US1325296A - Street-sweeping machine - Google Patents

Description

B. KERN.

STREET SWEEPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19. 1914.

1 ,325,296 Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

Qvi l'ucmca:

' uNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD KERN, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

STREET-SWEEPING MACHINE.

foreign matter as may be cleaned from a' street or road surface directly beneath the machine in its travel across said surface, but ada ted to also collect matter disposed laterally of the machine, usually the gutter portions of a street, into which gutter portions it is impracticable to drive a heavy machine.

My invention embraces the employment of a brush ada ted to loosen from the street surface the re use deposited thereon, and to throw such released matter into the range of influence of a volume of air adapted to travel upwardly through a nozzle and conduit of proper shape and be discharged with the products carried thereby into a dust separating and collecting mechanism.

The invention further contemplates in connection with the foregoing elements, a nozzled air conduit projecting laterally from the machine adapted to'be placed in operative association with such places as street gutters, and in this instance the nozzle may be used alone or be also associated with a brush for initially loosening the material from the street surface.

When using a moving volume of air as the elevating and carrying medium for street refuse and dust, the density of air must "be maintained uniform throughout its travel in performing its lifting function, which correspondingly involves the maintenance of a uniform combined area in the air nozzles and conducting portions, as compared to the like area of the trunk or main conductor into which the conduits from the two or more nozzles open. Therefore, the invention further involves the combination of a plurality of air nozzles and conduits leading to a common trunk or main'conductor, the area of the main conductor being uniform throughout and the combined areas Specification of Letters latent.

Application filed November 1 9, 1914;. Serial No. 878,004.

of the several conduits being equally uniform throughout the extent of the same, so that the travel of the volume of air, whether through the single or main conductor or divided through the branch conduits, will be the same at all times throughout its course, so that there will be no stagnation of the volume of air and the refuse borne thereby at any point, which would permit the air to lose its hold on the refuse, and thereby permit a deposit of the latter in the conduit and accumulations subsequently added thereto, resulting in the clogging of the apparatus.

In the accompanylng drawings, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, and the characteristics of the same above outlined, together with many other improved details in construction and arrangement of parts will be apparent from an inspection of said drawings in connection with the specific description hereinafter contained.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a street sweeping machine, shown merely in a fragmentary way, suflicient only to make clear an understanding of the present improvements.

Fig. 2=is a detached elevation of the gutter brush, associated parts being broken away, looking toward the front or direction of travel of the machineindicated by the arrow, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a face view of a slightly modified form of nozzle.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views, A represents a rotary sweeper brush driven by suitable gearing from a drive shaft B, operative from any suitable source of power, as a motor A mounted upon the frame B of the machine, and which brush is designed to loosen the material from the street surface and throw the same within the influence of a lifting and conveying volume of air passing through the mouth C of a nozzle D arranged in close proximity to the brush, the air being given its movement by a suitable'fan, the blades and eye of which are shown in dotted lines at E, and from which the dust laden air is discharged through a pipe. F to any point desired, for further treatment or deposit. The nozzle D opensto a cylindrical trunk or main conduit G, which leads to the fan casing, said trunk being of uniform cross sectional area throughout, the lower end of the trunk being flattened and elongated to conform to the upper end of the nozzle.

The broom is supported upon arms H piv otally mounted upon the shaft B at opposite ends of the broom, and said broom is counterbalanced in its action through the medium of weights 1 on pivoted levers 1 associated therewith, as shown.

The brush and nozzle-mechanism thus far described is designed to remove the refuse from the street, as it is found directly be neath the machine in the travel thereof over the street-surface, and to enable similar cleaning of the gutters, or, ortions of the street laterally of the machine, the following means are furnished, to wit: J is a revolving gutter brush projecting beyond the side of the machine and having its axis arranged preferably at an angle to the line of travel of the machine. This gutter brush is adapted and arranged for travel next to the curb, in the gutter, and to throw the contents of the gutter away from the curb and into the path of the main brush A. The brush J is journaled and partly inclosed within hood or case K, which incloses the upper part of the brush in any well known and approved manner.

The broom with its said hood K is pivotally mounted in a bearing L in such manner as to permit it to oscillate.

M is a frame in which the bearing L, above referred to is formed. This frame is also provided with separated bearingsll loosely mounted so as to slide to a limited extent upon the driven shaft B, the shaft constituting a pivotal support for the frame. The frame M is mounted beneath the machine and on the intermediate portion of said shaft B between the pivoted broom supporting arms H, the frame nor mally occupying a position inclining rearwardly and downwardly from the shaft B, or awayfrom the direction of travel of the machine.

Adjustably secnred to the shaft B by means of a set screw or the like is an abutment or block (1, between which and the right hand bearing N of the frame a spring P is interposed spirally wound around the shaft B. The block just referred to forms a stop for the adjacent end of the spring P so that the normal expanding action of the spring, engaging at its opposite end the outer or right hand bearing N, will force the frame M outwardly and project the broom J carried thereby to the right of the machine in position to brush the gutter, the spring enabling the gutter-brush to yield should the end of the brush contact with the curb and 'tend to break or impair'the device,

masses The block 0 is adjustable to initially compress the spring, as desired, against the outer bearing N, it being understood that the latter positions against the inner face of the outer swinging arm H or fixed parts immediately adjoining the same, as will be readily appreciated. Connected with the shaft B and'with the shaft of the broom J is a'fiexible shaft Q, of any approved character Which,when the shaft B is rotated, imparts a like motion to the brush J. It is the left hand end of the shaft B to which the flexible shaft Q is applied,-see Fig. 2.

At a suitable point to receive the dust thrown upwardly by the gutter brush, the hood K is merged into a nozzle R having an elongated narrow mouth 7*, merging into a conduit S which communicates with and discharges into the front side of the mouth piece or nozzle D, as indicated at T. The conduit S is preferably in the natureof a flexible hose, as will be obvious. The purpose of the hose is, of course, to conduct the dust elevated by the gutter brush and discharge the same with the air acting as its vehicle into the mouth-piece of the main conduit (1-.

The conduit S and the nozzle or moutl piece 7* thereof, though of diderent outline to suit the conditions and relations of the parts, is in cross section of the same area throughout, as is also the case with the mouth-piece D, the latter mouth-piece below the point of admission from the conduit S thereto being slightly reduced in its cross sectional area relative to the trunk or main conduit G to compensate for the area of the conduit S and its nozzle, to the end that the combined cross sectional areas .of the said nozzles will be the same as the area of the conduit G, common to both. This enables both nozzles to be properly furnished with the desired volume of lifting and conveying air, the action of which will be uniform throughout and to the fan E, as distinguished from an instance where the air in other forms and devices as may be in keeping with the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a street sweeper, a conduit, means for sweepin the material to said conduit, a gutter brus a hood for said gutter brush,

and a conduit leading from said hood to I the said first mentioned conduit.

2. In a street sweeper, a conduit, means for sweeping material to said conduit, a

gutter brush, a hood for said gutter brush, and a conduit leading from said hood to the said first mentioned conduit, in combination with instrumentalities for yieldably presssaid 'utter brush toward the curb of the gutter W ile preserving operative relation, between. its hood and the conduits.

3. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor, a brush in rear of said mouth piece, a rotary gutter brush arranged 1n advance of the mouth piece, a hood for said gutter brush arranged to receive a portlon of the material from the brush, and an auxiliary conduit leading from said hood to said first mentioned conduit.

4. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor, a brush in rear of said mouth piece, a rotary gutter brush arranged in advance of the mouth piece, means for driving said gutter brush, a hood for said gutter brush, and an auxiliary conduit leading from said hood to the first mentioned conduit, in combination with a suction creating device common to both of said cleaners.

5. In a street sweeping machine, an exhaust fan, a conduit leading thereto, a driven shaft, a gutter brush supported from said shaft adapted to project laterally of the machine. a hood for said brush, connections between the shaft and the brush for operatin duit leading from said hood to said conduit.

6. In a street cleaning machine, the combination with a main pneumatic cleaner, of

and auxiliary pneumatic curb cleaner, 2. common operating means for creating the volume of air for rendering effective both of said cleaners, said operating means including the fan, a main conduit leading thereto, and branch conduits leading to the intakes of the respective cleaners, the combined areas of the branch conduits being uniform throughout and of the same corresponding area as the main conduit, substantially as described.

7. In a street cleaning machine, the combination with a main pneumatic cleaner having a nozzle, of an auxiliary pneumatic curb cleaner including a hood portion, means for effecting the actuation of the pneumatic cleaners. and a flexible conduit leading from the hood to said nozzle.

8. In a street cleaning machine, the combination with a main pneumatic cleaner having a nozzle, of an auxiliary pneumatic curb cleaner including a hood portion, means for effecting the actuation of the pneumatic cleaners, and a flexible conduit leading from the hood to said nozzle, in combination with a brush associated with said auxiliary cleaner.

9. In a street cleaning machine, the combination with a main pneumatic cleaner having a nozzle, of an auxiliary pneumatic curb c the brush, and a flexible air con-.

cleaner including a hood portion, means for effecting the actuation of the pneumatic cleaners, a flexible conduit leading from said hood to said nozzle, and a flexible drive connection leading from the machine to the brush of the auxiliary cleaner.

10. In a street cleaning machine, the combination with means for creating a collectin and conveyingcurrent of air, of a movab e cleaner includin a hood adapted to be operated laterally o the machine frame, and a flexible conduit extending from said nozzle to said collecting means.

11. Ina streetcleaning machine, the combination with means for creating a collectin and conveyingcurrent of air, of a movab e cleaner including a hood adapted to be operated laterally of the machine frame, and a flexible conduit extendin from said hood to said collecting means, in combination. with means for loosening the matter on the surface of the street within the range of influence of said nozzle.

12. In a street sweeper, a conduit, means for sweeping material to said conduit from beneath the sweeper, a gutter brush, a hood for said' gutter brush, a conduit leading from said hood to the said first mentioned conduit, in combination with instrumentalit1es for yieldably pressing said tter brush toward the curb of the gutter w ile preserving operative relation between its hood and the conduits, and means permittin oscillation of the brush, substantially as escribed.

13. In a street sweeper, a conduit, means for sweeping material to said conduit from beneath the sweeper, a gutter brush, a hood for said gutter brush, a conduit leading from said hood to the said first mentioned conduit, in combination with instrumentalities for yieldably pressing said gutter brush toward the curb of the gutter while preserving operative relation between its hood and the conduits, and means permittin the brush to swing, substantially as described.

14.. In a street sweeper, a conduit, means for sweeping material to said conduit from beneath the sweeper, a gutter brush, a hood for said gutter brush, a conduit leading from said hood to the said first mentioned conduit, in combination with instrumentalities for yieldably pressing said gutter brush toward the curb of the gutter while preserving operative relation between its hood and the conduits, and means permitting the brush to swing and oscillate, substantially as described.

15. In a street sweeper, a conduit, means for feeding the material to said conduit, a gutter brush, and yieldable means normally forcin said gutter brush outwardly.

16. n a street sweeper, a conduit, means for feeding the material to said conduit, a

gutter brush, and yieldable means normally for the gutter brush and a conduit leading from said hood to said first mentioned conduit.

17. In a street sweeping machine, the combination with a main pneumatic cleaner of an auxiliary pneumatic curbcleaner having a hood portion, auxiliary means for normally maintaining" the curb cleaner beyond the machine frame, means for effecting the operation of said cleaner, and a flexible eenduii: leading from the auxiliary cleaner 00 said main pneumatic Gleaner.

w 18. lin a street sweeping machine, the cembination with a main pneumatic cleaner, of

neaaaee an auxiliary pneumatic curh cleaner having a hood portion auxiliary means for normally maintaining the curb cleaner beyond the machine frame, means for efiecting the operation of said cleaner, and a flexible conduit leading from the auxiliary cleaner to saicl main pneumatic cleaner, and flexible means fer eperating the auxiliary cleaner.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signaturein the presence of two Witnesses.

BERNARD KERN. Witnesses N. WERNER,

l), Rene.

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