Method of and apparatus for picking up refuse from a surface, such as a track bed
AssigneeWalter Schneider GmbH & Co. KG
InventorsEngelbert Kerschner, Edgar Muschelknautz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
To clean the ballast bed of a railroad track, a wheeled vehicle movable over the ballast bed contains a blower for generating a positive flow of air and a suction flow. A suction port is located on the vehicle spaced a given distance above the ballast bed. A pipe section outlet is located around the suction port. The positive flow of air is directed through the pipe section outlet so that it provides a circular air flow about the downward projection of the suction port. The circular air flow sweeps the surface of the ballast bed and any refuse swept up is drawn into the suction port by the suction flow generated by the blower.
Claims21
Apparatus for picking up refuse from a surface, such as the ballast bed of a railroad track, comprising:
- a wheeled vehicle, means located on said vehicle for genera a flow of air, first duct means in said vehicle having a first end and a second end with the first end positioned adjacent said means for generating a flow of air for providing a suction action within said first duct means and the second end forming a suction port positioned above the surface to be cleaned, second duct means within said vehicle having a first end and a second end with said first end arranged to receive a flow of air from said means for generating a flow of air and said second end located at the second end of said first duct means, guide means in the second end of said second duct means for directing the air flow out of said second duct means in a downwardly directed circular flow path around a downward projection of said suction port so that the circular flow path of the air sweeps over the surface to be cleaned and refuse swept up by the flow of air is drawn inwardly and upwardly by the suction action within said first duct means flowing through said suction port.
Apparatus, for picking up refuse from a surface, such as the ballast bed of a railroad track, comprising a wheeled vehicle, means mounted on said vehicle for creating a flow of air, means for picking up refuse including a suction opening spaced upwardly from the surface to be cleaned and a collecting chamber in flow communication with said suction opening for receiving the refuse passing through the suction opening, wherein said means for picking up refuse comprises a suction pipe forming said suction opening, a spiral member encircling said suction pipe and arranged to receive a flow of air for blowing air outwardly and downwardly around the projection of said suction opening, said spiral having an outlet for directing the flow of air downwardly around a downward projection of said suction opening, said outlet from said spiral having an annular configuration, and the mean radius of said annular outlet being smaller than the mean radius of said spiral.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.