US3649994A

US3649994A - Pedestrian footwear cleaner

Info

Publication number: US3649994A
Application number: US88009A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ewell J Harris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-11-09
Filing date: 1970-11-09
Publication date: 1972-03-21
Anticipated expiration: 1989-03-21

Abstract

A footwear cleaner utilizing a plurality of foot operated vacuum controls which cause suction to be directed at the foot of a pedestrian. The device comprises a foot support grid and individually operated zoned vacuum directing means and preferably also includes reciprocation footwear contacting elements which project upwardly through the grid to mechanically loosen dirt from the bottom of the pedestrian''s feet. Air flow downwardly around the footwear carries the dirt to a vacuum actuated dirt collection system.

Description

United States Patent Harris [451 Mar. 21, 1972 [54] PEDESTRIAN FOOTWEAR CLEANER [72] lnventor: Ewell J. Harris, Sunset Mobile Homes Route 3, Box 135A, Adrian, Mich. 49221 [22] Filed: Nov. 9, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 88,009

[52] U.S.Cl ..15/311, 15/37 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47l 7/02 [58] Field of Search ..15/300, 301, 303, 308, 310, 15/311, 37, 36, 4,112,161, 216, 217, 215,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,361,068 12/1920 Karro ..15/3l1 Gerard 15/37 Darby Shearer, Sr. ..15/3l0 Primary Examiner-Leon G. Machlin Attorney-William P. Hickey [57] ABSTRACT A footwear cleaner utilizing a plurality of foot operated vacuum controls which cause suction to be directed at the foot of a pedestrian. The device comprises a foot support grid and individually operated zoned vacuum directing means and preferably also includes reciprocation footwear contacting elements which project upwardly through the grid to mechanically loosen dirt from the bottom of the pedestrians feet. Air flow downwardly around the footwear carries the dirt to a vacuum actuated dirt collection system.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHARZI I972 SHEET 1 OF 3 v fi INVENTOR. Ewen Haze/s BY flr-ramveV E PATENTEDMARZI I972 3,649,994

SHEET 2 OF 3 7 E magi! 36 1g A Z 34 i4 %E l\ j l .50

L 28a. 12a 4 i .ZZ I 4- INVENTOR. Q E c0514 .1 HHRK/S BY K3002 v JE-i PATENTEDHARZ] I972 SHEET 3 BF 3 Y INVENTOR.

560644 J Hflkk/S Errata/er PEDESTRIAN FOOTWEAR CLEANER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A large amount of dirt is carried into dwellings and public buildings on the bottom of the feet of people having ingress thereto. The art has long used stationary floor mats over which pedestrians walk, but these mats do little by way of scraping the bottom of the footwear, and do not carry the dirt away from the mat so as to prevent pick up by the footwear of a subsequent pedestrian. Mechanical floor mats of the type shown in US. Pat. No. 2,860,366 have been proposed to provide a power driven scrubbing action for the bottom of footwear. The dirt scrubbed free is caused to drop downwardly into a pan of water which collects the dust. A slow velocity downward air flow draws the dirt into the water so that the device discharges clean air.

The art has also used large grid systems over which pedestrians pass and have either drawn air downwardly through these grids, or blowing air upwardly at the feet of the operator to dry the feet of pedestrians. The grids of these systems cover a large area in order that the pedestrians feet will have a plurality of exposures to the grid. Because the grids cover a large area, air flow therethrough affects the entire person of the pedestrian, and the air velocity therethrough must be kept low enough so as not to disarray the pedestrians apparel. In addition, such systems, even though incapable of utilizing intense suction because of their size, move large quantities of air which affects the temperature of the building locale in which it is situated, and have large power requirements to move the air and heat the building locale in which it is situated.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved device for cleaning the feet of pedestrians which produces an intense air flow over an area confined generally to the sides of the feet of the pedestrians standing thereon.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved device of the above mentioned type which additionally provides a scrubbing action to the bottom of the feet being cleaned.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved arrangement of support grid and scrubbing elements wherein the grid and elements are affixed to respective frames which can be easily and quickly removed by lifting upwardly out of their supporting structure.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates from the following description of preferred embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pedestrian footwear cleaner embodying principals of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 55 ofFIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 5 but showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 generally comprises a grid 10 formed of a plurality of parallel bars 12 connected together by a rectangular frame 14 forming part of its support structure. The embodiment also includes a mechanical dirt removal structure comprising a plurality of footwear contacting elements 16 respective ones of which are located between respective parallel bars 12. In the embodiment shown, each footwear contacting element includes a row of brushes 18 which project up out from between the bars 12 for engagement with the footwear. The footwear contacting elements 16 are connected together at one end by projections 20 which are received in a transverse bar 22 that is reciprocated by a crank arm 24 and connecting rod 26. The crank arm 24 is rotated by an electric motor 28, the actuation of which will be later described. The other end of the contacting elements 16 extend into guide structure, not shown, that is carried by the opposite end member of the frame 14.

According to principles of the invention, the feet of pedestrians are cleaned by means of high intensity suction that is directed to, and generally confined to the area immediately surrounding, the foot being cleaned. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, this is accomplished by suction from a suction chamber that is supplied with a partial vacuum. In the embodiment shown, the suction chamber 30 is located directly beneath the grid 10. The suction chamber 30 has a top enclosure plate 32 spaced a sufficient distance beneath the bars 12 to allow room for transverse support members 34. The support members 34 are notched out as at 36 for the bars 12 so as to provide both bearing support and lateral stability for the bars. In the embodiment shown, the bottom of the footwear contacting elements 16 rest upon the top surface of the transverse supports 34 to additionally carry the load of these elements.

Suction from the suction chamber 30 is directed to the footwear to be cleaned by flow directing means that include a valve structure 38 in the top enclosure plate 32 and the vertically extending transverse supports 34 and lateral braces 40 therebetween. The valves 38 are spaced uniformly between the supports 34 and braces 40 and each is opened by an actuating pin 42 which extends upwardly through a guide 44 between a pair of elements 16 to the region above the footwear contacting elements 16. The top of the actuating pin 42 is provided with a smoothly rounded foot plate 46 preferably having gradually sloping ends aligned in the direction of pedestrian movement. The foot plates 46, therefore, do not provide an abrupt end surface that can be engaged by the footwear. A pedestrian walking over the grid 10, therefore, steps upon the foot plate 46 to move the actuating pin downwardly and open a valve 38.

The valves 38 may be constructed in various ways, but as shown, is formed from a flat plate 48 having a rubber seal 50 on its top surface which is forced up into engagement with the portion of the top enclosure plate 32 which surrounds the valve opening 52. The plate 48 is biased into its closed position by means of a spring 54, one end of which is secured to the plate 48, and the other end of which is affixed to the top enclosure plate 32 as by fastener 56. The valves 38 are spaced closely enough that a child s foot placed anywhere on the grid 10 will contact at least one of the actuating foot plates 46. The plate valves 38 provide a large flow opening for a small amount of opening movement, and are to be preferred, therefore. In the embodiment shown, the projections 20 of the foot contacting elements extend through generally air tight guide openings so that the motor and the drive structure for the projections 20 can be located out of the vacuum submerged structure. Alternatively, the grid structure 10 can be provided with a top plate and housing which encases the motor 28 and its reciprocation producing structure.

The suction chamber 30 is provided with an outlet 58 which communicates with a dirt filter 60 through which air is evacuated by commercial suction or vacuum producing equipment 62 having an impeller or impellers capable of producing a vacuum preferably in excess of three inches of water. The vacuum producing equipment 62 can be run continually, or in some instances an electric eye directed at pedestrians stepping onto the grid 10 can be used to stop and start both the motor 28 and the vacuum producing equipment 62. One of the advantages of the present invention, however, is that the inlet to the vacuum producing equipment is normally closed off by the valves 38 except during use, so that the vacuum producing equipment can run continuously under substantially no load.

For small and intermediate size equipment, therefore, it will be economical to run the vacuum producing equipment 62 continually while the doors to the building in which it is installed are open or are being used. The equipment 62, therefore, can conveniently be stopped and started by a door actuated switch. In large size equipment, it will be economical to provide a vacuum reservoir 64 having capacity sufficient to remove the dirt from the feet of one or more pedestrians whose feet make at least two contacts with the grid 10. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the vacuum reservoir 64 is provided by a sealed basement room that is evacuated by the vacuum producing device 62, and the vacuum in which is controlled by a suitable switch, not shown, which stops and starts the vacuum producing device 62. Inasmuch as the basement room 64 follows the dust filter 60, it will be kept substantially clean. The vacuum producing device 62 can be located within the room 64 so that only its outlet need be sealed with respect to the walls thereof.

The valves 38 are preferably located sufficiently close together that an adults foot placed anywhere upon the grid will engage at least one of the actuating plates 46. The bars 12 preferably extend in the direction of pedestrian movement so as to avoid all possible tripping hazards, and the device will have a sufficient length so that with normal strides each foot of a pedestrian will engage the grid 10 at least two times. The foot of a pedestrian when brought down upon the grid engages an actuating plate 46 to open a valve 38 and thereby communicate the partial vacuum of the suction chamber 30 to the area surrounding the foot which actuated the plate 46. As previously explained, the transverse supports 34 and lateral braces 40 can be used as part of a directing means for the flow over the actuating foot. A high intensity air flow is thereby produced around the side edges of the foot downwardly through the space between the bars 12. Where the device includes the mechanical dirt removing structure, the air flow will pass through the space between the foot contacting elements l6 and the bars 12 as shown in FIG. 2. The foot contacting elements 16 may utilize scrubbing structures other than brushes 18, but will have sufficient flexibility as to allow the foot of the pedestrian to bear against the top of the bars 12. As previously indicated, however, high intensity air flow over the foot produces a sufficient cleaning and/or drying action that mechanical dirt removing structure need not always be provided, or if provided, need not always be reciprocated.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is generally similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1,2 and 3, but differsprincipally therefrom in that the foot contacting elements are secured to and carried by a surrounding frame. Those portions of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 which correspond to similar portions of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1,2 and 3 are designated by a like reference numeral characterized further in that a subscript a" is affixed thereto. The frame 14a includes transverse members 70 which extend past the bars 12a and carry the elements 16a The bars 12a stop short of the frame 14a and the transverse bars 70, and the total support for the bars 12a is provided by the transverse supports 34a In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, therefore, the foot contacting elements 16a can be easily removed and repaired by lifting the frame 14a out of position, thereby remove all of the elements 16a simultaneously. Thereafter either a new frame 14a can be lowered in position, or particular elements 16a can be removed from the frame and replaced, and the repaired frame 14a lowered in position for continued service. The frame 140 is supported for reciprocatory movement by upper and

lower raceways

72 and 74 and ball bearings 76 positioned therebetween. The bottom raceways 74 may be carried by any suitable structure and is shown in the drawings as carried by the outside frame 78 which projects upwardly from the outside edges of the top enclosure plate 32a of the suction chamber 30a. The top edge of a seal 80 is fixed to the frame 14a and the lower portion of the seal 80 is free to reciprocate over the outer surface of the frame 78. Additional raceways and ball bearings may be positioned on the lateral braces 40. A loop seal, not shown, may be provided at opposite ends of the frame 14a, and the loop seal at the end adjacent the motor preferably extends to stationary structure which surrounds the motor 28a. It will, therefore, be seen that a structure is provided wherein all of the foot engaging elements are fixed to a frame which can be removed by simply raising the frame to lift the elements 16a out from between the fixed parallel bars 120. It will further be seen that reciprocation of the elements 16a is easily accomplished by suitable structure that is affixed to the frame 140.

A still further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings. The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is generally similar to that shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, but differs principally therefrom in that the bars are fixed to the outside frame and the foot contacting elements are fixed to a second frame positioned beneath the pedestrian support frame. Those portions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 which correspond to similar portions of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are designated by a like reference numeral characterized further in that a suffix b is affixed thereto. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the elements 16b are mounted on the top surface of a horizontal plate 82 having openings 84 therethrough to communicate vacuum from the valves 38b to the grid 10b. The plate 82 in addition to being supported by the raceways 7211 at the outside edges thereof can additionally be supported by similar raceways positioned over the lateral braces 40b. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, therefore, the supports 12b are fixed to and can be removed simultaneously with the frame 14b and the foot contacting elements 16b are all fixed to another structure 82 which can also be removed as a single piece following removal of the frame 14b.

It will now be seen that the objects heretofore enumerated as well as others have been accomplished and that there has been provided pedestrian footwear cleaning structure that is efficient in operation in that it can confine high intensity air flow to the region of the foot being cleaned. It will further be seen that inexpensive mechanical cleaning structure is provided which is economic to manufacture in that the structure has fixed frames which can be installed and replaced as a unit. It will still further be seen that the foot cleaning structure may be a part ofa building which utilizes a room of the building as a vacuum reservoir chamber.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the particular embodiments shown and described, and it is my intention to cover hereby all novel adaptations, modifications and arrangements thereof which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

I claim:

1. A pedestrian footwear cleaner comprising: a first set of longitudinally extending spaced apart foot engaging members for supporting the weight of a pedestrian, a second set of Iongitudinally extending spaced apart foot engaging members positioned between said first foot engaging members, said second set of members having scrubbing structures thereon projecting upwardly of said first set of members, means providing relative longitudinal movement between said first and second sets of members, a suction chamber positioned beneath said first and second sets of foot engaging members, a plurality of valves in the top of said suction chamber, air flow directing partitions surrounding said valves and extending upwardly from said suction chamber to one of saidsets of foot engaging members for generally sealing engagement therewith to form individual foot communicating compartments, and a plurality of foot actuated valve opening means respective ones of which are positioned within respective foot communicating compartments for opening a respective valve upon foot engagemerit therewith.

2. The pedestrian footwear cleaner of claim 1 wherein said first and second sets of members extend longitudinally in the direction of pedestrian movement, said cleaner extending a distance at least equal to a pedestrian stride so that both feet of pedestrians striding over said cleaner engage said cleaner at least once, and said air flow directing partitions including transverse members to divide the directing means into compartments that are approximately the size of footwear and which are arranged longitudinally of said cleaner.

3. The cleaner of claim 2 wherein said first set of members is connected together to form a grid with individual ones of said first set of members being in engagement with said air flow directing partitions.

4. The pedestrian footwear cleaner of claim 2 wherein adjacent longitudinally extending top and bottom surfaces of said flow directing means and said one of said sets of foot engaging members cooperating therewith are provided with longitudinally extending grooves which face each other, and a plurality of ball bearings in said grooves for supporting said one ofsaid sets of members.

5. The cleaner of claim 4 wherein said second set of members is connected together in a frame, said frame having longitudinally extending grooves in the bottom thereof which overlie grooves in said flow directing means and receive said ball bearings.

6. The cleaner of claim 5 wherein said first set of members is connected together in a frame which is fixedly supported relative to said first mentioned frame.

7. A building having a pedestrian footwear cleaner comprising: a first set of longitudinally extending spaced apart foot engaging members in a floor of said building for supporting the weight of a pedestrian, a second set of longitudinally extending spaced apart foot engaging members positioned in said floor between said first foot engaging members, said second set of members having scrubbing structures thereon projecting upwardly of said first set of members, a suction chamber positioned beneath said first and second sets of foot engaging members and communicating with a sealed room in said building, a plurality of valves in the top of said suction chamber, air flow directing partitions surrounding said valves and extending upwardly from said suction chamber to one of said sets of foot engaging members for generally sealing engagement therewith to form individual foot communicating compartments, a plurality of foot actuated valve opening means respective ones of which are positioned within respective foot communicating compartments for opening a respective valve upon foot engagement therewith, and means drawing a partial vacuum on said room.

Claims

1. A pedestrian footwear cleaner comprising: a first set of longitudinally extending spaced apart foot engaging members for supporting the weight of a pedestrian, a second set of longitudinally extending spaced apart foot engaging members positioned between said first foot engaging members, said second set of members having scrubbing structures thereon projecting upwardly of said first set of members, means providing relative longitudinal movement between said first and second sets of members, a suction chamber positioned beneath said first and second sets of foot engaging members, a plurality of valves in the top of said suction chamber, air flow directing partitions surrounding said valves and extending upwardly from said suction chamber to one of said sets of foot engaging members for generally sealing engagement therewith to form individual foot communicating compartments, and a plurality of foot actuated valve opening means respective ones of which are positioned within respective foot communicating compartments for opening a respective valve upon foot engagement therewith.

4. The pedestrian footwear cleaner of claim 2 wherein adjacent longitudinally extending top and bottom surfaces of said flow directing means and said one of said sets of foot engaging members cooperating therewith are provided with longitudinally extending grooves which face each other, and a plurality of ball bearings in said grooves for supporting said one of said sets of members.