Cleaning vehicles

Abstract: A vehicle comprising brush gear including a brush (42) rotatable about an upwardly extending axis and carried on a brush mounting arm assembly (45) comprises an inner (200) and outer (202) arm portion.

Description: This invention relates to cleaning vehicles comprising matter removal means such as brush gear or suction gear , or both. An example of such a vehicle is a self-propelled cleaning vehicle for cleaning roads and/or runways and/or pavements and/or carrying out industrial cleaning and sweeping , the vehicle having suction gear including a suction nozzle with brush gear in the form of side brushes rotating about upwardly extending axes and serving to sweep matter laterally inwardly into the path of the nozzle. Presently available cleaning vehicles require improvement in respect of the brush gear and suction gear and associated assemblies , particularly their structure , mounting and control. As regards the suction gear , improvements are also needed in respect of the ducts and other assemblies , particularly their structure and arrangement having regard to air flow , power consumption and related factors . An object of the invention is to provide cleaning vehicles , and other apparatus , providing improvements in one or more of these respects ,or generally. According to the invention there is provided a cleaning vehicle as defined in the accompanying claims . Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Fig 1 shows a perspective view of a cleaning vehicle as seen from the front and to one side , with the brush gear and suction nozzle turned for a left hand corner ; Fig 2 shows a perspective view from the rear and one side of a suspension assembly forming a front steering unit for the vehicle and a support for the suction nozzle and brush gear ; Figs 3 and 4 show , diagrammatically , plan views of the vehicle 10 during sweeping operations into a right-angled corner , and when executing a left-hand turn,respectively ; Figs 5 and 6 show , on a larger scale , one of the brushes of the vehicle of Fig 1 and details of its mounting , the direction of viewing in Fig 5 corresponding approximately to that of Fig 1 , and in Fig 6 being indicated by arrow XIII in Fig 5 ; Fig 7 shows a vertical section through a modified brush head assembly . BRUSH GEAR - BRUSH MOUNTING AND CONTROL In US 4335482 ( Jones) there is disclosed a mounting for a rotary brush of a sweeper vehicle. The brush is mounted on a leading arm . The brush can pivot about an axis extending longitudinally of the arm , and about an axis extending transversely of the arm. Both axes extend through the rotation axis of the brush. Shock absorbing means is provided to reduce bounce of the brush , and to absorb impact loads. Spring means is provided to hold the brush in a defined basic working position. In other proposals various control systems are provided to sense and respond to impacts (see, for example DE-A- 2 924 502). Nevertheless , the basic vulnerability of a leading arm brush mounting is retained and is protected only according to the degree of sophistication and responsiveness of the overload and impact-detecting control systems associated with it. However , leading arm brush mountings have considerable advantages with respect to the basic brushing action , but some improvement in the means for protecting such brush mountings from impact and similar loads is needed , which does not lead to the complication and expense of previously proposed sophisticated protection and control systems. Likewise , improved and preferably simplified means for positioning the brush in work and for controlling its attitude in work are desirable. As shown in the drawings , brush gear 42 comprises brushes 24 carried on mountings 45 comprising mounting arms 46 and 48 which are pivotally connected to the steered support means 28 at their inner ends for pivotal movement about upwardly extending axes 54 , 56 . The brush mountings extend generally forwardly with respect to direction F. The brushes rotate about upwardly extending axes in the direction shown to sweep matter laterally inwardly for collection by nozzle 30. The left and right arms each comprise inner and outer portions 200 and 202 respectively , arranged end to end with pivot means 204 having a generally upwardly extending pivot axis 206 interconnecting the portions 200 , 202, whereby the outer portion 202 can turn with respect to the inner portion 200 to permit the brush to yield in a rearward direction by folding movement of the brush mounting , upon impact of the brush with an object. Inner portion 200 of each mounting arm comprises a parallelogram linkage 208 consisting of an upper link 210 and a lower link 212. At their inner ends , these links are directly pivoted to support means 28 . At their outer ends , they are likewise directly pivoted to outer arm portion 202 . This latter is in the form of an arm and bracket assembly rigidly fastened to the cover 214 of the respective brush. Linkage 208 serves to maintain the attitude of outer arm portion 202 whereby the brush attitude can be controlled. The outer portion 202 is held by resilient means in the form of a spring 216 against a stop 218 , thereby defining the normal working positions of the arm portions 200 , 202 relative to each other . In the normal working position of the brushes with respect to the fore/aft centre line of the nozzle , assuming that the brushes are set for sweeping the normal sweeping width of the machine , the mounting arm inner portions 200 are inclined towards the nozzle centre line at an inclination of about between 5 degrees and 25 degrees . The mounting arm outer portions 202 are located on the outboard side of the inner portions and extend laterally and outwardly therefrom. The associated brush is likewise located mainly on the outboard side of its inner mounting arm portion. This arrangement , and the geometry of the brush mounting assembly generally,is such that a rearward force acting on the brush due to an impact causes the brush mounting linkage to fold and exert an inwardly-directed force on the inner brush mounting arm portion 200. In work , spring 216 holds outer arm portion 202 against stop 218 . Parallelogram linkage 208 holds outer arm portion 202 at a predetermined attitude. In this embodiment the pivot joints at the opposite ends of upper link 200 are universal joints while those at the ends of lower link 212 are ball joints , whereby the pivotal movement about vertical axes 56 , 206 as well as the corresponding transverse axes required by the parallelogram linkage , is permitted. Stop 218 is adjustable to determine one aspect of the working position of brush 42 . In addition , the brush is also adjustable about a brush side loading axis 220 defined by a bolt 222 , the position being adjusted by means of adjustment bolts 224 . Adjustment about axis 220 determines the loading of the brush against the swept surface in its main sweeping region which is located at the periphery of the brush on the side thereof remote from axis 220 . A front/rear adjustment axis 224A permits the loading of the brush to be increased forwardly or rearwardly in the prime sweeping zone at the front of the brush. In this embodiment , no provision has been made for adjustment about axis 224A, but such can readily be made . Adjustment about both axes 220 and 224A could be readily effected by remote control , for example by means of slave hydraulic rams and/or springs. Control of the brush gear will now be described. Each brush is driven by a hydraulic motor so as to rotate in direction R . Once the lateral position of each brush has been set with respect to the front steerable wheels 16 , no further lateral adjustment is needed during steering manoeuvres , except when some obstacle is encountered or it is desired to , for example , move one of the brushes outwardly to sweep under an overhanging building structure . Lateral control of each brush is effected by means of inner and outer hydraulic rams 226 and 228. Inner ram 226 constitutes resilient means. It is supplied with a constant low pressure source of hydraulic fluid which biases the parallelogram linkage 208 outwardly . Ram 226 is connected by ball joints 230 , 232 at its ends so as to act between support means 28 and lower link 212 . By virtue of the geometry of the assembly , ram 226 exerts a light lifting force on the brush , thereby offsetting its weight to an adjustable extent. Outer ram 228 functions as an adjustable stop to limit outward movement of the linkage. In use , when the linkage is to be moved outwards , the driver operates a valve to connect outer ram 228 to tank whereby it can retract under the outward force of inner ram 226 and/or the reaction force of the brush against the road surface. When the brush has reached the desired position , the driver isolates ram 228 and it then acts as a stop and holds the linkage in its new position relative to support means 28 . To move the brush to its central transport position or to move it inwards , outer ram 228 is pressurised. During normal work this action defeats the relatively low hydraulic pressure supplied to inner ram 226 and the brush moves inwards in contact with the surface being swept. If the brush is to be raised , inner ram 226 is also pressurised , thereby also raising the linkage as it moves inwards . When the brush hits an obstacle , it first swings rearwards about axis 206 while generating a laterally inward force on linkage 208 which overcomes the light outward bias from ram 226 and permits the brush also to swing inwards as well as rearwards . A relief or pressure control valve connected to ram 226 may permit it to discharge to tank under these conditions. Alternatively, according to the setting of the relief valve , ram 226 may cause the linkage to rise thereby providing a third mode of relief movement of the brush. At the same time outer ram 228 resiliently resists the lateral inward movement of the linkage by development of a partial vacuum within the ram. Thus , outer ram 228 is mainly a stop device which also functions as a swing actuator and under impact provides resilient resistance . Inner ram 226 functions mainly as a resilient device loading the linkage outwards but which also has lift functions and overload relief functions under impact conditions. Ram 228 acts through ball joints 234 and 236 between support means 28 and upper link 210. Amongst other modifications which could be made in the above embodiment are alternative resilient devices in place of those provided , alternative pivot joint constructions and attitude adjustment means , and general modifications to the geometry of the assembly . The two single acting rams could be replaced by a single double-acting ram. BRUSH MOUNTING - BRUSH COVERS In the case of matter removal means such as brush gear of a cleaning vehicle it is found that the brush heads are vulnerable to damage, particularly in the case of those mounted on leading arms . Usually , these structures carry drives such as hydraulic motors together with spray nozzles , together with the linkage for supporting the brush head . All these structures are vulnerable to damage upon impact with fixed objects such as street furniture. Previous proposals for meeting these requirements , such as freely rotatable impact plates , have not been found to be adequate , and improvements are required in respect of reduced vulnerability and/or reducing the height requirements of the brush assembly so that the latter can sweep under certain items of street furniture such as seats and the like. Fig 7 shows details of brush-supporting covers of Fig 1. Figs 5 and 6 show different brush gear supports . As shown in Fig 7 brush 42 comprises bristles 250 mounted on a carrier plate 252 coupled to the output shaft 254 of hydraulic motor 256 driven through hose couplings 258 to effect rotation about axis 60. The motor is located in a housing 260 forming a brush cover and serving to house motor 256 together with spray nozzles 262 located at circumferentally spaced positions along the front periphery of housing 260 to spray water in an arc indicated by line 263 on the forward side of the cone described by bristles 250 Nozzles 262 receive water from the clean water compartment of tank 167. Housing 260 forms part of the mounting structure for brush 42 and is in the form of a hollow body forming part of the load bearing support structure of the brush. The housing has connection means 264 for direct load-bearing connection to the brush mounting linkage . In this embodiment , the outer portion 202 of the brush mounting arm is rigidly secured to connection means 264, and the latter is structurally integral with housing 260, which is formed as a single hollow structure of a suitable plastics material , and serves as a flexible and resilient impact device for collisions of the brush assembly with street furniture such as seats and lamp posts . The hollow plastic structure has internal metal support elements 266 which are directly coupled to the brush mounting linkage . These serve to transfer the brush support loads to the hollow plastics body 260. However , the major portion of the strength and rigidity of the housing 260 is derived from its own plastics material and the hollow form thereof. The internal metallic structure 266 may be bonded thereto . Openings may be formed in the hollow body sufficient for admission and removal of the motor 256 and its hoses . It will be noted that the brush mounting arm connected to brush 42 extends generally horizontally thereto , and preferably does not project above same by more than about 2.5 centimetres. In use , housing 260 serves to protect motor 256 and nozzles 262 from damage by impacts with fixed objects. The housing adds almost nothing to the overall height of the brush assembly and permits connection of the brush mounting linkage directly to it . Its hollow form gives it significant structural strength whereby the plastics material has sufficient rigidity while retaining the inherent impact resistance of such material , whereby the vulnerability of the brush assembly is greatly reduced. The materials for the construction of housing 260 may be the same synthetic polymers as those for the nozzle 30.

Claims: A cleaning vehicle (10) comprising brush gear including a brush (42) rotatable about an upwardly extending axis (60) and carried on a brush mounting arm assembly (45) extending generally forwardly with respect to the normal direction (F) of operative forward motion of said vehicle, to sweep matter laterally with respect to said direction, said brush mounting (45) comprising inner (200) and outer (202) arm portions connected by pivot means (204) having a generally upwardly extending pivot axis (206) interconnecting said portions, characterised in that the relative dispositions of said brush mounting portions with respect to the travel direction (F) in their normal in use positions are such that said inner brush mounting portion (200) normally extends generally forwardly with respect to the travel direction (F) and said outer brush mounting portion (202) extends generally laterally outwardly therefrom with respect to the centre line of the vehicle, whereby on impact of said brush with a foreign body the outer brush mounting portion (202) can pivot with respect to said inner portion (200) to permit the brush to yield in a rearward direction by folding movement of the brush mounting arm assembly (45). A cleaning vehicle according to claim 1 characterised in that said inner brush mounting portion comprises upper (210) and lower (212) links forming a parallelogram linkage (208) and said pivot means ( 204 ) connecting said inner and outer brush mounting portions permits pivotal movement of said outer brush mounting portion about said upwardly extending axis ( 206 ) until it engages a stop (218) defining the normal working attitude of the outer brush mounting portion with respect to the inner brush mounting portion , and resilient means ( 216 ) being provided to hold the brush in said normal working position A cleaning vehicle according to claim 2 characterised in that said brush ( 42 ) is also position-adjustable about at least one further axis ( 220,224A) , said further axis lying in a generally horizontal plane . A cleaning vehicle according to claim 2 characterised in that said brush ( 42 ) is position-adjustable about two further axes lying in a generally horizontal plane , one axis ( 220 ) extending generally in the travel direction ( F ) , and the other axis ( 224A) extending generally laterally with respect thereto.

Inventors: DUNCAN IAN JAMES, DUNCAN, IAN JAMES
Applicants: MORNINGFIELD LTD, MORNINGFIELD LIMITED
Application year: 1986
Main classification: E01H1
IPC codes: A47L11, E01H1