Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
  • E01H—STREET CLEANING; CLEANING OF PERMANENT WAYS; CLEANING BEACHES; DISPERSING OR PREVENTING FOG IN GENERAL CLEANING STREET OR RAILWAY FURNITURE OR TUNNEL WALLS
  • E01H1/00—Removing undesirable matter from roads or like surfaces, with or without moistening of the surface
  • E01H1/02—Brushing apparatus, e.g. with auxiliary instruments for mechanically loosening dirt
  • E01H1/04—Brushing apparatus, e.g. with auxiliary instruments for mechanically loosening dirt taking- up the sweepings, e.g. for collecting, for loading
  • E01H1/045—Brushing apparatus, e.g. with auxiliary instruments for mechanically loosening dirt taking- up the sweepings, e.g. for collecting, for loading the loading means being a rotating brush with horizontal axis

Definitions

• the present invention relates to street sweeping vehicles, and more particularly to dustless street sweeping vehicles.
• Conventional street sweepers have a main vehicle body and a hopper supported by the main vehicle body.
• a debris elevator at the back end of the vehicle.
• a large cylindrically shaped rotating sweeping broom is disposed immediately behind the elevator.
• the large cylindrically shaped sweeping broom contacts the surface being cleaned so as to propel debris forwardly to the elevator.
• the debris elevator receives debris from a main sweeping broom and deposits the debris into the hopper.
• the action of the rotating sweeping broom causes a large volume and flow of air laden with dust and other fine particulate material.
• very fine particulate material such as "PM10" and “PM2.5”, which refer to respirable particulate material or dusts with an average aerosol diameter of less than 10 microns or 2.5 microns, respectively.
• This fine particulate material is generally considered as a health risk to humans. It is well known that this fine particulate material can cause breathing problems, especially to more susceptible individuals, and the long term affects of breathing this fine particulate material canseriously affect one'sbealth. Accordingly, legislation exists in many jurisdictions to preclude street sweepers and factory sweepers from emanating such fine particulate material during sweeping operations.
• the shroud around the broom and the elevator where applicable, is substantially rigid.
• the sweeping broom is independently spring mounted for vertical movement within the shroud such that the sweeping broom can generally track most of the undulations in the surface being cleaned; however, the shroud around the broom does not move with the undulations in the surface being swept as it is rigid and is rigidly connected to the vehicle.
• the various flaps at the bottom edge of the broom shroud may separate from the surface being swept, thus permitting dust and other fine particulate material to be forcefully expelled from the sweeping apparatus in an undesirable manner, which is unacceptable, but until now unavoidable.
• this air laden with dust and other fine particulate material is suctioned into the hopper or debris elevator by the re-circulating air system of the street sweeper.
• the structure of the sweeping broom and the broom shroud around the sweeping broom are independently movable, at least in a vertical sense, with respect to the hopper or debris elevator, there is a physicsal sepearation between the broonm shroud and the hopper or debris elevator. Accordingly, the air laden with dust and omer fine particulate material can escape from between the broom shroud and the hopper or debris elevator, which is unacceptable, ar possibly eve in contravention of legislation m many jurisdictions
• a novel mam body having a debris roeiving inlet, and connecting means for operatively connecting the main body to avehicle.
• a broom shroud has a front end, a back end, an open bottom defined by a bottom edge, and a forwardly facing debris outlet for permitting the directed egress of debris therefrom as a fbrwardly propelled stream of debris.
• An airflow obstructing meant is disposed around the bottom edge of the broom abroad for substantially obstructing the egress of air from between the bottom edge of the broom shroud and the surface being cleaned.
• a main sweeping broom is operatively mounted within the broom shroud for propelling debris forwardly from a surface being cleaned, thereby creating a stream of debris propelled forwardly through the forwardly facing debris outlet to the hopper.
• a dust- containing pliable cover is connected in substantially sealed relation to the broom shroud at me forwardly facing debris outlet and connected in substantially sealed relation to the vehicle at the debris living inlet for containing dust from the stream of debris propelled forwardry through the fbrwardly facing debris oulet..
• a novel main body having a debris receiving Inlet, and connecting means for opcratively connecting the main body to a vehicle.
• a broom shroud has a front end, a back end, an open bottom defined by a bottom edge, and a f ⁇ rwa ⁇ ily facing debris outlet for permitting the directed egress of debris therefrom as a forwardly propelled stream of debris.
• An airflow obstructing means is disposed around the bottom edge of me broom shroud for substantially obstructing the egress of air from between the bottom edge of the broom shroud and the surface being cleaned.
• a main sweeping broom Ia operatively mounted within the broom shroud for propelling debris forwardly from a surface being cleaned, thereby cresting a stream of debris propelled forwardly through me forwardly facing debris oulet to the hopper.
• Figure 1 is a partially cut-away left side elevational view of the first preferred embodiment of the sweeping broom apparatus according to the present invention, connected to a vehicle, specifically a tractor;
• Figure 2 is an enlarged partially cut-away left side elevational view of the first preferred embodiment of the sweeping broom apparatus of Figure 1, mounted on a tractor;
• Figure 3 is a partially cut-away left side elevational view of the second preferred embodiment of the sweeping broom apparatus according to the present invention, connected to a vehicle, specifically a tractor.
• Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a first preferred embodiment of the sweeping broom apparatus of the present invention
• Figure 3 illustrate a second preferred embodiment of the sweeping broom apparatus of the present invention.
• FIGS 1 and 2 show a first preferred embodiment of the sweeping broom apparatus of the present invention, as indicated by general reference numeral 20.
• the sweeping broom apparatus 20 is for use with a vehicle, such as a tractor 22, which is only partially shown, or as part of an integrated sweeping vehicle.
• the tractor has a three point hitch 24 for receiving the sweeping broom apparatus 20 in supported relation thereon.
• the first preferred embodiment sweeping broom apparatus 20 comprises a main body 21 having a debris receiving inlet 52 for receiving debris thereinto.
• a connecting means as indicated by the general reference numeral 30, for operatively connecting the main body 21 of the sweeping broom apparatus 20 to the vehicle 22, such that the sweeping broom apparatus 20 is received in supported relation on the pair of rearwardly extending mounting arms 23 of the three point hitch 24.
• the connecting means 30 comprises a generally vertically oriented base member 31 on the main body 21 having left and right generally vertically oriented side members 32,34 and upper and lower cross members 36,38.
• a pair of opposed spindles 40,42 are disposed at the bottom of the generally vertically oriented base member 31.
• a pair of forwardly extending lower atm members 45,47 are connected in pivoting relation at their respective back ends 45b,47b to the opposed spindles 40,42.
• the front ends 45f,47f of the forwardly extending lower arm members 45,47 are connectable to the tractor 22.
• a pair of forwardly extending upper arm members 44,46 are connected in pivoting relation at their respective back ends 44b,46b to a pair of co-operating flanges 46,48 that extend forwardly from the upper cross member 36.
• the front ends 44f,46f of the forwardly extending upper arm members 44,46 are connectable to the tractor 22.
• the sweeping broom apparatus 20 comprises a debris receiving hopper 50 disposed at the front of the sweeping broom apparatus 20, In the first preferred embodiment, the rearwardly facing debris receiving inlet 52 is in the debris receiving hopper 50.
• a broom shroud 60 is disposed immediately rearwardly of the debris receiving hopper 50.
• the broom shroud 60 has a front end 62, a back end 64, an open bottom 66 defined by a bottom edge 68, and a forwardly facing debris outlet 69 for permitting the directed egress of debris therefrom as a forwardly propelled stream of debris.
• the means for mounting the broom shroud 60 comprises left and right mounting arms 54,56.
• the left and right mounting arms 54,56 are connected in pivoting retation to the broom shroud 60 and in pivoting relation to the main body 21.
• the broom shroud 60 is vertically movable with respect to the main body 21. Accordingly, since broom shroud 60 is mounted for free vertical movement with respect to the main body 21, a small gap 26 exists between the debris receiving hopper 50 and the broom shroud 60.
• An airflow obstructing means 70 is disposed around the bottom edge of the broom shroud 60 for substantially obstructing the egress of air from between the bottom edge of the broom shroud 60 and a surface being cleaned 29.
• the airflow obstructing means 70 comprises a series of overlapping rubber flaps 70 depending from the bottom edge 68 of the broom shroud 60.
• a main sweeping broom 72 is operativery mounted within the broom shroud 60 for propelling debris forwardly from a surface being cleaned 29, thereby creating a stream of debris propelled forwardly through the forwardly facing debris outlet 69 directly to the rearwardry feeing debris receiving inlet 52 of the maw body 21.
• the means for mounting the main sweeping broom 72 on one of the broom shroud and the vehicle comprises left and right mounting arms 73,75.
• the left and right mounting arms 73,75 are connected in pivoting relation to the main sweeping broom 72 and in pivoting relation to the main body 21.
• a dust-containing pliable cover 80 is preferably bellows-shaped and is preferably made from is chosen from the group of rubber, canvas, and ruber-covered canvas.
• the dust-containing pliable cover 80 is operatively connected in substantially sealed relation to the broom shroud 60 at the forwardly feeing debris outlet 69 and is operatively connected in substantially sealed relation to the main body 21, specifically the debris receiving hopper 50, at the debris receiving inlet 52 for containing dust from the stream of debris propelled forwardly through the forwardly lacing debris outlet 69.
• the dust-containing pliable cover 80 is operativery connected in removable and replaceable relation to the broom shroud 60 at the forwardly facing debris outlet 69, and is operati vely connected in removable and replaceable relation to the broom shroud 60 at the forwardly facing debris outlet 69.
• the dust-containing pliable cover 80 comprises a sheet of flexible soft synthetic rubber material with a protective cut-proof covering, and is preferably zig-zag shaped in cross-section to permit maximum flexibility and extension of the dust-containing pliable cover 80.
• the front edge 82 of the dust-containing pliable cover 80 has a front strip of sealing material 83 secured thereto.
• the front strip of sealing material 83 is shaped and dimensioned to seal against the back surface S 1 of the debris receiving hopper 50 around the debris receiving inlet 52, thereby precluding dust from escaping between the debris receiving hopper 50 and the dust-containing pliable cover 80.
• the back edge 84 of the dust-containing pliable cover 80 has a back strip of sealing material 85 secured thereto.
• the back strip of sealing material 85 is shaped and dimensioned to seal against the front surface 61 of the broom shroud 60 around the forwardly lacing debris outlet 69, thereby precluding dust from escaping between the debris receiving hopper 50 and the dust-containing pliable cover 80.
• the front strip of sealing material 83 and die back strip of sealing material 85 are each preferably made from a pliable synthetic rubber material, or any other suitable material.
• a plurality of threaded fasteners 88 are used to secure the dust-containing pliable cover 80 in removable and replaceable relation along its front edge 82 to the back surface 51 of the debris receiving hopper 50 and to secure the dust-containing pliable cover 80 in removable and replaceable relation along its back edge 84 to the front surface 61 of the broom shroud 60.
• the dust-containing pliable cover SO provides a physical means of sealing the gap 26 between the debris receiving hopper 50 and the broom shroud 60, thus precluding dust from the forwardly propelled stream of debris generated by the main sweeping broom 72 from escaping to the ambient atmosphere.
• Figure 3 shows a second preferred embodiment of the sweeping broom apparatus according to the present in vention, as indicated by reference numeral 220.
• the second preferred embodiment sweeping broom apparatus 220 is similar to the first preferred embodiment sweeping broom apparatus 20, except that there is a debris receiving elevator 290 that directly receives the forwardly propelled stream of debris generated by the main sweeping broom 272, and deposits the received debris into the hopper 250.
• the broom shroud 260 is disposed immediately rcarwardly of the elevator 290,
• the dust-containing pliable cover 280 is operativeiy connected in substantially sealed relation to the broom shroud 260 at its forwardly facing debris outlet 269 and is operativeiy connected in substantially sealed relation to the debris receiving elevator 290 at its debris receiving inlet 292 for containing dust from the stream of debris propelled forwardly through the forwardly facing debris outlet 269.
• the present invention provide a dustiess sweeping broom apparatus that precludes the egress of dust and other fine paniculate material from the street sweeping vehicle, in the case that there is a physics! separation between the broom shroud and the hopper or debris elevator, even when the broom and broom shroud are tracking undulations in the surface being cleaned, all of which features arc unknown in the prior art.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Cleaning Of Streets, Tracks, Or Beaches (AREA)
• Cleaning In General (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=40506546

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (8)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2008
  • 2008-09-25 CA CA2738514A patent/CA2738514A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-09-25 US US12/238,360 patent/US20090083920A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-09-25 EP EP08833438A patent/EP2203602A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-09-25 WO PCT/CA2008/001662 patent/WO2009039619A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (8)

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