GB2238563A

GB2238563A - Street sweeper

Info

Publication number: GB2238563A
Application number: GB9025252A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lennart Oeberg
Original assignee: ROLBA AG
Current assignee: ROLBA AG
Priority date: 1989-11-27
Filing date: 1990-11-20
Publication date: 1991-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 2010-11-20
Also published as: DK278090D0; GB9025252D0; GB2238563B; CH680459A5; DK278090A; DE4031422A1

Abstract

A sweeper 1 for cleaning streets comprises a frame 2 for attachment to a vehicle. A brush roller 5 is withdrawable from an operative position and arranged behind a suction mouth 4 in the driving direction. The suction mouth 4 is arranged so that it can be raised or lowered. The raising and lowering of the brush roller 5 is effected by a hydraulic cylinder 28 via a mechanical linkage 3,20,32. A pair of guide wheels 22 to the rear are similarly adjusted. <IMAGE>

Description

1 1 - TITLE:

Street Sweepers,Description

The invention relates to sweepers suitable for cleaning streets, roads and like level surfaces comprising a suction mouth and a brush roller.

Normally, such sweepers are equipped with a gutter suction pipe attached on the right side of a vehicle. They also include an angled brush roller in the longitudinal centre of the vehicle for conveying dirt to the suction pipe. Sometimes they have two gutter suction pipes, one on either side of the vehicle. In this case, the angle of the brush roller can be adjusted to convey the dirt to the required side. The brush roller detaches stubborn and heavy dirt from the road surface and throws it directly in the direction of the suction pipe.

There are two known sweepers of this kind: sweepers with and sweepers without trailing brush rollers. Sweepers without a trailing brush roller are cheaper, their construction is simpler, and they do not wear so fast, but they have limited cleaning effect, particularly with respect to wet material which is difficult to shift. By contrast, mechanical sweepers with trailing brushes have the advantage of operating more efficiently, of having a better cleaning effect, particularly with respect to wet and heavy material, and a higher operating speed. On the other hand, the rollers wear faster, and the machine is more complicated and therefore more expensive.

The invention provides such a sweeper comprising a suction mouth and a brush roller, the brush roller being withdrawable from an operating position and arranged behind the suction mouth in the driving direction. preferably the suction mouth is arranged so that it can be raised or lowered. Control means are preferably provided for holding the suction mouth in its lowered position when the brush roller is inoperative.

Raising and lowering of the brush roller and rendering it inoperative is preferably controllable from a driver's seat. Means are preferably proviced for allowing the brush roller to be raised whilst maintaining the suction mouth in a lower position. The width of the brush roller is preferably approximately equal to the width of the suction mouth to economize on brush energy.

Drawings Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a sweeper of the general kind to which the invention relates; Fig. 2 is a side view of the lower rear part of a sweeper according to the invention, with parts omitted for clarity, and including a brush roller in a lowered position; Fig. 3 is a cutout of a rear view of the mechanical sweeper of Fig. 2, with the brush roller in a raised position; and Fig. 4 is a section along IVIV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is a purely schematic illustration of a sweeper 1, in which a brush roller 5 and a suction mouth 4 are used.

In the construction of Figs. 2 to 4, a frame 2 carries all movable parts. The dirt to be collected is receivedby the suction mouth 4 as in a vacuum cleaner, and is conveyed pneumatically to a separation chamber (not shown). The brush roller 5 is arranged behind the suction mouth 4 as seen in the driving direction. The roller 5 is rotatably mounted by a hinge pin 6 in a suspension bracket 3; its drive is not shown.

The suction mouth 4 is equipped with a rubber mouthpiece 1 3 9. It can be raised and lowered; height adjustment being effected by a lever 11, which may be mechanically coupled to the raising and lowering mechanism of the brush roller 5 by a dual angle lever.

The brush roller 5 is mounted between the ends of arms of the suspension bracket 3. The other ends of the arms are movable about a pivot 36, mounted on a tube which is attached to the frame 2 by means of a strut. The bracket 3 is welded to a carrier tube 33 equipped with two welded-on lugs 32, which are hinged to a lever 20 by a bolt 31. The upper portion of the lever 20 has a longitudinal slot 21, along which a bolt 18 is slidable. The bolt 18 extends between two arms of a fork 19 at an end of a piston rod 29 of a hydraulic cylinder 28. Two angled lugs 17 are guided by the bolt 18, and in turn are connected by a pivot 14 to a stepped bearing sleeve 15 mounted on the frame 2.

To facilitate the raising of roller 5 of a helical spring 34 is connected to the frame 2 and the carrier tube 33.

The illustration of the rear end in Fig. 3 shows a pair of guide wheels 22 mounted on a hinge pin tube connects the two wheels 22. Lugs 39 and attached to the tube. The other end of the one of 45. A 4 7 are lug 47 swivels about an axle 46, and is mounted on a further tube, which in turn is screwed to the frame 2 via a strut 48. The other end of the lug 39 is pivotable about a pin 40, and so connected to an angle plate 41. One end of the angle plate 41 is pivotable about a pin 42 and mounted in a bearing block 43 welded to the frame 2. The other end of the angle plate 41 is connected to the piston rod 52 of a hydraulic cylinder 54 by two lugs 51. The other end of the hydraulic cylinder 54 is pivoted to the frame 2.

i 1 4 - Operation If the road surf ace or gutter to be cleaned is covered with easily removable dirt, there is no need to use thebrush roller 5, so it will be in the raised position as shown by a chain-dotted line in Fig. 2 which represents a part 60 of its periphery. The sijction mouth 4 on the other hand is shown in a lowered position in Fig. 2, also by a chain-dotted line.

If the dirt in the gutter or on the road is wet and therefore difficult to shift, the brush roller 5 is lowered, and the suction mouth 4 or the rubber mouth piece 9 is raised. The roller then throws the loosened dirt towards the suction mouth 4, which, assisted by the suction air pneumatically carries the dirt away.

Raising and lowering of the brush roller 5 is effected by means of the hydraulic cylinder 28 which can be operated from the driver's seat. When the roller 5 is to be raised from the lowered position shown in Fig. 2, the piston is acted upon by hydraulic fluid on the side of the piston rod 29, causing the piston rod 29 to move to the right. This causes the bolt 18 with a bolt pin 16 to pivot the two angled lugs 17 about the pivot 14. Thus the lever 20 performs a pivoting/ 1 if ting movement about the bolt 31. The suspension bracket 3, pivoting about 36, is pivoted clockwise, and lifts the brush roller 5 into its raised position 60. At the same time or separately the suction mouth 4 is lowered, and so enabled to pick up loose particles from closer to the road surface, the air speed for lifting being increased.

Analogously, roller 5 can be lowered into the position shown in Fig. 2, and the suction mouth 4 raised, by admitting hydraulic fluid to the cylinder 28 on the other side of the piston.

Since the raising and lowering of the guide wheels 22 is based upon the same principle as the raising and lowering of the brush roller 5, an explanation of the detail is omitted. In the operating position of the sweeper, the guide wheels 22 are lowered when the roller 5 is raised its operation automatically ceases. As wear is caused only by operation, the sweeper described has a long working life. it can operate effectively and inexpensively at high speed, and remove material which is difficult to shift.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A sweeper suitable f or cleaning streets, roads and like level surfaces comprising a suction mouth and a brush roller, the brush roller being withdrawable from an operating position and arranged behind the suction mouth in the driving direction.

2. A sweeper according to claim 1 in which the suction mouth is arranged so that it can be raised and lowered.

3. A sweeper according to claim 2 in which control means are provided f or holding the suction mouth in its lowered position when the brush roller is inoperative.

4. A sweeper according to any preceding claim in which raising and lowering of the brush roller and rendering it inoperative is controllable from a driver's seat.

5. A sweeper according to claim 4 in which raising and lowering of the brush roller is effected by a hydraulic cylinder via a mechanical linkage.

6. A sweeper according to any preceding claim in which means are provided for allowing the brush roller to be raised whilst maintaining the suction mouth in a lowered position.

7. A sweeper according to any preceding claim in which the width of the brush roller is approximately equal to the width of the suction mouth.

8. A sweeper substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the drawings.

published 1991 at7be Patent Office. State House. 66/71 High Holborn. London WCIR41?. Further copies maybe obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point Cwrnfelinfach. Cross Keys, Newport. NPI 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques lid, St Mary Cray, Kent.