US1871384A - Air cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 9, 1932. w. A. MI'LLER 7 8 AIR CLEANER Filed April 15, 1929 Miter A/Yillcr iv -i t o ticles from the air,

Patented at e; 1932 Umrao STATES rATENr orricja I 1 1 .wam'na A.

- or cmcaeo, rumors, a

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS am cmaxna Application fled April 15, 1929. No. 855,007;

7 This invention relates to improvements in air cleaners for removing dust, dirt particles, foreign substances and the like from air, the invention beinghi hly desirable for use in 5. conjunction with t e air intake of a carbu retor for an internal combustion engine, although the invention has many and varied uses as will be apparent to one skilled in the art. o In the air cleaners have been developed but in most instances, especially with regard to the cen- 'trifu al type, have proven objectionable in that ey were not desirably eflicient nor sufficiently'simple in construction. In many cases, these objections also found-embodiment in sharp corners within the cleaner which aided in cient out ets for the insuflicient means for "properly directin the air where a reversal thereof is desire peculiarities of an undesirable nature.

e present invention has been designed and overcome the above noted as well as other and various defects and objections in the provision of an air cleaner which presents a smooth interior devoid of sharp corners and obstructions, whereby the production of eddy tic-currents in the air stream is substantially eliminated. a

The invention alsov seeks the provision of an air cleaner inwhich the central rtion of a whirling mass of air is rendere substantially dead, this dead air being.

, discharged from the cleaner as pure air, the impurities having been removed therefrom by'the prev- "ious whirlin action.

L Another 0 ject of the presentinvention is 40 to provide an air cleaner in which a whirling column'of air is reversed in direction without any undue pure air discharged from this central portion through the inlet end of the device,

past, many and various types of roduction of eddy currents, insuflidischarge of dirt par-' ,and in other structural production of eddy currents, the central portion of the air being deadened, and

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of an air cleaner which,

' when placed in proper position, permits the discharge of dirt particles foreign substances, and the like from the inlet end of the cleaner.

Still-a further object of the resent invention is'the provision of an air 0 eaner having a plurality of dirt discharge openings so related asnot to impede the action of whirling air passing through the device, but in fact aid this air in the proper discharge of foreign substances.

- It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new and novel method. of cleanin air or other gases.

, ile some of the more salient features, characteristics, and advantages of a deviceand method embodying thisinvention have been above pointed out, others will become ap arentfrom the followin disclosures.

e invention includes 51658 and other features of construction and combinations of pa'rtshereinafter described, and shown in a preferred form in the drawing, as more particularly indicated by the claims. 7

0n the drawing:- 7

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing the intake manifold and carburetor for an internal combustion engine, the carburetor being equipped with a device em ying principles of the present invention Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the device itself.

Figure '3 is a front elevational view of the device taken from the right of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a reduced transverse sectional view of the device taken substantially as I indicated'b'y the staggered line IV-.I'V of Figure 2.

As shown on the drawing:

In the structure selected to illustrate an embodiment of the present invention, there is shown an intake manifold 10 for an internal combustion engine, to which manifold any desired form of carburetor 11 may be connected. To the air intake 12 of the carburetor 11 an air cleaner embodying features and principles of the present invention is connected.

In this instance, the air cleaner includes a casing 13 having a smooth interior, the rear end of the casing being closed by a Wall 14 the front end of the casing being open and slightl flared outwardly as indicated at 15.. As in icated at 13a in Figure 1 the casing 13 is rounded inwardly towards the wall 14 so as to provide a smooth surface, devoid of sharp corners andthe like, for aidingin the proper directing of air passing through thecasing. The casing 13 including the rear wall 14 is preferably made in one piece, but if so desired the wall may be attached to a cylinder-like casing in any suitable manner.

A smoother interior is insured for the front end of the casing 13 by the outward flare 15.

Means are provided for imparting a whirling motion to air entering the casing 13, the means in this instance comprising an annular collar of sloping or inclined vanes 16, the

vanes being preferably somewhat helical in' formation. Certain of the vanes 16 are prowith the central part of the interior of the casing. For properly mounting the air cleaner upon the intake 12 of the carburetor 11, a resilient band or collar 21 is provided having spaced ends through which a bolt 22 extendsby means of which the band may be tightened around the intake 12. The band 21 is secured, if so desired, to the outlet conduit 2O bymeans of lugs 23 which are spot welded to the conduit or secured thereto in any equivalent manner.

Preferably secured to the rear wall 14 of the casing adjacent the center thereof by means of an angularly bent portion 24 and rivets 25, is a curved blade 26 which is preferably in the shape of a trapezoid tapering towards the front end of the casing, so as not to be in the path of incoming air. As is seen clearly in Figure 2, the blade 26 terminates short of the inner end of the outlet conduit 20 so as to leave an air space therebetween free from any elements which might effect or cause motion of the air in this space.

Obviously whirling. air -will throw dust particles and-foreign substances therein out each other and to the port 27, and, as-mdi cated at 29 in Figure 4, these ports are formed in the same manner as the All the ports are preferably'located adjacent the. junction between the rear wall 14 and the casing'13, and it will be noted that the ports 28 are in opposition to the port 27 In other words, the indented portions 29. adjacent the ports 28 slope with the direction of whirl imparted to lncoming air by the vanes 16, while the slope of the indented portion adjacent the fort 27 is opposite to the direction of whirl. t is apparent, therefore,

that air will be sucked into the ports 28 to encourage the production of a strong whirl adjacent the rear part of the casing to cause a better discharge of foreign substances and eliminate the development of reverse or eddy currents, the indentation adjacent the port port 27.

27 acting as a scoop for separating foreign substances from the whirling air, especially those substances which may tend to continue whirling with the air. In view of the fact that the heavier dirt particles or foreign substances will tend to descend to the lower portion of the casing the discharge port 27 is preferably situated in the lower side of the casin when the cleaner is mounted in horizonta position.

In operation, the present invention is extremel simple though none the less positive and e ective in its action. Due to the workings of an internal combustion engine suction will'be created in the intake 12 of the carburetor 11, and as a result of this suction air will be drawn into the casing through the annular intake around the outlet conduit 20. This incoming air w'll be given a decided whirling action by he sloping vanes 16so that the air will pass through the casin still whirling and throwing the foreign su stances therein outwardly against the inner casing wall, the substances being discharged through the port 27. Ofcourse,-a certain small uantity of the air ma also pass out throug this port, but an ample ficiency will remain for the operation of the carburetor 11. Due to the curvature at the rear end of the casing indicated at 13a in Figure 1, the whirling air'willbe downwardly deflected and consequently turned inwardly or reversed in direction. The inner portion of the air, which due to the whirling action will-be clean and pure air, will then too 1n opposition to the whirhn substantially dead in the center of thecasdownwardly and the rear WhiCh :0 tion to the air to 36 of the whirling air,

' be noted that mg from whence it may be readily sucked through the conduit guiding the clean. air directly towards the conduit 20.

The air cleaner-described hereinabove may be disposed in a vertical as well as a horizontal position and still operate effectively. Of course, when the cleaner is disposed in a vertical position the conduit 20 will project wall 14 will form the top of the casing. In this position the device functions in the same manner as previously described, with the exception that the heavier particles of dirt or foreign substances will be drawn downwardly by the action of gravity, especially where there is a lessening of the suction, space 19 between the termini of the vanes 16 and the casin 13.

The metho of cleaning air exemplified in the device hereinabove described and apparent from the foregoing disclosures, may be summed up as including the passing of air through a casing, imparting a whirling ac- "throw foreign substances outwardly, dischar ing the action of the w irlof the casing, reversing and .quieting the inner portion and discharging or withdrawing pure air from this central portion through the front of the casing. In the event the cleaner is disposed in a vertical position, the method also includes not only the intake of impure air and the outlet of ure air at the front end of the casing, but a so the discharge of the heavier foreign substances at this end of the casing, the lighter substances being discharged at the rear of the casing through the port 27 Although an embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed and described for the purpose of cleaning air prior to its entry contained therein these substances by ing air at the rear the direction into an internal combustion en 'ne through a carbureter connected thereto, it is apparent that the invention might also be used for the purpose of cleaning air or other gases in practically any desired location and for practically any purpose. It might also in some circumstances the device might not only be used for cleaning gaseous fluid, but also for the purpose of V purifying liquids. It is therefore to be understood that where the term air is used herein and in the appended claims, the same is to be construed as meaning a fluid, and where the terms foreign substances are used, the same are to be construed as meaning any impurities dislodgeable by centrifugal action contained in a fluid.

20 into the carbureter. 11, the forward tapering of the blade 26' pass out through thethe-foregoing,

an object in connection with which the device is to be used, and due to its peculiar structure the device is open and ready for inspection at any'and all times. It is fur.- ther to be noted that the device is extremely compact and will occupy only'a smallspace, isver durable, and may-be economically manu actured. I

I am 'aware'that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from tion, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention 1. In a device of the character a casing having a walled and an open end, said casing being interiorly smooth adjacent the open end thereof and having a discharge opening adjacent the walled end of, means in said casing. for. imparting a whirling action to incoming air, said means the principles of this inven- I otherwise than described,-

therebeing spaced from the wall of said casing to permit foreign substances separated from the air to leave said casing adjacent" the 'wall thereof, and said casing having an outlet for clean air.

2. In a device of a casing having a walled rear end, means for imparting a whirling action to air enterof foreign substances car-f der of said openings admitting air to said casing to cause a strong whirl near the rear thereof. and said casing having an. outlet for cleaned air.

3. In a device of the character described,

a casing-including a walled rear end, means for. imparting a whirling action to air entering said casing, said casing having tangential ports adjacent said walled end. certain of said ports thru which foreign substances carried by incoming air are discharged sloping inwardly oppositeto thedirection of whirl of the air. and the remainder of said ports sloping augment the action of the air near the rear of the casing, and said casing having anoutlet for clean air. I

4. In a device of the character described, a casing having an air inlet adjacent each end thereof, means for imparting a whirling action to the air entering through one of said inlets, whereby said whirling action will suck with the direction ofwhirl to the character described,fl

I foreign substances carried yincoming air llh iois.

. at the end opposite said means, and an outlet conduit for cleaned air communicating 1 with the interior of said casing. In testim'onywh f I have hereunto subi v scribed y neme at Chicego, Cook County,

-. W AL'1ER A. MILLER-

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