Improvements in Street Sweeping Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1899-Accepted, 15th Sept., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Street Sweeping Machines.
We, GORDON WILLIAMS BRADY and GEORGE MANNING RITTENHOUSE, both of
154, Reade Street, Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New
York, U.S.A., 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:-
This invention relates to street sweeping machines of the type having a hollow
bucketed wheel to take up sweepings from a road or other surface and deposit
same continuously in a receptacle, the main features of the invention residing
in the means of more effectively performing such operation, and in the con-
struction and arrangement of parts in the apparatus as will be specifically
referred to hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings forming part of this specification:
Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly in horizontal section, of my entire
apparatus.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the bucketed wheel looking toward the interior
thereof.
Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a detail of the bracket holding the spring supports for the guide
strip.
Figure 5 is another detail view more clearly showing the means of connection
between the bracket and spring supports.
Figure 6 is a detail of the buckets in the wheel, looking.from line 6-6 of
Figure 7 in the direction of the arrow.
Figure is a detail cross section of a bucket.
Figure 8 is an enlarged detail of the clutch for operating the broom, and
Figure 9 is a detail of a section of buckets as formed.
In said drawings A indicates the frame which supports the mechanism and
parts comprising my apparatus, and which is mounted upon wheels B, C, D, D ;
the wheel C having a hollow casing secured at its inner surface and arranged to
rotate therewith. The said casing comprises a circular plate E of substantially
the same diameter as wheel C, and a series of buckets e extending at right angles
from plate E, continuing in annular form round its perimeter and opening cen-
trally. The said buckets are bolted together and to the wheel felley through
the plate E, by bolts e as seen, thereby rendering the buckets e, the plate E, and
the wheel C integral. The buckets & are preferably made separately and initially
united together in curved lengths as seen in Figure 9, being thus ready to be
adapted to the wheel, this being for convenience of manufacture. The particular
shape or individual arrangement of said buckets is most clearly shown in Figs. 6,
and 9, and the purpose of the central inclination of their peripheral walls
being to permit the sweepings, when deposited within the buckets at the base
line of the wheel, to drive with the aid of gravitation into the rearmost portion
of said buckets, and to be retained therein whilst the buckets are being raised

page_text: with the rotation of the wheel. The abutting walls of the buckets are inclined
in the direction of rotation (Fig. 6), to more securely retain the contents whilst
being raised, and to facilitate the discharge of such contents as each bucket
reaches approximately its highest point of travel.
F indicates the axle of wheel C, its free end being journaled at f in a bearing
attached to frame A, the said axle or shaft carrying a sprocket wheel G which
is rigid therewith.
H indicates a circular broom or sweeper which is mounted on shaft h which
latter is journalled at h¹h in hangers h³h, said hangers being respectively
loosely supported by brackets hh, which are thus secured to the frame A as
seen. The sweeper, as seen, is arranged transversely, diagonally, of the appa-
ratus, the inclination in the forward movement of the apparatus being toward
the bucketed wheel C. Centrally upon the broom shaft his rigidly mounted a
sprocket wheel I with which a sprocket chain i intermeshes to rotate same and
the broom, said sprocket chain also meshing with the teeth of a
sprocket wheel J, which latter is rigidly mounted upon. a shaft j.
The shaft is journalled in bearing, at its inner end, in a universal joint j³,
which is connected with a shaft j, supported in bearing, and having a pinion j
secured at its end. K indicates a shaft which is loosely mounted in a bearing k
secured to the frame A, and supports rigidly a gear wheel which is adapted
as seen to mesh with the pinion. The shaft K also bears a slidable sleeve k¹
thereon, which is prevented from independent rotation by a key fitting in a
longitudinal slot k (see Fig. 8) and being free to slide therein. The sleeve bears
at one end a collar 7, and at its other end it bears a clutch portion having
teeth adapted to engage with the teeth of a corresponding clutch portion *,
which latter is fast upon the shaft K. A sprocket wheel Z, mounted upon a
hub, is also mounted upon the shaft K. A sprocket chain L connects wheels G
and, and permits the latter to be rotated by the former. The movement of
sprocket G being forward with the travel of wheel C, a like movement is com-
municated to sprocket k, whence, when the clutch portion 4, such movement is
communicated through spocket 2 to pinion, but giving the latter the reverse
movement, which reverse movement is communicated through shaft j, sprockets
J, I, and shaft h, to the brush or sweeper H as is requisite to cause the sweepings
to be directed forwardly.
M indicates a yoke which straddles the sleeve between collar and the
clutch portion 3, to move said clutch piece into or out of engagement with the
clutch portion . Said yoke M is operated through the medium of a rod m¹
(Fig. 1) which is slidably held in a strap bearing m², said rod being bent at m³
beyond the bearing, and terminating in a pivotal connection m with a bell
crank lever m³, which lever is provided with a weight m" at its free end. The
lever mis allowed vertical movement within a slotted bearing m7, and can be
operated by hand to cause the clutch portion to he moved into or out of engage-
ment with clutch portion through the mechanism described.
The lever mis pivoted in a bearing m as seen, and is locked in its desired
position within bearing m by a pin m8 and has a counterpoise weight m".
Secured to the hangers are angle brackets which in turn support a
substantially T-shaped dash board composed of the vertical member N and hori-
zontal member N¹, that extends the entire length of the broom H, parallel there-
with, and slightly in advance thereof. The function of this board N N is to
check and restrain the throw of the sweepings, which otherwise, by the operative
movement of the brush would be scattered ahead. Slots nn are formed in the
board N¹ and bolts n are passed through said slots into the board N, firmly
uniting both of said boards. By means of this slot a bolt fastening the hori-
zontal board N¹ may be adjusted to any required degree with regard to the
broom H.
The board N is raised sufficiently above the road surface to avoid striking
against stones and other projections, but at the point where said board extends

page_text: into the bucketed wheel C, it is provided with a depending extension piece N
of leather, rubber, or other flexible material, whose lower edge trails the road
surface and also sets snugly upon the flange plates O, thereby positively pre-
venting the throw of sweepings elsewhere than into the bucketed wheel C.
Returning to the description of the bucketed wheel C into which one end of
brush H extends diagonally to ensure the deposit of the sweepings therein, we
provide a flexible flange therefore, composed preferably of thin metallic plates O,
the said plates lapping one another and forming a circular inclined flange, its
inner diameter being less than its outer diameter. At its diminished diameter
said flange meets the inner circular flange of the buckets e and it flares out-
wardly therefrom, as seen, to come in contact with the road being traversed, at
which point of contact said flange flattens to form an efficient scoop and to
assist the passage of sweepings thereover, the sweepings passing through into the
buckets e. P is an annular strip of metal encircling and extending beyond the
bucketed wheel C, and lapping the connecting portions of flange plates O. An
annular strip Q of wood or other suitable material of substantially triangular
cross section is filled into the space between the bucket ends, the strip P and
flange plates 0. The strip P is bolted to buckets e and the flange plates O are
secured upon the strip Q.
We have found in practice that plates of thin sheet steel, as the plates O,
serve to form a very flexible, efficient, and durable sweepings receiving flange
for a bucketed wheel.
Sweepings deposited in the bucketed wheel C are carried upwardly therein by
its rotation, and are intended to fall from the upper portion of said wheel by
gravitation downwardly through chute R into the cart S. To prevent the sweep-
ings from falling out of the buckets prior to their reaching the point below
which the chute is stationed, I provide a stationary guard T, which is held in
its fixed position as indicated, in the following manner:-The said guard T
consists preferably of a sheet of metal curved to fit closely against the mouths
of the passing buckets e, and said guard is supported and held tensionally in its
position by a pair of spring arms U, the latter being adjustably connected to a
bracket V, which is itself bolted to the frame A, the bolts passing through the
slot. We preferably clamp the spring arms U to the bracket Vas follows:-
We employ a T-shaped clamping piece having opposite arms uu, and a bifur-
cated stem portion which straddles the bracket V, being secured thereto by
screw ². The spring arms U pass between and are held by the arms uu and.
the bracket, and their ends are limited by the stem of headed bolts u against
which they abut, the said bolts being placed in portions ut extending from
bracket V. Rubber or other packing material is placed between the spring
arms U and their seat upon the bracket V to enable the clamping to be more
effective.
The guard strip T, thus being held against the bucket c in their upward travel,
prevents the falling out of the sweepings until they arrive at a point directly
over chute R, at which point the guard strip T terminates, having performed its
function. W is a strip of wood secured at the edge of strip T and having its
lower end curved away from the buckets e as seen, its purpose being, in the
case of sticks and like articles being carried upwards with the sweepings, to
enable such sticks, &c. to enter between such strip W and to pass upwardly
between the guard T and the buckets e, being forced by the movement of the
latter; and in their travel, pressing the guard strip against its spring tension,
sufficiently apart to permit of their passage. The purpose of flexibly supporting
the guard strip T will now be clearly comprehended, since, were it rigidly
secure in position, it and the buckets e would be liable to damage when sticks
and other like obstruction were attempted to be carried upwardly by the buckets.
The chute R is supported upon a bracket r which is mounted upon frame A
as seen, said chute being at a suitable inclination, and its base portion extends
upwardly to form a curved rear wall, which meets the edge of the rear wall.

page_text: of the passing buckets e, so as to form a continuous line therewith and prevent
escape of the falling sweepings excepting through the chute. The lower end of
the chute R terminates at a point aside from or out of the path of the cart S
in tipping, but an extension is hinged to the chute proper as seen, and said
extension projects directly over the cart. When the latter is tipped to dump
the contents, its wall strikes against the chute extension R, and raises it upon
its hinges, and upon the reseating of the cart, the extension again drops
into operative position by gravity." Said extension R¹ is preferably made of
flexible material.
The chute is provided with a bail or archi R² as seen, whereby a bag or sack
may be fitted over the mouth of said chute in case it is desired to deposit the
sweepings into such a receptacle instead of into the cart.
The cart may be tipped by any suitable means, and we have shown in the
drawings a compound lever device X for this purpose, the same being operated
from the driver's seat by a handle Y.
Windicates a lever intended to raise the broom H out of contact with the
road, said lever being fulcrumed at and engaging at one end with a chain w¹
which is connected to a bar ², the latter being a continuation of the angle
brackets . The lever W terminates in a handle near the driver's seat,
said lever also being provided with a sliding weight w to regulate its power,
and being allowed vertical play within a strap bearing w, within which it may
be secured in any desired position by a pin .
Yindicates an auxiliary chute arranged at the forward side of chute R, and
intended to receive such contents of the bucket e as may not be discharged
through chute R, the chute Y' serving to convey such undischarged sweepings
into the buckets descending forwardly. The lower end of chute Y is connected
to the frame in any suitable manner.
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, a hollow wheel open at one side to receive
sweepings and a flaring flange therefor attached to the open side, said flange
consisting of a series of thin metal plates connected in annular form.
2. In a street sweeping machine having a hollow wheel open at one side to
receive sweepings, and outwardly extending flaring flange therefor to flatten
as a scoop by contact with the road, said Hange comprising a series of sheet
metal plates connected together and arranged in circular, inclined form, and
connected to said wheel to direct sweepings therein.
3. In a street sweeping machine having a hollow bucketed wheel to receive
and raise sweepings to an uppermost point of discharge, a stationary guard
plate covering said buckets whilst being raised, and a flexible support mounted
upon the frame of the machine and arranged to hold said guard yieldingly
against the moving buckets.
4. In a street sweeping machine, a frame, a hollow bucketed wheel rotatably
connected therewith, a bracket connected to said frame, a pair of spring arms
adjustably clamped to said spring arms in position to cover the ascending buckets.
5. In a street sweeping machine, a frame, an axle rotatably supported therein,
and a hollow bucketed wheel mounted upon said axle and arranged to receive
and raise sweepings; together with a brush to drive the sweepings into said
hollow wheel, said brush being rotatably supported in hangers attached to the
frame; a sprocket wheel upon said axle, another sprocket wheel mounted upon
a shaft journalled in the frame in advance of the first named sprocket wheel, a
chain connecting said sprockets, said shaft bearing a straight gear wheel, which
it rotates, a pinion mounted upon a rotating rod and meshing with said gear
wheel, another rod connected with said rotating rod by a swivel joint and
extending transversely across the frame in parallelism with the brush, and bear-

page_text: ing a sprocket wheel from which extends a sprocket chain connecting it with a
sprocket wheel upon the shaft to rotate said brush.
6. In a street sweeping machine, a frame, a hollow bucketed wheel C, an
axle F therefor, a sprocket G upon said axle, a shaft K, a sprocket thereon, a
chain connecting sprockets G and 6, a clutch portion k, a sliding sleeve ¹,
bearing collar and clutch portion ; a gear upon shaft K a pinion je mesh-
ing therewith and supported upon shaft, a rotating rod j connecting with
shaft by a universal joint, a sprocket Jupon j, a circular brush H mounted
diagonally in frame A upon shaft by hangers h³h, a sprocket I upon said
shaft h, and a chain i connecting sprockets J and I, together with a yoke M
straddling sleeve k, a rod m¹ supporting said yoke, and a bell crank lever m
to operate said rod and yoke to engage or disengage the clutches.
7. A T-shaped dash board for a street sweeping machine consisting of a
vertical strip and a horizontal strip adjustably secured thereon, said dash board
being supported clear of the road in advance of the brush, together with a
bucketed wheel, to receive sweepings, said wheel having a flaring flexible flange,
and a piece of flexible material depending from the dash board, having its lower
edge trailing the road and lying snugly against the aforesaid flange.
8. In a street sweeping machine, a hollow wheel open at one side to receive
sweepings and comprising a circular plate and series of plates arranged and
secured side by side and opening centrally of the wheel, the bases of said buckets
forming the wheel perimeter being transversely inclined to provide their deepest
and most capacious portion at the outer wall.
9. In a street sweeping machine, in combination, a hollow wheel open at one
side to receive sweepings and comprising a circular plate and a series of buckets
arranged side by side and secured together, to receive, elevate, and discharge
sweepings, the said buckets opening centrally of the wheel and having their
meeting walls arranged at inclines transversely of the wheel perimeter, to form
a lowermost pocket against the outer wall of the buckets at the upwardly turn-
ing portion of the wheel.