US2996742A - Highway gutter sweeper - Google Patents

Description

Aug- 22, l961 F. R. AIMERs ETAL 2,996,742

HIGHWAY GUTTER swEEPER Filed May 15, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 22, 1961 Filed May 15, "1957 F. R. AIMERS ETAL HIGHWAY GUTTER SWEEPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 22, 1961 F. R. AIMERS ETAL HIGHWAY GUTTER swEEPER Filed May l5, 1957 nited States Patent 2,996,742 HIGHWAY GUTTER SWEEPER Francis R. Aimers, Hazelcrest, and Thomas F. Murphy, Homewood, Ill., assignors to Aimers Manufacturing Company, Thornton, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 15, 1957, Ser. No. 659,363 Claims. (Cl. 15-87) Our invention relates to improvements in street sweepers.

Our invention relates more particularly to highway gutter sweepers of the type capable of attachment as a unit to the front of a highway maintenance truck or other vehicle so that it can be swung to the right or to the left to sweep the gutter along either side of the highway.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide Va highway gutter sweeper unit for attachment to the front of a highway maintenance truck or other vehicle in such manner that it can be swung about a supporting pivot to either the right or left side of the highway for operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a unit of this type hydraulically operated by a motor mounted over the broom.

A further object is to provide in a unit of the type described a generally horizontally disposed broom which may be mounted centrally in front of the vehicle for traveling when not in use and which may be swung to either the right or left side of the vehicle and held in working position when in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a generally horizontally disposed rotatable broom mounted on pantograph arms so that the working surface of the same will always be at the same angle in a raised or lowered position.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism associated with a broom of the type described for locking the same in a position centrally of the front of the truck for traveling.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a unit of the class described of means for raising the broom and associated parts to a traveling position with a hydraulic cylinder mounted on the front of the highway truck.

Other features of the invention reside in the provision of a hydraulic valve whereby the broom may be driven to revolve in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, the provision of a construction for angular displacement of the drive shaft of the broom, the manner in which the unit is mounted on the front of the highway truck, and the ease of removability of the unit by removing a pair of pins, loosening a chain and uncoupling the hydraulic hoses to the drive motor of the broom.

Other objects and advantages will bev more apparent from the following description wherein reference is had to the `accompanying drawings, upon which FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing the highway truck with the unit mounted on the front of the same and the broom swung to the left for cleaning out the left highway gutter;

FIG. 2 is generally a plan view of the unit and mounting structure on the front of the truck, showing the broom swung both to the right and to the left at 90 degrees, this showing being in dotted lines;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the gutter sweeper unit showing the same mounted onv the front of a highway truck and extended forward therefrom in a position for traveling along a highway;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan sectional view abovethe pantograph arms taken generally on the line 4-4 of Y show other parts;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing the connection of the pantograph arms to the support for the hydraulic motor and drive shaft of the broom, taken generally on the lines 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view showing the brace for the pantograph arms when the broom is in operating position, taken generally on the lines 6-6 of FIG. 4.

In the embodiment of the invention which we have chosen to illustrate and describe, we have shown a highway maintenance truck 10 which may Ibe provided with the usual radiator 11 at the front of the truck, the truck also having thefront bumper support 12 having an upright frame 14 that carries a front Z-bar 16 thereon. A pivot 18 is provided on the Z-bar to support an arm 20 that is connected at the pivot 22 with the end of a piston rod 24 in `a pivotally mounted ram 26, the lower end of the ram being supported in a bracket 28 on top of the front bumper support 12. A bumper 30 in the shape of an outwardly facing channel member is also provided across the front of the `bumper support 12, the bumper 30 having two pairs of outwardly extending ear members 32, each having an opening 34 therethrough. This is usual or standard equipment on highway maintenance trucks for carrying snow plows or other road working equipment that may be attached as a unit on the front of the highway truck. A The unit which we provide for sweeping the gutters along the highway may generally comprise a horizontally disposed broom B having a drive shaft 36 supported in a housing 38, a hydraulic motor 40 for driving the same, a pantograph arm support P, a vertical post 42 to which the pantograph arms are connected, and a supporting frame 44 that is attached by a pair of bolts to a pair of downwardly extending frame members 46 from the bumper support 12.

The frame 44 may include an upright plate 50l from which the angle members 52 extend diagonally to the supports 46 and are fastened thereto on the bolt members 54. A pair of vertical diagonal braces 56 are connected between the upright plate 50 and the diagonal braces 52. The plate 50 carries a pair of outwardly facing side plates 58 provided with aligned bolt holes 60 throughout their length and receive a channel shaped post support 62 therebetween, the legs of the channel shaped post support also having aligned bolt openings therethrough so that a bolt 64 can be passed through the four `aligned openings for positioning of the post 42 in a vertical plane. The upper and lower ends of the post support 62 may carry outwardly extending bosses 66 which have aligned openings 68 therethrough to receive a pair of pins 70 and 72 at the bottom and at the top of the post 42, the post being shorter than the space between the extended ends 66.

A chain 74 may be connected between the end of the arm 20 and a lug 76 near the top of the post 42. This connection is for the purpose of raising the sweeper unit suspended from the post from the surface of the road when it is desired to travel from one place of work to another, it being understood that when the new work location is reached, the ram permits the arm 20 to be lowered so that the sweeper unit may be lowered in the post support 62 to the desired height for operation.

The post 42 is provided with two pairs of aligned ears adjacent the top and the bottom of the same, the ears 80 having aligned openings therethrough to receive a pin 82 upon which one end of each of the arms 84 and 86 is mounted. The arms 84 and 86 extend forward and are received at their opposite Vends on a pair of similar pins 88 and 90 mounted in pairs of ears 94 and 96 which exl 3 ,f tend back'from the mounting plate 92 for the drive shaft housing 38.

The housing 38 may be generally cylindrical in shape with the drive shaft 36 extending therethrough and is provided on its back side with a at support plate 9S fastened to the plate 92 by a pair of bolts 100 and 102. The plate 92 may have an arcuate elongated slot 104 therethrough so that the angle at which the housing 38 is disposed may be laterally shifted to the right or to the left to position the broom B at the proper angle for sweeping either the right or the left gutter of the-highway.

The drive shaft housing 38 may be provided with suitable bearings therein for the support of the broom shaft 36 including a bearing 106 in a drive housing 108 positioned at the upper end of the housing 3S. This housing may also enclose the pinion 110 at the end of the motor shaft 112, a chain 114 and a sprocket 116 fastened to the upper end of the broom shaft 36.

The hydraulic motor 40 is suitably mounted on top of the housing 108 with the shaft 112 extending downwardly therefrom into the housing 108. A pair of hydraulic conduits 118 and 120 may extend from a suitable source of fluid under pressure on the maintenance truck, and the usual controls may be provided in the cab of the truck both for turning the hydraulic motor on and for directing the driving fluid to either side of the same for either clockwise or counter-clockwise movement of the broom B.

For positioning the broom unit centrally forward of the truck for driving from one job to another, we have provided a pair of diagonal braces 122 and 124 which extend from a pair of ears 126 on the housing 108 outwardly to connect to a pair of lugs 127 at both sides of the cross-bar 16 of the bumper support frame 14. When the truck arrives at the scene of action, the braces 122 and 124 may be removed and the entire unit is free to swing through an arc of approximately 180 either to the right or to the left to arrive in a sweeping position.

For holding the sweeper unit at right angles to the truck either at the right or at the left, we have providedV a rigid T-shaped brace 12S that has an arm 130y having its end 132 fastened by a bolt 134 between the ears 32 on the front bumper 30 of the truck. The arm extends outwardly and has a cross-bar 136 which bears against the back of the pantograph arms 84 and S6, thus supporting the same at right angles to the truck as the truck is moving forward in a sweeping operation. The brace 136 is of sufficient length so that the arms may move up and down through a slight angle as the sweeping progresses, the brace thus supporting the sweeper unit during the forward progress of the same.

Thus with the use ofthe T-shaped brace as provided, it can be seen that it is a simple matter to remove the brace from one set of support ears 32 and place it in the other for sweeping either the right or the left gutter of the highway. For providing a yielding or a resilient support in addition to the pantograph arms, we provide a pair of coiled spring members 140 connected to suitable lugs on both sides of the post 42, the springs being connected by a connecting rod 141 and tumbuckle 142 tov suitable lugs 146 on each side of the arm 86 at the lower end of the mounting plate 92.

From the above and foregoing description it can be seen that we have provided a highway gutter' sweeper unit which, by simply changing the brace plate, can bev used to sweep on either the right or the left side of thev highway truck. In addition, the same is easily tixedly position forward ofthe front of the truck for traveling hydraulic hoses may then be uncoupled and the sweepingunit is separated from the truck. It can be seen from the foregoing description tha-t the unit is comparatively lightv 2,996,742 1 l l ,l

in weight and is adaptable to attachment to the usual highway maintenance trucks that are in use.

While we have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of our invention, it will `be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made in the exact details shown and we do not wish to be limited in any particular; rather what we desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States l. The combination with a highway maintenance truck having a front bumper and bumper support, a hydraulic ram thereon and an arm adapted to have its end raised or lowered connected to said ram, of a forwardly extending gutter sweeper unit comprising a V-shaped support frame pivotally connected at the extended ends of its legs to said bumper support, a vertical post frame carried by said legs, a vertically disposed post rotatably mounted on said post frame, the upper end of said post connected by a chain to the end of said arm, said V-shaped support frame adapted to be raised or lowered by said chain, a pair of vertically aligned parallel arms pivotally connected to and extending from said post, a plate pivotally connected to and carried at the outer end of said arms and a broom assembly carried by said plate, said broom assembly comprising a drive shaft housing fastened to said plate, a vertical drive shaft therein, a hydraulic motor mounted on said housing, a chain drive from said motor to said drive shaft and a horizontally disposed broom fastened to the bottom end of said drive shaft.

2. The combination with a highway maintenance truck having a front bumper and bumper support, a hydraulic ram thereon and an arm adapted to have its end raised or lowered connected to said ram, of a forwardly extending gutter sweeper unit comprising a V-shaped support frame pivotally connected at the extended ends of its legs to said `bumper support, a vertical post frame carried by said legs, a vertically disposed post rotatably mounted on said post frame, the upper end of said post connected a chain to the end of said arm, said V-shaped support frame adapted to be raised or lowered by said chain, a pair of vertically aligned parallel arms pivotally connected to and extending from said post, a plate pivotally connected to and carried at the outer end of said arms and a broom assembly carried by said plate, said broom assembly comprising a drive shaft housing fastened to said plate, a vertical drive shaft therein, a hydraulic motor mounted on said housing, a chain drive from said motor to said drive shaft and a horizontally disposed broom fastened to the bottom end of said drive shaft, said drive shaft housing being mounted for angular adjustment on said plate.

3. The combination with a highway maintenance truck having a front bumper and bumper support, a hydraulic ram thereon and an arm adapted to have its end raised or lowered connected to said ram, of a forwardly extending gutter sweeper unit comprising a V-shaped support frame pivotally connected at the extended ends of its legs to said bumper support, a vertical post frame carried by said legs, a vertically disposed post rotatably mounted on said post frame, the upper end of said post connectedl by a chain to the end of said arm, said V-shaped support' frame adapted to be raised or lowered by said chain, a pair of pivoted parallel arms extending from said post, a broom assembly including a hydraulic motor connected to the end of said arms and a brace for attachment to said bumper to bear against said arms and limit swinging movement of said broom assembly.

4. The combination with a highway maintenance truck having a front bumper and bumper support, a hydraulic ram thereon and an arm adapted to have its end raised or lowered connected to said ram, of a forwardly extending gutter sweeper unit comprising a V-shaped support frame pivotally connected at the extended ends of its legs to said bumper support, a vertical post frame carried by said legs, a vertically disposed post rotatably mounted on said post frame, the upper end of said post connected by a chain to the end of said arm, said V- shaped support frame adapted to be raised or lowered by said chain, a pair of pivoted parallel arms extending from said post, a broom assembly including a hydraulic motor connected to the end of said arms and a brace for attachment to said bumper to bear against said arms and limit swinging movement of said broom assembly, said brace being T-shaped and secured at the bottom end of its stem to the bumper and extending forward therefrom with the vertical cross-bar adjacent one side of the parallel arms.

5. A highway gutter sweeper unit capable of attachment to a highway maintenance truck having a front bumper support, comprising a frame having a pair of forwardly directed converging braces, said braces adapted to be attached at their diverging ends to the truck bumper support, a rotatably mounted vertically disposed pos-t carried between the forward ends of said braces at their meeting ends, a horizontally disposed broom, a drive shaft extending upwardly therefrom, a drive shaft housing, a mounting plate for said housing, said housing mounted for angular adjustability on said plate, a pair of pins ycarried by said plate, -a pair of pins carried by said post and -a pair of vertically arranged parallel arms connected between said sets of pins lwhereby said broom may be raised or lowered and kept lat a constant angle with the highway.

6. A highway gutter sweeper unit capable of attachment to a highway maintenance truckhaving a front bumper support, comprising a frame having a pair of forwardly directed converging braces, said braces adapted to be attached at their diverging ends to the truck bumper support, 4a rotatably mounted vertically disposed post carried between the forward ends of said braces Iat their meeting ends, a horizontally disposed broom, a drive shaft extending upwardly therefrom, a drive shaft housing, a mounting plate lfor said housing, said housing angularly disposable on said plate, ya pair of pins carried by said plate, a pair of pins carried by said post Iand a pair of vertically arranged parallel arms connected between said sets of pins whereby said broom many be raised or lowered and kept at a constant angle with the highway, and means for raising said broom positioned on the front end of said truck.

7. A highway gutter -sweeper unit capable of attachment to a highway maintenance truck having a front bumper support, comprising a frame having a pair of braces extending diagonally forwardly in the same horizontal plane lfrom spaced points on the truck bumper support to meet at an apex, an outwardly directed vertically disposed channel connected to the apex of said braces, an inwardly facing vertically disposed channel carried therein, a post support frame carried by said second channel member, a vertical post supported in -said frame, Ia set of pins carried by said post, a horizontally disposed broom, a vertically disposed drive shaft eX- tending upwardly therefrom, a drive shaft housing, a vertical mounting plate fastened to said housing, a Vertically arranged parallel set of cross pins carried by said post and fa pair of :arms colnnected between said sets of pins whereby said broom may be raised or lowered and kept at the same angle, and means for raising said broom positioned on the front end of said truck, said means comprising a hydraulically operated pivoted arm connected to the top of said vertically disposed post.

8. A highway gutter Ysweeper unit capable of attachment to a highway maintenance truck having a front bumper support, comprising a frame having a pair of braces extending diagonally forwardly in the same horizontal plane from spaced points on the truck bumper support to meet at an apex, an outwardly directed vertically disposed channel connected to the apex of said braces, an inwardly facing vertically disposed channel carried therein, a post support frame carried by said second channel member, a vertical post supported in said frame, a set of pins carried by said post, a horizontally disposed broom, a vertically disposed drive shaft extending upwardly therefrom, a drive shaft housing, a vertical mounting plate fastened to said housing, a set of cross pins carried by said post and -a pair of vertically arranged parallel arms connected 'between said sets of pins whereby said broom may be raised or lowered and kept at the same angle, said arms and broom assembly capable of rotation -about said post to either the left or right side of said truck and a T-shaped Ibrace connected to said truck bumper and adapted to bear against Iboth of said arms to limit movement of -said broom assembly about said post.

9. The combination with a highway maintenance truck having a front bumper and bumper support, a hydraulic ram thereon and a pivoted arm connected to said ram, of a gutter sweeper unit comprising a support frame formed of a pair of braces extending diagonally forwardly from spaced points on the truck bumper support to meet at an apex, a support post mounting assembly carried by said frame, a chain connected between a por-tion of said support post mounting assembly and one end of said arm, an upright support channel carried by said assembly, a post mounting bracket vertically slidably mounted in said support channel, a post pivotally mounted in said bracket, -a pair of parallel arms extending from said post, a plate carried at the outer end of said arms and a horizontally -disposed broom assembly carried -by said plate.

vl0. The combination with a highway maintenance truck having a front bumper and bumper support, a hydraulic ram thereon and a pivoted arm connected to said ram, of a gutter sweeper unit comprising a support frame formed of a pair of braces extending diagonally forwardly from spaced points on the truck bumper support to meet at an apex, an upright support channel carried by said braces, a post mounting bracket vertically slidably mounted in said support channel, 4a post pivotally mounted in said bracket, a chain connected between an end of said arm and said post, a pair of vertically arranged parallel arms extending from said post, a plate carried at the outer end of said arms, -a horizontally disposed broom assembly carried by said plate, said broom assembly capable of being carried directly 'in front of said truck when not in use and of being swung 90 to either right or left for a gutter sweeping operation, and said front bumper having a brace member extending forward therefrom to bear against said arms when swung to either side for a sweeping oper-ation.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,901,647 Howald Mar. 14, 1933 2,248,012 Phillips July 1, 1941 2,259,632 Grace Oct. 2l, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 651,826 Great Britain Apr. 11, 1951

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