IM- PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING AND CLEANSING ROADS AND STREETS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lorenzo Tindall, of Sherwood Foundry, Mansfield,"
in the County of Nottingham, Ironfounder, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING AND CLEANSING
ROADS AND STREETS."
Sealed the 23rd November 1858, and dated the 28th May 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lorenzo Tindall at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th
d. May 1858.
I, LORENZO TINDALL, of Sherwood Foundry, Mansfield, in the County of
Nottingham, Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING AND CLEANSING
ROADS AND STREETS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a simple mechanical arrangement to be worked
or drawn by horse or other power, for the purpose of sweeping or removing
dirt from roads, streets, and footways, instead of the usual manual cleansing.
Under one modification this machine consists of an inclined framework,
having at its lower rear end a rotatory sweeping brush actuated by the motion
of the machine, and sweeping up the dirt into a receiving trough or cart
body-swing, or suspended on a horizontal centre at the forward end of the
frame. The whole is carried on a set of four running ground wheels, two
large ones at the front and two smaller ones at the rear, or behind where the

page_text: rotatory sweeping brush is situated, so that the latter is brought close down to
the surface of the ground. Rollers are situated at the front and back of the
framing to carry a wide endless belt, or carrying band, or sheet of matting
made of cocoa-nut fibre. The front roller of this carrying sheet has on one
end a belt or cord pulley, over which an open endless driving belt passes from
a larger pulley on the axle of the front ground wheels. Thus, as the machine
is drawn or pushed forward, this driving belt arrangement gives the upper
length of the carrying sheet of matting a forward traverse from the lower
rear end of the frame towards the higher front end for the delivery of what-
ever dirt may be upon the matting into the open top of the dirt receiver,
which is suspended from the front axle, so as to have its mouth just beneath
the upper delivery roller. The front roller of the matting sheet also carries
a driving pulley, having upon it a crossed driving belt passed over a corre-
sponding pulley on one end of the rotatory sweeping brush spindle behind, so
as to give rotation to the brush in a direction the reverse of that of the
ground wheels. The brush is made of the ordinary reed or rush commonly
used for brooms, and it is fitted with a cover and scraper to prevent the dirt
from adhering to it, so as to be carried round again; after being once lifted
and a scraper is so fitted to act upon the delivery end of the carrying belt of
matting that the mud shall be certain to be taken off for delivery into the
receiver without being again returned to the rear. The belt of matting itself
is supported upon a board to steady it and give it the necessary stability, and
it is enclosed within a wooden cover. The cocoa fibre matting is especially
made and prepared for the purpose, and being rough on the surface, and
driven at a pretty high speed, it is capable of carrying up mud of any con-
sistency. All the belts are cased in and fitted with adjusting screens for
tightening and slacking. The dirt receiving trough is fitted with a lever or
other mechanical arrangement, so that it can bo swung over on its centre for
emptying. A lever is also fitted at the rear end of the frame for easing the
brush off the ground when required.
The action of the machine is this:-As the machine traverses along the
unswept surface, the revolving brush at the rear sweeps up the dirt on to
the rear portion of the upper length of the carrying matting; this traverses
quickly forward, and conveys the dirt so swept up until it arrives at the
forward end, when it is discharged into the receiver, which is preferably of
the form of an open topped cylindrical trough.
According to certain other preferable modifications under which these
improvements may be carried out in practice, chains working over studded
wheels are substituted for the leather belts herein-before described, as being

page_text: more certain in their action than belts. A worm-wheel movement is also
introduced for the purpose of raising the lower roller of the matting when the
sweeping action is not required, as when moving from place to place or
passing over stones and ruts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Lorenzo Tindlall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, LORENZO
TINDALL, of Sherwood Foundry, Mansfield, in the County of Nottingham,
Ironfounder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Lorenzo Tindall, Ier special license that I, the said Lorenzo
Tindall, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Lorenzo Tindall, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
HENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING AND CLEANSING ROADS AND
STREETS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Lorenzo
Tindall, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately.
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Lorenzo Tindall, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to a simple mechanical arrangement to be
worked or drawn by horse or other power for the purpose of sweeping or
removing dirt from roads, streets, and footways, instead of the usual manual

page_text: cleansing. Under one modification this machine consists of an inclined
framework, having at its lower rear end a rotatory sweeping brush actuated
by the motion of the machine, and sweeping up the dirt into a receiving
trough or cart body swung or suspended on a horizontal centre at the forward
end of the frame. The whole is carried on a set of four running ground
wheels, two large ones at the front and two smaller ones at the rear or
behind, where the rotatory sweeping brush is situated, so that the latter is
brought close down of the surface of the ground. Rollers are situated at the
front and back of the framing to carry a wide endless belt or carrying band
or sheet of matting made of cocoa-nut fibre. The front roller of this carrying
sheet has on one end a belt or cord pulley, over which an open endless driving
belt passes from a larger pulley on the axle of the front ground wheels.
Thus, as the machine is drawn or pushed forward, this driving belt arrange-
ment gives the upper length of the carrying sheet of matting a forward
traverse from the lower rear end of the frame towards the higher front end,
for the delivery of whatever dirt may be upon the matting into the open top
of the dirt receiver, which is suspended from the front axle so as to have its
mouth just beneath the upper delivery roller. The front roller of the matting
sheet also carries a driving pulley having upon it a crossed driving belt,
passed over a corresponding pulley on one end of the rotatory sweeping brush
spindle behind, so as to give rotation to the brush in a direction the reverse
of that of the ground wheels. The brush is made of the ordinary reed or
rush commonly used for brooms, and it is fitted with a cover and scraper to
prevent the dirt from adhering to it, so as to be carried round again after
being once lifted, and a scraper is so fitted to act upon the delivery end of the
carrying belt of matting that the mud shall be certain to be taken off for
delivery into the receiver without being again returned to the rear. The belt
of matting itself is supported upon a board to steady it and give it the
necessary stability, and it is inclosed within a wooden cover The cocoa fibre
matting is especially made and prepared for the purpose, and being rough on
the surface, and driven at a pretty high speed, it is capable of carrying up
mud of any consistency. All the belts are cased in and fitted with adjusting
screws for tightening and slacking. The dirt receiving trough is fitted with
a lever or other mechanical arrangement so that it can be swung over on its
centre for emptying. A lever is also fitted at the rear end of the frame for
easing the brush off the ground when required.
The action of the machine is this: As the machine traverses along the
unswept surface, the revolving brush at the rear sweeps up the dirt on to
the rear portion of the upper length of the carrying matting. This traverses

page_text: quickly forward, and conveys the dirt so swept up until it arrives at the
forward end, when it is discharged into the receiver, which is preferably of
the form of an open-topped cylindrical trough.
According to certain other preferable modifications under which these im-
provements may be carried out in practice, chains working over studded wheels
are substituted for the leather belts, herein-before described, as being more
certain in their action than belts. A worm wheel movement is also introduced
for the purpose of raising the lower roller of the matting when the sweeping
action is not required, as when moving from place to place, or passing over
stones and ruts.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the several Figures upon the explanatory Sheet of
Drawings, which I have hereunto appended, for the purpose of showing certain
modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in
practice.
Figure 1, on my Sheet of Drawings, is a longitudinal elevation or side view
of one modification of my improved machinery or apparatus for sweeping and
cleansing roads and streets; Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the
machine or apparatus; Figure 3 is a plan of the same; and Figure 4 is a
transverse section of a portion of the mechanical details.
The body of the machine, which forms a receptacle A, in which the mud or
dirt is deposited, is of a trough-like form, and, by preference, made of wrought
iron. A tubular shaft B extends across the trough or receiver A, the flanges
of which are bolted on the one side to the trough or receiver, and upon the
other to a box or recess C, made to receive the nave of the contiguous bearing
wheel. The axle of the bearing wheels D pass through the tubular shaft B,
and through the rectangular framing E, which encompasses the upper part of
the receiver A. The front portion of this framing is made of wrought iron,
and to the transverse piece the horse shafts F are attached. The back portion
of the framing E is curved upwards at the rear end of the receiver A, and
from thence descends in an angular direction, forming an incline, as shown in
Figures 1 and 2 of my illustrative Drawing. The inclined portion of the
framing E is strengthened by the transverse tie pieces G, and the open metal
frame is covered in by the wooden casing II; the lower part of this easing
extends upwards to allow room for the brush beneath, and it is hinged at the
centre to afford access to the interior. Two adjustable pendent brackets I are
bolted to the opposite sides of the framing E; these pendent brackets may be
lengthened or shortened by adjusting the number of washers at the part J.
Each of the brackets 1 carries at its lower extremity a stud, on which the

page_text: wheels K are carried; these wheels serve to support the framing E at the
proper height from the ground, this distance being regulated by altering the
length of the brackets, as hercin-before described. Within the inclined portion
of the framing E is fitted a secondary frame L; the construction of this
portion of the machine is shown in the transverse sectional view, Figure 4, on
my Drawing. The frame is made of sheet iron, strengthened by means of
transverse rods and the diagonal stays M. The framing E has along each of
its inner sides a projecting piece of angle iron N, upon the upper edge of which
the rollers O move; these rollers are carried in brackets that are attached
to the sides of the moveable frame L. The stationary framing E, and the
moveable frame L, are fitted together, as shown in the sectional Figure, so as
to prevent as much as possible the access of dust and dirt to the roller's O. A
roller P, which extends across the framing L, is fitted at its upper part; this
roller derives its motion from the "off side" driving or bearing wheel D, as
will be presently described. An endless belt or sheet of thick matting Q
passes round the roller P; this endless belt serves to carry up the mud or dust
into the receiver A; it is, by preference, made of cocoa-nut fibre, closely woven
for the purpose. The endless belt Q is strained round a roller R arranged at
the lower part of the frame L; this roller R is smaller in diameter than the
upper roller, and its bearings are carried in a slot made in each of the side
pieces of the frame L. By means of the screws S the roller R may be moved
outwards to the extremities of the slots in the side pieces of the frame L; this
adjustable action affords the means of regulating the tension of the endless
belt as required. An upward traversing motion is communicated to the
carrying belt Q from the "off" side" wheel D. This wheel has a metal ring T
attached to the spokes; to the face of this ring are bolted the brackets U,
which form a part of or are secured to the toothed wheel V; this wheel V
gears with an intermediate wheel W, the spindle of which is carried in a
bracket that is bolted to the framing E, and in a downwardly projecting
part of the framing, which part is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, on my
Drawing. The shaft of the intermediate wheel W also carries a pinion Y,
which gives motion to the pinion Z on the spindle of the roller P. When the
machine is drawn along the ground the gearing causes the carrying belt Q to
traverse round the rollers P and R, and any matters deposited on the upper
surface of the belt are carried over the upper roller, and deposited in the
trough or receiver A; the frame L is provided with an arrangement for
raising it clear of the ground, to admit of the roller R passing over any
obstruction. At each side of the franie L, on its under side, is a rack a, in
gear with which are two pinions 6 that are fast to a shaft c, carried in the

page_text: pendent brackets d. The shaft c is put in motion by means of the winch
handle e, inside which is fitted the ratchet wheel f, into the teeth of which the
pawl g, which is carried on a stud projecting from the framing E, falls. Upon
turning the handle e the frame L, with the carrying belt Q and its rollers,
traverse upwards over the rear end of the receiver A, so as to lift the lower
end of the frame clear of any obstruction. The mud or dust is swept on to
the carrying belt Q, by means of the rotatory brush h, which consists of a
wooden drum i, filled with pieces of split cane or wood h, arranged helically, as
shown in Figure 3, on my Drawing. The journals of the drum i are carried
in bearings, which are fitted in the free extremities of the arms, the other
ends of these arms being fast to the horizontal shaft ; this shaft & works in
pedestal bearings that are bolted to the upper face of the framing E. Motion
is imparted to the rotatory brush h from the "near side" wheel D, the nave of
which is sunk in the recess C; the wheel is thus arranged to admit of the
brush h sweeping up to the curb of the street. To the spokes of the "near"
wheel D is bolted the spiked pulley 7, round the grooved periphery of which is
passed the endless chain m, through the links of which the spikes of the
pulley pass as the wheel D rotates.
l
The chain m is also passed round a
spiked pulley, which is cast in one with the wheel o, and runs loosely upon
the end of the shaft k. The wheel gears with the pinion p on the spindle of
the drum i, and thus causes the brush to rotate when the machine is put in
motion. The spindle of the drum i is made with a feather q to admit of the
pinion p being thrown out of gear when the brush is not required to be
in use.
The pinion is held fast on the spindle by a key shown in the plan,
Figure 3, on my Drawing. When the pinion is taken out of gear with the
wheel o, the key is taken out, the pinion slipped along the spindle and the
key put in on the inner face of the pinion. The machine is also provided
with an arrangement for adjusting the height of the brush h from the ground.
On the extremity of the shaft k, which projects out from the "off side" of the
machine, is keyed a segmental wheel r, that is in gear with the vertical worm
s, which is carried in a bracket projecting from the stationary framing E.
The spindle of the worm s extends upwards above the cover and terminates in
a hand-wheel t; by turning this hand-wheel t, it raises or depresses the
segmental wheel », and this being fast to the shaft k, which carries the arms j,
the brush is thereby raised from the ground or lowered, as the material of
which it is made wears away. To prevent the worms from turning when not
required, a pin is passed through a hole made in the spindle, the extremity of
which is fixed in one of a series of notches made in the boss, through which

page_text: the spindle passes, so that it is kept exactly in the position required. At the
upper part of the inclined portion of the framing E, is a bolt u which is passed
through the frames E and L, and serves to steady the latter whilst the
machine is at work. Beneath the roller P a brush or scraper is arranged to
clean the surface of the belt Q, as it passes under the roller P. As here
arranged, the brush v, which extends across the belt Q, is attached to the
extremities of two levers w, which are centred upon the transverse shaft
that is carried in the framing E. The other ends of the levers w extend
towards the front of the machine, and are connected by a transverse rod. In
this manner the brush v oscillates upon the supporting shaft, so that it may
be caused to press with more or less force upon the belt Q. A scraper y is
also shown as adapted for cleaning the surface of the belt Q; this scraper
may be a sheet of iron or a rod. In my Drawing a sheet of iron is shown
which is bolted to the receiver A. The trough or receiver A is hung upon the
axle of the wheels D, and to admit of its being readily inverted, in order to
discharge the contents of the receiver, a windlass is fitted over its front end.
The standards are bolted to the front end of the framing E. The windlass
barrel 1 is carried upon the shaft 2, which has keyed to one extremity the
wheel 3; this wheel is driven by the pinion 4 which is carried upon the end
of the shaft 5, projecting from the contiguous standard =. Motion is given to
the wheel 3 by means of the winch handle 6, and the barrel is prevented
from turning in the wrong direction by the pawl 7 which falls into the teeth
of the ratchet wheel 8 on the shaft 2. A chain 9 is made fast to the barrel 1,
and is carried beneath the trough A, and fastened to its rear end; upon
winding up the chain 9 the front end of the trough A is raised and the
contents are discharged at the rear end. When emptied the trough is lowered
to the horizontal position and secured by the bolt 10, which passes through
the framing E.
With these several improvements the operation of sweeping the streets by
mechanical agency may be effected in an expeditious and highly effective
manner.
Having now descirbed and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,

page_text: First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery or apparatus
for sweeping or cleansing roads and streets, as herein-before described and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the system or mode of sweeping or cleansing roads and streets by
means of machinery or apparatus arranged as herein-before described, or any
mere modification of the same.
Third, the mechanical arrangement of the endless carrying belt and the
parts connected therewith for raising and adjusting the same, as herein-before
described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth, the system or mode of driving or imparting motion to the endless
belt or carrying sheet from the main or bearing wheels of machinery or appa-
ratus for sweeping or cleansing roads and streets, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the arrangement and construction of the rotatory brush or sweeper,
together with the mechanical arrangement for adjusting the same, as herein-
before described, or any mere equivalent therefor.
Sixth, the system or mode of imparting motion to the rotatory brush or
sweeper from one of the main of bearing wheels, as herein-before described
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Seventh, the system or mode of discharging the contents of the trough or
receiver A, and the mechanical arrangement for effecting the same, as herein-
before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lorenzo Tindall, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight.
LORENZO TINDALL. (L.S.)