Pick-up head having a re-circulating air system for a mobile sweeping vehicle

Abstract

A pick-up head for a mobile sweeping vehicle 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, a suctioning bottom opening for suctioning dust and small debris into the substantially hollow interior of the housing. There is at least one re-circulating air inlet for receiving a flow of air into the housing, and 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. A blower fan has an air inlet and an air outlet. The air outlet is connected in fluid communication to the at least one re-circulating air inlet of the housing for providing a source of high velocity re-circulating air for introduction to the housing. The air inlet is operatively connected in fluid communication to the dust and debris outlet of the housing for removing debris-laden air therefrom. There is a selectively operable motor for operating the fan means.

1 . A pick-up head for a mobile sweeping vehicle, said pick-up 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, a suctioning bottom opening for suctioning dust and small debris into said substantially hollow interior of said housing;   at least one re-circulating air inlet for receiving a flow of air into said housing;   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;   fan means having an air inlet and an air outlet, wherein said air outlet is connected in fluid communication to said at least one re-circulating air inlet of said housing for providing a source of high velocity re-circulating air for introduction to said housing, and said air inlet is operatively connected in fluid communication to said dust and debris outlet of said housing for removing debris-laden air therefrom; and,   selectively operable motor means for operating said fan means.   
     
     
         2 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one re-circulating air inlet comprises a left re-circulating air inlet and a right re-circulating air inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The pick-up head of  claim 2 , wherein said left re-circulating air inlet is disposed at the left end of the pick-up head and said right re-circulating air inlet is disposed at the right end of the pick-up head. 
     
     
         4 . The pick-up head of  claim 3 , wherein said fan means comprises a left blower fan connected in fluid communication to the left re-circulating air inlet and a right blower fan connected in fluid communication to the right re-circulating air inlet. 
     
     
         5 . The pick-up head of  claim 3 , wherein said fan means comprises a single blower fan connected in fluid communication to said left re-circulating air inlet and said right re-circulating air inlet. 
     
     
         6 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one re-circulating air inlet comprises a single re-circulating air inlet, and wherein said fan means comprises a single blower fan connected in fluid communication to said left re-circulating air inlet and said right re-circulating air inlet. 
     
     
         7 . The pick-up head of  claim 6 , wherein said housing is substantially straight. 
     
     
         8 . The pick-up head of  claim 6 , wherein said single re-circulating air inlet is disposed at one end of said housing. 
     
     
         9 . The pick-up head of  claim 8 , wherein said suctioning front opening is disposed adjacent the opposite other end of said housing as said single re-circulating air inlet. 
     
     
         10 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , further comprising a suctioning front opening disposed in the front of said housing for receiving debris into said substantially hollow interior of said housing. 
     
     
         11 . The pick-up head of  claim 10 , wherein said suctioning front opening is disposed generally centrally in the front of said housing. 
     
     
         12 . The pick-up head of  claim 11 , 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. 
     
     
         13 . The pick-up head of  claim 12 , wherein said openable and closeable door means comprises at least one door member mounted in hinged relation on said housing. 
     
     
         14 . The pick-up head of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one door member is mounted so as to open inwardly into the substantially hollow interior of said housing. 
     
     
         15 . The pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said dust and debris outlet is disposed in the back of said housing. 
     
     
         16 . The pick-up head of  claim 15 , wherein said dust and debris outlet is generally centrally disposed in said back of said housing.