Sweeper bristle and method of making

Abstract

A bristle for use in a railway roadbed broom is disclosed. The bristle is made of an elongate elastomeric core member with two elastomeric skin members bonded around it. Pieces of reinforcing stranded material are used to strengthen the interfaces between the elastomeric members.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A roadbed cleaning solid reinforced elastomeric elongate bristle having at least a first elongate elastomeric member, a second elongate elastomeric member distinct from the first elongate elastomeric member and a first piece of reinforcing stranded material; and wherein said first elongate elastomeric member and second elongate elastomeric member are bonded together with said first piece of reinforcing stranded material therebetween, and said first piece of reinforcing stranded material is further from a bristle center of gravity axis than from the nearest external surface of the bristle, and wherein said first elongate elastomeric member includes a curved external surface extending between two noncontiguous boundary portions. 
     
     
       2. The bristle of claim 1 wherein said first elongate elastomeric member includes a concave portion extending along its length, and said second elongate elastomeric member is disposed at least partly within said concave portion of said first elongate elastomeric member. 
     
     
       3. An invention for use in cleaning a roadbed comprising an elongate bristle having at least a first elongate elastomeric member, a second elongate elastomeric member distinct from the first elongate elastomeric member and a first piece of reinforcing stranded material; and wherein said first elongate elastomeric member and second elongate elastomeric member are bonded together with said first piece of reinforcing stranded material therebetween, and said first piece of reinforcing stranded material is further from a bristle center of gravity axis than from the nearest external surface of the bristle, and wherein said first elongate elastomeric member includes a cylindrically curved external surface extending between two noncontiguous boundary portions, and said first stranded material reinforcing piece includes a cylindrically curved portion, and said bristle has a generally flat surface opposite said cylindrically external surface of said first elastomeric member. 
     
     
       4. A roadbed cleaning elongate bristle having at least a first elongate elastomeric member, a second elongate elastomeric member distinct from the first elongate elastomeric member and a first piece of reinforcing stranded material; and wherein said first elongate elastomeric member and second elongate elastomeric member are bonded together with said first piece of reinforcing stranded material therebetween, and said first piece of reinforcing stranded material is further from a bristle center of gravity axis than from the nearest external surface of the bristle, and wherein said bristle further includes a third elongate elastomeric member bonded to said second elongate elastomeric member with a second piece of reinforcing stranded material therebetween, and said third elongate elastomeric member is distinct from said first and second elongate elastomeric member. 
     
     
       5. The bristle of claim 4 wherein said first elongate elastomeric piece includes a cylindrically curved external surface extending between two noncontiguous boundary portions, and said first piece of reinforcing stranded material includes a cylindrically curved portion, and said bristle has a generally flat surface opposite said cylindrically curved external surface of said first elastomeric member, and said generally flat surface is a surface on said third elongate elastomeric member. 
     
     
       6. The bristle of claim 5 wherein said first and second pieces of reinforcing stranded material are made of fabric. 
     
     
       7. An invention for use in cleaning a roadbed comprising an elongate bristle having at least a first elongate elastomeric member, a second elongate elastomeric member distinct from the first elongate elastomeric member and a first piece of reinforcing stranded material; and wherein said first elongate elastomeric member and second elongate elastomeric member are bonded together with said first piece of reinforcing stranded material therebetween, and said first piece of reinforcing stranded material is further from a bristle center of gravity axis than from the nearest external surface of the bristle, and wherein said first elongate elastomeric member is U shaped in cross-section and said second elongate elastomeric member fills the inside of the U, and said first piece of reinforcing stranded material is coextensive with the interface between said first elongate elastomeric member and second elongate elastomeric member. 
     
     
       8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said bristle further includes a third elongate elastomeric member bonded to said second elongate elastomeric member with a second piece of reinforcing stranded material therebetween, and said generally flat surface is a surface on said third elongate elastomeric member, and said first and second pieces of reinforcing stranded material are made of fabric. 
     
     
       9. The invention of claim 8 wherein each of said elongate elastomeric members is made of rubber and each of said first and second pieces of reinforcing stranded material is nylon, and said second pieces of reinforcing stranded material is further from the center of gravity axis of the bristle than from the nearest external surface of the bristle. 
     
     
       10. An invention including a plurality of elongate bristles defined by claim 1 or 4, wherein the bristles are mounted on a rotary sweeping core, each bristle having a cylindrically curved external surface as a sweeping surface. 
     
     
       11. A process for making sweeper bristles, the steps comprising, in order: (a) lining an elongate cavity of a mold with an elastomeric lining having a concave portion,   (b) installing a first piece of reinforcing stranded material into the concave portion of said elastomeric lining,   (c) inserting an elongate elastomeric core member into the concave portion of said elastomeric lining,   (d) installing a second piece of reinforcing stranded material on top of said elongate elastomeric core member,   (e) placing an elastomeric layer on top of said second piece of reinforcing stranded material,   (f) heating the mold contents, thereby forming a bristle by the bonding of said elastomeric lining to said elongate elastomeric core member with said first piece of reinforcing stranded material therebetween and the bonding of said elongate elastomeric core member to said elastomeric layer with said second piece of reinforcing stranded material therebetween.   
     
     
       12. The process of claim 11 wherein the mold has a plurality of parallel elongate cavities separated by walls, each of which is lined with elastomeric lining with a concave portion of elastomeric lining placed in each of said cavities, said first piece of reinforcing stranded material and said second piece of reinforcing stranded material installed to extend into a plurality of said mold cavities, and said elastomeric layer is placed to extend on the top of a plurality of said mold cavities such that the heating of the mold contents will result in a mold product with a plurality of elongate portions joined by relatively thin portions. 
     
     
       13. The process of claim 12 further including the step of applying pressure to the mold contents at the same time as the heating thereof, the pressure aiding in the bonding. 
     
     
       14. The process of claim 13 further including the step of cutting the mold product at each thin portion, thereby dividing the mold product into a plurality of separate elongate pieces, each elongate piece constituting at least one sweeper bristle. 
     
     
       15. The process of claim 14 further including the step of cutting each elongate piece into a plurality of sweeper bristles. 
     
     
       16. The process of claim 14 wherein each elongate mold cavity is lined with a separate piece of elastomeric lining. 
     
     
       17. The process of claim 16 wherein the elastomeric lining, elongate elastomeric core members, and elastomeric layer are made of rubber, and the first piece of reinforcing stranded material and the second piece of reinforcing stranded material are nylon. 
     
     
       18. The process of claim 17 wherein each piece of elastomeric lining is U-shaped. 
     
     
       19. The process of claim 11 or 18 wherein the elastomeric lining and elastomeric layer are relatively thin compared to the elongate elastomeric core member such that, following the heating and bonding, the stranded material reinforcing pieces will be further from a bristle center of gravity axis than from the nearest external surface of the bristle. .Iadd. 20. An invention comprising a road bed cleaning solid reinforced elastomeric elongate bristle including: elastomeric material having a cross-section with an external U-shaped sweeping curve and an external trailing straight line connecting tops of said U-shaped sweeping curve, said U-shaped sweeping curve being part of an external sweeping surface extending lengthwise on the bristle; and   a first piece of reinforcing stranded material disposed further from a cross-section center of gravity than from the nearest external surface of the bristle and a portion of said first piece of reinforcing stranded material following the contours of said external sweeping surface with elastomeric material between said portion of said first piece of reinforcing stranded material and said external sweeping surface. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. The invention of claim 20 wherein a cross-section of said bristle at least somewhere along its length has said first piece of reinforcing stranded material extending in a U-shape between two noncontiguous end points. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. The invention of claim 21 wherein a cross-section of said bristle at least somewhere along its length includes reinforcing stranded material disposed in a line parallel to and just underneath said external trailing straight line. .Iaddend..Iadd. 23. The invention of claim 22 wherein said bristle is a solid mass of elastomeric material commonly cured with said first piece of reinforcing stranded material marking off a skin portion from a core portion. .Iaddend..Iadd. 24. The invention including a plurality of bristles as defined by claim 23, wherein the bristles are mounted on a rotary sweeping core. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 25. The invention of claim 20 wherein said bristle is a solid mass of elastomeric material commonly cured with said first piece of reinforcing stranded material marking off a skin portion from a core portion. .Iaddend..Iadd. 26. The invention including a plurality of bristles as defined by claim 25 wherein the bristles are mounted on a rotary sweeping core. .Iaddend..Iadd. 27. The invention of claim 20 wherein said elastomeric material is rubber and said first place of reinforcing stranded material is nylon. .Iaddend..Iadd. 28. The invention of claim 20 wherein said first piece of reinforcing stranded material is operable to prevent premature cracking and breaking of the bristle at locations of maximum bending stress. .Iaddend..Iadd. 29. An invention comprising a plurality of road bed cleaning solid reinforced elastomeric bristles mounted to a rotary sweeper core, each bristle having:   a core portion made of elongate elastomeric material;   a skin portion made of elongate elastomeric material; and   a first piece of reinforcing stranded material marking off said core portion and said skin portion; and   wherein said skin portion has an external sweeping surface and wherein said first piece of reinforcing stranded material is further from a cross-section center of gravity than from the nearest external surface of the bristle wherein said external sweeping surface of each bristle is U-shaped in cross-section and a cross-section of each bristle at least somewhere along its length has said first piece of reinforcing stranded material extending in a U-shape between two noncontiguous end points. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 30. The invention of claim 29 wherein a cross-section of each bristle at least somewhere along its length includes reinforcing stranded material disposed in a line, parallel to, and just underneath an external trailing straight line and disposed further from a bristle cross-section center of gravity than from the nearest external surface of the bristle. .Iaddend..Iadd. 31. The invention of claim 29 wherein, for each bristle, said core portion and said skin portion are a solid mass of elastomeric material commonly cured with said first piece of reinforcing material therebetween. .Iaddend..Iadd. 32. The invention of claim 31 wherein, for each bristle, said external sweeping surface is curved between two noncontiguous boundary portions. .Iaddend..Iadd. 33. A process for making road bed cleaning solid reinforced elastomeric sweeper bristles having:   a core portion made of elongate elastomeric material;   a skin portion made of elongate elastomeric material; and   a first piece of reinforcing stranded material marking off said core portion and said skin portion; and wherein said skin portion has a curved external sweeping surface which extends between two noncontiguous boundary portions and wherein said first piece of reinforcing stranded material is further from a cross-section center of gravity than from the nearest external surface of the bristle, the steps comprising: placing said first piece of reinforcing stranded material between said skin portion and said core portion, and curing said skin portion and said core portion together into a solid mass with said first piece of reinforcing stranded material therebetween.