IMPROVEMENTS IN CARPET SWEEPERS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Abram Charles Herts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th October 1880.
ABRAM CHARLES HERTS, of Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARPET SWEEPERS."
This Invention has for its object to provide a carpet sweeper having an adjustable
brush which readily adapts itself to every kind of carpet or floor. For this purpose
the hairs of the brush are arranged spirally on a roller which revolves by an
adjustable cord and pulley, and is vertically adjustable within a suitable box
having a longitudinal opening in its bottom extending the entire length thereof.
Attached to the edges of this opening on the inside of the box are two curvilinear
plates corresponding to the circumference of the brush which revolves between
them. Adjustable bearings are secured to the box at either end to support the
brush axle, and are adjusted by means of pivots and thumb screws or their
equivalents.
A clevis furnished with a suitable handle is attached to the brush axle, and
attached to such handle on one side is a slotted plate, wherein a thumb screw
moves in such a manner as to hold the shaft together with the driving pulley
revolving thereon in position. Such driving pulley is connected by an adjustable
cord with a secondary pulley, which is secured to the brush axle between one end
of the clevis and the end of the box.
The driving pulley is worked by means of a suitable handle, and its action is so
easy that a child may work it.
By this improved construction of carpet sweeper it readily adapts itself to either
light or hard sweeping, at the same time that all tendency of the bearings to clog
and thus make the brush run hard is totally prevented.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Abram Charles Herts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
April 1881.
ABRAM CHARLES HERTS, of Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARPET SWEEPERS."
This Invention relates to improvements in carpet sweepers, and has for its object
to provide a carpet sweeper whose brush is made to revolve by means of adjustable
cord and pulleys, and is also vertically adjustable in its box.
Figure 1 is a plan of the sweeper with the box opened to shew the revolving
brush; Figure 2 is a side view, partly in section; Figure 3 is an end view of
the box; Figure 4 is an end view of the driving pulley and its adjusting
connections.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
The Invention consists of the box A, having a longitudinal opening a¹ in its
bottom, extending its whole length. On the inside of the box and attached along
the edges of this opening are two plates b', b', curved to correspond with the
circumference of the brush B that revolves between them.
Secured to either end of the box are the adjustable bearings C that support the
axle of the brush. These bearings are pivoted at c', and through slots in their
other ends pass the thumb screws D that hold them to the box and permit their
adjustability.
By loosening the thumb screws the bearings and consequently the brush may be
moved within a limited range up or down, and secured in position by tightening
the screw.
A clevis E is attached to the axle of the brush, from near the central point of
which projects the handle F. Attached to one side of the handle is a slotted
plate G, in whose slot moves the thumb-screw H that holds the shaft I with the
pulley K that revolves on it in position.
The cord L connects the driving pulley K with the pulley M that is secured to
the axle of the brush between one end of the clevis E and the end of the box.
To operate the device, the position of the brush relative to the carpet is adjusted
by the thumb screws D, D, and the tension of the cord L is also regulated by the
action of the thumb-screw H.; then the operator taking hold of the handle F with
one hand pushes the device forward, the bottom of the box resting and sliding on
the carpet, while with the other hand upon the pin O he turns the pulley K, and
causes the brush to revolve at any desired speed. The revolving brush sweeps the
carpet and deposits the result in the closed box.
The adjustability of the brush adapts it to every style of carpet or floor, whether
it requires light or hard sweeping, while by the arrangement of the cord and
pulleys it is possible to give rapid revolution to the brush while moving slowly
over the floor.
It will be seen that by having the bearings of the brush axle altogether outside
of the box considerable space is allowed between the ends of the brush and the
bearings for the collection of threads, hair, &c., that when swept up are so liable
in other sweepers to clog the bearings and make the brush run hard. By the
arrangement of parts, as herein shewn and described, such threads, hair, &c., are
absolutely prevented from interfering with the bearings, and as the box opens
through its centre the brush and axle can be easily got at to be cleaned without
removing them.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim and

page_text: desire to secure by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved
construction of carpet sweeper, consisting of box A, brush B, adjustable and slotted
bearings C, thumb screws D, D, and H, clevis E, handle F, plate G, shaft I, ⚫
pulley K, cord L, and pulley M, constructed and arranged substantially as herein
shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Abram Charles Herts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
A. C. HERTS. (L.S.)