US3349421A - Carpet sweeper - Google Patents

Description

CARPET SWEEPER Filed July 27, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Iii [QM $01M 7 M ozlkr Oct. 31, 1967 o. SMYTH ET AL CARPET SWEEPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 27, 1965 Oct. 31, 1967 p. SMYTH ET AL r 3,349,421

CARPET SWEEPER Filed July 27, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 aerbwi 6% PM M zz- Oct. 31, 1967 u. SMYTH ET AL CARPET 'SWEEPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 27, 1965 IYL' 6 United States Patent 3,34,421 CARPET SWEEPER Donald 'Smyth, Forbes, South Australia, and Paul Eastcott Robinson, South Payneham, South Australia, Australia, assignors to S. A. Brush Company Limited, Albert Park, South Australia, Australia Filed July 27, 1965, Ser. No. Claims priority, application Australia, July 30, 1964, 47,580/ 64 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-48) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an improved carpet sweeper.

Many forms of carpet sweepers have been proposed heretofore, these usually operating on the common principle of utilising a plurality of driving wheels, preferably four, which actuate a brush which is arranged to be in contact with the ground and is disposed between pans which can be hinged in such a manner that normally matter swept by the brush on to these pans can be removed by swinging the pans to a releasing position, combs being used where necessary to ensure that the material which is gathered by the brush will be removed from the brush and deposited in the pans. V

The present invention relates generally to this type of sweeper, but certain objects have been aimed at which not only increase the operating efliciency. of the carpet sweeper but also simplify the construction and generally provide a unit which has a number of advantages over the sweepers known heretofor One of the objects of the invention is to prevent undue pressure of the brush on the carpet which usually occurs due to the particular mounting of the wheels of the sweeper which are loaded to engage the brush and I0- tate it.

A further object is to so mount the combs which keep the brush clear that they are positioned for most efi'ective action of the combs during sweeping.

A still further object is to attain a construction which will have good strength coupled with simple mechanical features.

The first of these objects is achieved by mounting the ground-engaging wheels of the sweeper on shafts on each side of the brush which are guided in a frame of the sweeper to have a substantially horizontal movement When the sweeper is in use, the movement being towards and away from the brush, and to spring load them so that they are urged towards the brush to cause the wheels to engage rollers on the brush.

The second object is achieved by rotating the shafts With the wheels and frictionally engaging the combs thereon so that the combs tilt according to the direction of movement of the sweeper, the combs being thus moved into maximum operative position in relation to the brush at the correct time.

The third and further objects are achieved by using a main frame having a pair of end plates which support the wheel axles in their correct functional position and also support the handles and the collection pans, these end plates being joined to end covers which extend over the outside of the wheels, the end covers removably supporting the brush.

By means of these features pressure on the body of the sweeper exerted through the handle does not change the position of the brush in relation to the carpet or the like excepting for the amount which the wheels can sink into the carpet, in that the brush maintains a fixed height in relation to the ground-engaging wheels of the sweeper, yet each of the wheels is free to move towards the brush to ensure adequate driving contact with the roller on each side of the brush, but the foremost pair of rollers will tend to exert the main drive because the pressure on them due to forward motion of the carpet sweeper assists to urge them into contact with the driving rollers of the brush whereas the rearmost pair of wheels tends to lessen its contact due to the forward motion of the sweeper tending to move these wheels away from contact with the rollers on the brush.

Also the combs oscillate with reversal of movement of the sweeper to contact the brush only on the stroke where they are correctly positioned to be most effective.

To enable the invention to be fully appreciated an embodiment, to which the invention need not be limited, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sweeper,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section of same in line 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an end elevation on line 3-3 without the cover,

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section on line 44 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of one end of the sweeper showing the relationship of the main parts,

FIG. 6 is a similar view to FIG. 2 but of a modified Spring arrangement and with the brush driving roller only shown, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section of a modified comb.

Referring first to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive:

A pair of end plates 1 have slots 2 through them in which the bearings 3 for the shafts 4 of the wheels 5 rotate, the slots 2 being radial to the brush 6 so that the shafts 4 can move towards or away from the brush. In normal operation these slots are horizontal. Springs 7 hold the bearings 3 in contact with the driving rollers 8 on the brush, these end plates 1 also supporting the handle bracket 9 which engages apertures 10 in the end plates. End cover plates 11 extend over the outsides of the wheels, these end cover plates having bearings 12 on them to support the brush, the end cover plates 11 being flexible, preferably being formed of plastic, so that by moving them apart, apertures in the ends of the stock 13 of the brush 6 will disengage from the brush so that the brush can be withdrawn from the unit for cleaning or other purposes. 7

The end cover plates 11 are held the required distance apart by frame members 15 which engage brackets 16 secured to the end cover plates 11 the length of these frame members 15 fixing the width of the sweeper. Extensions 17 on the brackets 16 are attached to the end plates 1.

A cover 19 extends over the top of this unit and has metal keepers 20 which have slots 21 for the handle bracket 9 to project therethrough. The handle 22 is joined to the bracket 9 by a moulding 23. The keepers 20 also hold down in position a soft plastic moulding 25 which extends around the four sides of the sweeper and form the buffer means which ensure that if the sweeper contacts furniture or the like there will be no damage caused by such contact.

The pans 27 are arranged on each side of the brush 6 near the ground level and are connected to the end plates 1 by hinge pins 28 disposed at their inner part and are independently opened when required by gripping their outer ends and swinging the outer ends of the pans downwardly. One end of the springs 7, which are of elongated U-shaped, engage channels 30 in the pans while their other ends engage the bearings 3 as said, the springs passing over the tops of the end plates 1 through the notches 31, the bearings 3 being urged inwards to cause the wheels 5 to contact the driving rollers 8 of the brush as said.

The springs 7 thus provide the necessary driving friction on the brush 6 and also serve to hold the pans 27 in their closed position but allowing them to open against the spring pressure when required. The bearings 3 have slots 32 similar to the slots 30 into which the springs engage. Lugs 33 help to confine the springs 7 in their operating position, and also form stops for the combs on their inward movement, the slots 30 on the pans 27 ensuring that the springs are held against the lugs 33.

The combs 36 are mounted on the shafts 4 which are secured to the wheels 5 to be driven thereby. The two shafts 4 pass one in front of the brush 6 and the other behind the brush 6 and each of these shafts has a comb 4 engaged thereon by longitudinal slots 37 on the combs which slots have a depth such that they extend more than half-way around the shafts and are a sufficiently tight fit to move with the shafts until the combs strike stops 38, whereupon the frictional mounting of the combs 36 on the shafts 4 allows the combs to stop. In this way the foremost comb will be moved out of contact with the brush as the cleaner is pushed in this direction being then held against the stop 38 while the rearmost comb will be moved into contact with the brush because of the direction of rotation of the shaft 4 on which it is mounted. In this way it will be appreciated that a simple mechanism is provided which will only bring the appropriate, that is the trailing comb 36, into contact with the brush at the correct time.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 6, in which similar reference numerals are used, the spring 7 load the wheel bearings only and then have their ends 40 engaged around lugs 41 which also form the inward limit stops of the combs 36, while the pans 27 are held in position by independent springs 42 at each end the ends 43 of which engage apertures in the pans.

In the comb 36 shown in FIG. 7 the slotted boss 44 which engages the shaft 4 is closed by a member 45 welded or otherwise held in place but the arrangement is still proportioned to give the frictional loading of the comb on the shaft.

From the foregoing it will be realised that a unit is provided which has a number of improvements, one of these being that the height of the brush in relation to the wheels remains fixed so that there is no problem of overloading the brush by pushing it into a carpet or the like, and also because of the particular arrangement of the Wheels in relation to the brush an improved drive is achieved because the forward set of wheels is always the major driving unit with a rear set of wheels effecting a less drive when there is substantial drag on the sweeper, the combs being automatically moved into their correct position in relation to the motion of the sweeper by being frictionally held on the shafts of the wheels, which shafts rotate with the wheels, other advantages being the particular construction of the unit using the end plates and end cover plates as well as the outer protection means which ensure that not only does the unit have a very improved appearance, but also the protective means on it which save the furniture or the like are of a permanent nature and in fact form part of the cover.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particular embodiment of the invention may be restored to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. An improved carpet sweeper of the type comprising a frame, end members supported on the frame, wheels adjacent the end members supported on axles movable in the end members, a brush supported between the said axles, rollers on the brush, spring means urging the axles of the wheels towards the brush whereby to cause the Wheels to engage the rollers on the said brush, wherein the end members are attached to frame members which space the end members, and the frame members also support end cover plates to define a space on the outside of each end member in which the wheels are disposed, the axles of the wheels being carried in bearings slidably engaged in slots in the end members disposed on opposite sides of the brush and in a plane to cause the bearings to move substantially toward or away from the brush substantially parallel to the plane of movement of the sweeper when in use, pans disposed on each side of the brush to collect matter picked up by the brush, said pans being hingedly mounted on the end members and engaged by U-shaped springs passing over the end members and having one end engaged on the pans to normally hold them in a closed position and the other ends engaged on the bearings of the axles to urge them towards the brush, and means on the end members to hold the springs in place, whereby the movement of the axles is controlled to be substantially parallel to the plane of movement of the sweeper when in use whereby the driving load of the wheels on the brush does not materially alter the height of the brush in relation to the wheels but drive of the brush takes place principally by the forward wheels in any motion.

2. An improved carpet sweeper of the type comprising a frame, end members supported on the frame, wheels adjacent the end members supported on axles movable in the end members, a brush supported between the said axles, rollers on the brush, spring means urging the axles of the wheels towards the brush whereby to cause the wheels to engage the rollers on the said brush, wherein the movement of the axles is controlled to be substantially parallel to the plane of movement of the sweeper when in use whereby the driving load of the wheels on the brush does not materially alter the height of the brush in relation to the wheels but drive of the brush takes place principally by the forward wheels in any motion, and including combs engaging the axles of the Wheels and disposed one on each side of the brush, the combs frictionally engaging the axles and the axles being locked to the wheels so that so that rotation of the wheels and axles during use moves the combs to cause the correct comb only to be in contact with the brush for cleaning same, and stop means to limit the movement of the combs under influence of the frictional engagement with the axles.

3. An improved carpet sweeper of the type comprising a frame, end members supported on the frame, wheels adjacent the end members supported on axles movable in the end members, a brush supported between the said axles, rollers on the brush, spring means urging the axles of the wheels towards the brush whereby to cause the wheels to engage the rollers on the said brush, and means to receive matter collected by the brush, wherein the movement of the axles is controlled to be substantially parallel to the plane of movement of the sweeper when in use whereby the driving load of the wheels on the brush does not materially alter the height of the brush in relation to the wheels but drive of the brush takes place principally by the forward wheels in any motion, and the axles of the wheels are carried in bearings slidably engaged in slots in the end members, spring means engage the bearings of the axles to urge the bearings and thus the axles of the wheels towards the brush whereby to cause the wheels to engage the rollers on the brush, said axles nonrotationally engaging the wheels to be driven thereby,

combs disposed between the end plates on each side of the brush, said combs being frictionally held on the said axles and stop means to limit the movement of the combs as the axles rotate, whereby when the sweeper is moved in one direction the rearmost axle will move the comb which is frictionally held on it into engagement with the brush to clean said brush, but the comb on the opposite side is moved out of engagement with the brush due to its frictional mounting on the axle on that side of the brush.

4. An improved carpet sweeper comprising transversely extending frame members, end members supported by the frame, wheels on the outside of the end members, axles non-rotationally engaging said Wheels, bearings for said axles slidably engaged in co-extensive slots in the end members parallel to the plane of movement of the sweeper when in operation, cover plates disposed on the outside of the said wheels also connected with said frame, a cover extending over the said frame and end members, spring means on said end members engaging the bearings of the said axles to urge the bearings inwardly towards each other in the said co-extensive slots, a brush disposed between the said axles, means on the cover plates rotationally and releasably engaging the ends of the said brush, rollers on the brush adjacent each end thereof, said wheels being disposed to engage the said rollers on the brush under influence of the said springs, pans disposed one on each side of the brush hingedly connected to the end plates, springs to hold the pans in position but allowing same to be tilted for emptying, said pans being normally co-extensive on each side of the brush, and combs mounted on said axles to frictionally engage the said axles to move with the said axles, so that during use rotation of the wheels causes the correct comb only to be in contact with the brush for cleaning same, and stop means to limit the movement of the combs under influence of the frictional engagement with the axles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 701,393 6/ 1902 Reynolds 15-41 1,813,325 7/1931 Smith 15-41 X 2,121,880 6/1938 Miller 15-48 2,270,197 1/1942 Parrish 15-41 2,371,918 3/1945 Rubin 15-41 2,651,796 9/1953 Wagner et a1. 15-48 FOREIGN PATENTS 455,252 10/ 1936 Great Britain.

799,856 8/ 1958 Great Britain.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. E. L. ROBERTS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 2. AN IMPROVED CARPET SWEEPER OF THE TYPE COMPRISING A FRAME, END MEMBERS SUPPORTED ON THE FRAME, WHEELS ADJACENT THE END MEMBERS SUPPORTED ON AXLES MOVABLE IN THE END MEMBERS, A BRUSH SUPPORTED BETWEEN THE SAID AXLES, ROLLERS ON THE BRUSH, SPRING MEAN URGING THE AXLES OF THE WHEELS TOWARDS THE BRUSH WHEREBY TO CAUSE THE WHEELS TO ENGAGE THE ROLLERS ON THE SAID BRUSH, WHEREIN THE MOVEMENT OF THE AXLES IS CONTROLLED TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF MOVEMENT OF THE SWEEPER WHEN IN USE WHEREBY THE DRIVING LOAD OF THE WHEELS ON THE BRUSH DOES NOT MATERIALLY ALTER THE HEIGHT OF THE BRUSH IN RELATION TO THE WHEELS BUT DRIVE OF THE BRUSH TAKES PLACE PRINCI-

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