Vacuum cleaner and sealed filter bag assembly therefor particularly useful for filtering asbestos fibers from air

摘要

A vacuum cleaner filter bag assembly is provided for protecting against atmospheric contamination upon removal of the filter bag from a vacuum cleaner. The filter bag assembly includes a primary filter bag, an airtight shield, a secondary filter bag and a tertiary filter. The shield and secondary filter bag are connected so as to define a sealed enclosure within which the primary filter bag is disposed. The primary filter bag has an inlet opening but is otherwise sealed closed. An inlet opening formed in the shield is aligned with the inlet opening of the primary filter bag so that the suction hose of the vacuum cleaner directs air with entrained particulates directly into the primary filter bag. The air which passes through the primary filter bag is next passed through the secondary filter bag. The tertiary filter, which is disposed in the receptacle defined by the bag shape of the secondary filter bag, filters the air which has passed through the secondary filter bag before it is discharged to the atmosphere.