US2763025A - Suction cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 18, 1956 L. E. SEGESMAN SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 24, 1950 il v INVENTOH. Louis E Seyeaman ATTORNEY.

SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24, 1950 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

43 Louis E Seyesman 65 72 7 a" as: '1 r r m Hg 4 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 18, 1956 SEGESMAN 2,763,025

SUCTION CLEANING APPARA'ITUS Filed Oct. 24, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOH. Louis E Swesman BY 5," ATTORNEY.

United States SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS Application October 24, 1950, Serial No. 191,748

6 Claims. (Cl. 15337) The present invention relates to suction cleaning apparatuses and particularly those of the type in which the suction air fan, motor, handle assembly, fan casing, filter and support bearings form a complete sub-assembly which is attached as a unit to a main frame containing the nozzle, air duct, wheel supporting structure and agitator.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a suction cleaner of the foregoing character in which the main casting may be provided with upwardly facing, preferably plane, surfaces which locate, align and support the sub-assembly bearings on which the handle, motor, fan, fan casing and filter pivot.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a suction cleaner of the above described character having a conversion structure for converting the apparatus to ofi-the-floor cleaning which is a part of the sub-assembly structure embodying the motor fan unit.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a suction cleaner of the above described character having a readily removable plate structure to allow access to the belt tunnel from underneath the cleaner for repair and replacement.

The present invention is particularly designed to provide a suction cleaner of the above described character in which the main body portion consists of a simple casting which does not directly house any of the mechanical elements of the cleaner except the rotary agitating element mounted in the nozzle. All the mechanical elements of the cleaner proper are housed in a sub-assembly which may be completely produced and tested before assembly with the main casting. In this way, the complete mechanical assembly is made and tested after which it is properly assembled onto the main casting and very simply secured in proper alignment in operative condition. The foregoing construction permits simple manufacture and very facile adjustment, repair and replacement of parts after the apparatus has been in use. Additionally, the belting is so arranged that ready access to the belt is provided without disturbing the mounting of the power plant upon the main body portion of the cleaner by means of a removable plate in the bottom portion of the air tunnel, between the nozzle and suction fan formed in the main casting.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom view of an apparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 1 taken along the line 3-3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the apparatus in Figure 1 with certain portions broken away and sectioned to illustrate a bearing construction.

atet

Referring now to the drawing in detail, my apparatus comprises a main casting, generally U-shaped in plan, having a top wall structure 10 merging into a depending front wall 11 and right and left hand side walls 12 and 13, respectively. The front wall 11 of the cleaner also forms the front wall of the nozzle and agitating chamber 14. The rear wall of the chamber 14 is formed in part by a wall structure 15 extending from the left hand end of the machine, as viewed in Figure 1, to a point well to the right of the center line thereof and angling slightly toward the rear of the machine. The wall 15 then curves rearwardly and merges into the rearwardly extending wall 18 which joins a vertically extending bracket 16 depending from the top wall 10 of the main casting and forming the right hand rear .side wall of the main casting. The wall 18 is provided with a half-round cut-out portion 17 adjacent its rear end to form a fan eye to be described more fully hereinafter. The right hand rear wall of chamber 14, as viewed in Figure 1, is defined by a partition wall 19 depending from the top wall 10 of the main casting and joining a wall 20 extending toward the rear in parallel spaced relationship to the wall 18. The wall 20 may be relatively shallow at its rear portion at which point it' curves to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, to join the wall 18 adjacent the rearmost portion of the main casting. A removable plate 22 is secured to the under side of the main casting by means of studs 23 threaded into suitable bosses formed in the walls 15, 18, 19 and 20. The plate 22 forms a rear nozzle lip for the suction nozzle opening of the cleaner, abuts the lower end of the walls 15 and 19 to seal the same and forms a closure for the space between the curved portions of the walls 15 and 19 to define a suction air passage leading from the nozzle proper, backwardly to the space between the walls 18 and 20.

The remaining portion of the Open bottom of the space between the parallel walls 18 and 20 is closed by a plate 25 extending from a junction with the plate 22 to the rear of the apparatus. The forward end of the plate 25 is supported by a shoulder 26 on the rear edge of the plate 22. The outer right hand side wall of the plate 25, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, is provided with a channel section 28 carrying sealing gasket material such as felt 29 which bears upon the lower edge of the wall 20 to make an air seal therewith. The left hand edge of the plate 25 is provided with a step or shoulder 30 which underlies an outwardly projecting flange 31 on the wall 18 and bears upon air sealing gasket material such as felt 32 to form an air seal between the members 25 and 18. The plate 25 is secured in position by a thumb nut and stud 25a which extends through a suitable opening in the plate 25 and threads into a boss on the main casting.

A nozzle lip plate 33 extends along the bottom edge of the front wall 11 of the main casting and the side walls 12 and 13 to a junction with the leading edge of the plate 22, wherefor the leading edge of the plate 22 and the plate 23 define front, rear and side nozzle lips for a cleaning nozzle opening indicated generally at 34. A rotary brushing and agitating member of a known type is rotatably mounted within the main casting just above the nozzle opening 34 in a position such that the agitating and brushing elements of the member 35 will engage a fabric pulled up to the nozzle lip by suction action to impart a beating and brushing action to such fabric.

As shown most clearly in Figure 3, the right hand rearwardly extending portion of the top wall 10 is provided with a depending L-shaped section 36 joining the wall 20 and the top wall 10.

As shown most clearly in Figure 2, the upper edge of the wall 18 is flat except for the half-round cut-out 17 at 37 at the front thereof for a purpose to be developed hereinafter. The horizontal portion of the wall 36 is Patented Sept. 18, 1956'- parallel to and in spaced relation with the wall 18 having its upper face in the plane of the upper edge of the wall 1837 except that there is no portion corresponding to the half-round cut-out 17. V

The left hand, rearwardly extending section of the wall 10, as viewed in Figure 3, joins a depending wall member 40 having a step section 41 well below the plane of the top wall 10.

As shown most clearly in Figure 4, the step 41 includes a pair of flat surfaces 42 and 43 at different elevations which are joined by a curved section which forms the segment of a circle. The lower depending section 25 of the wall structure 40 extends forwardly to a junction with the rear face of the wall but considerably above the level of the bottom ends of walls 11, 12 and 13.

The rear portion of the wall structure 40 terminates in a rearwardly facing wall structure 46 positioned in spaced relation to the wall 16 and coplanar therewith. Rear wheels and mounting brackets therefor 47 are attached to the rear wall 16 and 46.

Front wheels 48 are pivotally mounted on the outer angularly bent ends of a front wheel supporting shaft 49. The'central portion of the shaft 49 is carried by a bearing plate 50 secured to the forward portion of the wall 45 by means of a stud 51. A bearing 52 also supports the shaft 49. The bearing 52 has a plate portion 52a underlying the rear edge of the plate 22 and is secured by the two rear studs 23. A suitable mechanism, not shown, will be provided for rocking the shaft 49 in the bearings 50 and 52 to raise and lower the wheels 48 with respect to the main casting for purposes of nozzle adjustment in a manner which is well understood in this art.

The motor and fan casting portion of the air passageway is a unitary structure. An electric motor is encased within a suitable housing 53 and is provided with a shaft 54 terminating in a pulley 55. The shaft 54 extends through the motor housing into and through a fan chamber and air duct housing 56 which encases a suitable suction air fan 57. The fan 57 discharges through a passage 58 which communicates with a suitable dirt filter 59. A manipulating handle 59a is rigidly attached to the combined motor and fan chamber structure 53, 56.

The end of the motor housing is provided with an annular journal 60 within which is rotatably mounted a suitable bearing member having a projecting portion 61 which is received in a pressed metal bearing and mounting structure 62 having a central boss 63 receiving the projecting member 61. It will be apparent, from Figures 3 and 4, that the member 62 is provided with upper and lower axially projecting flanges 64 and 65, respectively, which extend axially inwardly toward the motor housing to overlie the outer end of the bearing structure 60. The lower flange 65 is shaped to conform to the curved section 41 of the wall 40 without seating tightly thereagainst and is provided with accurately located parallel end sections 66 and 67 which seat upon the flat locating surfaces 42 and 43, respectively, to locate the center of the bearing structures accurately vertically and horizontally with respect to the locating surfaces 42 and 43. The bearing structure 62 is secured to the main casting by means of studs 68 passing through the plates 66 and 67 and threaded into the wall structure 40.

A heavy torsion spring 69 is wound about the bearing structure 60 in spaced relation thereto, having one out-' 4 13, 1950, now Patent 2,671,924, granted March 16, 1954.

A small stiff compression spring is wrapped about the flange 63, bearing structure 62 and the outer face of the bearing 61 for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The outer face of the fan chamber and air duct structure 56 is provided with a central air inlet opening 76. A ring-shaped bearing member '77, which is U-shaped in cross section, is secured to the outer face of the housing 56 concentrically with the opening 76 and bears on a ring-shaped bearing member 78 which is L-shaped in cross section and is secured within a ring-shaped casting 8%. Ring-shaped felts 81 and 82 are secured between the casting 8t) and the outer face of the housing 56 and the bearing member 77, respectively, to provide an air seal around the fan inlet opening while permitting the motor fan housing structure, as a whole, to rotate on the bearing 78.

The ring-shaped casting has an air duct and converter passageway forming member 83, L-shaped in cross section, formed integrally therewith. The member 83 is concentric with the opening 76 at the rear of the cleaner structure and then projects forwardly to a point just beyond the outer limits of the housing 56, as shown in Figure 2. The member 83 bears upon and has air sealing engagement with the upper edges of the walls 18 and 37 to the junction of these parts with the top wall 10 at the front of the machine just rearwardly of and above the brushing and agitating member 35. The member 83 also has a laterally projecting flange 84 at its rear and sideiportions which seats upon the flat locating surface portions of the wall 36 in air sealing engagement therewith. A plurality of studs 84a extend through the flange 84 and are threaded into the wall 36 to secure and locate the structure 80 to 84. At the front of the machine, the member 83 terminates in a tubular portion, having a bottom wall member 85 seating upon an edge of the top wall- 10 of the main casting. The tubular portion of the'memer 33 terminates in an an ularly positioned'opening 86 above the front portion of the machine which is adapted to receive a suitable tool for converting the cleaning apparatus to otf-the-floor cleaning. A gate 87 is pivotally mounted upona pintle 88 secured in the opposite'lateral side wall of the tubular portion of the'member 83 and in an upwardly projecting recess 89 formed in themember 83. A torsion spring 90 engaged between the gate 87 and a suitable opening in the wall of the recess 89 urges the gate 87 to the closed position illustrated in Figure 2, in which it blocks entryway to the interior of the member 83 in air sealed relation.

The upper surface of the horizontal portion of the plate 36 and the flange 84 are so dimensioned as to position the bearing structure within the ring casting 80 in alignment with the bearing structure 61 at'the opposite end of the combined motor fan housing structure. In this way, the surfaces 42, 43 and the upper horizontal portion of the wall 36 may be formed accurately in parallel relationship and stud receiving holes in the-element accurately located. When this is doneytheentire motor fan and pivot bearing assembly will be accurately located in respect to the main casting.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the top wall 10 of the main casting, the plate 22, the plate 25, the walls 15, 13, 19 and 20 of the main casting and the extension structures? of the bearing supporting casting 80 define an air passageway extending from the floor nozzle opening 34 to the air inlet of the fan 57. It is also apparent that a suitable tool, inserted through the opening 86 in the gate 87 into engagement with the plate 25, will corn 1 pletely cut off the nozzle 34 and convert the apparatus for otf-the-floor cleaning. This tool has not been illustrated herein as such devices are well'lmown in the art. A suitable drive belt 92 extends through the air passageway from the drive pulley 55 to-the rotary agitatingand brushing structure 35 to drive the same. The plate 25 is readily removed from the apparatus by theremoval of the thumb nut 25a to permit access to the belt for servicing or changing.

The portion of the wall 18 which i below the removable plate 25 is provided with an inwardly turned flange 93 underlying the ring casting 80 and air sealed with respect thereto by means of a tubular gasket 94.

The spring 75 constantly urges the entire motor fan assembly to the right, as viewed in Figure 3, to maintain an axial thrust bearing relationship between the bearing elements 77 and 78 to assist in maintaining an air seal at this point and to prevent the power plant assernbly from chattering in its support bearings.

Though not shown, a suitable decorative hood of plastic or like material may be mounted over the casting to cover and conceal the bearing mounting and rotatable parts of the motor fan construction except for the portion to which the handle is directly connected.

My present construction permits the entire power plant of the cleaner consisting of the handle, motor, fan, fan housing, discharge duct and filter support, converting housing and pivot bearings for the handle to be assembled completely as a sub-assembly, accurately positioned on the main casting and secured thereto as a unit by means of a few securing studs here shown as six in number.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaning apparatus, a body member having a front portion forming a suction air cleaning nozzle and spaced apart sections extending rearwardly from said nozzle at opposite sides thereof, one of said sections having spaced wall members adapted to form inner and outer walls of a suction air passage communicating with said nozzle, a removable plate forming the bottom of said air passageway, an upwardly facing seat on each of said sections rearwardly of said nozzle, a power unit comprising a housing, a motor driven suction air fan in said housing and bearing members rotatably supporting said housing at opposite ends thereof, support members secured to said bearing members and resting on said seats, means detachably securing said support members to said body member, and one of said support members including a portion extending forwardly of said body member in engagement with the upper edges of said walls to define the top wall of said air passageway.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said extending portion of said support terminates in a tubular extension opening above said body member and communicating with said air passageway, and a spring closed gate in said tubular member to prevent air flow therethrough.

3. Suction cleaning apparatus comprising a one-piece body member having walls at the front thereof defining an open bottom suction nozzle extending across the front of said body member and spaced sections extending rearwardly from said nozzle at opposite sides thereof, one of said sections having spaced walls forming an air duct communicating with said nozzle and extending rearwardly thereof and being open at its top and bottom rearwardly of said nozzle, a removable plate attached to said one section and closing the open bottom por tion of said air duct, said side sections having upwardly facing aligned seats in the facing sides thereof positioned in spaced relation to said nozzle, a power unit housing, a motor fan unit in said housing, a manipulating handle attached to said housing, a bearing and supporting structure at opposite ends of said housing, each of said bearing structures including a support member rotatably engaged with a bearing member fixed to said housing,

said support members having exterior portions shaped to engage in said seats whereby said housing and hearing and supporting structures may be assembled with said body member by lowering said housing and bearing structures into the space between said sections until said exterior portions of said support member engage said seats, means for securing said support members to said body member, one of said support members having a forwardly projecting portion closing the open top portion of said air duct, and one of said bearing structures being annular to form a continuation of said air duct into said housing.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which one of said side sections and one of said bearing structures forms a belt passageway from said housing to said nozzle, and said motor fan unit includes a pulley shaft projecting axially thereof beyond one end of said housing and through the bearing member of said one bearing.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said projecting portion of said one support member is formed with an opening providing for the insertion of a converting tool into said duct, and a spring closed closure for said opening carried by said projecting portion of said one support member.

6. Suction cleaning apparatus comprising a one-piece body member having a top wall and front and side walls depending from said top wall, a rear nozzle wall member depending from said top Wall in spaced relation and parallel to said front wall to define an open bottom suction nozzle across the front of the body member, said body member having spaced sections extending rearwardly thereof adjacent opposite ends of the nozzle to define a U-shaped opening rearwardly of the nozzle, one of said sections including a pair of spaced wall members extending rearwardly from the rear nozzle wall member to define the side walls of an air duct from the nozzle, a removable plate detachably mounted on said one section and forming a bottom wall for said air duct, each of said sections having upwardly facing aligned seats in the facing sides thereof positioned rearwardly of and in spaced relation to said nozzle, a power unit housing, a motor fan unit in said housing, a manipulating handle attached to said housing, a bearing structure at each end of said housing, each of said bearing structures including a support member engaged with a bearing member fixed to said housing and each of said support members having exterior portions shaped to engage in said seats whereby said housing and bearing and supporting structures may be assembled with said body member by lowering said housing and bearing structures into said U-shaped opening until said exterior portions of said support members engage said seats, means for securing said support members to said body member, one of said support members having a forwardly projecting portion closing the open top of said air duct, and one of said bearing structures being annular to form a continuation of said air duct into said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,483,977 Hoover Feb. 19, 1924 1,660,331 Frantz Feb. 28, 1928 2,140,143 Sellers Dec. 13, 1938 2,246,862 Smellie June 24, 1.941 2,253,997 Becker Aug. 26, 1941 2,633,596 Turner Apr. 7, 1953

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