Roadway Vacuum Sweeper With Slurry Disposal

Abstract

A fluid containing insulated reservoir or tank is mounted on a vehicle chassis having an engine thereon, a hydraulic pressure means and a control cab. A roadway cleaning apparatus, comprising a forwardly open horizontally disposed substantially cylindrical screw conveyor surrounding housing, is pivotally mounted transversely of the forward end portion of the vehicle chassis for vertical pivoting movement about a horizontal axis. A discharge tube connects the central portion of the conveyor housing to the tank. Vacuum means cooperates with the screw conveyor and discharges dust, dirt and the like into the tank. Heat transfer means supported by the chassis extends into the tank for heating the contents to form a slurry. An agitator within the tank enhances the slurry forming action.

Parent Case Text

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a division of an application filed by me in the United States Patent Office on Mar. 2, 1972, Ser. No. 231,292, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,586 for Snow Remover and Vacuum Sweeper With Slurry Disposal, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 70,335, Sept. 8, 1970, and now abandoned, and also a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 118,228, Feb. 24, 1971, also now abandoned.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention.

The present invention relates to surface cleaners and more particularly to a sweeper and vacuum cleaner for streets, roadways, walks, runways, or the like.

It is desirable from an environmental viewpoint to provide an apparatus for cleaning up and disposing of dust, dirt, leaves or papers and other items commonly known as "trash" by immersion and mixing with water to form a disposable slurry.

Conventional street sweepers have a relatively small storage capacity and, therefore, require the service of other apparatus acting as pickup and disposal units.

This invention simplifies the operations of surface cleaning by providing a single mobile machine which picks up the above identified "trash" in a relatively large capacity insulated tank which is periodically drained of its contained slurry, at a suitable disposal site, thus eliminating the use of conventional street sweeper supporting apparatus as well as saving time and wear of such equipment.

2. Description of the prior art.

My patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,128, discloses a snow remover having some of the structure disclosed by this invention. U.S. Pat. No. 2,833,116 discloses a sweeping apparatus principally featuring an improved fluid power distributing system. U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,851 discloses a rotary broom surface sweeper featuring a means for lubricating the turbine casing means employed for preventing buildup of material being swept up on the inner wall surfaces.

The principal distinction of this invention over the above patents being the replaceable brush means connected with conveyor blades in acting as a surface cleaner and a vacuum means in combination therewith whereby a slurry of picked-up materials is formed in a receiving reservoir.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An insulated relatively large capacity tank is supported by a truck chassis rearwardly of an engine and control cab. A roadway cleaning apparatus, including longitudinally aligned oppositely disposed screw conveyors connected with impeller blades and supported by a cylindrical housing, is transversely mounted across the lower front end portion of the truck chassis for vertical pivoting movement toward and away from the surface of the earth. The housing is provided with a flexible discharge tube extending upwardly and rearwardly toward the tank top. The impeller blades and the blades of the screw conveyors are provided with replaceable brush segments for cleaning roadway surfaces. A vacuum pump, mounted on the chassis, is connected by flexible tubing with the tank and suction nozzles mounted rearwardly of the sweeping brush containing housing. A heat transfer means supported by the truck chassis includes an antifreeze fluid containing coil extending into the tank in spaced relation with respect to its inner wall surface. Agitator blades within the tank churns material deposited in the tank with water contained by the tank to form a slurry. Most of the water and/or slurry is periodically drained from the tank by a drain valve located within the tank. The tank includes a sump portion similarly having a drain valve therein for draining the sump when the apparatus is idle.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a roadway sweeper and vacuum cleaner for streets, or the like, which is mounted on a vehicle chassis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view, to a larger scale, taken substantially along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view, partially in section, taken substantially along the line 5--5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, to a larger scale, taken substantially along the line 6--6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner of connecting brushes to the respective end portions of the thrower blades;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the conveyor housing supported brush shield;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating the manner of connecting brushes to the conveyor;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, to a larger scale, taken substantially along the line 10--10 of FIG. 2; and,

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, to an enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line 11--11 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 4, the reference numeral 10 indicates a substantially conventional truck chassis having an engine 12, a hydraulic pump and other conventional controls, not shown, and a control cab 14, mounted on and supported by the forward end portion of longitudinally extending vehicle frame members 16, in turn supported by wheels 18. Conveyor means 20 is mounted on the forward end of the chassis and connected with tank means 22, mounted on the chassis rearwardly of the cab, by tube means 24. The conveyor means 20 comprises a substantially cylindrical horizontal housing 26 having end closing members 28 and 30 (FIG. 3) and having a portion of its forwardly and downward arcuate wall removed to form a trash admitting opening 32. A shaft 34 extends horizontally between and beyond the housing ends 28 and 30 and is journalled at its respective end portions by the respective end portion of a pair of arms 36. The other end portions of the arms 36 are respectively pivotally connected to the respective outwardly disposed end portion of a pair of horizontally aligned support shafts 38 and 40 transversely supported by the chassis so that the housing 26 may be vertically pivoted about the horizontal axis of the shafts 38 and 40 as presently explained.

A pair of hydraulic cylinders 42 are connected, respectively, to a pair of parallel braces 44 which project forwardly and upwardly in rearward spaced relation with respect to the housing 26. The piston end of the cylinders 42 are respectively pivotally connected to a pair of spaced-apart ears 46 cooperatively secured to the upper surfaces of the housing 26 for raising and lowering the housing. Valve and tubing means, not shown, connected with the hydraulic system of the truck and the cylinders 42, are actuated by the operator in the control cab 14 for operating the cylinders 42 and raising and lowering the conveyor means 20. Oppositely acting screw conveyors 48, secured to the shaft 34, are each connected with impeller blades 50 radially connected to the shaft 34 medially the length of the housing.

The tube means 24 comprises a lower tubular section 52 connected with the housing 26 around an opening 54 (FIG. 6) therein. The upwardly directed end portion of the lower tube section 52 is provided with an annular flange cooperatively joined with the lower flanged end of an inclined intermediate flexible tube 55 having a similar flange at its upper end joined with the flanged end of a flexible tubing ell 56 in turn connected with an elbow-like adaptor 58 secured to and communicating with the interior of the tank means 22.

A hydraulic motor 60 is supported by one of the arms 36 and connected with the conveyor shaft 34 for driving the conveyors 48.

The tank means 22 includes a substantially rectangular tank 62 having a bottom wall characterized by a rearward horizontal surface 64 merging with the remainder of the bottom surface which is inclined downwardly or slopes toward the central left side of the vehicle and tank means, as viewed from the front, forming a sump 66 (FIG. 4). The bottom wall is joined to a top wall 68 by opposing side walls 70 and forward and rearward end walls 72 and 74, respectively. The tank 62 is surrounded, in spaced relation, by a plurality of bottom, top, side and end wall panels 76 (FIGS. 1 and 2) secured to stud-like supports, not shown, extending across the respective bottom, top, side and end walls of the tank 62 to form a double walled tank having a space between the outer limits of the tank 62 and inner wall surfaces of the wall panels 76 which is preferably filled with heat and cold insulating material 78. A drain pipe or hose 80 extends through the rear wall 74 of the tank and is connected with a conventional drain valve 82, which may be a ball valve or wedge disk valve, for draining fluid out of the tank down to the level of the horizontal bottom portion 64. The drain opening of the valve 82, preferably positioned slightly above the inner surface of the tank bottom, insures that a quantity of water remains in the tank. The valve 82 may be manually opened by a control wheel 84 disposed rearwardly of the tank means 22 and connected with the valve 82 by vertical control rods 86 and 88 operated through right angle gears 90 and 92 mounted on the top of the tank means by a shaft 94. Alternatively, a conventional air valve, not shown, controlled from the cab 14, may be connected with the valve control shaft 88 for opening and closing the valve 82. The sump 66 has a drain valve similarly connected with a drain tube section but terminating inwardly of the tank means outer wall 70 to prevent freezing. Access to the control of the sump valve is gained through an access door 96 (FIG. 1) formed in an overlying outer wall panel of the tank means. A vent opening 98 (FIG. 11) is formed in the top of the tank and a manhole similarly formed in the top of the tank, is closed by a lid or cover 100.

A heater H, mounted on the truck chassis forwardly of the tank means 22, is connected with piping 102 which extends into the tank 62 along its walls, in spaced relation with respect to its inner wall surface, in a helical fashion for approximately one-half the vertical height of the tank. The other end portion 104 of the piping extends through the forward wall 72 of the tank and is connected with the heater. The piping is filled with a liquid, not shown, preferably containing an antifreeze solution. The purpose of the heater is to thermally circulate the liquid, however, the heater may be provided with a hydraulic motor driven pump P (FIG. 4), for increasing the liquid flow rate through the piping. The piping is supported in its helically wound fashion by standards 106 connected with the inner surface of the opposing walls 70 of the tank and including U-shaped bolts 108 secured to the standards and loosely surrounding a peripheral portion of successive runs of the piping. The piping is preferably provided with unions, not shown, for ease in assembly and for servicing or replacing the piping.

Agitator means 110 is mounted within the tank 62 for mixing fluid 112 (FIG. 4) with other material, now shown, deposited in the tank. The agitator means comprises four vertical radially spaced blades 114 each twisted 180.degree. and extending from near the tank bottom to near the tank top and are secured by arms 116 to a shaft 118 in turn secured to the top and bottom wall of the tank by bearings 120. The upper end of the shaft 118 projects through the top wall of the tank and is drivably connected to a hydraulic motor 122 operated by the truck hydraulic system for rotating the agitator means. The agitator means 110 is shown medially the ends of the tank and may be disposed adjacent one of the tank side walls 70, if desired.

FIG. 9 illustrates the manner of connecting brushes to the conveyor means 20 to achieve a surface brushing or sweeping action. An important feature of the blades 50 and conveyors 48 is that their outwardly disposed edges are arcuately curved toward the direction of rotation.

A plurality of spaced-apart slots 124 are formed adjacent the free edge surface of the flange 126 forming the screw conveyor. Only one conveyor flange 126 is shown in FIG. 9 for clarity. A plurality of brush segments 128, each having a base portion 130 are provided with a pair of bolts and nuts 132 for respectively entering pairs of the slots 124. The bolts 132 secure the respective brush segment 128 to the conveyor flange 126, in end to end abutted relation with respect to other adjacent brush segments, so that the arcuately curved brush fibers 134 project beyond the cylindrical surface described by the conveyor flange 126 wherein the elongated slots 124 permit adjustment of the respective brush segment to compensate for wear of the fibers.

FIG. 7 illustrates a fragment of one of the thrower blades 50 wherein one or more brush segments 139 are secured to the ends of the thrower blades by bolts, or the like, in a substantially identical manner to that disclosed for the conveyor flanges 126. It should be noted, however, that the brush segments 136 are secured to the surface of the respective thrower blade 50 opposite its material contacting surface with the bristles or fibers of the brush segments turned to extend beyond the end of the thrower blade 50 and curved arcuately toward the plane of the blade opposite the brush segment connected surface, as at 138, so that the thrower blades 50 will sweep that portion of the roadway surface disposed between adjacent ends of the conveyors within the housing 26.

A brush shield 140 (FIG. 8) is supported by the inner surface of the conveyor housing 26 for adjusting the area of the housing opening 32 according to the general size or bulk of the debris being swept or picked up during a roadway sweeping action. The shield 140 comprises an elongated plate coextensive with the inner surface of the housing 26 and substantially semicircular in transverse section. Flanges 142, at the respective ends of the shield, receive bolts, not shown, for connecting the shield to the housing plates 28 and 30 and disposing its forward edge 144 downwardly, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. The shield is provided with a slot 146 medially its ends for accommodating the discharge tube 52.

During the sweeping action the brush segments 128 attached to the conveyors 48 and thrower blades 50 contact the street or roadway surface 148. Obviously the housing 26 is vertically adjusted with respect to the surface to be swept by actuating the hydraulic cylinders 42 so that the brush fibers 134 will contact the surface.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the span of the sweeping action may be increased by horizontally connecting a pair of sweep conveyors 150 and 152 to the respective ends of the conveyor means 20 in substantial alignment with the forward limit of the conveyors 48. Since the sweep conveyors 150 and 152 are substantially identical, only the sweep conveyor 150 will be described in detail. The sweep conveyor 150 comprises a horizontally disposed cylindrical-like housing 154 of selected diameter, for example 8 inches, and longitudinally substantially equal to one-half the length of the conveyor housing 26 and having a downwardly directed opening 156 (FIG. 10). A hydraulic motor 158 is coaxially connected to one end of the housing 154. The other end portion of the housing 154 is pivotally connected to a finger 160 secured to and projecting laterally outward and forwardly of the conveyor housing 26 permitting the screw conveyor 150 to be horizontally pivoted about its connection with the finger 160 for positioning the conveyor 150 forwardly of the conveyor means 20 when the apparatus is moved down a roadway and is not being used in a sweeping action. The hydraulic motor 158 is drivably connected coaxially with the shaft of a fiber brush equipped screw conveyor 162 with the brush fibers 163 curved in the direction of rotation. The other end of the conveyor 162 is journalled by an end plate 164 at the opposite end of the housing 154. The hydraulic motor 158 is connected with the vehicle hydraulic system by hydraulic tubing, neither of which are shown, and controlled by the operator within the control cab 14. An elongated brace 166 is connected at one end with the rearward end portion of the shaft 38 and is connected, at its other end, in supporting relation with the hydraulic motor 158.

To enhance the roadway sweeping function and clean the swept surfaces of sand, dirt, and small objects not picked up by the brush equipped conveyors a vacuum pickup means is provided which also serves to collect and dispose of a substantial portion of dust generated during the brush sweeping action. The vacuum sweeping means comprises a blower 166 driven by the vehicle engine or a hydraulic motor, not shown.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 5, the blower 166 has an inlet opening 168 connected by tubing 170, 172 and 174 with suction nozzles 176, 178 and 180 disposed rearwardly of and supported by the conveyor housing 26 and sweep conveyors 150 and 152, respectively. The suction nozzles 176, 178 and 180 are relatively narrow when compared with their length having end and side walls 182 (FIG. 10) terminating downwardly in a horizontal plane substantially defining the depending limit of the conveyor housing 26 and sweep conveyor housings 154, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 6 and 10. A length of flexible fabric material, such as canvas 184, or the like, coextensive with respect to the nozzle walls 182, respectively, is secured to the respective nozzle wall in depending relation and contacts the surface of the earth or roadway 148. The outlet tube 186 of the blower is connected by an elongated tube 188 to a dirt and dust inlet nipple or pipe 190 communicating with the top of the tank means 22 laterally of the discharge tube means 24. When the blower or vacuum sweeper 166 is not being used the nozzles 176, 178 and 180 and their connecting tubing is usually removed together with the dust and dirt discharge tube 188 and the dirt receiving pipe 190 is covered by a cap, not shown.

The tank 98 is provided with a flanged end vent pipe 191. A vent cap 192 is secured to the upwardly disposed end of the vent pipe. A suitable filter 194, having one or more screens 196, is removably supported by the tank vent pipe by a flanged edge 198 overlying the upper flanged end of the vent pipe 191 downwardly of the cap 192.

OPERATION

In operation the apparatus is moved forwardly by the engine 12 driving the wheels 18 and rotating the conveyors 48, in the direction of the arrow (FIG. 6), by the drive means described hereinabove. The brush bristles on the dual flanges or blades of the screw conveyors 48 move dirt, dust and debris toward the central portion of the housing by their rapid angular velocity wherein the impeller blades 50, communicating with the lower tubular portion 52, forces the material, in a throwing action, upwardly through the tube means 24, into the tank. Before starting the cleaning action a desired quantity of the water 112 is placed in the tank 62. The heater H is similarly in operation circulating heated fluid by thermal action or the pump P through the piping coils which heats the water to form a slurry of the material received by the tank which action is enhanced by the agitator means 110. Further, since no chemicals are used in the tank stream pollution is eliminated. The level of water accumulating in the tank is preferably visually indicated, by a fluid level indicator, not shown, in the control cab so that the operator may periodically drain the tank by opening the valve means 82.

The sweep conveyors 150 and 152 are connected with the conveyor means 20 when conditions permit, to sweep a transverse area of substantial dimension. During such sweeping action, the sweep conveyors 150 and 152 are in operation, and move dirt, or the like, toward the respective end portion of the conveyor means 20 where it is picked up by the brush equipped screw conveyors 48, as described hereinabove. During the sweeping action the blower 166 is preferably in operation to generate a suction or vacuum sweeping action through the nozzles 176, 178 and 180 to pick up dust, dirt and the like not picked up by the brushes.

During the sweeping and vacuuming action, as described hereinabove, the filter 194 prevents dust, and the like being exhausted to the atmosphere, thus, it may be seen that this apparatus does not pollute the atmosphere. Similarly the use of hydraulic motors for driving various components, as described hereinabove, reduces the noise of operation of the apparatus to a minimum thus reducing noise pollution.

When it is desired to move the apparatus along a highway, or the like, the braces 166 are disconnected from their supporting relation with respect to the hydraulic motors 158 and the screw conveyors 150 and 152 are pivoted about their connection with the finger 160 to be horizontally positioned forwardly of the conveyor means 20. The hydraulic cylinders 42 are actuated to lift the conveyor means 20 and screw conveyors 150 and 152 upwardly above the surface of the earth.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to exchanges or alterations without defeating its practicability, therefore, I do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein.

Claims

I claim:

1. A roadway cleaning apparatus in combination with a prime mover comprising a vehicle chassis having an engine control means thereon including a control cab and having a hydraulic fluid pump, the improvement comprising:

conveyor means transversely connected to the forward end of said chassis,

said conveyor means including a substantially cylindrical housing disposed horizontally adjacent the surface of the earth,

said housing having closed ends and having a coextensive downwardly and forwardly directed opening,

said housing having a rearward and upwardly directed discharge opening medially its ends,

a pair of cooperating coaxially aligned screw conveyors extending between and journalled by said housing ends, and impeller blades interposed between and connected, respectively, with adjacent ends of said screw conveyors medially the ends of said housing, the length of each said impeller blade being equal with the radius of said screw conveyors,

said screw conveyors being characterized by a helical edge portion, arcuately curved toward the direction of rotation, and generating a cylindrical surface coinciding with a circular plane generated by the outwardly directed limit of said thrower blades as the conveyors are rotated about their axis,

said curved helical edge portions and said impeller blades having a series of spaced-apart slots transversely formed therein adjacent their outer edge;

a plurality of rush segments each having a rectangular base portion and bristles secured thereto;

means extending through the slots and securing said brush segments, in base end to end abutting relation to the respective said screw conveyor and impeller blade outer edge portions;

drive means including a hydraulic motor for rotating said screw conveyors;

a rectangular fluid containing closed tank having a material receiving opening in its top wall and having inner and outer spaced-apart walls having heat and cold insulation therebetween mounted on said vehicle chassis rearwardly of and projecting above the horizontal plane defining the upper limit of said control cab;

a pair of shafts transversely journalled in coaxial aligned relation by the forward end portion of said chassis;

a pair of arms pivotally connected at one end portion, respectively, to the respective outwardly disposed end portion of the respective said shaft, the other end portion of said arms being pivotally connected, respectively, with opposing end portions of said housing;

a pair of braces projecting forwardly of said tank in laterally spaced relation above said housing;

a pair of pressure operated cylinders extending between and connected, respectively, with the forward end portion of said braces and opposing end portions of said housing for vertical pivoting movement of said housing about the horizontal axis of said shafts;

a discharge tube connected, at one end, with said housing around its discharge opening and extending rearwardly and upward, at its other end, and connected with said tank top wall around the receiving opening;

a heater mounted on said chassis;

piping connected with said heater and extending, intermediate its ends into said tank and being helically wound, adjacent the inner periphery of said tank;

a vacuum pump operatively mounted on said vehicle chassis;

a first elongated downwardly open suction nozzle coextensive with and rearwardly secured horizontally to said housing;

a first flexible skirt secured in depending relation to the depending limit of said nozzle; and,

a first flexible tubing connecting said vacuum pump with said suction nozzle and said tank, respectively.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further including:

a pair of earth surface engaging sweep screw conveyors respectively connected at one end to the forward limit of the respective end portion of said housing in cooperating laterally extending horizontally aligned relation;

a cylindrical jacket substantially surrounding said respective sweep screw conveyor;

hydraulic motor means mounted on each said cylindrical jacket and drivably connected with one end portion of the respective said sweep screw conveyor;

brace means extending between and connected with said chassis and the respective hydraulic motor means on each said cylindrical jacket for horizontally supporting the latter;

a second elongated downwardly open suction nozzle coextensive with and rearwardly secured horizontally to each said cylindrical jacket;

a second flexible skirt secured in depending relation to the depending limit of each said second nozzle; and

second flexible tubing connecting said vacuum pump with said second suction nozzles.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which said tank is provided with a vent opening in its top wall and further including:

a vent pipe extending into said tank through the vent opening;

an air flow filter element within said vent pipe; and

a vent cover secured to said vent pipe.