Sweeping machine with hopper shelf

• US 5,893,189 A
• Filed: 09/26/1997
• Issued: 04/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: D'Costa, Joseph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Randall E.
• Application Number:
  US08/938,399
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 15/83, 15/84, 15/85, 15/86
• US Class Current: 15/83
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/045 the loading means being a rotating brush with horizontal axis E01H1/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/0854 Apparatus in which the mechanically dislodged dirt is partially sucked-off, e.g. dislodging- sweeping apparatus with dirt collector in brush housing or dirt container mechanical dislodging machines with independent suction nozzles E01H1/0827; combined with blowing and suction E01H1/0872

Abstract

A sweeping machine has a body, wheels supporting the body, and a sweeping brush which is carried by the body and driven by a motor mounted on the sweeping machine. There is a debris hopper positioned adjacent the brush to receive debris moved by the brush toward the hopper. The hopper has a bottom, a front wall, and side walls, and there is a shelf in the hopper spaced above the bottom and attached to at least one of the walls. Debris moved by the brush toward the hopper is deposited on both the hopper bottom and the hopper shelf.

Claims

1. A sweeping machine having a body, wheels supporting said body, a sweeping brush carried by said body and motor means on said body for rotating said brush in a predetermined direction, a debris hopper positioned adjacent said brush to receive debris moved by said brush toward said hopper, said hopper having a bottom, a front wall, and side walls, and a shelf in said hopper spaced above said bottom and attached to at least one of said walls, debris moved by said brush toward said hopper being deposited on both said hopper bottom and said hopper shelf.

2. The sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein said shelf extends between and is attached to said side walls.

3. The sweeping machine of claim 2 wherein said shelf is attached to said front wall.

4. The sweeping machine of claim 1 further including means attached to said machine for scrubbing a floor surface and located adjacent to said rotating brush.

5. The sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein said shelf is spaced above said hopper bottom a distance greater than the maximum height of the debris deposited on said hopper bottom.

6. The sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein said shelf has a retainer facing toward said brush.