US866452A - Street-sweeper. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

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PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

A. 0. FORD. STREET SWEBPBR. APPLICATION I'ILBD 001212, 1904.

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STREET-SWEEPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1907.

Application filed October 12, 1904. Serial No. 228,142

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMA'NUEL 0. FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indian Springs, in the county of Sullivan, State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Sweepers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to sweeping machines and particularly to that class employed for sweeping streets, the object of the invention being to provide a construction which may be attached to the rear of a cart or wagon and drawn after it, the machine operating to collect and elevate the dirt and discharge it into the wagon or cart.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein the parts may be adjusted to compensate for wear and to suit different conditions of operation, other objects and advantages of the invention being understood from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine unattached to a cart.- Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the machine attached to a cart. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the present machine comprises a frame including side sills 5 and 6, which are connected at their ends by the cross-pieces 7 and 8, The axle 9 of the machine is disposed towards the rear end of the frame and carries upon its reduced ends the traction wheels 10 and 11, which are rotatably mounted thereon, the hub of the last-mentioned wheel being connected by a sleeve 11 with a gear 12, likewise rotatably mounted on the axle end, so that rotation of the wheel'll will effect the rotation of the gear wheel 12.

At each side of the frame of the machine is a forked hanger comprising a lower stem portion 13 and upper laterally spaced members 14 and 15 in which latter are formed arc-shaped slots 16 and 17 through which are passed set-screws l8 and 19 which are engaged with the adjacent sill of the frame. In the lower portions or stems of the hangers are formed bearings 20 and 21 which receive the trunnions 22 and 23 at the ends of the drum 24 of a brusln The brush includes the central drum 24 which is in the form of a polyhedron of any desired number of sides, the trunnions 22 and 23 having disks 25 and 26 at their inner ends which are secured to the ends of the drum in any suitable man ner. Against each face of the drum or against certain faces as preferred are disposed wisps or splints 27 which lie transversely of the face and project therebeyond at both ends.

Transversely of the wisps and longitudinally of the drum are disposed clamping bars 28 of wood or other suitable material held to the drum by screws or bolts 29 and which clamp the wisps firmly to the drum, those faces of the drum having no wisps being provided with filling-bars 30 which serve to hold the ends of the wisp or splints so that they radiate from the drum.

The trunnion 23 is squared at its outer end beyond the hanger and upon this'squared portion is slidably engaged a pinion 31, the hub 32 of which is provided with a circumscribing groove in which is engaged the yoke 33 at the lower end of a lever 34 which is pivoted to an car 35 on the adjacent hanger. The lever is provided with the ordinary latch 36 for engagement with a notched plate 37 which projects from the hanger. As the lever is shifted, the pinion 31 is swung into and out of engagement with the gear-wheel 12 to receive motion therefrom at times so that the brush may be rotated or not as desired. As the machine progresses, the brush rotates with its lower side forwardly or in the direction of progress of the machine and as the hangers are adjustable vertically, the brush may be lowered to compensate for wear or raised to suit conditions of use.

Coupling means 40 are connected to the front end of the frame of the machine and are pivotally engaged with a plate 41 by means of a removable pin 42. The plate 41is secured to a cart or wagon 43 so that the machine may be drawn along the street to be swept.

In order that the dirt swept by the brush, may beelevated and discharged into the wagon or cart, an elevating apron 44 is provided, this apron, which is endless,

per side of the apron will move upwardly and forwardly,

the apron and the bottom of the brush, the upper edge or this plate lying above the lower portion of the apron so that the dirt which is swept over the plate will pass from it onto the apron and upwardly upon the apron to the wagon or cart, movement of the dirt with the apron being insured by cleats 54 secured transversely of the apron. The curved plate is shown at 55 and is pivoted upon a shaft 56 which is mounted in the hangers 48. The plate is free to swing toward and away from the brush at its lower end and to hold the plate yieldably with its rear or lower edge against the ground, helical springs 56 are attached to the plate and to the lower ends of the hangers.

To prevent dirt passing around with the brush, a curved guard-plate 60 is provided which is disposed above the first-named plate, the upper edge portion of the guard plate being bent rearwardly in the direction of the brush, in close relation to which it lies. The guard plate is provided with cars 60 at its ends which are slotted to receive guide pins 61 and set screws 62 which permit of adjustment of the plate toward and away from the brush when desired and at other times serve to hold the plate in fixed position.

Upon the rear portion of the frame is mounted aseat 63 and the guard plate is provided with wings 64 at its ends, which extend in the direction of the brush shaft or drum at the ends of the brush In practice, modifications of the specific construction shown may be made and any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A street sweeper comprising, in combination, a frame; an axle carried by said frame at the rear end thereof; traction wheels rotatably mounted upon the ends of said axle; a vertically adjustable fork-shaped hanger secured to each side of said frame and comprising a pair of up per, Iaterallyspaced members each provided with a curved slot, and a lower stem portion provided with a bearing; set-screws carried by said frame on opposite sides thereof and projecting through the slotted members of the hangers, to retain the latter in adjusted position; a rotatable brush disposed in advance of said axle, said brush being provided with trunnions adapted to fit in said bearings; a gear rotatably mounted upon said axle adjacent one of said traction wheels and connected to the hub of the lat ter, so as to rotate therewith; a pinion longitudinally movable upon the adjacent brush trunnion; means for moving said pinion into and out of engagement with said gear; and means carried by said frame for discharging the dirt swept up by said brush during its rotation.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

AMANUEL 0. FORD.

Witnesses FANXIE M. SMITH, M. A. Sm'rn.

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