Sweeping machine with multi-component moldboard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017145646-A1
Application number	US-201615357439-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 21, 2016
Priority date	Nov 24, 2015
Publication date	May 25, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicular sweeping machine includes a frame, a broom that is adapted to rotate about a generally horizontal axis and a broom enclosure. The broom enclosure has a left end gate, a right end gate and a moldboard assembly including an outer moldboard and an inner moldboard which are arranged to form a labyrinth seal at the rear of the broom enclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicular sweeping machine comprising:
(a) a frame; (b) means for driving the vehicular sweeping machine in a forward sweeping direction; (c) a broom enclosure comprising:
(i) a left end gate;
(ii) a right end gate;
(iii) a moldboard assembly comprising an outer moldboard and an inner moldboard which are arranged to form a labyrinth seal at the rear of the broom enclosure;
(d) a broom comprising a generally cylindrical tube with attached bristles that is mounted in the broom enclosure and adapted to rotate about a generally horizontal axis; (e) a broom conveyor having a lower end that is disposed within the broom enclosure.

2 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein the arrangement of the outer moldboard and the inner moldboard provides a sloped moldboard surface at the rear of the broom enclosure that sheds material onto the roadway on which the machine is operated regardless of the length of the bristles of the broom.

3 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 2 wherein the moldboard assembly comprises:
(a) an outer moldboard comprising:
(i) a generally rigid upper panel having a pair of integral side panels;
(ii) a generally rigid lower panel that is joined to the upper panel with a hinged attachment;

(b) an inner moldboard comprising an inner curved moldboard panel that is attached at the top of the upper panel of the outer moldboard by a hinge, said inner moldboard having a pair of integral side panels that are adapted to slide across the end gates of the broom enclosure.

4 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 3 wherein the moldboard assembly is configured and arranged to automatically adjust to accommodate brooms having various bristle lengths.

5 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 4 wherein the outer moldboard and the inner moldboard are configured and arranged with respect to the broom so that the lower end of the inner moldboard remains in contact with the bristles of broom regardless of the length of such bristles.

6 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 5 wherein the outer moldboard and the inner moldboard are configured and arranged so that the bristles of a broom with a large sweeping diameter will contact the inside surface of the inner moldboard in such a way that the inside angle between the upper panel and the lower panel of the outer moldboard is larger than the inside angle between the upper panel and the lower panel when the bristles of a broom with a smaller sweeping diameter contact the inside surface of the inner moldboard.

7 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein the broom enclosure substantially encloses the broom.

8 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein:
(a) the broom assembly includes:
(i) a left hub mount arm having a left hub mounted thereto, said left hub having an inner broom engaging portion on the inside of the left hub mount arm;
(ii) a right hub mount arm having a right hub mounted thereto, said right hub having an inner broom engaging portion on the inside of the right hub mount arm;
(iii) an outer tube that is attached to the rear of the broom enclosure and to one of the left and right hub mount arms;
(iv) an inner tube having a fixed end that is attached to the left or right hub mount arm to which the outer tube is not attached, said inner tube also having a free end that is adapted to slide within the outer tube;
(v) a linear actuator that is attached between the broom enclosure and the left or right hub mount arm to which the fixed end of the inner tube is attached, said linear actuator being adapted to move the hub mount arm to which it is attached between an inner position in which the broom is engaged with the inner broom engaging portion of the left hub and the inner broom engaging portion of the right hub and an outer position in which the broom is disengaged from one or both of the inner broom engaging portion of the left hub and the inner broom engaging portion of the right hub;

(b) the broom is mounted between the inner broom engaging portion of the left hub and the inner broom engaging portion of the right hub.

9 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein the broom assembly includes a material presentation system that moves material into contact with the broom in the form of a windrow that is located generally in front of the center of the broom assembly.

10 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein the broom assembly includes:
(a) a knock-down blade that is located on the front side of the broom assembly and above the surface of the roadway and is adapted to control the height of the material on the roadway that is contacted by the broom;
(b) a rake which is located behind the knock-down blade and in contact with the surface of the roadway.

11 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 10 wherein the rake comprises a rake rod and a plurality of tines which are flexibly mounted thereto.

12 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 11 wherein the rake is V-shaped and comprises two equal-sized rake portions, each comprising a rake rod and a plurality of tines mounted thereto, which rake rods meet at an angle of about 150°.

13 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 1 wherein the broom assembly comprises:
(a) a left end gate and a right end gate on opposite sides of the broom enclosure;
(b) a knock-down blade that is located at the front of the broom assembly and somewhat above the surface of the roadway so as to control the height of material on the roadway that is contacted by the broom;
(c) a left foot assembly comprising:
(i) a horizontally disposed left bottom panel;
(ii) an angled left lower wall;
(iii) an angled left upper face that is adjacent to the left side of the lower end of the discharge conveyor;

(d) a right foot assembly comprising:
(i) a horizontally disposed right bottom panel;
(ii) an angled right lower wall;
(iii) an angled right upper face that is adjacent to the right side of the lower end of the discharge conveyor.

14 . The vehicular sweeping machine of claim 13 wherein:
(a) the left foot assembly:
(i) includes a left foot ski which is adapted to slide along the roadway;
(ii) is positioned on the broom assembly so that a gap is created between the left bottom panel and the roadway surface;

(b) the right foot assembly:
(i) includes a right foot ski which is adapted to slide along the roadway;
(ii) is positioned on the broom assembly so that a gap is created between the right bottom panel and the roadway surface.

Assignees

• Roadtec Inc

Inventors

• Petty Chris
• Michaels Brent

Classifications

• E01H1/056

  having horizontal axes · CPC title

• E01H1/04

  taking- up the sweepings, e.g. for collecting, for loading {(with dust collector; E01H1/0854 takes precedence; suction machines with brushes E01H1/0845, E01H1/0872; taking- up devices with other mechanical loosening instruments E01H1/106)} · CPC title

• E01H1/047

  Collecting apparatus characterised by the hopper or by means for unloading the hopper · CPC title

• E01H1/042

  the loading means being an endless belt or an auger · CPC title

• E01H1/045 Primary

  the loading means being a rotating brush with horizontal axis (E01H1/042 takes precedence) · CPC title