Dual mode debris pickup machine

• US 6,389,641 B1
• Filed: 06/15/1998
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Engel, Gregory J., Boomgaarden, Steven L., Blehert, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Snider, Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US09/094,756
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 153/401, 153/54, 153/61, 153/29, 153/31, 153/34, 153/35
• US Class Current: 15/340.1
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/0836 Apparatus dislodging all of the dirt by suction liquids or semi-liquids E01H1/108; combined with loosening by blowing E01H1/0863; for cleaning rails E01H8/105, E01H8/125; removing snow by suction E01H5/106, E01H8/08; Suction nozzles independent suction nozzles in mechanical dislodging-cleaning devices E01H1/0827; suction and blowing nozzles E01H1/0863

Abstract

A vacuum trash collection vehicle includes a debris container and a source of vacuum on the vehicle. There is a hose connected at one end to the debris container and has the source of vacuum applied thereto. The hose is open at its other end to form a debris collection nozzle. There is a boom for supporting the hose during use as a debris collection device. A vacuum pickup head is carried by the vehicle and there are operator controls for raising and lowering the pickup head. The pickup head has an opening of a size and shape to be connected to the hose nozzle. There is a driver accessible control for moving the hose and boom to utilize the hose nozzle as a debris collection device. The hose may be connected to the pickup head opening and thereby provide vacuum to the pickup head so that it functions as a debris collection device.

Claims

1. A vacuum trash collection vehicle comprising a debris container on a vehicle, a source of vacuum on the vehicle, a hose connected at one end to the debris container and having the source of vacuum applied thereto, said hose being open at its other end to form a collection nozzle, a boom for supporting said hose during use as a debris collection device,

a vacuum pickup head carried by said vehicle, means for raising and lowering said vacuum pickup head away from and toward a surface to be cleaned, an opening in said vacuum pickup head of a size and shape to be connected to said collection nozzle,

driver accessible control means for moving said hose and boom to utilize said collection nozzle as the debris collection device, the connection of said collection nozzle to said pickup head opening providing vacuum to said pickup head whereby said pickup head functions as a debris collection device.

2. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 1 including a driver'"'"'s seat and controls for the driver on the vehicle for operating it, said hose and boom extending above the driver'"'"'s seat.

3. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 1 wherein said pickup head extends laterally across the front of the vehicle, said pickup head opening being on an upper portion of said pickup head and generally adjacent one end thereof.

4. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 3 wherein said opening in the pickup head is in the form of a short tube extending upwardly from said pickup head, with said short tube and collection nozzle forming a vacuum-tight connection therebetween.

5. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 3 wherein said pickup head has a peripheral skirt extending thereabout, an opening in the peripheral skirt opposite the end of the pickup head having the opening, whereby air flow from outside of said pickup head extends laterally across said pickup head as it flows from the opening in the peripheral skirt, toward the opening in the upper portion of the pickup head.

6. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 1 including power means on said vehicle, controllable by a driver, for operating said means for raising and lowering said pickup head.

7. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 1 wherein said driver accessible control means for moving said hose and boom includes an elongated telescopic control assembly, said control assembly having a handle thereon for use by said driver.

8. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 1 further comprising driver accessible pickup head control means for actuating said means for raising and lowering said vacuum pickup head away from and toward a surface to be cleaned.

9. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 1 wherein said opening in the pickup head is in the form of a short tube extending upwardly from said pickup head, with said short tube and collection nozzle forming a vacuum-tight connection therebetween.

10. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 1 further characterized in that the collection nozzle is connectable to and detachable from said opening in said vacuum pickup head by manipulation of the driver accessible control means.

11. A vacuum trash collection vehicle comprising a debris container on a vehicle, a source of vacuum on the vehicle, a hose connected at one end to the debris container and having the source of vacuum applied thereto said hose being open at its other end to form a collection nozzle, a boom for supporting said hose during use as a debris collection device,

a vacuum pickup head carried by said vehicle, an opening in said vacuum pickup head of a size and shape to be connected to said collection nozzle,

driver accessible control means for moving said hose and boom to utilize said collection nozzle as the debris collection device, the collection nozzle being connectable to and detachable from said opening in said vacuum pickup head by manipulation of the driver accessible control means, the connection of said collection nozzle to said pickup head opening providing vacuum to said pickup head whereby said pickup head functions as a debris collection device.

12. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 11 including a driver'"'"'s seat and controls for the driver on the vehicle for operating it, said hose and supporting boom extending above the driver'"'"'s seat.

13. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 11 wherein said pickup head extends laterally across the front of the vehicle, said pickup head opening being on an upper portion of said pickup head and generally adjacent one end thereof.

14. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 13 wherein said opening in the pickup head is in the form of a short tube extending upwardly from said pickup head, with said short tube and nozzle forming a vacuum-tight connection therebetween.

15. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 13 wherein said pickup head has a peripheral skirt extending thereabout, an opening in the pickup head skirt opposite the end of the pickup head having the opening, whereby air flow from outside of said pickup head extends laterally across said pickup head as it flows from the opening in the peripheral skirt, toward the opening in an upper portion of the pickup head.

16. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 11 further comprising means for raising and lowering said vacuum pickup head away from and toward a surface to be cleaned.

17. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 16 including power means on said vehicle, controllable by a driver, for operating said means for raising and lowering said pickup head.

18. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 11 wherein said driver accessible control means for moving said hose and boom includes an elongated telescopic control assembly, said control assembly having a handle thereon for use by said operator.

19. A vacuum trash collection vehicle comprising a debris container on a vehicle, a source of vacuum on the vehicle, a hose connected at one end to the debris container and having the source of vacuum applied thereto, said hose being open at its other end to form a collection nozzle, a boom for supporting said hose during use as a debris collection device,

a vacuum pickup head carried by said vehicle and extending laterally across the front of the vehicle, an opening in said vacuum pickup head of a size and shape to be connected to said collection nozzle, said pickup head opening being on an upper portion of said pickup head and generally adjacent one end thereof,

driver accessible control means for moving said hose and boom to utilize said collection nozzle as the debris collection device, the connection of said collection nozzle to said pickup head opening providing vacuum to said pickup head whereby said pickup head functions as a debris collection device.

20. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 19 further characterized in that the collection nozzle is connectable to and detachable from said opening in said vacuum pickup head by manipulation of the driver accessible control means.

21. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 19 including a driver'"'"'s seat and controls for the driver on the vehicle for operating it, said hose and supporting boom extending above the driver'"'"'s seat.

22. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 19 wherein said opening in the pickup head is in the form of a short tube extending upwardly from said pickup head, with said short tube and nozzle forming a vacuum-tight connection therebetween.

23. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 22 wherein said pickup head has a peripheral skirt extending thereabout, an opening in the pickup head skirt opposite the end of the pickup head having the opening, whereby air flow from outside of said pickup head extends laterally across said pickup head as it flows from the opening in the peripheral skirt, toward the opening in an upper portion of the pickup head.

24. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 19 further comprising means for raising and lowering said vacuum pickup head away from and toward a surface to be cleaned.

25. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 24 including power means on said vehicle, controllable by a driver, for operating said means for raising and lowering said pickup head.

26. The vacuum trash collection vehicle of claim 19 wherein said driver accessible control means for moving said hose and boom includes an elongated telescopic control assembly, said control assembly having a handle thereon for use bv said operator.