IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING AND CLEANSING ROADS AND STREETS
Year: 1856

page_text: Sealed the 5th December 1856, and dated the 9th June 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Ferrier at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
June 1856.
I, ROBERT FERRIER, of Jedburgh, in the County of Roxburgh, North
Britain, Smith and Machine Maker, 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, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to various mechanical arrangements of road and
street scraping, or sweeping and cleansing apparatus, contrived for the purpose
of throwing up the swept-up mass to one or other side of the line of the
machine's path. This system of scraping or sweeping renders the mud easy
of subsequent reinoval, as it forms a single straight ridge along the side of the
road or street, at the same time the apparatus is self-cleansing and is very
easy of draught. The machine, under one modification, consists of a light open
timber frame, having a iron framework attached, carrying a row of fixed

page_text: scrapers or brushes, or both combined, in two rows, such scrapers or brushes
being disposed so as to form an angular or diagonal horizontal line, at an
angle 45 degrees of the circle, more or less, with the line of the machine's
path, the machine being guided by two wheels; instead of brushes, brooms or
besoms, or other sweeping details, may be used. The machine is intended to
be used either as a scraper or a sweeper, whilst it may also scrape and sweep
simultaneously if required. In cleansing narrow ways with such apparatus, it
is preferred to draw the machine cither by hand or horse power, first along
one side of the street and then back along the opposite side, so as to deposit
the mud in two lines, one on cach side of the road; but for broad streets two
machines are to be used, one following the other, and cleansing first one side
of the street and then the other, so that one side is always clear for traffic.
The scrapers are guided in a parellel iron bar frame, each scraper having a
small roller between its edge and that of the next in the series, to give case
of rising and falling action, as due to the inequalities in the road.
The scrapers are firmly pressed against the ground by a spring applied to
each, whilst a handle with a rack is provided to guide the whole.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Ferrier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th December 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
FERRIER, of Jedburgh, in the County of Roxburgh, North Britain, Smith
and Machine Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Der most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Iler reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Ferrier, Her special license that I, the said Robert Ferrier, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Ferrier, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING AND CLEANSING ROADS AND STREETS," upon the condition

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Ferrier, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and scal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the samic to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of tho said
Letters Patent,'
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Farrier, 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 in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
.
say:
My said Invention' 'relates to various mechanical arrangements or road and
street scraping, or sweeping and cleansing apparatus, contrived for the purpose
of throwing up the swept-up mass to one or other side of the line of the
machine's path. This system of scraping or sweeping renders the muil easy of
subsequent romoval, as it forms a single straight. ridge along the sides of the
road or street, at the same time the apparatus is self-cleansing and is very easy
of draught. The machine, under one modification, consists of a light open
timber frame, having an iron framework attached, carrying a row of fixed
scrapers or brushes, or both combined, in two rows, such scrapers or brushes
being disposed so as to form an angular or diagonal horizontal line, at an
angle of forty-five degrees of the circle, more or less, with the line of the
machine's path, the machine being guided by two wheels; instead of brushes,
brooms or besoms, or other sweeping details, may be used. The machine is
intended to be used either as a scraper or a sweeper, whilst it may also scrape
and sweep simultaneously if required. In cleansing narrow ways with such
apparatus, it is preferred to draw the machine either by hand or horse power,
first along one side of the street and then back along the opposite side, so as
to deposit the mud in two lines, one on each side of the road; but for broad
streets two machines. are to be used, one following the other, and cleansing
first one side of the street and then the other, so that one side is always clear
for traffic. The scrapers are guided in a parallel iron bar frame, cach scraper
having a small roller or rollers arranged so as to give case of rising and fall-
ing action, as due to the inequalities in the road. The scrapers are firmly
pressed against the ground by springs, whilst a handle with a 'rack is provided
to raise or lower the scrapers or brushes as may be required.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I have
hereunto appended and shall now proceed to describe a Sheet of explanatory
Drawings, showing a mode of practically carrying out the same.

page_text: Figure 1 on the Sheet of Drawings is a side elevation, and Figure 2 is a
plan, of a street or road sweeping and cleansing machine as constructed accord-
ing to my improved system, and as designed in this instance for being drawn
by one horse. The scraping and sweeping details are carried upon a light
wooden framing, running on the two wheels A, and composed of the two longi-
tudinal side pieces B, corresponding to the shafts of an ordinary cart, and
extending in front for the attachment of the horse, these shafts being con-
nected to each other by the cross and diagonal pieces C. To the under sides
of the shafts B are bolted cast-iron brackets D, one on each shaft, to receive
the ends of a diagonally disposed horizontal iron spindle or shaft E, capable
of turning in the brackets as bearings. This shaft E has fixed upon it two
levers or brackets F, to which the scraping apparatus is attached. This scraping
apparatus consists of a number of vertical plates or scrapers G, capable of
working vertically independently of each other in a frame H. Each plate bas
a vertical rod I attached to it, and working through a hole in an upper bar J,
connected to the frame H by the bolts K, and serving also for the attachment
of the levers F. Each plate is pressed down by a spiral spring, passed upon
the rod I, and acting between the bar J and the top of the plate, the spring
allowing the plate to rise, so as to surmount obstacles Jying in the road. The
bar serving as the back bar of the frame II is made round, and carries a
number of antifriction rollers L, against which the plates G press, by which
their rising and falling is rendered easy. The frame H is further connected
by two links M to brackets N, bolted to the under side of the shafts B, by
which means the pulling action on the scraping plates is made to take effect
low down. A hand lever O is fixed on the shaft E, and a catch plate P is
attached to one of the shafts B, the lever serving to raise or lower tho
scraping details, whilst they are retained in any desired position by the catch
plate. The arrangements connected with the brushing or sweeping apparatus
are similar to those for the scrapers. The brush Q is attached to brackets or
levers R, fast on a horizontal spindle or shaft S, disposed diagonally, and
capable of turning in brackets T, bolted to the under sides of the shafts B.
A hand lever U is fixed upon the spindle or shaft S, and by means of it the
brush can be raised or lowered, being retained in any desired position by the
catch plate V, attached to one of the shafts B. With the arrangements
described, it will be obvious that the machine may be made either to scrape or
sweep separately, or to perform both operations simultaneously, the brush
following the scraper and completing the cleansing effect.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried

page_text: 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,-
The system or mode of arranging and constructing apparatus for scraping,
sweeping, or cleansing roads and streets with the scraping and sweeping or
brushing details placed diagonally as regards the line of traverse of the
machine, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Ferrier, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of December, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
ROBERT FERRIER. (L.S.)