Patent GB-144218-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to suction cleaning apparatus
IPC: A47L5/32
Filed: 1920-01-10
Abstract: 144,218. Gray, J., (Electric Vacuum Cleaner Co.). Jan. 10, 1920. Carpet-sweepers.-In a vacuum-cleaner having a rotary brush in the suction nozzle which communicates with a fan chamber on which is mounted a motor having one end of its shaft projecting into this chamber and carrying a fan, a countershaft driven by the motor transmits power to the brush; the brush is yieldingly mounted in rotary holders in the inner ends of stub shafts carrying the wheels; and the means for transmitting power to the brush is contained in a channel extending across the bottom of the cleaner, through which air is drawn passing into the nozzle. As shown in Fig. 1, the cleaner body comprises a. lower part containing the brush and nozzle and an upper part secured thereto and carrying the motor and fan. The lower part comprises walls forming a fan chamber 12 and a passage 13 connecting this chamber with the suction nozzle. The fan is inserted through an opening in the upper wall of the fan chamber, which is closed by the inner end of the motor casing. An aperture (not shown) in the fan chamber leads to a dust bag. An aperture 17 in the nozzle, normally closed by a door having a spring tongue 19, serves for the attachment of a hose for cleaning walls &c. Within the motor shell the motor field is supported on a bottom plate 45 by posts 38; the armature shaft is supported at its upper end within a bearing in a thickened plate 39, and at its lower end passes through the plate 45 and carries the suction fan; motor-ventilating fan blades 47 are also provided on a hub on the shaft. Above the plate 39 the shaft carries a belt wheel 60 over which runs a belt driving a larger wheel 58 on a countershaft 57 located within a tube 55 which at its upper end merges into the motor casing. The shaft 57 carries at its lower end a small belt wheel over which passes a belt 71 driving the brush at a reduced rate. The belt 71 is enclosed by a bottom plate 73 and side walls, and an aperture 68<a> in the channel 68 thus enclosed serves for admission of a stream of air drawn through by the fan and to prevent the deposit of dust in the channel. Gear driving may in some cases be substituted for the use of belts. The nozzle supporting wheels are carried by tubular stub shafts 21, Fig. 6, passing through the sides of the nozzle and containing bearing bushings in which rotate shaft holders 27. These holders are formed with rounded outer ends against which plates 30 are pressed by springs 29; their inner ends are angularly recessed to receive the correspondingly shaped ends of the brush shaft. The cleaner handle at its lower end fits into a socket from which branch spring arms 82, the ends of which are pivoted on shafts 90, Fig. 4, covered by ears 83. One of these ears is provided with a spring finger 84 having a recess into which a bead on the handle is sprung in its limiting position, and with a flanged stop 87 preventing further movement. Adjustment of the angular position of the handle is allowed by the provision of radially corrugated disks 88, 91, Fig. 5, secured to the shaft 90 and the ear 83 respectively, and pressed together by a wing nut 94 through a dished spring washer 95.