Improved Dust Collector for Roads and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 11th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 13th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Dust Collector for Roads and the like.
I ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL HOLMS of 3 Fitzroy Crescent in the City of Belfast
and County of Antrim in Ireland Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to means of raising and collecting dust and like matter
upon streets and roads and consists in the use of a flat sheet of metal, wood or other
suitable material carried near the surface and slotted or perforated to admit the
dust or like matter which is drawn through it by means of a current of air raised
by a fan or blower connected with such slots or perforations as inlets. This
apparatus may be attached to a cart or other conveyance into which the dust may
be discharged through a separator or other suitable contrivance. I may employ a
brush or brushes in connection with the apparatus in order to aid in raising the
matter to be collected.
Dated this 12th Mov 1802
HYNDMAN &, DICKSON,
6, Chichester Street, Belfast, Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Dust Collector for Roads and the like.
I, ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL HOLMS, of 3 Fitzroy Crescent, in the City of
Belfast, and County of Antrim, in Ireland, Surveyor, 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 :-
My invention relates to means of raising and collecting dust and like matter
upon streets and roads, and consists in the use of a flat horizontal surface between
two driving wheels, with slots in it forming inlet apertures to passages leading to a
fan or blower or other draught producer, hereinafter called the blower, which is
situated over the horizontal surface aforesaid, and above the axle of the driving
wheels, from which it is driven by means of a toothed wheel geared to the axle and
intermediate speed wheels. This apparatus is fixed to the rear of a closed van.
The air sweeps over the street surface, carrying with it dusty matter, and enters
the blower by the inlet passages, from which it is expelled through a dust separator,
situated in or over the closed van, the dust falling to the bottom of the van, and
the air escaping free.
The horizontal surface may be of any shape; it is made of wood or other suitable
material or may be made of sheets of pliable substance, such as leather, stretched
horizontally on frame-work. It is provided with hinged portions at the forward
end and at the rear, and the whole surface is swung by links connected to the body
of the machine, and it can be raised or lowered by a hand wheel working a screwed
spindle, connected to the horizontal surface, through a fixed nut. Its weight is
balanced by springs, and the hinged portions have separate springs, so that on
passing over any obstacle it will rise with little resistance, the hinged portions
rising independently. There are curved skids on the under side of the hinged
portions to take any contact with the street surface.
There are brushes near the inlet apertures, which stir up the dust from the
crevices in the street surface. These brushes are capable of adjustment vertically,
and may be arranged with springs to give automatic adjustment, and I may by
Pin1

page_text: suitable mechanism give the brushes a rotary or other motion if found desirable.
I may also use auxiliary brushes, rotary or otherwise, to accumulate the dusty
matter towards the centre line of the machine. There are flexible curtains of
leather hanging from the horizontal surface, which cause the air to impinge on the
street, and
may employ trailing flaps or lips hanging from an edge of the inlet
apertures to assist the dust to rise into them.
The inlet apertures are provided with gratings to prevent the entrance of straw,
paper, etc., and the lower parts of the inlet passages are provided with hinged sides
to give access to the gratings, and, for part of their length, they are made of flexible
material to allow the horizontal surface to rise. Means are provided for shutting
off any of these inlets.
I place the slots or perforations, forming the inlet apertures, crosswise, and I
may have a slot at the forward part of the horizontal surface with a trailing flap
hanging from its forward edge, or I may arrange the slots in any other suitable
position.
The dust separator I form by placing a number of inclined deflecting surfaces in
the exhaust air trunk, which leads from the blower and passes along the upper
portion of the inside of the van, and below these deflecting surfaces I place still air
chambers, having curved sides and open at the bottom. The dusty particles strike
the deflecting surfaces and fall down the curved sides of the still air chambers and
out at the bottom into the van; the air passes over a number of these deflecting
surfaces and escapes outside free of dust near the bottom of the van, a shield being
placed below the exhaust aperture. The still air chambers are provided with a
hinged side which can be opened from the outside of the van, to let past any
obstructive accumulation. I may cause the exhaust current to sweep over the
street surface under the horizontal surface to aid the action of the inlet current in
raising the dust.
•
The van is made air-tight, and I may provide a pipe leading from the upper
portion of the inside of the van to the inlet entrances of the blower, in order to
produce a small circulation of air down through the still air chambers. The van
is provided with a hinged side or bottom by which to remove the dust.
I may employ any other means for separating the dust from the air.
The two driving wheels are preferably india-rubber tyred. They run loose on
their shaft to which they are geared by a paul fixed to the wheel and a ratchet
wheel keyed to the shaft, so that only their forward rotation will be communicated
to the shaft.
The toothed wheel on the driving axle runs loose upon it. This wheel has a
large boss hollow on one side forming a drum, within which a small boss runs loose
and independently on the driving shaft. There is a coiled spiral spring in the
annular space between the outside of the small boss and the inside of the hollow
boss or drum. This spring is connected by its inner end to the small boss and by
its outer end to the inside of the hollow boss or drum. The small boss gears with
a clutch keyed to the driving shaft, so that the rotation of the driving shaft is
communicated to the toothed wheel through the coiled spiral spring. In this
manner strains on the gearing are reduced and regulated. The clutch keyed to
the driving axle is actuated by a hand wheel the spindle of which is screwed and
is connected by means of a bell crank or toggle joint to a lever which works the
clutch.
Between the toothed wheel on the driving shaft and the blower there are
intermediate speed wheels which I may make of any suitable proportions.
I may use a centrifugal fan or any other means for producing a draught and 1
may drive it by an independent motor.
may adopt any other arrangement and relative positions of the various parts of
the apparatus and I may make the dust raising and separating apparatus independent
of the van or receptacle.
In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe
the drawing hereunto annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
The drawing is a side elevation of a dust collecting machine constructed in
accordance with my invention.
A is the blower placed above the axle of the driving wheels B and at the rear of
the van C.
The inlet passages D. D. to the blower terminate at the apertures E. E. in the
horizontal surface F. F. These passages are made of pliable material at G. G.
The centre aperture is provided with a trailing flap H. to assist the dust to rise,
and there are curtains hanging from the horizontal surface at I. I. to cause the air
to impinge on the street surface.
There are two brushes at J. J. for stirring up the dust.
The horizontal surface is hinged at K. K., so that the outside portions can fold
upwards. It is swung by links L. L. and its weight is balanced by the springs M. M.
Its distance from the ground is regulated by the hand wheel N.
The toothed wheel O runs on the driving axle P. and communicates rotation to
the blower by the intermediate speed wheels Q. Q. The wheel O is put in or out
of gear with the driving axle by the hand wheel R.
The dust laden air exhausts from the blower at S. and passes over the deflecting
surfaces T. T. on its way to the exhaust outlet at U. The dust particles impinge
on the deflecting surfaces and fall down the curved sides of the still air chambers V. V.
placed below the deflecting surfaces. These chambers are open at their lower
extremity and their sides are hinged at W. W.
The shield X. deflects the exhaust current horizontally. The pipe Y. leading
from the top of the van to the inlet entrance of the blower, allows a small circulation
of air down through the still air chambers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The construction and use of a machine for raising and collecting dust
from streets and roads, substantially as herein described.
Second. The construction and use of a machine for raising and collecting dust
from streets and roads by means of a current of air, produced by an exhausting fan
or blower or other draught producer, sweeping over the surface of the street, and
intensified in the restricted space formed by the super-position of a horizontal
surface, with or without curtains, trailing flaps, and brushes, as herein described.
Third. The construction and use of a machine for raising and collecting dust
from streets and roads by means of a current of air produced by an exhausting fan
or blower or other draught producer entering one or more inlet apertures near the
street surface, these having a horizontal extension of their sides, with or without
curtains, trailing flaps, and brushes as herein described.
Dated this 10th day of February 1893.
A. CAMPBELL HOLMS.