Improvements in Carpet Sweepers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1890-Accepted, 24th May, 1890
Improvements in Carpet Sweepers.
I REGINALD HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of 18 Buckingham
Street, Strand W.C. in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention a communication to me from abroad by The Bissell Carpet
Sweeper Co. of Grand Rapids, Michigan United States of America 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 carpet sweepers and the purpose thereof is to provide an
apparatus which may not only be operative for the ordinary uses to which a sweeper
is adapted but which is especially adapted to pick up objects of more than ordinary
size and weight which cannot be readily swept directly into the pan thereby rendering
the sweeper useful upon the floors of hotels, offices, public buildings and other
places where the litter accumulating comprises a great variety of objects of all sizes
and where the floors are frequently without, covering.
It is a further purpose of this invention to provide simple means for the simul-
taneous adjustment, toward or from the floor of the double brush, composed of two
independent and oppositely revolving brushes and to combine therewith suitable
mechanism for imparting the required movement thereto.
To these ends the invention consists in the arrangement within a casing of two
rollers contiguous or in close proximity to each other, those parts of said rollers, next
to the floor or carpet revolving toward each other for the purpose of picking up
litter by carrying it. between said rollers instead of sweeping it directly into a pan
between the brushes as is usual. The invention also consists in the combination with
a casing and two brushes arranged in juxtaposition, of pans arranged outside said
brushes, and mechanism for revolving the brushes so that their lower portions move
toward each other.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a sweeper embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section, taken near one end in the line 3, 3 of
Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the journal supporting brackets removed from the
sweeper.
In the said drawings, the reference numeral 1 denotes the sweeper casing which
may be of any suitable form and construction within which are arranged two similar
brushes 2, 2,. placed in actual contact with or in close proximity to each other. As
one convenient method of mounting these brush rollers I have shown them provided
with prolongations 3 upon each end, said prolongations lying in vertical slots 4 in the
end walls of the casing. Journal pins 5 are set in the ends of these prolongations
and have their bearings in brackets 6 each bracket having an arm 7 which is laid
against the end wall of the casing and pivotally mounted upon the shaft or bearing 8
of one of the driving wheels. A keeper 10 surrounds this arm 7 and permits its rise
and fall while retaining it against outward displacement. Both brush rollers being
journalled in the brush arm 6 the vibration of the latter upon its pivotal point will
give simultaneous vertical adjustment to both. At each end of the casing I mount a
driving and supporting wheel 12 preferably upon the pivotal support or bearing 8 of
the brackets. These wheels are of such diameter as to permit the attachment of
pulleys 13 which receive belts 14 which are carried over pulleys 15 on the shaft of
one brush roller, thence back round similar pulleys 16 on the shaft of the other roller,
thence over idlers 17 and back to the driving pulleys. The idler pulleys are each
mounted on a bearing 18, which is carried through a slot 19 in the end of the casing,
and bent parallel with the wall its end being turned toward the side opposite the

page_text: driving pulley and connected with a spring 20 by which the pulley is constantly
drawn away from the driving pulley to tighten the belt. The arrangement is the
same at each end of the casing supporting wheels 21 being arranged at such points
as to act in conjunction with the driving and supporting wheels 12 in carrying the
sweeper. Upon each side of the casing, outside the brushes is mounted a dust pan 22
turning upon pivotal bearings 23 and having any suitable form of catch or fastening 24
to retain the pan in a closed position. The construction and arrangement of these
pans need not differ essentially from those in the ordinary form of sweeper.
The sweeper is propelled by a handle 25 attached to the casing in any desired
manner. In using the apparatus it is intended that the direction of motion shall be
such that the brush rollers which always turn in opposite directions, shall have their
lower portions which are in contact with the floor or carpet moving toward each other.
In this manner the rubbish on the floor is picked up between the bristles of the
contiguous or adjacent brushes, carried up between them and then over into the pans
instead of being swept directly into the pans as usual. By this operation large and
more than ordinarily heavy substances are taken up with ease whereas the sweeper
heretofore used would be unable to accomplish such a result or would effect it
imperfectly.
It is evident that the mechanism for driving the brush rollers may be very widely
varied as also may be the devices wherein the rollers are journalled. I do not there-
fore limit myself to any form of such devices, this invention consisting broadly in
the employment of two oppositely revolving contiguous brushes and in means for
giving a simultaneous vertical adjustment thereto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is.
1. In a carpet sweeper, the combination with a casing of two brushes supported in
such juxtaposition that they co-operate to pick up and carry particles and mechanism
for revolving the brushes so that their lower portions move towards each other
substantially as described.
2. In a carpet sweeper the combination with a casing and two brushes arranged in
juxtaposition of pans arranged outside said brushes and mechanism for revolving the
brushes so that their lower portions move towards each other substantially as
described.
QOA
1984
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.