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US 4,831,684 AGranted
Cleaning vehicles
AssigneeMorningfield Limited
InventorIan J. Duncan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-propelled sweeper vehicle (10) has front steerable wheels (16) mounted on a centrally pivoted axle assembly (28) which also carries the nozzle (30) and brush gear (24) whereby these assemblies are steered in unison with the vehicle. The nozzle front edge (106) is convex and promotes non-turbulent air intake. The nozzle is formed as a hollow rotationally moulded structure of a plastics material having inherent structural strength and stiffness. The brush gear (24) is mounted on linkages comprising inner and outer portions (200, 202) pivotally connected for folding movement to resiliently yield under impact. The brush covers (260) are formed as hollow plastics mouldings and part of the brush support structure.
Claims21
A cleaning vehicle comprising
- a rigid self-propelled vehicle body;
- ground wheels to support said vehicle body and including one or more steerable wheels mounted for steering movement relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body;
- control means to control said steerable wheels;
- matter removal means positionable in working relation to a surface to be cleaned to remove matter therefrom, said matter removal means comprising a brush and a matter inlet suction nozzle;
- said brush being pivotally mounted on said vehicle body for lateral movement inwards and outwards relative to the travel direction of the vehicle about an axis relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body during said use;
- and
- in addition to said pivotal mounting of said brush on said vehicle body, support means for said brush and for said matter inlet nozzle permitting additional pivotal movement of said brush and permitting pivotal movement of said inlet nozzle relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body, the axes of said pivotal movement and of said additional pivotal movement of said brush being spaced apart, and said control means to control said steerable wheels being directly connected to both said brush and to said inlet nozzle to effect said additional pivotal movement of said brush and said pivotal movement of said inlet nozzle relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body and in synchronism with and in the same sense as the steering movement of said steerable wheels.
4 more elements
A cleaning vehicle comprising:
- a rigid self-propelled vehicle body;
- ground wheels to support said vehicle body and including one or more steerable wheels mounted for steering movement relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body;
- control means to control said steerable wheels;
- matter removal means positionable in working relation to a surface to be cleaned to remove matter therefrom, said matter removal means comprising a brush and a matter inlet suction nozzle positionable in close proximity to the surface to be cleaned;
- said brush being pivotally mounted on said vehicle body for lateral movement inwards and outwards relative to the travel direction of the vehicle about an axis relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body during said use;
- a chamber carried by said vehicle body to receive matter removed by said matter removal means in a cleaning operation;
- a duct connecting said chamber with said inlet nozzle;
- and
- suction means in communication with said chamber to draw air and matter through said matter inlet nozzle and through said duct and into said chamber;
- said matter inlet nozzle having a smooth internal profile and said nozzle including as a structural part thereof a moulding made of a polymeric material and in the form of a hollow chamber, the lower surface of which moulding provides part of said smooth internal profile;
- said hollow chamber being disposed so that said lower surface of said moulding directly overlies the surface being swept during use;
- and
- said lower surface of said moulding having a convex profile which, as seen in cross-section taken in the travel direction, smoothly merges with a curved lower portion of said duct.
10 more elements
A cleaning vehicle comprising:
- a rigid self-propelled vehicle body;
- ground wheels to support said vehicle body and including one or more steerable wheels mounted for steering movement relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body;
- control means to control said steerable wheels;
- matter removal means positionable in working relation to a surface to be cleaned to remove matter therefrom, said matter removal means comprising a brush and a matter inlet suction nozzle positionable in close proximity to the surface to be cleaned;
- said brush being pivotally mounted on said vehicle body for lateral movement inwards and outwards relative to the travel direction of the vehicle about an axis relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body during said use;
- a chamber carried by said vehicle body to receive matter removed by said matter removal means in a cleaning operation;
- a duct connecting said chamber with said inlet nozzle;
- and
- suction means in communication with said chamber to draw air and matter through the matter inlet nozzle and through said duct and into said chamber;
- the front portion of said inlet nozzle being generally convex as seen in plan view so that the air path under said front edge of said inlet nozzle to the rear region of the latter which connects same to said duct is of approximately equal length across the full operating width of the inlet nozzle;
- the forward portion of said inlet nozzle which directly overlies the surface being swept, and which has a smoothly profiled downwardly facing convex lower air guide surface, extends lengthwise of the inlet nozzle in the travel direction throughout a substantial portion of the overall dimension of the inlet nozzle measured in said travel direction, and throughout its lengthwise extent overlies directly the surface being swept and defines therewith a forwardly facing and rearwardly tapering throat in which matter is entrained in the air flow.
8 more elements
A cleaning vehicle comprising:
- a rigid self-propelled vehicle body;
- ground wheels to support said vehicle body and including one or more steerable wheels mounted for steering movement relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body;
- control means to control said steerable wheels;
- matter removal means positionable in working relation to a surface to be cleaned to remove matter therefrom, said matter removal means comprising a brush and a matter inlet suction nozzle;
- said brush being pivotally mounted on said vehicle body for lateral movement inwards and outward relative to the travel direction of the vehicle about an axis relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body during said use;
- and
- said brush being rotatable about an upwardly extending rotational axis and carried on a brush mounting arm assembly extending generally forwardly with respect to the normal direction of operative forward motion of said vehicle, to sweep matter laterally with respect to said direction, said brush mounting arm assembly comprising inner and outer arm portions connected by pivot means having a generally upwardly extending pivot axis interconnecting said portions, the relative dispositions of said brush mounting arm portions with respect to the travel direction in their normal in-use positions being such that said inner brush mounting arm portion normally extends generally forwardly with respect to the travel direction and said outer brush mounting arm portion extends generally laterally outwardly therefrom with respect to the center line of the vehicle, whereby on impact of said brush with a foreign body, the outer brush mounting arm portion can pivot with respect to said inner arm portion to permit the brush to yield in a rearward direction by folding movement of the brush mounting arm assembly.
4 more elements
A cleaning vehicle comprising:
- a rigid self-propelled vehicle body;
- ground wheels to support said vehicle body and including one or more steerable wheels mounted for steering movement relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body;
- control means to control said steerable wheels;
- matter removal means positionable in working relation to a surface to be cleaned to remove matter therefrom, said matter removal means comprising brush gear and a matter inlet suction;
- said brush gear being carried by said vehicle body and comprising a brush rotatable about an upwardly extending axis and carried on a brush mounting extending generally forwardly with respect to the normal direction of operative forward motion of said vehicle to sweep matter laterally with respect to said direction;
- said brush mounting being connected to said vehicle body for pivotal movement about a generally upwardly extending axis for lateral movement towards and away from a center line of the vehicle;
- actuating means connected to said brush mounting and acting to bias said mounting outwards with respect to said center line and towards a working position of said brush;
- adjustable stop means under remote control from a driver of said vehicle, the stop means being connected to said mounting to define a position at which said mounting stops in said outward movement;
- and
- actuating means under driver control to return said mounting towards said vehicle center line.
7 more elements
A cleaning vehicle comprising:
- a rigid self-propelling vehicle body:
- ground wheels to support said vehicle body and including one or more steerable wheels mounted for steering movement relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body;
- control means to control said steerable wheels;
- matter removal means positionable in working relation to a surface to be cleaned to remove matter therefrom, said matter removal means comprising brush gear and a matter inlet suction nozzle;
- said brush gear being pivotally mounted on said vehicle body for lateral movement inwards and outwards relative to the travel direction of the vehicle about an axis relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body during use;
- a chamber carried by said vehicle body to receive matter removed by said matter removal means in a cleaning operation;
- a duct connecting said chamber with said inlet nozzle;
- and
- suction means having its suction side connected to said chamber through screening means to draw air from said chamber thereby lowering the pressure therein and causing air and matter to be drawn through said inlet nozzle and through said duct and into said chamber where the matter is deposited;
- the pressure side of said suction means discharging screened air drawn from said chamber through said screening means to a diffuser duct have duct walls which diverge towards the outlet end thereof, for discharge to atmosphere;
- the length of said diffuser duct being at least thirty centimeters, the duct being of rectangular cross-sectional shape, all four walls of the duct diverging and the included angle between opposite sides of the duct being from three degrees to fifteen degrees.
8 more elements
A cleaning vehicle comprising:
- a rigid self-propelled vehicle body;
- ground wheels to support said vehicle body and including one or more steerable wheels mounted for steering movement relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body;
- control means to control said steerable wheels;
- matter removal means positionable in working relation to a surface to be cleaned to remove matter therefrom, said matter removal means comprising brush gear and a matter inlet suction nozzle;
- said brush gear being pivotally mounted on said vehicle body for lateral movement inwards and outwards relative to the travel direction of the vehicle about an axis relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body during use;
- a chamber carried by said vehicle body to receive matter removed by said matter removal means in a cleaning operation;
- a duct connecting said chamber with said inlet nozzle and
- suction means having its suction side connected to said chamber through screening means to draw air from said chamber thereby lowering the pressure therein and causing air and matter to be drawn through said inlet nozzle and through said duct and into said chamber where the matter is deposited;
- the pressure side of said suction means discharging screened air drawn from said chamber through said screening means to a diffuser duct having duct walls which diverge towards the outlet and thereof, for discharge to atmosphere;
- the length of said diffuser duct being at least thirty centimeters and the duct being of rectangular cross-sectional shape, two walls thereof diverging and the included angle between said diverging sides being from five degrees to twenty degrees.
7 more elements
A cleaning vehicle comprising:
- a rigid self-propelled vehicle body;
- ground wheels to support said vehicle body and including one or more steerable wheels mounted for steering movement relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body;
- control means to control said steerable wheels;
- matter removal means positionable in working relation to a surface to be cleaned to remove matter therefrom, said matter removal means comprising a brush and a matter inlet suction nozzle;
- said brush being pivotally connected by at least one mounting arm to said vehicle body for lateral movement inwards and outwards relative to the travel direction of the vehicle about an axis relative to the adjacent structure of said vehicle body during use;
- and
- connecting means for connecting said brush to said mounting arm, which connecting means includes a hollow body forming part of the load bearing support structure for said brush and serving as a housing for the drive means therefore, said hollow body having connection means for direct load-bearing connection to said mounting arm and being formed as a single hollow structure made of a polymeric material and serving as a flexible and/or resilient impact device for collisions with street furniture and the like.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.