CYCLONIC SEPARATION APPARATUS

A vacuum cleaner has a cyclonic separation apparatus which comprises a cyclone separation chamber 21. A shroud 22 of other filter device extends axially of the chamber 21 across a fluid outlet, the shroud 22 having an apertured filter surface which faces radially outwardly of the cyclone axis. A filter cleaning device 30 is mounted inside the chamber 21 and comprises a plurality of fingers 32 which extend axially over the outer surface of the shroud 22 at respective circumferential positions. The fingers 32 each comprise projections 33 which extend radially outwardly. The cleaning device 30 is displaced axially of the shroud 22 when the chamber is emptied, thereby causing the finger projections 33 to move axially across the shroud 22 to pull away any accumulated hairs, fibres, filaments, or other elongate flexible elements.