Dust suctioning pick-up head apparatus for use with a sweeping vehicle

Abstract

A dust suctioning pick-up head for a sweeping vehicle comprises a shroud defining a fore-aft longitudinal axis, and has a substantially hollow interior, a bottom edge defining a bottom opening, and a forwardly facing debris outlet for permitting the directed egress of debris from the shroud as a forwardly propelled stream of debris. At least one cylindrical main sweeping broom is disposed within the substantially hollow interior of the shroud for engaging a surface to be cleaned through the bottom opening to thereby sweep dust and debris from the surface to be cleaned and propel the dust and debris forwardly through the forwardly facing debris outlet. A dust suctioning nozzle apparatus has a dust receiving mouth in fluid communication with a dust transfer outlet connectable in fluid communication with a source of air suctioning. The dust receiving mouth is in fluid communication with the substantially hollow interior of the shroud so as to suction air therefrom, and is disposed vertically adjacent the bottom edge of the shroud so as to be in dust suctioning relation to the surface being cleaned, and rearwardly of the at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom to thereby permit the suctioning of dust from the surface to be cleaned subsequent to the surface being swept by the at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A dust suctioning pick-up head for a sweeping vehicle, said dust suctioning pick-up head comprising:
 a shroud defining a fore-aft longitudinal axis, and having a substantially hollow interior, a bottom edge defining a bottom opening, and a forwardly facing debris outlet for permitting the directed egress of debris from said shroud as a forwardly propelled stream of debris;   at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom disposed within said substantially hollow interior of said shroud for engaging a surface to be cleaned through said bottom opening to thereby sweep dust and debris from the surface to be cleaned and propel said dust and debris forwardly through said forwardly facing debris outlet; and,   a dust suctioning nozzle apparatus having a dust receiving mouth in fluid communication with a dust transfer outlet connectable in fluid communication with a source of air suctioning, wherein said dust receiving mouth is in fluid communication with said substantially hollow interior of said shroud so as to suction air therefrom, and is disposed vertically adjacent the bottom edge of said shroud so as to be in dust suctioning relation to the surface being cleaned, and rearwardly of said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom to thereby permit the suctioning of dust from the surface to be cleaned subsequent to said surface being swept by said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom.   
     
     
         2 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said dust receiving mouth generally faces the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         3 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus is mounted within said substantially hollow interior of said shroud. 
     
     
         4 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 3 , wherein said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom defines an effective lateral width oriented transversely to said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 4 , wherein said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus has a lateral width substantially the same as the lateral width of said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom. 
     
     
         6 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 5 , wherein said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus has a fore-aft distance that is less than the fore-aft surface contact measurement of said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom. 
     
     
         7 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 6 , wherein the ratio of said fore-aft distance of said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus to said width of said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus is greater than 25:1. 
     
     
         8 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 7 , wherein the ratio of said fore-aft distance of said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus to said width of said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus is about 50:1 
     
     
         9 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 3 , wherein said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus is disposed adjacent said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom. 
     
     
         10 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 3 , wherein said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus is mounted in height adjustable relation on said shroud. 
     
     
         11 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus comprises a single dust suctioning nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 12 , further comprising a front facing opening in said dust suctioning nozzle for permitting the flow of overthrown debris from said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom into said dust suctioning nozzle. 
     
     
         13 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 12 , further comprising a pliable flap for controlling the flow of overthrown debris from said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom into said front facing opening. 
     
     
         14 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein an upper rear portion of said shroud is shaped for deflecting overthrown debris from said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom forwardly of said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus and substantially preclude said overthrown debris from landing on said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 1 , wherein there is substantially no gap between said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus and the rear portion of said shroud, to thereby preclude dust from settling rearwardly of said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . A dust suctioning pick-up head for a sweeping vehicle, said dust suctioning pick-up head comprising:
 a shroud defining a fore-aft longitudinal axis, and having a substantially hollow interior, a bottom edge defining a bottom opening, and a forwardly facing debris outlet for permitting the directed egress of debris from said shroud as a forwardly propelled stream of debris;   at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom disposed within said substantially hollow interior of said shroud for engaging a surface to be cleaned through said bottom opening to thereby sweep dust and debris from the surface to be cleaned and propel said dust and debris forwardly through said forwardly facing debris outlet; and,   a dust removal apparatus having a dust receiving mouth in fluid communication with a dust transfer outlet connectable in fluid communication with a source of air suctioning, wherein said dust receiving mouth is in fluid communication with said substantially hollow interior of said shroud so as to suction air therefrom, and is disposed rearwardly of said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom to thereby permit the removal of dust from the surface to be cleaned subsequent to said surface being swept by said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom.   
     
     
         17 . A sweeping vehicle having a dust suctioning pick-up head, said sweeping vehicle comprising:
 a main body for carrying said dust suctioning pick-up head;   a shroud defining a fore-aft longitudinal axis, and having a substantially hollow interior, a bottom edge defining a bottom opening, and a forwardly facing debris outlet for permitting the directed egress of debris from said shroud as a forwardly propelled stream of debris;   a shroud mounting apparatus for mounting sais shroud on said main body for substantially free vertical movement between a plurality of vertical positions for permitting said shroud to closely track the surface to be cleaned;   at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom disposed within said substantially hollow interior of said shroud for engaging a surface to be cleaned through said bottom opening to thereby sweep dust and debris from the surface to be cleaned and propel said dust and debris forwardly through said forwardly facing debris outlet; and,   a dust suctioning nozzle apparatus having a dust receiving mouth in fluid communication with a dust transfer outlet connectable in fluid communication with a source of air suctioning, wherein said dust receiving mouth is in fluid communication with said substantially hollow interior of said shroud so as to suction air therefrom, and is disposed rearwardly of said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom to thereby permit the suctioning of dust from the surface to be cleaned subsequent to said surface being swept by said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom.   
     
     
         18 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 17 , further comprising a broom mounting apparatus for mounting said broom on said shroud for substantially free vertical movement between a plurality of vertical positions for permitting said broom to closely track the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         19 . The dust suctioning pick-up head of  claim 17 , further comprising a nozzle mounting apparatus for mounting said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus on said shroud for substantially free vertical movement between a plurality of vertical positions for permitting said dust suctioning nozzle apparatus to closely track the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         20 . A dust suctioning pick-up head system for use with a surface cleaning vehicle, said dust suctioning pick-up head system comprising:
 a shroud defining a fore-aft longitudinal axis, and having a substantially hollow interior, a bottom edge defining a bottom opening, and a forwardly facing debris outlet for permitting the directed egress of debris from said shroud as a forwardly propelled stream of debris;   at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom disposed within said substantially hollow interior of said shroud for engaging a surface to be cleaned through said bottom opening to thereby sweep dust and debris from the surface to be cleaned and propel said dust and debris forwardly through said forwardly facing debris outlet; and,   a dust suctioning fan;   a dust suctioning nozzle apparatus having a dust receiving mouth in fluid communication with a dust transfer outlet connectable in fluid communication with a source of air suctioning, wherein said dust receiving mouth is in fluid communication with said substantially hollow interior of said shroud so as to suction air therefrom, and is disposed rearwardly of said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom to thereby permit the suctioning of dust from the surface to be cleaned subsequent to said surface being swept by said at least one cylindrical main sweeping broom.