Abstract: A small electric motor includes a wound rotor or armature, a segmented commutator and brushes biased lengthwise against the commutator for providing a circuit through which the armature is energized. Each brush is part of an assembly that also includes a conducting brush tube from which the brush extends, and an insulating tube in which the brush tube is frictionally held. Aligned pivot projections extend transversely from opposite sides of the insulating tube and are received by recesses in the motor frame. The recess walls provide bearing formations that are engaged by the pivot projections to cooperate therewith so that during mounting of the insulating tube and elements assembled therewith, the insulating tube is pivoted from an oblique intermediate position to a final operating position. A single screw threadably engaged in the motor frame locks the insulating tube in this final operating position.

Abstract: Each brush of a wound rotor type electric motor is mounted in a conducting formed-metal tube having an integral tab that is provided with a narrow slit having an enlarged mouth. The latter faces the commutator that is carried by the wound rotor and, as the tube and its assembled brush are moved radially inward to their operating positions, initially receives one end of magnet wire that forms a stator winding. As the stator winding and its associated field stack are moved into operative position with respect to other elements of the stator an indexing formation of the stator positions the wire end for engagement with the tab of the tube. With the tube in its operating position, the wire end is disposed within the narrow slit and is clamped between the tab jaws that are on opposite sides of the slit.

Abstract: A wet/dry cannister-type vacuum cleaner is provided with a plastic grid unit that includes a spherical cup-like main section, an upper annular mounting lip, a short tubular support disposed within the main section with the lower end of the support surrounding a central inlet opening in the latter, and a grid extending across the support at the top thereof and disposed below the mounting lip. The lower end of the support constitutes a seat for a floating ball valve element. An axially extending slot in the support provides a drain for liquid that may be accumulated by the main section at the interior thereof.

Abstract: A by-pass type wet/dry vacuum is provided with a removable lid assembly that includes an electric motor having a lower insulating housing, a cover for the upper end of the motor, a blower housing including vanes for regulating flow of main blower air, a fan having a pancake type impeller, a fan cover and a tank lid having an integrally formed float cage.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns a compact wet-dry vacuum cleaner adapted for collecting both wet and dry materials. The vacuum cleaner is powered by a by-pass type blow motor which is supported in a housing. The housing includes a baffle for separating the inflowing cooling air to the motor from the outflowing air which has cooled the motor. The placement of inlets and outlets to the motor housing prevents debris and liquid from splashing on the motor. A materials collection tank is separably attached to the motor housing to enable the tank to be removed for cleaning. The tank includes a nozzle at its front wall, which nozzle has an exit near the top of the tank. A curved air flow redirector at the top of the tank separates collected material from the air. The outlet from the tank is laterally spaced from the flow redirector. The motor housing is attached to a swivelable cover that extends over the motor. The cover extends over a duct that communicates between the materials collection tank and the blow motor.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns a housing for reducing the noise and exhaust air velocity of a bypass type blower motor, particularly a motor used for a tank type vacuum cleaner. The entire housing sits atop the lid of the tank of the vacuum cleaner. The bypass type blower motor has a main, suction generating, centrifugal blower fan and a separate motor cooling fan. Outlet from the main blower fan is into a first expansion chamber above the lid. A spiral pathway baffle in the first expansion chamber defines a gradually increasing cross-section plenum which communicates from the fan to the outlet from the first expansion chamber. There is a tubular outlet from the first expansion chamber which is surrounded by a sound baffling cuff of foamed plastic material. A cooling air inlet to the motor cooling fan and a separate cooling air outlet from the casing for the motor cooling fan are provided.