Gutter broom assembly for a street sweeping machine

Claim 2

In a street sweeping vehicle having a main frame, a gutter broom disposed on one side of the vehicle, a gear box having an input shaft and having an output shaft extending downward and coupled to the gutter broom for both supporting and drivingly rotating the same, a side frame supported from the main frame for raising or lowering movements, a swivel mechanism carried by the side frame and pivotally supporting the gear box for movement about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle so that both the gear box and the gutter broom may pivot in a vertical plane extending substantially transverse to the direction of movement of the vehicle, and a motor having an output shaft drivingly coupled to the input shaft of the gear box, improved power drive means comprising: a housing for the motor; a housing for the gear box; means rigidly supporting the motor housing from the gear box housing; means directly coupling the motor output shaft to the input shaft of the gear box in axial alignment therewith; and flexible means coupled from the vehicle main frame to the motor housing for providing power to the motor; the gear box and shafts serving to shield the motor from road shocks encountered by the gutter broom.

Claim 3

A street sweeper as in claim 1 wherein said motor is a hydraulic motor and said flexible means are a pair of hoses.

Claim 4

A street sweeper as in claim 1 wherein said gear box has a reduction gear mechanism therein.

Claim 5

A street sweeping vehicle comprising, in combination: a main frame; a side frame in the form of an elongated parallelogram having one of its ends secured to said main frame, the other end of said side frame being adapted to be selectively raised or lowered; an auxiliary housing secured to said other end of said side frame as an extension thereof; a right-angle reducing gear box having an input shaft and an output shaft, said reducing gear box being disposed within said auxiliary housing; pivotal means supporting said gear box within said auxiliary housing such that said input shaft of said gear box extends longitudinally within said side frame, while said output shaft thereof extends in a downward direction; said gear box being pivotally mounted in said auxiliary housing about the axis of said input shaft; a generally circular gutter broom attached to the lower end of said output shaft so that said output shaft may both vertically support and rotatingly drive said gutter broom; a hydraulic motor having an output shaft and a motor housing, said motor being positioned within said side frame with said motor output shaft being axially aligned with said input shaft of said gear box; means rigidly coupling said motor output shaft to said gear box input shaft; means rigidly supporting said motor housing from said auxiliary housing; and a pair of flexible hoses coupled from said main frame to said motor housing for supplying hydraulic fluid to the motor to energize the same; said gear box and shafts serving to shield said hydraulic motor from road shocks encountered by the gutter broom.

Claim 6

A street sweeping vehicle comprising, in combination: a main frame; a side frame in the form of an elongated parallelogram having one of its ends secured to said main frame, the other end of said side frame being adapted to be selectively raised or lowered; an auxiliary housing secured to said other end of said side frame as an extension thereof; a right-angle reducing gear box having an input shaft and an output shaft, said reducing gear box being disposed within said auxiliary housing; pivotal means supporting said gear box within said auxiliary housing such that said input shaft of said gear box extends longitudinally within said side frame, while said output shaft thereof extends in a downward direction; said gear box being pivotally mounted in said auxiliary housing about the axis of said input shaft; a generally circular gutter broom attached to the lower end of said output shaft so that said output shaft may both vertically support and rotatingly drive said gutter broom; a hydraulic motor having an output shaft and a motor housing, said motor being positioned within said side frame with said motor output shaft being axially aligned with said input shaft of said gear box; means rigidly coupling said motor output shaft to said gear box input shaft; means rigidly supporting said motor housing from said auxiliary housing; and a pair of flexible hoses coupled from said main frame to said motor housing for supplying hydraulic fluid to the motor to energize the same; said gear box and shafts serving to shield said hydraulic motor from road shocks encountered by the gutter broom.