US634283A - Street-sweeper. - Google Patents

Description

No. 634,283. Patented Oct. 3, I899.

G. W. BRADY.

STREET SWEEPEB.

(Application filed Ian. 9, 1 899.|

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet THE ricnms PETERS co, rnomuma, wnsummou. u. r;

No. 634,283. Patented Oct. 3, I899; G. W. BRADY.

STREET SWEEPEB.

' (Application filed JB-nL 9, 1899.) (N o M o d 01 3 Shuts-Sheet 2,

Patented Oct. 3, I899.

G. W. BRADY.

STREET SWEEPER.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1899.)

- (No Model.)

3 SheetsSheet 3,

INVENTOR lESSES 4 ATTORN EY vIO " NITED' STATES PATENT Fries.

GORDON \V. BRADY, NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE M. RlTTENI-IOUSE, OF SAME PLACE.

STREET-SWEE-PER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,283, dated October 3, 1899. Application filed January 9, 1899. $erial No. 701,656. (No model.)

county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Street-Sweeping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to street-sweeping machines of the type having a hollow bucketed wheel to take up sweepings from a road or other surface and deposit same continuously in a receptacle, the main features of the invention residing in the means of more effectively performing such operation and in the construction and arrangement of parts in the apparatus, as will-be specifically referred to hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly in horizontal section, of my entire apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bucketed wheel looking toward the interior thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail of the bracket holding the spring-supports for the guidestrip. Fig. 5 is another detail view more clearly showing the means of connection between the bracket and spring supports. Fig. 6 is a detail of the buckets in the Wheel looking from line 6 6 of Fig. 7 in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 7 is a detail cross-section of a bucket. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of the clutch for operating the broom, and Fig. 9 is a detail of a section of buckets as formed.

In said drawings, A indicates the frame which supports the mechanism and parts comprising my apparatus and which is mounted upon wheels B O D D, the wheel 0 having a hollow casing secured at its inner surface and arranged to rotate therewith. The said casing comprises a circular plate E, of substantially the same diameter as wheel 0, and a series of buckets 6, extending at right angles from plate E, continuing in annular form around its perimeter and opening centrally. The said buckets are bolted together and to the wheel-felly through the plate E by bolts 0 e as seen thereb Y renderim the buckets :e

the plate E, and the Wheel 0 integral. The buckets e are preferably made separately and initially united together in curved lengths, as seen in Fig. 9, being thus ready to be adapted to the wheel, this being for convenience of manufacture. The particular shape or individual arrangement of said buckets is most clearly shown in Figs. 6, 7,and 9, and the purpose of the central inclination of their peripheral walls is to permit the sweepings when deposited within the buckets at the base-line of the wheel to drive with the aid of gravitation into the rearmost portion of said buckets and to be retained therein while the buckets are being raised with the rotation of the wheel. The abutting walls of the buckets are inclined in the direction of rotation, Fig. 6, to more securely retain the contents while being raised and to facilitate Y the discharge of such contents as each bucket reaches approximately its highest point of travel.

F indicates the axle of wheel O, its free end being journaled atfin a bearing attached to frame A, the said axle or shaft carrying a sprocket-wheel G, which is rigid therewith.

H indicates a circular broom or sweeper which is mounted on shaft h, which latter is journaled at h 72. in hangers 77/ 71 said hangers being respectively loosely supported by brackets 77, h, which are thus secured to the frame A, as seen. The sweeper, as seen, is arranged transversely diagonally of the apparatus, the inclination in the forward movement of the apparatus being toward the bucketedwheel O.

Centrally upon the broom-shaft 7t is rigidly mounted a sprocket-wheel I, with which a sprocket-chain t' inter-meshes to rotate same and the broom,said sprocket-chain also meshin g with the teeth of a sprocket-Wheel J,which latter is rigidly mounted upon a shaft j. The shaft 3' is journaled in bearings j 7' and terminates at its inner end in a universal joint 3' with which is connected a shaft j supported in bearingj and having a pinion secured at its end.

K indicates a shaft which is loosely mounted in a bearing secured to the frame A and supports rigidly a gear-wheel k which is the shaft K.

adapted, as seen, to mesh with the pinion j". i The shaft K also bears a slidableslceVe l thereon,which is prevented from independent rotation by a key fitting in a longitudinal slot 7.1 and being free to slide therein. The sleeve 70 bears at one end a collar Z, and at its other end it bears a clutch portion 76 having teeth adapted to engage with the teeth of a corresponding clutch portion 7a, which latter is fast upon the shaft K. A sprocket-wheel 70'',

mounted upon a hub 7. is also mounted upon A sprocket-chain L connects the sprocket-wheels G and 7& and permits the latter to be rotated by the former. The movement of sprocket G being forward with the travel of wheel C, a like movement is comlnunicated to sprocket 7t, whence when the clutch portion 711 is engaged with the clutch portion 7; such movement is communicated through sprocket 7.1 to pinion 7, but giving the latter the reverse movement, which reverse movement is communicated through shaftj, sprockets J I, and shaft h to the brush or sweeper H, as is requisite to cause the sweepings to be directed forwardly.

M indicates a yoke which straddles the sleeve 7;. between collar land the clutch portion It to move said clutch-piece into or out of engagement with the clutch portion 7e". Said yoke M is operated through the medium of a rod 921, which is slidably held in a strapbearing on", said rod being bent at m beyond the bearing and terminating in a pivotal connection m with a bell-crank lever m, which lever is provided with a weight m at its free end. The lever m is allowed vertical movement within a slotted bearing on and can be operated by hand to cause the clutch port-ion 7: to be moved into or out of engagement with clutch portion k through the mechanism described. The lever m is pivoted in a bearing an, as seen, and is locked in its desired position within bearing m by a pin m Secured to the hangers 7L h are angle-brackets 1" P, which in turn support asubstantially T-shaped dashboard composed of the vertical member N and horizontal member N, that extends the entire length of the broom H, parallel therewith and slightly in advance there of. The function of this board N N is to check and restrain the throw of the sweepings, which otherwise by the operative movement of the brush would be scattered ahead. Slots n are formed in the board N and bolts a are passed through said slots into the board N, firmly uniting both of said boards. By means of this slot a bolt fastening the horizontal board N may be adjusted to any required degree with regard to the broom H. The board N is raised sufficiently above the road-surface to avoid striking against stones and other projections; but at the point where said board extends into the bucketed wheel 0 it is provided with a depending extensionpiece N of leather, rubber, or other flexible material, whose lower edge trails the road surface and also sets snugly upon the flange plates 0, thereby positively preventing the throw of sweepings elsewhere than into the bucketed wheel 0.

Returning to the description of the bucketed wheel 0, into which one end of brush II extends diagonally to insure the deposit of the sweepings therein, I provide a flexible flange therefor composed, preferably, of thin metallic plates 0, the said plates lapping one anotherand formingacircularinclined flange, its inner diameter being less than its outer diameter. At its diminished diameter said flange meets the inner circular flange of the buckets e and it flares outwardly therefrom, as seen, to come in contact with the road being traversed,,at which point of contact said flange flattens to form an efficient scoop and to assist the passagc of sweepings thereover, the sweepings passing through into the buckets c. I is an annular strip of metal encircling and extending beyond the hucketed wheel 0 and lapping the connecting portions of flange-plates 0. An annular strip Q of wood or other suitable material of substantially triangular cross-section is filled in the space between the bucket ends, the strip 1, and flange-plates O. The strip I is bolted to buckets e, and the flange-plates O are secured upon the strip Q. I have found in practice that plates of thin sheetsteel, as the plates 0, serve to form a very flexible, efficient, and durable sweepingsweceivi ng flange forabucketcd wheel.

Sweepings deposited in the bucketcd wheel 0 are carried upwardly therein by its rotation and are intended to fall from the upper portion of said wheel by gravitation downwardly through chute it into the cart S. To prevent the sweepings from falling out of the buckets prior to their reaching the point below which the chute is stationed, I provide a stationary guard T, which is held in its fixed position, as indicated, in the following manner: The said guard '1 consists, preferably, ofa sheet of metal curved to fit closely against the m ouths of the passing buckets e, and said guard is supported and held tensionally in its position by a pair of spring-arms U, the latter being adjustably connected to a bracket V, which is itself bolted to the frame A, the bolts 1) passing through the slot 7;. I preferably clamp the spring-arms U to the bracket Vas follows: I employ a T-shaped clamping-piece having opposite arms a u and a bifurcated stem portion a, which straddles the bracket V, being secured thereto by screw U The spring-arms U pass between and are held by the arms u u and the bracket, and their ends are limited by the stems of headed-bolts 10 against which they abut, the said bolts 10 being placed in portions a extending from bracket V. Rubber or other packing material 7/ is placed between the spring-arms U and their seat upon the bracket V to enable the clamping to be more effective. The guardstrip T, thus spring-held against the buckets e in their upward travel, prevents the falling being, in the case of sticks and like articles being carried upward with the sweepings, to

enable such sticks, 850., to enter between such strip IV and to pass upwardly between the guard T and the buckets 6, being forced by the movement of the latter, and, in their travel, pressing the guard-strip against its spring tension, sufliciently apart to permit of their passage.

The purpose of flexibly supporting the guard-strip T will now be clearly comprehended, since were it rigidly secured in position it and the buckets e would be liable to damage when sticks and other like obstructions were attempted to be carried upwardly by the buckets.

The chute R is supported upon a bracket 0", which is mounted upon frameA, as seen, said chute being at a suitable inclination, and its base portion extends upwardly to form a curved rear wall r, which meets the edge of I the rear wall of the passing buckets 6, so as to forma continuous line therewith and prevent escape of the falling sweepin gs excepting through the chute. The lower end of the chute R terminates at a point aside from or out of the path of the cart S in tipping; but an extension R is hinged to the chute proper, as seen, and said extension projects directly over the cart. \Vhen the latter is tipped to dump the contents, its wall strikes against the chute extension R and raises it upon its hinges, and upon the reseating of the cart the extension again drops into operative position by gravity. Said extension R is preferably made of flexible material. The chute is pro vided with a bail or arch R as seen, whereby a bag or sack may be fitted over the mouth of said chute in case it is desired to deposit the sweepings into such a receptacle instead of into the cart.

The cart may be tipped by any suitable means, and I have shown in the drawings a.

compound lever device X for this purpose, the same being operated from the drivers seat by a handle Y.

W indicates a lever intended to raise the broom H out of contact with the road, said lever being fulcrumed at w and engaging at one end with a chain w, which is connected to a bar 10 the latter being a continuation of the angle-brackets t' i. The lever IV terminates in a handle w near the drivers seat, said lever also being provided with a sliding weight 10 to regulate its power and being allowed vertical play within a strap-bearing 20 within which it may be secured in any desired position by a pin w.

Y indicates an auxiliary chute arranged at the forward side of chute R and intended to receive such contents of the buckets e as may not be discharged through chute R, the chute Y serving to convey such undischarged sweepings into the buckets descending forwardly. The lower end of chute Y is connected to the frame in any suitable manner.

Having now described my invention, I declare that what I claim is 1. In a street-sweeping machine, a hollow wheel open at one side to receive sweepings and a flaring flange therefor attached to the open side, said flange consisting of a series of thin .inetal plates connected in annular form.

2. In a street-sweeping machine having a hollow wheel open at one side to receive sweepings, an outwardly-extending flaring flange therefor to flatten as a scoop by con tact with the road, said flange comprising a series of sheet metal plates connected together and arranged in circular, inclined form, and connected to said wheel to direct sweepings therein.

3. In a street'sweeping machine having a hollow bucketed wheel to receive and raise sweepings to an uppermost point of discharge, a stationary guard-plate covering said buckets while being raised, and a flexible support mounted upon the frame of the machine and arranged to hold said guard-plate yieldingly against the moving buckets.

4c. In a street-sweeping machine, a frame, a hollow bucketed wheel rotatably connected therewith, a bracket connected to said frame, a pair of spring-arms adjustably clamped to said bracket, and a curved guard-plate supported by said spring-armsin position to cover the ascending buckets.

5. In a street-sweeping machine, a frame, an axle rotatably supported therein, and a hollow bucketed wheel mounted upon said axle and arranged to receive and raise sweepin gs; together with a brush to drive the sweepings into said hollow wheel, said brush being rotatably supported in hangers attached to the frame; a sprocket-wheel upon said axle, another sprocket-wheel mounted upon a shaft journaled in the frame in advance of the firstnamed sprocket-wheel, a chain connecting said sprockets, said shaft bearing a straight gear-wheel,which it rotates; a pinion mounted upon a rotating rod and meshing with said gear-wheel, another rod connected with said rotating rod by a swivel-joint and extending transversely across the frame in parallelism with the brush, and bearing a sprocket-wheel from which extends a sprocket-chain connecting it with a sprocket-wheel upon the shaft to rotate said brush.

6. In a street-sweeping machine, a frame, a hollow bucketed wheel 0, an axle F therefor, a sprocket G upon said axle, a shaft K, a sprocket 7c thereon, a chain connecting sprockets G and a clutch portion 70 a sliding sleeve 70, bearing collar Z and clutch portion a gear 75 upon shaft K, a pinion j meshing therewith and supported upon shaftj a rotating rod j conncctin g with shaft j by a universal joint, a sprocket J upon j, a

circular brush ll mounted diagonally in frame A upon shaft 21 by hangers h 71", a sprocket I upon said shaft 71, and a chain i connecting sprockets J and I, together with a yoke M straddling sleeve 7;, a rod m supporting said yoke, and a bell-crank lever m to operate said rod and yoke to engage or disengage the clutches.

7. In combination with a suitable frame, a brush mechanism, a T-shaped dashboard consisting of a vertical strip and a horizontal strip adjustably secured thereon, said dashboard being supported clear of the road in advance of the brush; together with a bucketed wheel, to receive sweepings, said wheel having a flaring flexible flange, and a piece of flexible material depending from the dashboard, having its lower edge trailing the road and lying snugly against the aforesaid flange.

8. In a street-sweeping machine, a hollow wheel open at one side to receive swee-pings and comprising a circular plate and a series of buckets arranged and secured side byside and opening centrally of'the wheel, the bases of said buckets forming the wheel-perimeter being transversely inclined to provide their deepest and most capacious portion at the outer wall.

(I. In a street-sweeping machine, in combination, a hollow wheel, openat one side to receive sweepings and comprising a circular plate and a series of buckets arranged side by side and secured together, to receive, elevate, and discharge sweepings, the said buck- I GORDON w. 'nnAni'.

Witnesses:

L. T. SULLIVAN, h. W. BARKER.

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