Spark plug cleaner with improved grit recycling

Claim 1

A spark plug cleaner comprising: a housing having a confining wall and a vertical axis and at least one spark plug socket extending into said confining wall in the upper portion thereof for receiving and holding a spark plug with electrodes directed inwardly relative to said axis; an impeller mounted on a shaft within said housing to rotate about said vertical axis at the level of said socket, said impeller comprising a horizontally disposed circular upper disk and a parallel annular lower disk spaced therefrom by a plurality of vanes with outwardly directed openings therebetween, said lower annular disk having a downwardly extending collar outside of a central circular opening therein, an annular concave collection floor located below said socket and converging upwardly and inwardly in a smooth, arcuate, curved sloping surface toward said axis and upwardly and outwardly toward said confining wall, an annular suction guide located interiorally of said confining walls and having a smooth, arcuate, curved sloping surface facing convex inward toward said axis and toward said collection floor in spaced disposition therefrom and coaxial therewith to define an annular suction gap therebetween, whereby said collar of said lower disk overlaps said suction guide and resides in close proximity thereto, and an electric motor for driving said shaft and said impeller to propel grit therein outwardly toward said spark plug socket whereby spent grit falls to said collection floor for recycling to said suction gap for reuse.