Suction cleaner agitator

Application filed January 2, 1929. Serial No. 329,866.

This invention relates to suction cleaner rotors or agitators of the rotary type which are adapted to be mounted in suction cleaner nozzles.

g Heretofore agitators have necessarily been of a large diameter because of the impossibility in die casting of removing the small core from a single piece agitator body of small diameter and the failure to obtain satisfactory IO commercial results from multiple unit body construction. It has also been the experience heretofore that satisfactory small diameter agitators could not be constructed due to the fact that the countersunk brush seats are lim15 ited in their approach to the rotor center by the bearing shaft extending therethrough which has of necessity been used in the past in order to secure correct centering of the rotor. No compromise in the depth of the 20 brush seat is possible in the well designed agitator because of the necessity of long bristles in order to secure the requisite strength and flexibility. The problem of eliminating the bearing shaft within the rotor and still ²⁵ obtain satisfactory bearing means therefor is for the first time successfully solved in the present invention through the use of novel means.

. The use of a large diameter agitator neces³⁰ sitates a large nozzle and a consequent large nozzle opening into which the carpet or article being cleaned, when the machine is in operation, is drawn with a resulting great re. r sistance to movement of the machine there³⁵ over. By the use of a small diameter agitator, such as can be satisfactorily constructed in accordance with this invention, the nozzle dimensions can be greatly reduced resulting 40 in a decrease in the covering area drawn into the nozzle and a consequent desirable reduction in the resistance to movement of the machine. As the cleaning action in a suction cleaner takes place over a limited area only 45 of the nozzle opening and as the decrease of the width thereof would have no detrimental effect Upon the cleaner efficiency, the desirability of a relatively small nozzle is apparent and as the agitator dimensions determine the ⁵⁰ nozzle dimensions the desirability of a small agitator which can be built commercially is obvious.

The object of my invention is, therefore, the provision of a suction cleaner agitator having all the desirable features of a relatively 55 large agitator yet which in itself is of a small diameter. A further object of my invention is to provide a small diameter agitator for suction cleaners which is designed and constructed so that its small diameter co does not prevent its manufacture by ordinary manufacturing methods such as die casting. Other objects and. ad vantages will be apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying and form- 65 ing a part of this application m which is illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Figure 1 is a view partly in cross section through my invention disclosing the parts in 70 assembled relation.

Figure 2 is a transverse cross section on the line A—A of Figure 1 with the bearing removed.

Figure 3 is a transverse cross section on the 75 line B—B of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse cross section on the line C—C of Figure 1.

In the drawings, like parts are indicated by the same reference characters throughout. 80

In accordance with my invention the agitator is composed of a plurality of individual' complementary members forming in their assembled relation, a symmetrical whole. Referring to Figure 1 reference characters 2 and 85 3 indicate the two members forming the body of the agitator indicated generally by the reference character 1. In the assembled relation the body 1 is cylindrical and has a brush seat at each side of the longitudinal center ⁹⁰line, which are diametrically opposed. The brush seats are indicated by the reference character 7 and half of each brush seat is carried by each of the members 2 and 3 being formed of reentrant wall-portions. Secur- 95 ing means 6 pass through each of the members 2 and 3 along the greatest diameter and, as is clearly seen in Figure 2, extend parallel to the bottom face of the brush seat 7 and extend slightly into this brush seat. - The se- ¹⁰⁹

1,811 curing means 6 of the members 2 and 3 are counter-sunk as at 4 so that a smooth surface is presented oh the cylindrical agitator body. At the approximate longitudinal center of the members 2 and 3 convexly curved surfaces 5—5 are formed, whieh cooperate in the assembled relation of the body memberltoform a pulley 10 adapted to receive a driving belt. Beater elements 9—9 are attached to the surface of the members 2 and 3 as in the usual agitator and are shown extending spirally therearound. Semi-cylindrical walls 11—11 parallel to the longitudinal axis extend from the ends of the body members 2 and 3 and form in the assembled relation a cylindrical housing adapted to receive an end plate 12 carrying the bearing support 20 for that end of the agitator. A stud 14, located centrally of each end plate and extending in the opposite direction from said stub shafts or bearing supports 20, cooperates with a receiving bore 15 in the end of the agitator to correctly position the end plate 12. Screws 16—16 pass through the end plates into the end of the agitator body and secure said end plates in place. An end member 17 encloses and is fixedly attached to a bearing composed of a ball race member 18 with balls 19 therein and an inner race member 13 which is non-rotatably mounted on the agitator bearing support 20 extending therein. In the operation of the agitator in a suction cleaner, the member 17 is held rigidly against the suction cleaner frame, the agitator is supported in position through the members 18 and 20, balls 19 and bearing support member 20 at each end of the agitator.

It is seen from the foregoing description that I have provided an agitator having the desirable features of the modern agitator and which because of its novel design includes no small diameter hollow members from which a core must be drawn longitudinally in die casting and which therefore permits of construction in relatively small sizes commercially. The main body members 2 and 3 being split longitudinally and presenting open surfaces through which the core may be drawn in casting cooperate in the assembled relation to produce an agitator having the same strength and effectiveness that has heretofore been possible only in one piece agitator constructions.