US2009083920A1PendingUtilityA1

Surface tracking sweeping broom apparatus for use with a vehicle

53
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Sep 25, 2007Filed: Sep 25, 2008Published: Apr 2, 2009
Est. expirySep 25, 2027(~1.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Roger P. Vanderlinden
E01H 1/045
53
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A sweeping broom apparatus comprises a main body having a debris receiving inlet, and connecting arms for operatively connecting the main body to a vehicle. A broom shroud has a forwardly facing debris outlet for permitting the directed egress of debris therefrom as a forwardly propelled stream of debris. There are arms for mounting the broom shroud on the main body, for free vertical movement of the broom shroud with respect to the main body. A main sweeping broom is operatively mounted free vertical movement within the broom shroud for propelling debris forwardly from a surface being cleaned, thereby creating a stream of debris propelled forwardly through the forwardly facing debris outlet to a the debris receiving inlet of the vehicle. A dust-containing pliable cover is connected in substantially sealed relation to the broom shroud at the forwardly facing debris outlet and connected in substantially sealed relation to the vehicle at the debris receiving inlet for containing dust from the stream of debris propelled forwardly through the forwardly facing debris outlet.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A sweeping broom apparatus comprising:
 a main body having a debris receiving inlet;   connecting means for operatively connecting said main body to a vehicle;   a broom shroud having a front end, a back end, an open bottom defined by a bottom edge, and a forwardly facing debris outlet for permitting the directed egress of debris therefrom as a forwardly propelled stream of debris;   means for mounting said broom shroud on said main body, for free vertical movement of said broom shroud with respect to said main body;   airflow obstructing means disposed around the bottom edge of said broom shroud for substantially obstructing the egress of air from between the bottom edge of said broom shroud and the surface being cleaned;   a main sweeping broom operatively mounted within said broom shroud for propelling debris forwardly from a surface being cleaned, thereby creating a stream of debris propelled forwardly through said forwardly facing debris outlet to said debris receiving inlet of said vehicle; and,   a dust-containing pliable cover connected in substantially sealed relation to said broom shroud at said forwardly facing debris outlet and connected in substantially sealed relation to said main body at said debris receiving inlet for containing dust from said stream of debris propelled forwardly through said forwardly facing debris outlet.   
   
   
       2 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said dust-containing pliable cover is connected in removable and replaceable relation to said broom shroud at said forwardly facing debris outlet. 
   
   
       3 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said dust-containing pliable cover is connected in removable and replaceable relation to said main body at said debris receiving inlet. 
   
   
       4 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said dust-containing pliable cover is bellows-shaped. 
   
   
       5 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said dust-containing pliable cover is made from is chosen from the group of rubber, canvas, and rubber-covered canvas. 
   
   
       6 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said connecting means for operatively connecting said main body to a vehicle comprises a pair of forwardly extending upper arm members and a pair of forwardly extending lower arm members. 
   
   
       7 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said forwardly extending upper arm members are connected in pivoting relation at their respective back ends to said main body. 
   
   
       8 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said forwardly extending lower arm members are connected in pivoting relation at their respective back ends to said main body. 
   
   
       9 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said means for mounting said broom shroud on said main body comprises left and right mounting arms. 
   
   
       10 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said left and right mounting arms are connected in pivoting relation to said broom shroud and in pivoting relation to said main body. 
   
   
       11 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said sweeping broom apparatus further comprises a debris receiving hopper, wherein said debris receiving inlet is at said debris receiving hopper. 
   
   
       12 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said broom shroud is disposed immediately rearwardly of said hopper. 
   
   
       13 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said dust-containing pliable cover is connected in substantially sealed relation to said debris receiving hopper at said debris receiving inlet. 
   
   
       14 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said sweeping broom apparatus further comprises a debris receiving elevator, wherein said debris receiving inlet is at said debris receiving elevator. 
   
   
       15 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said broom shroud is disposed immediately rearwardly of said elevator. 
   
   
       16 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said dust-containing pliable cover is connected in substantially sealed relation to said debris receiving elevator at said debris receiving inlet. 
   
   
       17 . A sweeping broom apparatus comprising:
 a main body having a debris receiving inlet;   connecting means for operatively connecting said main body to a vehicle;   a broom shroud having a front end, a back end, an open bottom defined by a bottom edge, and a forwardly facing debris outlet for permitting the directed egress of debris therefrom as a forwardly propelled stream of debris;   means for mounting said broom shroud on said main body, for free vertical movement of said broom shroud with respect to said main body;   airflow obstructing means disposed around the bottom edge of said broom shroud for substantially obstructing the egress of air from between the bottom edge of said broom shroud and the surface being cleaned;   a main sweeping broom operatively mounted within said broom shroud for propelling debris forwardly from a surface being cleaned, thereby creating a stream of debris propelled forwardly through said forwardly facing debris outlet to said debris receiving inlet of said vehicle; and,   means for mounting said main sweeping broom on one of said broom shroud and said vehicle, for free vertical movement of said main sweeping broom with respect to said broom shroud and said vehicle.   
   
   
       18 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said connecting means for operatively connecting said main body to a vehicle comprises a pair of forwardly extending upper arm members and a pair of forwardly extending lower arm members. 
   
   
       19 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said forwardly extending upper arm members are connected in pivoting relation at their respective back ends to said main body. 
   
   
       20 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said forwardly extending lower arm members are connected in pivoting relation at their respective back ends to said main body. 
   
   
       21 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said means for mounting said broom shroud on said main body comprises left and right mounting arms. 
   
   
       19 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said left and right mounting arms are connected in pivoting relation to said broom shroud and in pivoting relation to said main body. 
   
   
       20 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said means for mounting said broom shroud on a vehicle comprises left and right mounting arms. 
   
   
       21 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said left and right mounting arms are connected in pivoting relation to said broom shroud and in pivoting relation to said main body. 
   
   
       22 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said sweeping broom apparatus further comprises a debris receiving hopper, wherein said debris receiving inlet is at said debris receiving hopper. 
   
   
       23 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said broom shroud is disposed immediately rearwardly of said hopper. 
   
   
       24 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said sweeping broom apparatus further comprises a debris receiving elevator, wherein said debris receiving inlet is at said debris receiving elevator. 
   
   
       25 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein said broom shroud is disposed immediately rearwardly of said elevator. 
   
   
       26 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said means for mounting said main sweeping broom on one of said broom shroud and said vehicle comprises left and right mounting arms. 
   
   
       27 . The sweeping broom apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein said left and right mounting arms are connected in pivoting relation to said main sweeping broom and in pivoting relation to said main body.

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