IMPROVEMENTS IN CARPET CLEANING MACHINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARPET CLEANING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by William
McArthur, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th January 1881.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARPET CLEANING MACHINES." A communication
from abroad by William McArthur, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of
America.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in carpet cleaning machines, the
main object of the present improvements being to increase the capacity of the
machine to insure the carrying off of the dust as it is beaten from the carpet, and
to destroy any insects or vermin with which the carpet may be infested.
In carrying out this Invention the machine generally consists of opposite side
frames, between which is a box or casing extending from one side frame to the
other, and enclosing a beating chamber, in which are bearings for a beater shaft ;
the latter projects from one side of the machine, and has a pulley for the reception
of a belt from a pulley on the main driving shaft. The beater shaft is ribbed, and
each rib carries a number of beater straps, which are preferably made of a material
similar to that of which rubber belting is made, the number of ribs on the shaft,
and the number and arrangement of straps on each rib being varied as circumstances
may suggest
Within the chamber, and extending across the lower portion of the same, is an
elastic bed composed, for example, of wire, one portion of this elastic bed consisting
of longitudinal wires only, while the other portion is composed of both longitudinal
and transverse wires. On the last mentioned portion of the bed is arranged a coil
of pipes, through which live steam is caused to circulate, and beneath the first
mentioned portion of the bed, and in proximity to the inner side of the casing, is
a coil of pipes also constructed for permitting the circulation of steam.

page_text: In one end of the chamber is a rotary fan, which is carried by a sleeve on the
beater shaft, the said sleeve having a pulley which receives a belt from a pulley on
a counter shaft; a belt from another pulley on this shaft passes round a pulley on
another shaft adapted to bearings in the frames, and having arms with brushes,
the rotary brush being contained in a chamber provided for the purpose.
The carpet passes over an inclined table or bed, and thence through the beating
chamber, being supported by one portion of the elastic bed, and by the coil of
steam pipes resting on the other portion of the said bed, the carpet, after issuing
from the chamber, passing over the brush chamber and its brush, whence it passes
between feed rolls, which are provided with rings of rubber or equivalent elastic
material, whereby the proper feeding of the carpet is effected without pressing
down the piled surface of the same. The end of the beater chamber opposite that
in which the fan is arranged communicates with a chimney, with which also may
communicate the brush chamber.
.
As the carpet first enters the machine and passes over one portion of the elastic
bed it is subjected to the action of the heat radiated from the pipes beneath it,
and in order to obtain the full effect of this radiation I provide the casing behind
the pipes with a lining of bright metal or a similar reflecting surface. The carpet
then passes over the other steam pipes, and during its passage, and while directly
in contact with and subjected to the full force of the heat from the said pipes it is
beaten by the straps of the beater-shaft.
The heat to which the carpet is subjected while being beaten insures the killing
of moths or other insects or vermin with which the carpet may be infested.
The dust and dirt beaten from the carpet are carried to and through the chimney
by the blast of air which is caused to pass through the beater chamber by the
action of the fan, no dust escaping into the room in which the machine is situated.
The fan being carried by a sleeve independent of the beater shaft can be driven
at any desired -speed in respect to the said shaft, thus overcoming an objection to
machines in which the fan is secured to the beater-shaft, in which case the beater
shaft has sometimes to be driven at so low a speed as to prevent the proper action
of the fan.
As the carpet leaves the beating chamber it is subjected to the action of the
brush, whereby the loose dust on the face of the carpet is removed.
The carpet may be caused to pass through the machine at as rapid a rate as is
desired, the speed depending upon the amount of beating to which it is desired to
subject the carpet.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th July 1881.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of No. 47, Lincoln's Inn Field, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARPET CLEANING MACHINES." communication
from abroad by William McArthur, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of
America.
The said Invention relates to certain improvements in carpet cleaning machines,
the main objects of the improvements being to increase the capacity of the machine
to insure the carrying off of the dust as it is beaten from the carpet, and to destroy
any insects or vermin with which the carpet may be infested.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a longitudinal section of the
machine; Figure 2 is a transverse section, and Figure 3 a sectional plan of the same.
A, A, are the opposite side frames of the machine, and B is a box or casing
extending from one side frame to the other; this box or casing incloses the
beating chamber D in which are bearings a, a, for the beater shaft E, the latter
projecting from one side of the machine and having a pulley for the reception of a
belt from a pulley on the main driving shaft, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1.
The beater shaft is ribbed, and each rib carries a number of beater-straps b, which
are preferably made of a material similar to that of which rubber belting is made,
the number of ribs on the shaft and the number and arrangement of straps on each
rib being varied as circumstances may suggest.
Within the chamber D and extending across the lower portion of the same is an
elastic bed composed in the present instance of wire, one portion d of this elastic
bed consisting of longitudinal wires only, while the other portion d¹ is composed
of both longitudinal and transverse wires. On the portion d¹ of the bed is arranged
a coil of pipes e through which live steam is caused to circulate, and beneath the
portion d of the bed and in proximity to the inner side of the casing B is a coil of
pipes e', also constructed for permitting the circulation of steam.
In one end of the chamber D is a rotary fan G, which is carried by a sleeve ƒ on
the shaft E, the said sleeve having a pulley which receives a belt from a pulley on
a counter-shaft, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1; a belt from another
pulley on this shaft passes round a pulley on a shaft g adapted to bearings in the
frames A, A, and having arms with brushes, as shown in Figure 1, the rotary
brush being contained in a chamber h.
The carpet passes over an inclined table or bed H and thence through the
beating-chamber D, being supported by the portion d of the elastic bed and by the
coil of steam pipes resting on the portion d of the said bed, the carpet after issuing
from the chamber D passing over the chamber h and its brush, whence it passes
between the feed rolls m, m, which are provided with rings n of rubber or
equivalent elastic material whereby the proper feeding of the carpet is effected
without pressing down the piled surface of the same. The end of the chamber D,
opposite that in which the fan G is arranged communicates with a chimney K
with which also may communicate the chamber h.
As the carpet first enters the machine and passes over the portion d of the elastic
bed it is subjected to the action of the heat radiated from the pipes e¹, and in order
to obtain the full effect of this radiation I provide the casing B behind the pipes e¹
with a lining of bright metal or a similar reflecting surface. The carpet then
passes over the steam-pipes e, and during its passage and while directly in contact
with and subjected to the full force of the heat from the said pipes it is beaten by
the straps b of the beater-shaft. The heat to which the carpet is subjected while

page_text: being beaten insures the killing of moths or other insects or vermin with which the
carpet may be infested. The dust and dirt beaten from the carpet are carried to
and through the chimney by the blast of air which is caused to pass through the
chamber D by the action of the fan G, no dust escaping into the room in which
the machine is situated.
The fan being carried by a sleeve independent of the beater shaft can be driven
at any desired speed in respect to the said shaft, thus overcoming an objection to
machines in which the pan is secured to the beater shaft, in which case the
beater-shaft has sometimes to be driven at so low a speed as to prevent the proper
action of the fan.
As the carpet leaves the beating-chamber D it is subjected to the action of the
brush whereby the loose dust on the face of the carpet is moved.
The carpet may be caused to pass through the machine at as rapid a rate as is
desired, the speed depending upon the amount of beating to which it is desired to
subject the carpet.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination in a carpet cleaning machine of flexible beaters; a coil of
steam heated pipes forming a beating-bed and means for traversing the carpet over
and directly in contact with the said coil of pipes, as hereinbefore described.
Second. The combination in a carpet cleaning machine of beaters, a coil of steam-
heated pipes forming a beating-bed and resting upon an elastic support, and means
for traversing the carpet over and in contact with the said coil of pipes, as herein
before described.
Third The combination in a carpet cleaning machine of beaters, and a beating
bed consisting of a coil e of steam-heated pipes with a supplementary coil of steam-
pipes e¹, whereby the carpet is subjected to a preliminary heating before reaching
the beating-bed e, hereinbefore described.
Fourth. The combination of the heated coils e, e', with the elastic bed comprising
the open portion d above the coil e¹, and the closer portion d' beneath the coil e, as
herein before described.
Fifth. The combination of the open portion d of the carpet supporting bed with
the heating-coil e¹ arranged beneath the same and having a reflecting-backing, as
hereinbefore described.
Sixth. The combination in a carpet-cleaning machine of the casing B, the shaft E
and its beaters, the chimney K at one end of the said casing B, and the fan G,
arranged at the opposite end of the casing and operating independently of the
shaft E, as herein before described.
Seventh. The combination of the shaft E having beating-straps with the sleeve f
carrying the fan G and adapted to the shaft E, but capable of turning independently
thereof, as herein before described.
Eighth. The combination in a carpet-cleaning machine of beating devices and
feed rolls, having a series of elastic rings whereby the carpet is traversed without
pressing down the piled surface, as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)