Dust collecting apparatus

Claim 1

IN A DUST COLLECTING APPARATUS COMPRISING, AN ENCLOSED COLLECTION CHAMBER, AN ELONGATED VERTICALLY ORIENTED FLEXIBLE FABRIC FILTER BAG DISPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID BAG BEING OPEN AT BOTH ENDS THEREOF, A DUSTY AIR DUCT INCLUDING A DUST AIR INLET, THE UPPER END OF SAID BAG BEING CONNECTED IN SEALED RELATION TO SAID DUSTY AIR INLET TO RECEIVE DUST LADEN AIR THEREIN AND TO PASS THE AIR THROUGH SAID BAG AND GENERALLY RADIALLY THEREOF INTO SAID CHAMBER WHEREBY THE DUST WILL BE ENTRAPPED ON THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF SAID BAG AND CLEAN AIR IS EXHAUSTED FROM SAID CHAMBER, A DUST RECEIVING MEANS ISOLATED FROM THE CHAMBER AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE DUST FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE BAG, THE LOWER END OF SAID BAG BEING CONNECTED IN SEALED RELATION TO SAID DUST RECEIVING MEANS, SAID BAG BEING OF SUFFICIENT AXIAL LENGTH SO AS TO BE RETRACTABLE AND EXTENSIBLE IN AN AXIAL DIRECTION FOR CAUSING ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT OF THE INNER SURFACES OF THE BAG UPON RADIAL COLLAPSE THEREOF, WHILE MAINTAINING COMMUNICATION OF THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF THE BAG WITH RESPECTIVELY THE DUSTY AIR DUCT AND THE DUST RECEIVING MEANS, SAID BAG INCLUDING A TUBULAR-LIKE MEMBER ATTACHED THERETO INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE BAG AND EXTENDING BELOW THE BOTTOM BOUNDARY OF THE BAG PROPER AND EXTERIORLY OF THE CHAMBER, SAID TUBULAR-LIKE MEMBER COMMUNICATING WITH SAID DUST RECEIVING MEANS, A WEIGHT SECURED TO SAID TUBULAR-LIKE MEMBER FOR URGING THE BAG INTO GENERALLY TAUT OPEN CONDITION, A CLEAN AIR EXHAUST DUCT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER FOR EXHAUSTING THE CLEAN AIR FROM SAID CHAMBER, VALVE MEANS INCLUDING DUCT MEANS AND A PIVOTED BAFFLE PLATE IN SAID DUCT MEANS CONNECTING SAID CHAMBER TO SAID CLEAN AIR EXHAUST DUCT, SAID BAFFLE PLATE BEING SELECTICELY MOVABLE FROM AN OPEN TO A CLOSED POSITION TO SHUT-OFF SAID CHAMBER FROM SAID CLEAN AIR EXHAUST DUCT AND TO BY-PASS NEWLY ADMITTED DUST LADEN AIR THROUGH SAID DUSTY AIR DUCT FOR EXHAUSTING AIR FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID BAG, AND MEANS INCLUDING AN OPENING IN SAID DUCT MEANS AND A CLOSURE DOOR FOR SAID OPENING AND ATTACHED PIVOTED LINKAGE MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BAFFLE PLATE AND TO SAID CLOSURE DOOR FOR ADMITTING AIR INTO SAID CHAMBER UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID BAFFLE PLATE TOWARD A CLOSED POSITION, TO CAUSE SAID RADIAL COLLAPSE OF SAID BAG AND ENGAGEMENT OF SAID INNER SURFACES THEREOF.