Improvements in Machines suitable for Sweeping Lawns and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines suitable for Sweeping Lawns and the like.
I, THOMAS CHALLIS, of the Gardens, Wilton House, near Salisbury, in the County
of Wilts, Head Gardener, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:--
With lawn sweeping and collecting machines as heretofore constructed, it has
been necessary in order to remove leaves and other rubbish from the receptacle
into which they have been swept by rotary brushes or the like in rear thereof,
to stop the machine and detach the rubbish receptacle therefrom, thus causing
considerable loss of time and labour.
Now this invention has reference to a construction of lawn sweeping and
collecting machine whereby the person in charge of the machine can rapidly
and easily discharge leaves and other rubbish from one or either side of the
rubbish receptacle at will, and whether the machine be in motion or not, thus
economising time and labour and increasing the output of the machine, the leaves
or other rubbish being deposited in heaps at one or either side of the machine as
required.
For this purpose, the rubbish receptacle is provided with a discharge opening
controlled by a door, and in conjunction with such opening and door there are
provided a movable pusher (hereinafter called the follower) and operating means
connected to the said follower and adapted to be operated in opposite directions
by the person in charge of the machine. The arrangement is such that by moving
the operating mechanism in one direction, the follower will be caused to approach
the discharge opening, or one of them if there be more than one, and force the
rubbish in front of it through such opening, the door, or the corresponding door
if there be more than one, at the same time moving into its open position to
allow of the discharge taking place, and upon moving the operating mechanism
in the reverse direction the follower and door will return to their normal positions
ready to be again operated.
As will be evident receptacles with discharging means to operate in the manner
set forth can be constructed in various forms.
In one arrangement the rubbish receptacle, which is composed of angle and
sheet iron and is fixed to the frame of the sweeping machine, is provided at
each side with a large discharge opening so that rubbish can be ejected on either
side of the machine as desired. At the upper side of the receptacle is a transverse
slot or guideway that may conveniently be formed by two angle iron-bars fixed
at a short distance apart so as to form between them a guideway in which a
guide bar fixed to the follower can freely move. The follower is arranged to
slide transversely and may be composed of three thin plates of sheet iron arranged
parallel to one another, the two outer plates being fixed parallel to and at a
short distance from the centre plate, and the three plates being suitably bolted
together. The follower is made to fit the inside of the rubbish receptacle
sufficient space being provided on each side to admit of its moving freely. To
the guidé bar fixed to the top of the follower is secured à frame provided with

page_text: pairs of rollers or slides composed of angle iron, arranged to work against the
top and bottom sides of the horizontal flanges of the two transverse angle iron
bars.
To each end of the roller frame is fixed an eye or equivalent to which is
attached the two ends of a rope or wire that extends around the grooved periphery
of a hand wheel mounted to turn about a spindle bolted to a suitable support
secured to the framework of the machine, the said spindle being arranged at
an angle to the vertical and in such a position that the operator can conveniently
turn the wheel without changing his position relatively to the machine. The
rope or wire is crossed between the hand-wheel and receptacle and is led around
guide pulleys mounted in suitable bearings fixed to the top of the receptacle,
the guide pulleys being arranged in the same inclined plane as the hand wheel.
Instead of a single rope or wire, two ropes or wires may be used, each connected
at one end to one side of the roller frame and at the other end to the han:
operated wheel. Or, if preferred, the end of each rope, instead of being fixed to
the said hand wheel, may be continued parallel with the shafts of the sweeper
direct to cach hand of the operator.
Opposite each discharge opening is a light sheet door or flap to which is secured
one end of a flexible connector such as a chain, that is led transversely over
two guide pulleys mounted in supports secured to the top of the receptacle, the
other end of the connector hanging vertically and being provided with a ring.
To the top of the guide bar connected to the follower is fixed a transversely
arranged cleat or catch, which, upon the follower being moved towards either
discharge opening, will be carried along horizontally by the follower and engage
one of the suspended rings, and, pulling on the attached chain, will raise the
corresponding door in time to prevent any opposing pressure on the leaves and
rubbish being ejected by the advancing follower. When the follower is moved in
the reverse direction, the door closes and so prevents the escape of leaves while
the machine continues in motion.
The improved rubbish receptacle and discharging means can be applied to lawn
sweeping machines of various kinds and sizes.
wooping Dawns and the like.
I, THOMAS CHALLIS, of the Gardens, Wilton House, near Salisbury, in the County
of Wilts, Head Gardener, 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 :-
With lawn sweeping and collecting machines as heretofore constructed, it has
been necessary in order to remove leaves and other rubbish from the receptacle
into which they have been swept by rotary brushes or the like in the rear thereof,
to stop the machine and detach the rubbish receptacle therefrom, thus causing
considerable loss of time and labour.
Now this invention has reference to a construction of lawn sweeping and
collecting machine whereby the person in charge of the machine can rapidly

page_text: and easily discharge leaves and other rubbish from one or either side of the
rubbish receptacle at will, and whether the machine be in motion or not, thus
economising time and labour and increasing the output of the machine, the leaves
or other rubbish being deposited in heaps at one or either side of the machine as
required.
For this purpose, the rubbish receptacle is provided with a discharge opening
controlled by a door, and in conjunction with such opening and door there are
provided a movable pusher (hereinafter called the follower) and operating means
connected to the said. follower and adapted to be operated in opposite directions
by the person in charge of the machine. The arrangement is such that by moving
the operating mechanism in one direction, the follower will be caused to approach
the discharge opening, or one of them if there be more than one, and force the
rubbish in front of it through such opening, the door, or the corresponding door
if there be more than one, at the same time moving into its open position to
allow of the discharge taking place, and upon moving the operating mechanism
in the reverse direction the follower and door will return to their normal positions
ready to be again operated.
As will be evident receptacles with discharging means to operate in the manner
set forth can be constructed in various forms.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying illustrative drawings shows in side elevation one
construction of machine according to this invention, suitable for sweeping lawns.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line AA of Fig. 1, showing the rubbish
receptacle of such machine, and
Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof on the line B B of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a detail view hereinafter referred to.
is the rubbish receptacle built up of angle and sheet iron and fixed trans-
versely to the frame or body of the sweeping machine, each side of the said
receptacle being provided with a large discharge opening e so that rubbish can
be ejected on either side of the machine as described. At the upper side of
the receptacle is a transverse slot or guideway & which may conveniently be
formed by two angle iron-bars e fixed a short distance apart so as to form between
them the guideway & in which a guide bar f fixed to the follower g can freely
move. The follower g is arranged to move transversely in the receptacle a and
may be variously constructed. In the example shown, it is composed of two thin
plates of sheet iron bolted at their upper ends to the central web of a length
of Tiron to which the guide bar f is fixed, the said plates gradually diverging
from each other towards the bottom and being bolted or otherwise fixed together
so as to form a light but stiff follower. This follower g is made to loosely fit the
inside of the rubbish receptacle a sufficient space being provided on each side
of it and at the bottom to admit of its moving freely. To the guide bar fis
secured a frame & composed of two pieces of angle iron fixed to a flat piece of iron
plate and arranged to slide along the top of the two transverse angle iron bars c.
m is an iron bracket secured to the guide bar f and provided with holes through
which is threaded a metal guide bar o extending the full width of the machine
and secured at its ends to extensions of the frame 6 of the vehicle.
To the two ends of the frame k are fixed pins to which are attached the
two ends of a wire or other rope s, or a chain that extends around the grooved
periphery of a hand wheel mounted to turn about a spindle bolted to a
suitable support w secured to the frame of the machine, the said spindle v being
arranged at an angle to the vertical and in such a position that the operator
can conveniently turn the wheel without changing his position relatively to the
machine. The ropes is crossed between the hand-wheel and the rubbish
receptacle and is led around guide pulleys 1 that are arranged in the same
inclined plane as the hand wheel u and are mounted in suitable bearings 2 fixed
to the top of the receptacle a. Instead of a single rope s or chain, two ropes or
chains may be used, each connected at one end to one side of the frame k and at
the other end to the hand operated wheel u. Or, if preferred, the end of each

page_text: rope or chain, instead of being fixed to the said hand-wheel n, may be continued
parallel to the shafts of the sweeper direct to each hand of the operator.
Opposite each discharge opening e is a light sheet iron door or flap 3 that is
hinged at 3* to the frame of the machine. Fixed to each of these doors is a
bent arm 4 to which is secured one end of a flexible connector such as a rope 5,
that is led transversely over a guide pulley 6 mounted in a stirrup shaped
support 7 secured to the top of the receptacle, the other end of the connector 5
hanging vertically and being provided with a ring S. The top of the guide bar
bracket m connected to the. follower is formed or provided with transversely
arranged cleats or catches 10, which, upon the follower g being moved towards
either discharge opening e, will be carried along horizontally by the follower
and engage one of the suspended rings 8 (see Fig. 4), and thereby pull on the
attached rope 5 and so raise the corresponding door 3 in time to prevent any
opposing pressure on the leaves and rubbish being ejected by the advancing
follower. When the follower g is moved in the reverse direction, the door 3
closes and so prevents the escape of leaves while the machine continues in motion
The improved rubbish receptacle and discharging means can be applied to lawn
sweeping machines of various kinds and sizes.
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. A machine suitable for sweeping lawns and the like wherein the rubbish
receptacle is provided at one or at each side with a discharge opening controlled by
a door and is provided internally with a follower adapted to be moved in opposite
directions by the person in charge of the machine, the arrangement being such
that rubbish can be discharged from one or either side of the rubbish receptacle,
at will, whilst the machine is in motion, substantially as described.
2. In a machine of the kind referred to in the preceding claim, means sub-
stantially as described whereby the door controlling the discharge opening or
each such opening is caused to move into its open position when the follower
approaches it, and is allowed to return to its normal or closed position when the
follower moves in the reverse direction as set forth.
3. The improved lawn sweeping and collecting machine constructed, arranged
and operating substantially as herein before described with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.