Improvements in Dust Collecting Machines, also applicable for Collecting Grain and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dust Collecting Machines, also applicable for
Collecting Grain and the like.
I, NIELS GEORG SÖRENSEN, of Blasiiholmstorg 11, Stockholm, in the Kingdom
of Sweden, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows: :-
This invention relates to machines for collecting or removing loose particles from
the ground or from any surface over which it passes.
The improved machine may be used on cornfields to collect and save the seed,
which generally at the time of or before the harvest is lost in falling off on to the
ground as loose grains or gleans; it may also be used in collecting and removing
dust and dirt from streets, floors, carpets and the like; it may be used in mills and
factories for the removal of dust and the like; and in other cases, of which the
above named are only a few examples.
The machine is operated by forcing an air jet or current through air channels,
and through an air-shaft, furnished with apertures or outlets. The air-current is
led through these outlets to the ground beneath the lower part of a grain or dust
trunk which trunk with its lower end passes closely over the surface, where the
particles are lying and is connected at its other end with a reservoir, into which
the particles are carried by the air jet. The current of air may be created by a
fan-blower, and passes through one or more outlets.
If only one jet is used, it is by preference made of a ring-shaped pipe or channel
provided with inclined outlets the air-current in passing through these outlets is
directed towards the centre and is inclined towards the surface in order that the
said current of air, which on rebounding from the ground assumes the shape of a
frustum of a cone, may rush up through the said dust trunk thus carrying the
particles into the reservoir.
The machine is mounted on a wheeled vehicle of suitable construction, and
comprises a fan blower dust trunk, annular air jet and reservoir. The grain and
dust trunk opens at its upper end into the reservoir; its lower end, which is also
open, extends within a short distance of the ground, but not so near as to prevent
the machine from passing freely over the surface, even if such a surface is not quite
level. The fan which may be a common centrifugal fan derives its motive power
from the wheels of the vehicle by means of gear wheels fixed thereon; these gear
wheels engage with pinions on the shafts. On the said shafts are arranged friction-
wheels which act upon small friction wheels placed on a shaft on which are also
friction-wheels which act upon small friction wheels belonging to the shaft of the
fan blower. The jet device is of oval shape, to correspond with the lower end of
the dust trunk, which is encircled by the said jet pipe, communication between same
and the fan-blower being through suitable tubes.
The outlet of the jet pipe is beneath the lower edge of the dust-trunk where the
air-current issues in a direction inclined towards the surface so as to strike against
the ground at an angle. And as further the outlet of the air-current through the
jet pipe has a conveniently ring-shaped form, exactly over which the dust trunk
passes up to the reservoir the air-current, blowing from every side with about equal
strength will be forced up through the trunk, thus bringing the particles lying on
the ground, into the reservoir.
The air-current which on striking the ground, assumes the shape of a funnel, can
if desired while it is advancing, be made rotatory. The rotation may easily be
obtained by placing in the annular jet pipe guiding strips which are bent or placed
in a more or less oblique position. Such guides either of a straight or bent form

page_text: can also, on placing them in the jet pipe, be used to adjust the direction of the air-
current if the air-current has a disposition to issue from the jet-pipe in an irregular
way. Regarding the form of the funnel shaped air-current in the horizontal section,
it may be oval, elliptical, of any other suitable shape.
In order to facilitate the working of the air-current, there may conveniently be
arranged another air-channel leading from the fan blower to a tube or chamber
which has a direct communication with the trunk through a longitudinal opening
in the tube. This current of air, which passes through the tube into the trunk acts
like an injector to force the air towards the reservoir thus producing an upward
suction of air in the said trunk. This upward suction in the trunk increases the
force of the air-current so as to better remove the particles from the ground through
the trunk into the reservoir.
Suction in the trunk may also be obtained by connecting the reservoir with the
fan-blower by means of a channel. Through this channel the fan-blower draws
air from the reservoir. The outlet to the channel from the reservoir is conveniently
covered with a sieve in order to prevent the particles from being drawn from the
reservoir. The air-current in the trunk may therefore be created by suction and
pressure at the same time but under certain circumstances it may be sufficient to use
either pressure or suction alone.
If it be desired to isolate the air current, coming out from the jet pipe close to
the ground, from the external air, such protection may to a certain extent be
obtained by applying some elastic bottom linings, approaching the surface. In lieu
of using one single jet pipe of ring-shaped form, two or more separate pipes may be
applied, placed in front of each other. Such pipes are made of a conveniently
curved or bent shape, not only broadwise but also in the longitudinal direction, in
order to make the air-current converge as near as possible to a central point and at
the same time to form an angle with the surface. If more than two pipes are used
a similar arrangement is to be observed, that is to say, the air-current must converge
as near as possible to a central point and to have nearly the same inclined direction
towards the surface.
When using only a single jet pipe it is not necessary to give it a ring-shaped
form as it may also be flat, bent or concave but a solid flap must then be placed
opposite the jet pipe, the said flap being placed so as to drag with its lower edge
along the ground. This flap forms in reality a prolonged part of the frontside of
the trunk and is hinged to the trunk so that it may be dragged freely along the
surface. The flap thus forms an inclined plane in front of the jet pipe and forces
the air current after having first struck against the ground to follow the flap and
thus to pass up through the trunk, and carrying the particles along with it into the
reservoir. The air-current which in the present case passes the jet pipe has of
course the same direction as the vehicle itself in order to allow the flap to be
dragged along the ground.
I have found, that a similar pendent solid flap of convenient size
may be beneficial,
when either a ring-shaped or two separate jet pipes are applied. This flap being
however, pendent from the lower part of the trunk above the jet pipe steered
by the air current and serves in fact to protect the same, until it strikes the
ground and meets the air, which passes from the opposite side, when the two air-
currents united will convey the particles up through the trunk into the reservoir.
It is evident that the said flap must be placed on the inner front side of the trunk.
If one or more separate jet pipes be applied they may be conveniently made
adjustable, so that the air-current can be directed at a greater or less angle towards
the ground, they may be of such a construction that their outlets can be enlarged
or reduced. In cases where the machines are applied to rid streets from dust
and dirt, it may sometimes be found convenient to place in front of the mouth-
pieces or between them some suitable rubber or brush like apparatus, which
has for object in a mechanical way to detach the materials, which are to be
removed.
If convenient a chapelet-like transporter may be used which receives the particles,

page_text: raised from the ground by the air-current and forwards them to the reservoir..
This transporter may be placed either in the trunk or in a prolongation of it. Such
a transporting apparatus can evidently be of any suitable construction. It may
for instance consist of an endless belt, furnished with cross-ribs and placed in the
trunk, running along the same. The motive power for such an endless belt can
easily be taken from the existing motor of the machine a rotating brush may also
be combined therewith sweeping at the upper end of the endless belt, with the object
of bringing the particles into the reservoir. There are many ways, in which
transporting arrangements can be made to facilitate the conveyance of the particles
into the reservoir, one of these consists of a channel running at right angles with
the trunk; in this channel is placed a screw conveyor with vanes or blades arranged
in such a way, that the screw on one half of its length works to the right and that
on the other half to the left, thus transporting the material to reservoirs at each
end of the channel.
In lieu of working the fan from the wheels of the vehicle by wheel gearing
the same object may be attained by the use of any other suitable gearing such
as chains, belts or screws or any other mechanical driving power may be used.
If the machine should be of considerable dimensions, which would render the
motive power from the wheels insufficient, one or more suitable motors could
be applied; for instance a petroleum motor of suitable power, which might replace
the horses.
The fan blowers may evidently be replaced by any other suitable blowing
machine for instance a screw-propeller machine, a Root's blower or other similar
machine. The machine can be constructed to move upon two, three or four
wheels.
The reservoir may be placed upon a separate vehicle, and connected to the
machine.
If the machine is to be used in a factory and is too big to be moved by
the hand it may be run on rails and be moved by a winch or by other
mechanical apparatus. Such rails may be placed on the floor or fastened to the
ceiling.
Dated thin 17th day of February 1892
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dust Collecting Machines, also applicable for
Collecting Grain and the like.
I, NIELS GEORG SORENSEN, of Blasiiholmstorg 11, Stockholm, in the Kingdom
of Sweden, Merchant, 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 :-
This invention relates to machines for collecting or removing loose particles from.
the ground or from any surface over which it is passed.
The improved machine may be used on cornfields to collect and save the seed
which generally at the time of or before the harvest, is lost in falling off onto the
ground as loose grains or gleans; it may also be used in collecting and removing
dust and dirt from streets, floors, carpets, and the like, it may be used in mills and
factories for the removal of dust and the like; and in other cases, of which the
above named are only a few examples.
The machine operates by forcing an air jet or current through air channels and
through an air-shaft, furnished with apertures or outlets. The air current is led
through these outlets to the ground beneath the lower part of a grain or dust trunk
the lower end of the said trunk passing closely over the surface, where the particles.

page_text: are lying, the other end being connected with a reservoir, into which the particles
are carried by the air jet. The current of air may be created by a fan blower
and may pass out through one or more outlets or jets.
If only one outlet or jet is used it is by preference made of a ring-shaped form
The air-current passing out obliquely towards the centre and inclined towards the
surface. The said current of air, on rebounding from the ground assumes the shape
of a frustum of a cone, and rushes up through the said grain or dust trunk thus
carrying the particles into the reservoir.
In order that my improvements may be the better understood I have illustrated
in the accompanying drawings a machine of this character constructed according to
my invention in which drawings
Figure 1 is a general side view of the machine, drawn to a comparatively small
scale and Figure 2 is a front view of the same, some of the minor details of
construction being omitted to avoid confusion.
Figure 3 is a sectional detail view, taken along the line 3, 3 in Figure 2, which
will be hereinafter explained.
Figures 4, 4 and 43 are detail sectional views, showing alternative forms of one
of the elements of the machine and will be hereinafter described.
Figures 5 and 6 are detail sectional views similar to Figure 3, illustrating modifi-
cations of the device illustrated in said figure.
Figure 7 is a detail sectional view, similar to the preceding and taken substan-
tially along line 7, 7 in Figure 8 and
Figure 8 is a sectional detail view taken along line 8, 8 in Figure 7.
These views illustrate still another modification to be hereinafter referred to.
As seen in Figures 12 and 3, the machine is mounted on a frame of suitable
construction, provided with ground wheels, and comprises a fan blower C, trunk B,
mouth piece D and reservoir A. The grain or dust trunk B opens at its upper
end into the reservoir A, and its lower end, which is also open stands close to the
ground or other surface to be cleaned, but of course is sufficiently elevated to admit
of the machine passing over the ordinary irregularities of said surface. The fan
or blower C, shown herein may be of any ordinary construction, as a Root blower
for example, and is driven from the ground wheels by means of gearing which I will
now describe.
Fixed to the ground wheels are large toothed gears a, a meshing with pinions b, b,
on a shaft c rotatively mounted in bearings in the frame. Fixed on the shafts c, c
are grooved friction wheels d, d with which engage friction rollers e, e on a shaft f
also mounted in the frame parallel with shafts c. On shaft are other friction
wheels I, I which engage friction rollers i, i on a cross shaft h, also parallel with
shafts c and f, and on this shaft is mounted the rotating member of the blower C.
Thus as the machine is moved along, the rotation of the ground wheels is communi-
cated to the shaft of the blower, thus causing a current of air to blow through the
air tubes D', D' to the mouth piece D.
In the preferred form of my invention the mouth piece D is given an oblong
rounded or elliptical form as illustrated in Figure 4^ and is of square cross section.
Along the lower inner angle of this mouth piece is formed a narrow concentric
groove or slit d* inclined so that the air escaping thereat shall strike the ground at
an angle more or less acute inside the said mouth piece as represented by the arrows
in Figure 3.
The current of air escaping from said slit d* and striking the ground at an acute
angle, is deflected upward, into the trunk B, which as illustrated in Figure 3 is
arranged with its mouth just inside and surrounded by the mouth piece D. Thus
it will be seen that any particles of dust etc., which may be upon the surface imme-
diately beneath the opening of the trunk B will be lifted by said jet from the slit d*.
and carried up through said trunk to the reservoir A.
In order to facilitate the action of the jet from the mouth piece D and to insure
the carrying of the dust particles through the trunk B into the reservoir A, I prefer
to make the said trunk of a curved form, as seen in section in Figure 3 and to

page_text: arrange in the upper part of said trunk a smaller secondary jet 6* opening from
a mouth piece D³ fed with air from the blower C through a secondary tube D'
as seen in Figure 3. This jet acts in a manner similar to an injector, creating a
suction or upward draught through the lower part of trunk B, and blowing
the dust particles drawn up by said draught into the reservoir A, as will be readily
understood.
In lieu of using a ring shaped or elliptical mouth piece D, two mouth pieces
may be employed, one on either side of the trunk B, as illustrated in Figure 4, but
in this case the air supply tubes D¹ from the blower will, of course have to be
branched at their lower ends, in order to supply each mouth piece equally with
air. As seen in Figure 4, these mouth pieces are properly curved not only hori-
zontally but in cross section, and the slits are so formed as to cause the jets of air
therefrom to strike the ground at the proper point to be deflected upward into
the mouth of trunk B. It may in some cases, be desirable to vary the angle
at which the air jet strikes the ground and in order to accomplish this result,
the mouth pieces may be made adjustable as will be readily understood. More-
over, there may also be provided means for varying the cross section of slit d*
in order to regulate the jet therefrom. I may also provide the mouth piece or
mouth pieces with more than one slit as shewn in Figure 4B which is a section on
the line of either Figure 4 or 4 when two slits dx are provided in the mouth.
piece or mouth pieces.
When a single mouth piece is employed, it is not essential that it shall have
a circular or elliptical form, but it may be straight or curved. In the construc-
tion illustrated in Figure 5, the mouth piece D is straight and is arranged
behind the open end of trunk B which is provided at its forward edge with a
hinged guard P, adapted to drag over the surface to be cleaned. This guard P
is preferably of a curved or bent cross section, as seen in Figure 5 and is.
arranged so that its lower edge shall rest upon the surface just in advance of
the point where the jet from slit dx strikes the same, whereby said jet and the
dust particles, etc., carried thereby, are properly deflected into the mouth of
trunk B. In this construction the trunk B may or may not be provided with the
secondary jet b*.
I have found that in some cases, a similar pendent guard is beneficial in
connection with a ring shaped or elliptical mouth piece. In such cases, however,
the guard E¹ represented in dotted lines in Figure 3 will be hinged or secured in
any suitable manner to the lower front edge of trunk B, and serves more as a guide
to the jet of air in front thereof which strikes the ground and is deflected under
the lower edge of said guard and up into the trunk B on the other side. The
guard El acts a guard to the jet of air in its rear, deflecting it up into the mouth.
of trunk B as in the former case.
Where the machine is to be employed as a street sweeper or sweeper for surfaces.
to which the dust particles etc., adhere, it may be found advisable to arrange in
lieu of the deflecting guard P, a brush or broom, to strike against said surface after
the manner of ordinary sweeping machines, and this broom may, if desired, be
rotary, whereby the said dust particles, etc., are detached from the surface and being
caught by the jets, are carried up into the trunk B.
In some cases where the reservoir A is arranged at a considerable distance
away from the jets of air, or the dust particles are quite large or heavy an endless
As
conveyor K may be introduced into trunk B, as illustrated in Figure 6.
seen in this view, this conveyor is in the form of an ordinary endless belt, adapted
to be driven from the ground wheels, and provided with cross ribs along its upper
surface. The particles from the blast are deposited on this conveyor at the lower
end thereof and are thereby carried up and deposited in the reservoir A. A brush
or other device may be arranged at the point where said conveyor enters reservoir A
so as to remove the particles therefrom.
In Figures 7 and 8 a similar construction is illustrated wherein a screw conveyor L'
is mounted transversely across the trunk B its threads being arranged in such a

page_text: manner that the rotation of the screw carries the dust received at the left side of
the trunk toward a reservoir L2 at the left side of the machine and that received at
the right side to a reservoir L2 at the right side of the machine. This will be
readily understood, by reference to the drawings, wherein the conveyor is illustrated
as provided at one side with a right hand screw thread and at the left hand side
with a left hand thread.
In lieu of the employment of the secondary jet * in the trunk B, a tube E as
represented in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 3, may be arranged leading from the
reservoir A to the blower C, whereby the air supplied to said blower is drawn from
the reservoir, thus creating a draught through trunk B without the use of jet 6*.
On this jet may be employed in conjunction with the tube E, in which case the two
devices will create of course, a stronger draught.
It will be understood that my machine as above described may be used to collect
and remove particles from any ordinarily smooth surface, as for instance, dust from
carpets, streets, and the like loose grain or gleanings from fields or as a sweeper for
the floors of factories and such buildings. In this latter case it may be suspended
from tracks overhead or from a crane so as to be moved about from place to place.
Where the device is employed to collect the gleanings from fields and similar
purposes, it may be built on a very large scale and instead of being drawn by horses
may be in the form of a traction engine.
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
1. A machine for removing loose particles from the ground or other surface
having a mouth piece surrounding a collecting trunk, from which mouth piece a
current or currents of air is or are caused to issue obliquely and to strike the ground
or other surface and then by the action of one part of the current upon another
part to be deflected into the said collecting trunk, carrying the loose particles with
it and delivering the same into a reservoir.
2. The modification of my invention wherein I employ two mouth pieces each
having one or more mouths and arranged substantially as described with reference
to Figure 4.
3. The auxiliary air tube D2 in the collecting trunk substantially as described
for the purpose specified.
4. A sweeping machine constructed substantially as described with reference
to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings either with or without the
tube or channel E connecting the reservoir with the blowing chamber and operating
as specified.
5. The modification of my invention in which the collecting trunk is provided
with a guard or prolongation for deflecting and guiding the air current substantially
as described with reference to Figure 3 or to Figure 5 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. The combination with my improved sweeping or dust collecting machine of
an elevator for transporting the collected particles from the trunk to the reservoir
such as described with reference to Figure 6 or to Figures 7 and 8 of the
drawings.
Lated this th dev at Contambon 1900
Llated this 19th dox
ha 1905
September
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.