IMPROVEMENTS IN CARPET SWEEPERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Millard F. Rust, of No. 2, Devonshire Square, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARPET SWEEPERS." A communi-
cation from abroad by Herbert L. Judd, of the City and State of New York,
United States of North America.
ealed the 1st June 1880, and dated the 5th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Millard F. Rust at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th December 1879.
MILLARD F. RUST, of No. 2, Devonshire Square, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARPET SWEEPERS." A communication from abroad by Herbert L. Judd, of the
City and State of New York, United States of North America.
The main box or frame of my improved carpet sweeper containing the brush
and mechanism for working it is usually made about thirteen inches long and
eight inches wide, and of sufficient depth, more or less, to suit the sizes required
and purposes to which they may be applied.
The cylindrical brush is placed longitudinally in the frame, and made to work
in bearings capable of being adjusted up and down for causing the brush to come
in proper sweeping contact with the carpet. The bristles composing the brush are
attached around the axis of it in spiral rows for causing the brush to work more
regular and sweep cleaner.
The brush is revolved by the frictional contact of two roller wheels wholly or
partially made of wood, india-rubber, or any other known suitable material or
substance. The friction wheels are made to come in contact with the carpet, and
as the sweeper is moved they revolve, and are made to revolve the brush by acting
on the axle of said brush. One or both of the friction roller wheels may be made
to revolve in adjustable bearings, and the bearings or rollers are acted on by a
spring for the purpose of holding the friction roller or rollers against the axis of
the brush and holding the brush in its place, and also for allowing the brush to be
readily taken out and replaced in the frame of the sweeper.
The top of the sweeper is provided with a detachable cover or lid, which is

page_text: furnished with two dust chambers or pans for receiving the sweepings or refuse, one
chamber passing down the proper distance on each side of the brush and extending
its whole length. These chambers are usually made closed at one end and open at
the other for emptying the dust. By having a dust chamber on each side of the
brush the sweeper can be worked in both directions, while if only one chamber
is attached to the movable cover the sweeper could only be worked in one direction.
However, I claim it as part of my improvement to use one or two dust chambers
or pans attached to the movable cover of the sweeper. The sweeper is worked by
a wooden handle screwed into a metalic forked attachment connected to the frame
of the sweeper. The forked attachment is provided with a screw thread similar to
a screw nut, into which the wooden handle is screwed.
I wish it understood that I do not confine myself to attaching the dust pans to
the movable cover, but claim the right of using the said dust chambers attached
or detached from the cover and made movable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Millard F. Rust in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th June
1880.
MILLARD F. RUST, of No. 9, Devonshire Square, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARPET SWEEPERS." A cominunication from abroad by Herbert L. Judd, of the
City and State of New York, United States of North America.
The main box or frame of my "Improved Carpet Sweeper " containing the brush
and mechanism for working it is usually made of wood, and is about thirteen
inches long and eight inches wide, and of sufficient depth, more or less, to suit the
size required and purposes to which they may be applied.
The cylindrical brush is placed longitudinally in the frame and made to work in
bearings capable of being adjusted up and down for causing the brush to come in
proper sweeping contact with the carpet. The bristles composing the brush are
attached around the axis of it is spiral rows for causing the brush to work more
regular and sweep cleaner.
The brush is revolved by the frictional contact of two roller wheels wholly or
partially made of wood, india rubber, or any other known suitable material or
substance. The friction wheels are made to come in contact with the carpet, and
as the sweeper is moved they revolve and are made to revolve the brush by acting
on a small roller. On the axis of said brush one or both of the friction roller
wheels are made to revolve in adjustable bearings, and the bearings or rollers are
acted on by a spring for the purpose of holding the friction rollers or roller against
the roller on the axis of the brush and holding the brush in its place, and also
for allowing the brush to be readily taken out and replaced in the frame of the
sweeper.
The sweeper is provided with a detachable cover or lid, which is furnished with
two dust chambers or pans for receiving the sweepings, one chamber passing down
the proper distance on each side of the brush and extending its whole length.
These chambers are usually made closed at one end and open at the other for
emptying the dust. By having a dust chamber on each side of the brush the
sweeper can be worked in both directions, while if only one chamber is attached to
the movable cover the sweeper can only be worked in one direction.
However, I claim it as part of my improvements to use one or two dust chambers
or pans attached to the movable cover of the sweeper. The sweeper is worked by
a wooden handle screwed into a metallic forked attachment attached to the frame
of the sweeper. The forked attachment is provided with a screw thread similar
to a screw nut, into which the wooden handle is screwed. I wish it understood
that I do not confine myself to attaching the dust pans to the movable cover, but
claim the right of using said dust pans attached or detached from the cover and
made movable.
In the accompanying Drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a top view of the sweeper with part of the movable lid or cover
broken away; Fig. 2 is an end view of same; Fig. 3 shows in perspective the
open end of the lid or cover and dust pans combined; Fig. 4 is a sectional view
through line x, x Fig. 1); and Figs. 5 and 6 show the adjustable bearings for
raising or lowering the brush in the frame.
The following is a description of the improvement, reference being made to the
accompanying Drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon:-
The sweeper is provided with a main box or frame A supported at one end on
two metal roller wheels B and C, provided with an india rubber ring or band
around their circumferences, and a strip of metal C' or other suitable material on
the other end of the frame; said strip of metal slides or skids along the carpet to
keep the frame of the sweeper off the carpet. The roller wheels B and C are

page_text: provided with adjustable bearings D (but only one wheel is shown fitted with
adjustable bearings). I provide said bearings with a spring E, so as to keep the
roller wheels B and C in frictional contact with the small roller F secured to the
end of the axis of the brush G, so that when the sweeper is moved backwards or
forwards the roller wheels B and C being in frictional contact with the small
roller F cause the brush to revolve. The axis of the brush is provided with
two metal pins secured to the ends of same to work in bearings H, I, Figs. 5, 6;
said bearings are constructed so as to be adjustable up or down to bring the
brush G into proper sweeping contact with the carpet. The roller wheels and
mechanism for adjusting same are separated from the brush G and dust pans J and
K by a wooden partition L fixed from side to side of the main frame A.
The dust pans J and K are so constructed as to form box like compartments on
either side of the brush G; said compartments are formed by a bend M of the
required angle in the bottom of said dust chambers J and K. I form the sides of
the dust chambers nearest to the brush at an angle, so as to secure the dust and
prevent its flying about; said chambers are fully represented in Figs. 1, 3, and 4.
These chambers are so constructed as to fit the main box or frame A of the sweeper,
and are preferably left open at one end for more conveniently emptying the dust
therefrom when taken out of the sweeper. The chambers and the cover or lid N
can be lifted bodily out of the sweeper and the dust emptied therefrom. O is a
metallic forked attachment attached to the main box A for receiving a wooden
handle, which may be screwed or secured into the metallic forked attachment in
any convenient manner.
Having now described the nature and construction of my improvement, what I
claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
1st. The dust pans J and K attached to or in combination with the lid N of
the sweeper and made removable therewith, substantially as herein before described.
2nd. The discharge openings in the ends of the dust pans J, and K, for discharging
the sweepings or dust therefrom, in the manner herein before described.
3rd. The means employed for adjusting the sweeper or brush roller F and the
mode of imparting motion to it for sweeping by the spring E and friction roller
wheel B, substantially as represented and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Millard F. Rust, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
MILLARD F. RUST. (LS.)