Improvements in Street Sweeping Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1898-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Street Sweeping Machines.
We, SIMON D. LANYON, of Joplin, in the State of Missouri, and JOHN WILBER
TRIPP, of 202, West 3rd Street, Sedalia, in the same State, United States of
America, Gentlemen, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
Our invention relates to improvements in street sweeping machines, and one of
the objects that we have in view is to provide an improved machine in which the
working parts are all housed or enclosed within casings forming a part of the
machine, to prevent the dust from flying loose in the air.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism for
adjusting the rotary broom, and enable the driver to adjust the broom, as may be
required by the actual conditions of practical service of the machine.
A further object of the invention is to equip the machine with means for dis-
charging the gathered dirt and refuse into a vehicle travelling alongside of the
machine, or into a suitable receptacle.
A further object of the invention is to simplify the construction of the machine
with a view to increasing its efficiency and reliability, and to reduce the cost of
manufacture, and of repairs, to a minimum.
With these and other ends in view, our invention consists in the novel com-
bination of elements, and in the construction and arrangement of parts which
will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.
To enable others to understand our invention, we have illustrated the preferred
embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specifi-
cation, and in which-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a street sweeping machine embodying our inven-
tion.
Figure 2 is a similar elevation, looking at the opposite side of the machine.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, taken centrally through the
machine.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the broom carrying and adjusting devices,
detached from the machine.
Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the tension device by which the end-
less driving chain between the axle and the broom shaft is maintained in a taut
condition.
Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the inclined floor plate across which the
broom is adapted to travel and lift the sweepings into a receptacle from which they
are carried by the elevator to a discharge conveyor.
Figures 7 and 8 are detail views of the hinged discharge spout and of a part of
the endless conveyor, respectively.
Like numerals of reference denote like and corresponding parts in each of the
several drawings of the drawings.
1 designates the main carrying frame of our improved street sweeping machine.
At its rear end this carrying frame is provided with suitable bearings, in which is

page_text: mounted the carrying axle 2; and the front end of this frame is equipped with a
pivoted axle 3, on which are mounted the front wheels 4. The main carrying
frame is provided at its rear end with the inclined uprights 5, which are con-
nected together by a tie-bar 5", and are braced by the struts 5b; and on this
rear part of the carrying frame is fixed the upright casing 6, containing the end-
less elevator. At its lower end this upright inclined casing 6 is constructed to form
a receptacle or chamber 7, which is open at its rear side next to the rotary broom,
which will be presently described. The upper end of the upright casing is provided
at its front side with another receptacle S, which overhangs the uprights 5.
In the side walls of the upright casing 6 are formed suitable apertures or slots
through which pass the ends of the lower horizontal shaft 10, and the protruding
ends of this shaft are journalled in suitable bearings in the hangers 11. These
hangers are arranged on the outside of the carrying frame, and at their upper ends
they are provided with longitudinal slots through which pass suitable securing
bolts 11", that serve to adjustably fasten the hangers to the main carrying frame 1.
Adjustable slotted standards 12 are fastened by suitable bolts to the uprights 5
of the carrying frame, and these standards project upwardly above the upright
casing and are provided with suitable journal bearings for the upper horizontal
shaft 13.
The horizontal shafts 10 and 13 are arranged in parallel relation to each other
and within the casing 6; and said shafts are provided with suitable sprocket
wheels 14 and 15, around which pass the links 16 of the endless conveyor 16. The
alternate links 16 of the chains forming parts of the endless conveyor, are pro-
vided with laterally extending, lugs or flanges 16b, to which are rigidly fastened
the buckets 16°. As shown by the drawing, each bucket consists of a right-angled
length of metal, one part or web of which is applied laterally to the lugs on the
chain links, while the other part or web stands outwardly from the line of the end-
less chains, whereby the offstanding webs of the buckets are adapted to receive and
carry the sweepings thrown into the chamber 7 by the action of the rotary broom.
The carrying axle 2 of the machine is equipped with the wheels 17, and to one
end of this axle is attached a sprocket wheel 18 around which passes a sprocket
chain 19 that extends to and also passes around a sprocket pinion 20 on the pro-
jecting end of the lower horizontal shaft 10 of the elevator, whereby the endless
chain of buckets are operatively connected with and positively driven by the rotary
carrying axle of the machine. On opposite sides of the machine are arranged the
horizontal levers 21, which extend practically the full length of the carrying frame.
and project rearwardly beyond the casing 6 which contains the endless elevator.
These levers 21 provide the means whereby the rotary broom 22 is held in operative
relation to the endless elevator, and with said longitudinal levers 21 is combined
the device for raising or lowering the broom mechanism relatively to the street
surface. The levers 21 are fulcrumed at points intermediate of their length to
the carrying frame 1 of the machine, preferably by employing strong bolts 22".
which pass through said levers and are suitably fixed to the frame. The rear ends
of these levers 21 are curved downwardly, as shown, and in said levers are formed
suitable openings; or, if desired, journal bearings may be provided on the levers,
to receive the shaft 22b of the rotary broom. This shaft 22 occupies a position in
rear of and parallel to the lower shaft 10 of the endless elevator, and to one end
of this shaft is secured a gear pinion 23, which meshes with a similar pinion 24.
This gear pinion 24 is made integral with, or united rigidly to, a sprocket wheel 25.
and said pinion and sprocket wheel are journalled loosely on a spindle or arbor 26.
One end of this spindle is attached to one of the levers 21, and its other end is
supported in a link or plate 27, which is arranged parallel to, but is spaced laterally
a suitable distance from the curved rear end of the lever 21, to which the spindle 26
is fastened. The other end of this plate or link 27 is joined to the lever 21 by means
of a transverse supporting bar 28. On the end of the axle 2, on the opposite side
of the machine from the sprocket chain 19 and the sprocket wheels 18 and 20, is
Joosely mounted a driving sprocket wheel 29, around which passes a belt or

page_text: chain 30, that operatively connects the sprocket 25 with the driving sprocket
wheel 29, and transmits the motion from the axle 2 to the broom shaft 22. This
driving sprocket wheel 29 carries a spring-controlled pawl 31, which normally
engages with the teeth of a ratchet 32 fast with one end of the axle 2; and when
the machine is drawn forward, the sprocket 29 is thus made fast with the axle,
to be rotated thereby; but if the machine is moved in the reverse direction, the
ratchet slips idly past the pawl, to prevent the broom from being positively driven
on the reverse motion of the machine.
From the foregoing description, it will be observed that the rotary broom is
supported by the longitudinal levers 21; and to provide for the adjustment of the
broom with relation to the street surface, we have equipped the machine with means
for raising and lowering the front ends of said levers, to impart a corresponding
adjustment to the rotary broom. The front ends of the levers 21 are joined together
by a transverse tie-bar 33, which extends across the carrying frame 1 adjacent to
the driver's seat 34, and to this tie-bar is connected a vertical adjusting bolt 35,
which passes through the head of a stand 36 fastened rigidly to the carrying frame 1
in a suitable way. The lower end of this adjusting bolt is provided with a loop
or eye, through which passes the tie-bar 33, and with the threaded shank of this
adjusting bolt engages a hand-wheel 37 equipped with a nut to engage with the
threads of the adjusting bolt.
The longitudinal levers 21 carry at their rear curved ends the side fenders 38,
which are suitably fastened to said curved ends of the levers, and afford protection
against the dust escaping from the sides of the machine.
In advance of the rotary broom is arranged the inclined floor or plate 39, across
which the broom is adapted to sweep, for the purpose of raising the sweepings into
the receptacle or chamber 7. This floor or plate 39 is hung or pivotally attached.
at 40 in the lower part of the upright casing 6, and said floor or plate is equipped
with the ground wheels or rollers 41, journalled in suitable brackets 42, which
are rigidly attached to the floor or plate on the lower front side thereof. These
wheels are designed to travel on the street surface to sustain the floor or plate in
proper relation to the rotary broom, but the movement of said plate away from the
broom is limited by means of the stop arms 43, which are fastened to the side
fenders and have angular ends projecting in advance of the plate, so as to arrest
the forward movement thereof under abnormal conditions of service.
The rotary broom is enclosed within a curved hood 44, which snugly embraces the
side fenders, and which is pivotally attached at its upper front edge to the longitu-
dinal levers 21, and this fender is provided in advance of its pivots with the
upwardly projecting flange 45, that snugly fits against the closure 46 for the rear
side of the casing 6 for the endless elevator. We prefer to provide this closure
with the bayonet slots 48 to receive the studs or pins 49, which are rigidly attached
to the upright casing 6, and which serve to detachably confine the closure in place
in relation to the hood and the elevator. To the upper end of this closure is hinged
a hood 50, which serves to enclose within itself the upper part of the elevator, its
shaft 13, and the receptacle 8 on the front side of the elevator.
In this receptacle is arranged a transverse conveyor 52, the shaft of which is
journalled in suitable bearings in the end walls of said receptacle. One end of this
conveyor shaft is provided with a sprocket pinion 53, adapted to be engaged by an
endless sprocket chain 53ª which passes around a sprocket wheel 54 on one end of
the upper elevator shaft 13, and also around an idler sprocket pinion 55, which is
journalled in a suitable standard 56 adjustably fastened to one of the inclined
struts for the uprights 5, said standard being adjustable for the purpose of compen-
sating for wear on the sprockets and the chain.
The hinged hood 50 is adapted to be thrown back with relation to the closure for
the elevator casing, and permit of easy access to the upper part of the elevator and
to the transverse conveyor, and when this hood is adjusted to enclose the elevator
and the conveyor, it is designed to be fastened in place by a suitable catch 50.
The transverse conveyor is preferably a screw conveyor, one end of which is

page_text: adapted to discharge to an inclined chute or spout 60, which projects laterally from
one side of the machine. This chute or spout is braced by an inclined strut 61,
and to the free end of the chute is hinged an adjustable section 62, arranged to
discharge the sweepings into a wagon arranged to travel alongside of the machine,
or into a sack or other receptacle which may be suspended from the hinged section,
as will be readily understood. This hinged section may be lowered with relation
to the inclined spout, for the purpose of having access to the interior, to clean any
accumulations in the inclined spout, and said hinged section is adapted to be held
in alignment with the spout by a suitable catch 63.
To maintain the driving sprocket chain 30 in a taut condition at all times, we
resort to the employment of a tension device 65. This tension device consists of
a suitable frame-work 66, which is slotted at its upper end to fit loosely on the
fixed bar 28, which connects the plate or link 27 to one of the longitudinal levers 21,
whereby the frame is slidably attached to the fixed bar. The lower end of this
frame carries an idler roller 67, arranged to engage with and form a loose rolling
support for the lower strand of the driving chain 30, and this frame and its idle
roller are normally elevated by a tension 68, the lower end of which is seated
against a collar 69 on the adjusting spindle 70. This collar or head of the adjust-
ing spindle is shaped to fit snugly to the fixed bar 28, and around said spindle is
fitted the tension spring, which has its upper end arranged to bear against the
closed head of the vertically slidable frame. The lower part of the slidable frame
is held in proper relation to the curved lever by means of a link or stay 71, attached
at its ends to the fixed spindle or arbor 26, and to the lower end of said slidable
frame. The slidable frame, the roller journalled therein, and the lifting spring
provide an improved tension device which is operatively engaged with the endless
sprocket chain to hold the latter normally in a taut condition, and to compensate
for wear on the chain and the sprocket wheels with which it engages.
In operation, the machine is drawn along the street, and the motion of the axle
is communicated through the described gearing to the broom shaft for the purpose
of rotating the broom, to sweep the dirt and refuse across the plate or floor and
into the receptacle 7 at the bottom of the upright casing. The endless elevator
is driven positively by the described connections with the carrying axle, and the
conveyor is also positively driven by the sprocket chain and wheel gearing between
the conveyor shaft and the upper shaft of the endless elevator. Said elevator is
arranged to have its buckets receive the dirt and sweepings from the lower recep-
tacle 7, of the upright casing, and the elevator buckets carry this dirt and sweep-
ings up to the receptacle 8, to discharge the same upon the conveyor, which transfers
the sweepings to the inclined chute, from whence the sweepings are discharged into
a suitable receptacle.
1
In the practical operation of the machine, the dust is confined by the described
construction of the fenders, the hoods and the casing closure, so as to reduce to a
minimum the escape of dust and dirt from the machine. The broom may be raised
or lowered by the driver, who is able to conveniently reach the adjusting hand-
wheel, to raise or lower the levers 21, and such adjustment of the levers also moves
the side fenders and the broom hood, to insure said fenders and hood remaining in
their normal operative positions with relation to the rotary broom.
...We are aware that changes in the form of the parts and in the details of con-
struction may be made by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit
or sacrificing the advantages of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim, is:-
-
1. In a street sweeping machine, the combination with an upright casing, a
wheeled carrying frame, and an elevator within said casing, of the broom-carrying
levers fulcrumed on the frame, a rotary broom mounted on the carrying levers,
driving mechanism"for"said broom, side fenders 38, rigidly attached to the carry-

page_text: ing levers and arranged at the ends of the broom, a hood 44, pivoted to the side
fenders and extending from the upright casing rearwardly around the broom;
said head and side fenders forming an inclosure for the broom and adjustable with
the carrying levers to remain in the same relation at all times to said broom, sub-
stantially as described.
2. In a street sweeping machine, the combination of a wheeled frame, an upright
casing provided with a receptacle 7, the broom-carrying levers, the side fenders
and hood carried by said levers and forming an inclosure in rear of the casing,
a broom mounted on the levers; a driving mechanism for the broom, an elevator,
and an inclined plate 39, situated within the side fenders in advance of the broom
hinged at its upper edge to the receptacle 7, and provided with the ground rollers,
substantially as described.
3. In a street sweeping machine, the combination with a wheeled carrying frame,
an axle, and a driving wheel, of the longitudinal carrying levers fulcrumed on
the machine, a broom having its shaft journalled in said levers and provided with
a spur gear wheel, a fixed plate on one side of a carrying lever, a compound sprocket
and gear wheel journalled between one lever and the fixed plate and meshing with
the gear on the broom shaft, a sprocket wheel on the driving wheel, and a sprocket
chain fitted to said driving sprocket wheel & to the sprocket member of the com-
pound gear, substantially as described.
4. In a street sweeping machine, the combination with a frame, a main axle
and a broom-shaft, of a wheel mounted on the axle to rotate therewith and carry-
ing a driving sprocket, a countershaft geared to the broom-shaft, and having a
sprocket pinion, a driving chain operatively connected to the driving sprocket and
to the sprocket pinion on the countershaft, a slidable tension frame carrying a
loose guide roller arranged in contact with one strand of said chain, and a spring
which normally lifts the slidable tension frame and its roller, substantially as
described, for the purposes set forth.
5. In a street sweeping machine, the combination with the main carrying frame,
a driving wheel, an axle and a broom shaft, of longitudinal adjusting levers
fulcrumed to the carrying frame and sustaining the broom shaft, a driving sprocket
on the driving wheel, a countershaft journalled in the adjusting levers and geared
to the broom-shaft, a driving chain between the driving sprocket and the counter-
shaft, a horizontal bar rigid with one of said adjusting levers, a slidable tension
frame mounted on said bar, an idler friction roller journalled in said tension frame
and engaging with one strand of the driving chain, and a spring seated against-
said fixed bar and against the slidable tension frame, substantially as described.
6. In a street sweeping machine, the combination with a carrying frame, and a
driving axle provided with a clutch controlled sprocket wheel, of adjusting levers
fulcrumed on said carrying frame, a broom having its shaft journalled in said levers
and provided at one end with a gear pinion, a plate or link arranged parallel to one
of said levers and connected rigidly thereto by a spindle and a fixed bar, a pinion
and sprocket wheel journalled on said spindle and arranged for the pinion to gear
with the broom shaft pinion, a driving chain operatively connected with said
sprocket wheel and with the clutch controlled sprocket wheel, a slidable tension
frame loosely mounted on said fixed bar and carrying at its lower end a tension
roller which engages with one strand of the driving chain, a spindle passing
through the head of the tension frame and seated on the fixed bar, and a spring
fitted at its respective ends against the spindle and the head of the tension frame,
substantially as described
7. In a street sweeping machine, the combination with a main frame an upright
elevator casing and a broom, of a closure detachably fastened to the rear of said
upright casing, side fenders situated in close lateral relation to the ends of the
broom, a pivoted hood attached to the lower part of the upright casing, a trough-
like receptacle situated in advance of the upper end of said casing, a hood hinged
to the rear closure and arranged to close the upper end of the upright casing and
the trough-like receptacle, an endless elevator within said upright casing, a

page_text: transverse conveyor and suitable driving mechanism for said elevator and the
conveyor, substantially as specified.
8. In a street sweeping machine, the combination with a main shaft an upright
casing and its trough like receptacle, of the delivery spout or chute extending
laterally from the trough-like receptacle and provided with a hinged delivery
section arranged to be fastened detachably to said spout or chute, a broom, an
elevator, and a transverse conveyor, substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of May 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.