US2580642A - Container ejecting suction cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 1, 1952 A. H. BEEDE 2,580,642

CONTAINE EJECTING SUCTION CLEANER Jan. 1, 1952 A H, BEEDE CONTAINER EJECTING SUCTION CLEANER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed April l, 1946 I N V EN TOR.

ARNOLD H. BEEDE l? j T Patented Jan. l, 1952 CONTAINER EJECTING SUCTION CLEANER Arnold H. Beede, Stamford, Conn., assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Old Greenwich, Conn., a corporation of Delaware i Application April 1, 1946, Serial No. 658,641

` 22 claims. (o1. 18a- 37) This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and is particularly concerned with means for disposing of dust, dirt, and like foreign matter which has been accumulated during cleaning operations. The present invention is Valso concerned with automatic control means responsive to certain Voperatingr characteristics of the device.

While certain aspects of the present inventive concept may rbe broadly applicable to a wide variety of types of vacuum cleaners, the invention is more particularly concerned with tank type vacuum cleaners in which a relatively stationary casing housing a motor-fan unit and a removable dust collecting bag is provided with an intake opening to which a suction hose is applied. In such tank type cleaners it has been proposed to provide mechanism responsive to an increase in the pressure drop of the air passing through the dust collecting bag `for automatically ejecting the bag, or at least making it easily accessible for manual removal. Certain diiiiculties obtain, however, where such mechanisms are used, `these diiculties arising from the necessity of `displacing the end cover of the machine to which the suction hose is connected. The hose is relativeli7 heavy and somewhat rigid and consequently impedes the opening movement of the cover relative to the casing. If the cover is not completely or substantially completely open at the time automatic ejection or manual removal of the dust bag is eiiected, jamming and possible rupture of the bag (where a porous paper bag is used) may lWell result.

It is accordingly among the objects of this invention to provide an improved vacuum cleaner which obviates the foregoing difficulties in a thoroughly practical andI eflicient manner.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from theconsideration of the following specification when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: i

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly `broken away of one embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device in bag ejecting position.

ln general terms, the structure of the present :to the rear therethrough. As distinct from cleaners of this general type which are presently in use and in whichthe4 body is rigidly secured to integral base'or sleighs, the body ofthe presend device is pivotally mounted upon a base so Y that it may move with pivotal relation thereto to an upwardly inclined position. A hinged cover is mounted on the front of the machine through which an intake opening extends and to which a hose connection is pivotally mounted.. The arrangement is such that when the body is tilted with respect to the base the cover is pivotally moved with respect to the body and the hose connection is pivotally moved with respect to the cover, thus permitting the movements to be accomplished with a minimum of hose displacement. Within the body there is provided a dust bag ejecting plate which is normally in retracted position when the body is in horizontal position and which is releasable to forcibly eject the dust bag when the .body is tilted and the cover opened.

An important i'eature of the invention is the provision of means to' co-relate the tilting action of the body, the opening of the cover, and the ejection of the bag so as to provide for a uniform cycle of such operations.

Through provision of the pivotable body or casing, not only is automatic ejection of the bag facilitated, but also the bag is made more readily accessible where manual removal thereof is desired. Furthermore, by pivotally relating the cover to the casing, and by pivoting the hose connection to the cover, complete or substantially complete opening of the cover is assured thus precluding jamming and possible rupture of the bag, all as will be described in detail hereinbelow.

Referring specifically to the drawings which depict one preferred embodiment of the inventive concept, the numeral lil designates a base preferable of generally rectangular conguration in horizontal cross-section. The base is shown as supported in slightly spaced relation to the door by sleighs Il. rthe base may enclose a cord reel I2 through which current is supplied to the motor and forwardly of the reel I2, the base isI provided with a space for the reception of a supply oi disposable dust receiving receptacles as indicated at I3. The body of the cleaner comprises a casing I4, the rear end of which is closed by an end member I5 which is pivotally supported on the base by a transversely extending pin .is and is provided with a suitable air discharge: port Il. i Within the casing I4 thereis provided the usual motor-fan unit indicated by the numeral It, forwardly of which there is provided a perforated bulkhead I9. The front of the casing is provided with a cover 20 which is pivotally mounted as at 2I to a depending portion 22 of the casing and the cover 20 is provided with a hose receiving coupling 23 which is pivotally mountedto the cover as at 24. This arrangement is such that the casing may pivotally move with respect to the base and the cover may swing open on its pivot 2I, while permitting the suction hose 25 to retain its normal horizontal position. For pivotally moving the casing with respect to the base I5,there is provided an actuating arm 25 which is biased to the raised posi-tion shown in Fig. 2 by an actuator spring 21, the arm 25 being pivoted as at 28 to the base Ill. The opposite end of thelarm 25 is provided with a roller 29 which is mounted within a depending guide member 35 attached to the lower side of the casing i4, the arrangement being such that when the casing is released,k upward outward movement of the roller 29 will thrust the, casing upwardly ior pivotal movement aboutthe pin I5, the extent of the movement being limited byabut# ment of the roller 29 against the forward end of the guide member 39, Y n

For actuating theA cover sothat it will be opened and closed in timed sequence with pivotal move ment of the casing, there is p rovideda cover actuv ating link SI which is pivotaliy secured at the rearward end to the actuator Y,and likewise pivotally secured at its forward end as at 32 to a bracket 33 mounted upon the cover 2i?. Thus as the roller 2S; renovesiorwardly in the guide member to raise the casing I4, the arm 3i will move rectilinear/fly substantial parallelism with the axis of the casing I4 to thrust the cover open by pivotal movement about its pivot point 2i. Similarly when the casing is depressed against the tension of, the Splllg 21., the roller 29 will move rearwardlyudrawing back the karm 3l, thus pivotally movingl the cover to closed position. It will be noted that during opening motion the inertia of the hose 25 will cause the coupling 23 to pivot about the point24, withdrawing it from its spring retaining element 34 so that the i movements of the casing and cover may be free from obstruction by the weight and inertia of the hose 25. e Y

The air ltering and dust receiving device preferably used in the present construction is of the type shownin the copending application ofLeozn l?. Borkoski, Serial No. 641%992 ledJanuary 18, 1946. The body 35 of the bag is preferably made fromY inexpensive porous material such as paper, so that the bag may be disposed of wheneverfilled withV dust without prohibitive expense. The front edges 35 ofV the body of the bag are secured between inner and outer end members 31 and 38 respectively, both of which arer apertured to receive therethrough the air inlet tube 39 of the cover 20. A pair of normally overlapping rubber closure members 4I) are stretched across the apertures of the end membersthe arrangement being such that when the tube is inserted through the apertures the rubber closure members are separated and engage the tube to seal the bag thereto and to retain the bag thereon during cleaning operations. When the cover is opened, however, the inletl tube 39 will automatically release itself from the receptacle so that the latter may be.l

subsequently discharged. e

In the normal operating position of the receptacle its rear wall 4I will be drawn against an ejecting p late 42 which is retained in spaced relation to the bulkhead I9 by yieldable springs 43. As dirt collects in the receptacle, the .resistance to air flow therethrough. and hence the pressure drop, increases,v thus decreasing the eiliciency of the cleaning action, and Aincreasing the force exertedby; the receptacle; against theVA plate 42. As the plate moves rearwardly against' 4 the resistance of springs 43 it will strike an actuator 44 associated with a switch 45 by which circuits hereinafter to be described are energized for releasing the casing and ejecting the dust receptacle.

For ejecting movement of the plate 42 there is provided a plurality oi' arms 46 which are pivotally secured to a central bracket 4'1 carried by the plate 42. The opposite end of the arms 46 are pivotally secured to links 48 which are pivotally secured to the casing I4. This arrangement is such that the arms and links form actuating toggles which are 'biased in the direction of forward movementof the plate by spring 49. During the working 'cycle ci the device, the plate is secured in its innermost position, with the springs 43 abutting the bulkhead, by means of a catch 50 which engages the bracket 41 to retain the plate against the force of the springs 49. 'Ihe catch is provided with an actuating arm 5I which upon energization of .a solenoid 52 is adapted to release the catch from the plate, thus permitting the springs to move the toggle, thrusting the plate forwardly within the casing to forcibly eject the dustreceptacle.

For securing the casing in its horizontal operative Lposition there is provided a keeper bolt 53 which is normally biased in a forward direction to extend through an 'aperture 54 in the base I0 and to engage a keeper 55 formed in the vcover noid 55, the bolt willv be retracted to permit the spring -21 to raise the casing andY to open the cover 20.

Since the wiring of the circuit for the device maybe of various characteristicsV in accordance with `the specific arrangement elected by designers, no speciiic diagram is thought required. It will be linde'rstood,l however, that solenoids 52 and 55 arev both under the control of the automatically actu'atedswitch 45. A manually operable switch 69 fisalso preferably provided so that theA casing may be raised independently of the switch 45 where 'manual removal rather than automatic Yejection (of Athe bag is desired. However, itwillbe no ted that the circuit includes a time delay devicel 51 which may be conveniently mounted on the bulkhead I9, the arrangement being such that upon the closing of the switch 45 the solenoid 56 will rst be operated to raise the casing and open the front cover. The solenoid 52, however, is energized through the delay device 51 sothat the ejeci'fllg` mechanism will not be released until such time as the casing `is fully raise iandr the cover opened to permit free ejectionof the dust; receptacle.

From the oresoing it will bey seen that the present invention provides a. novel, simple, and compactunit from which a loaded dust receptacle will be automatically ejected when such receptacle has acquired a suilicient load of accumulated dirt. It` will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to the specific structural details herein setforth and that numerous changesrmodiiications and full useof equivalents .mar be. resortedtq without; .departure .from .the .spiri ....rifsppe; oifthe; mentionne outlined: ,in the appended claims.

What I claim is: V 1. In a vacuum cleaner, a base portion, a casing ltiltably mounted on said base portion, a dust relarms being attached to said plate, and spring means biasing said arms towards receptacle ejected position of said arms.

3. In a dust receptacle ejecting device for a vacuum cleaner, an ejecting plate and an actuating means therefor comprising a plurality of pairs of pivotally joined arms, one end of one arm of each pair being attached to said plate, and spring means biasing said arms towards receptacle ejected position of said arms.

4. In a dust receptacle ejecting device for a vacuum cleaner casing, an ejecting plate and an actuating means therefor comprising a plurality of equally spaced pairs of pivotally joined arms, one end of one arm of each pair being attached to said casing and the other arm of each pair being attached to said plate, and spring means biasing said arms towards receptacle ejected position of said arms.

5. In a vacuum cleaner having a pivotally mounted cover, a hose connector for said cover,

and means to pivotally mount said connector on said cover, said pivotal mounting of said connector being parallel to the pivotal mounting of said cover, and providing for opposite pivotal movements of said cover and connector.

6. In a vacuum cleaner having a relatively stationary iioor supported base, a casing pivotally mounted on said base, means for tiltingiy moving said casing with respect to at least one portion of said base, a cover for said casing, and means operable by the first mentioned means for moving said cover with respect to said casing by and with the tilting of said casing. '7. In a vacuum cleaner, a supporting base portion, a casing pivotally mounted on said base portion, said casing having an opening and being adapted to receive a dust receptacle, a cover for I,said opening movably mounted with respect to said casing, means for pivoting said casing with respect to said base portion, means operable by the first mentioned means for moving said cover with respect to said casing to open said opening upon the pivoting` of said casing, and means operative upon the pivoting of said casing and the moving of said cover for displacing said receptacle outwardly through said opening.

8. In a vacuum cleaner, a supporting base portion, a casing pivotally mounted adjacent to one end thereof on said base portion, a dust separating member in said casing, a motor fan unit in said casing adjacent to said one end for producing ilow of air through said member, a cover for the opposite end of said casing, means operable to pivot said casing, means responsive to an increase in pressure drop of air owing through said member to effect operation of said operable means for pivoting said casing with respect to said base, and means operable by said operable means for moving said cover with respect to said casing upon the pivoting of said casing.

9. In a vacuum cleaner, a supporting base por- Magere loperable by said operable means for moving said cover with'respect to said casing to open said opening upon the pivoting of said casing, and means operative upon the pivoting of said casing and the moving of said cover for displacing said dust separating member outwardly through said opening.A

10. In a vacuum cleaner, a supporting base portion, a casing pivotally mounted on said base portion and having an opening, a dust separating member in said casing, means for producing flow of air through said member, a cover for said opening pivotally mounted on said casing, a

member movable through at least a portion of said compartment for contacting said receptacle to displace the latter through said opening, means responsive to 'an increase in pressure drop of air iiowing through said member for pivoting said casing with 'respect to said base portion and for moving said memberto displace said receptacle, and means operable vby the llast mentioned means for pivoting'zsaid cover with respect to said casing upon pivoting of said casing.

11`. I n a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening for the insertion and removal therethrough of a dust receptacle, a member pivotally `mounted with respect to said casing for retaining the receptacle within the casing, and a hose connector pivotally mounted on said member about an Aaxis substantially parallel to the axis about which said member is pivotally mounted, said member being pivotal in a given direction to release said receptacle and said hose connector being simultaneously pivotal in the opposite direction.

' 12. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an opening for the insertion and removal therethrough oi a dust receptacle, a memberfor retaining Vthe receptacle Within the casing, means for pivotally mounting said member with respect to said casing about a substantially horizontal axis disposed below said opening, and a hose ,connector pivotally mounted on said member about an axis substantially parallel to the first mentioned. axis, the pivotal axis of said hose connector being so located that when said member pivots in one angular direction said hose connector'piyots in the opposite angular direction.

13. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an opening in a wall thereof for the insertion therethrough of a dust bag, a member hingedly attached tosaid casing for movement `from a` position retaining said dust bag within member. and means providing communication between'said hose coupling and the interior of ,.70

said dust bag.

114. A 'vacuumA cleaner comprising a base, a hollow casing having an opening in a wall thereof pivotally mounted on said base for movement about an axis spaced from the opening of said casing, a cover pivotally mounted on said casing iformovement about an 'axis adjacerta'n ledge of y tion of a dust bag, ahosecouplin'g carrying member, means 'forming a pivotal connectionbetween said casing andrsaid hose coupling carrying meinber whereby sald Vmember may lp'ivo't 'between openfand closed positions'relative'ito .said casing opening, a hose coupling, and means forming a pivotal connection between said hose coupling and said hose coupling carrying member, the axes of both of said pivotal connectionsbeing parallel whereby when said inemberpivotsin one angular directionrelative to said opening said hose cou pling pivots in the opposite angular direction.

16. A vacuum cleaner .including a casing having an opening in a wall thereof 'for 4the reception of a dust bag, a hose coupling carrying member., means forming apivotal connection between said casing and said hose coupling carrying-member whereby said vmember vmay .pivot between open and closedpos'itions relativelto said casing opening, a hose coupling, means forming a pivotal connection between said hose coupling and said v'hose coupling carrying member., whereby when vsaid member pivots in one angular direction relative to said opening said hose coupling, pivots in the opposite angular directiongand means effective after opening pivotal movement oi`- saidmem- 17.. A vacuum cleaner including a casing 'have ing an opening in a `Wall thereof for'thereception of a dust bag, a hose coupling carrying member,

means forming a pivotal connection betweensaid ,n

casing and said hose coupling carrying member whereby said member may pivot between open and closed positions relative to said casing opening, a hose couplingmeans forming a pivotal connection between said hose-coupling and said Y hose coupling carrying memberywhereby when said member pivots'in one angular directionrrelaltive to said opening said hose coupling..pivots in the opposite angular direction, means effective Vafter opening pivotal movement of said member to eject a dust bag outwardly of said casing. and means responsive' toan increase inthepiessure drop through a dust bag in 'saidcasing' toelect operation 'of said dust 'bag ej'ectin'g'means.'

18. A vacuum cleaner including la Vcasing'having an opening in a wall'thereof for the insertion therethrough of a dust bag, a dust 'begin said casing having aself-sealing opening in the dust receiving end thereof, a'member'pivotally related to said casngadjacent the openin'g'therein "and f movable between-open `'and closed positions: relative -to saidopening a second member pvotally attached Vto said rst member and movable there with but -in opposite angular infection-- during the opening or closing movement of said first member, and means fformin'gla hoseA coupling. on.' one of said members -engageable in sealing relation yber to eject a dust 4bag outwardly lof saidcasing.

8 l with said self-sealing opening when "said inrst "member'is moved "to itsclos'ed position.

v"19. A 'vacuum cleaner `including vfi-casing inav- Aing 'an openin'gfin 'awall "th'er'eof :for `the'insertion therethrough o'f a dust bag, a dust bag in 'said casing having a self-sealing opening 'inthe/dust `receiving "end thereof, a member pivotallyrelated :toi-said casing adjaceritthefopenng therein and movable between open and closed vpositionsrelavhtive to "said opening, as'econd 'member kpiv'otally attached to saidrst 'memberiiand'inovable'therewith but oppositeangular direction dining the fopening'or 'closing vmovement of lsaid vilr`s`t."m`em ther, means forming a nose"mapling-onl one of saidmembers eiigage'able in sealing-relation with said self-sealing opening 'whensaid 'inst-.member isfmoved to itsclos'e'd position,fandme'ansoperable' after opening movementrof said first-'member if or 'ej ec'ting 4said-bag: outwardly of saidl easing.

20. A`v`acum cleaner havin'g'abase,"abasing, fmeans" forming va pivotal connection 'between'sai'd I`baisea'nd said'casing, a ldust bag insaid casingg'a motor fan unit in said casing, `meansassociated vv'with saidb'ase and said casin'g'operable to pivot saidA casing' away fromfsaid base, andV means relfsponsiveto an increase in pressure'dropfthrough said' bag to effect operation *of said cas-in'gpivo'ting means.

21. A vacuum Vcleaner `rhavingaL'oase, afcasng, vn'ieans 'forming ar pivotal connectionbetweenesaid 'base andisaid casing, :a dust bag `in sa-idfcasin'g, ia

motor fan unit in said casing, means'-'assoc-iated with sajidfbase and saidcasing voperable to pivot said casing away from '-said `base, said casing vpivoting means vincluding 'a spring, a latch A'for' "res-training'said spring from' pivoting saidca'Sing, and fmeans responsive `to an I increase' in pressure -iiroplthrough said bagto release said latchwhe'reby said spring may 'pivot said-easing.

'522. A vacuum cleaner including-ia casing having-jan! opening in `va wall 'thereof forlitheinsertion therethrough of a dust'fbag, a'dust ba'ginsaidnasl ing havinga self-'sealing Vopening vin the du'stre- Sc'ei'v-ing end thereoa'member pivotally related to said gcasi-ng adjacent vthe opening -thereinsand 'movablefloetween open-- and'lclosed positionerentive to saidopeningasecond member Spivotally attached to saidrrst memberland 'movable ythere 'with but' in opposite `angular directionl duringthe Lopening orclosing movementof vsaidliirst.:mem-

Vber, means forming a` hose coupling on one ofsaid members engageable in' sealingrelation -with -sai'd self-sealing opening'when -saidfirst `member is moved toits closed position, means 'operableafter opening movement of 'said rstmember vfor eject-- `ing said bag outwardly of said casing, 'and' means v.responsive -to an increase in pressure l"drop 'through said bag to eiiect opening'movement o f `saidrst member vand operationof said operable means.

*ARNOLD 1'I-I. BEEDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references arev of recordin'the.

iile of this patent:

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