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US 4,325,163 AGranted
Portable blower-vacuum unit
AssigneeAllegretti & Company
InventorsCharles A. Mattson, George M. Zink, Douglas A. Milliken
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable blower-vacuum unit has an impeller for drawing air axially through a housing air inlet, and for discharging the air centrifugally through a tangential housing air outlet. In a blower mode, a perforate cover plate prevents ingestion of solid material by the impeller. In a vacuum mode, a vacuum conduit connects to the housing in lieu of the cover plate, and a vacuum bag attaches to the air outlet. A mulching blade rotates with the impeller to chop any solid material passing through the housing when the unit is operated in the vacuum mode.
Claims23
A blower-vacuum unit for selective operation in a blower mode, and in a vacuum mode, comprising:
- a housing including means forming an air inlet and an air outlet;
- a motor carried by said housing;
- an impeller rotatably driven by said motor and positioned within said housing for drawing air into said housing through said air inlet, and for pumping the drawn air out of said housing through said air outlet;
- nozzle tube means securable with respect to said housing in flow alignment with said air outlet when the unit is operated in the blower mode, and in flow alignment with said air inlet when the unit is operated in the vacuum mode;
- a protective perforate cover plate movable to a position overlying said air inlet when the unit is operated in the blower mode;
- hinge means for hingedly connecting said cover plate to said housing;
- and
- a vacuum bag securable to said housing for receiving the drawn air pumped out of said housing when the unit is operated in the vacuum mode.
5 more elements
A blower-vacuum unit, comprising:
- a housing having means forming an air inlet and an air outlet;
- a motor carried by said housing;
- an impeller rotatably driven by said motor and positioned for drawing air into said housing through said air inlet, and for discharging the drawn air through said air outlet;
- a protective perforate cover plate movably mounted on said housing and movable between a position overlying said air inlet when the unit is operated in a blower mode, and a position opening said air inlet when the unit is operated in a vacuum mode;
- and
- hinge means for hingedly connecting said cover plate to said housing.
3 more elements
A blower-vacuum unit for selective operation in a blower mode, and in a vacuum mode, comprising:
- a housing having means forming an air inlet and an air outlet;
- a motor carried within said housing;
- an impeller rotatably driven by said motor and positioned for drawing air at a relatively high flow rate into said housing through said air inlet, and for discharging the same from said housing through said air outlet;
- a protective perforate cover plate movably mounted on said housing and movable between a position overlying said air inlet when the unit is operated in a blower mode, and a position opening said air inlet when the unit is operated in a vacuum mode;
- hinge means for hingedly connecting said cover plate to said housing;
- and
- means for urging said cover plate to a normal position overlying said air inlet.
4 more elements
A blower-vacuum unit for selective operation in a blower mode, and in a vacuum mode, comprising:
- a housing including means forming an air inlet and an air outlet;
- a motor carried by said housing;
- an impeller rotatably driven by said motor and positioned within said housing for drawing air into said housing through said air inlet, and for pumping the drawn air out of said housing through said air outlet;
- nozzle tube means securable with respect to said housing in flow alignment with said air outlet when the unit is operated in the blower mode, and in flow alignment with said air inlet when the unit is operated in the vacuum mode;
- a protective perforate cover plate for movement to a position overlying said air inlet when the unit is operated in the blower mode;
- hinge means for hingedly connecting said cover plate to said housing;
- retaining means for selectively retaining said cover plate in said position overlying said air inlet;
- and
- a vacuum bag securable to said housing for receiving the drawn air pumped out of said housing when the unit is operated in the vacuum mode.
6 more elements
A blower-vacuum unit for selective operation in a blower mode, and in a vacuum mode, comprising:
- a housing including means forming an air inlet and an air outlet;
- a motor carried by said housing;
- an impeller rotatably driven by said motor and positioned within said housing for drawing air into said housing through said air inlet, and for pumping the drawn air out of said housing through said air outlet;
- an elongated blade mounted axially adjacent said impeller for rotation along with said impeller, said blade being interposed between said impeller and said air inlet and having a length spanning at least the cross-sectional dimension of said air inlet, said blade being formed from a material for chopping solid material drawn into said housing along with the drawn air prior to communication with said impeller;
- nozzle tube means securable with respect to said housing in flow alignment with said air outlet when the unit is operated in the blower mode, and in flow alignment with said air inlet when the unit is operated in the vacuum mode;
- a protective perforate cover plate movable to a position overlying said air inlet when the unit is operated in the blower mode;
- and
- a vacuum bag securable to said housing for receiving the drawn air pumped out of said housing when the unit is operated in the vacuum mode.
5 more elements
A blower-vacuum unit, comprising:
- a housing having means forming an air inlet and an air outlet;
- a motor carried by said housing;
- a drive shaft rotatably driven by said motor;
- an impeller mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and positioned for drawing air into said housing through said air inlet, and for discharging the drawn air through said air outlet;
- and
- an elongated blade mounted axially adjacent said impeller for rotation along with said impeller, said blade being positioned axially between said impeller and said air inlet and having a length spanning at least the cross-sectional dimension of said air inlet, said blade being formed from a material for chopping solid material drawn into said housing along with the drawn air prior to communication with said impeller.
3 more elements
A blower-vacuum unit for selective operation in a blower mode, and in a vacuum mode, comprising:
- a housing having means forming an air inlet and an air outlet;
- a motor carried within said housing;
- a drive shaft rotatably driven by said motor;
- an impeller mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith, said impeller being formed from a relatively lightweight plastic material and positioned generally on a common axis with said air inlet for drawing air at a relatively high flow rate axially into said housing through said air inlet, and for discharging the same from said housing through said air outlet;
- an elongated blade mounted on said drive shaft in axially bearing engagement with said impeller for rotation therewith, said blade means being positioned between said impeller and said air inlet and having a length spanning at least the cross-sectional dimension of said air inlet, said blade being formed from a metal material for chopping solid material drawn into said housing along with the drawn air prior to communication with said impeller;
- and
- a protective perforate cover plate movably mounted on said housing and movable between a position overlying said air inlet when the unit is operated in a blower mode, and a position opening said air inlet when the unit is operated in a vacuum mode.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.