Patent ID: 6237480
Filing Date: 2001-05-29
Classification: B01D,E01H

Abstract:
A cleaning vehicle having a dry sweeping machine for the collection of fine dust and forming the same into compacted pellets, said dry sweeping machine comprisinga horizontally disposed tubular compression chamber having a discharge end, an opposite end, and an ingress opening intermediate said ends,a dust collector including at least one filter for collecting dust and delivering the collected dust into the ingress opening of the compression chamber,a shutoff flap pivotally mounted with respect to said compression chamber so as to be moveable between a closed position closing the discharge end of the compression chamber and an open position wherein said discharge end is open,a piston slideably mounted within said compression chamber for reciprocating movement between a retracted position located on the side of the ingress opening opposite the discharge end of the compression chamber and an extended position located on the opposite side of the ingress opening and adjacent the discharge end, and such that the dust received in the ingress opening is compacted against said shutoff flap upon movement of the piston from the retracted position toward the extended position, anda control for pivoting said shutoff flap from said closed position to said open position upon a controlled counterpressure being exerted upon said piston by the compacted dust, so as to eject compacted pellets from the discharge end of the compression chamber which have a desired degree of compaction.