Dual chamber filter assembly with shaker

• US 5,194,077 A
• Filed: 10/21/1991
• Issued: 03/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nilfisk, Inc. (Japan) (Nilfisk Holding A/S)
• Original Assignee: Clarke's Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: DiGiovanni, Anthony P., Himburg, Norbert H., Burgoon, Jack L., Bargiel, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hart, Charles
• Application Number:
  US07/779,905
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 15/347, 15/549, 15/352, 55/300, 55/304
• US Class Current: 55/300
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/0854 Apparatus in which the mechanically dislodged dirt is partially sucked-off, e.g. dislodging- sweeping apparatus with dirt collector in brush housing or dirt container mechanical dislodging machines with independent suction nozzles E01H1/0827; combined with blowing and suction E01H1/0872

Abstract

A sweeper hopper and associated filter assembly as illustrated and described. The filter assembly effectively divides the hopper into a particulate contaminant receiving chamber and a clean air exhaust chamber. The filter assembly includes at least a pair of particulate blocking filter means and means for selectively directing the transient air stream through one or the other or both of the filter means. The filter assembly further includes cleaning means for selectively imparting the filter means, typically during periods of quiescence, to physically loosen and remove particulate contaminants therefrom and direct such contaminants into the contaminant receiving chamber.

Claims

1. A sweeper hopper and filter assembly including:

a) a main housing defining a hopper, said housing including a particulate contaminate inlet, a clear air outlet, means providing communication between the inlet and the outlet, and means for maintaining a decreased pressure at the outlet compared to the pressure at the inlet, and

b) a filter assembly disposed within the means providing communication between the inlet and outlet of said housing, said filter assembly including a removable filter media for militating against the flow of particulate contaminates therethrough, the filter media having a first surface facing upstream toward the inlet of said housing and a second surface facing downstream toward the clean air outlet of said housing, and means to dislodge particulate contaminates from the filter media, said means to dislodge including frame means having a hingedly mounted peripheral framing element for holding said filter media surrounding the removable filter media and an air permeable member extending across the second surface of the filter media, and means for intermittently impacting the air permeable member.

2. The sweeper hopper and filter assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said means for intermittently impacting said air permeable member includes:

a) a rocker mounting base fixedly mounted on said peripheral framing element,

b) a rocker plate pivotally mounted to said rocker mounting base,

c) rocker plate pads fastened to opposite sides of said rocker plate, and

d) means to cause said rocker plate pads to strike directly said air permeable member.

3. The sweeper hopper and filter assembly defined in claim 2, wherein said means to cause said rocker plate pads to strike said air permeable member include:

a) a mounting bracket mounted to said rocker plate,

b) an electric motor mounted to said mounting bracket, and

c) an eccentric weight affixed to the shaft of said motor to shake the motor and the rocker plate upon operation of the motor.

4. The sweeper housing and filter assembly defined in claim 3, wherein said rocker plate pads are vertically adjustable with respect to said rocker plate.

5. The sweeper hopper and filter assembly defined in claim 1, wherein a latch mechanism is provided on said rocker mounting base to keep said peripheral frame member firmly pressed against said air permeable member and to allow for the release of said peripheral frame member and its swinging about said hinge means when desired to permit the removal of said filter.

6. A filter shaker assembly including, in combination:

a) a hingedly mounted filter element frame,

b) a rocker mounting base fixedly mounted on said filter element frame,

c) a rocker plate pivotally mounted on said rocker mounting base,

d) rocker plate pads fastened to opposite sides of a rocker plate, and

e) means to cause said rocker plate pads to strike directly a filter mounted beneath said filter shaker assembly.

7. The filter shaker assembly defined in claim 6, wherein means to cause said rocker plate pads to strike said expanded metal screen include:

a) a mounting bracket mounted to said rocker plate,

b) an electric motor mounted to said mounting bracket,

c) an eccentric weight affixed to the shaft of said motor to shake the motor and the rocker plate upon operation of the motor.

8. The shaker filter assembly defined in claim 7, wherein said rocker plate pads are vertically adjustable with respect to said rocker plate.

9. The shaker filter assembly defined in claim 8, wherein said filter element frame is hingedly mounted to the interior of a sweeper hopper.