US3959846A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotary vacuum sweeper improvement
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-05-19
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Granted: 1976-06-01
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Expires: 1995-05-19
Abstract
Abstract The improvement in a rotary vacuum or suction sweeper of the type wherein vacuum of suction is created underneath the carriage body of a wheeled vehicle by the driven rotation of blower impeller means, within a blower housing comprising a part of the carriage body. Thereby as the sweeper is moved over an area to be cleaned by an operator pushing or pulling a handle extending angularly upwardly from the vehicle in the manner in which one pushes a rotary lawn mower, dirt and debris are sucked up below the carriage body and delivered into a catch bag disposed over duct means extending rearwardly from the rotor impeller housing. With the present invention, a plate valve is interposed in such duct means, which valve, when closed, diverts the air flow from its normal path back into the catch bag, to a forwardly facing duct to which is attached a hoselike element having an open discharge end. Articulated control means are provided to extend downwardly and adjacent the machine operating handle. Such control means may be manipulated by the operator as he is pushing the machine by means of the handle, first close the plate valve, and then, after such closing has been accomplished, to direct the open end of the hose over a predetermined angle both forward and laterally of the vehicle carriage body. Thereby, not only may any dirt and/or debris which are picked up by the suction under the carriage body be blown into certain areas adjacent the sweeper, such as flower beds, gutters, drainage ditches, etc., but through the air stream passing out of the hose nozzle, dirt and/or debris ahead or adjacent the path of the machine may be similarly blown without having to be picked up underneath the machine carriage body.
Inventors
- 👤 Haruma Yasuda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 00:04
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01H; E01H1/00; E01H1/08; E01H1/0827; E01H1/0836; A; A01; A01G; A01G20/00; A01G20/40; A01G20/43; A01G20/47; A47; A47L; A47L5/00; A47L5/12; A47L5/14; A47L7/00; E01H1/0809
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
406 words
In a rotary vacuum sweeper of the type adapted to be rolled over a sidewalk or other flat horizontal surface and to pick up grass cuttings, dirt and other forms of debris, such type of sweeper having a wheeled carriage body including a housing, a rotary blower mounted on said carriage body within said housing and having blower inlet means disposed below the carriage body and adjacent to, and directed against the surface on which the carriage body is disposed for rolling movement, and a blower outlet duct within said housing, said duct extending from said housing in a first direction and terminating in an opening serving as a discharge passage for debris picked up through the blower inlet means by the low pressure condition therein created upon the rotation of the blower, power means to rotate said blower at a sufficient speed of rotation to create such low pressure condition at the inlet means, and handle means extending upwardly and angularly from said carriage body whereby said wheeled carriage may be locomoted by a force provided by an operator of the sweeper, the improvement which comprises: A. duct means mounted on said housing and having an outlet directed generally forwardly of said carriage body; B. flexible hose means, said hose means having one end attached onto said outlet of between duct means and its other end pointed downwardly and adapted to be swung through a predetermined arc the radius of which is centered on said carriage body; C. valve means disposed in said blower outlet duct, said valve means being movable betwee a first position wherein it provides substantially no interference with the flow of air from said blower to the discharge opening of said duct, and a second position wherein the flow of substantially all air through said outlet duct is diverted from said outlet opening to said duct means from whence it passes through said flexible hose means; and D. articulated control means including a rod extending upwardly from said carriage body and terminating in its upper extremity in a handle whereby the operator of said sweeper may, by grasping said handle and pushing the rod downwardly, first shift the said valve means between its first and second positions, and when said valve means is disposed in said second position, the operator may further direct said hose outlet in any direction within its said predetermined arc by rotating the rod by its handle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
406 words
In a rotary vacuum sweeper of the type adapted to be rolled over a sidewalk or other flat horizontal surface and to pick up grass cuttings, dirt and other forms of debris, such type of sweeper having a wheeled carriage body including a housing, a rotary blower mounted on said carriage body within said housing and having blower inlet means disposed below the carriage body and adjacent to, and directed against the surface on which the carriage body is disposed for rolling movement, and a blower outlet duct within said housing, said duct extending from said housing in a first direction and terminating in an opening serving as a discharge passage for debris picked up through the blower inlet means by the low pressure condition therein created upon the rotation of the blower, power means to rotate said blower at a sufficient speed of rotation to create such low pressure condition at the inlet means, and handle means extending upwardly and angularly from said carriage body whereby said wheeled carriage may be locomoted by a force provided by an operator of the sweeper, the improvement which comprises: A. duct means mounted on said housing and having an outlet directed generally forwardly of said carriage body; B. flexible hose means, said hose means having one end attached onto said outlet of between duct means and its other end pointed downwardly and adapted to be swung through a predetermined arc the radius of which is centered on said carriage body; C. valve means disposed in said blower outlet duct, said valve means being movable betwee a first position wherein it provides substantially no interference with the flow of air from said blower to the discharge opening of said duct, and a second position wherein the flow of substantially all air through said outlet duct is diverted from said outlet opening to said duct means from whence it passes through said flexible hose means; and D. articulated control means including a rod extending upwardly from said carriage body and terminating in its upper extremity in a handle whereby the operator of said sweeper may, by grasping said handle and pushing the rod downwardly, first shift the said valve means between its first and second positions, and when said valve means is disposed in said second position, the operator may further direct said hose outlet in any direction within its said predetermined arc by rotating the rod by its handle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The improvement in a rotary vacuum sweeper as described in claim 1 wherein the radius of the arc through which the hose is adapted to be swung at least at some point is directed forwardly of the carriage body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
The improvement in a rotary vacuum sweeper as described in claim 1 wherein the rod extends upwardly and angularly adjacent the machine handle means, and retainer means are provided on said handle means slidably and rotatably to hold the said rod in such adjacent relationship to the handle means, whereby the control means may be operated by the sweeper operator manipulating the rod handle at the same time he is utilizing the handle means to locomote the sweeper.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
The improvement in a rotary vacuum sweeper as described in claim 3 wherein the valve means is normally held in its first position by a spring biasing means, so that when the operator ceases manipulating the control means to shift the valve means and hold it in its second position, the valve means is returned by the spring biasing means to its first position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
The improvement in a rotary vacuum sweeper as described in claim 3 wherein the hose outlet is normally maintained in a first direction by the urging of second spring biasing means, the articulated control means includes linkage extending between the hose outlet and the lower extremity of the rod when the latter is disposed in its most downwardly depressed position and when in said depressed position, rotation of said rod operates on said linkage against the urging of said second spring biasing means to swing said hose outlet in an arc to direct the same in a second direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The improvement in a rotary vacuum sweeper as described in claim 1 wherein the articulated control means is movably supported at its lower extremity on the carriage body.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-06-01 | 1979-12-01 | 1980-06-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-06-01 | 1983-12-01 | 1984-06-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-06-01 | 1987-12-01 | 1988-06-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |