US365374A

US365374A - Street-sweeping machine

Info

Publication number: US365374A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1887-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 1904-06-28

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. DRILL. STREET SWEEPING MAGHINE'.

Patented June 28, 1887.

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I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L L I R D 0 STREET SWEEPING MACHINE.

Patented June 28, 1887.

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CHARLES DRILL, OF

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

STREET-SWEEPING M ACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent. No. 365,374, dated June 28, 1887.

' Application filed November 11, 1885. Serial No. 182,408. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES DRILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in February 24, 1885, for improvements in street-' sweeping machines.

The following is a specification of my present improvement, the object of which is to simplify the construct-ion and reduce the numbers of parts in street-sweeping machines to the lowest figure possible for effective usefulness. I attain this by the mechanism illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 isplan viewo'f the machine, the main carrier-belt being omitted and a portion of the delivery-belt being broken. away to more clearly show the construction. Fig. 2 is aside elevation. Fig. 2" is a detail view of the belt-tightener. Fig. 3 is a section on a line, 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail section of the brush, showing the manner of holding the brush-wires or their equivalents in place.

The frame A may be made of iron, wood, or any suitable material, and it is supported mainly upon the wheels A, mounted upon the axle A, which is attached to the frame by suitable boxes, A. The front portion of the frame is also carried by a pair of smaller wheels, A upon the axle a, a bed-plate and fifth-wheel, J J, and pole K being provided and attached thereto in the usual manner for moving the structure by animal-power.

13 represents a brush 'or broom, which extends at each end outside of the path of the driving-wheel in front of it, and is of such length and diameter as may be found best.

Fig. 5 shows the construction of the broom in detail. A spider, b, the arms of which are connected by a rim or cylinder, b which may be integral therewith or not, as found most desirable, is centrally bored for the shaft 1),

i and the periphery of the cylinder b is divided into as many parts as may be desired for lags b, to extend around the circumference of the cylinder b. The lags b are preferably made long enough for the whole length of the broom, but may be made in shorter pieces if more convenient. On the inner side they conform in shape to the circumference of the cylinder or rim If, to which they are bolted by the taper bolts I), which fit into perforations in the said flanges, which are tapered to correspond to the bolts upon their upper sides. Thelags are recessed their entire length. This recess is sufficiently larger in cross-section than the male part b fitting thereinto, to admit the brush material b to be put into it, as shown, after which the male parts b are placed in position and forced home by the nuts upon the bolts 1).

Two end spiders, with one or more intermediate ones,'are bored and placed upon a shaft, b, Figs. 1 and 2, to which they are attached by set-screws or otherwise. The spiders are duplicates of each other when fitted. So, also, are the male and female parts of the lags, for convenience in manufacturing, repairs, or interchanges. The shaft 1) extends out at each end beyond the lags sufficientlyv to form the bearings, which rotate in suitable boxes contained within straps O (l, which are attached, .by bolts G and gibs and keys 0, or in any other well-known manner, to the outer ends of the connecting-rods DD. The shaft 1) is recessed at each end, to prevent the strap from slipping off.

Upon one end of the broom-shaft b is attached a bevel-gear, d, which meshes with the gear (11 upon the shaft E, which latter is journaled in boxes 6 c at each of its ends, both of which boxes are secured to and carried by the connecting-rodorswing-bar D. Agear-wheel, (1 at the other end of the shaft E meshes with the gear-wheel F, carried upon the end of the main axle A and serves to communicate motion therefrom to the shaft E and thence to the broom. I

The connecting-rods or swing-bars D D extend rearwardly from the axle A upon which they are removably attached in any suitable manner, and serve to connect the main axle 7 preferably of iron; but any other suitable material may be used. The main axle extends out beyond the outside of the frame A sufficiently to form a journalaud collar for the proper attachment of the upper end of the connecting-rods or swing-bars D D thereon, and also to carry the gear F and sprocket-wheel II, both of which latter are rigidly set-screwed or keyed thereto. The gear F meshes with the smaller bevel geared, as stated, and the sprocket-wheel H is connected by means of the endless-chain belt h to a second sprocket-wheel, I, mounted upon the extremity of the shaft 1 of the drum L. The wheels A turn on the main axle A independent of each other forward or backward. There are collars (not shown) on the axle inside of the hubs, against which the inner ends of the hubs press and are held in position thereby.

M represents one part of a common clutch, which is rigidly secured upon the inner end of each hub of the wheels A in a proper manner. The projections on this part ofthe cl utch revolve with the wheels on the axle, except when it is clutched into by the sliding part M, which slides laterally upon the axle and revolves with it, beingheld movably by a feather key on the axle, (not shown,) which key plays in a slot corresponding to it in the sliding part Mof the clutch. The project-ions on this part are formed to fit into their counters upon the wheel-hubs. This sliding part of the clutch is grooved out, and has therein the shifting band in, in which it may be revolved. For the purpose of shifting it out or into clutch, use is made of any suitable levers, m m and links in in, which are pivotally mounted upon the cross-barsjj of the frame and operated by power, the hand ef the operator applied to the extremity of the lever N, to which they are connected. The cross-bars form supports for the fulcrum-pins in the levers and also support and strengthen the frame A.

0 represents an endless inclined carrier or apron, of heavy duck-cloth or other suitable material, about equal in width to the length of the brush B. It extends over the driving drum L, down to and over the roller L, returning to drum L. The frame of this apron extending between the drum L and roller L consists of two side pieces, 1, having substantial crossbraccs a between them to hold it stiffly and prevent its twisting.

An additional-roller, L, is supported within the brackets P, depending from the side pieces,

Z, where it is held against the lower side of the.

lower ends the drag or shoe Q, which is secured to them by nuts and bolts 12, and extends across to prevent the apron or roller L from striking the ground or the inner sides of the driving-wheels. The shaft 1 of the roller L is journaled in these arms and projections of the shoe and extends entirely across the frame at this point from where the shoe widens to the full length of the broom. The shat'ti of the drum L is suitablyjournaled in boxes 1', attached to the sides of the elevator part of the frame A, as shown in Fig. 2, the objcetbcing to obtain sufficient elevation at this end of the apron O for discharging the sweepings raised thereby from the surface of the street to this elevation over into the discharge-carrier, which is arranged at right angles to its upper portion, as will be fully set forth.

For the purpose of raising and lowering the shoe Q, and with it the broom and apron, to enable them to pass obstructions, or when not in use ropes or chains T are secured at the upper portion of each end of the shoe Q, and, passing over suitable sheaves, t, in the frame A, extend forward to a vertical windlass, T, around the stem of which the ropes or chains T are wound or unwound, raising 0r lowering both ends of the shoe evenly. A pawl and ratchet, U, is provided to hold the parts in the desired positions, and a hand-wheel, U, for communicating motion thereto. A raised auxiliary frame, R, is built upon the forward part of the main frame A, and carries the delivery apparatus.

A scraper, S, extends across the machine, parallel with the roller L, and is supported in the frame R on screw-threguled pins 1, passing through curved slots 3 in each of its upturned ends, upon which pins the scraper is adjusted to bring its edge in position to clean the sweepings off the apron 0, where it is then secured by suitable nuts on the extremities of the pins 1'. The delivery apparatus consists in an apron, upon which the material raised by the apron O is dumped, and by which said material is carried off and emptied into carts or other receptacles at the side of the machine. The apron V is narrower than the elevatorapron O, and is mounted upon rollers \V \V, the roller \V being suitably journaled at the side of the machine in the frame R. The roller \Vis located at the outerextremity of a hinged frame, X, a third roller, Y, being provided at V, and an auxiliary roller, V, is mounted directly beneath the power-roller Y, and is upwardly spring-pressed by suitable springs, 1), contained in slots or boxes formed in the extension y, and by means whereof the said apron is held tightly against .the power-roller at its under side, so'that the desired motion will be communicated thereto, its upper surface remaining entirely free and unobstructed. For the purpose of raising'and lowering the folding section of the delivery-apron, a Windlass, Z, is mounted in the upper portion of the frame R, a rope, 1;, extending therefrom to the extremity of the frame X, by means whereof the said hinged frame may be raised or lowered to any desired extent without any change in the positions or connections of the parts. A shield or guard, z, is secured to the front portion-of the frame R, directly opposite to the scraper S, for the purpose of keeping the sweepings centrally upon the apron V.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the several parts of the apparatus are all under the control of a single operator standing above the small wheels A, the broom, shoe, and apron being raised or lowered by means of the Windlass T, and thrown out of or'into gear with the driving-wheels through the lever N, and the height of the deliveryapron adjusted by the Windlass Z.

It will be.obvions that various modifications and changes may be made in the mechanical details without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with driving and carrying wheels, the frame, the broom, the ver: tically-moving connecting rods connected to the axles of the driving-wheels and to the axis of said broom; gear-wheels on the main axle and on the axle of the broom, of an intermediate driving-shaft supported upon one of said connecting-rods and providedwith pinions meshing with the gear on the drivingaxle and with the axis of the broom, and the clutch mechanism, substantially as shown and described, whereby the main axle can be caused to rotate to actuate the broom, as set forth.

2. In a street-sweeping machine, the combination, with the mainframe A, elevatorframe R, the elevator-apron, and means, substantially as described, for actuating the same,

of the transverse discharge-carrier having a hinged outer portion and a single apron extending over both the fixed and movable portions, and a Windlass located upon said elevator-frame and connected to the free end of the outer portion, whereby said outer portion of the discharge-carrier and apron may be raised or lowered, as desired.

3. In a street-sweeping machine, the combination, with the main elevator, of a trans verse dischargecarrier consisting of a fixed portion located in proximity to the upper end of the elevator-apron, and provided with the roller NV, over which the apron passes, a folding frame pivoted upon the axis of the dr1ving-roller Y, and a supplemental roller, 3 located beneath the driving-roller and arranged to'be spring-pressed thereagainst, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a street-sweeping machine, the cornbination, with the elevator-apron, its driving and supporting drum L, having gear-wheels Y, of the discharge-carrier having a hinged outer portion, carrier-rollers \V W at the outer ends of said carrier, and an apron, V, extending thereover, and a central roller, Y,

suitably mounted and provided with a pinion,

w, meshing with the gear Y, and an auxiliary roller located below the driving-roller Y and normally pressing the lower portion of the apron against said driving-roller, whereby motion is communicated thereto and the entire upper surface thereof left unobstructed, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a street-sweeping machine, the combination, with driving and carrying wheels and a suitable frame therefor, of the broom, vertically-moving connecting-rods extending between the driving-axle and the axis of said broom, an elevator-apron for removing the sweepings, provided with a shoe extending under the broom, a Windlass, T, and ropes or chains extending therefrom and secured to the shoe for raising the same, the elevator-apron, and broom, substantially as shown and described.

CHARLES DRILL.

Witnesses:

A. M. EVEREST, H. M. THOMPSON.