US3604051A — Powered sweeping machine

Claim 1

Independent Claim 260 words

A cleaning machine having a vehicle frame and a body portion and means to propel said cleaning machine for movement along a surface, a cleaning means mounted on said vehicle frame to clean the surface over which the machine is passing, and a hopper for receiving material from said cleaning means, said hopper being positioned ahead of said cleaning means in the normal direction of movement of said machine, characterized in that there are provided means for mounting said hopper including a pair of lift arms means, support means to pivotally mount said lift arm means to said vehicle frame, said support means extending above the body of the machine, the lift arm means being pivotally connected to said support means at position spaced above the body of the machine, means to mount said hopper to lower ends of said lift arm means, and power means to move said lift arm means to raise said hopper, said hopper and lift arm means being moved by said power means so that said hopper is above a horizontal plane passing through the pivotal axis of said lift arm means when the lift arm means are in raised position, said means to mount said hopper to said lift arm means includes a hopper frame member carried by said lift arm means, means to pivotally mount said hopper to said hopper frame member, and stop means between the hopper frame member and the hopper to limit the pivotal movement of said hopper with respect to the hopper frame member in both directions of pivoting.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 260 words

A cleaning machine having a vehicle frame and a body portion and means to propel said cleaning machine for movement along a surface, a cleaning means mounted on said vehicle frame to clean the surface over which the machine is passing, and a hopper for receiving material from said cleaning means, said hopper being positioned ahead of said cleaning means in the normal direction of movement of said machine, characterized in that there are provided means for mounting said hopper including a pair of lift arms means, support means to pivotally mount said lift arm means to said vehicle frame, said support means extending above the body of the machine, the lift arm means being pivotally connected to said support means at position spaced above the body of the machine, means to mount said hopper to lower ends of said lift arm means, and power means to move said lift arm means to raise said hopper, said hopper and lift arm means being moved by said power means so that said hopper is above a horizontal plane passing through the pivotal axis of said lift arm means when the lift arm means are in raised position, said means to mount said hopper to said lift arm means includes a hopper frame member carried by said lift arm means, means to pivotally mount said hopper to said hopper frame member, and stop means between the hopper frame member and the hopper to limit the pivotal movement of said hopper with respect to the hopper frame member in both directions of pivoting.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 121 words

The machine as specified in claim 1 wherein said hopper has a transverse debris opening adjacent said cleaning means in position to receive material from the cleaning means, and door means for closing said debris opening, said door means including an upper section and a lower section, said upper section being pivotally mounted about a transverse pivot at an upper edge of said debris opening, said lower section being pivotally mounted to the hopper about a transverse pivot and forming an extension of a bottom wall of said hopper most closely adjacent said cleaning means, and means to move said uPper and lower door sections into a closed position wherein they together substantially close off the debris opening to said hopper.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 166 words

In a sweeping machine having a frame, means to propel and steer said frame, a sweeping brush, and a hopper for receiving material and dirt swept by said brush, the improvement comprising means for mounting said hopper including lift arm means pivotally mounted on said frame for movement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis, power means to move said arms from a lowered to a raised position, a U-shaped member fixedly mounted with respect to said lift arm means and movable therewith, said U-shaped member extending along the sides of said hopper and across the front of said hopper, means to pivotally mount said hopper to said U-shaped member at opposite sides thereof, and stop means to limit pivotal movement of said hopper with respect to said U-shaped member, a curb brush, means to vertically pivotally mount said curb brush to said U-shaped member adjacent a forward corner thereof, said curb brush thereby being lifted with said U-shaped member whenever said lift arm means are moved.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 166 words

In a sweeping machine having a frame, means to propel and steer said frame, a sweeping brush, and a hopper for receiving material and dirt swept by said brush, the improvement comprising means for mounting said hopper including lift arm means pivotally mounted on said frame for movement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis, power means to move said arms from a lowered to a raised position, a U-shaped member fixedly mounted with respect to said lift arm means and movable therewith, said U-shaped member extending along the sides of said hopper and across the front of said hopper, means to pivotally mount said hopper to said U-shaped member at opposite sides thereof, and stop means to limit pivotal movement of said hopper with respect to said U-shaped member, a curb brush, means to vertically pivotally mount said curb brush to said U-shaped member adjacent a forward corner thereof, said curb brush thereby being lifted with said U-shaped member whenever said lift arm means are moved.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 117 words

The combination as specified in claim 3 wherein said hopper has a transverse debris opening adjacent said sweeping brush in position to receive material swept by said brush, and upper and lower door sections for closing said debris opening, said upper door section being pivotally mounted about a transverse pivot adjacent an upper edge of said debris opening, and means to move said upper and lower door sections into a closed position wherein they together substantially close off the opening to said hopper, said lift arm means moves said hopper to position wherein the bottom wall thereof passes through a vertical plane and moves past said vertical plane as said lift arms move to said raised position.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 99 words

The combination as specified in claim 3 wherein said hopper is divided into upper and lower compartments by a divider wall spaced upwardly from the bottom of said hopper, an opening defined is said divider wall and positioned to permit dust to fall under gravity from the upper compartment to the lower compartment, door means for said opening in said divider wall and movable from a closed position wherein the opening in said divider wall is closed to an open position wherein said opening is open, and means to move said door means between said open and closed positions.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 65 words

The combination as specified in claim 3 wherein said curb brush is positioned adjacent a forward corner of said hopper frame member, and wherein said curb brush has a normal sweeping position, and means associated with such upright pivot to permit said curb brush to move toward the center of said machine about said upright pivot from said normal sweeping position upon encountering an obstruction.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 60 words

The machine of claim 1 wherein means to propel said cleaning machine comprises a fluid motor having an output shaft, means to mount said fluid motor on said vehicle frame, a drive wheel for said cleaning machine, and means to mount said drive wheel directly on said fluid motor shaft whereby the wheel is supported and driven by said shaft.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 79 words

The combination as specified in claim 5, filter bags mounted in said upper compartment for filtering swept material from air flowing through the upper compartment, and agitator means for shaking said filter bags, electric power means for running said agitator means, and solenoid means for controlling movement of said door means to its open position, said electric power means and said solenoid means being connected in circuit means wherein said electric power means and said solenoid means operate simultaneously.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 68 words

The combination as specified in claim 5 wherein said divider wall includes a section extending substantially upright adjacent the front wall of said hopper and spaced therefrom, a second opening being defined in said upright section, an opening in said front wall of said hopper to permit access to the interior of said hopper, and second door means covering said opening in the front wall of said hopper.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-09-13	1975-03-15	1975-09-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-09-13	1979-03-15	1979-09-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-09-13	1983-03-15	1983-09-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Powered sweeping machine

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