BRUSH AND BRUSH CYLINDER EQUIPPED THEREWITH

Abstract: Brush with a rotatable axle. Around the perifery of the brush axle (2) are arranged a number of stiff bristles or tufts (5) of bristles in helical first rows (3), well separated from each other, at least the outer bristles of said first helical first rows, mounted close to the one end (6) of the brush axle, extending (s) past said end, preferably because at least those bristles of the first helical rows which are mounted close to said end (6) of the brush axle form an angle to the radial plane of the brush axle, so that the bristles extending past the axle end may reach into corners next to walls and similar obstacles, and as the brush is rotated may feed the sweepings forwards and sideways away from the obstacle. The invention relates also to a brush roller equipped with a brush of the described type, mounted at one of its ends.

Description: BRUSH AND BRUSH CYLINDER EQUIPPED THEREWITH TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a brush with a rotatable brush axle. More specifically, the invention relates to a brush which makes it possible to sweep close to walls and similar obstacles, sweeping the sweepings forwards and sideways away from the obstacle by rotating the brush axle. The brush according to the invention may be an addition to a brush cylinder, which may be manufactured according to prior art. Thus, the invention also relates to a brush cylinder, to the one end of which is attached an added auxiliary brush for the sweeping of sur¬ faces close to walls and similar obstacles. BACKGROUND ART Machine-sweeping close to walls and similar obstacles is usually done using annular so called side-brushes (pencil-brush type) with gene¬ rally vertical axis of rotation.These brushes are large and heavy. They require powerful sweeping machines with strong, comparatively complicated transmissions. In spite of the fact that the equipment is expensive the sweeping result is not seldom unsatisfactory. For in¬ stance, the sweepings tend to rotate with the brush instead of being delivered by the brush at a distance away from the obstacle. BRIEF DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide an improved solution to the problem of sweeping close to walls and similar obstacles. More speci¬ fically, an object is to eliminate the draw-backs and problems associ¬ ated with the known pencil-type side brushes. In particular, an object is to provide a light-weight brush which does not require heavy and/or complicated sweepers and transmissions, but which preferably may be mounted as an extension of the brush roller of existing sweepers. The invention is not limited, however, to mounting on cylindrical brushes, other types of drive are entirely conceivable for the brush according to the invention. These and other objects may be realized by arranging around the peri- fery of the brush axle stiff bristles or bristle tufts in a number of helical first rows, well separated from each other, at least the outer bristles or tufts of said rows, in other words those bristles being closest to one end of the brush axle, extending past said end so that the bristles extending past said end may sweep close to walls and similar obstacles and as the brush axle is rotated feed the sweepings forwards and sideways away from the obstacle. This means that at least those bristles or bristle tufts which are arranged in the first heli- cal rows, closest to the said one end of the brush axle, form an angle to the radial plane of the brush axle. According to one possible em¬ bodiment the angle to the radial plane is greatest for the bristles at the outer ends of the first rows, the angle then diminishing along the rows, so that the bristles at the rear end of the rows, in other words next to the other end of the brush axle, coincide with a radial plane of the brush axle, or possibly lean slightly in the other direction, the brush row thus being shaped generally like a helical fan. Accor¬ ding to a preferred embodiment, however, all bristles in the first helical rows form an angle to the radial plane of the brush axle. In the latter case at least, second helical rows of bristles, said brist¬ les not leaning away from the radial plane, are preferably arranged between the first helical rows. It is then sufficient that said second rows extend helically from the second end of the brush axle a limited distance in along the brush axle, so as to fill the gaps behind the inner ends of the first rows. The angle of inclination of those bristles which extend past the one end of the brush axle is between 10 and 45° , preferably between 15 and 35°. It is possible also to let the bristles incline away from the ra- dial direction of the brush axle, so that the bristles lean forward in the intended direction of rotation. The number of first rows of brist¬ les should be at least three and at most six, suitably four, if also the said second rows are arranged between the first rows. Otherwise, the number of first rows is preferably doubled. The pitch of the heli- cal rows should be between 30 and 60° , preferably between 40 and 50°. The invention is not limited as to the choice of material for the bristle tufts, although stiff bristles of some synthetic material are preferred. Metal bristles and natural bristle material are also con¬ ceivable, however. The bristles used are stiff enough to reach into a corner by a wall and also to apply some pressure to the wall. The length of the brush axle and thus of the entire brush may vary, but normally the length of the brush axle is very much less than the overall diameter of the brush. The brush according to the invention thus cannot be compared to a conventional spiral brush. This may also be quantified thus: the distance that the inclined outer bristles or tufts extend past the said one end of the brush axle is at least 75 mm, preferably at least 90 mm, this being at least half the length of the brush axle. Further objects and characteristics of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the following description of a preferred embodiment reference will be made to the attached drawings, wherein Fig. 1 shows a brush according to the invention in a side view, and Fig. 2 shows a sweeping apparatus with a brush cylinder, at one end fitted with a brush according to the invention. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The brush according to the invention has been designated by reference numeral 1. The brush consists of a brush axle 2 with first and second bristle rows 3 and 4, respectively. The first and second bristle rows 3 and 4, respectively, are arranged alternately and both comprise four rows, the total number of bristle rows hence being eight. Both the first and the second bristle rows 3 and 4, respectively, are arranged in a helical fashion on the brush axle 2. The bristles, in this embodiment arranged in tufts 5 and 7, respectively, incline in the first rows 3 away from the radial plane of the brush axle 2. The angle of inclination v is approximately 20°. This causes most of the bristle tufts 5 of the first bristle rows 3 to extend past the one end (the outer end) 6 of the brush axle 2. The bristle tufts 5 of at least the first bristle rows 3 in addition lean forward in the intended direction of rotation. The bristle tufts 7 of the second rows 4 do not incline towards the radial plane of the brush axle 2. They are, however, arranged heli¬ cally on the brush axle with the same pitch as the first bristle rows 3, and suitably also lean forward in the direction of sweeping in the same manner as the bristle tufts 5 of the bristle rows 3. The bristle tufts 7 of the second rows 4 cover the gap between the three rear tufts of the first rows and the radial plane coinciding with the se¬ cond (rear) end 8 of the brush axle 2. The brush axle 2 is provided with a screw 9 for mounting the brush 1 on a drive shaft. This drive shaft may be the brush axle of a cy¬ lindrical brush 10 of a sweeping apparatus 11, as indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 also illustrates how the brush makes it possible to sweep close to a house wall. In this case the manner of functioning of the brush 1 is that the bristle tufts 5 extending past the outer end 6 of the brush axle 2 feed the sweepings forwards and sideways away from the wall in the manner of a feed worm, the second bristle rows 4 then completing the feeding of the sweepings out toward the brush roller 10 of the sweeping apparatus 11.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Brush with a rotatable brush axle, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that stiff bristles or tufts of bristles (5) are arranged around the perifery of the brush axle (2) in a number of helical first rows (3), set well apart, at least the outer bristles of said helical first rows, mounted close to the one end (6) of the brush axle, extending out past said end, preferably because at least those bristles of the first helical rows which are mounted close to said end (6) of the brush axle form an angle to the radial plane of the brush axle, said bristles extending past the axle end thus reaching into the corner next to walls and similar obstacles and as the brush rotates feeding the sweepings forwards and sideways out from the obstacle. 2. Brush according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in the the outermost bristles or the outermost bristle tuft of said first rows extends at least 75 and suitably at least 90 mm past said one end, and that the pitch angle of the helical first rows is between 30 and 60° , preferably between 40 and 50° . 3. Brush according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the angle of inclination to the radial plane is greatest for the bristles at the outer ends of the helical rows and that said angle diminishes along the rows, so that the bristles at the rear ends of the rows, i.e. near the other end (8) of the brush axle, coincide with a radial plane of the brush axle or possibly incline in the other di¬ rection, the bristle row thus assuming the general shape of a helical fan. 4. Brush according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that • all bristles of the first helical rows form an angle to the radial plane of the brush axle. 5. Brush according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that there are second helical bristle rows (4) arranged in between said first helical bristle rows, the bristles or bristle tufts (7) of said second bristle rows coinciding with radial planes of the brush axle. 6. Brush according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the first rows extend helically along the full length of the brush axle, while the second rows extend helically from the second end of the brush axle a limited distance along the brush axle, the bristles of said second rows thus filling the gaps behind the inner ends of the first rows. 7. Brush according to any of the claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the angle of inclination from the radial plane of the brush axle of at least those bristles (5) which extend past the one end of the brush axle is between 10 and 45°, suitably between 15 and 35°. 8. Brush according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the bristles (5, 7) of said rows also form an angle to the radial direction so that they lean forwards, i.e. in the intended direction of rotation. 9. Brush according to any of claims 1-8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the number of first rows is at least three and at most six, suitably four, if said second rows are also arranged, and that said number otherwise is doubled. 10. Brush cylinder, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it is equipped with a brush according to any of claims 1-9, mounted at one of its ends.

Inventors: AGERGOARD GOESTA YNGVE, FERNSTROEM BENGT ALLAN RUNE, AGERGOARD, GOESTA, YNGVE, FERNSTROEM, BENGT, ALLAN, RUNE
Applicants: AGERGARD GOESTA YNGVE
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A46B7
IPC codes: A46B9, A47L11, E01H1