Hopper and filter chamber for direct forward throw sweeper
First Claim
1. In a direct forward throw sweeper having a debris hopper which in normal sweeping position is directly ahead of and adjacent a main sweeping brush, an opening in the hopper which in normal sweeping position is adjacent and faces the brush, said opening being that through which debris is swept directly by the brush into the hopper and emptied out of the hopper, a vacuum fan arranged to pull an air stream from around the brush, into and through the hopper, then through an air filter in an air filter chamber above the hopper in normal sweeping position, and then to exhaust said air stream to atmosphere, said air filter chamber having space below the filter in normal sweeping position for the accumulation of dust removed from the air stream, the hopper having at least one lift arm connected thereto and at least one powered actuator connected to the lift arm, the lift arm and actuator being operable to raise the hopper to a selected elevated height, a door hinged to the hopper adjacent the brush and located to close the aforesaid opening, said door being hinged proximate the edge of the opening which is the upper edge when the hopper is in the normal sweeping position, characterized by resilient means for opening said door and at least one powered actuator acting in opposition to the resilient means for closing the door.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a direct forward throw sweeper, improvements related to a door for closing the opening into the hopper permit backing away from a debris receptacle with the hopper door open after dumping a load of debris without damage to the machine. An attachment part is provided for connecting a vacuum pickup wand to the debris hopper. Associated improvements to a related air filter chamber provide improved dust control while dumping the hopper and convenient access for servicing a dust accumulation space in the bottom of the filter chamber.
227 Citations
15 Claims
- 1. In a direct forward throw sweeper having a debris hopper which in normal sweeping position is directly ahead of and adjacent a main sweeping brush, an opening in the hopper which in normal sweeping position is adjacent and faces the brush, said opening being that through which debris is swept directly by the brush into the hopper and emptied out of the hopper, a vacuum fan arranged to pull an air stream from around the brush, into and through the hopper, then through an air filter in an air filter chamber above the hopper in normal sweeping position, and then to exhaust said air stream to atmosphere, said air filter chamber having space below the filter in normal sweeping position for the accumulation of dust removed from the air stream, the hopper having at least one lift arm connected thereto and at least one powered actuator connected to the lift arm, the lift arm and actuator being operable to raise the hopper to a selected elevated height, a door hinged to the hopper adjacent the brush and located to close the aforesaid opening, said door being hinged proximate the edge of the opening which is the upper edge when the hopper is in the normal sweeping position, characterized by resilient means for opening said door and at least one powered actuator acting in opposition to the resilient means for closing the door.
- 5. In a direct forward throw sweeper having a main sweeping brush, a debris hopper which in normal sweeping position is directly ahead of and adjacent said brush, an opening into said debris hopper facing and adjacent said brush for receiving debris directly from said brush and for emptying debris from said hopper when said hopper is in a dumping position, means for moving said hopper from a debris receiving position to a dumping position, a vacuum fan, a filter chamber, an air filter in said filter chamber, said vacuum fan being positioned to pull air from around said brush, through the debris hopper opening, into and through the hopper, into said filter chamber and through said filter, a door pivotally mounted on said hopper adjacent said brush for closing said debris hopper opening to prevent debris from said brush from passing into said hopper, spring means normally biasing said door to an open position, and powered actuator means for moving said door against said spring means to a closed position.
Specification