Floor sweeper with auxiliary surface litter brush means

Claim 2

In a floor sweeper having a frame, means supporting said frame for reciprocable translation over the floor, and transversely extending sweeper brush means, the combination comprising: a. a caster mounted to said frame, b. said caster including a rotatable shaft and a floor engaging wheel fixedly disposed on the lower end of the shaft, c. an auxiliary brush member including a generally annular brush, d. and cooperative means for mounting said auxiliary brush member to said shaft so that said annular brush floatingly engages the floor and is rotatably driven in a generally horizontal plane by said shaft upon rotation of said caster wheel to sweep surface litter into the path of said sweeper brush means.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1: a. wherein said auxiliary brush member includes a brush backing through which said caster shaft passes, b. and wherein said cooperative means comprises:

Claim 4

said interengaging means being formed so that said brush backing can freely tilt relative to said shaft when said annular brush encounters an uneven surface during sweeper movement.

Claim 5

said interengaging means being formed so that said brush backing can freely tilt relative to said shaft when said annular brush encounters an uneven surface during sweeper movement.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 2 wherein said interengaging means comprises: a. a non-circular surface formed on said shaft, b. and a complimentary opening in said brush backing and disposed at said surface to rotationally lock the said backing and shaft together.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 3 in which said shaft surface and said opening have at least one flat or straight portion.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 3 in which said shaft, in section, and said opening are triangular.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 3 wherein there is substantial play between the said shaft and the edge of said opening to permit the free tilting of said brush backings on said shaft.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 2 wherein said brush backing is freely shiftable along said shaft.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 6 wherein said brush backing is freely shiftable along said shaft so that the relative generally vertical positions between said auxiliary brush member and said caster wheel can vary according to the type of floor surface.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 1 which includes: means to limit deformation of said annular brush as it rotatably and floatingly moves over the floor during sweeper movement.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 2 which includes: means to limit deformation of said annular brush upon tilting of the latter as it rotatably floats over the floor during sweeper movement.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 10 wherein said brush deformation limiting means comprises: a radially outwardly flanged lip on said brush backing which limitingly engages the floor upon substantial tilting of said backing from a generally horizontal position.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 6 wherein: a. said caster shaft is tilted from the horizontal, b. and said caster wheel is tilted at about 10* - 20* from the normal horizontal floor surface.

Claim 16

The sweeper of claim 1: a. wherein said auxiliary brush member is disposed adjacent the said sweeper brush means, b. and wherein the sweeper brush means is cut away to accommodate said auxiliary brush member.

Claim 17

In a floor sweeper having a frame, means supporting said frame for reciprocable translation over the floor, and at least one transversely extending sweeper brush, the combination comprising: a. a bracket on said frame and with said bracket having a downwardly inclined support surface, b. inclined bearing means secured to said bracket and extendind downwardly from said support surface, c. a shaft mounted for free rotation on said bearing means, said shaft being at least partially non-circular in section with at least one flat portion, d. a floor engaging wheel disposed at the lower end of said shaft, said wheel being inclined at about 10* - 20* to the horizontal, e. means for retaining said wheel and shaft on said bearing, f. an inverted cup-shaped brush backing having an opening which compliments the non-circular section of said shaft and mounted thereover in rotational locking engagement therewith so that rotation of said wheel on the floor will drive said brush backing through said shaft, g. an annular auxiliary brush mounted on said backing for floating engagement with the floor, h. there being substantial play between said shaft and the edge of said opening to permit free tilting of said brush backing on said shaft to accommodate uneven floor surfaces, i. said brush backing being freely shiftable along said shaft, j. and a radially outwardly flanged lip on said brush backing for engaging the floor upon substantial tilting of the backing from a generally horizontal position to thereby limit deformation of said auxiliary brush.

Claim 18

In a floor sweeper having a frame, means supporting said frame for reciprocable translation over the floor, and at least one transversely extending sweeper brush, the combination comprising: a. a bracket on said frame and with said bracket having a downwardly inclined support surface, b. inclined bearing means secured to said bracket and extendind downwardly from said support surface, c. a shaft mounted for free rotation on said bearing means, said shaft being at least partially non-circular in section with at least one flat portion, d. a floor engaging wheel disposed at the lower end of said shaft, said wheel being inclined at about 10* - 20* to the horizontal, e. means for retaining said wheel and shaft on said bearing, f. an inverted cup-shaped brush backing having an opening which compliments the non-circular section of said shaft and mounted thereover in rotational locking engagement therewith so that rotation of said wheel on the floor will drive said brush backing through said shaft, g. an annular auxiliary brush mounted on said backing for floating engagement with the floor, h. there being substantial play between said shaft and the edge of said opening to permit free tilting of said brush backing on said shaft to accommodate uneven floor surfaces, i. said brush backing being freely shiftable along said shaft, j. and a radially outwardly flanged lip on said brush backing for engaging the floor upon substantial tilting of the backing from a generally horizontal position to thereby limit deformation of said auxiliary brush.