USRE6153E - Improvement in street-sweeping machines - Google Patents

Description

B. A. SMIT H, decd. R. H. SMITH, Admr.

Street-Sweaping Machinas.- I

Rei \gd Nov. 24, 1874.

2 Sheets--Sheet 2'.

Specification f0 rmin are, first, g I,

ceptaele, from which it may be discharged at UNITE STATES-..

ROBERT E. SMITH, or PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA, (ADMINISTRATOR GF ROBERT A. SMITH, DEOEASED,) ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF INTEREST TQ JOHN L. HILL, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT m STREET-SWEEPING M'ACHENES.

g part oi LIULDGIB Patent No. 27,839, dated April 10, 1860; extended seven years; reissue No. 6,153, dated November 24, 1874; application filed May 6. 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ROBERT A. SMITH, deceased, late of the city, county, and State of. New York, did invent a Machine for Sweeping Streets, of which the following is a speci' fication: I

The invention relates to machines for sweeping streets'fand the objects of the invention or the dirt into a suitable reintervals, and at suitable places of deposit along the street being swept, or into a tributary street where it will be out of the way until it can be finally carted 0ft; second, to thoroughly clean the streets without creating a dust adjacent to the machine, however dry the dirt may be, and to thus avoid the necessity of sprinkling the streets preparatory to sweeping; and third, to render the brooms self -accommodating' to -the inequalities grade of the street over which they are drawn, and at the same time to permit the said brooms to be raised or lowered by the driver as occasion may require.

These objects are attained by constructing the machine as will now-be described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in l I V Figure i represents a side elevation 'of the complete-machine, showihg the several parts in their proper relative )osition s for sweeping; Fig. 2, a longitudina vertical section of Fig.1; Fig. 3, a transviirsevertical section on the line 1 2, Fig. 2, th ough the center of the dirt-receiving box, s owing said bo-x in two positions-one for re eivin g the dirt, and the other for discharging it from the machine; Fig. '4, a transverse section on the line 3 4,

Fig.2, illustrating the hanging gear for the supplemental broom-shaft; and Fig. 5, a detached view of the main broom-shaft, made in sections, connected by a universal joint, as

hereafter described.

A A represent the main framing of the machine, covercd closely at the top with trapdoors. The whole is mounted on Wheels (J,

v C, G, and C the latter .being the drivingfront axle is attached to the body of the machine by a fifth wheel, Z and the runninggear is so arranged that the machine may be turned short around. D is the drivers seat, mounted on springs X which rest on standards secured to the platform D. E is a large toothed wheel, secured to and turning with the driving-wheel O and gearing into a pinion, F, Fig. 1. This pinion is keyed to the main brush-shaft G, which shaft has its bearings in two swinging arms, H H, the latter being loosely suspended from the axle G of thedriving-wheel, so as to describe anarc concentric with the axis of the said wheel. The free ends of these arms Hare connected to the arms a a of a shaft, 1), by rods 0 c, the inclination of which is determined by the posim tion of the brooms. The .shaftdr'fixtends transversely aerossand has its hearings on the top of the machine. At right angles to the arms a, on the right-hand side of the ma scribed, will be sclf-acconnnodating to the ih- .eq11 alities of the streetsuriace over which itis drawn, and the said shaft, through the merit i ums of the connections above described, can I also be raised or lowered by the driver as occasion may require, while the machine is in :motion. Two springs, c 0, connected to the opposite sides ot'the hand-lever I, and to the wings of a segmental guide-plate, K, serve to hold the brooms down firinly'to their work,"-

as they act upon the brooms through the medium of the handlever I, connecting-rod I, arms c anda a, rods 0' c, and vibrating arms; H H.

For very heavy work it will be necessary to press the brooms against the surface of the street witha greater degree of pressure than can be attained by the springs, and for wheel for the broom shafts or cylinders. The

efieetin g this object the lever '1 maybe turned backand held by any suitable means. The.

" a receiver, h, at'its lower end, for holding the dirt which escapes from the brooms, and the sides of the trap are closed in, so that dust cannot escape at-these points, while the curved plate or cover of the trap" fits tightly against the cross-bar A, and thus prevents escape of dust at the top.

' The trap thus constructed and arranged 'eatches" the dust thrown up by the brooms and prevents its escape from the rear of the machine,and is an important-'featureof my invention. When the receiver h 'has been filled, it may be'emptied by simply raising the trap.

' M, Fig. 2, represents an inclined plate having sides m, and hinged to a curved plate, N, the curve of which is concentric with the circlef described by the secondary brooms P. This latter plate is also provided with side plates n, which, like the plates at of the inelincdplate M, prevent the dirt from escaping from the sides of the machine. The mouth of 'the inclined plate M rests on the ground, and is arranged in'fr'ont of the main brooms, so as ve the dirt swept up by the latter and conduct it to the pan or trough N, from which it is rapidly discharged by the secondary brooms P into-a box, R, where it accumulates,

and from which itmay be discharged at suitable times, as will be'hereinafterdescribed.

' The main and secondary brooms, with the conducting-plates and the-general receivingbox R, are all closely'housed in, as represented by the drawings, and onthe top of the frame of the machine are hinged covers S S for the broom-compartment, and covers S S. for the receiving-box R. Between the front and rear brooms is placed an inclined guard-board, T, extending across the machine, and of a suttL.

'cient width to prevent the dust and dirt thrown oft by the secondary brooms P from falling on the main brooms, the said guardboard conducting the dirt back to'the pan N. In Fig. 3 the general receiving-box R is ;-,more"clearly shown,in connection with the manner of operating it, so as to give it the proper inclination for .dumpingits load at the side of the machine. The. box is suitably hinged at one side to theframe A, its opposite being free vto move up ordown, and being connected to a cord or chain, i, which passes over a flanged drum, j, on the pulleyshaft k. Thispulley-shaft is mounted in bracketsV V, and the chain 22 is wound up on the drum by beveled wheels k and k, the latter being keyed to the end of an inclined crankshaft, l, which passes down through the opposite side of the machine,near to the dischargeopeniug of the box B. By winding up the chain, the box will be inclined, and the cov are S S having been previously opened, the guard W will be raised by the end of the box, as it is hinged to the frame A. This hinged guard W should be secured when closed by a bar, 1), Figs. 1 and 3.

I Any suitable tackle or gearing for operatin g, the receiving-box B may be substituted for that above described.

The secondary broom-shaft P is hung in arms 1 1, rendered adjustable on a drivingshaft, 2, which has its hearings in brackets 3 3 on the top of the machine. This shaft is driven by a'pinion, 4, from the driving gear- Wheel E, and transmits motion to the broom shaft'through the medium of pulleys 5 5 and and an endless chain, 6. (See Figs. 2 and i.) The use of the chain 6 and adjustable arms 1 l for, this special purpose is important, for there will be a constant wear of the parts, and consequent loosening of the same, and this gearing permits the slack to be taken up, when necessary.

It, is known that it is old to tighten drivingbelts by adjusting the bearings of their shafts; but it is only the special application of such adjustment that is claimed.

Fig. 5 shows the manner of constructing the main broom-shaft for machines in which it is necessary to adjust the brooms to inclined positions, for sweeping very narrow streets with a convex surface. The said shaft is made in two sections, connected together bya univer- "sal joint, 7, so that the sections may yield,

and permit the brooms to be more or less inclined, as required.

Ifdesired, the shaft may be positively adjusted to the required angle by means of a hanger, 8, secured to the said shaft adjacent to the joint. I 4

The broom-heads 9'are secured to the main shaft as follows: Plates 9 are secured to the shaft, as shown in Fig. 2, and into recesses in these plates are fitted the broom-heads 9, and retained therein by clamps 12 hinged to the plates at one side of each recess and arranged to be drawn over and secured to the opposite side or lip of the plate by screws, or in any other suitable way. By this simple contrivance the broom-heads can be readily secured in place and removed with the same facility. The secondary broom'-heads P are set in adjustable bearing-plates 13, and adjusted as they wear by screws 14. (Shown in Fig. 2.)

The supplemental broom P and its connections, together with the pan N, are not absothe said shaft, substantially as and for the purpose described. l 2. In combination with the main broomsh'aft,vhung as set forth, the rods 0, arms aa,

shaft b, and rod I, connecting with the lever I, for-the purpose'of enablingthe driver to raise this broom-shaft at pleasure, as set forth.

3.' The broom-shaft G, constructed in sections, connected by a universal joint, substantially as set forth, 4 4. The combination of the adjustable hang- .ers 1 1,'chaiu and chain-pulleys 5 5, the broomshaft P, and the' pan N, the whole being constructed and arranged in respect to each other,

- substantiallyasand for the purpose described.

5.- The adjustable swinging box or trap L, and its'receiver h, suspended oversand at the rear of'themain brooms, for the purpose specified.

6. The combination 0f, the self-accommodating brush G, suspended from the axleby independent swinging arm's H H, a receptacle,

R, and. a plate, M, for conducting the dirt toward the receptacle, suspended so that its outer edge is maintained in contact with the ground and below-the brush, whatever may be tlie'position of thelatter. In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of 7 two subscribing witnesses.) I

Q t H. SMITH, Administrator. JOHN HILL. Witnesses: v A l WM. A. STEEL, HARRY SMITH.

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