Auxiliary dust collection system

Abstract

An auxiliary dust collection system can be interposed between a sander or other dust producing tool and a vacuum source, e.g., shop vacuum. This auxiliary system has a cyclonic separator connected by a flexible hose to the tool and by another hose to the vacuum source. The cone of the separator is mounted onto the lid of a drum into which the dust precipitates. For a tool that has its own blower, the vacuum source can be omitted, and the air leaving the outlet duct of the separator can be filtered and returned to the ambient. A drop in silencer formed of a sleeve or tube of acoustic foam can be positioned into the inlet side of a filter cartridge following a cyclonic separator. The silencer absorbs a significant fraction of the process noise.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention is directed to devices and equipment for collecting bulk solids, for example, process dust coming from a dust generating tool, such as a sanding machine, where the dust is entrained in a flow of air from the source machine, and is separated out at the dust collection equipment where the dust precipitates into a drum, barrel, or similar container. The invention is more specifically directed to a compact and efficient device to be used between a tool and a vacuum source, e.g., shop vacuum, to separate and collect the dust from the airstream emerging from the tool before the air stream reaches the vacuum source. The invention is likewise concerned with a simple and straightforward dust separation assembly that can be associated with a tool that has a duct from with the air stream plus entrained dust particles proceed. [0002] The invention is also concerned with a simple and straightforward silencer device that can be dropped in to the c...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an efficient auxiliary dust collection arrangement that avoids the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0009] It is a more specific object to provide a dust collection arrangement that can be used in line between the dust producing tool and a suction source, such as a shop vacuum cleaner, that can separate out between 95% and 99% of the dust entrained in the air stream emerging from the tool.

[0010] It is another object to provide an auxiliary dust collection arrangement that is simple and straightforward in construction, highly reliable, and adaptable to a wide range of tools.

[0013] According to an aspect of the invention, an auxiliary dust collection arrangement is interposed between a dust producing tool, such as an electric sander or other woodworking tool, and a vacuum apparatus, e.g., a shop vacuum cleaner, for intercepting and removing dust carried in an air stream from the tool to the vacuum apparatus. In one preferred mode, the dust collection arrangement has a first flexible hose that extends from a discharge duct on the tool to an inlet pipe of a cyclonic separator. This separator has a generally conic body, i.e., which is wider at the top and narrowing to a nose or apex at its lower end. An air outlet pipe extends from the top of the conic body. The process dust in the air stream separates in the body and proceeds to the nose of the conic body, and the main air stream leaves via the air outlet pipe. There is a dust collection drum disposed beneath the cyclonic separator. This drum should have a generally rigid wall and an open top or mouth at its top end. A lid member fits onto the mouth opening and forms a seal there. A dust intake opening to which the nose of said conic body is fitted is centrally located on the lid member, and the dust that is separated from air stream in the cyclonic separator descends out of the nose or apex and into the drum. Then, a second flexible hose extends from the air outlet pipe to the vacuum apparatus. This separates out the vast majority of the dust, i.e., up to 99%, before the air stream reaches the vacuum. The dust is collected inside the drum rather than in the vacuum cleaner, and this permits longer operation without clogging.

Problems solved by technology

In practice, no one has attempted to use a true cyclonic separator as an intermediate dust separation and collection device between the dust producing tool and the shop vacuum or other source of suction that accepts the dust and air stream from the tool.

This arrangement is only mildly effective, as only about 50 percent of the airborne dust is separated out, with the remaining 50 percent continuing to the shop vacuum.

This arrangement also does nothing to reduce the level of process noise from operation of the dust collection equipment.

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