An Improved Machine for Cleaning Carpets and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Cleaning Carpets and the like.
We, CHRISTIAN FURRER, of 8/9 Alte Schützen Strasse, Berlin, Kingdom of
Prussia Germany, Merchant, and FRITZ PUPLAT, of 13, Grenadier Strasse, Berlin,
Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a machine by means of which carpets of any size may
be thoroughly cleaned in a very short time, and in which the dust produced thereby
is entirely prevented from entering the roon containing the machine.
In order to make our invention more clear, we refer to the accompanying
drawings, in which similar letters denote similar parts throughout the different
views, and in which :
Fig. 1 is a side-view of the carpet cleaning machine, the wall of the respective
side being removed for showing the interior.
Fig. 2 is a front-view of the machine, the front-wall being removed, and a part
of the carpet being broken away.
Fig. 3 and 4 are modifications, the views corresponding to the Figs. 1 & 2.
Referring now to Figs. 1 & 2, a is the frame of the machine, to the two vertical
posts of which are secured the brackets with their forks . These forks are
used for holding a removable axle e adapted to receive the carpet d to be cleaned.
The latter, after being led through between the rollers e and e', is passed over the
roll arranged in the top of the frame, from which roll the carpet is led back
to another removable axle e, also held by the forks b', and adapted to receive
the cleaned part of the carpet.
Roll aforementioned is secured to a shaft y having fixed to one of its
projecting ends a large cog-wheel gearing with a small cog-wheel i, which latter
may be turned by a crank k. A counter-roller 1, adapted to press the carpet onto
roller, and to secure the proper movement of the carpet, is arranged above
said rollerf; the pressure of roller / may be altered or regulated by screws m.
That part of the carpet which is spanned between the rollers e¹ and fis exposed
to the blows of a larger number of elastic bars or steel-tongues ; these bars are
operated like the steel-tongues of a mechanical music-work by a roller o with
suitable projections ', the latter being so arranged, that those tongues which are
operated at a time are a certain distance separate from each other. Said roller o
has fixed to one of its outer ends a cog-wheel p gearing with the cog-wheel i, and
the rotations of roller o are by means of straps transferred on a revoluble
cylindrical brush s arranged above roller o, and adapted to be displaced horizontally,
or to be moved against or from the carpet by screws t. The carpet after having
been exposed to the blows of said steel-tongues n, and after having been freed
thereby from the dust and dirt sitting within it, is, thus, also exposed thereafter
to the action of the brush, so that also the outer surface of the carpet is
cleaned.
Those mechanisms by the aid of which the cleaning of the carpet is effected are
enclosed by a casing, so that the dust cannot distribute within the room containing
the machine. In order, now, to collect or condense the dust, an endless piece of
gauze is spanned over two rollers to ', the lower of which is arranged within a
trough filled with water. The upper roller is driven from the roller o by
crossed belts y, so that the gauze is constantly wetted and washed as long as the
machine is in operation. The dust surrounding the two parallel parts of the
gauze is caused to precipitate on the same by the draught produced by the quick

page_text: movement of the gauze, and that dust then is conveyed to the water within
the trough, in which the gauze is washed and the dust is kept back.
Instead, now, of collecting the dust within the casing u itself, it may be preferred
in some cases to remove. it entirely out of the same. This may be done for
instance by means of a ventilator, Fig. 3, adapted to press air into the casing u,
from which latter the air loaded with dust may be led into a chimney or smoke-
stack by a tube u¹.
It may, further be desirous in some cases to impregnate the carpet after cleaning
with an insect-destroying powder. In order to effect that automatically, the
roller, Figs. 1 & 2, has been replaced in Figs. 3 & 4 by a longish casing
suspended by springs 2, and being adapted to be set in the direction of its
length in oscillatory motion by a crown-wheel 1 fixed to roller, the teeth of
said wheel acting on a projection 13 secured to casing. The bottom of said
casing is perforated and holds a number of perforated slides, the holes of which
are displaced to those of the bottom in such a manner, that, in order to bring two
superposed holes in communication, the respective slide must be drawn forward a
certain distance. There are, thus, drawn forward as many slides as necessary for
the breadth of the respective carpet, and the latter is then strewed automatically
with the powder, as required.
If the carpets to be cleaned by a machine of the aforedescribed construction
are oftentimes of but small breadth, it will be of advantage to employ only as
few steel-tongues every time as just necessary for the respective breadth. I prefer
to attain this by arranging the steel-tongues displaceably, as shown as an example
in Figs. 3 & 4.
The steel-tongues or bars n are elongated downwards, and are each provided
with a small casing or box n', into the cavity of which takes an eccentric n² forming
the rear part of a key ³. These keys may be turned by handles n', and the
bars are then drawn downwards or shoved upwards, so that their upper free
ends may be removed out of the way of the projections o' of roller 0, and may be
brought into the way of said projections. If, therefore, the carpet to be cleaned
is smaller than the inachine, there may be as many tongues set out of work as are
unnecessary for that carpet, so that therefore also a correspondingly smaller amount
of power is consumed. It results herefrom, that the amount of power consumed
may be always made correspondent to the respective piece of work.
We wish it to be understood, that we do not confine ourselves to the use of
elastic bar or tongues as n, but we may use instead thereof rigid bars, which may
be under the influence of springs or weights, as will be clear without further
explanation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a carpet-cleaning machine, the combination with a closed casing, passed
by the carpet, of a suitable number of movable bars or tongues adapted to beat the
carpet, and of a roller with a corresponding number of projections adapted to
operate said bars or tongues, for the purpose as described.
2. In a carpet-cleaning machine, the combination with a closed casing passed by
the carpet, of a suitable number of elastic bars or tongues adapted to be bent and
strained by a roller with a corresponding number of projectious, and to beat the
carpet thereby, the latter being brushed thereafter automatically by the machine,
for the purpose as described.
3. In a carpet-cleaning machine, the combination with a closed casing passed by
the carpet, of a suitable number of movable bars or tongues adapted to beat the
carpet, and of a roller with a corresponding number of projections adapted to
operate said bars or tongues, the carpet being brushed thereafter by a revoluble
cylindrical brush driven by the machine, for the purpose as described.
4. In a carpet-cleaning machine, the combination with a closed casing passed by

page_text: the carpet, of a suitable number of elastic bars or tongues adapted to be bent and
strained by a roller with a corresponding number of projections, and to break the
carpet thereby, the latter being brushed thereafter by a revoluble cylindrical
brush driven by the machine, for the purpose as described.
5. In a carpet-cleaning machine, the combination with a closed casing passed.
by the carpet, of a suitable number of movable bars or tongues adapted to bear
the carpet, and of a roller with a corresponding number of projections adapted,
to operate said bars or tongues, the dust produced by the effect of the latter being
conveyed by an endless piece of stuff, gauze or the like, to a trough containing
water, for the purpose as described.
6. In a carpet-cleaning machine, the combination with a closed casing passed
by the carpet, of a suitable number of elastic bars or tongues adapted to be bent
and strained by a roller with a corresponding number of projections, and to heat
the carpet thereby, the latter being brushed thereafter automatically by the
machine, the dust produced by the effect of said bars or tongues and of said brush
being conveyed by an endless piece of stuff, gauze or the like to a trough
containing water, for the purpose as described.
7. In a carpet-cleaning machine, the combination with a closed casing passed by
the carpet, of a suitable number of movable bars or tongues adapted to beat the
carpet, and of a roller, with a corresponding number of projections adapted to
operate said bars or tongues, the cleaned part of the carpet being exposed to an
automatic strewing-device adapted to distribute insect-destroying powder, for the
purpose as described.
8. In a carpet-cleaning machine, the combination with a closed casing passed by
the carpet, of a suitable number of clastic bars or tongues adapted to be bent and
strained by a roller with a corresponding number of projections, and to beat the
carpet thereby, the latter being brushed thereafter automatically by the machine,
the cleaned part of the carpet being exposed to an automatic strewing-device
adapted to distribute insect-destroying powder, for the purpose as described.
9. In a carpet-cleaning machine, the combination with a closed casing passed by
the carpet, of a suitable number of movable bars or tongues adapted to beat the
carpet, and of a roller with a corresponding number of projections adapted to.
operate said bars or tongues, the dust produced by the effect of the latter being
conveyed by an endless piece of stuff, gauze or the like to a trough containing
water, the cleaned part of the carpet being exposed to an automatic strewing-
device adapted to distribute insect-destroying powder, for the purpose as
described.
10. In a carpet-cleaning machine, the combination with a closed casing passed
by the carpet, of a suitable number of elastic bars or tongues adapted to be bent
and strained by a roller with a corresponding number of projections, and to beat
the carpet thereby, the latter being brushed thereafter automatically by the
machine, the dust produced by the effect of said bars or tongues and of said
brush being conveyed by an endless piece of stuff, gauze or the like to a trough
containing water, the cleaned part of the carpet being exposed to an automatic
strewing-device adapted to distribute insect-destroying powder, for the purpose as
described.
11. In a carpet-cleaning machine, as characterised by Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
or 10, the arrangement of bars or tongues, adapted to be set out of action
separately according to the breadth of the respective carpet, for the purpose as
described.
12. In a carpet-cleaning machine as characterized by Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9 or 10, the arrangement of bars or tongues adapted to be set separately out of
action by eccentrics, according to the breadth of the respective carpet, for the
purpose as described.
13. In a carpet-cleaning machine, as characterized by Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, or 10, the arrangement of bars or tongues adapted to be displaced lengthwise,
and to be set separately out of action thereby, for the purpose as described.

page_text: 14. In a carpet-cleaning machine as characterized by Claims 7, 8, 9 or 10, the
arrangement of a shakeable receiver for the insect-destroying powder, for the
purpose as described.
15. In a carpet-cleaning machine, as characterized by Claims 7, 8, 9 or 10, the
arrangement of a shakeable receiver suspended by springs for the insect-destroying
powder, said receiver being adapted to be shaked lengthwise, for the purpose as
described.
16. In a carpet-cleaning machine, as characterized by Claims 7, 8, 9 or 10, the
arrangement of a perforated bottom in the receiver for the insect-destroying
powder, and of separate slides adapted to open or close the perforations of said
bottom, for the purpose as described.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1893
CHRISTIAN FURRER,
FRITZ PUPLAT,
By Robert Deissler,
38, Alexander Strasse, Berlin, C., Germany, Agent for the Applicants.