Improvements in Street Sweeping Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left. 9th July, 1896-Accepted, 15th Aug.. 1996
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Street Sweeping Machines.
1, WILLIAM SEE KINDLE, of 608, Newmarket Street, Philadelphia, in the
County of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
This invention relates to certain improvements in street sweeping machines
wherein a series of brooms are supported on and adapted to be driven from the
wheels of the vehicle in such manner as to sweep the dirt and dust obliquely
across the path of the vehicle and into the boot of an elevator also carried on and
driven from the wheeled vehicle whereby the dirt and dust is carried upward and
discharged into a collecting chamber.
The invention consists in a sweeping machine of this general character
presenting certain features of novelty and advantages for use over other similar
machines heretofore devised, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.
The sweeper consists of a frame mounted on wheels and provided at its forward
part with a seat for the driver behind which is placed a dust chamber having an
inclined false bottom, as will be hereinafter more fully described. At its central
part the frame has secured to and depending below its under side, vertical slide
ways aligned with each other and grooved at their inner sides to receive the slides
having at their upper ends bearings for a countershaft, the lower ends of the
Glides being commed with vertically movable broom frame. The slides are
thus braced at their upper parts by the countershaft and at their lower ends by the
said broom frame, as will be readily understood.
The broom frame is composed of a series of transverse beams connected
together in any preferred manner and spaced apart in such a nanner as to
form supports for the brooms which are rotatively mounted between them. Chains
or other flexible connectors are connected to the broom frame at opposite sides of
its opposite ends, said chains passing over pulleys journalled at suitable points on
the machine frame and extending forward towards the seat where they are secured
to a lever arranged adjacent to said seat so that the broom frame may be elevated
by the driver so as to raise the brooms clear of the road surface by the vertical
movement of the slides in the slide ways on the machine frame. The rear axle of
the machine is provided at one side with a crown bevel gear wheel meshing with a
bevel pinion mounted on a shaft journalled in a hanger depending from the
machine frame and provided with a sprocket wheel aligned with a similar sprocket
wheel fixed on the countershaft above referred to, and geared together by means
of a chain belt or similar driving connection having sufficient looseness to permit
of the vertical movement of the said countershaft when the broom frame is raised
to clevete the brooms. The brooms are each mounted on a short shaft journalled
in bearings in the transverse beams of the broom frame and on each of said shafts
is fixed a sprocket wheel aligned with a similar wheel on the countershaft and
connected by chain belts.
The brooms are arranged in echelon, the broom at one side of the machine
being adapted to sweep the dust and dirt into the path of that next adjacent in
such a way that the dust passes obliquely rearward across the path of the machine,
and in order to sweep the dirt from the gutter a gutter broom is provided, said
broom being mounted on an inclined shaft journalled in a bracket secured to the
forward beam of the broum frame. The periphery of this broom is inclined to

page_text: the shaft in such a way that said periphery is parallel to the surface to be swept
and on the shaft of said broom is arranged a sprocket wheel driven by a chain
passing over idlers on the machine frame and also over a sprocket wheel fixed on a
sleeve mounted on the rear axle of the machine, said sleeve being made to turn
loosely on the axle and having the adjacent wheel fixed on it, the other wheel
being fixed on the axle. Adjacent to the sprocket wheel above mentioned a
similar wheel is secured on the sleeve over which wheel passes a chain helt
extending over a sprocket wheel mounted on a shaft journalled at the upper part
of an inclined elevator casing provided with an endless apron with flights an
arranged to discharge at its upper end into the dust receptacle and provided at its
lower end with a but having an inclined bottom plate so arranged as to receive
the dust and dirt acted on by the last broom of the series.
In order to prevent the chain belt which drives the gutter broom from slacking
and falling off its sprocket wheels when the broom frame is raised, said chain is
arranged to run over an idler hung on a chain connected to the driver's lever in
such a way that when the lever is moved forward to raise the broom frame the
idler will be raised similarly to keep the chain belt tant.
In operation, the gutter broom sweeps the dirt out of the gutter into the path
of the first or forward broom arranged just behind the said gutter broom and as
the first broom is circular and sweeps at right angles to the kerbstone it is essential
to set the gutter broom so as to sweep parallel to the path of the machine in order
to ensure the cleaning of the surfaces next the kerb which are not reached by the
first broum. The said gutter broom being arranged with its axis inclinel
downward towards the centre of the machine causes the dirt and dust therefrom
to be thrown outward from the kerb into the path of the first broom which latter
sweeps in a direction tran-ver-ely of the street in such a manner as to carry the
dirt and dust from between the paving stones over into the path of the following
broom. In this way the dirt is swept diagonally across the path of the machine,
being swept by the last broom into the clevator boot, whence it is carried up by
the endless apron and discharged into the receptacle which is provided
as above
stated with an inclined bottom and an outlet covered by a hinged door. The lower
part of the door is arranged to project beyond the hinges thereof so that whom the
door is opened said lower part will engage under a projecting portion formel on
one side of the dust receptacle whereby the door is held in an inclined position
to serve as a chute to deliver the dust from the receptacle into a cart or
the like.
Dated October 15th 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Street Sweeping Machines.
I WILLIAM SEE KINDLE, of 608 Newmarket Street, Philadelphia, in the
County of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Foreman 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 certain improvements in street sweeping machines
wherein a series of brooms are supported on and adapted to be driven from the
wheels of the vehicle in such a manner as to sweep the dirt and dust obliquely
across the path of the vehicle and into the boot of an elevator also carried in and
driven from the wheeled vehicle, whereby the dirt and dust is carried upward and
discharged into a collecting chamber.
The invention consists in a sweeping machine of this general character,

page_text: presenting certain features of novelty and advantages for use over other similar
machines heretofore devised, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth. The novel
features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure is a sectional plan view taken in the plane of line 1-1 in Figure 2;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the sweeper embodying my improvements;
Figure 3 is a rear end elevation of the machine constructed according to my
invention, the elevator boot being shown in section;
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken through one of the slide bars of the broom
frame and its slideway; and
Figure 5 is a sectional detail view showing the means for driving the elevator
and gutter broom.
In these drawings, I represents the frame of the sweeper whereon are mounted
the axles 2, and wheels 3, said frame having at its forward part a seat 4 for the
driver of the trachine, as clearly seen in Figure 2, and being provided behind
said seat with a dust chamber 5 having an inclined false bottom 6, as will be
hereinafter more fully described.
At its central part the frame I has secured to and depending below its under
side, vertical slide-ways aligned with each other, as seen in Figures 1 and 3, said
slide-ways being each formed of two parallel vertical frames 7. 7, having their
inner sides grooved as clearly seen in Figure 4, which is a detail of this part, and
in said slide-ways are arranged to move the slides 8, having at their upper ends
bearings 9 for the countershaft 10, the lower ends of the slides being connected
as seen in Figure 3, with the vertically movable broom frame. The slides 8 are
thus braced at their upper parts by the countershaft 10 and as their lower ends by
the said broom frames, as will be readily understood.
The broom frame is composed of a series of transverse beams 11, connected
together in any preferred manner, and spaced apart, as seen in Figures 1 and 2
in such a manner as to form supports for the brooms 12, which are rotatively
mounted between them.
Chains or other flexible connectors 13 are connected to the broom frame at
opposite sides of its opposite ends, and said chains pass over pulleys 14, journaled
at suitable points on the frame 1, and extend forward toward the seat 4, being
secured to a lever 15 arranged adjacent to said seat in such a way that when
desired, the broom-frame may be elevated by the driver so as to raise the brooms
clear of the surface of the street, the slides 8 moving vertically in the slide ways on
the frame 1.
The rear axle of the machine is provided at one side with a crown bevel gear
wheel 16, meshing with a bevel pinion 17, mounted on a shaft 18 journaled in a
hanger 19 depending from the frame 1, as seen in Figure 2, and the shaft 18 is
provided with a sprocket wheel 20, aligned with a similar sprocket wheel 21 fixed
on the shaft 10 above referred to, the movement of the shaft 18 being transmitted
to the shaft 10, by means of a chain belt or similar driving connection 22, having
sufficient looseness to permit of the vertical movement of said shaft 10 when the
broom frame is raised to elevate the brooms 12.
The brooms 12 are each mounted on a short shaft 23 journaled in bearings in the
transverse beams II of the broom frame, and on each of said shafts 23 is fixed a
sprocket wheel 24, aligned with a similar wheel 25 on the shaft 10, said
wheels 24 and 25 being connected by chain belts 26, as clearly shown in
Figures 1, and 3.
The brooms 12 are arranged in echelon, as indicated in Figure 1, the broom at
one side of the machine being adapted to sweep the dust and dirt into the path of
that next adjacent, as clearly seen, in such a way that the dust passes obliquely
rearward across the path of the machine, and in order to sweep the dirt from the
gutter, a gutter broom 27 is provided, said broom being mounted on an inclined

page_text: shaft journaled in a bracket 28 secured to the forward beam 11 of the broom
frame. The periphery of the broom 27 is inclined to the shaft in such a way
that said periphery is parallel to the surface to be swept, aml on the shaft of
said broom 27 is arranged a sprocket wheel 29, driven by a chain 30 passing
over idlers 31 on the frame 1, and also over a sprocket wheel 32 fixed on a
sleeve 2 (Fig. 5) mounted on the rear axle 2 of the machine at the side opposite
the wheel 16, as seen in Figures 1 and 3, said sleeve being made to turn loosely on
the axle and having the adjacent. wheel 3 fixed on it as seen in Figure 5, the other
wheel 3 being fixed on the axle 2.
Adjacent to the sprocket wheel 32, a similar wheel 33 is secured on the sleeve 2*,
over which wheel 33 passes a chain belt 34 extending over a sprocket wheel 35
mounted on a shaft journaled at the upper part of an inclined elevator casing 36,
arranged to discharge at its upper end into the dust receptacle 5, and provided at
its lower end with a boot 37, having an inclined bottom plate 38 (see Figure 3) so
arranged as to receive the dust and dirt acted on by the last broom 12.
An endless apron 39 is arranged in the casing 36, being provided with flights 40,
(see Figure 1) and the ensing 36 is inclined upward and forward, as seen in
Figure 2.
In order to prevent the chain belt 30 from slacking and falling off its sprocket
wheels when the broom frame is raised, said chain 30 runs over an idler 41 hung on
a chain 42 connected to the lever 15, in such a way that when the lever 15 is moved
forward to raise the broom frame, the idler 41 will be raised similarly to keep the
chain belt 30 tant.
In operation, the broom 27 sweeps the gutter, being driven from the rear axle
by gearing at one side of the machine, the dirt being swept by said broom out of
the gutter into the path of the first or forward broom 12 arranged just behind
the broom 27. Since the broom 12 is circular and sweeps at right angles to the
curl-stone it is essential to set the gutter broom so as to sweep parallel to
the path of the machine in order to insure the cleaning of the surfaces next the
curb which are not reached by the broom 12. Said gutter broom 27 being
arranged with its axis inclined downward toward the centre of the machine causes
the dirt and dust therefrom to be thrown outward from the curb into the path of
the first noom 12. The latter broom 12 sweeps in a direction transversely of the
street in such a manner as to carry the dirt and dust from between the paving
stones, over into the path of the following broom 12. In this way the dirt is
swept diagonally across the path of the machine. being swept by the last
broom 12 into the elevator boot, whence it is carried up by the emiless apro
and discharged into the receptacle 5, which is provided as above stated with an
inclined bottom. 6, and an outlet covered by a hinged door 43, held in place by
a catch 44. The lower part 45 of the door 43 is arranged to project beyond
the hinges 46 thereof, so that when the door is opened, said lower part 45 thereof
will engage under a projecting portion 47, formed on one side of the receptacle 5,
whereby the door is held in an inclined position as indicated in dotted lines in
Figure 3. When in this position the door 43 serves as a chute to deliver the dust
from the receptacle into a cart or the like.
By the arrangement of the brooms 12 in independent bearings in the beams 11,
it becomes possible to readily and quickly remove a damaged broom and replace it
by another without the necessity of taking the machine to the repair shop.
It is evident that considerable alteration may be made in the machine as above
described without material departure from the principles of the invention, and for
this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form and
arrangement shown herein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is,
1. In a sweeping machine, the combination of a frame having vertical aligned

page_text: guideways at opposite sides, aligned slide bars vertically movable in the guideways,
a broom frame secured at its ends to the lower ends of said slide bars, a shaft
journaled at its ends in the upper part of the respective slide bars, driving mechanism
for said shaft, means for moving said slide bars and the broom frame carried
thereon vertically in said guideways, a series of brooms rotatively mounted on the
lower part of the broom frame beneath said shaft, and gearing between said shift
and the respective brooms, substantially as set forth.
2. In a sweeping machine, the combination of a frame, having vertical guideways
at opposite sides, slide bars movable vertically in said guideways, a shaft journaled
at its ends in the upper part of the respective slide bars, a broom frame comprising
a series of beams extending parallel to each other and transversely of the frame of
the machine, brooms journaled between the adjacent beams in said series and
arranged in echelon and adapted to sweep transversely of the path of the machine,
gearing between the respective brooms and the said shaft, and means for raising
and lowering said frame, substantially as set forth.
3. A sweeping machine having a frame, a movable broom frame thereon, a broom
carried thereby, a roller carried on the frame, chain gearing for driving sail broom
comprising a chain belt passing over said roller and geared to said broom, and
means for driving said chain belt, a lever carried on the frame, and a connection
between the lever and roller, substantially as set forth.
4. In a sweeping machine, the combination of a vehicle frame, a broom frame,
a series of brooms in echelon arrangement en said broom frame adapted to
sweep transversely to the path of the machine, a gutter broom arranged at one
side of the machine in front of the foremost of said series of brooms and
adapted to sweep parallel to the path of the machine, and driving mechanism
for the series of brooms and for the gutter broom, substantially as set forth.
5. In a sweeping machine, the combination of a vehicle frame, a broom frame,
a series of brooms in echelon arrangement on said broom frame adapted to sweep
transversely of the path of the machine, a gutter broom arranged at one side
of the machine in front of the tremos of of brooms and adapted
to sweep parallel to the path of the machine, said gutter broom having its axis
inclined downward toward the centre of the sweeping machine, and means for
driving the series of brooms and the gutter broom, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 9th day of July 1896
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.