Improvements in Carpet Sweepers.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 17th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carpet Sweepers.
We, JONATHAN BARNES, RICHARD WALTON KENYON and WILLIAM HENRY
KENYON, all of Ewbank Works, Accrington, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinists, and JAMES LIGHTFOOT SHORROCK, of Hollins Lane Accrington,
aforesaid, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention is designed to provide for the pivoting of the bail or bracket to
which the handle is attached over the centre of the brush and refers both to an
appliance for preventing the raising of the sweeper when drawn back and also for
opening and closing the dust pans.
To the end of the sweeper we attach a cam quadrant or similar device against which
the handle bracket or bail or an arm or lever attached thereto will work as the
handle is moved from side to side. The cam used in its simplest form will be pro-
vided with a raised face or projection on its side against which the handle bracket
will bear with a notch to maintain it in an upright position the spring in the bracket
itself holding it tight against the face of the cam. In another form the cam will be
made with a double face and a small T or other arm be attached to the handle
bracket which will be held tightly against the cam by the spring of the bracket or
a small quadrant or similar bracket may be used with an arm from the handle
bracket passing therethrough with a spring of any suitable construction bearing on
one side to give the required amount of friction against the face of the quadrant.
When the handle bracket is thus pivoted in the centre it interferes with the
position of the spring for controlling the dust pans when placed in the position we
have hitherto adopted. To obviate this and to allow for the easy manipulation of the
dust. pans we either carry the spring on further with a crank projection outside the
face of the sweeper or we merely pass the edge of the spring out through the end
of the casing and apply a lever thereto by which it can be raised from one side or
the other. The lever we adopt is in the form of a slide with inclined grooves
working upon two pins so placed that by drawing the lever to the side the traverse
on the pins along the grooves gives at the same time a vertical movement thereby
lifting the spring of the dust pans. These grooves are made double or in V shape
so that the lever may be drawn to either side.
Or the slots in the lever may be radial instead of inclined and the pins at each
side of the centre form a fulcrum. By this means by either raising or depressing
either end of the lever the other end is moved in an opposite direction and the
centre of the lever raised to lift the spring.
Dated this 15th day of April 1903.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: We, JONATHAN BARNES, RICHARD WALTON KENTON, and WILLIAM HENRY
KENYON, all of Ewbank Works, Accrington, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinists, and JAMES LIGHTFOOT SHORROCK, of Hollins Lane, Accrington,
aforesaid, Mechanic, 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 is designed to provide for a carpet sweeper with a reversible
handle by pivoting the bail or bracket to which the handle is attached over or
about the centre of the brush and refers both to an appliance for preventing the
raising of one edge of the sweeper or the tilting thereof when being drawn back
towards the operator and also for opening and closing the dust pans.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
several modifications of the invention are illustrated.
Fig. 1. Front elevation partly in section of carpet sweeper with our improve-
ments applied thereto.
I
Fig. 2. Right hand end elevation of Fig. 1 showing the device for preventing
rising or tilting.
Fig. 3. Left hand end elevation of Fig. I partly in section showing appliance for
opening the dust pans.
Fig. 4. Front elevation of modified form of appliance for preventing tilting.
Fig. 5. End elevation of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6. Sectional elevation of modified form of appliance for opening the dust
pans.
Fig. 7. End elevation partly in section of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8. Sectional elevation of another modification.
Fig. 9. End elevation partly in section of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10. Sectional elevation of another modification.
The box or casing A of the sweeper the wheels or runners B the cylindrical
brush C and the dust pans D are all constructed in the usual way.
To one end of the sweeper we attach a cam quadrant or similar device F against
which the handle bracket or bail E or an arm or lever attached thereto will work
as the handle is moved from side to side. The cam used in its simplest form will
be provided with a raised face or projection on its side against which the handle
bracket will bear the spring in the bracket or bail holding it tight against the face
of the cam.
The friction of the bail or bracket against the cam prevents the
sweeper when drawn towards the operator rising or tilting over at the opposite
side. A notch is also provided in the face of the cam to hold the handle upright
when the sweeper is not in use.
When the handle is reversible and the bracket is thus pivoted at or about the
centre it interferes with the position of the spring for controlling the dust pans
when placed in the position we have hitherto adopted. To obviate this and to
allow for the easy manipulation of the dust pans we either carry the spring G on
further with a crank projection g outside the face of the sweeper or we merely pass
the edge of the spring G out through the end of the casing and apply a lever H
thereto by which it can be raised from one side or the other.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the cam Fattached to the end of the casing A of the
sweeper is constructed with a gradually inclined face of surface either plain or
slightly serrated the highest point being near the centre above the pivot upon which
the bail E turns. It is preferably provided with a notch or groove f to engage with
one side of the bail when the handle is upright. The action of the bail on the cam
causes the former to expand and the spring in it causes sufficient friction to prevent

page_text: the rising or tilting over of the sweeper when in operation and to maintain the
handle upright when not in use.
Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 the cam F is made with a double incline or face and
a small T or other arm e is attached or cast to the bracket or bail E which bears
against the face of the cam and will be held tightly against the cam by the spring
of the bracket or bail itself. In this case the upper or raised edges of the cam F
are placed at the sides and the transverse arm e bears against both faces when the
handle is upright. Instead of making the two raised surfaces of this cam at the
sides of the pivot on which the bail or bracket E moves they may be placed one
above and the other below the pivot and the bail be extended below the pivot to
bear on the second raised surface as in Fig 5A.
Referring to Figs 1 and 3 the spring G by which the dust pans D are opened
and closed is bent to project through the end of the casing A and engage with
lever H. In this case the lever H is in the form of a slide with inclined grooves h
working upon two pins so placed that by drawing the lever to either side the
traverse of the pins h' along the grooves gives at the same time a vertical
movement thereby lifting the spring G of the dust pans B. The grooves h are
made double or in V shape so that the lever can be drawn to either side.
Referring to Figs. 6 and 7 the slots h in the lever H are radial and the pins h¹at
each side of the centre form a fulcrum. By this means by either raising or
depressing either end of the lever H the other end is moved in an opposite direction
and the centre of the lever raised to lift the spring G.
Referring to Figs. 8 and 9 the end of the spring G is formed with a double crank
with a projecting finger piece g raised some distance above the pivot of the bail or
bracket so as to be clear of the pivot and allow of the manipulation of the dust trays
by the finger.
Referring to Fig. 10 the arrangement is very similar to Fig. 8 but the cranked
projecting finger piece g is carried up beyond the edge of the casing A and turned
back over the top.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is : :-
1. In a carpet sweeper the combination with the handle bail or bracket E of a
cam such as affixed to the end of the casing A against which the bail E presses
to exert friction thereon to prevent the sweeper rising or tilting over when in
operation substantially as described.
2. In a carpet sweeper the combination with the dust pans D and springs G by
which they are operated of the lever H affixed to the end of the casing A by
which the dust pans can be easily opened and closed from either side of the sweeper
substantially as described.
3. In a carpet sweeper the combination with a bail or bracket E pivoted at or
about the centre and the dust pans D of the spring G provided at its upper end
with a double crank to pass outside the casing A and extend up beyond the pivot
and provided with a projecting finger piece a substantially as described and shown
with reference to Figs. 8, 9, and 10.
g
4. A carpet sweeper having the several parts constructed and arranged in
combination substantially as described and shown and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 16th dev of Jonuo 1801
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.