EP0319420B1 - Self-propelled vehicle for cleaning beaches - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a machine intended for cleaning beaches.

We know that beach cleaning poses major problems for municipalities, especially if they are large.

So far, we have generally been content to employ staff who pick up litter left by vacationers and those brought by the sea. This is very expensive and slow. Apparatus dragged by tractors has also been proposed to do this work, but these have proven to be ineffective.

We have also proposed machines provided at the front with a pick-up intended to pick up the trash and dump it in a chute carrying them on a conveyor belt discharging them into a bucket. Such a machine has proven to be effective, but after many tests has shown some disadvantages; in particular the machine removes objects perfectly from the ground, but leaves those which are slightly buried, in addition, it collects a relatively large amount of sand so that the bucket is quickly filled with sand which would normally have remained on the beach, this which unnecessarily weighs down the bucket.

Also known is a vehicle (see US Pat. No. 2,976,936) for cleaning the beaches which comprises a chassis supporting at the front a motor and driving means and, at the rear a tilting skip. The chassis comprises two longitudinal beams between which is disposed a grid conveyor having a blade at the front.

Such an arrangement has many drawbacks. The machine cups the sand in the vicinity of the blade, so that its engagement in the ground is difficult.

French Patent 2,331,643 describes a machine which is, more particularly, intended for cleaning the filtration basins and which comprises a shaker screen above which a pallet conveyor extends, the assembly being carried by a chassis disposed at the front of a tractor and resting on skids provided with means for adjusting the height of the assembly. Such an arrangement cannot be used for cleaning the beaches, in fact it cannot work at a certain depth in the sand and it only makes it possible to take and push towards the shaker screen, thanks to the pallets, the elements to be conveyed which are found on the surface.

One of the aims of the present invention is to provide an efficient self-propelled machine which does not have the various drawbacks mentioned above.

The machine according to the invention is of the type comprising a self-propelled machine supporting a tilting skip, and, at the front, an apron mounted to pivot on an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the machine, means for controlling the adjustment of the inclination of the apron, the lower front end of which is provided with a blade intended to engage in the ground and behind which extends a conveyor with grates leading to a conveyor belt intended to convey the refuse collected by the apron towards the bucket, motor means being provided to drive the grid conveyor and the conveyor belt, the machine further comprising above the grid conveyor a second grid conveyor mounted tilting by its upper end on an axis perpendicular to the direction d advancement of the machine and the end of which lower part located above the blade rests on stops provided on the latter, the second conveyor being driven by a motor in the opposite direction to that of the apron grid conveyor and comprising flexible and elastic sections on part of the constituent bars.

Thanks to this arrangement, the machine even collects buried objects and the sand is thrown away.

In order to properly dispose of the objects picked up from the sand, the grid conveyor may include shaking means.

According to yet another constructive characteristic, the grid conveyor comprises pins of generally triangular shape cooperating with bars constituting it and arranged in the vicinity of the sides thereof. We thus realize a simple and very effective means to generate shaking.

In order to avoid the risk of the machine being damaged if the blade encounters a rock, which is common on beaches, said machine may include feeler members located in front of the blade and connected to signaling means.

The machine can have a rake at the back in order to equalize the surface which has been moved by the deck.

The machine can also include a reservoir intended to contain a disinfectant product and a spraying boom arranged at the rear and connected to the reservoir.

In some cases, the machine must be able to remove very small detritus which may pass between the bars of the grid conveyor. To allow the collection of these small detritus, the machine may include, mounted directly on the apron grid conveyor, a screen.

• Figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une machi­ne automotrice, selon l'invention.
• Figure 2 montre schématiquement en détail le système d'entraînement.
• Figure 3 est une vue en élévation de côté mon­trant le système de secouage des transporteurs à grilles.
• Figure 4 est une vue en élévation par l'arrière de la machine de la figure 1.
• Figure 5 est une vue en perspective d'un détail.
• Figure 6 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne 6-6 de la figure 5.
• Figure 7 montre un détail du montage d'un gril­lage sur le transporteur à grilles.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to particular embodiments given by way of example only and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a self-propelled machine, according to the invention.
• Figure 2 schematically shows in detail the drive system.
• Figure 3 is a side elevational view showing the shaking system of the grid conveyors.
• Figure 4 is an elevational view from the rear of the machine of Figure 1.
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of a detail.
• Figure 6 is a sectional view along line 6-6 of Figure 5.
• Figure 7 shows a detail of the mounting of a grid on the grid conveyor.

The machine shown in the figures comprises a self-propelled machine with a chassis 1 supporting a motor 2 driving four driving wheels 3, two of which are steered.

On the chassis 1 is mounted a cabin 5 in which all the commands are grouped.

The chassis 1 supports a bucket 7 pivotally mounted on an axis 8, the tilting being controlled by jacks 9 inserted between the chassis and the bucket 7.

On the chassis 1, at the rear are mounted a rake 10 and a spraying boom 11 connected by a pipe 14 to a reservoir 13 with the interposition of a pump 12.

The chassis 1 is secured to the front of a frame 15 which supports two conveyor belts 16 and 17, these being driven so as to converge towards a conveyor belt 18 opening into the bucket 7.

On the shaft 20 of the motor 2 is wedged a pulley 21 which drives by a belt 40 a pulley 23 ca lée on a shaft 22. On the latter are pinions 24 and 31, the pinion 24 driving by a chain 25 a pinion 26 of a gearbox 41 of angle transmission, said housing having a first outlet on which is wedged a pinion 27 which drives by a chain 29 a pinion 28 wedged on an axis 30 integral with a roller 42 on which the conveyor belt 16 is guided, this latter also being guided on a roller 43 mounted idly on the frame 15.

The conveyor belt 17 is guided on two rollers 45 and 46 supported by the frame 15, the roller 46 being integral with an axis 38 on which a pinion 37 is wedged cooperating with a chain 36 driven by a pinion 35 output from a housing 34 for returning the angles, the input pinion 33 being connected by a chain 32 to the pinion 31. Thanks to this arrangement, the conveyor belts 16 and 17 are driven to scroll in the direction of the arrows (FIG. 1).

On the shaft 22 is wedged a pinion 48 which drives a chain 49 driving a pinion 50 wedged on a roller 51 for driving the conveyor belt 18.

The conveyor belt 18 has edges 52, the belts 16 and 17 may also have edges, these are not shown in the figures.

The frame 15 also supports an apron 60 formed by a generally rectangular frame with two sides 61 and 62 two cross members 63 and 64 and an intermediate side 65.

The sides 61 and 62 are connected by a motor shaft 67 on which is pinched a pinion 70 cooperating with a chain 71 meshing with a pinion 72 propped up on a shaft 73 on which is pinned a pinion 74 driven by a chain 75 engaged with a pinion 76 of a second outlet from the housing 41.

On the shaft 67 are wedged four pinions 78 and, on an axis 80 connecting the sides 61 and 62, at their lower end, are mounted idler pinions 79.

On the two pinions 78 located between the side 61 and the intermediate side 65 and the two corresponding pinions 79, a grid conveyor 81 is guided. An identical conveyor 81 is guided between the side 62 and the intermediate side 65 on the pinions 79 and 78.

The two conveyors 81 are formed by bars 82 extending in parallel and connected by a flexible link or links 84. At regular intervals the bars are integral with L-shaped profiles 83.

On the sides 61 and 62 and on the intermediate side 65 are mounted idler gears 85 which have the general shape of an equilateral triangle, the teeth being intended to cooperate with the bars 82.

The shaft 67 is guided in bearings 88 of the frame 15 and between the sides 61 and 62 are inserted jacks 90 which make it possible to tilt the deck 60 around the axis 67 so as to be able to lower or raise it at will. said apron 60.

At their lower end, the sides 61 and 62 are integral with pads 92 preferably supported by jacks 93.

At its lower end, the apron 60 is integral with a blade 95, while in front of this blade extend feelers 96 carried by a bar 97 supported by said apron.

The feelers 96 are constituted here by elastic bars which are connected to a signaling member if during the work of the machine they bend beyond a certain position. These feelers 96 therefore make it possible to detect rocks in order to prevent the blade 95 from encountering them, which would risk damaging the machine.

The signaling system can be visual, acoustic or directly connected to the machine in order to block it. It could also be provided that said system acts directly on the jacks 90 and controls the rele instantaneous clearance of the deck 60 if a rock is detected by the feelers 96. The signaling system is not shown here in detail.

The sides 61 and 62 each have, at an intermediate point of their length, a tab 115 which supports an axis 116 integral with a frame comprising two cheeks 117 and 118 connected by two shafts 119 and 120. This arrangement, which is not not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 so as not to make them too dense, is drawn in detail in FIG. 5.

On the shaft 119 are wedged, at each end of the pinions 121, while on the shaft 120 are wedged two pinions 122. On the shaft 120 is wedged a pinion 125 which cooperates with a chain 126 driven by a pinion 127 wedged on the output shaft of an engine 128 carried by a cradle 130 secured to the cheek 118. The pinions 121 and 122 have large teeth for driving a transporter 131 formed of bars 132 connected together by flexible bands 133.

The cheeks 117 and 118 in the vicinity of their lower end rest on stops respectively 135, 136 secured to the upper end of the blade 95.

Some bars 132 include profiles 138 made, for example, of a flexible and elastic material.

The motor 128 drives the transporter 131 at the same speed as that of the transporter 81, but in the opposite direction (see the arrows in FIG. 5). Thus, the trash and heavier objects which would tend to slide on the blade 95 are pushed by the conveyor 131 towards the conveyor 81. If an object too important comes to be inserted between the blade 95 and the conveyor 131 this one rocks around of the axis 116 so that all blocking of the machine and possible deterioration of the grid conveyors 131 are thus avoided.

It is possible to provide inserted between the side 61 and the cheek 117, a jack 137 making it possible to lift the second grate conveyor 131 to facilitate the release of a trash which would be trapped between the two grate conveyors 81 and 131.

The machine according to the invention is more particularly intended for cleaning beaches. The machine moves on the beach to be cleaned, the blade being driven into the sand at a certain depth regulated by the pads 92 and the jacks 90. The sand arrives on the conveyors 81 which are driven by the pinions 78, the sand falls back to through the intervals of the bars 82, while the algae and other detritus are entrained by the sections 83. The second grid conveyor makes it possible to mount the other detritus on the conveyor 81 and prevents any jamming of the machine. The detritus is rid of the sand which adheres to it by the shaking of the conveyors 81, shaking generated by the pinions 85 whose teeth by cooperating with the bars 82 tend to raise and lower said bars 82.

If the probes 96 encounter an abnormal resistance in the ground, a signal is sent allowing the driver to stop the machine and thus avoid damaging the latter.

The detritus entrained by the conveyors 81 falls on the belts 16 and 17 which carry them towards the conveyor 18, the latter discharging them into the bucket 7.

The rake 10 makes it possible to level the ground, while the ramp can spray a disinfectant or other liquid, this being contained in the reservoir 13.

When the bucket 7 is full, the apron 60 is raised and the machine is taken to a landfill where the bucket is emptied.

In some cases, it may be necessary to clean areas that are covered with litter of small dimensions. As the carrier 81 screens protect between them important intervals, the removal of these small detritus is impossible.

To allow such cleaning, the invention provides for carrying the conveyor 81 by mounting a screen 143 thereon.

So that the conveyor can nevertheless operate normally, the grating 143 is directly produced on the bars which make up the conveyor as is clearly seen in FIG. 7; said mesh comprising a first metal wire 140 folded in a zigzag, to form meshes, passing over two adjacent bars 142, 144, a second metal wire 141 folded in a zigzag on two adjacent bars 144, 146, one of which receives the 144 wire 140, wire 141 being folded to pass between the branches of a fold passing over the bar 144 and so on. Such an arrangement makes it possible to have a flexible conveyor.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described and shown. Many modifications of detail can be made without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims (7)

1. Self-propelling machine for the cleaning of beaches and of the type comprising a self-propelling vehicle supporting a rocking skip (7) and, at the front, a superstructure (60) mounted to be pivotable on a shaft (67) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the machine, means (90) for controlling the inclination adjustment of the superstructure (60), of which the lower front end is provided with a plate (95) adapted to be engaged in the ground and behind which extends a grid-like transporter (81) discharging on to a conveyor belt (18) adapted to carry the refuse or debris collected by the superstructure towards the skip, driving means (2) being provided for driving the grid-like transporter (81) and the conveyor belt (18), the machine also comprising, above the grid-like transporter (81), a second grid-like transporter (131) mounted for rocking movement at its upper end on a shaft (116) perpendicular to the direction of advance of the machine and of which the lower end situated above the plate (95) rests on stops (135-136) provided on the latter, the second transporter (131) being driven by a motor (128) in the direction opposite to that of the grid-like transporter (81) of the superstructure (60) and comprising flexible and resilient section members (138) on a part of the bars (132) forming it.

2. Self-propelling machine for the cleaning of beaches, according to claim 1, characterised in that the grid-like transporter (81) comprises vibrating or shaking means (85).

3. Self-propelling machine for the cleaning of beaches, according to claim 2, characterised in that the grid-like transporter (81) comprises pinions (85) of generally triangular form cooperating with the bars (82) forming it and disposed in the region of the sides thereof.

4. Self-propelling machine for the cleaning of beaches, according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises sensor members (96) situated ahead of the plate (95) and connected to signalling or indicating means.

5. Self-propelling machine for the cleaning of beaches, according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a rake (10) at the rear.

6. Self-propelling machine for the cleaning of beaches, according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a tank (13) adapted to contain a disinfecting product and a spraying unit (11) disposed at the rear and connected to the tank.

7. Self-propelling machine for the cleaning of beaches, according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a grid (143), which is mounted directly on the grid conveyor (81) of the superstructure (60).

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