GB2240354A

GB2240354A - A ground sweeping device

Info

Publication number: GB2240354A
Application number: GB9000922A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Douglas Arthur Everett; Jonathan William Hargreaves
Original assignee: Sisis Equipment; Sisis Equipment Macclesfield Ltd
Current assignee: Sisis Equipment; Sisis Equipment Macclesfield Ltd
Priority date: 1989-12-23
Filing date: 1990-01-16
Publication date: 1991-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 2010-01-16
Also published as: GB2240354B; GB9000922D0; GB8929184D0

Abstract

A ground sweeping device comprising a wheeled chassis (10) attach able by a towing bracket (12) to a tractor or like towing vehicle and having a rotary brush assembly (13) and a collection hopper (15). The rows of bristles (17) on the brush assembly (13) extend along the latter in helical form with the helix of each row reversed at the mid-point between the ends of the brush to cause material to be swept towards the centre of the machine and into the hopper (15) as it towed along the ground. The even distribution of the rows of bristles around the brush assembly considerably reduces the noise and vibration when compared with conventional sweeping devices having straight rows of bristles. <IMAGE>

Description

A GROUND SWEEPING DEVICE THIS INVENTION concerns a ground sweeping device which may be towed by a tractor.

Such devices are known and usually comprise a wheeled chassis having means for attachment to the towing assembly of the tractor, and a rotary brush mounted on a spindle between the wheels. The brush is driven by connection to the wheels or independently from the standard power take-off system of the tractor.

Furthermore, the device will usually include a collection hopper mounted behind the brush in the direction of travel of the device over the ground such that materials swept up by the brush are deposited in the hopper for subsequent disposal. Alternatively, a further and separate trailer may be towed behind the brush for this purpose.

In known sweeping devices of this kind rows of bristles extend radially from the brush spindle at four circumferentially spaced positions therearound, and the bristles are spaced longitudinally along the spindle. During rotation of a brush assembly of this kind there is considerable noise and vibration due to the repreated impact of the rows of bristles on the ground.

Furthermore, swept materials tend to move outwardly and escape at the ends of the rotary brush thus reducing the efficiency of the device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ground sweeping device wherein the aforementioned disadvantages are substantially avoided.

According to the present invention, there is provided a ground sweeping device having a rotary brush and including a supporting spindle and means for driving same in rotation on a wheeled chassis, characterised in that the bristles of the brush are attached to the brush spindle in one or more helical rows, the or each helix defined by the latter being so arranged that, according to the direction of rotation, material swept by rotation of the brush is directed towards a mid-point between the ends of the rotary brush i.e. it is swept inwardly towards a centre line of the brush in its direction of travel.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a ground sweeping appliance adapted to be towed by a tractor; Fig. 2 is a rear view of a rotary brush being part of the appliance as seen in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, an appliance for sweeping turf or hard surfaces consists of a wheeled chassis 10 the wheels of which are represented by the broken line 11, one at each side of the appliance. A towing bracket assembly 12 enables the appliance to be attached to a tractor or like vehicle.

Rotatably mounted on chassis 10 between wheels 11 is a rotary brush assembly generally indicated at 13 having a supporting spindle 14 mounted for rotation between the wheels 11. The spindle 14 may be driven by connection to the wheels themselves, or alternatively by connection to the standard power takeoff assembly of the tractor.

Mounted to the rear of chassis 10 is a collection hopper 15 into which material swept by the rotary brush 13 is collected for disposal, and the hopper has a supporting wheel 16.

Referring now to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the brush assembly 13 comprises four helically arranged rows of bristles 17, some of which have been omitted for the sake of clarity.

As can be seen from Fig. 2 the helix of each row is reversed about a centre line 18 of the brush assembly such that rotation of the brush assembly in a clockwise direction as illustrated in Fig. 1 will cause material to be swept towards the centre of the machine as it is towed along the ground whilst also being swept into hopper 15.

Even distribution of the bristles 17 around the spindle 14 considerably reduces the noise and vibration experienced in prior art machines in which the rows of bristles were spaced circumferentially, rather than helically. Furthermore, the centralising of the swept material prevents it from escaping around the ends of the rotary brush thus improving the efficiency of the sweeping action and distribution of material in the collecting hopprer 15.

The pitch of the helix will be designed according to certain requirements such as the width of the machine and the characteristics of the materials to be swept. More or less than four helical rows of bristles may be provided and the bristles may be in continuous rows as opposed to bunches as illustrated at 17, the latter, however, being preferable for ease of manufacture.

Claims

1. A ground sweeping device having a rotary brush and including a supporting spindle and means for driving same in rotation on a wheeled chassis, characterised in that the bristles of the brush are attached to the supporting spindle in one or more helical rows, the or each helix defined by the latter being so arranged that, according to the direction of rotation, material swept by rotation of the brush is directed towards a mid-point between the ends of the rotary brush i.e. it is swept inwardly towards a centre-line of the brush in its direction of travel.

2. A ground sweeping device according to Claim 1, wherein each row of bristles comprises a plurality of helically spaced bunches.

3. A ground sweeping device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, including four helical rows of bristles the rows being displaced about the axis of rotation of the brush at right-angles.

4. A ground sweeping device according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each helix is reversed about said centre line of the brush in its direction of travel.

5. A ground sweeping device according to Claim 1, in which said bristles are arranged in continuous helical rows between the ends of the brush assembly and the centre line thereof.

6. A ground sweeping device according to any preceding claim, wherein said wheeled chassis includes means for attachment to a tractor or like vehicle.

7. A ground sweeping device according to any preceding claim, in which said wheeled chassis includes a collection hopper into which material swept by the rotary brush is collected for disposal.

8. A ground sweeping device according to any preceding claim, wherein the brush spindle is driven by connection to the wheels of the wheeled chassis.

9. A ground sweeping device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the brush spindle is driven by means connectable to a power take-off device of a towing vehicle.

10. A ground sweeping device substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.