Patent GB-686122-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to sweeping devices
IPC: A46B13/00
Filed: 1950-04-25
Abstract: 686,122. Fixing bristles; stocks. WILSON, R. E. Nov. 15, 1950 [April 25, 1950], No. 10165/50. Class 19. A sweeping device comprises an elongated holder carrying a group of folded bristles, said holder serving to clamp the bristles at the bight thereof, and a stock having an outwardly directed recess therein in which the holder is located, the holder and stock recess being shaped and arranged in such manner that the holder is firmly retained in the recess in a position in which the free ends of the bristles project outwardly from the stock, whilst being readily removable from the recess for replacement by a holder carrying fresh bristles. The invention is particularly applicable to a mechanical sweeper collector of the kind having cylindrical sweeping brushes which rotate about their longitudinal axes whilst being drawn along the surface to be swept. In this case the device comprises a plurality of holders each of which clamps the bight of a group of bristles folded over into flattened fan-like formation, and a roller or stock having a plurality of longitudinally extending peripheral grooves each having a holder fitting firmly but removably therein, the arrangement being such as to provide a generally cylindrical brush having readily replaceable bristles. This application is shown in the drawings in which the bristle holder is formed from a rectangular plate 1 of flexible material having 'two off set rows of tongues 2. The bristle strands are divided into groups 5 each such group being located between adjacent corresponding tongues in each row and clamping strips 3 having slots shaped and spaced to engage over the tongues are then placed over each row of tongues which are then folded over (Fig. 4) to clamp the bristles. Margins 1a are then bent over and pressed down over the ends of the strips 3. The entire plate is then bent up into a pear-shaped section (Fig. 1) and since the tongues in one row are relatively off-set from those of the other row the bristle strands will be folded up to form a flat fan-like knot. The bristle holder is arranged for insertion in a groove 6 in the periphery of a roller 7 of a sweeper collector, a number of such grooves being formed around the periphery. Several such rollers may be assembled coaxially on a common shaft to provide a mechanical sweeper collector. The grooves may either extend parallel to the axis of the roller or they may be at an inclination to a peripheral line parallel to the said axis. The solid rollers may be replaced by a series of concentric discs each being peripherally grooved for the reception of the bristle holders. Existing rollers may be adapted for the reception of clamping means according to the invention by providing a sleeve around such holders, the outer periphery of the sleeve being suitably grooved. Holders carrying bristles which have worn too short for use in a sweeper collector may be used in the stock of an ordinary sweeping brush or broom. According to the Provisional Specification the clamping member for the bristles may be formed from an elongated rectangular strip slightly more than twice the axial length of the roller, the longitudinal side edges being each formed with inclined shallow grooves or indentations therealong, the indentations at the central portion being inclined oppositely to those at the end portions. The bristle layer is placed across the central layer of the strip and the end portions of the strip then bent up and pressed down tightly over the top of the layer so as to overlap slightly at the centre. The sides of the strip are then bent up to form a U-section channel member the inclination of the indentations causing the bristles to assume a flat fan-like formation. The bristle carrying holder is then secured in a U-section channel provided in the periphery of a roller or stock and is held in position by a rod which extends along the channel and is held in apertures provided in plates attached one to each end of the roller, one of said plates being detachable to permit removal of the bristle holding plate. Instead of the bristle plate being bent into a U-section it may be further bent to a cross section of keyhole shape and the section then slid into a co-operating groove in a stock or holder, the circular portion being retained in the circular inner portion of the co-operating groove without the use of a retaining rod.