Stacked tools for overthrow sweeping

• US 6,421,870 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Basham, Michael T., DʼCosta, Joseph F., Hansen, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US09/498,184
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 15/82, 15/83, 15/86, 153/403, 153/404
• US Class Current: 15/83
• 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 surface cleaning machine includes a frame, wheels for supporting the frame and a debris hopper positioned on the forward part of the frame. There is a cylindrical sweeping brush mounted on the frame for rotation about an axis transverse to machine movement. There is a drive on the frame for the sweeping brush with the sweeping brush being mounted behind the debris hopper and rotating in a direction to throw debris from a surface being cleaned forwardly toward the debris hopper. A cylindrical conveying brush, parallel to the sweeping brush, is mounted on the frame for rotation in the same direction as the sweeping brush. The same drive rotates both brushes. The conveying brush is positioned above the sweeping brush and located relative thereto to convey debris moved upwardly by the sweeping brush in an upward and forward direction toward the debris hopper. A scroll is mounted on the frame forward of both brushes and between the brushes and the debris hopper to direct the flow of debris from the brushes to the debris hopper.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning machine including a frame, wheels for supporting the frame, a debris hopper on a forward part of the frame,

a cylindrical sweeping brush mounted on the frame for rotation about an axis that is transverse to machine movement when cleaning a surface, a drive for said sweeping brush, said sweeping brush being mounted behind the debris hopper on the frame and rotating in a direction to throw debris from a surface being swept forwardly toward the debris hopper,

a cylindrical conveying brush mounted on the frame for rotation about an axis that is parallel to the sweeping brush, said sweeping brush drive driving said conveying brush in the same rotary direction as said sweeping brush, said conveying brush being positioned above said sweeping brush and being located relative thereto to convey debris moved upwardly by the sweeping brush in an upward and forward direction toward the debris hopper,

and a scroll mounted on the frame forwardly of the sweeping brush and conveying brush and between said brushes and said debris hopper to direct the flow of debris from said brushes to said debris hopper, both of said sweeping brush and conveying brush being movably mounted on said frame for movement toward said scroll to accommodate wear of the brushes.

2. The surface cleaning machine of claim 1 wherein said brushes are mounted on said frame for concurrent movement toward or away from a surface to be swept.

3. The surface cleaning machine of claim 2 wherein said brushes are pivotally mounted on said frame for concurrent movement.

4. The surface cleaning machine of claim 3 wherein said sweeping brush is mounted on said frame by a pair of arms, one on each end of said sweeping brush, said conveying brush being mounted on said frame by a pair of arms, one at each end of said conveying brush, said sweeping brush arms and said conveying brush arms being pivotally attached to said frame at a common pivot point thereon.

5. The surface cleaning machine of claim 1 wherein said brush drive includes a motor and drive belt means connecting said motor with both said sweeping brush and said conveying brush.

6. The surface cleaning machine of claim 1 wherein said scroll has a first lower portion spaced from and curved about said sweeping brush and a second upper portion which extends from a location between said brushes forwardly toward and in contact with said debris hopper.

7. The surface cleaning machine of claim 6 wherein said scroll lower portion has a curvature generally matching that of the circumference of said sweeping brush.

8. The surface cleaning machine of claim 6 further including a rear wall mounted on said frame behind both said sweeping brush and said conveying brush which rear wall, together with said scroll, forms a sweeping compartment.

9. The surface cleaning machine of claim 8 further including a re-circulation flap positioned at the lower end of said rear wall and generally adjacent a rear surface of said sweeping brush.

10. The surface cleaning machine of claim 1 wherein both said conveying brush and sweeping brush are rotated in a counter-clockwise direction with said sweeping brush moving debris upwardly toward said conveying brush and said conveying brush moving debris from said sweeping brush into said debris hopper.

11. The surface cleaning machine of claim 1 further including a lower movable front flap assembly positioned on said frame in front of said sweeping brush.

12. The surface cleaning machine of claim 11 wherein said front flap assembly includes a lower flexible portion and wherein said front flap assembly is movable relative to said scroll.

13. A surface cleaning machine comprising;

a mobile frame;

a debris hopper carried upon the surface by the frame;

a cylindrical sweeping brush carried by the frame, said sweeping brush rotating in a direction to throw debris from a surface being swept toward the debris hopper;

a cylindrical conveying brush carried by the frame for rotation about an axis that is parallel to the sweeping brush, said conveying brush being positioned above said sweeping brush and being located relative thereto to convey debris moved upwardly by the sweeping brush in an upward direction toward the debris hopper; and

a scroll carried by the frame forwardly of the sweeping brush and conveying brush, said scroll to direct the flow of debris from said brushes to said debris hopper, both of said sweeping brush and said conveying brush being selectively movable toward said scroll to accommodate wear of the brushes.

14. A surface cleaning machine of claim 13, wherein the sweeping brush rotates about an axis that is transverse to machine movement when cleaning a surface.

15. A surface cleaning machine of claim 13, wherein the scroll includes a lower curved portion generally proximate to the sweeping brush and an upper forwardly slanting wall portion.

16. A surface cleaning machine of claim 15, wherein said scroll lower portion has a curvature generally matching that of the circumference of said sweeping brush.

17. A surface cleaning machine of claim 13, wherein the debris hopper is carried upon a forward portion of the frame.

18. A surface cleaning machine of claim 13, wherein the brushes are carried on the frame for concurrent movement toward or away from a surface to be swept.

19. A surface cleaning machine of claim 18, wherein the brushes are pivotally mounted on the frame for concurrent movement.

20. A surface cleaning machine of claim 13, further including a rear wall mounted on the frame behind both the sweeping brush and the conveying brush which rear wall, together with the scroll, forms a sweeping compartment.

21. A surface cleaning machine of claim 20, further including a re-circulation flap positioned at the lower end of the rear wall and generally adjacent a rear surface of the sweeping brush.

22. A surface cleaning machine of claim 13, further including a lower movable front flap assembly positioned on the frame in front of the sweeping brush.

23. A surface cleaning machine comprising:

a mobile frame;

a debris hopper carried by the frame;

a cylindrical sweeping brush carried on the fame, said sweeping brush rotating in a direction to throw debris from a surface being swept toward the debris hopper;

a cylindrical conveying brush carried on the frame for rotation about an axis that is parallel to the sweeping brush, said conveying brush being positioned above said sweeping brush and being located relative thereto to convey debris moved upwardly by the sweeping brush in an upward direction toward the debris hopper;

a scroll carried on the frame forwardly of the sweeping brush and conveying brush, said scroll to direct the flow of debris from said brushes to said debris hopper, said sweeping brush being mounted on the frame for movement toward said scroll to accommodate wear of the sweeping brush; and

a rear wall carried on said-frame behind both said sweeping brush and said conveying brush, said rear wall including a re-circulation flap positioned at the lower end of said rear wall and generally adjacent a rear surface of said sweeping brush, which rear wall, together with said scroll, forms a sweeping compartment.

24. A surface cleaning machine of claim 23, wherein the scroll includes a lower curved portion generally proximate to the sweeping brush and an upper forwardly slanting wall portion.

25. A surface cleaning machine of claim 23, wherein the debris hopper is carried upon a forward portion of the frame.

26. A surface cleaning machine of claim 23, wherein the brushes are mounted on the frame for concurrent movement toward or away from a surface to be swept.

27. A surface cleaning machine of claim 26, wherein the brushes are pivotally mounted on said frame for concurrent movement.