Paths and Collecting the Sweepings.
Year: 1885

page_text: Paths and Collecting the Sweepings.
We, JOHN SMITHERS, Corn Merchant and RICHARD THOMAS, Gasfitter, both of
Church Road, Kingston on Thames in the County of Surrey do, hereby declare the
nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SWEEPING AND
SCRAPING ROADS OR PATHS AND COLLECTING THE SWEEPINGS to be as follows:-
"
The object of our invention is to provide a convenient or improved means for
sweeping scraping and collecting mud, dirt, snow and other refuse from roads or
paths. According to our Invention we so construct or arrange two revolving
brushes, made of fibre wire or other suitable material, that they gather the refuse
towards the centre of the machine, and for this purpose we place their axes at an
angle. The brushes may be made of tapering form if desired. Behind these
brushes we provide an inclined hinged pan, flap or scoop into which the mud is
forced by the forward movement of the machine assisted or not by a small rotary
brush or paddle. From the pan or its back continuation the mud is raised by
buckets or scoops on an endless forwardly inclined enclosed elevator chain and
deposited in a cart waggon or other receptacle attached to the front of the machine.
When the receptacle is full it is removed and emptied or it is removed and another
receptacle substituted. The working parts are driven from the road wheel axle of
the machine. When it is desired to scrape the road instead of sweeping it we take
out the front revolving brushes and substitute scrapers which latter may be in one
or more pieces. When the brushes or scrapers are not to work they are raised off
the ground and the driving gear disconnected.

page_text: Paths and Collecting the Sweepings.
JOHN SMITHERS Fern Glen, Church Road, Kingston-on-Thames, Corn Merchant
and RICHARD THOMAS Church Road, Kingston-on-Thames, Gas Fitter, 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 :-
Our Invention has for its object improvements in Road or Path Sweeping or
Scraping according to the consistency of the mud, and collecting the same.
It consists of a machine which is attached to, and drawn behind a cart, tumbler
or wagon or any other receptacle for the purpose of sweeping or scraping the
road &c as it is drawn along, and at the same time loading the vehicle in front of
it with the mud &c.
In order that it may be fully understood reference is made to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. I. is an elevation showing front view of machine.
Fig. II. is an elevation showing side view of machine.
Fig. III. is a sectional view of machine.
,
Referring to Fig. 3. A is the frame of the machine, (B) is the main shaft which
drives the whole gearing, and this is performed in the following manner :-viz As
the machine is drawn forward, the wheels (H) cause the main shaft (B) to revolve,
this turns the bevel wheel (C) which turns bevel wheel (D) attached to shaft (E)
upon which is a sprocket wheel (F), over this wheel runs a chain, which runs over
another sprocket wheel in the centre of the brushes (G) which of course sets the
brushes in motion and these rotate in a contra direction to the wheels (H). These
brushes are placed at an angle so that the mud &c is left in a ridge in the centre of
the machine. Upon the main shaft (B) is also a sprocket wheel (J) which drives a
chain over another sprocket wheel (K. Fig. I.) upon the top of the elevator (S)
which turns a spindle or shaft (L Fig. 1.) containing hexagonal drums (c Fig. 1 & 2)
which draws up a chain, to which is attached buckets (U) that run over similar
hexagonal drums at the bottom of the elevator (M Fig. 2) and thus turns the
spindle or shaft (N. Fig. 2). Upon this last spindle is a spur wheel (O. Fig. 2)
which gives motion to several spur wheels (P. Fig. 2) which causes shaft (Q Fig. 2)
to revolve (but this shaft (Q) may be driven direct from main shaft (B)) and upon
this is fixed two sprocket wheels (R Fig. 3) which draws two chains over two other
sprocket wheels (e Fig. 3) on shaft (d) upon these chains are fixed transverse
brushes (W Fig. 2 & 3) which we will call band brushes in contradistinction to the
large rotary brushes in front of machine. These band brushes are pressed down
to the proper angle of the road & tray by a transverse shaft & two sprocket
wheels (a). As these band brushes revolve they sweep or scrape up the mud &c up
a tray or pan (over a slot in it with or without spring trap through which the
mud &c passes) into a drum (T) at the bottom of the elevator (S) and from this
drum the buckets (U) convey the mud &c up the elevator and throws it into a
shoot (V) from which it runs into the cart or other receptacle.

page_text: The spring trap is made as folls:-In the opening or slot of pan is hung an iron
door which is bent up at the top part, and as the brushes pass over it they press
the bent part down, and this opens or lifts up the bottom part which is on the
ground, this movement allows the mud to pass out; immediately after the brush
has moved off the little door, a spring which is fixed underneath pulls it down on
to the ground just before another brush comes along & so on.
When the mud &c is too thick or hard to be swept up, the scrapers (b. Fig. 2 & 3)
which are attached just behind the rotary brushes (G. Fig. 1. 2. 3) (or they may be
fitted to take the place of the brushes (G.)) are dropped on the ground, and the
brushes lifted up out of the way; and attached to the band brushes (W) are pieces
of wood, iron, India-rubber or any other hard substance (which can be lengthened
out beyond the brush by screws) that will scrape up the hard mud &c up the tray
into the drum.
The scrapers (b Fig. 2 & 3) can be made of either wood, iron or India rubber.
In case the manner of performance is not sufficiently plain, it would probably be
well to reiterate without reference to letters.
When the rotary brushes or scrapers are put in motion by the forward, inove-
ment of the machine the mud &c is left in the centre of machine, this passes out
through a slot with spring trap in a tray or pan which is trailing along the ground
at the back of the machine, then the band brushes or small scrapers catch the
mud &c and take it up the tray and deposit it in the drum, into which the buckets
dip and convey it up the elevator and throw it into a shoot and thus into a cart &c
in front of it.
The brushes (both the rotary & the band) are lifted or lowered by worms and
racks (X & Y) moved by the wheel f. (Fig. 1 & 2.)
The whole gearing is stopped working by throwing out clutches which are moved
by the lever (Z Fig. 2).
The machine may be used with the brushes only as a sweeper and collector; or
with the scrapers only, as a scraper and collector or combined as described above.
The rotary brushes are worked so as to suit the curvature of the road &c, and
are extended beyond the large wheels so as to sweep the gutters.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would have it
understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact arrangement of all the
parts herein described, which may be varied without departing from the nature of
our Invention, and we declare that what we claim is :-
Ist The position in which the rotary brushes and scrapers are placed.
IInd The adaptation of the rotary brushes to the curvature of the roads &c and
gutters.
IIIrd The spring trap in the trayling tray which is opened by each passing
band brush,
IVth The combination of the several parts herein before described as is shown in
the accompanying drawings.