Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 19th Feb., 1900-Accepted, 19th May, 1900
We, ARTHUR JOHN DAVIS, of Lower Free Lane, Leicester, Engineer, and
JOSEPH WILLIAM WADKIN, of London Street, North Evington, Leicester,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows;—
This invention relates to improvements in street sweeping machines and has
for its object the construction of a machine worked by horse or other motive
power for sweeping and removing dirt from streets or roads and consists in the
general arrangement, construction and means for operating the usual brush or
brushes combined with an elongated brush and means whereby the sweepings
can be raised and delivered into a tip-cart or other vehicle ready for removal
without the necessity of being shovelled into the carts in the usual way. Other
features embodied in this invention consist of the means of steering and the
tackle or harness for the horse or horses when the sweeper is being conveyed
or drawn at any time independent of the tip-cart or the like to which it is
ordinarily attached.
The road wheels may be of the usual size and construction and provided on
their peripheries with plates or strips of any desired nature to contact or grip
the ground.
The said wheels are mounted on the main axle or shaft and provided with
the usual or other desired ratchet mechanism.
The said axle or shaft passes through bearings depending from the frame of
the machine.
The said frame is constructed preferably of channel iron bent to conform to
the shape most convenient for supporting the various parts depending there-
from.
The usual circular brush (or brushes if desired) is partially supported and
may be raised and lowered by links or equivalent means depending from levers
fixed on a shaft, the latter being mounted in brackets or bearings attached to
and preferably above the main frame. The said circular brush and shaft from
which it is supported are placed diagonal to the main axle or shaft one end of
the said circular brush extending preferably beyond the line of one of the road
wheels, so as to reach well into the gutter, and to support this end of the brush
angle or tee irons extend from the main frame to which may be pivotted a
lever whose further end surrounds the spindle of the circular brush. The said
lever may be jointed if desired. The links or equivalent means before men-
tioned for partially supporting the circular brush are pivotted to the said levers.
Similar links or means being used at the rear or further end of the said brush,
consequently by means of a handle fixed on the shaft before mentioned, the said
brush may be raised and lowered at the will of the operator.
At the rear or further end of the said brush and carried either independent
of or raised and lowered with the said brush is the rear lower end of a series
an elongated brush) the said
of brushes mounted on chains (so as to form

page_text: chains passing around sprocket wheels on the circular brush spindle or a
detached portion thereof, the inner ends of the chains passing round sprocket
wheels formed on a sleeve, which is carried on a shaft supported in suitable
bearings from the main frame. The said sleeve also has formed or fixed thereon
a pinion gearing with a spur wheel suitably mounted, the said spur wheel
engaging a pinion formed at the side of a bevel pinion carried on a bracket from
the main frame, and the said bevel pinion gears with a bevel wheel on the main
axle or shaft.
The sleeve and shaft as before mentioned are carried in bearings from the
main frame, the said bearings. being so formed that the sleeve: and shaft may
be raised and lowered in the said bearings by any convenient means. This
movement of the said sleeve and shaft enables the front or inner end of the
elongated brush to be adjusted for any requirement.
The series of brushes attached to the links to form the said elongated brush
may have portions of some of the said brushes, nearest to the circular brush,
cut away to allow the sweepings when passing from the path of the circular
brush to get into the path of the said elongated brush at a point at the rear of
the slippers hereinafter mentioned, so that as the machine is drawn forward
the slippers are always in front of the sweepings instead of riding over them.
The levers connecting the spindles or shafts of the elongated brush are
adapted to receive and have pivotted thereto links or equivalent means with
discs or rollers mounted thereon and controlled by any desired means to bear
upon the heads of the brushes (forming the elongated brush) from the inside,
60 as to cause any desired part or length of the elongated brush to move in
contact with the ground.
At such point where the said brush leaves the ground it traverses up the inner
or top face of a series of slippers pivotted on one common spindle at their top
end. The said spindle also carries levers connected by means of a plate passing
underneath the slippers. A link or chain connected to one of the said levers
at one end and at the other end to the lower arm of a lever pivotied at any
convenient part of the frame allows the operator to raise the free ends of the
slippers at any time for any desired purpose.
As the sweepings are delivered up the slippers by the elongated brush they
pass over a plate into the path of scrapers mounted on chains which pass around
sprocket wheels carried on spindles at the bottom and top ends of an elevator
frame.
This elevator frame is formed of three compartments, extending the full
length, this arrangement allowing of the working parts being kept perfectly
clear of the sweepings, as will be hereinafter described.
The central compartment is for the scrapers which convey the sweepings. after
receiving them from the slippers and over the slipper plate, up the elevator
until each scraper turns over at the top elevator shaft or spindle when the sweep-
ings will drop into a tip-cart or the like.
The two side compartments of the elevator are arranged for the working of
the chains upon which the scrapers may be so mounted or carried as to allow
the elevator to be a reasonable size. The scrapers may be attached to the
chains by means of angle plates, the latter having cups or equivalents fixed
thereto at intervals to engage the chains at any desired point.
As before stated the elevator is divided into three compartments and this
division is effected by means of plates passing from end to end of the elevator
and strengthened in any suitable way.
As the passage of the angle plates from the scrapers in the central compart-
ment to the two outside compartments, causes slide tracks, slots or openings
the full length of the elevator in the compartment or division plates, the said
slide tracks may be closed automatically, by fixing plates overlapping one
another to the chains.
Ir the two outer compartments of the elevator, tracks are also made for the

page_text: orizontal faces of the angle plates to travel. The said tracks are formed by
eans of wooden rods passing from end to end and secured to the framing of
he elevator, and the approximately adjoining faces of the said wooden rods may
e faced with sheet iron or other suitable plates.
The central compartment is divided horizontally along its length and the
crapers scrape the sweepings along the upper face thereof.
The elevator is driven by a chain passing around a sprocket wheel of large
iameter on the main shaft or axle of the machine to a smaller sprocket wheel
n the bottom spindle of the elevator, consequently they run in the same direction
whereas the brushes run in an opposite direction.
As the nature of the street and road sweepings varies considerably provision
8 made for combing or cleaning the elongated brush, and means are also provided
for automatically cleaning the scrapers by pivotting two balanced levers at the
top of the elevator and connecting the lower ends of said levers by means of
a plate the said levers and plate being so balanced that as each scraper comes
into the path of the plate, the latter by means of the position of the pivot of
the levers, is moved along by the scraper and as the levers get into a vertical
line the scraper plate correspondingly descends until the scraper passes under-
neath the plate, when the latter will resume its normal position by reason of
the balance weight.
The front or delivery end of the elevator may be raised or lowered by attach-
ing thereto a crosspiece, which may be engaged by a chain, link or the like,
attached to a crosshead by any desired intermediate means and the said crosshead
may be worked to and fro in slides suitably supported from the frame, by
means of a screw having a hand-wheel fixed thereon.
The front or steering wheel of the machine may be controlled by a forked
bracket whose upper end passes upward through a pillar fixed on the frame of
the machine.
The upper end of the said forked bracket is engaged by a handle under the
control of the operator.
To further assist in the steering and guiding at any desired time, and to allow
the operator to control and steer the machine without following directly in the
path of the tip-cart or the like to which the machine is attached, a hand-wheel
is mounted on a vertical spindle and the latter also carries a worm gearing
with a worm wheel fixed to or formed with the flange of a drum suitably carried
on the frame of the machine.
A chain or equivalent passing around and from the drum passes through a
guide which is carried in the top end of a fork, the lower end of said fork being
pivotted on the axle of the front or steering wheel. The said guide is so con-
0 structed at its top end that when in its highest position its sides pass into a
recess formed to receive them. It will be readily understood therefore that as
the chain is unwound or let off from the drum, the fork with the guide thereon
will be lowered until the guide is approximately level with the centre of the
wheel and thus the front or steering wheel is more readily turned.
15
Provision is also made for attaching a horse to a draw-bar mounted on the
spindle of the forked bracket before mentioned.
A forked bracket may be pivotted in any desired way to the said draw bar
and its two outer ends pivotted to any convenient extensions formed on a tube
which is bent to a shape approximating to a pair of shafts. The tube mentioned
50 constituting the shafts, may be supported by harness or gearing of any desired
kind from the horse, which will be able to breech and control the machine wher
going down an incline independently of the brake provided for that purpose.
Modifications may be made to various parts of the herein before describe
mechanism without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Deted this 18th day of May 1899.

page_text: Improvements in Street Sweeping Machines.
We, ARTHUR JOHN DAVIS, of Lower Free Lane, Leicester, Engineer, and
JOSEPH WILLIAM WADKIN, of London Street, North Evington, Leicester,
Engineer, 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 relates to improvements in street sweeping machines and has
for its object the construction of a machine worked by horse or other motive
power for sweeping and removing dirt from streets or roads and consists essen-
tially of the combination with the usual brush or brushes of an elongated brush,
the bottom of which traverses along the ground and on to and up a series of
slippers, thereby delivering the sweepings into a hopper at the bottom of an
elevator.
Essential features in the arrangements of the elongated brush and slippers
are that they are placed at an angle with the line of draught, so that the elongated
brush receives the sweepings directly from the tail of the circular brush, and
the slippers are pivotted at their top ends, their bottom ends being in advance
of the sweepings, and traverse along and automatically adjust themselves to
any irregularity or undulation of the road. By this arrangement the sweepings
are delivered directly on to the slippers.
The invention will be clearly understood by the following description upon
reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification in
which,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sweeping and loading machine embodying our
invention in proper condition for sweeping and
Figure 2 is a plan of same.
Figure is an elevation of the elongated brush and the parts connected there-
with for elevating and adjusting said brush.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan on the line Z, Z, of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation on the line Y, Y, of Figure 4, and Figure 6
is an elevation showing a modification hereinafter referred to.
Figures and 8 are cross section and sectional elevation respectively of the
bottom of the elevator.
Figure 9 is an elevation or diagram drawn to a smaller scale than Figures 3,4
and 5 showing modifications of parts hereinafter referred to.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of a scraper.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.
The frame A is preferably formed of channel iron with the brackets BB¹
secured thereto. The axle C passes through the said brackets and has the main
wheels CC thereon, furnished with the usual disengaging gear.
The sprocket wheel ( mounted on the axle (is engaged when desired by a
clutch C on a feather on the said axle, by the handle (and transmits motion
by means of the bevel wheel C. formed with the said sprocket wheel, to the
bevel pinion (6 mounted on the stud (7. A spur pinion (8 formed with the
pinion gears with the spur wheel C and the latter engages a pinion D¹ formed
on a sleeve D (see Figures 13 and 4) mounted on the axle D the latter being
supported in the bracket D³.
The said sleeve 1) has also formed thereon or fixed thereto the sprocket
wheels EE the said wheels being engaged by chains EE passing over similar

page_text: heels E¹ E¹ carried on a bottom sleeve E2, a wheel E³ on the sleeve Dengaging
means of a chain the sprocket wheel E for driving the usual circular brush F.
The brushes G extend across the full width of the elongated brush and the
ternate ones G₁ only half the width, i.e., from the outside to the centre, or
he latter may be altogether removed and only the alternate ones G used, as
hown in Fig. 5. The said brushes are mounted on the chains E* which pass
ver the sprocket wheels EE before mentioned and the said elongated brush
s arranged so that a desired part may pass along in contact with the ground,
ce Figures 1 and 3, and traverse up and in contact with the face of a series
To effect this result the sleeve E2 is
f slippers H pivotted on the shaft h.
arried on an axle J in the bottom ends of two rods or draw bars J₁J* whose
apper ends engage the bracket D³, the two extremities or upper ends of the
atter being adjustably pivotted by bolts J2x to bars J2 J2 fixed on either side
of the closed part or hopper A of the machine.
The bottom end of the said rod is engaged by a spring rod J which
passes upward and engages the adjusting screw J³, the latter passing through
the ends of the cross bar J slung on the arm J of the hand, lever J.
It will be readily seen that the lower end of the elongated brush may be
lifted completely from the ground and retained in its upper position by the
projection on the movable part of the hand lever J6 (the latter mounted on
the shaft a) passing into and engaging the recess J8 formed in the arc bracket J.
The said elongated brush may be also readily adjusted in relation with the
ground by turning the hand wheel *** on the screw J³ (Fig. 1) and by raising
and lowering the pivot pins J2x in the bars J2 J2.
Instead however of the pivot pins J* passing into the bars J2 as before
described, a. continuation ( (see Fig. 6) of the bracket C may be made with
a slot C2 therein, formed at a right angle with the normal working angle of
the slippers H.
The elongated brush may be further adjusted to the angle of the slippers by
means of a bar H fixed to the bracket 1) its lower end being provided with an
adjusting screw H² which bears upon the axle H³ on the ends of which the
wheels H H are revolved by and bearing upon the chains E*.
The said axle H3 is fixed on the ends of two spring plates H which are fixed
to the bracket D".
As it is essential that the elongated brush should be adjustable independently
of the usual circular brush F, although it may be temporarily raised in con-
junction therewith, the axle J of the sleeve E2 and the axle F¹ of the said
brush are adjustably connected by means of a quadrant bracket K mounted
on the circular end 12 of the axle Fl and held in position by a plate or washer F
() and screw Ft.
A bolt F³ passes through the rod J* into the said bracket K and forms a pivot.
A second bolt F passes through the said rod J* and through a slot K' formed
in the rear part of the bracket K; it will therefore be seen that by slightly
loosening the said bolts FF the bracket may be turned on the former and
A modification of this adjust-
5 the brushes adjusted relatively to each other.
ment is shown in Figure 9 in which F is the pivot and J and F the axles of
the elongated and circular brushes respectively.
The sweepings having been delivered up the slippers H by the elongated
brush as before stated will pass into the path of scrapers L and are carried
50 thereby upward through an elevator L' and dropped into the tip cart or othe
receptacle M.
The said scrapers L, see Figure 10, consist of a back L for engaging th
sweepings and two sides L*L** to which are attached the angle plates M
secured on the elevator chains. The said elevator L' is formed in three com
55 partments the central compartment 7 being open at the bottom in th
hopper so that the scrapers I may receive the sweepings.
The central compartment is divided longitudinally (see Figs. 17 and 8) an

page_text: the scrapers L traverse upward approximately in contact with preferably a
sheet of plate glass L bedded on to a sheet of felt La the latter being supported
by sheet iron L³ on boards Lt on each side of the compartment 7.
The said scrapers L are connected to chains passing over sprocket wheels LL
on the top and bottom spindles L L respectively of the elevator, the spindle L'
being driven by a chain L8 passing from the wheel C2 to a wheel L' fixed on
the said spindle Li.
The top spindle L is adjustable for tightening the chains by means of screws L10
passing through the brackets L" and bearing against the journals L. The
angle plates M¹ by which the scrapers L are connected to the elevator chains
pass upward through openings formed in the division plates P, as clearly seen
in Figure 7, and the sprockets wheels L are also cut away to allow the said
angle plates to pass.
To allow the forward end of the elevator L' to be raised or lowered for any
purpose, side plates NN are rivetted or bolted to the sides of the elevator and
a connecting or cross bar N¹ is pivotted to the said side plates and connected
by the rod or equivalent N2 to the double rod N3 bolted to the cross head N,
the latter being engaged by the screw N having a handwheel No thereon. The
screw N³ passes through a trunnion N carried in a bracket N8. It will be seen
therefore that as the hand wheel N is turned, the screw N will draw back the
crosshead N together with the connections mentioned and raise the forward
end of the elevator L' to any desired extent. In order to steady the said elevator
when being raised or lowered a plate No is connected to the frame A and is arc
shaped, and a clip plate N10 secured to the side of the elevator engages and slides
on said, plate.
To facilitate the turning of the machine it is essential that the distance between
the sweeper and the tip cart should be extended, and to effect this operation
the means of attachment between the two must necessarily be lengthened and
this may be effected by means of a draw bar formed in two parts, i.e., a bar ()
adapted to enter and be engaged by a tube 01. The rear end of the bar is
connected to a chain 02 passing over the guide 03 and around the barrel 01,
its top flange 0 being provided with teeth 06 to engage the pinion 07 fixed
on the spindle 08 provided with a handle 09 to be controlled by the operator.
The said flange is provided with rack teeth 10 which are engaged by the
end of a forked counterweighted lever O also controlled preferably by the
foot of the operator.
As will be readily understood street sweepings vary considerably in substance
and consistency. To prevent therefore any gathering of the sweepings at the
side of the slippers H, two guide plates QQ are fixed on bars on pivots and
connected by chains to levers R, R pivotted to the frame A.
The said levers are connected by rods R2 R2 to the arm S fixed on the shaft a,
and the said guide plates are thereby raised and lowered in conjunction with
the brushes. Instead of a separate pivot for the bars of the guide plates the
latter may be fixed on or formed with the pivot of the slippers H. The outside
bar is connected to the inner or guide plate bars by a rod T¹ passing under
the slippers H.
To retard the machine when turning or going down hill a brake wheel U is
fixed on the axle C and a strap UI is operated by a lever U2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. In a sweeping and loading machine the combination with the circular
brush of an inclined elongated brush arranged to receive the sweepings directed
thereto and deliver them over slippers to an elevator substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

page_text: 2. In a sweeping and loading machine the combination with the circular
rush of an inclined elongated brush adapted to be adjusted in the manner and
or the purpose specified and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a sweeping and loading machine the combination with the circular
rush of an elongated brush and means for adjusting the said brushes in
relation to each other substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
4. In a sweeping and loading machine in combination, a circular brush, an
elongated brush, a series of slippers adapted to give to the undulations of the road
and an elevator to receive the sweepings and deliver them into a tip-cart or
the like substantially as described.
5. In a sweeping and loading machine, an elevator divided so that the chains
carrying the scrapers are separated from the central delivering compartment,
the sweepings being scraped along a flat surface in said central compartment
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In a sweeping and loading machine, the means of attaching the sweeper
to a tip-cart or the like, comprising a draw bar and chain to pass round a drum
operated and controlled substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
7. In a sweeping and loading machine an elevator with compartments and
adapted to be raised and lowered by the means substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
8. A sweeping and loading machine constructed, arranged and operating
substantially in the manner described and illustrated.
1-41 day of February 1900.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.