JPS6031482B2 - Gutter brush segment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to brushes for street sweepers, and more particularly to an improved apparatus for attaching gutter brush segments and an improved gutter brush segment.

Gutter brushes, as the name suggests, are used in street sweepers to clean road gutters.

Gutter brush bristles are generally made of relatively long, hairpin-shaped steel strands. The hairpin bends of each strand are used to secure the strand to the support. The segments can be provided with supports to facilitate attachment of new bristles during Okayama bristles replacement. The support is fixed to the support plate and the brush is driven through the support plate. Gutter brushes are subject to severe wear and tear because they must scrub the surface being cleaned in order to be effective. It is not uncommon for steel bristles to wear down into ineffective blobs over a very short period of time. Due to the shortness of the gutter brush and the lifespan of the bristles, it is necessary to replace the bristles now. The requirement to replace gutter brush bristles now requires that gutter brush replacement be relatively inexpensive. As a result, it has been conventional practice to use something like a segmentable disc-shaped plywood support through which Okayama hair can be threaded for gutter brushes.
This support is supported by permanent support plates, three supports in total forming a brush. When the bristles wear out, the entire assembly including the support except for the support plate is discarded. However, in use, wood is not a fully satisfactory support because it easily cracks under cleaning loads. Furthermore, wooden supports are difficult to install. Considering the conditions under which gutter brushes are used, it is clear that removing the Okayama hair becomes a problem.

For example, corrosion, dirt, sharp wires, and caked dust make removal of fixed odors from fittings such as bolts extremely difficult and unpleasant. Another problem with using fasteners such as bolts is that the bolts typically take up space at the expense of the bristles, thereby reducing the cleaning area of the brush. Furthermore, while tightening the bolts,
Heavy and inconvenient segments must be held in place. Various techniques have been devised to improve the replaceability of gutter brushes and to maintain economical brush retention.

One attempt was to use a support plate with suspended inverted T-shaped mountings to support the individual segments.
In this case, the segments themselves are prevented from moving radially relative to the support plate by the bolts. One of the problems with this device is that it also relies to some extent on undesirable bolted attachment of the segments. Additionally, the bolts occupy space that could otherwise be occupied by the bristles. Other methods have also been attempted to reduce the number of fixed odors required using wedges between the support plate and the segments as a weight support means. However, these methods have not been entirely satisfactory since, for example, bolts are still used. The present invention therefore features segments and segment holders that can be economically produced and installed and that greatly facilitate the replacement of brushes without sacrificing brush bristles for fixings. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a gutter brush structure.

Generally, the present invention contemplates a plurality of segment holders permanently supported by a support plate driven and rotated by the street sweeper. Each holder includes means for supporting and manipulating a segment of the brush and means for releasably securing the segment to the holder. This segment is disposable. The permanent holder is
It supports segments that can be placed along the periphery to transfer the load of the rotating brush operation to the holder. As a result, the segments can be lightweight and inexpensive. Preferably, the support means includes a front edge disposed radially outwardly of the holder, said front edge being in the form of an inwardly rolled lip, disposed outwardly of the segment and radially outwardly disposed on the holder. supports the segment by engaging a flange toward the segment. Preferably, the flange of said segment forms the upper wall surface of a pocket by which said edge is received. The support means further includes a projecting sloped wall section inside the edge and perpendicular to a radius from the center of rotation of the holder. The wall abuts the rear end of the segment to closely engage the edge and flange with a tight fit. A locking latch extending through the bevel secures the segment in place and supports the weight of the rear end of the segment. Green and pocket supports facilitate segment installation. The bristles direct the segment's center of gravity radially outward from the edge, causing the segment to hang green and naturally enter and stay in place. Installation is completed by simply fixing the segment in place with the fixing fasteners. The invention also includes means for rotationally coupling each segment to its holder.

Such means include a support flange on the green of the holder and a shallow V-shaped segment such that the holder and the segment engage in a direction in which power is applied from the street sweeper to the segment through the holder. be. The shallow V-shaped flange also reduces the need for close tolerances between the segment and the holder. The V-shaped section allows power to be transmitted in either direction and provides a convenient means of positioning. However, instead of a V-shaped side, the sides may have a different shape, for example arcuate, as long as there is an engagement between them. The rotary coupling means may include segment lugs which are received in notches at the top of the V-shape of the edge of the holder to couple with the edge. If provided with lugs, the pocket is divided into two pockets and the edge of the holder is also divided into two greens, one edge facing each pocket. The end of the pocket remote from the top of the V-shape is closed by the segment trim to further rotationally connect the segment and holder to each other. Furthermore, the radius passing through the center of rotation of the support plate is perpendicular to
The internal inclined wall of the holder engages over a considerable length with the auxiliary flange of the segment, creating a kind of engagement in the direction of rotation of the support plate. Preferably, the means for fixing the holder is a spring fixing mechanism that is tightened by a load. The preferred fastening means include a latch, which has at least one leg and has a fastening position located on the radially outer side of the vertical wall of the holder that is located on the radially inner side of the oblique wall. Fit it in. That is, the leg portion is elastically fixed at its fixed position in the space between the leg portion and the dominant wall portion. Both the oblique wall and the vertical wall are provided with slots for receiving latches. Slots in the vertical wall allow the legs to flex when the latch is released. Preferably, the latch includes at least two locking legs having approximately equal resistance to bending deformation in mutually opposite directions from the major plane of the latch. With opposing legs, the tendency of the latch to rotate due to deflection of one leg is avoided as the bending loads are offset. Preferably, means such as an impingement and a key are provided for determining the open and locked positions of the latch. If desired, an auxiliary pin may be used between the support plate and the latch to ensure that the latch is locked. The latch is provided with means, such as a hole, for the insertion of a tool, such as a rod, which is manipulated to open and close the latch to release or secure the segments. As mentioned above, the segment is lightweight and inexpensive because the outer and inner radial edges of the segment substantially engage the holder in place so that substantially the entire cleaning load is carried by the holder. It can be made into something disposable. The latch maintains this engagement between the holder and the segment by loading the segment. Preferably, the holder comprises at least one support pad on its top plate against the top of the segment. This pad defines a space outside of it in which the segments can flex in response to cleaning and holder loads. The segment of the present invention has a plurality of vertical holes defined by a wall surface and is configured to receive hairpin or U-shaped Okayama bristles so that the bent portion of the bristles in each vertical hole is supported by the wall surface.

As noted above, the preferred front edge of the segment is a very flat V-shape as shown, providing a flange for the steel fitting that engages the inwardly bent V-shaped edge of the holder; Drive the segment to rotate. The vertically extending guide lugs are adapted to engage the ends of the green intermediate notches of the holder. The guide lug also provides a rotational connection between the holder and the segment. The front edge of the segment is provided with a pocket for receiving the edge or curl of the holder. A segment trim closes the outer end of the pocket and a guide lug closes the inner end. If desired, outwardly extending bumpers can be provided on the segments to protect the permanent holder and support plate from damage by stones or the like. In addition, the walls between the vertical holes through which the eastern bristles pass are made flexible to avoid fatigue of the bristly bundles. One of the important features of the segment of the present invention is that it adapts to the dimensional tolerances of the holder to help it bend elastically in the loaded holder and lock itself in place. be. The trailing edge of each segment is flat and not perfectly perpendicular to the radius of the circular annulus in which the segment lies when attached to form the gutter brush. With respect to the perpendicular, this rear edge is slightly inclined and forms a longitudinal mounting surface. The cooperating part of the holder, with the aid of a latch, presses the segment into position against this hypotenoid. Segments for bristles are preferably made of an inexpensive plastic such as high-density polyethylene, which has a sufficiently high modulus of elasticity to bend elastically and hold the segment firmly in place in the holder. . The plastic must also be sufficiently tough and durable to withstand abuse. These and other features, properties and advantages of the invention include:
It will become clearer from the following description, claims and drawings.

The present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the examples shown below.
FIG. 1 generally shows a rotary brush for road gutter constructed according to the present invention.

The rotating brush body is located at the lower end of the drive shaft 12, which is attached to the support plate 14 by a flange 6 and a fixture 18. The drive shaft 12 is of course coupled to a rotating prime mover within the street sweeper. The drive shaft also pushes the rotating brush against the road surface to be cleaned and can move in response to wear of the brush bristles. A plurality of segment holders arranged in a circumferential manner are attached to the holding plate 14, one of which is designated by reference numeral 2.
It is generally indicated by 0. The holder 20 is permanently fixed to the support plate 14 by welding or the like. The bristles of the rotating brush are supported by a plurality of segments that are periodically removed and picked up to renew the bristles. One of the replaceable segments is indicated at 22. One holder is provided for each segment. As will be explained later, the holder 20 and the segments 22 are designed in such a way that most of the load during cleaning is placed on the holder 201, which allows the segments 22 to be disposed of along with the worn bristles at a low cost. It can be manufactured to In contrast, the holder 20 and the support plate 14 are permanent. The number of segments 22 and holders 20 varies with the rotating brush. For example, depending on the diameter of the support plate 14, the number can be 9 or 11. The holder 20 and the segments 22 are made fairly small so that they can be easily mounted on support plates 14 of different dimensions. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5, the holder 20 of the present invention includes an upper plate portion 24 that is generally flat.

The outer radial weave boundary of the upper plate part 24 is provided with a guiding edge 26 arranged radially outwardly over substantially its entire width. This edge 26 is rolled back to form a radially inwardly facing hook-like flange 28. The flange 28 is again bent back outwards and reinforced. An intermediate notch 30 is provided midway between the ends of the edge 26 of the holder 20 to receive a guide lug 32 of the segment 22. The front end of the holder generally has the shape of a greatly expanded V (shallow V). A downwardly sloping inclined wall 36 protrudes from the inner radial end of the upper plate portion 24 and extends over the horizontal connecting portion 38 . The slope of the sloped wall 36 is, for example, at an angle of 8 degrees with respect to the vertical plane, so that the segments 22 can be compressed. The inner end of the horizontal connection part is further connected to a vertical wall 40 extending vertically upward.
The inclined wall 36, the vertical wall 40 and the horizontal connection 38 provide a U for attaching a latch 42 for fixation of the segment 22.
Form a glyph groove. The latch 42 is horizontally movably supported in a pair of slots 44 and 46 provided in the inclined wall 36 and the vertical wall 401.

Slot 46 is configured to be relatively narrow. Latch 42
consists of three legs that snap open and lock. When no force is applied, the pair of outer legs 47 and 48
is slightly concavely curved upward, and the central leg 49
is concavely curved downward. When the latch 42 is moved from the open position to the locked position, ie, from the position of FIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 4, each leg is released from the restraint of the slot 46 and returns to its preloaded condition. In order to release the latch 42 in this position, a considerable force must be applied to the latch 42 since the legs must be elastically deformed. In this locked position, the latch 42 is held generally horizontally by the central leg 49 and a pair of opposing outer legs, creating a snapping action. Importantly, in the locked position of the latch 42 each leg exhibits a steep rise, for example 45 degrees, relative to the slot 46. When the latch 42 is opened, the slope at this point in the rise attempts to resist opening. When the latch 42 passes through this steep slope, the slope reverses and becomes gentler, providing a slight aid in opening. However, since frictional resistance is generated between the legs 47, 48, 49 and the slot 46 over almost the entire length of the sloped portion when it is not steep, an external force is required to move the latch 42 into the locked position shown in FIG. is always needed.
When locking latch 42, the oblique portion has the opposite effect. The gentler the slope, the more it resists the lock operation, and the steeper the slope, the more it assists the lock operation. In the locked position, the steeper the slope, the more the latch 42 is held in the locked state against release.
Even in the locked position, the leg of the latch 42 and the wall boundary slot 4
6, which holds the latch 42 firmly in place and prevents wear. latch 4
The leading edge 50 of segment 2 is chamfered upward, and the leading edge 50 of segment 2
It is configured to apply a wedge effect to the bead 51 of No. 2. On the other hand, a cam surface 53 is formed on the lower surface side of the bead 51 and is inclined downward and radially outward. The latch is also heat treated. The latch includes impingement portions 62 and 54 that abut against the vertical walls 4 to limit movement of the latch radially inward toward the center of rotation of the gutter brush and prevent tip portion 50 from falling out of slot 44. is prevented. Movement in the opposite direction is restricted by segment 22. However, a locking pin 55 may be provided to prevent the latch from being pulled out of the holder 20.
As best seen in FIG. 5, an auxiliary pin 57 may be provided to ensure that the latch 42 fully secures the segment 22 in place. If the latch 42 is out of position, the three holes 59 provided in the latch, the support plate 14, and the horizontal connection part 38 of the holder 20 will not line up.
The auxiliary pin 57 will not match the hole 59. The upper plate portion 24 of the holder 20 has recesses 56 and 58, which constitute support pads for the segments 22, as will be described later. The support between the segment 22 and the upper plate part 24 is also provided by the segment 2.
This can be done from the pad on 2. The latch 42 is provided with a through hole 60 for receiving a rod for opening and closing the holder 20. This comb is designated 61 in FIG. The support plate 14 has an opening 62 and accommodates this shank 61. The lever 61 is provided with a through hole 6 as a lever by the support plate 14.
0 wall, the latch 42 can be moved radially in or out of the center of rotation of the rotating brush to remove or install the segment 22. In plan view, the holder 20 is attached to 36 of the bristles of the brush.
They are wedge-shaped so that they can be placed next to each other to form a 0 degree ring. Both the holder 20 and the segments 22 are sufficiently small to accommodate support plates 14 of different diameters and to provide a 360 degree range of bristles. The lateral sides of the segments 22 extend slightly laterally outwardly than the outside of the holder. Segment 22 is shown in FIGS. 3-6.

The segments are made from a plastic material such as high-density polyethylene as an integral part. As will become more apparent later, the segments 22 mounted within the holder 20 are elastically deformed to seat them securely. Segment elasticity and segment 22
The space provided by the recesses 56 and 58 between the holder 20 and the top plate 24 of the holder 20 allows for good seating of the segment in the holder even with large tolerances between the holder and the segment. Generally, segment 22 comprises a body portion 70 having a plurality of longitudinal holes 72, 74 and 76. The wells are each configured to open into a pair of downwardly directed and radially outwardly extending passageways through which the brush bristles extend. Two of the two pairs of passageways are designated 80 and 82 in FIGS. 3-6. Each well has four pairs of passages. The leading edge of the passageway is chamfered as shown by reference numeral 84, so that the groove can be easily installed. The passages are arranged in two arcuate rows, and the finished gutter rotary brush of a plurality of segments 22 can be provided with two rows of radially arranged annular bristles. The front upper side of the main body part 70 is the holder 20
It has an overall wide-mouthed V-shape to accommodate the shape of the holder, and cooperates with the edge 26 of the holder to secure the segment 22 therein.

The V-shaped iron surfaces of the holder 20 and the segment 22 connect them together and mutually fix them to the stereotactic layer.
The shapes of the main body 70 and the holder 20 described here may be other than V-shaped, for example, arc-shaped, but if they are V-shaped, a considerable tolerance can be provided between the holder and the segment. Also, the production becomes very cumbersome. The distal end of the holder includes a pair of radially extending external flanges 86.
It is formed by A pair of pockets 87 are defined at the top by flanges 86 and receive flanges 28 on edge 26 of the holder.

The circumferential ends of the pockets 87 are closed by the radial end walls 89 of the segments. These end walls 89 extend slightly in the radial direction beyond the flange 86 in order to protect the edge 26 of the holder from stones and the like, and also to strengthen the rotational connection between the holder and the segments. .
In the proper position, the circumferential end of the green 26 of the holder can lie inside and support the end wall 89 of the segment. Guide lugs 32 are between pockets 87 and form the inner ends thereof. This guide lug 32 is intended to engage the wall of a notch or recess 30 in the edge 26 of the holder. As previously mentioned, the guide lugs 32 position the segment relative to the holder and assist in the rotational coupling between the holder and the segment. The rotational connection between the holder and the segment along the leading edge is
an interference between the V-shaped flange of the segment and the V-shaped edge of the holder, a guide lug in the central notch of the holder, an end wall of the segment that is held against the front green end wall of the holder; or a combination thereof. When the segments are driven by the holder, one side or the other of the V-shaped mating saddle surfaces will engage, unless prevented by the guide lugs or end walls being tightly engaged with the holder. The segment and the holder are also rotationally coupled so that the complementary surfaces fit together during cleaning along the band of tight fit between the bead 51 of the segment and the sloped wall 36 of the holder. A pair of inwardly extending generally T-shaped support bosses 88 and 90 include
It engages support pads of the holder 20 formed by recesses 56 and 58 in the top plate of the holder.

A protector or bumper 92 extends radially outwardly from the body of the segment and protects the holder and support plate, which constitute the permanent mounting portion of the rotating brush, from hitting a flagstone or the like. Each pair of bristle receiving passages 80, 82 includes steel bristles 9 shown in FIG.
It supports a bunch of U-shaped steel bristles legs like 3. The bends in the U-shaped bristles form passageways 82 and replenishment passageways 96.
6, supported by radial webs between the passages, such as webs 94 between the passageways. The walls of the segments bounding and defining the bristle passages are relatively thin and sag slightly under the loads of cleaning operations, reducing fatigue weakening of the Okayama bristles. The bead 51 of the segment extends the width of the segment and has a rear surface that fits against the head sloping wall in order to reinforce the slope of the slanted wall 36 of the holder. As best shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the segment 22 and holder 2, recess 5
There is a gap around 8. This gap allows the segment to bend elastically and to fit securely in the holder according to tolerances. As clearly shown in FIG. 4, the bead 51 is
The front side 50 of the latch is deformed upward at a portion indicated by the reference numeral 101. This elastic deformation and the inclined wall 36
The sloping surface causes the segment to engage the holder over the width of the latch 42 and the width of the front surface of the segment.
The inner radial end of the segment 22 (when attached to the rotating brush) is defined by a bead 51 extending at right angles to the radius of curvature of the two rows of bristle receiving channels. When the segment 22 is installed on the holder 20', the bead 51 extends in length and is pushed into contact with the inclined wall 36. The bead 51 is connected to the rest of the segment via a web 102, which at its outer edge bounds the inner walls of the wells 72, 74, 76. The holder and the segment are configured so that substantially all of the cleaning load is borne by the holder. That is, the relationship between the segment and the holder is such that there is substantially no unsupported longitudinal portion of the segment, and the holder supports the segment along substantially all of its inner and outer radial sides. It has been done. A gap may be provided between adjacent segments on the circumference due to tolerances. Each holder and segment is thus viewed as structurally independent from the other members. When it is desired to install a new segment with new bristles, insert the rod 61 into the appropriate one of the ports 62 of the support plate 14 and insert the hole 6 of the latch 42 to bring the latch into the released position. .

The latch leg is then deformed and passes through the narrow slot 46 to the released position shown in FIG. The segment can then be easily removed by rotating clockwise in FIG. To install a new bristle segment, the pocket 87 of the segment can be inserted into the flange 28 of the green 26. The center of gravity of the new segment and bristles is swung up by the rotation of the rotating brush and the latch 4
The front edge 501 of 2 allows the segment to fully advance into position for locking, but with worn segments and Okayama hair, the center of gravity does not act to seat the segment in the holder as well. Will. When inserting a new set of bristled segments, the guide lugs 32 of the segments must correspond to the intermediate notches 30 of the holder. It is desirable to remove all segments before updating any segment. Also,
Latch by using the latch and the rod 61 with the support plate as the fulcrum. It should be noted that there are considerable mechanical advantages to moving to either the locked or released position.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to one preferred embodiment, the spirit and scope of the claims are not necessarily limited to this description.

As described above, the present invention satisfactorily achieves the original purpose. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below.

'a} The bead 51 protrudes from the main portion of the main body 22, the lower surface of the bead is defined by a cam surface 53 provided at the lower outer edge of the bead, and the bead has a certain degree of elasticity to allow the latch member to 42. A gutter brush segment according to claim 1, wherein the gutter brush segment is slightly deflected upward by a force of 42.

'b} Gutter brush according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper outer edge of the bead is defined by an inclined surface, the inclined surface abutting neatly against the opposite inclined wall of the overlying holder. segment for.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above of a rotary brush for road gutter constructed according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a holder with segments according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing how the latch of the holder holds the segments in place. A longitudinal front view taken along line 3--3 of Figure 2 showing the segment in the holder before it is secured; Figure 4 shows the latch securing the segment in place, with the segment deformed into a pupil and the legs of the latch; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional front view that is approximately the same as Fig. 3, with the pin locked in its fixed position, and Fig. 5 is a view that is substantially the same as Fig. 4. 6 is a top plan view of a segment according to the invention; FIG. 10... Rotating brush body, 12... Drive shaft, 14... Support plate, 20... Holder,
22...Segment, 26...Edge, 32.
...Guidance lug, 42...Latch, 51.
... recesses forming beads 56, 58 support pads, 8
7... groove, 93... bristles. It's evening.Yuso 2 It's evening. 8 Tatayu. Ending with Yuta. Evening sunset

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A segment for a gutter brush, wherein the body of the segment 22 is made of an elastic material and extends outward from the body along an arcuate path over the entire length of the body at an oblique angle with respect to a transverse plane passing through the body. A plurality of bristles 9 extending and fixed
3, the outer side of the body is spaced laterally from the arcuate path in one direction within the cross section, and the inner side is spaced apart laterally from the arcuate path in one direction within the cross section; an outwardly directed groove located laterally spaced from the arcuate path and further on the outside of the body for receiving the edge of a holder supporting the segment; A segment for a gutter brush, characterized in that it is formed with a bead 51 which is engaged on its underside by a latch member 42 which moves towards the outside of the body and firmly engages the segment in the holder.