IM- PROVEMENTS IN ROAD SWEEPING MACHINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Morcombe Bromley Baker, of Albert Buildings,
Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN ROAD SWEEPING MACHINES."
Sealed the 7th October 1879, and dated the 24th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Morcombe Bromley
Baker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th April 1879.
JOHN MORCOMBE BROMLEY BAKER, of Albert Buildings, Queen Victoria Street,
in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD SWEEPING MACHINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in road sweeping machines. For
this purpose I employ endless chains or bands passing around wheels or rollers, and
carrying brushes. This endless arrangement of brushes is mounted in an inclined
position, and the brushes in their lowest position come into contact with the
road surface to be swept, and as the brushes ascend they sweep along an inclined
surface. Thus any mud or loose matter on the road is removed and carried up the
incline, and from the top it falls into a receptacle forming part of the machine.
So far the arrangement is similar to road sweeping machines at present in use,
but I so construct the machine that it travels and operates with the brushes in front
of the incline, in place of, as heretofore, in the contrary position. This alteration
greatly increases the efficiency in action. I also provide at the lower end of the
incline a stiff brush, which serves as a yielding continuation of the incline down to
the surface of the roadway.
This appliance drives the mud forward ready to be taken by the moving brushes,
and it also prevents the mud being thrown by the brushes of the endless series
beneath the lower end of the incline, as it would be otherwise to a greater or less
extent.
I may also in some cases substitute for the brushes, or for some of them, scraper
like instruments made of a flexible material.
I also arrange brushes on either side of the incline; they are set obliquely, and
serve to collect the mud from either side into the path of the moving brushes, by

page_text: which it is taken up the incline into the receptacle. The side brushes also enable
the machine to clear the gutters between the roadway and the footway.
The side brushes are fitted with buffer like springs, so that they yield when
meeting with an obstruction.
The endless series of brushes is driven by gearing from the road wheels, and by
suitable clutches the gear can be thrown out when desired, so that the machine
may travel without driving the endless series of brushes.
I provide shafts for a horse or horses at the front of the machine.
In some cases I make the mud receptacle detachable, so that it with the pair of
wheels on which it is supported may when the receptacle is full be detached from
the sweeping machine, and it then serves simply as a mud cart to convey the load
to the place of discharge, whilst the sweeping mechanism in combination with
another receptacle continues its work.

page_text: +
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Morcombe Bromley Baker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th October 1879.
JOHN MORCOMBE BROMLEY BAKER, of Albert Buildings, Queen Victoria Street,
in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD SWEEPING MACHINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in road sweeping machines.
For this purpose I employ endless chains or bands passing around wheels or
rollers, and carrying brushes. This endless arrangement of brushes is mounted in
an inclined position, and the brushes in their lowest position come into contact
with the road surface to be swept, and as the brushes ascend they sweep along
an inclined surface. Thus any mud or loose matter on the road is removed and
carried up the incline, and from the top it falls into a receptacle forming part of the
machine.
So far the arrangement is similar to road sweeping machines at present in use,
but I so construct the machine that it travels and operates with the brushes in front
of the incline, in place of, as heretofore, in the ordinary position. This alteration
greatly facilitates the efficiency in action. I also provide at the lower end of the
incline a stiff brush, which serves as a yielding continuation of the incline down to
the surface of the roadway.
This appliance drives the mud forward ready to be taken by the moving brushes,
and it also prevents the mud being thrown by the brushes of the endless series
beneath the lower end of the incline, as it would be otherwise to a greater or less
extent. I may also in some cases substitute for the brushes, or for some of them
scraper like instruments made of a flexible material.
I also arrange brushes on either side of the incline; they are set obliquely, and
serve to collect the mud from either side into the path of the moving brushes, by
which it is taken up the incline into the receptacle. The side brushes also enable
the machine to clear the gutters between the roadway and the footway.
The side brushes are fitted with buffer like springs, so that they yield when
meeting with an obstruction.
The endless series of brushes is driven by gearing from the road wheels, and by
suitable clutches the gear can be thrown out when desired, so that the machine
may travel without driving the endless series of brushes.
I provide shafts for a horse or horses at the front of the machine.
In some cases I make the mud receptacle detachable, so that it with the pair of
wheels on which it is supported may when the receptacle is full be detached from
the sweeping machine, and it then serves simply as a mud cart to convey the load
to the place of discharge, whilst the sweeping mechanism in combination with
another receptacle continues its work.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 is a plan of a road sweeping machine
constructed according to my Invention, and arranged in the manner I prefer.
a, a, is a tank like receptacle for the mud; it is mounted on wheels b, b, and is
provided with shafts c, c. dis the incline up which it is intended that the mud
should be carried to the opening a', where it enters the receptacle a. The incline d
is hung from a joint at d, which admits of its lower end being raised by means of
the lever e to lift the sweeping apparatus away from the ground. is a brush
forming a continuation of the incline d down to the ground, so that no mud can pass
beneath the incline. f, f, are endless chains or bauds passing around rollers, g, g*,

page_text: and g at the top and bottom, and carrying brushes f¹, ƒ³, or it may be scrapers
fx, of vulcanized india rubber or like material.
The upper roller is driven by a band or pitch chain h from the wheels b. The
band or chain / passes around a pulley upon the axis of the roller g, which pulley
can at pleasure be made fast with the axis by means of a clutch g¹ and clutch
lever g³.
The lower roller g** is adjustable, its axis being carried on the sliding racks i, i¹,
which can be moved out and in by means of the pinions . 3 is a hand wheel on
the axis of the pinions . This roller can also be set in position either up or down
by the screws 1, 1, for the purpose of causing the brushes or scrapers to bear with
more or less pressure upon the roadway. m, m, are oblique brushes by which the
mud is led in from either side into the path of the endless series of brushes or
scrapers, f. The stems on which the brushes m are carried are tipped with
buffer like pads m³, and are supported by springs m², so that they may be able to
yield if they meet an obstacle.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I clain,-
First. The construction of a road sweeping machine with an endless series of
brushes or scrapers working against an inclined surface placed behind the brushes,
substantially as described.
Second. The construction of a road sweeping machine in which an endless series
of brushes or scrapers working against an inclined surface is employed with a brush
forming a continuation of the incline down to the surface of the roadway, substan-
tially as described.
Third. The construction of a road sweeping machine in which an endless series of
brushes or scrapers working against an inclined surface is employed with a brush set
obliquely at the side of the inclined surface, and serving to collect the mud into the
path of the endless series of brushes, substantially as described.
Fourth. The construction of road sweeping machines, substantially as described
and represented in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Morcombe Bromley Baker, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty third day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.