Disposable rotary brush core and filament assembly for power sweepers

Claim 2

A heavy duty replaceable rotary brush and drive assembly for power street sweeping machines and the like including an elongated, hollow, rigid, cylindrical core, said core having a substantially smooth inner surface from end to end thereof and providing an unobstructed passageway of approximately the same cross-sectional area from end to end of the core, filament holding means on the exterior surface of the core, brush filaments carried by said means and extending outwardly from the core, a drive shaft positioned within said core and extending from one end of said core to the other, said drive shaft carrying means providing a connection with a power source and means providing a connection for supporting arms of a power sweeping machine, and spaced couplings carried by said shaft within said core for fixing said core to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, each coupling including expansible rubberlike elements extending around said shaft and platelike elements embracing each rubberlike element, each coupling having means for moving said platelike elements toward one another to cause said rubberlike elements to bulge outwardly and grip the internal wall of said core in a frictional driving engagement, each coupling including means for holding it on said shaft for rotation therewith, one platelike element of each coupling having an outer annular portion engaging one end face of said core.

Claim 3

A heavy duty replaceable rotary brush and drive assembly for power street sweeping machines and the like including an elongated, hollow, rigid, cylindrical core, said core having a substantially smooth inner surface from end to end thereof and providing an unobstructed passageway of approximately the same cross-sectional area from end to end of the core, filament holding means on the exterior surface of the core, brush filaments carried by said means and extending outwardly from the core, a drive shaft positioned within said core and extending from one end of said core to the other, said drive shaft carrying means providing a connection with a power source and means providing a connection for supporting arms of a power sweeping machine, and spaced couplings carried by said shaft within said core for fixing core to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, each coupling including expansible rubberlike elements extending around said shaft and platelike elements embracing each rubberlike element, each coupling having means for moving said platelike elements toward one another to cause said rubberlike elements to bulge outwardly and grip the internal wall of said core in a frictional driving engagement, each rubberlike element having a normal, undistorted shape providing a clearance with the internal wall of said core and each rubberlike element having an internal aperture with a diameter providing a snug fit with said shaft in the undistorted shape of the element, whereby, upon movement of said platelike elements toward one another to cause distortion and outward expansion of said element into a frictional engagement with the internal wall of said core, said element exerts inward pressure against said shaft, each coupling including means for holding it on said shaft for rotation therewith.

Claim 4

A heavy duty replaceable rotary brush and drive assembly for power street sweeping machines and the like including an elongated, hollow, rigid, cylindrical core, said core having a substantially smooth inner surface from end to end thereof and providing an unobstructed passageway of approximately the same cross-sectional area from end to end of the core, filament holding means on the exterior surface of the core, brush filaments carried by said means and extending outwardly from the core, a drive shaft positioned within said core and extending from one end of said core to the other, said drive shaft carrying means providing a connection with a power source and means providing a connection for supporting arms of a power sweeping machine, and spaced couplings carried by said shaft within said core for fixing core to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, each coupling including expansible rubberlike elements extending around said shaft and platelike elements embracing each rubberlike element, each coupling having means for moving said platelike elements toward one another to cause said rubberlike elements to bulge outwardly and grip the internal wall of said core in a frictional driving engagement, each rubberlike element having a normal, undistorted shape providing a clearance with the internal wall of said core and each rubberlike element having an internal aperture with a diameter providing a snug fit with said shaft in the undistorted shape of the element, whereby, upon movement of said platelike elements toward one another to cause distortion and outward expansion of said element into a frictional engagement with the internal wall of said core, said element exerts inward pressure against said shaft, each coupling including means for holding it on said shaft for rotation therewith.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 2 characterized by and including means for fixing at least one platelike element of each coupling to said shaft.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 2 characterized by and including means for holding each coupling against rotation relative to said shaft.