Improvements in Street Sweepers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
Improvements in Street Sweepers.
I, ALVIN BROWN, of 57, Fourth Street, Aurora, in the County of Kane and
State of Illinois, United States of America, Carpenter do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in street sweepers.
The invention comprises two principal features of improvement. One is in the
peculiar construction and arrangement of the main frame, and the other is in
the special construction and arrangement of the dirt chamber and movable dirt
receptacles, which are so constructed as to be arranged within each of the
sweepers to receive the dirt and trash until they are filled, and then be run out
upon rails or skids to a truck upon which a number of them at one time are
carried away to the dump, while other empty receptacles are placed in the
sweepers. This permits the sweepers to keep constantly at work sweeping, saving
the time of the sweeper, team, and driver in going to the dump, and permitting
one driver and one team to take a number of dirt receptacles to the dump at one
time.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation of my improved
sweeper. Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 2-2, Figure 1, show-
ing the means for transferring the dirt receptacles to the dump truck. Figure 3
is a detail showing the application of skids to the dirt chamber. Figure 4 is a
perspective view of the dirt receptacle. Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section
through the dirt chamber, and Figure 6 is a detail view.
In the drawing (Figure 1) C are the front wheels, and C¹ the rear wheels. To
the latter are bolted a circular ring of teeth 8 that mesh with a pinion 7 on the
upper shaft 5 (Figure 5) carrying sprocket wheels 3 that drive the endless brush
belt 1. A smaller sprocket wheel 4 near the ground carries the lower end of the
brush belt and is adjustable both vertically and horizontally. The pinion 7 is
also provided with a clutch with operating lever 11 (Figure 1), toggle arms 13,
and handle bar 16 for operating them, whereby pinion 7 is thrown into or out
gear with the belt driving sprocket wheel 3.
of
I will now proceed to describe the construction and arrangement of the main
frame and dirt receptacles.
A is a vertical post whose lower end extends below the main frame B and is
provided with a hub in which is rigidly held by a set screw or key the axle z
of the rear wheels C¹. This axle passes entirely through the machine between
the upper and lower runs of the brush belt. The main side frames B are made
of channel iron and extend the whole length of the machine as follows. Com-
mencing at the extreme rear end, they run forward horizontally to the vertical
posts A, and are let into the inner side of these posts and firmly bolted to them.
From this point the side frames are curved upwardly and forwardly to the rear
top corner of the dirt chamber X. Thence they extend horizontally along the
top of said dirt chamber to the front top corner of the same, and from this point
they curve downwardly to the level of the drivers platform and extend a short
distance horizontally beneath the platform.

page_text: To support the pinion bearing of the upper sprocket wheel, a horizontal bar D
(Figure 1) is bolted at its front end to the upward curve of frame B between
post A and the dirt chamber, and at its rear end is bolted to the post A.
Another bar E is arranged horizontally just above D and parallel with it, and is
at its front end bolted to the frame B near the top rear corner of the dirt
chamber, and at its rear end is bolted to the vertical post A. This bar E carries
the rigid fulerum bracket of the clutch lever 11.
The top casing bar F is curved and at its front end is bolted to the frame Bat
the top rear corner of the dirt chamber, and at its rear end to the top of post A.
The two side frames ABDE F are connected together by cross bars GGG
in front, and in the rear by the main axle at the bottom of posts A and a cross
bar at the top of said posts, as shown in Figure 1. The special construction
of this frame gives it a trussed effect that renders it stiff and strong and well
adapted to carrying heavy loads of wet dirt.
On the extreme rear end of frame B there is formed an out turned flange
to receive the set screw 25, and a slot 6 to receive the bolt 24 by which the
brackets that carry the lower brush wheel are adjusted horizontally, the vertical
adjustment of said brush wheel being effected by a screw rod 17 carrying the
axis of said wheel and made vertically adjustable in the slots of the brackets.
I is an inclined brace connecting the dirt chamber X to the frame B at a point
just in front of the post A. This brace not only stiffens and holds the suspended
dirt chamber, but it is also slotted to receive the hinge rod 34 of the dirt pan 33
(Figure 5). This rod with the dirt pan is adjusted at right angles to the pan
and belt brush, and for this purpose à set screw 36 is made to work in line with
the slot in brace I and adjusts the pan directly to or from the brush, see Figure 5
The lower end of this pan is also provided with a lift rod 40 (Figure 1) and
lever 41 for raising and lowering it to or from the ground.
"
The suspended dirt chamber Xis braced in front by an inclined bar J extending
from a point near its bottom up to the main side frame B. Said dirt chamber
is formed of horizontal transverse bars G (Figure 5) at the ton, G on the sides,
and G2 at the bottom of a suitable casing. Transverse guide bars H are also
arranged at the bottom and have edge rails h adapted to receive the wheeled and
movable receptacles R that receive the dirt and trash. These receptacles are
made with the front side higher than the rear and receive the dirt from the
brush belt at the rear over the lower side. The supporting wheels ware set in
recesses along the front and rear sides of the receptacle so that the latter will
fit closely in the chamber X and for the further purpose of housing and covering
the wheels so that they will not become obstructed with the dirt falling between
the receptacle and its case which would prevent it when loaded from being run out
of the casing on the guide rails.
The dirt chamber is entirely open at its bottom as shown at Z, and the bars H
have attached to their inner sides metal edge plates h that rise above the level
of the bars H and form the bearing rails for the wheels w whose bearing being a
thin edge, causes the wheels to cut through any trash that might accumulate
on top of a broad faced rail. As the dirt is carried up by the brush belt 1 over
the dirt pan 33 it is delivered upon a hinged flap e which is curved and extends
into the dirt chamber, and laps over the lower edge of the dirt receptacle R, as
seen in Figure 5. On the sides of the doors D of the dirt chamber there are
attached inclined cleat strips d (Figure 2) which extend over the inclined onds
of the dirt receptacle, and prevent dirt from falling down between said ends and
the doors. A hinged sheet metal flap g is also secured to the top of the dirt
chamber and laps down inside the front and higher side of the dirt receptacle
for a similar purpose. In the top of the dirt chamber there is also adjustably
secured a sheet metal apron f (Figure 6) which approaches very close to the
edges of the brush. This apron is rigidly attached to the slotted arms and 5
the slotted arms are adjustably bolted to the top timbers of the dirt chamber so
that the apron f may be adjusted toward the brush as the ends of the latter wear

page_text: away. This is an important feature, as in connection with the open bottom of
the dirt chamber it prevents the blast, produced by the orush, from forcing a
cloud of dust over the top of the brush and back toward the rear of the machine.
With this apron f the space is reduced to a minimum, and with the open bottom
of the dirt chamber a relief from air pressure in the dirt chamber is afforded that
causes the smaller dirt particles to settle in the dirt receptacle.
When these movable receptacles are filled with dirt, instead of driving the
sweeper to the dump to discharge it, which occupies the time of the sweeper,
team, and driver for a long time, and only for the transportation of a compara-
tively light load of sweepings, a long and low wheeled truck like a stone wagon
is lined up beside the sweeper, as shown at y in Figure 2, and adjustable
skida HH with metal bars ¹ on their upper surfaces are placed in alignment
with the rails HH, with the hooked ends of plates h¹ resting on a level with the
metal rails and embracing the front sill of the dirt chamber X, and the other
ends of the skids resting on the truck. The movable receptacles R are then run
out of the sweeper, as in dotted lines Figure 2, and over the skids on to the
truck, which is built long enough to take the receptacles of a number of the
sweepers, usually about four. The sweepers are then supplied with other empty
receptacles R. and go on with their sweeping, while the loaded truck with its
filled receptacles is driven to the dump, thus doing with one trip and one team,
and driver, the hauling for four sweepers. This it will be seen effects a great
economy of time and money, and makes a valuable and practical system of remov-
ing the dirt from the streets without piling it up in the streets on the one hand.
and without undue expense in time, and wear and tear on the sweepers involved
in hauling the dirt a long distance in the sweepers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
-
1. The special construction of the framework of the sweeper consisting of the
continuous side rails B bent up between the wheels to receive the dirt chamber
and having a trussed construction to sustain the weight and receive the bearings
for the working parts.
2. The inclined brace I connecting the upwardly bent side frame B and the dirt
chamber, said brace being slotted to receive the adjustable rod 34 of the dirt
pan 33.
3. The adjustable apron or plate f at the top of the dirt chamber fitting close
to the brush belt and preventing the suction of the brush from carrying dust back
into the brush chamber.
4. The dirt chamber having an open bottom to give an air vent and prevent
the dust from being forced around over the top of the brush belt.
5. The dirt receptacle R with inclined upper edge and hinged flaps covering its
upper edges.
6. Placing the supporting wheela w for the dirt receptacle in recesses under the
same so that the side walls of the dirt receptacle may fit closely to the side walls
of the dirt chamber, and be thereby housed or protected from clogging with dirt.
7. Putting the dirt receptacle on rails in the dirt chamber and running it out
on to a truck by skids as shown in Figure 2, so that the street sweeper does not
have to travel to the place of final deposit of the dirt.
147
• T
1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.