GB2143723A

GB2143723A - Suction cleaning equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2143723A
Application number: GB08320049A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frank Lee; Gert Lovgren; Karl Thorbjorn Haugen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-07-26
Filing date: 1983-07-26
Publication date: 1985-02-20
Also published as: GB8320049D0

Abstract

Suction cleaning apparatus 1 for cleaning the interior of a vehicle comprises a litter inlet passage 3 adapted to be located at a doorway of a vehicle to be cleaned, fans 7 in tunnel 6 for drawing air and entrained litter through chamber 8 for collection in receptacles 9, a grid at the suction end of the tunnel, and a nozzle within the tunnel arranged to direct air towards the grid against the direction of suction airflow in order to blow litter away from the grid. The grid may be mounted on an air-driven rotatable carrier 12. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Suction cleaning apparatus This invention relates to suction cleaning apparatus intended for use in removing litter from the interior of transport vehicles, particularly buses, coaches and the like.

One known type of apparatus is a stationary installation alongside of which a vehicle is positioned when it is desired to clean the interior thereof.

The apparatus has a so called docking unit which is adapted to be extended to an open doorway of the vehicle and provide a seal around said doorway.

Fans within the apparatus cause air to be drawn from the interior of the vehicle through the docking unit into the apparatus. Litter is entrained in the air stream drawn from the vehicle and thus passes into the apparatus where it is collected.

The mechanism of litter collection involves the passage of the air (and thus the litter) in a helical pathway along an annular space defined between an outer wall of the apparatus and an innertunnel thereof housing the fans. Litter collecting receptacles are provided at a position in which the litter is deposited therein from the airstream. Finally, the air, which has now been freed of the major part of the litter, enters the tunnel through a grill or mesh and is discharged to atmosphere through filter bags which remove dust particles.

This apparatus does however have the disadvantage that newspapers or other large paper items may not enter in the receptacles but collect on the mesh or grid (which serves to protect the fans) and disrupt the air flow through the apparatus.

According to the present invention there is provided suction cleaning apparatus comprising a litter inlet passage adapted to be located at a doorway of a vehicle to be cleaned and communicating with the interior of the apparatus, suction generating means within the apparatus for drawing air through said passageway, a receptacle upstream of the suction generating means for collecting litter, and a grill or the like, for preventing litter from passing to the suction generating means wherein meansforsup- plying gaseous pressure are provided in the region of the grill for providing gaseous pressure opposed to the direction of airflow through the apparatus for blowing litter away from the grill.

Preferably the means for supplying gaseous pressure is at least one nozzle provided in the region of the entrance to the tunnel. Preferably also the apparatus has a rotatable carrier and the grid is provided on this carrier which thus serves to catch litter and, when rotated, to carry it past the nozzle or other air pressure supply means so that the litter may be blown away from the grid. Furthermore, the carrier is itself preferably has a plurality of air outlets through which air may be pulsed to effect rotation of the carrier.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows one embodiment of suction cleaning apparatus in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 diagrammatically illustrates the operation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure3 is a detailed view to an enlarged scale of the left hand end of the tunnel and associated pressure accumulation shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a front view of the pressure accumulator shown in Figure 3.

The suction cleaning apparatus 1 illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a housing 2 associated with a so called docking unit 3. This docking unit 3 is intended, in use of the apparatus to be extended to a doorway of a vehicle 4 to be cleaned and has an inflatable seal 5 for providing a seal around the doorway.

Within the housing 2 is a tunnel 6 within which are located two counter-rotating fans 7. It will be seen that tunnel 6 defines an annular space 8 within the housing and that this space communicates with docking unit 3. Litter collecting receptacles 9 are provided towards one end of the space 8 and are associated with compacting rams 10 (Figure 1).

At its outlet, tunnel 6 communicates with a filter unit 11.

In use of the apparatus, the fans 7 are operated to draw air and thus litter from vehicle 4 through docking unit 3 into space 8. The interior surface of housing 2 is formed such that air moves in a helical pathway around the outside of tunnel and this pathway is such that litter is deposited in receptacles 9. Periodically the collected litter may be compacted by rams 10.

Air then passes into tunnel 6, past fans 7, and is discharged to atmosphere through filter unit 11.

As discussed previously, there is the possibility that the provision of a simple grid across the entrance to the tunnel may result in paper becoming trapped against the grid. This problem is overcome in accordance with the invention by the arrangement described below.

At the entrance to tunnel 6 is a rotatable air pressure accumulator 12 carrying a front grid 13 and within tunnel 6 is an outwardly directed air nozzle 14.

Accumulator 12 has a boss 15 journalled on a support 16 and is comprised of an array of intercommunicating tubular elements 17 supported on boss 15 by tubular struts 18 the interiors of which communicate with the interiors of elements 17.

Each of elements 17 and struts 18 has a plurality of air exit apertures 19.

The interiors of struts 18 communicate with the interior of boss 15 which in turn communictes with interior of support 16. An air pressure supply line 20, associated with a magnetic value (not shown), serves to supply air to the interior of support.

Ultimately this air exits through apertures 19.

A pipe 21 with apertures 22 extend from the boss 15 this pipe 21 communicates with the interior of boss 15.

In operation of the apparatus, paper which is not deposited in a receptacle 9 will be caught on the grid 13. The accumulator is caused to rotate by repeatedly opening and closing the magnetic valve so that air is pulsed through apertures 18. This will drive the accumulator around. Additionally, the air flow into tunnel 6 possibly acting against litter on the accumulator contributes to the rotation thereof.

As accumulator 12 rotates, the litter held thereon passes in front of nozzle 14 which blows the litter off grid 13 back into the main airstream by which it may be carried into a receptacle 9. Additionally, the pulsed air issuing from apertures 22 also serves to blow litter off grid 13.

In this way all litter which has a tendency to collect at the entrance to tunnel 6 is removed so that the entrance is maintained free and the fans may work unimpaired.

Claims

1. Suction cleaning apparatus comprising a litter inlet passage adapted to be located at a doorway of a vehicle to be cleaned and communicating with the interior of the apparatus, suction generating means within the apparatus for drawing air through said passageway, a receptacle upstream of the suction generating means for collecting litter, and a grill or the like for preventing litterfrom passing to the suction generating means wherein means for supplying gaseous pressure are provided in the region of the grill for providing gaseous pressure opposed to the direction of air flow through the apparatus for blowing litter away from the grill.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the suction generating means is provided in a cylindrical housing around the exterior of which is defined an annular space along helical pathways.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said grid or the like is provided in the region of the entrance to the cylindrical housing.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means for supplying gaseous pressure is a nozzle provided within the cylindrical housing between the grill and the suction generating means and being directed against the grill.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the grid is mounted on a carrier which is rotatable to pass litter held, in use of the apparatus, past the gaseous pressure supply means.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the carrier is air pressure driven.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the carrier comprises a tubular frame with a plurality of air exit apertures arranged such that passage of air outwardly therethrough effects rotation of the carriers.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the suction generating means comprises two counter-rotatable fans.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the inlet passageway is formed in a docking unit adapted to be extended to a doorway of a vehicle to be cleaned.

10. Suction Cleaning Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.