Dirt separator for suction cleaners

Claim 1

A DIRT SEPARATOR FOR SUCTION CLEANERS COMPRISING, (A) A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL CASING HAVING A SEPARABLE DIRT-COLLECTING RECEPTACLE IN THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF FOR COLLECTING DIRT FROM DIRT-LADEN AIR ENTERING SAID CASING, (B) A SUCTION PUMP MEANS MOUNTED IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THE CASING, SAID SUCTION PUMP MEANS HAVING AN INLET DUCT EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM, (C) AN OUTLET DUCT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SUCTION PUMP MEANS, (D) MOTOR MEANS DRIVING SAID SUCTION PUMP MEANS, (E) A SHAFT ON SAID SUCTION PUMP MEANS AND OPERABLE THEREBY, SAID SHAFT EXTENDING AXIALLY DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID INLET DUCT, (F) A ROTOR FIXED ON SAID SHAFT IN DOWNWARDLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID INLET DUCT, SAID ROTOR HAVING A PLANAR DISC PORTION NORMAL TO THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT AND ANNULAR FLANGE PORTIONS AT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PLANAR DISC PORTION AND IN OUTWARDLY DIVERGING RELATION WITH ONE FLANGE PORTION IN THE PLANE OF THE DISC PORTION AND THE OTHER INCLINED UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY THEREOF, (G) AND MEANS DEFINING AN INLET PASSAGE INTO SAID CASING, (H) SAID ROTOR BEING ADJACENT THE SUCTION PUMP INLET DUCT AND IN THE PATH OF AIR MOVING THERETO IN RESPONSE TO OPERATION OF THE SUCTION PUMP MEANS DRAWING AIR THROUGH THE CASING INLET SO THAT AS THE AIR MOVES TOWARD THE SUCTION PUMP INLET DUCT THE ROTOR EFFECTS A CENTRIFUGAL TURBULENCE MOVING SMALL PARTICLES OUTWARDLY FOR GRAVITATIONAL SETTLEMENT TO THE RECEPTACLE, THE AIR THEN MOVING THROUGH THE INLET DUCT TO THE SUCTION PUMP MEANS WHICH DISCHARGES SAID AIR THROUGH THE OUTLET DUCT.