IMPROVE- MENTS IN ROAD SWEEPING MACHINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ROAD SWEEPING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad by
Jean Baptiste Tailfer, Mechanician, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
Sealed the 5th February 1864, and dated the 11th August 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th August
1863.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD SWEEPING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improved machinery for sweeping roads, and also
in the peculiar arrangement of the same. The sweeper, properly so called,
consists of a carriage mounted on two running wheels, and an axle serving to
carry the whole machine. At the rear end is placed a cylindrical brush
carried by a double frame on the machine, this frame oscillates on the axle
supporting it, and receives the necessary inclination by the driver or attendant,
in order that the sweeping may be properly effected. This sweeper, which is
mounted obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the carriage, is formed of brushes
arranged spirally on a cylinder, it is driven by endless chains passing round two
pullies, one fixed on the axis of the brush, and the other formed of a piece
with one of the running wheels of the machine and serving as the driver.

page_text: Instead of the arrangement described, certain modifications may be made
in the sweeping apparatus, for example:-1st, an intermediate shaft may be
placed between the driving wheel and the sweeper, so as to transmit the
motion more directly, and prevent the endless chain from running off the
pullies; 2ndly, the brush or sweeper may be mado conical, the smaller part
serving to collect the dist. For sweeping narrow ways, which may be effected
by a hand machine, 1 mount the sweeper below two hand shafts carried on
two wheels, the axle of which is furnished with wheel gearing imparting
motion to the cylindrical brush, which is arranged helically as before described.
This improved machinery is represented in the accompanying Drawing, Fig.
1 of which shows an elevation of one arrangement of sweeper to be drawn by
a horse; Fig. 2 is an elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan of another arrangement of
sweeper, the brush being of conical form, and having an intermediate shaft
for the transmission of motion; lastly, Fig. 4 shows an arrangement of hand
sweeper. The letters of reference servo for all the Figures.
a, carriage mounted on axle b, and supported by the running wheels c;
, double movable frame, at the extremity of which is mounted the sweeper e;
f, endless chain passing over pullies g, h; i, intermediate shaft for driving the
brush seen in Figs. 2 and 8; j, wheel gearing for driving the brush seen in
Fig. 4. It will be seen that the spiral brush or sweeper turning obliquely to
the road, takes up the mud and filth which it carries on one side after traversing
the length of the brush.
It will be understood that the arrangement of levers, endless chain guides,
and also of the carriage may be varied as required, the chief feature of the
Invention being the application of a brush, the tufts of which are mounted
helically thereon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th February 186.4.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM S
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her g
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the

page_text: aid William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns," should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during tho
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD SWEEPING
MACHINES," a communication to me from abroad by Jean Baptiste Tailfer,
Mechanician, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery for sweeping roads.
These machines are composed of a cart, body, or frame mounted on an axle,
and drawn by a horse on the axle or wheel; at one side is keyed a pulley on.
which runs an endless chain for communicating rotary motion to a cylindrical
brush or sweeper, which is inclined at a certain angle at the rear part of the
vehicle. This sweeper is formed of brushes sot in single or double spiral rows,
round a cylinder in such manner that by turning obliquely to the driection of
motion of the vehicle, the mud or dust will be swept up in a row at the
extremity of the brush. By a suitable inechanical arrangement the conductor
may raise the brush instantaneously out of contact with the ground in case of
meeting any obstacles to the passage of the vehicle, or when the sweeping is
terminated by another arrangement, the parts producing the rotating motion of
the brush are thrown out of gear when it is raised, and consequently cease to
act. I have represented one arrangement of this apparatus in side elevation
at Fig. 1 of the Drawings, while Figs. 2, 3, and 4 represent details of the
sweeper.
a, body or frame mounted on axle b; c, c, travelling wheels; d, d, shafts;
e, e, balance bars placed on each side of the vehicle and oscillating on axle b
being secured in position by a guide f, at the front part; 9, 9, rear supports
.

page_text: united to arms e, e, by hinges h and bont iron plate i;j, axis of the cylindrical
brush, turning in bearings, carried by supports 9, 9; k, pulley mounted on
the end of axis j; 1, chain transmitting rotary motion from a pulley m, keyed
on one of the running wheels of the machine, to the pulley & of the sweeper.
The pulley m is represented in the Drawing as being mounted on the off
wheel of the vehicle, but it may be applied on either side indifferently,
according as it is desired to direct the movement of the brush from the right
or left hand side; n, guides fixed to part i and bar e for keeping the chain
crossed; o, sheet iron plate enclosing a portion of the cylindrical brush to
prevent splashing; p, cross bar connecting the two supports 9; 7, lever
oscillating in a bearing r; at the rear end of the vehicle an endless chain s
connects one of its extremities to cross bar p, and a vertical guide t, placed in
front of the machine, serves to regulate its oscillating movement. It will thus
be understood that the lever q in oscillating raises the brush apparatus, which
being connected to bars e, e, is entirely independent as regards the motion of
the vehicle; u, gearing mounted on axis j, the distinguishing feature of which
is that in order to disconnect the cylindrical sweeper from the driving pulley
the conductor of the vehicle or sweeper does not require to descend from his
seat, the disconnection being effected as before mentioned simultaneously with
the raising of the brush apparatus by means of the lever q; v, rod of the dis-
connecting gear u, which is bent at the upper end; a, arm fixed at the back
of the vehicle a. It will be readily understood that in raising the lever rod v,
its bent part will strike the fixed arm x, and so oscillate and disconnect the
brush. In order to maintain the latter in its raised position, I employ a catch
m², which locks the rod q, & in order to detach it and lower the brush it is only
necessary to depress the pedal n' with the foot, which by means of arm o¹
withdraws catch m³, and causes it to enter the opening p¹ made in upright q',
after which the arm 7 will be free to oscillate, as before described.
Hand sweeping machine.-This machine is especially intended for sweeping
park walks, narrow streets and ways, or other purposes. It is furnished with
a handle and side frames mounted on two wheels, and an axle which sets
in motion a train of wheels communicating movement to a cylindrical brush,
the material of which is also arranged spirally, as before described.
This machine is represented in Fig. 5 of the Drawings. 1, iron shaft or
Frame, supported at the one end by an axle 2, on which are mounted two
wheels 3, 3, and also by a roller d in the front part of the frame, a spring 5
serves to keep the roller in permanent contact with the ground; 6, toothed
wheel keyed on axis 2, and receiving motion therefrom; 7, 8, 9, 10,
series of toothed wheels receiving motion from wheel 6. The wheel 10 is

page_text: fixed on the axis of the brush 11; 12, plate of sheet iron or apron, partly
enclosing the brush; 13, box placed at the back part of the frame in which
are placed stones or heavy bodies to facilitate the lifting of the frame, and
cause it to balance itself; 14, wood cross bar connecting the side frames 1, by
means of which one or two men can push the machine forwards.
same,
Having described the nature of this Invention and the manner of performing
the I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the two arrangements of road
sweeping machinery herein described, having helically formed brushes mounted
at an angle or inclined to the direction of motion of the vehicle, as also the
method of lifting the brush in the first arrangement and throwing it out of
gear simultaneously, all as herein described and represented in the Drawings.
I also reserve the right of applying the said improvements to all other similar
machines.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
)
Witness,
W. G. E. SWINNOCK,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.B.)