Sweeper assembly

Claim 2

A sweeper assembly, comprising: a downwardly opening housing enclosure, a rotary sweeper brush rotatably mounted within said housing, a second rotary brush rotatably mounted within said housing generally parallel to said sweeper brush located adjacent and above said sweeper brush, means rotating said brushes to lift particulate material swept by said sweeper brush and propelled by said second brush through an opening said housing, a lower baffle means having an arcuate face spaced from and confronting said sweeper brush defining a throat between said sweeper brush and said housing directing particulate material collected by said sweeper brush into said housing enclosure, toward said secondary brush, and said lower baffle having a lower edge fixed relative to said housing and spaced below the rotational axis of said sweeper brush with said rotary brush spaced below said lower end, said baffle means lower end adapted to lift said sweeper assembly and lower brush upon engaging accumulated particulate material to limit the material received through said throat into said housing and prevent clogging of said sweeper assembly.

Claim 3

The sweeper assembly defined in claim 1, characterized in that said lower baffle end is arcuate and faces downwardly to provide a ground engaging end.

Claim 4

The sweeper assembly defined in claim 2, characterized in that said lower baffle end is spaced below the rotational axis of said sweeper brush a distance greater than one-half of the radius of said sweeper brush.

Claim 5

A sweeper assembly comprising: a downwardly opening housing enclosure having a top and side walls, ground traversing wheels supporting said housing for movement along the ground, a rotary sweeper brush rotatably mounted within said housing generally perpendicular to said side walls, a second rotary brush rotatably mounted within said housing generally parallel to said sweeper brush, said second rotary brush located above and forward of said sweeper brush, means rotating said brushes to sweep particulate material into said housing, said particulate material propelled by said second rotary said brush through a housing opening and a lower baffle enclosing the forward end of said housing extending between said side walls, said baffle having an arcuate face confronting said sweeper brush and spaced closer to said sweeper brush adjacent the opening to said housing defining an expanding throat opposite said sweeper brush directing particulate material from said sweeper brush to said second brush and said baffle having an arcuate lower end fixed relative to said housing facing downwardly and spaced below the rotational axis of said sweeper brush forming a drag surface for said housing, said sweeper brush spaced below said baffle lower end whereby said arcuate baffle surface will lift said sweeper assembly and brush to limit the particulate material received within said housing and prevent clogging.

Claim 6

A sweeper assembly comprising: a downwardly opening housing enclosure having a top and side walls, ground traversing wheels supporting said housing for movement along the ground, a rotary sweeper brush rotatably mounted within said housing generally perpendicular to said side walls, a second rotary brush rotatably mounted within said housing generally parallel to said sweeper brush, said second rotary brush located above and forward of said sweeper brush, means rotating said brushes to sweep particulate material into said housing, said particulate material propelled by said second rotary said brush through a housing opening and a lower baffle enclosing the forward end of said housing extending between said side walls, said baffle having an arcuate face confronting said sweeper brush and spaced closer to said sweeper brush adjacent the opening to said housing defining an expanding throat opposite said sweeper brush directing particulate material from said sweeper brush to said second brush and said baffle having an arcuate lower end fixed relative to said housing facing downwardly and spaced below the rotational axis of said sweeper brush forming a drag surface for said housing, said sweeper brush spaced below said baffle lower end whereby said arcuate baffle surface will lift said sweeper assembly and brush to limit the particulate material received within said housing and prevent clogging.

Claim 7

The sweeper assembly defined in claim 4, characterized in that said lower baffle includes an arcuate face confronting said sweeper brush defining said throat, said arcuate face extending from said lower end away from said sweeper brush defining an expanding throat and limiting clogging of said sweeper assembly.

Claim 8

A sweeper assembly comprising: a downwardly opening housing having side walls, a rotary sweeper brush rotatably mounted within said housing generally perpendicular to said side walls and extending below said side walls to sweep particulate material into said housing, a second rotary brush rotatably mounted within said housing generally parallel to said sweeper brush in spaced relation forward and above said sweeper brush to propel the particulate material received from said sweeper brush out through an opening in said housing, an upper baffle extending between said housing side walls above said brushes having an arcuate face confronting said second brush, in spaced relation, extending toward said second brush to define a reducing throat and an outlet, a lower baffle extending between said side walls having an arcuate face confronting said sweeper brush defining an inlet throat, ground engaging wheels supporting said housing, and means rotating said sweeper brush to sweep particulate material through said inlet into said housing and rotating said second brush to propel the particulate material received from said sweeper brush through said outlet, said arcuate lower baffle extending from its lower end away from said sweeper brush to define an expanding throat limiting clogging of said housing and the space between said brushes being greater than the annular space defined between said upper baffle and said second brush to propel the particulate material received by said second brush from said housing, through said outlet.

Claim 9

A sweeper assembly comprising: a downwardly opening housing having side walls, a rotary sweeper brush rotatably mounted within said housing generally perpendicular to said side walls and extending below said side walls to sweep particulate material into said housing, a second rotary brush rotatably mounted within said housing generally parallel to said sweeper brush in spaced relation forward and above said sweeper brush to propel the particulate material received from said sweeper brush out through an opening in said housing, an upper baffle extending between said housing side walls above said brushes having an arcuate face confronting said second brush, in spaced relation, extending toward said second brush to define a reducing throat and an outlet, a lower baffle extending between said side walls having an arcuate face confronting said sweeper brush defining an inlet throat, ground engaging wheels supporting said housing, and means rotating said sweeper brush to sweep particulate material through said inlet into said housing and rotating said second brush to propel the particulate material received from said sweeper brush through said outlet, said arcuate lower baffle extending from its lower end away from said sweeper brush to define an expanding throat limiting clogging of said housing and the space between said brushes being greater than the annular space defined between said upper baffle and said second brush to propel the particulate material received by said second brush from said housing, through said outlet.

Claim 10

The sweeper assembly defined in claim 6 characterized in that said lower baffle includes a downwardly facing arcuate lower end spaced below the rotational axis of said sweeper brush extending between said side walls and fixed relative to said housing, said arcuate lower end defining a drag surface means for lifting said sweeper assembly upon engaging an accumulation of particulate material, thereby limiting the material swept into said housing to prevent clogging.

Claim 11

The sweeper assembly defined in claim 7, characterized in that said arcuate lower baffle end is spaced below the rotational axis of said sweeper brush a distance greater than one-half the radius of said sweeper brush.