Improvements in Apparatus for Removing Dust from Cushions, Carpets, and other Articles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Removing Dust from Cushions,
Carpets, and other Articles.
We, JOHN ELIOT HOWARD, of Oakhurst, Hampstead Heath, in the County
of London, Engineer, and JOHN CHARLES TAITE, of 63 Queen Victoria Street,
in the City of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a construction of apparatus designed to remove
dust from cushions, carpets and other articles, it may be whilst they are in their
ordinary places for use, by means of compressed air, but so as to prevent or
lessen to a large extent the diffusion of the removed dust through the atmosphere
of the compartment, room, or other place in which the cleaning operation is
carried out.
For this purpose there is provided in connection with a compressed air ejector
apparatus, an air filtering or dust separating device the inlet to which is around or
in proximity to the compressed air outlet, and the outlet of which communicates
with the interior of the ejector nozzle or other outlet passage through which
compressed air passes, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is in
use, the compressed air flowing through the ejector nozzle or other passage,
or both, will induce dust laden air around or in proximity to the outer end of the
latter to enter the filtering or separating device wherein it will be deprived
of its dust and then pass, in a purified state, into the ejector nozzle or other
outlet passage, or both, from which it will escape with the outflowing
compressed air.
To permit of the separated dust being readily removed from the filtering or
separating device when necessary, the compressed air ejector nozzle, or other
outlet passage, is provided with a cock or valve upon closing which the com-
pressed air will he caused to escape through the filtering or separating device in
an opposite direction to that in which dust laden air was previously drawn
through it. In this way, the dust, which will have been, for the most part,
accumulated at the entrance end of the device, can be readily blown out when and
where desired.
Apparatus to operate in the manner described can be constructed in various
forms.
In one arrangement, the compressed air nozzle is in the form of a pipe provided
with a cock for the purpose herein before mentioned and having a flattened flaring
outlet of small width so that the outlet is in the form of a narrow slit or slot.
Within the nozzle is a cone arranged to form with the body of the ejector an
annular inducing passage that communicates at one end with the interior of the
nozzle and at the other end with a box of square, round, oval or other suitable
cross section that surrounds the ejector and has its inlet or inlets in that side
thereof through which the compressed air nozzle extends. The box is charged
with suitable filtering material for example asbestos, felt and the like.
In a modified arrangement, suitable for removing dust from surfaces upon
which it has settled, the air inducing portion of the apparatus is constructed
with a compressed air passage (or there may be more than one such passage) the
outlet from which is so arranged that the issuing air will not strike the surface
from which the dust is to be drawn into the filtering or separating device. This
passage is provided with a cock which, when closed, will .enable the compressed.
D01

page_text: air to flow out through the filtering and separating device in order to clean the
same. Such a passage when provided in addition to the flaring nozzle herein-
before mentioned, can be used as a by-pass to increase the efficiency of the dust
separating portion of the apparatus.
In such a combined arrangement, the ejector nozzle may extend through the
dust separating device which may be provided at its rear or upper end with an air
and dust discharge pipe the inlet end of which is provided with a compressed air
nozzle for producing an induced air current through the said device, and the outlet
end of which is provided with a flexible pipe for leading the dust laden air to any
suitable place.
Apparatus such as described is specially adapted for cleaning all articles that
are liable to become impregnated with dust and are not readily removable from
the places in which they are used, as for example the cushions in railway
carriages.
Improvements in Apparatus for Removing Dust from Cushions,
Carpets, and other Artioles.
We, JOHN ELIOT HOWARD, formerly of Oakhurst, Hampstead Heath, in the
County of London, but now of 15 Argyle Road, Kensington, Engineer, and JOHN
CHARLES TAITE, of 63 Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
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 has reference to an improved construction of apparatus designed
to remove dust from cushions, carpets and other articles, it may be whilst they
are in their ordinary places for use, by means of compressed air, but so as to
prevent or lessen to a large extent the diffusion of the removed dust through the
atmosphere of the compartment, room, or other place in which the cleaning
operation is carried out.
For this purpose there is provided in connection with a compressed air ejector
apparatus, an air filtering or dust separating device the inlet to which is around or
in proximity to the compressed air outlet, and the outlet of which communicates
with the interior of the ejector nozzle or other outlet passage through which
compressed air passes, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is in
use, the compressed air flowing through the ejector nozzle or other passage, will
induce dust laden air around. or in proximity to the outer end of the nozzle to
enter the filtering or separating device wherein it will be deprived of its dust and
then pass, in a purified state, into the ejector nozzle or other outlet passage from
which it will escape with the outflowing compressed air.
To permit of the separated dust being readily removed from the filtering or
separating device when necessary, the compressed air ejector nozzle, or other
outlet passage, is provided with a cock or valve upon closing which the com-
pressed air will be caused to escape through the filtering or separating device in
an opposite direction to that in which dust laden air was previously drawn through
it. In this way, the dust, which will have been, for the most part, accumulated
at the entrance end of the device, can be readily blown out when and where
desired.

page_text: Apparatus to operate in the manner described can be constructed in various
forms.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows in central vertical section and
Fig. 2 in underside view,. one construction of apparatus according to this
invention.
In this arrangement, 1 is the compressed air ejector nozzle in the form of a
pipe provided with a cock 2 for the purpose hereinbefore mentioned and having a
flattened flaring outlet 3 of small width so that such outlet is in the form of
a narrow slit or slot. Within the nozzle is a cone 4 arranged to form with the
body 5 of the ejector an annular. inducing passage 6 that communicates at one end
with the interior of the nozzle and at the other end through perforations 5* with
a box 7 that may be of rectangular form in cross section as shown, or of square,
round, oval or other suitable cross section as may be desired. This surrounds the
ejector and has its inlet in the bottom side thereof through which the compressed
air nozzle extends. The box is charged with suitable filtering material 8 for
example asbestos, felt and the like, which may be held in place by any suitable
means such as a sheet 8* of perforated metal.
In a modified arrangement, suitable for removing dust from surfaces upon which
it has settled, the air inducing portion of the apparatus is constructed with a com-
pressed air passage (or there may be more than one such passage) the outlet from
which is so arranged that the issuing air will not strike the surface from which
the dust is to be drawn into the filtering or separating device. This passage is
provided with a cock which, when closed, will enable the compressed air to flow
out through the filtering and separating device in order to clean the same.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing an arrangement of the kind just referred
to, and Fig. 34 is a cross section thereof on the line of Fig. 3.
The com-
pressed air passage is made in two parts 9, 9* arranged side by side and
communicating at the forward end through an opening 9, the part 9* being fitted
with a central pipe 9° between which and the wall of the passage 9 is an annular
passage 9b through which the compressed air supplied by the part 9 of the passage
will issue into the part 9 in a rearward direction in such a manner as to set up a
partial suction or vacuum in the pipe 9 and attached box or casing 7 whereby
dust in, or upon the surfaces to which the apparatus is applied will be drawn with
the inflowing air, into the said box or casing 7 where it will be arrested by the
filtering material 8. Extending from the part 9 of the passage 9-9 is an exit
pipe 10 provided with a cock 11 by closing which the compressed air delivered by
the part 9 of the passage will be caused to flow outward through the pipe 9° and
box or casing 7 in an opposite direction to the arrows, thereby freeing the filtering
material from the dust it has previously taken up. To enable the surface of the
article to be cleaned to be easily agitated or disturbed so as to free any particles
of dust or other matter that may be fixed thereto, the inlet end of the box or
casing 7 may be fitted with a device such as a brush 12 the backing 12 of which
is formed of perforated or porous material for example of perforated or
reticulated sheet metal that will admit of air being induced to flow therethrough,
into the box or casing where it will be deprived of dust by the filtering material
therein.
To increase the efficiency of the apparatus when provided with a compressed
air ejector nozzle as herein before described with reference to Fig. 1, an inducing
passage acting in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 3 may advantageously. be
used with such a nozzle.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing such a combined arrangement wherein
the ejector nozzle 3 extends through the dust separating device or box 7 which is
provided at its rear or upper end with a discharge pipe 10 the inlet end 10% of
which is coned and provided with a compressed air nozzle 9d for producing an
induced air current through the said device. The box may, as shown, be charged
with filtering material 8 in which case, the discharge pipe 10-is provided with a
cock 11.by closing which the compressed air will be caused to flow in an opposite

page_text: direction through the bottom of the box and to clear the filtering material therein
from dust. Or the discharge pipe 10 may serve as an air and dust discharge pipe
in which case the box need not be provided with filtering material and the pipe 10
need not be provided with a cock but is provided with a flexible pipe 10 for
leading the dust laden air to any suitable place. The flaring nozzle 3 and pipe 9
with nozzle 9d each receive their supply of compressed air from a common
chamber 13 having a supply pipe 14.
Apparatus such as herein before described is specially adapted for cleaning
all articles; that are liable to become impregnated with dust and are not readily
removable from the places in which they are used, as for example the cushions in
railway carriages..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. Apparatus for removing dust from cushions, carpets, and other articles
wherein by a current or currents of air. under pressure there is or are induced
another current or currents of air carrying there with dust from the cushion or
other article to be cleaned, substantially as described.
2. Apparatus for removing dust from cushions, carpets and other articles com-
prising a compressed air ejector and an air filtering and dust separating device
the inlet to which is around or in proximity to the compressed air outlet and the
outlet of which device communicates with the interior of the ejector nozzle or
other outlet passage through which compressed air passes, so that when the
apparatus is in use, compressed air flowing through the ejector nozzle or other
passage, will induce dust laden air to flow through the filtering material in the
separating device, whereby the air will be deprived of dust, substantially as
described.
.
3. Apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claim wherein the com-
pressed air ejector nozzle or other outlet passage is provided with a cock or valve
upon closing which the compressed air will be caused to escape through the
filtering material in the dust separating device in an opposite direction to that in
which dust laden air was previously drawn through it, whereby the filtering
material will be cleaned, substantially as described for the purpose specified.
. 4. Apparatus for removing dust from cushions, carpets and the like comprising
a suction box or chamber provided with filtering material and with an air inducing
device constructed with a compressed air passage the outlet from which is provided
with a valve and directed away from the article to be cleaned so that the issuing
air will not strike the surface from which dust is to be removed, substantially as
herein described for the purposes specified.
5. A dust separating apparatus comprising a box, a compressed air ejector
nozzle, and an air and dust discharge pipe provided at its inlet end with a com-
pressed air nozzle for producing an induced air current through the apparatus
and at its outlet end with a flexible pipe for leading the dust laden air to any
suitable place, the whole arranged and operating substantially as described.
6. Apparatus for removing dust from cushions, carpets and other articles,
constructed arranged and operating substantially as described with reference
respectively to and shown in Figs. 1 and 2; in Figs. 3 and 34; and in Fig. 4 of
the drawings annexed.
Dated this 4th day of November 1906
For the Applicants,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Iun Fields, Londou, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.