Patent GB-623790-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to a machine for cleaning floors, carpets and the like
IPC: A47L11/33
Filed: 1947-04-11
Abstract: 623,790. Carpet-sweepers RIGBY, E. E. April 11, 1947, Nos. 9649 and 30657. [Class 138(i)] A carpet-sweeper comprises a casing, at least one supporting wheel at each end of the casing, two brushes which are rotatably mounted in the casing and have alternative driving means or connections with at least one of the supporting wheels whereby they are always rotated in opposite directions to one another, and a handle connection adapted to enable the sweeper to be propelled back and forth by a handle and to cause reversal of the driving relationship between the brushes and supporting wheel on reversal of movement of the sweeper without altering the direction of rotation of the brushes. The two brushes 7, Figs. 1 and 3, carry end pulleys 12, 13 which are engaged by a crossed belt 14. Bosses 15, 16 on the pulleys 12, 13 are adapted to be engaged frictionally by the outer periphery of the supporting wheel 8 of the sweeper, such wheel being carried by a lever 9 which is pivoted at 10 on an end wall of the casing and is attached at its upper end to a connection 11 to the handle for propelling the sweeper. Depending upon the direction in which the sweeper is pushed by its handle, the lever 9 and wheel 8 will be moved by the handle so that the wheel 8 will engage the rearmost of the two bosses 15, 16 and the direction of rotation of both rollers will remain the same whichever the direction of travel of the sweeper. A similar driving arrangemay be provided at each end of the sweeper. The supporting wheel 8, pulleys 12, 13 and other parts of the driving mechanism are disposed betwen the end wall 3 and a metal band 5 extending between the side walls 1, 2. In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the brush bodies 20, 21 are engaged at their ends by idlers 22, 23 and are adapted for engagement respectively by idlers 24, 25 mounted at the ends of a yoke 26 connected to a handle connection 27. The idlers 24, 25 are also adapted to engage, alternatively, with supporting wheels 28, 29 mounted adjacent the corners of the sweeper. In one direction of movement of the sweeper, the handle acts through the yoke 26 to bring the idler 24 into engagement between the brush-body 20 and supporting wheel 28, and, in the opposite direction of travel, the idler 25 engages between the brush body 21 and a supporting wheel 29. If desired, the idlers 22, 23 may be replaced by pulleys and a driving belt. The modification shown j Fig. 5 comprises four supporting wheels 33, 34, each of which has a peripheral flange 35 and a boss 36. The brush bodies are journalled at their ends in carriers 37 and are provided with stepped end portions 38, 39 adapted to be moved into driving engagement respectively with the flanges 35 and bosses 36. The carriers 37 are supported on the ends of levers 40 attached to the handle connection 41. Instead of causing the handle to influence the displacement of the supporting wheels or brushes, the desired change of driving connections may be achieved merely by allowing the supporting wheels or brushes a limited degree of longitudinal displacement relatively to the casing whereby reversal of the direction of movement of the sweeper occurs automatically. The first Provisional Specification describes a modification of the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 in which the flange 35 and boss 36 are adapted to be engaged by friction wheels in driving connection with the brush bodies; and the second Provisional Specification describes the use of toothed wheel instead of the idlers 22, 23, Fig. 4, and states that the invention covers a machine with one brush only.