Patent GB-484471-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to vacuum and like dusting and cleaning apparatus
IPC: A47L11/206
Filed: 1936-09-05
Abstract: 484,471. Cleaning-apparatus. VIDAL, C. H. Sept. 5, 1936, No. 24304. [Class 138 (i)] [Also in Group XXVIII] A cleaning-apparatus comprises a unitary structure adapted to be traversed over the surface to be cleaned and consisting of a reservoir for cleaning liquid, a single pump driven by a motor, a brush arranged to contact with the surface to be cleaned, a suction conduit associated with the pump and with one or more suction openings near the brush, a delivery conduit associated with the reservoir and with one or more delivery openings within the confines of the brush, and a return conduit between the delivery side of the pump and the reservoir. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a framework 10 is provided with a casing 18 within which is located a brush 19 adapted to be rotated by means of an electric motor 53. The motor is located in a cavity formed in a reservoir 14 for liquid. The brush is secured to a back-plate in two parts 20, 21 spaced apart to form a chamber 23. The underside of the plate 20 has radial ribs 25 between which sector-shaped brushes 26 are secured by set screws 27. The plate 31 has a well 30 adapted to receive liquid from a delivery cock 33 of the reservoir 14, the liquid passing from the well through tubes 31 and registering apertures 32 in the brushes 26 before reaching the surface being cleaned. The rotary brush 19 is flexibly connected to a hollow shaft 39 which is adapted to be driven through gearing by the motor 53. In alignment with the shaft 39 is another hollow shaft 57 which is adapted to be driven from the motor 53 at a much greater speed than that of the shaft 39. The shaft 57 is provided at its upper end with a flange 63 to which is secured the bowl 64 of a centrifuge. The bowl has a flat plate 65 over which is secured a plate 66 formed on its under surface with centrifugal pump-blades 67. The centrifuge is surrounded by a casing 68 provided with a discharge conduit 75 leading to the reservoir 14. In operation, liquid flows from the reservoir to the brush 19 by way of conduit 35, well 30, and tubes 31 and is spread over the surface to be cleaned by the brush. The liquid is afterwards sucked up through nozzles 28, chamber 23, openings 48, basin 46, and hollow shafts 39, 57 to the centrifugal pump. The dirt particles in the liquid will be collected in the centrifuge bowl and the clean liquid will pass over the bowl and be returned to the reservoir 14. In a modification shown in Fig. 4, the plates 20, 21 are in contact, and the liquid is collected from the floor by means of square-section tubular arms 77 secured to a hollow boss communicating with the hollow vertical shafts which lead to the pump. Each arm 77 is surrounded by a rubber block with passages 79 leading to a slot 80 in the arm. In a further construction shown in Fig. 6, a reservoir 14 surrounds a conduit 85 which extends into a nozzle 93 provided with a slotted rubber block 100 and an annular brush 105. Passages 106 in the brush communicate with a channel 99 leading to an exit from the reservoir 14. Above the conduit 85 is the rotor 89 of a centrifugal pump adapted to be driven by a motor in a casing 81. The liquid sucked up the conduit 85 is returned to the reservoir 14 through a filter disc 108 and apertures 86. In a further construction shown in Fig. 8, a high-pressure centrifugal fan 109, adapted to be driven by an electric motor 129, is mounted on a casing III provided with a discharge opening 112 and a flange 113 to which a container 114 -for cleaning solution may be clamped. The casing is also provided with a discharge conduit 115 leading to a valve casing 117. The valve casing has a rotatable plug valve 118 with a right-angled passage 119, and communicates with an airheating chamber 121 and with a discharge passage 122. An opening 127 leads to the top of the fan 109. The openings 122, 127 at the bottom are surrounded by a row of bristles 132. A brush may be rotatably or reciprocally mounted within the nozzle 8 on spring bearings so as partly to counteract the force with which the nozzle is drawn by suction into contact with the surface to be cleaned. Liquid sucked up by the fan is returned to the container 114 through a filter 128. After the surface has been washed the plug 118 is rotated so that heated air is used to dry the surface. The container may be replaced by a dust-bag, so that after the discharge passage 122 has been closed by the plug 118, the device may operate as an ordinary vacuum cleaner.