AN IMPROVED MACHINE, FOR CLEARING LAWNS AND SIMILAR SURFACES FROM LEAVES, AND OTHER REFUSE BY AIR SUCTION
Year: 1884

page_text: I JOHN DAVIS; of Hempton, in the parish of Deddington, Oxfordshire, Farmer,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention of AN IMPROVED MACHINE, FOR
CLEARING LAWNS AND SIMILAR SURFACES FROM LEAVES, AND OTHER REFUSE BY
AIR SUCTION.
In carrying this invention into effect, I provide a fan, having a suitable number
of vanes, placed radially or otherwise from a central shaft, the vanes may be of
wood or other suitable material tipped at their extremities with leather or other
elactic substance, which, when brought into contact with stones or other inelastic
substances, which may be lying in the path of the machine will give way so as to
prevent the breakage of the vanes.
The Fan is placed transversely in front of the machine, and made to revolve at a
rapid rate, by mechanism in connection with the travelling wheels of the machine.
The machine may be propelled along the surface to be swept by hand, horse, or
other power, according to the size of the machine.
At a suitable distance in front of the fan, extending from a short space above the
ground over and beyond its upper periphery is placed an apron or case; between
the Apron and the fan a rapidly moving current of air is produced by the
revolution of the Fan which current attracts and carries along with it any leaves,
dust or other refuse, lying on the path along which the machine is travelling and
delivers the same into a box or drawer, attached to the machine in such a manner,
as to be easily removable for the emptying of its contents into a barrow or cart.
Intermediately between the vanes of the fan and extending about one inch beyond
the outer edges of the vanes, and revolving therewith I place a detacher in the
form of a rake, made of bass, or other elastic material, which, coming into contact
with the surface of the ground to be swept, will loosen leaves or other substances
which may have been partially drawn below the surface by worms, or which may
be lightly sticking thereto from other causes and will bring the same within the
influence of the current of air produced by the Fan and carried along with it into
the box or drawer.

page_text: Over and above the box or drawer, but not fixed thereto, I place a cover or
hood, having a number of small perforations, for the purpose of letting out the air
from the fan, and small enough to retain and prevent the passage of leaves and
other refuse.
1 Carrying wheels.
3 Spur wheels.
6 Detachers.
DESCRIPTION.
2 Chain wheels.
4 Fan case.
7 Box.

page_text: I JOHN DAVIS of Hempton, in the Parish of Deddington, Oxfordshire, Farmer,
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE
FOR CLEARING LAWNS AND SIMILAR SURFACES. FROM LEAVES, AND OTHER REFUSE
BY AIR SUCTION," and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to construct and arrange an apparatus capable of
being moved by band or animal power to disturb laid or fallen leaves and other
light refuse on the surface of lawns, paths, and to remove them by suction of air
produced by the rapid rotation of a fan fitted within and forming part of said
apparatus and from thence flirted into a receptacle as the apparatus travels along.
The receptacle is only temporarily fitted and can be lifted from the apparatus to be
emptied when desired.
The construction and arrangement of my apparatus will be clearly understood by
the annexed drawings in which Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation Figure 2 a
back view Figure 3 a plan and its operation by the following description.
In carrying this invention into effect I provide a fan, having a suitable number
of blades or vanes A. A placed radially or otherwise from a central shaft B, the
vanes may be of wood or other suitable material, tipped at their extremities with
leather or other elastic substance C which, when brought into contact with stones
or other in-elastic substances, which may be lying in the path of the machine, will
give way so as to prevent the breakage of the vanes.
The fan is placed transversely in front of the machine, and made to revolve at a
rapid rate, by suitable mechanism in connection with the travelling wheels of the
machine. The machine may be propelled along the surface to be swept by hand,
horse, or other power, according to the size of the machine.
J
At a suitable distance in front of the fan extending from a short space above the
ground, over and beyond its upper periphery is placed an apron or case D, between
the apron D and the fan A a rapidly moving current of air is produced by the
revolution of the fan, which current attracts and carries along with it any leaves,
dust or other refuse which may be lying on the path along which the machine is
travelling and delivers the same into a box or drawer E attached to the machine,
in such a manner, as to be easily removeable for the emptying of its contents into a
barrow or cart.
Intermediately between the vanes of the fan, and extending about one inch
beyond the outer edges of the vanes and revolving therewith I place a detacher F
in the form of a rake made of bass or other elastic material, which coming in
contact with the surface of the ground to be swept, will loosen leaves, or other
substances, which may have been partially drawn below the surface by worms, or
which may be lightly sticking thereto from other causes, and will bring the same
within the influence of the current of air produced by the fan, and carried along
with it into the box or drawer. Over and above the box or drawer but not fixed
thereto I place a cover or hood G having a number of small perforations, for the
purpose of letting out the air from the fan and small enough to retain and prevent
the passage of leaves and other refuse,
On the boss H of each carrying wheel I and running loosely thereon is a chain
wheel J to which a ratchet wheel K is fixed. To the carrying wheel I is attached
a ratchet or pawl L working loosely on a pin made fast in the wheel L, which
paul L taking into the ratchet wheel K causes it and the chain wheel J to revolve
and by a chain to give motion to a smaller chain wheel M on a counter spindle N.

page_text: On this spindle N is fixed a toothed spur wheel P which working into a
pinion on the spindle B of the fan and detacher, causes it to revolve at the
requisite speed.
I do not confine myself to this precise mode of gearing, as it may be wholly of
chain gearing or a combination of chain and frictional gearing.
The carrying wheels I and the whole of mechanism for driving the fan are
mounted on a frame R consisting of two sides dished or recessed so as to bring the
outer edge of the wheels I within the space occupied by the fan endwise for the
purpose of enabling the fan to cover the whole of the ground traversed by
the machine and to work close to the edges of the space to be swept.
The sides of the frame are connected together by braces and tie rods S. To the
bottom rods are fixed bearers T for supporting the receiving box or drawer E.
To the end of each axle H of the carrying wheels I is jointed, a side rod or bar U
the two being connected at the top end by a cross bar V the ends projecting
beyond the bar so as to form handles W for pushing the machine in a forward
direction along the ground to be cleaned.
At a convenient place in the upright hinderpart of the side frame a stud or
boss X is formed or fixed for the purpose of arresting the downward pressure of
the side bars U of the handles W which when pressed down in contact with the
stud or boss X constitutes a lever for raising the detacher from the ground whilst
turning the machine at the end of a "bout or otherwise.
The fan part of the machine is supported by a small wheel Y running on the
ground and attached to the frame in such a manner that the distance of the fan and
detacher from the surface of the ground may be regulated.
In backing the machine the pawls L slip from the ratchets K setting the
travelling wheels free to rotate without giving motion to the driving mechanism
and fan.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
I
The apparatus herein before described and as shown in the annexed drawings in
which by the rapid rotation of a fan leaves and light debris are loosened and
sucked up into a receptacle from the surface of lawns and paths as set forth.
1
101
T