Pick-up head with debris urging means for a mobile sweeper

Abstract

A debris-plowing pick-up head for a mobile sweeper comprises a housing defining a substantially hollow interior and having a front, a back, a left end and a right end, a top and a bottom, and a suctioning bottom opening for suctioning dust and small debris into the substantially hollow interior of the housing. A suctioning front opening is disposed in the front of the housing for receiving debris into the substantially hollow interior of the housing. A selectively openable and closable door means operatively mounted on the pick-up head for selectively opening and closing the suctioning front opening. There is a dust and debris outlet in the housing for permitting dust and debris to be suctioned from the substantially hollow interior of the housing into a hopper. There is also means disposed on the front of the housing for urging large debris toward the suctioning front opening, and a selectively operable actuation means for opening the door means for permitting the passage of debris therethrough.

1  . A pick-up head for a mobile sweeper, said pick-head comprising:
 a housing defining a substantially hollow interior and having a front, a back, a left end and a right end, a top and a bottom, and a suctioning bottom opening for suctioning dust and small debris into said substantially hollow interior of said housing;   a suctioning front opening disposed in the front of said housing for receiving debris into said substantially hollow interior of said housing, in debris receiving relation with respect to a surface being cleaned;   a dust and debris outlet in said housing for permitting dust and debris to be suctioned from said substantially hollow interior of said housing into a hopper; and,   means for urging large debris toward said suctioning front opening.   
   
   
       2 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said means for urging large debris toward said suctioning front opening is disposed on the front of said housing. 
   
   
       3 . The pick-up head of  claim 2 , wherein said means for urging debris towards said suctioning front opening comprises a first debris transfer belt member operatively mounted on said housing by means of pair of rollers, and further comprising selectively operable motor means for selectively moving said first debris transfer belt member, thereby moving debris towards said suctioning front opening. 
   
   
       4 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said first debris transfer belt member comprises exterior ridges for catching on debris. 
   
   
       5 . The pick-up head of  claim 4 , wherein said ridges are substantially vertically disposed. 
   
   
       6 . The pick-up head of  claim 5 , wherein said means for urging large debris towards said suctioning front opening further comprises a front wall comprising left and right sloped portions that are each sloped rearwardly and inwardly, and wherein said debris inlet is disposed at said front portion between said left and right sloped portions, in debris receiving relation with respect to a surface being cleaned. 
   
   
       7 . The pick-up head of  claim 6 , wherein said left and right sloped portions comprise a “V”-shaped front wall portion of said housing, wherein said suctioning front opening is disposed at the vertex of said “V”-shaped front wall portion. 
   
   
       8 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said suctioning front opening is disposed generally centrally in the front of said housing. 
   
   
       9 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , further comprising a selectively openable and closable door means operatively mounted on said pick-up head for selectively opening and closing said suctioning front opening. 
   
   
       10 . The pick-up head of  claim 9 , wherein said openable and closeable door means comprises at least one door member mounted in hinged relation on said housing. 
   
   
       11 . The pick-up head of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one door member is mounted so as to open inwardly into the substantially hollow interior of said housing. 
   
   
       12 . The pick-up head of  claim 9 , further comprising selectively operable actuation means for opening said door means for permitting the passage of debris therethrough. 
   
   
       13 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said dust and debris outlet is disposed in the back of said housing. 
   
   
       14 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said dust and debris outlet is generally centrally disposed in said back of said housing. 
   
   
       15 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said means for urging debris towards said suctioning front opening comprises a second debris transfer belt member operatively mounted on said housing by means of pair of rollers, and further comprising motor means for selectively moving said second debris transfer belt member, thereby move debris towards said suctioning front opening. 
   
   
       16 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said second debris transfer belt member comprises exterior ridges for catching on debris. 
   
   
       17 . The pick-up head of  claim 16 , wherein said ridges are substantially vertically disposed. 
   
   
       18 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said means for urging debris towards said suctioning front opening comprises a debris transfer vibrating pusher operatively mounted on said housing, and further comprising means for selectively vibrating said debris transfer vibrating pusher, thereby moving debris towards said suctioning front opening. 
   
   
       19 . The pick-up head of  claim 18 , wherein said vibrating pusher has a plurality of sloped teeth.