US1900889A - Suction cleaner - Google Patents

Description

March 7, 1933. 3 BECKER 1,900,889

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Feb. 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 7, 1933. B, c, BE KE 1.900889 SUCTION CLEANER Filed Feb. 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BERNARD C. BECKER, F YORK, PENNSYLVANIA,- ASSIGNOR TO THE HOOVER COMPANY, OF NORTH CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO suc'rroiv CLEANER Application filed February 6, 1931 seriainofneom.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and particularly to new and novel improvements in the construction and arrangement of parts in the suction cleaner nozzle. More specifically the invention comprises the provision, in a suction cleaner nozzle, of an air tunnel containing air at substantially the pressure of the external atmosphere and which is provided with rotary agitating lips under which the air escapes from the air tunnel into the suction cleaner nozzle in response to the reduced pressure created therein by the suction-creating means of the cleaner.

In the usual suction cleaner the cleaning air is drawn under the nozzle lips and passes thru the pile of the surface covering, which is contacted by the lips, to remove the embedded foreign matter which, if the machine is provided with agitating means, has been loosened and dislodged by agitation. In the usual suction cleaner a rotary agitator is positioned within the nozzle between the front and rear lips, extending parallel to and being spaced equidistant between them. The removal of the foreign matter by the cleaning air is effected, in such a construction, at a point spaced from the point at which the surface covering receives its agitation, that point being the point at which the covering is contacted by the agitator. Research has disclosed that maximum cleaning efliciency is obtained when the point of agitation and the point of cleaning effectiveness are coincident and it is toward a construction in which this relationship is obtained that the present invention is directed.

According to the present invention, the nozzle lips are made relatively broad so as to limit the amount of air which passes between them and the surface covering in the cleaning operation. Within the nozzle is provided an air tunnel or housing which is interiorly connected with the ambient and so contains air at substantially atmospheric pressure. The air tunnel is provided with rotating agitators as surface contacting lips at each side, said sides extending arallel to the nozzle lips and being spaced therefrom and from each other The air in the tunnel in drawn into the nozzle under these rotating lips in response to the reduced pressure existing within the nozzle, and in doing so, necessarily passes the exact point at which the surface covering is undergoing agitation, thereby accomplishing the desirable relationship of making coincident the point of agitation and air cleaning eifectiveness.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner construction of increased cleaning efiiciency. A further object is the provision, in a suction cleaner, of a new and improved nozzle construction. A further object is the provlsion, in a suction cleaner, of means efi'ectmg an improved relationship between the cleaning air and the agitation. Still another object is the provision, in a suction cleaner, of a nozzle within which is positioned a hous- 1ng containing air at pressure greater than that of the air in the nozzle, and from which said air passes into said nozzle under agitating means. A still further object is the provision of a suction cleaner nozzle having broad sealing lips in combination with a stationary air tunnel containing air at substantially air pressure which is provided with rotating agitating lips. Other and more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and considering in connection therewith the attached drawings which form an integral part of this disclosure.

In the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a modern suction cleaner embodying the present invention with certain parts broken away and shown in section upon the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a partial bottom view of the cleaner shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a detail comprising a gear box;

Fig. 5 is a View in perspective of a section vention Fig. 6 is a section upon the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a section upon the line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an end view upon the line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a view of a detached nozzle end plate;

Fig. 10 is a section through an agitating lip upon the line 1010 of Fig. 6.

The present invention is disclosed embodied in a modern suction cleaner comprising a nozzle 1, having removable end plates 2, 2; a fan chamber 3, which is preferably formed integrally with the nozzle 1 and is connected interiorly thereto by means of the inlet 4, and which houses a suction-creating fan 5; a motor casing 6 which houses a' driving motor, which is not shown but the shaft 7 of which extends thru the fan chamber 3 where it carries the fan 5 and into the nozzle 1 where it is provided with a pulley 8 which is connected, by means which will be hereinafter described, to the agitating means positioned within nozzle 1; front supporting wheels 9, 9 and a rear supporting wheel 10.

by which the cleaner is removably supported upon the covering undergoing cleaning; a pivoted handle 11 by means of which the operator can easily propel the cleaner upon the surface. As in the usual cleaner a dust bag 12 is provided which connects to the exhaust outlet of the fan chamber 3 and which functions to remove from the exhausted dirtladen air the suspended foreign matter. The nozzle 1 is provided with detachable front and rear surface-contacting lips 13 and 14 which are of relatively great breadth as compared to the usual nozzle lips and which overlie, when the surface covering has been lifted into contact therewith by the reduced pressure existing within the nozzle, a plurality of adjacent tufts of pile, or adjacent rows of tufts of pile to substantially restrict the flow of air into the nozzle and to provide a positive seal with the surface covering. Within the nozzle 1 and extending parallel to the front and rear lips 13 and 14 are rotary agitators 15 and 16 provided with helically extending recessed portions 15a and 16a which function as beater elements. Each end of each agitator is rotatably supported within a removable nozzle end plate 2 by means of a stub shaft 17 which extends from the agitator and seats within a bearing 18 suitably housed within a seat 19 carried by the end plate. The seats 19, 19 on each end plate are suitably secured and extend thru openings 20, 20 formed therein. Each agitator 15 and 16 is divided midway between its ends into two sections which are connected by means of a shaft 21, as is clearly shown in Figure 6, which is rotatably supported between said sections in a gear box 22 by means of bearings 23, 23. Gear box 22 is clearly shown in Figure 4. The driving or rotating means for the agitators comprises a shaft 24 which extends thru gear box 22 perpendicularly to the spaced shafts 21, 21, being supported by means of bearings 25, 25 carried by that box. Shaft 24 is provided with spaced worm gears 26, 26 having opposite directions of thread advance and these gears mesh with spiral gears 27, 27 carried by the respective shafts 21, 21 of agitators 15 and 16 between the bearings 23, 23 in the gear box. Shaft 24 functions to revolve shafts 21, 21 and so the agitators to which-they are connected. in opposite directions of rotation upon being driven itself by the belt 28 connected between the driving pulley 8 on motor shaft 7 and the pulley 29 which it carries in the rear of the rear nozzle lip 14.

Within nozzle 1 and extending from end to end thereof, being divided into two sections in a manner similar to agitators l5 and 16, is a tunnel or housing member 30 of which one section is shown in perspective in Figure 5. Tunnel 30 is suitably attached at its outer ends to respective end plates 2. 2 by means of outstanding lugs and screws. or in any suitable manner, and similarly at the inner ends of the respective sections. to the adjacent sides of the gear box 22. The tunnel is positioned above the agitators l5 and 1G and encloses them, extending around at their sides in close proximity to their smooth cylindrical surfaces in a manner permitted by the presence of the recess-type beater. The interior of tunnel 30 is open to the exterior atmosphere thru openings 31. 31 formed in the end plates 2, 2 between the spaced openings 20, 20, which are of sufficient size that the pressure existing within the tunnel 30, and the respective sections thereof, is substantially atmospheric in the operation of the machine. The relationship existing between the agitators 15 and 16 and the housing 30 is such that substantially no air passes from the housing 30 into the nozzle 1 between it and the agitators, their proximity providing an effective seal. In effect agitators 15 and 16 serve as extensions of the side walls of tunnel 30 extending said tunnel to their lowest points and so make it necessary for the air, in leaving the tunnel to enter the nozzle, to pass under said agitators.

In the operation of a suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention, upon the rotation of the (lI'iVlHg inotor the suction-creating tan 5 creates a reduced pressure within the nozzle 1 which lifts the surface covering upwardly against the nozzle lips 13 and 14 and into contact with the rotary agitators 15 and 16. Agitators 15 and 16 are rotated, thru the aforedescribcd mechanism comprising the driving belt. pulleys, shafts and gears, in opposite directions and contact the surface covering and impart thereto a violent agitation resulting in the loosening and dislodgment of the embedded foreign matter. The nozzle lips 13 and 14, thru being of relatively great width, permit but a slight amount of air to pass between themselves and the surface covering into the nozzle thereby directing substantially the entire draft of the suction-creating means to the tunnel 30 which is open to the nozzle between its rotary lips and which contains air at substantially atmospheric pressure. The air which has entered tunnel 30 thru the openings 31, 31 in the end walls of the nozzle is drawn therefrom by the reduced pressure within the nozzle 1, and passes under the rotating agitators 15 and 16, which functions as the lips for the tunnel, and in doing so passes over and thru the surface covering at the points where it contacts with the agitators thereby providing the coincidence of the point of surface covering agitation and air cleaning effectiveness.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, a stationary air tunnel interiorly connected to the atmosphere supported in said nozzle and having an exhaust opening therein, surface-contacting agitating means in air sealed relationship with said air tunnel and defining a side of the tunnel mouth, and means to actuate said agitating means.

2. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, a stationary air tunnel having an exhaust opening within the nozzle and interiorly connected to a source of cleaning fluid at a greater pressure than the fluid within the nozzle, a surface-contacting agitator carried by said nozzle and defining one side of the mouth of said air tunnel, and means to impart a rotary motion to said agitating means.

3. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, broad sealing lips upon said nozzle, a hollow stationary member within said nozzle interiorly connected with the atmosphere, said member having an exhaust outlet between the lips of said nozzle, a. rotary agitating member carried by said nozzle adjacent said exhaust outlet in air sealed relationship with a side thereof and extendingsubsjantially into the plane of the nozzle lips, and means to actuate said agitator with a rotary movement.

4. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, nozzle lips upon said nozzle, a wall of said nozzle having an opening above the plane of said lips, a hollow housing mounted in and open to said nozzle, said housing being interiorly connected to the exterior atmosphere thru the opening in said wall, a rotary agitating member in said nozzle extending substantially into the plane of said nozzle lips and in air sealed relation to a side of said housing at the mouth thereof, and means to impart rotary motion to said agitator.

5. A suction cleaner comprising a nozzle, a suction-creating device to draw air thru said nozzle, an open-bottom air tunnel containing air at substantially atmospheric pressure positioned in said nozzle, agitators in said nozzle defining the sides of said air tunnel, and means to actuate said agitators, characterized by the fact that said agitators are of the positive-beating type and are provided with rotary movement.

6. In a suction cleaner, a suction nozzle, spaced lips upon said nozzle adapted to contact the surface covering undergoing cleaning, means to draw air thru said nozzle, a stationary housing within said nozzle interiorly connected to the atmosphere and having a downwardly facing opening, rotary surface-contacting elements in air sealed relation to said housing defining the sides of said opening and extending into the plane of said nozzle lips being adapted to contact the surface covering therebetween, and means to-rotate said surface contacting elements.

7. In a suction cleaner, a suction nozzle, spaced lips upon said nozzle defining a nozzle mouth, means to draw air thru said nozzle and to lift the surface covering undergoing cleaning against-said nozzle lips, a stationary air tunnel in said nozzle connected interiorly to a source of air pressure greater than that in said nozzle, said trunnel having an opening facing the surface covering undergoing cleaning, agitating elements in said nozzle defining said tunnel opening and adapted to contact the surface covering undergoing cleaning, and means to actuate said agitating means relative to said air tunnel and to said nozzle to agitate the surface covering.

8. In a suction cleaner, a suction nozzle, spaced lips upon said nozzle defining a nozzle mouth, means to draw air thru said nozzle and to lift the surface covering undergoing cleaning against said nozzle lips, a stationary air tunnel in said nozzle connected interiorly to a source of air pressure greater than that in said nozzle, said tunnel having an opening facing the surface covering undergoing cleaning, rotary agitators in said nozzle in air sealed relationship with said tunnel defining said tunnel opening and adapted to contact the surface covering undergoing cleaning, and means to rotate said agitators relative to said air tunnel and to said nozzle to agitate the surface covering.

9. A suction cleaner including rotary suction-creating means, a nozzle communicating with said suction-creating means, lips upon said nozzle, a stationary air tunne within said nozzle interiorly connected with the atmosphere and having a downwardly facing exhaust outlet, rotary surface-contacting agitating elements at the sides of the exhaust outlet of said air tunnel in substantially sealed relationship therewith, a rotatable shaft carried by said nozzle transversely to said agitators, gear means connecting said shaft to said agitator, and means connecting said rotatable shaft to said rotary suctioncreating means for the purpose of transmitting power therefrom to said agitators.

10. In a suction cleaner, suction-creating means, a nozzle interiorly connected to said suction-creating means, means movably supporting said nozzle above the supporting surface, spaced agitators in said nozzle, a housing in said nozzle having a downwardly facing opening the sides of which are positioned closely adjacent said agitators, and means interiorly connecting said housing to the atmosphere exterior of said nozzle.

11. In a suction cleaner, suction-creating means, a nozzle interiorly connected to said suction-creating means having a downwardly facing mouth, means movably supporting said nozzle with its mouth spaced above the supporting surface, spaced rotary agitators in said nozzle extending substantially into said nozzle mouth, a housing in said nozzle above said agitators having a downwardly facing opening the sides of which closely overlie said agitators, and means interiorly connecting said housing to the atmosphere.

Signed at York, in the county of York, and State of Pennsylvania, this 28th day of January, A. D. 1931.

BERNARD C. BECKER.

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