U.S. patent number 3,918,118 [Application Number 05/523,041] was granted by the patent office on 1975-11-11 for sweeping machine.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Jungheinrich Unternehmensuerwaltung KG. Invention is credited to Heinz Schalmath, Hugo VOM Berg.
United States Patent |
3,918,118 |
VOM Berg , et al. |
November 11, 1975 |
Sweeping machine
Abstract
A downwardly open brush housing is mounted on a wheeled chassis.
A cylindrical brush is rotatably mounted in the brush housing. A
dirt container is detachably connected to the brush housing. Frame
section members extend along the chassis on both sides thereof.
carriers are slidably guided in said frame section members in the
longitudinal direction thereof. The dirt container is pivotally
connected by bearing means to said carriers.
Inventors: |
VOM Berg; Hugo (Bad Schwartau,
DT), Schalmath; Heinz (Bad Oldesloe, DT) |
Assignee: |
Jungheinrich Unternehmensuerwaltung
KG (Hamburg, DT)
|
Family
ID: |
5898375 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/523,041 |
Filed: |
November 12, 1974 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
|
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Nov 17, 1973 [DT] |
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2357467 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
15/83;
15/340.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01H
1/0854 (20130101); E01H 1/047 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E01H
1/00 (20060101); E01H 1/04 (20060101); E01H
1/08 (20060101); E01H 001/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;15/83,84,85,86,340 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Feldman; Peter
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Toren, McGeady and Stanger
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A sweeping machine comprising a wheeled chassis, a downwardly
open brush housing mounted on the chassis, a cylindrical brush
rotatably mounted in the brush housing, a dirt container, which is
detachably connected to the brush housing, frame section members
extending along the chassis on both sides thereof, carriers which
are slidably guided in said frame section members in the
longitudinal direction thereof, and bearing means pivotally
connecting said dirt container to said carriers.
2. A sweeping machine as set forth in claim 1, in which said frame
section members at least at one end are inwardly open and comprise
vertical wall portions and transversely extending top and bottom
roller tracks, the carriers consist of slidable rails, each of
which is provided with at least two rollers, one of said rollers
associated with each slidable rail is an end roller disposed at the
inner end of the slidable rail and protrudes above said rail, and
said rollers associated with each slidable rail except for said end
roller are spaced from said end roller and protrude below said
slidable rail.
3. A sweeping machine as set forth in claim 2, in which each of
said frame section members is an inwardly open channel.
4. A sweeping machine as claimed in claim 2, in which each roller
track for a downwardly protruding roller is provided with a detent
recess arranged to receive said roller when the slidable rail is in
an extended position.
5. A sweeping machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the outer
ends of the slidable rails are rigidly connected by a cross strut,
which forms a handle for a carrying structure comprising both
slidable rails, and said cross strut is located to form a stop
which is engageable by the pivoted dirt container in emptying
position.
6. A sweeping machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the bearing
means comprise trunnions carried by said dust container on opposite
sides thereof and open-topped bearing recesses provided in the
carriers, said trunnions being rotatably mounted in and upwardly
removable from said bearing recesses.
7. A sweeping machine as set forth in claim 1, in which said
chassis comprises a contact edge, which conforms to an edge
defining an opening of the dirt container and is provided with a
continuous peripheral seal, said edge of said dirt container is
adapted to be forced against said seal, lifting means are provided
at the outer ends of the carriers and are supported at their other
end in the chassis and in a lifting position lift the outer ends of
the carriers together with the bearing means for the dirt container
and force said edge of the container against said contact edge.
8. A sweeping machine as set forth in claim 7, in which said
lifting means comprise eccentric cams, levers for actuating said
cams, and pivot pins pivotally connecting said cams to the outer
end portions of the carriers, said cams cooperating with outer end
portions of the lower roller tracks and being pivotally movable
below the plane which is defined by the rollers protruding below
the carriers.
9. A sweeping machine as set forth in claim 8, in which the cams
have a peripheral portion which is engageable with the lower roller
tracks for the carriers when the latter are to be lifted and is
relieved at such an angle that the contacting surface portions of
the cams and roller tracks are in self-locking engagement.
10. A sweeping machine as set forth in claim 8, in which the
peripheral surfaces of the cams are so shaped relative to their
axes of rotation that imaginary vertical lines extending through
the axes of rotation of the cams onto the roller tracks supporting
said cams precede in the direction of the retracting movement of
the carriers the point of support of the cams moved to lift the
carrier, and the cams have at their periphery a radially relieved
portion adjacent to the point of support.
11. A sweeping machine as set forth in claim 8, in which cams
mounted on both carriers are interconnected by a cross strut, which
forms a handle for moving the cams and for pulling the carriers
connected by said cross strut.
Description
This invention relates to a sweeping machine comprising a
cylindrical rotary brush and a dirt container, which is disposed
behind or before the brush and in which the dust is collected by
being thrown over or as with a dustpan.
Specifically, the invention relates to a sweeping machine which
comprises a suction fan and a filter system disposed between the
suction fan and the dirt container. In such machines, the brush is
disposed within a brush housing, which is open toward the street
and provided with rubber-elastic seals for engaging the ground.
In a special embodiment, the sweeping machine, which is a
self-propelled vehicle provided with wheels and a propulsion engine
and, if desired, with a driver's seat, comprises in its vehicle
body a vehicle frame, at least part of which extends over the sides
adjacent to the dirt container.
If such self-collecting sweeping and vacuum cleaning machine
collects the dust as with a dustpan, the dust container will be
disposed before the brush, which sweeps up the dirt and throws it
into the opening formed in the dust container and facing the brush.
In other sweeping machines, particularly those consisting of
relatively large vehicles, the dust is collected by being thrown
over. In that case the dirt container is disposed behind the brush
in the direction of travel and the dirt which has been picked up is
thrown over the brush from the brush housing and from above into
the dirt container.
The invention relates to sweeping machines, particularly sweeping
and vacuum cleaning machines, of both types.
Large sweeping and vacuum cleaning machines comprise a hydraulic
mechanism for lifting the dirt container when the same is to be
emptied. Such lifting mechanisms are known in machines which
collect the dirt by one of the methods described above.
In small machines, particularly in machines which are steered by
means of a handle bar, the low-capacity dirt container is removable
by hand when it is to be emptied. In spite of thee low capacity of
the container, it is difficult and requires a large effort to empty
the container, particularly when heavy dirt, such as chips of
castings, iron parts, or the like, has been collected. In
medium-size sweeping machines, a hydraulically actuated mechanism
is required to lift the container when it is to be emptied. Most
machines of that size have only mechanical propulsion systems so
that a special hydraulic system must be installed for emptying the
container.
The invention relates particularly to small and medium-size
sweeping machines, particularly to sweeping and vacuum cleaning
machines. It is an object of the invention so to improve a sweeping
machine of the kind described first hereinbefore that the handling
of the dirt container is much facilitated without need for a
special lifting mechanism. The handling is to be facilitated so
that the container can be emptied even when it is filled with heavy
dirt, and that the container can be installed in the machine in a
simple manner and without a great effort. This will be particularly
important if sweeping machines must be operated by persons who do
not have a high physical strength and are not mechanically
skilled.
This object is accomplished according to the invention in that the
dirt container is disposed in the body of the sweeping machine and
is pivoted to carriers, which are extensible out of said body. As a
result, the dirt container carried by its carrier can be moved out
of its operative position and out of the vehicle body by a person
who does not have to carry the weight of the dirt container.
Because the dirt container is pivotally mounted, it may be emptied
before or behind the sweeping machine, depending on where the dirt
container is disposed in accordance with the method of dirt
collection which is adopted. As the carriers are retracted, the
dirt container automatically resumes the position required for
operation.
According to a particularly preferred feature, the body of the
sweeping machine contains extensible slidable rails, on which the
dirt container is mounted. The slidable rails are simple means.
Within the scope of the invention, integral or composite slidable
rails may be used. It will be of special advantage if the slidable
rails are guided by load-carrying frame parts of the vehicle frame.
In that case there is no need for separate parts for guiding the
slidable rails so that the weight of the sweeping machine and the
structural expenditure in general are reduced. In a sweeping
machine in which the vehicle body comprises a vehicle frame which
extends at least in part beyond the sides adjacent to the dirt
container, each slidable rail is desirably guided by a frame
section member which is open toward one end of the vehicle. The
frame section member may be a box section, channel, I-section or
the like. The rail may be guided in a slot of a vertical wall
portion and is desirably guided between transversely extending
upper and lower surfaces of the frame section member.
Within the scope of the invention, the extensible slidable rails my
be guided in a direction which has a certain inclination to the
surface which supports the vehicle. A downward inclination in the
direction in which the rails are extended may be desirable because
the laden dirt container is then moved along a downwardly inclined
path. In this case, special detent or stop means may be provided to
hold the dirt container in the retracted position. In a preferred
embodiment, the slidable rails are guided in a substantially
horizontal direction.
It will be possible to provide the slidable rails on their sliding
surfaces with coverings of low-friction material. According to a
preferred feature, each slidable rail is provided with at least two
rollers, and that of said rollers which is disposed at the inner
end of a slidable rail protrudes above the top of the rail whereas
each roller which is spaced from said end roller protrudes below
the underside of the slidable rail. In such an arrangement, only
rolling friction must be overcome and the slidable rails may be
used for an additional purpose, as will be described hereinafter,
without need for additional means. The above-mentioned detent means
may consist of detent recesses which are formed in the lower roller
tracks of the frame section members and which receive the
downwardly protruding rollers when the slidable rails have been
retracted. When it is desired in such an arrangement to pull out
the dirt container, it will be sufficient slightly to lift the
carrying structure out of the slidable rails. Owing to the
mechanical advantage, this will be easier than a lifting of the
dirt container itself.
It will be of special advantage if the outer ends of the slidable
rails are rigidly interconnected by a cross strut. The slidable
rails and such strut form a forked carrier, which can be most
easily handled. The cross strut serves desirably as a handle.
According to another desirable feature the cross strut forms a
stop, which extends preferably above the plane defined by the
slidable rails and is arranged to be engaged by the pivoted dirt
container when the same is in position to be emptied. This feature
will greatly facilitate the handling of the dust container.
According to a desirable feature, pivot pins are provided on both
sides of the dirt container and are inserted into bearing recesses,
which are formed on the insides of the slidable rails and are open
upwardly and toward each other. When a machine embodying that
feature is used to collect light dirt, the dirt container can be
emptied by hand directly into a dustbin or the like. The use of a
removable dirt container has also the advantage that the access to
the internal parts of the machine, such as a filter system and the
brush, will be greatly facilitated.
To ensure that the dirt in the brush housing will be collected as
completely as possible and particularly to prevent an ingress of
by-padded air in conjunction with a suction fan, sweeping machines
are provided with a sealing or contact edge which is engaged by the
rim of the opening of the dirt container when the same has been
retracted. If a suction fan succeeds a filter system, it will be
essential to provided for a hermetic seal of the brush housing, the
dirt container, and the filter system. Being provided with slidable
rails, the machine according to the invention comprises means for
lifting the outer ends of the retracted slidable rails so that the
rim of the dirt container is forced against the contact edge. In
that connection too it is desirable to use the above-mentioned
rollers because the upwardly protruding rollers are provided only
at the inner end of each slidable rail whereas the downwardly
protruding rollers can be raised from their tracks. The rollers
require in any case that the frame section members guiding the
slidable rails have an oversize dimension in the vertical direction
in which the slidable rails are pivotally movable.
The apparatus desirably comprises at least one eccentric cam, which
is rotatably mounted on the slidable rails and which is rotatable
to move a supporting portion of the cam below the plane which is
defined by the rollers which protrude below the slidable rails. In
that case the dirt container can be moved by simple means into
sealing engagement. Two eccentric cams provided with actuating
levers are desirably mounted on the slidable rails so that the cams
can directly cooperate with the slideways or roller tracks for the
slidable rails. According to a preferred feature, each eccentric
cam has a supporting portion which is engageable with a supporting
surface for a slidable rail, particularly the lower roller track,
when the slidable rails are to be lifted, and said supporting
portion is relieved at an angle within the range of self-locking
angles to provide for a restraint of the rails in their retracted
position. This restraint is suitably improved in that a vertical
line extending through the axes of rotation of the cams onto their
supporting surface is disposed before the point where the cams are
supported, in the direction of the retracting movement of the
slidable rails. Specifically, the cams are relieved to some extent
adjacent to their point of support and can be moved through a dead
center to their operative position. If the cams mounted on both
slidable rails are connected by a cross-strut, which may be
connected to the levers for the cams, a handle will be provided for
moving the dirt container.
According to another desirable feature, a transverse carrier is
rotatably mounted between the extensible ends of the slidable rails
and is provided with at least one eccentric cam, which has
associated with it a supporting surface disposed at least in the
middle portion of the vehicle body.
The invention will now be explained with reference to an embodiment
which is shown diagrammatically and by way of example on the
accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a sweeping and
vacuum cleaning machine which comprises a dirt container that has
been extended and pivotally moved,
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line II--II in FIG.
1,
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a portion of a
slidable rail within the frame section member for guiding the rail,
and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV--IV in FIG. 3 and
showing a modification.
The invention will be explained with reference to a self-propelled
sweeping machine 1, in which the dirt is thrown over into a dirt
container 2 disposed behind a rotary cylindrical brush 3. The
latter is mounted in a brush housing 4 disposed behind an outer
enclosure. The vehicle body comprises a closed frame 5, which is
provided with frame section members, one of which is designated 6
in FIG. 1.
The vehicle comprises two rear wheels 7, only one of which is
apparent from FIG. 1, and has in front, e.g., only one steerable
drive wheel 8. Drive units are mounted under a driver's seat 9 and
include, e.g., a suction fan 10, which is connected to a filter
system 11. An opening is provided in the lower portion of the
filter system and extends to the rear wall 12 of the brush housing
4 and is defined by a continuous peripheral sealing edge 13, which
conforms to the rim 14 which defines the opening of the dirt
container 2.
As is indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 1, this sealing edge 13 is
formed by an open-bottommed channel section 46, which contains a
seal 47, which consists of rubber-elastic material and has an
exposed undersurface. The top edge of the dirt container 2 is
forced against that seal 47. That top edge is narrow so that
tolerances can be taken up by the wider seal and dirt cannot be
retained at the edge of the dirt container 2 during the emptying
operation.
The frame section members 6 are hollow sections and as shown in
FIGS. 2 and 4 consist, e.g., of inwardly open channels having
vertical wall portions 15 and transversely extending, top and
bottom roller tracks 16, 17. These frame section members are open
toward the rear of the vehicle 1 and contain and guide integral
slidable rails 18, 19 on opposite sides. In FIG. 2, the slidable
rail 18 is shown in section in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 4 the other
slidable rail 19 is shown on the other side of the vehicle. The
frame section member on the other side is designated 20. For the
sake of clearness, FIG. 1 shows in solid lines also that portion of
the slidable rail 18 which remains in the frame section member 6
when the rail has been extended. At least two rollers 21, 22, for
instance, are mounted on each slidable rail. The roller 21 disposed
at the inner end protrudes upwardly from the slidable rail. The
other roller 22 which is nearer to the extensible end protrudes
through an aperture 23 in the lower wall of the box-section
slidable rail. The axes 24, 25 for the rollers may be guided in the
side walls of the slidable rails 18, 19 and bearings may be used
for this purpose, if desired.
It is also apparent from FIG. 2 that open-topped bearing recesses
26 are provided in the inside surfaces of the slidable rails 18,
19. These recesses have desirably downwardly converging entrance
surfaces 27, 28 (FIG. 1). Outwardly protruding trunnions 30 are
mounted on the side walls 29 (FIG. 2) of the dirt container 2 and
are adapted to be inserted from above into the bearing recesses.
The trunnions are desirably disposed on an axis which extends
through the center of gravity of the dirt container so that the
pivotal movement for emptying the container will be facilitated
because the entrance opening 31 is swung down toward the street
surface, as is shown in solid lines in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 shows also the slidable rails in a position in which the
rails are extended only to such an extent that the rollers 21, 22
are still within the frame section member 6. The slidable rails may
be adapted to be locked in this position by separate detent means,
e.g., by a recess which is disposed at 32 in the lower roller track
17 and which automatically receives the roller 22.
The two slidable rails 18, 19 are preferably provided at their
extensible rear end by a cross strut 33. This arrangement provides
a forklike, inherently rigid carrier, which can easily be handled
and automatically ensures a parallel movement of the slidable rails
as the cross strut 33 serves as a handle. As is shown in FIG. 1 the
cross strut is desirably carried by upwardly protruding, lateral
extensions 34 of the slidable rails 18, 19 so that the cross strut
is disposed over the plane defined by said rails. This has the
advantage that the tipping movement of the dirt container toward
the emptying position shown in FIG. 1 is limited and that
additional controls may be provided below the cross strut 33. When
the dirt container 2 is pivotally moved in the direction of the
arrow 35, its limiting position is determined by the cross strut
33. The dirt container may be provided with a properly located
extension serving as an abutment. The movement may be facilitated
by a handle 36, which is mounted on a wall of the dirt
container.
As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the means for forcing the rim 14 of
the dirt container 2 against the contact edge 13 comprise eccentric
cams 37', 37, which are rotatably mounted on the inwardly open
slidable rails 18, 19 by means of bearings 38', 38. The cams can be
pivotally moved to protrude downwardly from the slidable rails 18,
19. The slidable rails are open-bottomed adjacent to the cams, as
is particularly apparent from FIG. 3. The profile is designed so
that the downward pivotal movement of the cams causes the lower
rollers 22 and an additional roller 39 disposed near the outer end
to be lifted from the lower roller tracks 17 and 40. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the cam 37 is provided with an
actuating lever 41. Both cams may be separately actuated with such
levers 41, 41', which are disposed on both sides of the machine.
The cams and particularly the levers are connected by a cross strut
42, which permits of a simultaneous movement of the cams disposed
on both sides in unison and which may be used as a handle for
pulling out the dirt container. With reference to FIG. 3 showing
the rear end of the retracted slidable rail 19, the lever 41 must
be turned in the clockwise sense in this case so that the cross
strut and handle 42 would be pivotally moved rearwardly out of the
vehicle body at the same time whereas said strut is otherwise
contained in a recess in the vehicle body and held between the
extensions 34. The cross strut 33 between the two slidable rails
18, 19 is disposed on such a high level that the actuating levers
41, 41' and the cross strut 42 connecting them can be pivotally
moved under the cross strut 33.
The cams have a portion 43 which is engageable with the lower
roller track 40 and which has such an angle of lead that the cam is
self-locking. The engaging portion 43 may be roughened. To
automatically lock the retracted dirt container 2 in position, the
point of support 44 is most preferably offset in the direction of
the extending movement from a vertical line extending through the
axis of the bearing 38. This offset is indicated at 45 in FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 shows another desirable feature which resides in that the
cam is relieved adjacent to the point of support in such a manner
that it moves through a dead center to the position shown in FIG.
3. In this case the elastic seal at the contact edge 13 must be
compressible to such an extent that the seal can take up the ascent
which is due to the movement through the dead center and which is
succeeded by a certain descent and that this will not eliminate the
sealing effect.
Owing to the pivotal suspension of the dirt container 2, the narrow
edge 14 which defines the opening of the container can be uniformly
pressed against the seal 47 throughout the periphery of the
container.
As is apparent in FIG. 4, at least one slideway member 48 is
mounted on the inside of the vertical wall portion 49 of the frame
section member 20. This slideway member serves as a lateral guide
for the slidable rails and is disposed on the outside of the
slidable rails 18, 19.
Such slideway member is indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2.
* * * * *