IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING AND CLEANSING STREETS AND ROADS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Hughes, of the City of Worcester,
Surveyor, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING
AND CLEANSING STREETS AND ROADS."
Sealed the 4th October 1870, and dated the 1st June 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Hughes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st June 1870.
I, ROBERT HUGHES, of the City of Worcester, Surveyor, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
SCRAPING AND CLEANSING STREETS AND ROADS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain arrangements, whereby streets,
roads, and other places can be effectually scraped and cleansed. A
frame is mounted on three wheels of any desired diameter, two of which
wheels are keyed on the axle, which crosses under the machine at right
angles. The leading wheel has a rotary motion and revolves on its own
axis.

page_text: To admit of the machine turning freely the frame takes its bearing
on the axle and axis of the three wheels, to which frame there is fixed
from each side of the machine, diagonally towards the back, two other
frames, one for the cast-iron scrapers on the road for scraping the road
or way to be cleansed, and which is sustained by and canted with the
other for keeping weights which are placed over each scraper in their
respective positions. Behind and parallel to the last-mentioned frames
can be fixed two other frames, that is to say, one extended from each
side, in which are keyed the handles of brooms or brushes at an angle
from the sides and direction in which the machine moves along the
road, delivering with both scrapers and brooms the mud, dirt, or dust
towards the centre line of the machine. The brushes, as the machine moves
on, are worked by an arm attached to the frame, in which the handles
of the brushes are keyed, and which arm receives four strokes to every
revolution of the traction wheels by means of cog wheels, which are
placed in gear with and actuated by the traction wheels, as will be well
understood, and thus by the weight of the brooms and handles, as also
by the onward motion given by the motive power they are kept con-
tinually sweeping when not out of gear. In front is fixed a chain with
a hook or loose link in the centre of such chain, by which means the
machine may be attached to a cart or other receptacle by a ring, or
hook, or other suitable contrivance.
Two of the machines may be combined, the respective frames carrying
the scrapers and brooms being so placed with respect to each other as to
form an acute angle, and in such case the mud, dirt, or dust is scraped,
swept, or collected towards the centre of the combined machines.
When this arrangement is adopted an iron trough is fixed in the
middle of the apparatus, the same being in two lengths and having a
joint near the axle. One end of such trough is elevated and has
suspended from a joint at the end a loose trough, which may be placed
at any angle or position with relation to the other, so as to hang over
the middle of the cart or other receptacle attached to the apparatus.
The bottom part of the trough is extended to the back of the machine,
in which is an opening on either side for the mud, dirt, or dust to pass
through as it is collected by the scrapers and brooms, as before
mentioned. A series of scrapers is connected to endless chains passing
over suitable sheaves, such scrapers being capable of taking up the mud,
dirt, or dust, and carrying it up the fixed trough to the loose trough,

page_text: by which it is tipped into the cart or other receptacle. An iron pin is
run through each end of the respective links of which the endless chains
are composed and through the upper end of each scraper, thus con-
necting the respective parts. Each scraper is formed with a notch in
the middle part of the upper end to receive the cogs of a cog wheel
which works against the before-mentioned pins, and which is put in
motion by a series of other cog wheels, one of which is keyed on to
the axle of the traction wheels, and the motive-power employed puts
the whole of the machinery in action. Streets, roads, or other places
requiring cleansing can thus be cleansed without the slightest incon-
venience or annoyance to passengers.
When turning, or when not required to be in use, the scrapers
and brooms can be canted up, and the bottom part of the trough
and the scrapers therein raised from the surface of the road by a lever
which throws the whole of the machinery out of gear.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th November 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
HUGHES, of the City of Worcester, Surveyor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Robert Hughes, Her special licence that I, the
said Robert Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Robert Hughes, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the 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 "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING AND
CLEANSING STREETS AND ROADS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Robert Hughes, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,

page_text: should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 Robert Hughes, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention consists in certain arrangements whereby streets,
roads, and other places can be effectually scraped and cleansed.
The apparatus consists of two parts, one for sweeping and scraping
and the other for raising the mud or dirt into carts or other receptacles.
I will first describe the sweeping and scraping apparatus. A frame is
mounted on three wheels, of any desired diameter, two of which wheels
are mounted on the axle, the latter crossing under the machine at right
angles. The leading wheel, to which the draught bar is attached, has a
rotary motion and revolves on its own axis.
To admit of the machine turning freely the frame takes its bearing
on the axle and axis of the three wheels, to which frame there are
fixed from each side of the machine, diagonally towards the back, two
other frames, one for the cast-iron scrapers for scraping the road or way
to be cleansed, and which is sustained by the main frame, and the other
'for keeping weights which are placed over each scraper in their
respective positions. Behind and parallel to the last-mentioned frames
is fixed a shaft working in suitable bearings, and in which the handles
of brooms or brushes work in sockets, and the mud or dirt being
delivered towards the off-side machine. The brushes, as the machine
moves on, are worked by an arm fixed to the shaft to which the handles
of the brushes are attached, and which arm is actuated by the shaft of
the traction wheels by means of any of the known contrivances adapted for
the purpose, and thus, by the weight of the brooms and handles, as also
by the onward motion given by the motive power, they are kept con-
tinually sweeping when not out of gear.
When turning, or when not required to be in use, the scrapers and

page_text: brooms can be lifted from the surface of the road by means of a lever
which throws the whole of the machinery out of gear.
I will now proceed to describe that part of the apparatus which is
used for raising the mud or dirt into carts or other receptacles. A
frame is mounted on three wheels in a manner similar to that de-
scribed with reference to the sweeping and scraping apparatus. In
connection with this frame are arranged two sets of scrapers precisely
similar to and actuated in the same manner as those previously referred
to, the same being respectively inclined towards the centre of the
machine. An iron trough is fixed in the middle of the apparatus, the
same being in two lengths and having a joint near the lower end thereof.
One end of such trough is elevated, and has suspended from a joint at
the end a loose trough which may be placed at any angle or position
with relation to the other so as to hang over the middle of the cart or
other receptacle to which the apparatus is attached. The bottom part
of the trough is extended to the back of the machine, in which is an
opening on either side for the mud, dirt, or dust to pass through as it
is collected by the scrapers. A series of scrapers is connected to endless
chains passing over suitable sheaves, scrapers being capable of taking
up the mud, dirt, or dust, and carrying it up the fixed trough to the
loose trough, by which it is tipped into the cart or other receptacle. An
iron pin is run through each end of the respective links of which the
endless chains are composed, and through the end of each scraper,
thus connecting the respective parts. Each scraper is formed with a
notch in the middle part of the upper end to receive the cogs of a cog
wheel which works against the before-mentioned pins, and which is
put in motion by traction wheels, and the motive power employed puts
the whole of the machinery in action. Streets, roads, or other places
requiring cleansing, can thus be cleansed without the slightest incon-
venience or annoyance to passengers.
When the scrapers are not required to be in use, or when it is desired
to turn the apparatus, the scrapers and the lower part of the trough and
the scrapers therein are raised from the surface of the road by a lever
which places the machinery out of gear.
I will now proceed to refer to the annexed Drawings, from which
the nature and details of my said Invention will be more clearly

page_text: Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent that part of the apparatus which is
used for scraping and sweeping, and Figures 4 and 5 represent that
part which is employed for raising the mud or dirt into carts or other
receptacles.
Figure 1 shews the scraping and sweeping apparatus in elevation;
Figure 2 is a plan of the same; and Figure 3 shews the mode of lifting.
the scrapers and brooms, and the position when out of gear; Figure 4.
represents in elevation that part of the apparatus which is for raising
the mud or dirt; and Figure 5 is a plan of the same.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, C, C, represent the frames which are carried
on the wheels F, F, by the bearings O, O. Two of such wheels are on
the axle G, crossing the machine at right angles, and from which the
motion of the brooms is taken. The front wheel H is attached to the
draught bar E, to which the shafts are coupled. A, A, are the scrapers
coupled to the weights B, B, and sliding in the diagonal frames D, D, 1
and which are raised from the road by the lever I. By means of the
notches in the quadrant J, through which the lever I passes, the
scrapers may be regulated to any height from the road; K, K, are the
brooms sliding in hollow guides, so as to adapt themselves to undulations
in the surface upon which they are used. The brooms receive motion
by means of a cam or otherwise.
In the Figures 1, 2, and 3 the following letters refer to the several
parts and details. A, the scrapers; B, the weights; C, the frames; D,
the scraper frames; E, the draught bar; F, the wheels; G, the axle;
H, the front wheel; I, the lever; J, the quadrant; K, the brooms; L, the
broom shaft; M, the cam on the axle; N, the cam lever on the broom
shaft; O, the bearings; P, the platform, and Q, the seat.
In Figures 4 and 5, h, h, are the elevating scrapers attached to an
endless chain working up the inclined trough k and over two sheaves
for raising the mud or dirt from the road; 7 is the mud box which swings a
on the hinge n, and is lifted by the lever through the curved link t,
when the machine is travelling or out of work; q is a small lever
working the clutch on the pinion p for throwing it in and out of gear;
m is a loose trough suspended from the inclined trough k to adapt itself
for delivering the mud into a cart or receptacle.
In these Figures the following letters refer to the several parts and
details. a, the scrapers; b, the weights; c, the frame; d, the scraper
frame; e, the draw hook; f, the wheels; g, the front wheel; h, the
ย

page_text: elevating scrapers; i, the endless chain; j, the sheaves; k, the inclined
trough; 1, the mud box; m, the loose trough; n, the hinge; o, the
spur wheel; p, the pinion%; q, the clutch lever; r, the lever; 8, the
quadrant; t, the curved link; u, the toothed wheel for the driving
chain.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in
conclusion that I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein-
before described, as many modifications thereof may be employed
without departing from the principles of my said Invention, and that
what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
is, the combination and arrangement of parts and mechanism substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein-before described and set forth or
any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Hughes, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
W. H. BISHOP,
Surgeon,
St. John's,
Worcester.
✓
ROBERT HUGHES.
(L.S.)