US1212183A - Street sweeping and cleaning implement. - Google Patents

Description

M. P. BRUMBAUGH. STREET ,SWEEPING ANDYCLEANING IMPLEMENT. APPLICATION FlL ED APR.25. 1.91s. 7 1 21%183, Patented Jan. 16,1917;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Suva H01 'NETE s rarnr on in STREET SWEEPING AND CLEANING IMPLEMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Jan. '16, 1917. V

Application filed April 25, 1916. Serial N 0. 93,505.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN P. BRUM- BAUGH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 1210 Broadway, Juniata, in the county of Blair and State of ennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street Sweeping and Cleaning Implements, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to street sweeping and cleaning devices.

One object is to provide a closed street sweeper or cleaning device embodying a dirt conveying mechanism and a brush mechanism having a plurality of spaced rows of brushes in combination with a plurality of independently movable elements interposed between the dirt conveying mechanism and the brush mechanism over which and in contact with which the brushes contact or sweep so as to sweep the heavier particles lifted by the brush mechanism over the same and onto the conveyer mechanism without danger ofthe lifted dirt finding its way between the movable elements or to the side of the machine beyond the closure of the structure.

Another object resides inthe provision of plurality of dirt or dust receiving members mounted for rocking movement and interposed between the brush mechanism and the conveyer mechanism to causethe dirt lifted by the brush mechanism to be carried onto the conveyer mechanism andv to prevent the dirt lifted by the brush mechanism from being conveyed to the side of the machine.

A still further object is to provide a plue rality of independent, swingingly mounted dirt or dust receiving members disposed at the lower end of the conveyer mechanism to provide in effect for a continuation of the conveyer mechanism at the lower end of the latter. These dust receiving elements normally contact withthe ground and by virtue of their peculiar mounting, they are not hindered inthe performance of their functions incident to contact with obstacles or because of any inequalities or unevenness in the surface of the street.

vVith the above and other objects in View, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion and minor details without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of sweeping mechanism connected up with a conveyance designed to transport the matters swept up by the discharge from the sweeping mechanism into the same, Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view through the form of sweeping mechanism illustrated detached from the transportation vehicle, Fig. 3 is a rear elevation partly in section, illustrating the drive gear, Fig. 41: is a detail perspective view disclosing in detail the dirt or dust receiving members and their manner of operation, Fig. 5 is a sectional view through one of the dirt or dust receiving members; and Fig. 6

or dust receiving members.

.Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings the reference character-A indicates a sweeper which is pivotally connected by a tonguelO to a truck or other vehicle 11 fat the point-12.

he sweeper mechanism may be in the nature of an animal drawn implement or of the hand operated type, and in either event the same would embody a casing '13 and would preferably have a cylindrical enlargement 14- at its rear with its forward upper portion formedto provide a neck 15 terminating in a; spout 16, the mouth of which may be inclosed by a flap 17 positioned on the vehicle 11 so as to prevent the particles of matter collected by the sweeper mechanism from being scattered about upon a street when the collected matter is being deposited on the vehicle 11.

Drive wheels 18 support the casing 13, the wheels being mounted upon transversely alined stub axles 19 extending into the casing. A drive gear 20 and a sprocket 21 are carried at tie inner ends of the stub axles.

large gear 22 is carried on one or both sides of the casing and secured to the adjacent ground wheel or stub axle, the same adapted to mesh with a pinion 23 mounted on the proj eating end of an upper transverse shaft 24: having suitable bearings 25 in the casing wall.

The shaft 2a is designed to drive suitable fanning mechanism indicated generally by the character B, the same being mounted on a vertical shaft 26 in the upper portion of the casing 13 above a horizontal partition 27. This partition has an opening 28 to provide an inlet for the fanning mechanism B, the shaft 21 extending centrally through said opening 28 and at its lower end provided with a beveled pinion 29 adapted to mesh with a similarily formed gear 30 carried on the aforesaid shaft 24:-

A drum G is interposed in the lower portion of the casing 13, it being mounted upon the transverse shaft 31 which has its end slidably mounted in the slightly curved slots 32. The drum G includes circular end rlms 33 connected by the spaced slats 34:. Elongated brushes 35 are secured to the slats 3a and are preferably of such lengths as to contact with the surface of the street when the drum is rotated about the shaft 31.

v A gear 36 is secured to the shaft 31 adjacent one extremity of the latter and meshes with the aforesaid gear 20 carried by the stub axle 19 whereby the drum C is driven from the drive wheel axle in the direction of travel of the machine and in a direction opposite to the rotation of the wheels 18.

A conveyer D is mounted in the forward portion of the casing 13, and as shown, this conveyer is preferably in the form of an endless sprocket chain 37 provided with transverse ribs or slats 38 and adapted to revolve upon sprockets carried by the upper and lower shafts 39 and 40 interposed transversely of the casing 13. The shaft 39 is interposed over the inner end of the spout 16, while the shaft a0 is arranged relatively close to the ground.

The conveyer mechanism D may be driven in any suitable manner. As shown, it is operated by a suitable driving connection 41 leading from the aforesaid sprocket 21 over an idler 42 and also over a picker bar 43 to a sprocket on the shaft 40. The picker bar &3 is designed as a cleaning device to operate upon the brushes 35. If desired, a further brush cleaning element may be provided in the nature of a brush 4d carried at the outer end of a partition or other suitable element 45 so that during operation of the machine the brushes may be cleaned and the dust caused thereby drawn to the upper portion of the casing by the fanning mechanism and the dirt orheavier particles taken up by the conveyer D.

In order that the dirt and other substances lifted from the street may not be swept sidewise of the machine and to insure that such matter which is not lifted by the fanning mechanism B be deposited on the conveyer D, I provide a plurality of dirt or dust receiving members E which I dispose between the rotatable drum C and the lower end of the conveyer D. My improved dirt or dust receiving members are formed alike and are arranged side by side and preferably suspended from their inner ends from a transverse shaft 4:6 shown as positioned slightly above and slightly in the rear of the aforesaid shaft 34.. The lower ends of the members E are adapted to be drawn along the street and are preferably of such length as to permit a plurality of brushes 2 1 to ride upwardly over the same during operation of the machine and each may swing independently of another on said shaft l6 by means of cars d7 formed at the inner upper ends of the members E. By virtue of the independently loose mounting of the members E on the shaft 4E6 any unevenness or inequalities or obstacles encountered in the roadway will permit such members E as contact therewith to swing without causing adjacent members E to be lifted from engagement with the surface of the street.

When one or more members E are rocked on the shaft 4:6 because of the conditions just referred to, there might be danger of dirt being swept by the brushes 24: between the side edges of the rocked members E and the scoops adjacent thereto with the result that the dirt swept or forced between the side edges of the members E would be left on the street. To obviate this possibility, I form the members E in a peculiar manner and the peculiarity in form provides also for the strengthening of the members E as will be apparent. To these ends each member E is provided with a curved or concaved body portion 48 having upwardly directed side flanges &9 which taper from the outer to the inner end of the body of the member E, all of the side flanges of the members E lying normally side by side in alinement under normal conditions. Each body of each mem ber E has on its under side along its longitudinal edges flanges 50 which taper from the inner end of the body to the outer end thereof and the lower flanges 50 of the members E lie normally in alinement across the machine under normal conditions. The result is that the flanges 4:9 and 50 strengthen the bodies of the dirt or dust receiving members E and in the event that one scoop should be rocked upwardly incident to contact with an obstruction or if one member E should drop into a cavity in the road-way or street the flanges of such member E would coact in overlapping relation with the flanges of adjacent scoops to prevent the passage of dirt between the lifted or lowered scoop and the members E adjacent thereto. The members E may be formed in various ways, but as shown, each scoop is composed of two members 6 and f which are riveted together or otherwise secured together as indicated at g, the member 6 carrying the flanges 49 and the member f carrying the flanges 50. Thus, by disposition of the transverse shaft 26 and the members E mounted to rock thereon being disposed between the lower end of the conveyor mechanism D and under the front portion of the brush carrying drum C, the heavier particles lifted from the street by the brushes are caused to be carried directly onto the conveyer mechanism D and carried by the latter to the upper portion of the casing 13 and finally discharged I provide means for liftin the brush carrying drum and the brushes and also the members E clear of the surface of the street in the event that it is desired to transport the lever from one place to another .without operating the machine for street cleaning purposes. To lift the brush carrying drum from operative engagement with the surface of the street any suitable means may be provided, but as shown, I fulcrum a bell crank lever 51 on one or both of the stub angles 19, the angular arm it of the lever 51 carrying the extremity of the shaft 31 so as to move the shaft 31 in the curved slot 52 in which the shaft 31 is mounted. The outer end of the lever or levers 51 has a grip lever 53 pivoted thereon and to which is connected a slidable dog 54 adaptedto engage interchangeably the teeth of the curved rack 55 so as to hold the shaft 31 in adjusted position in the curved slots 52, whereby the brush carrying drum may be adjusted and held in adjusted positions with relation to the surface of the street.

The members E may be lifted off of the surface of the street in any suitable manner, but as shown, this may be accomplished by a rod 56 slidably mounted in brackets 57 secured to the side of the casing 13 and at its inner end having a loose connection with a rock shaft 58 provided with the offset portion 59 whereby manipulation of the rod 56 will provide for a raising or lowering of the members E.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the lighter particles of matter caused to be lifted from the surface of the street under the action of my improved sweeper will be lifted by the fanning mechanism A through the opening 28 in the partition 27 and blown toward the upper inner end of the casing 13 and out through the discharge spout 16 and that the heavier particles will be swept up and over the members E onto the conveyer mechanism D.

through the spout 16.

Various changes may be made in the form and arrangements of parts so long as such material departure in the structure, is not made as will depart from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The essential part of my invention resides in the peculiar formation, location and ar rangement of the dirt or dust receiving members E.

What I claim is- 1. In a street sweeping and cleaning implement, the combination with a sweeping mechanism, of an apron mounted on the implement consisting of a plurality of swingingly mounted dirt or dust receiving members whose free ends normally contact with the surface of the street, each of said members having upstanding and depending side flanges.

2. In a street sweeping and cleaning implement, the combination with a sweeping mechanism, of an apron plement consisting of a plurality of swingingly mounted dirt or dust receiving memers whose free ends normally contact with the surface of the street, each of said members having a slightly concaved body portion and upstanding and depending side flanges which slidably overlap the flanges of adjacent members whereby upon swingingmovement of any of the said members, the dust and dirt are carried upwardly over the members and prevented from being forced between the members or beyond the sides of the members.

3. In a street sweeping and cleaning implement, the combination with a sweeping mechanism, of anapron consisting of a plurality of dirt or dust receiving members whose rear ends normally drag along the surface of the street, each of said members having upstanding tapering side flanges and also having depending tapering side flanges, the flanges of each memberbeing slidable over the flanges of adjacent members.

1. In a street sweeping and cleaning implement, the combination with a sweeping mechanism, of a horizontal shaft carried on the implement, and an apron consisting of a plurality of dirt or dust receiving memiers swingingly mounted on said shaft and whose rear ends normally drag along the surface of the street, whereby said members may swing on said shaft upon striking an obstruction or when falling into a depression in the surface of the street, each of said members having upstanding and depending flanges at its sides, and means for lifting the rear ends of said members together out of contact with the surface of the street. 7

5. In a street sweeping and cleaning implement, the combination with a sweeping mechanism, of a shaft mounted on the immounted on the im-' plement, and'zm apron consisting of a pluconnection of the respective dust receiving rality of dirt and dust receiving members, member on said shaft.

the body portion of each of which includes In testimony whereof I afiix my signature slightly concaved upper and lower portions in the presence of two Witnesses;

' secured together, the upper portion havlng upstanding side fiangesand the lowerpor- MARTIN BRUMBAUGH' tion of each of said members having dependlVitnesses: ing side flanges, one of said body portions I. F. DAVIS, formed to provide an ear for a swinging JOHN MGCULLOCH.

Copies of this natent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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