finger pressure on said enlargements.

4. A push-broom-type vacuum cleaner, comprising an elongated upwardly projecting main housing and support member constructed from molded plastic material, an integral suction nozzle portion formed at the lower end of said main member, an integral fan scroll chamber and exhaust passageway formed on the bottom of said main member behind said nozzle portion, said passageway extending lengthwise of said member to its upper end, an integral motor chamber formed on the top of said main member above said scroll chamber, the bottom of said motor chamber being open, a motor mounting plate closing the bottom of said motor chamber, a motor mounted on the top of said plate, said motor being insertable into said motor chamber through its bottom opening, an elongated one piece bottom cover member for closing said scroll chamber and exhaust passageway, aligned openings formed in said plate and the lower end of said cover member, said motor having a depending motor shaft, said shaft extending through said aligned openings, a fan on said shaft in said scroll chamber, a rotary brush in said nozzle portion, a drive connection outside said cover member between said shaft and brush, another bottom cover member for said drive connection, an elongated dust collecting chamber formed on top of and integrally with said main member behind said motor chamber, an opening formed in the upper end of said main member between said passageway and dust collecting chamber, a one piece top cover member for closing said dust collecting chamber, and a stick type handle rigidly connected to the upper end of said main member.

5. A push-broom-type vacuum cleaner, comprising an elongated upwardly projecting main housing and support member constructed from molded plastic material, an integral inverted U-shaped suction nozzle portion formed at the lower end of said main member, an integral fan scroll chamber formed on the bottom of said main member in the rear of said nozzle portion, an integral exhaust passageway formed on the bottom of said main member, said passageway extending lengthwise of said member from its scroll chamber to its upper end, an integral motor chamber formed on the top of said main member above said scroll chamber, the bottom of said motor chamber being open, a motor mounting plate closing the bottom of said motor chamber, a motor mounted on the top of said plate, said motor being insertable into said motor chamber through its bottom opening, an elongated one piece bottom cover member for closing said scroll chamber and exhaust passageway, aligned openings formed in said plate and the lower end of said cover member, said motor having a depending motor shaft, said shaft extending through said aligned openings, a fan on said shaft in said scroll chamber, a rotary brush mounted in the front of said nozzle portion, a drive connection outside said cover member between said shaft and brush, another bottom cover member for said drive connection and closing the bottom of said nozzle portion, an e1ongated dust collecting chamber formed on top of and integrally with said main member behind said motor chamber, an opening formed in the upper end of said member between said passageway and dust collecting chamber, and a stick type handle rigidly connected to the upper end of said main member.

6. A push-broom-type vacuum cleaner, comprising an elongated upwardly projecting main housing and support member constructed from molded plastic material, an integral suction nozzle portion formed at the lower end of said main member, an integral fan scroll chamber and exhaust passageway formed on the bottom of said main member behind said nozzle portion, said passageway extending lengthwise of said member to its upper end, an integral motor chamber formed on the top of said main member above said scroll chamber, the bottom of said motor chamber being open, a motor mounting plate closing the bottom of said motor chamber, a motor mounted on the top of said plate, said motor being insertable into said motor chamber through its bottom opening, an elongated one piece bottom cover member for closing said scroll chamber and exhaust passageway, aligned openings formed in said plate and the lower end of said cover member, said motor having a depending motor shaft, said shaft extending through said aligned openings, a fan on said shaft in said scroll chamber, a rotary brush mounted in said nozzle portion, a drive connection outside said cover member between said shaft and brush, another bottom cover member for said drive connection, an elongated dust collecting chamber formed on top of and rigidly with said main member behind said motor chamber, an opening formed in the upper end of said main member between said passageway and dust collecting chamber, an elongated dust collecting bag in said dust collecting chamber, the upper end of said bag being connected to said opening, a one piece top cover member for closing said dust collecting chamber, vents formed in the upper end of said motor chamber, an aperture formed in said motor chamber and opening into the lower end of said dust collecting chamber, a dust filter closing said aperture, and a stick type handle rigidly connected to the upper end of said main member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,184,446 12/1939 Snyder 15413 2,218,035 10/1940 Benson 15347 X 2,355,322 8/1944 Nuffer et a1. 15-344 2,806,242 9/1957 Sparklin 15412 X ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A PUSH-BROOM-TYPE VACUUM CLEANER, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED UPWARDLY PROJECTING MAIN HOUSING AND SUPPORT MEMBER CONSTRUCTED FROM MOLDED PLASTIC MATERIAL, AN INTEGRAL SUCTION NOZZLE PORTION FORMED AT THELOWER END OF SAID MAIN MEMBER, AN INTEGRAL FAN SCROLL CHAMBER FORMED ON THE BOTTOM OF SAID MAIN MEMBER BEHIND SAID NOZZLE PORTION, AN INTEGRAL MOTOR CHAMBER FORMED ON THE TOP OF SAID MAIN MEMBER ABOVE SAID SCROL CHAMBER, THE BOTTOM OF SAID MOTOR CHAMBER BEING OPEN, A MOTOR MOUNTING PLATE CLOSING THE BOTTOM OF SAID MOTOR CHAMBER, A MOTOR MOUNTED ON THE TOP OF SAID PLATE, SAID MOTOR BEING INSERTABLE INTO SAID MOTOR CHAMBER THROUGH ITS BOTTOM OPENING, AN ELONGATED ONE PIECE BOTTOM COVER MEMBER FOR SAID SCROLL CHAMBER AND THE BOTTOM OF SAID MAIN MEMBER, AND INTERGRAL ELONGATED EXHAUST PASSAGEWAY FORMED BETWEEN SAID MAIN AND COVER MEMBERS, SAID PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING FROM SAID SCROLL CHAMBER TO THE UPPER END OF SAID MEMBERS, AN APERTURE FORMED IN SAID PLATE, SAID MOTOR HAVING A DEPENDING MOTOR SHAFT, SAID SHAFT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID APERTURE INTO SAID SCROLL CHAMBER, A FAN ON SAID SHAFT IN SAID SCROLL CHAMBER, AN ELONGATED