Abstract:
A sweeper attachment for a refuse collection vehicle that utilizes either a conveyor system or a vacuum system to transport debris from a road surface to a collection body of the refuse collection vehicle. The sweeper attachment allows for the same vehicle to be used for both refuse collection and sweeping roadway surfaces.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to provisional patent application 62/187,490 which was filed on Jul. 1, 2015; and priority to provisional patent application 62/188,265 which was filed on Jul. 2, 2015, and both are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Due in part to the costs associated with both garbage trucks/vehicles and street sweepers, combining the functions of both would save a substantial amount of money for city and county governments and private companies in the maintenance of roads and garbage collection. 
         [0003]    It is an object of the invention to provide an attachment that can be selectively attached and removed from a variety of garbage vehicles. 
         [0004]    It is further an object of the invention to provide an attachment that does not prohibit the use of a garbage vehicle as a refuse collection vehicle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Four embodiments of a sweeper attachment for refuse collecting vehicles are shown in the accompanying figures. Each embodiment allows a typical refuse collection vehicle that can only collect refuse/recyclables into a vehicle that can additionally sweep roadways and collect debris off the roadways. 
         [0006]    The embodiments also contain a means for directing the debris from the roadway into the storage compartment of the refuse collecting vehicles. The embodiments use either a conveyor system and/or a vacuum system in conjunction with a set of brooms for directing the debris from the roadway to the storage compartment. 
         [0007]    Two of the embodiments are mountable on a standard rear loading refuse collection vehicle. These embodiments do not impair the function of the tailgate of the refuse collection vehicle, and the sweeper attachment is raised and lowered with the tailgate. This allows the debris collected from the sweeper attachment and stored in the collection body of the refuse collection vehicle to be emptied utilizing the same mechanics as for emptying the refuse. 
         [0008]    The third embodiment is for a front loading refuse collection vehicle and utilizes a conveyor system. The debris from the street is collecting in a carry can and then dumped by raising and inverting the carry can, thereby dumping the debris into a storage compartment of the front loading refuse collection vehicle. 
         [0009]    The fourth embodiment can be used for any type of refuse collection vehicle and utilizes a vacuum for transporting street debris in to a collection container. A series of hydraulic powered scissor hoist to pivot and unload the debris from the collection container to the storage compartment of the refuse collection vehicle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment on a sweeper attachment on a rear end loader with a conveyor system to move debris from a street surface to a storage area of the rear end loader; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the first embodiment of the sweeper attachment on the rear end loader; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the first embodiment of the sweeper attachment on the rear end loader wherein a tailgate is in an open position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the sweeper attachment on the rear end loader wherein the storage area is shown with a transparent side wall to demonstrate the conveyor system; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are perspective views of the first embodiment of the sweeper attachment for a rear loader; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a second embodiment of the sweeper attachment with a vacuum system to move debris from a street to the storage area of the rear end loader; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the second embodiment of the sweeper attachment with the vacuum wherein the tailgate is in an open position; 
           [0017]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are perspective views of the second embodiment of the sweeper attachment with the vacuum wherein the sweeper attachment is detached from the rear end loader. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a sweeper attachment for a front end loader; 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the third embodiment of the sweeper attachment for a front end loader wherein the sweeper attachment is in a raised position; 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is a side view of a fourth embodiment of a sweeper attachment for a rear end loader wherein the sweeper attachment is located between the front and rear axles; 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  is a side view of the fourth embodiment of the sweeper attachment; 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is a side view of the fourth embodiment of the sweeper attachment as part of a sweeper kit. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    Now referring to the figures, four embodiments for a sweeper attachment  20  are shown. The first embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 1-6  and can be used on a standard rear loader garbage vehicle  22 . The first embodiment is a conveyor style sweeper system  24  that has the sweeper attachment  20  for street sweeping that is secured to an inside  26  of the rear load tailgate  27  allowing the sweeper attachment  20  to be opened and closed with the normal operation of the rear load tailgate  27  for the loading and normal unloading of the debris commodity. With the tailgate  27  in a closed position, the sweeper attachment  20  fits snugly between the tailgate  27  and a collection body  30  of the rear loader garbage vehicle  22 . 
         [0024]    The sweeper attachment  20  comprises a main body  80 . The main body  80  has a first deflector panel  82  and second deflector panels  84  to assist in deflecting debris and assist in directing the debris toward the conveyor  70  and ultimately to the collection body  30 . Additionally, main body  80  has side walls  86  that also assist in directing debris toward the top of the sweeper attachment  20  and also prevents debris from falling off the edge of the cleats  72 . A lip  88  of the main body  80  fits snugly with a floor of the collection body  30 . 
         [0025]    During normal operation, a forward positioned side broom  40  rotates, preferably counterclockwise, sweeping street debris away from the curb towards a main broom  50  of the sweeper attachment  20 . This debris along with all other street debris that is in the path of the counterclockwise rotating main broom  50  is mechanically swept up onto a conveyor  70 , elevating the debris up and over a top  90  of a conveyor wall insert  91  into the collection body  30 . The conveyor  70  preferably has cleats  72  that aid in moving the debris and prevent the debris from falling prior to reaching the top  90  of the conveyor wall insert  91 . 
         [0026]    A debris pile  15  is shown in  FIG. 4  in the collection body  30 . The debris pile  15  can be selectively compacted or removed from the rear loader garbage vehicle  22  by known means, including use of ejector panel  12 . This first embodiment could also employ dust control systems and methods to aid in collection of street debris (i.e. water spray) as well as other methods to transport street debris into the collection body  30 , such as a pneumatic blower mechanism or a vacuum mechanism to transport street debris from the street level to within the collection body  30 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows the first embodiment of the sweeper attachment  20  with all the outside covers removed in order to show the side broom  40 , the main broom  50 , conveyor  70  and a street sweeper main body  80 . In  FIG. 6 , the sweeper attachment  20  shows the vehicle body insert  91  with sides  92  and bottom  93  designed to fit snugly within sidewalls  96  and floor  97  of the collection body  30 , respectively within the back of the collection body  3  so materials will be captured between the insert  91  and the ejector panel  12 . 
         [0028]    The second embodiment of the sweeper attachment  120  is shown in  FIGS. 7-10  and can be used on any standard rear loader garbage vehicle  122 . In this embodiment, a sweeper attachment  120  is secured to an outside  123  of a tailgate  127  so that the sweeper attachment  120  can be opened and closed with the normal operation of the tailgate  127  of the rear loader garbage vehicle  122  to allow for the loading and normal unloading of debris commodity  115 . A mounting member  117  can be used to mount the sweeper attachment  120  to the tailgate  127 . If required, the tailgate  127  can be sealed by an insert (i.e. solid panel) attached to the inside surface of the tailgate  127  to prevent debris dust or leaks between the tailgate  127  and a collection body  130 . 
         [0029]    During normal operation of the sweeper attachment  120  with the rear loader garbage vehicle  122 , a forward positioned side broom  140  rotates, preferably counterclockwise, sweeping the street debris away from the curb towards a main broom  150  of the sweeper attachment  120 . This debris along with all other street debris that is in the path of the counterclockwise rotating main broom  150  is then transported pneumatically or by a vacuum  155  up through collection tube  114  into a collection body  130 . This embodiment could also employ dust control systems and methods to aid in collection of street debris (i.e. water spray) as well as other methods to transport street debris into the collection body, such as a conveyor system. 
         [0030]      FIG. 8  shows the tailgate  127  in an open position lifting the sweeper attachment  120  out of the way so collected debris can be normally ejected and unloaded out of the rear of the body  130  of the rear loader garbage vehicle  122 . 
         [0031]      FIGS. 9 and 10  show the sweeper attachment  120  (with all the outside covers off) detailing the side broom  140 , the main broom  150 , the collection tube  114  and a street sweeper body  133 . The collection tube  114  can be mounted in slot  116  and can be movable in slot  116  to accommodate easier connection to the rear loader garbage vehicle  122 . 
         [0032]    The third embodiment of a sweeper attachment  220  is shown in  FIGS. 11-12  and can be used with any standard front loader garbage vehicle  222  that employs forks to collect front loader commercial containers. In this embodiment, the street sweeper attachment  220  has a carry can  217 . Fork pockets  218 , located on each side of the street sweeper carry can  217 , so that forks  219  of the front loader garbage vehicle  222  can slide into the fork pockets  218  to lift the carry can  217  as needed for normal street sweeping operation and for the occasional unloading of street debris into the vehicle collection hopper  230 . The carry can  217  can also be configured to employ dust control systems and methods to aid in collection of street debris (i.e. water spray) and/or use pneumatic or vacuum mechanisms to collect street debris. 
         [0033]      FIG. 11  shows the carry can  217  in the operational or collection position with the forward positioned side broom  240  rotating, preferably counterclockwise, sweeping the street debris away from the curb towards the main broom  250 . This debris along with all other street debris that is in the path of the counterclockwise rotating main broom  250  is mechanically swept up onto the conveyor  207 , elevating the debris up and over a top  290  of the conveyor wall into the collection carry can  217 . This conveyor process is similar to the one describe in the first embodiment and utilizes delectors and cleats similarly to the first embodiment. 
         [0034]      FIG. 12  shows the street sweeper carry can  217  in the unloading position during normal operation, and also the stowed transport position in the vehicle collection hopper  230 . 
         [0035]    Now referring to  FIGS. 13-15 , a fourth embodiment of a street sweeper attachment  320  for a garbage vehicle is shown that utilizes a separate autonomous independent container, similar to a side dump and/or trough loader container, but designed so it can incorporate a vacuum system to use with a vacuum style street sweeper system. A complete sweeper system can be sold and mounted as a complete kitted system that that can be mounted on a chassis in front of any rear load or side loader body. This system can operate simultaneously during garbage collection so the streets can be cleaned and garbage can be collected at the same time. 
         [0036]    This fourth embodiment of a street sweeper attachment  320  can be mounted in front of any standard rear or side loader garbage vehicle and can be used in conjunction with the garbage collection operation.  FIG. 13  shows the sweeper attachment  320  on a rear end loader garbage vehicle  322 . In this embodiment, a street sweeper attachment  320  is located below a chassis frame  323  and in proximity to a vacuum collection container  321  that is mounted above the vehicle chassis frame  323 . The street sweeper attachment  320  is attached to the vacuum collection container  321  by a flexible collection tube  324  so the collected street debris can be transported from the street into the vacuum collection container  321  by use of vacuum  355 . 
         [0037]    Once the operator has completed the street cleaning or garbage route, the vacuum collection container  321  can be emptied by using a side dump unloading mechanism  325 . The side dump unloading mechanism  325  employs a hydraulic powered scissor hoist (shown in  FIG. 15 ) to pivot and unload at the chassis frame level or lift to an elevation to dump collected debris from the vacuum collection container  321  into a roll-off style container of the rear end loader garbage vehicle  322 . The garbage vehicle unloads its contents as is normal for the unit without any interference or hindrance from the sweeper attachment kit. 
         [0038]      FIG. 13  shows the street sweeper attachment  320  in the operational or collection position with a forward positioned side broom  340  rotating, preferably counterclockwise, sweeping the street debris away from the curb towards a main broom  350 . This debris along with all other street debris that is in the path of the counterclockwise rotating main broom  350  of the sweeper, forcing the street debris to become entrained in the air vacuum  355 , lifting the street debris up the flexible collection tube  324  and depositing it into the vacuum collection container  321 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 15  shows the side dump unloading mechanism  325  elevating the vacuum collection container  321  to an elevated unloading position. 
         [0040]    This fourth embodiment is particularly useful in locations that require the residents to have a schedule to move cars to one side of the street or the other in order to allow the street sweeping operation or they are fined, towed or both. 
         [0041]    Having thus described the invention in connection with the several embodiments thereof, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various revisions can be made to the several embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is my intention, however, that all such revisions and modifications that are evident to those skilled in the art will be included with in the scope of the following claims. Any elements of any embodiments disclosed herein can be used in combination with any elements of other embodiments disclosed herein in any manner to create different embodiments.