US2633596A - Vacuum cleaner with motor and handle pivoted on casing - Google Patents

Description

April 1953 E. P. TURNER ET AL 1 2,633,596

VACUUM CLEANER WITH MOTOR AND HANDLE PIVOTED ON CASING Filed Dec. 11, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l I N V EN TOR. dyaz W mam awed $612294 Stackbagez BX @TTORNEY April 7, 1953 E. P. TURNER ET AL 2,533,595

VACUUM CLEANER WITH MOTOR AND HANDLE PIVOTED 0N CASING Filed Dec. 11, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I a )-------L i I82 35 9b 2% 505 iToglvzy April 7, 1953 P. TURNER ET AL 2,633,596

VACUUM CLEANER WITH MOTOR AND HANDLE PIVOTED 0N CASING Filed Dec. 11, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR fazyaz 0Z u zmz and ha a294,} Stockbagyezf WITNESS BYWm e/l/fao g ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1953 VACUUM CLEANER WITH MOTOR AND HANDLE PIVOTED ON CASING Edgar P. Turner, Fanwood, and Charles .1. Stockburger, North Plainfield, N. J assignors to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application December 11, 1948, Serial No. 64,736 4 Claims. (01. 15-323) This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and it has as its primary object to provide an improved frame construction that can easily be manufactured and conveniently assembled.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved casing construction that provides easy access to the various moving parts of the vacuum cleaner mechanism, whereby they can easily be cleaned, adjusted or repaired.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for mounting a cord take-up reel and a motor in the handle of a vacuum cleaner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner having improved structural features.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a vacuum cleaner embodying the invention, it being understood that the front face of the upstanding vacuum cleaner handle is provided with an expanded metal grille similar to the three small areas indicated thereon,

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective View of the vacuum cleaner shown in Fig. 1, it being understood that the hinged door is provided with a complete panel of expanded metal.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of portions of the vacuum cleaner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the covers shown in Figs. 4 and 5 having been removed.

Fig. 4 is an upside down view of a cover for a portion of the open cleaner shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an upside down view of a second cover for another portion of the open cleaner shown in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the vacuum cleaner handle taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the invention is disclosed as embodied in a vacuum cleaner having a lower casing shell l6, an upper casing shell or cover I1, a lower motor housing I8, an upper motor housing or cover I9, and a propelling handle, indicated generally by the numeral 2|, the handle having a hand grip portion 22 at its free end. As best seen in Figs.

1 and 2, the upper casing shell or cover I! is complemental to and covers the lower casing shell [6, and the upper motor housing or cover I9 is complemental to and covers the lower motor housing IS.

The lower casing shell l6, has a pair of rear support wheels 26, and as best seen in Fig. 3 is in the form of a U-shaped box, which has a forwardly positioned upwardly open nozzle cavity 23, and a pair of upwardlyopen air duct cavities 24a and 24b. The nozzle cavity 23 has an open bottom portion 25, which forms a suction mouth 26, the latter being divided into three separate openings by a pair of rug hold-down bars 21-21. The air duct cavities 24a and 24?) extend rearwardly from the nozzle cavity 23. Inner walls 28a and 28b of the air duct cavities 240-241) are provided respectively with semi-circular openings 29a and 297). Outer Walls 3Ia and 3lb of the air duct cavities each have an infacing boss 32, upon which are pivotally mounted the ends of brush support arms 33a and 33b. The free ends of the arms 33a and 33b rotatably support a dust brush 34, which may be of well known construction. The lowermost part of the duct cavities 24a and 24b are closed respectively by bottom walls 35a and 35b and the nozzle cavity 23 is bounded by a forward wall 36 and a rear wall 31. A resilient bumper 38 extends along the outer face of the walls 23, 3la and 31b.

The lower motor housing l8, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, is in the form of a semi-cylindrical box and has an outer semi-cylindrical wall 44. The semi-cylindrical box is divided into a plurality of cavities 39, 40, 4|, 42 and 43 by vertical walls 46, 41, 48 and 49. The cavities 39 and 43, located adjacent the sides of the housing l8, are substantially semi-cylindrical in form and each cavity 39 and 43 forms the lower half of a casing for fans 50a and 50b. The cavity 40, which is separated from the fan cavity 39 by the wall 46, houses the lower half of a ball bearing 5| a that rotatably supports a horizontally extending motor shaft 52. The ball bearing 5la is covered by a screw held cap 53a. The wall 41, between the cavity 46 and the cavity 4|, is cut away to accommodate the lower half of a motor ventilating fan 54 carried on the shaft 52. The cavity 4! houses field coils 56 and an armature 51 of the vacuum cleaner motor. The means for mounting the field coils etc. forms the basis of a patent application Serial No. 75,552, filed February 10, 1949, now Patent No. 2,613,242, dated October 7, 1952, and will not herein be described. The cavity 42, which is bounded by the walls 48 and 49,

3 houses a pair of carbon brushes 5858 and a ball bearing 5Ib which is mounted in a manner similar to the ball bearing 5Ia previously described.

The wall 59a, which forms the outer boundary of the fan chamber 39, is apertured by a semicylindrical hole 6Ia, which accommodates the smaller diameter portion of a flanged ring 62a. The flange of the ring 62a enters a semi-annular recess 63a formed in the face of the semi-cylindrical opening 29a of the shell I6. In like manner the wall 59b for the chamber 43 has a semicylindrical hole 6Ib for the smaller portion of the ring 82b. Also the flange of ring 82b enters a semi-annular recess 63b in the face of the opening 2%. The two rings 62a and 621), when clampfid I in place by the cover I1 and the cover I9, presently more fully to be described, function as pivots for the motor members I8 and I9 and for the pivotally mounted handle 2I.

The motor shaft 52, in addition to carrying the armature 51 and the ventilating fan 54, carries the fans 58a and 5% at its opposite ends. The hub of the an 50b is extended and forms a pulley for driving a belt 68 which drives the dust brush .34.

The lower motor housing I8 has an extension 64 formed integral therewith. This extension 84 is positionedtangentially with respect to the motor housing I8 and a lower portion of the extension is apertured by a pair of converging ducts 99a and 66b, the forward ends of duct'fific being connected with and extending rearwardly from the ian cavity 39, whereas the forward end of duct 56?) is connected with and extends rearwardly from the cavity 43. The upper portion of the extension 84 provides a shelf on which is rotatably mounted an electric cord take-up reel 61 rotating on an axle 18 that is perpendicular to a plane containing the motor axle 52.

The lower casing shell I6 is closed by the complemental casing cover I1, and this cover, which is best seen in Fig. 4, is in the form of a U-shaped box. The cover I"! has at its forward end a nozzle covering cavity I23 and a pair of rearwardly extending duct covering cavities 124a and 1241). The cavity I23 is complemental to the cavity 23, and the cavities I24a and I24b are respectively complemental to the cavities 24a and 24b. The cavity I23 is covered with a top wall I25. The cover Ilalso has a plurality of walls I28a, I281), I3Ia. I3Ib, I35a, I351), I36 and I31, that are comel men respectiv ly to wel 8a 2. 31a, 3 35a, 35b, 36 and 31 of the shell IS. The walls I28a and I28?) are each provided with a semicylindrical opening, designated as I29a and I29b, hiQll re eem emen al to he ng n 29b of the walls 28a and 28b.

The lo e mot hous memb r I8 is c se by the complemental casing cover I9. The cover I9, which is best seen in Fig. 5 has a plurality of cavities and walls which are complemental to similar parts formed in the motor housing I8. For example, the cavities I39, I48 I4I, I42 and I43 in the cover I9 are complemental to cavities 39, 48, 4|, 42 and 43 in the motor housing I8. Also the walls I44, I46, I41, I48 and I49 of the motor cover I9 join walls 44, 46, 41,48 and 49, respectively, of the motor housing member I8. Also the end walls I59a and I59? of the cover I9 join end walls 59a and 591) on diametral lines. each of the Walls I59a and I59b being provided respectively with a semi-cylindrical recess IGIa-IBIb that are complemental to the recesses Bla and 115. E ch eces i2 and. 29 the cover is provided respectively with a semi-annular recess I830; and I631) for accommodating the flange portion of the rings 82a and 62b, and the recesses I6Ia and Hill) of the cover I9 engage the small collar of the rings 52a and 92b. The motor cover I9 also has an extension cover I64 that is ccmplemental to the extension 64. The motor cover I9 is held to the lower motor housing member IS by means of a plurality of screws I18 that pass through appropriate holes I1I in the cover I9 and are threaded into holes I12 in the motor housing member I8.

The casing cover I1 is held to the shell I6 by a strap spring I13. This spring is pivotally supported from a-pair of upstanding arms I14-I14 which int-urn are supported from a pair of horizontally disposed lugs I19I18 formed integral with the lower shell I6. The free end of the spring I13 is provided with a hole I11. When the cover I1 is in place on top of the shell It, the arms I14I1 4 extend through an opening I18 formed in the upper wall I25 and the spring I13 is flexed down over the top of the cover I1 to which it is securely held by a screw I19.

The box-like handle 2|, which along with the motor housing members I8 and I9 is mounted to pivot on the flanged rings 62a and 62b, is rec? tangular in cross section. The size of this rectangular cross section is large near the motor housings I8 and i9, and gradually decreases in size as the hand grip 22 is approached. This handle 2| (Figs. 2 and 6 is constructed from a pair of converging side angle-plates I8Ia and I8Ib, the lower ends of which are held to the extension 84, of the motor housing I8, by a plurality of screws I82. The upper end of the plates I8Ia and I8Ib are held to the hand grip 22 by screws I83. A channel or U-shaped cover I84 is held to the extension 84 by a bracket I85 and screws I88. Removal of the cover I84 exposes to view the cord reel 61, hereinbefore described. The major portion of the face of the handle 2I is covered with an open grille work I81, which as illustrated is made of a sheet of expanded metal formed into a U-shaped grille. The back of the handle 2 I, is closed by a door I88 having a single grille panel I89 made from expanded metal. This door is hinged to the angle plate Hill), as at I9I and is provided with a latch I92 of known construction.

The two exhaust ducts 66a and 68b converge into a single duct I93 which extends upwardly into the handle 2!. The open end of this duct is provided with a means (not shown) whereby a dust bag I94 is attached to the end of the duct I93, it being understood that access to the open end of the duct I93 and to the dust bag I94 is had through the opening provided by the door I88. The grilles I81 and I89 provide sufficient ventilation so that filtered air can escape from the bag I94 to the atmosphere.

An electric cord I98 is wound around the reel 61' and the end of this cord extends upwardly through the handle 2I to an outlet I91 found in the hand grip 22. The uppermost end of the cord I96 is fitted with an electric plug I98.

The hand-grip 22 is also provided with an elec-. tric switch I99 by which the motor of the vacuum cleaner can be started or stopped. The handgrip 22 also has a button 280, which, by means of a rod and latch (not shown) provides a means for latching the handle 2| in a plurality of selected positions.

The vacuum cleaner of the present invention can e a sem led n t e fo in simplifi d man- :r. First, the various motor and fan elements, cluding the field coil 56, the armature 51, 'ushes Sit-58, bearings Sic-51b, and fans lei-50b are assembled in the lower motor houslg 18. This can very easily be done because and the flanges of these rings are placed into the semi-circular recesses Sta--53?) formed in the lower casing shell it. Then the dust brush 34, by means of arms Silo-43b, is supported from the bosses 92-62, at the same time making cer-' tain that the belt Gil is properly installed. Thereafter the cover shell i1 is placed over the shell it in such a manner that the flanges of the rings 5211-42227 enter the recesses i63a-lii3b of the openings l2d-l23'b. Then the hinged spring 113 is bent down over the top surface of the shell cover I! and held thereto by the screw I19.

The dust bag 1% is very easily attached to the single duct 193 by opening the door 188. After the bag [9% is in place the door 183 is closed and secured by the latch I92.

While the wires connecting the motor kit-5L- 58 to the reel 61 are not shown, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that there is no need for flexible cord connections between the motor 56-5"i-58 and the reel 61. the fact that the motor and the reel are both mounted on the integral parts 18-54. Furthermore, the method of mounting the reel 61 with respect to the motor 56-51-459 permits of the best utilization of space. The greatest dimension of the motor is the longitudinal length of the shaft 52, and the greatest dimension of the reel 61 is its diametrical dimension. It will be noted that both of these are transverse of the cleaner and the handle.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what we claim herein is:

1. A vacuum cleaner casing construction comprising, a lower casing shell having a forwardly positioned nozzle cavity and a pair of rearwardly 0 ceiving blown by Said fans, a dust bag carried extending air duct cavities open to said nozzle cavity, an upper casing shell having a nozzle cavity and a pair of rearwardly extending air duct cavities complemental to cavities in said lower casing shell, means for holding said upper 55 shell to said lower shell, a pair of flanged rings clamped between said two shells at locations rearward of such nozzle cavities and adjacent the rear ends of said air duct cavities, a lower motor housing having a pair of rearwardly extending 60 converging ducts, an upper motor housing separable from and complemental to said lower motor housing, means for pivoting said motor housings on said flanged rings, and a handle secured to said motor housings. 1 M

2. A vacuum cleaner casing construction com- ,prising'a lower casing shell having a forwardly positioned nozzle cavity and a pair of rearwardly extending air duct cavities open to said nozzle cavity, an upper casing shell having a nozzle cavity and a pair of rearwardly extending air duct cavities complemental to cavities in said lower casing shell, means for holding said upper shell to said lower shell, a pair of flanged rings clamped between said two shells atlocations rearranged to slidingly engage said flanged rings 10 thereby allowing said motor to rotate relative to 20 ing said motor with respect to said ambulatory mum dimension extending in a direction parallel and grille work forming part of said handle and This results from cavities open to said nozzle cavity, an upper shell, a motor-handle unit pivotally mounted its axis normal to a plane containing the axis ward of such nozzle cavities and adjacent the rear ends of said air duct cavities, a lower motor housing having a pair of rearwardly extending converging ducts, an upper motor housing complemental to said lower motor housing, a pair of complemental semi-cylindrical holes in opposite sides of said upper and lower motor housings, thev motor housing walls defining said holes being arsaid upper and lower casing shells, a handle secured to said motor housings, a cord take-up reel carried by said handle, and an electric cord extending from said reel to the end of said handle.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a two-part ambulatory casing arranged to be moved over a floor being cleaned, means for holding said two-part casing together, an electric motor having a horizontally positioned shaft, means for pivotally mountoasing, a pair of fans located on opposite ends of said motor shaft, a box-shaped handle rigidly secured to said motor, a cord reel carried within said box-shaped handle and having its maxito the motor shaft, a pair of convergent exhaust ducts extending longitudinally of said handle and receiving air blown from said fans, a dust bag connected to said ducts and housed in said handle,

allowing filtered air to escape from said bag.

4. A vacuum cleaner comprising a lower casing shell having a forwardly positioned nozzle cavity and a pair of rearwardly extending air duct casing shell having a nozzle cavity and a pair of rearwardly extending air duct cavities complemental to cavities of said lower casing shell, means for holding said upper shell to said lower with respect to said casing shells, the axis of said motor extending transversally with respect to the longitudinal dimension of said handle, a cord reel carried by said handle, said reel having of said motor, a pair of fans driven by said motor, a box-shaped member forming the outer shell of said handle, a pair of convergent exhaust ducts extending longitudinally of said handle and re- EDGAR P. TURNER. CHARLES J. STOCKBURGER.

REFERENCES orrcn ,11,

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 149,528 Turner et al May 4, 1948 D. 152,182 Barnhart Dec. 28, 1948 Re. 20,489 Leathers Aug. 31, 193? 1,205,412 Tideman Nov. 21, 1916 1,897,087 Tamarin Feb. 14, 1933 1,954,416 Leathers Apr. 10, 1934 2,140,143 Sellers Dec. 13, 1938 2,253,997 Becker Aug. 26, 1941 2,342,912 White Feb. 29, 1944

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