Abstract: A method of operating a sweeping machine, including a battery, a positioning receiver, a battery charge monitoring system and a computer, and having a cleaning and a transport mode of operation The method comprising the steps of: a) providing the computer with the location of a charging station, b) using the positioning receiver to provide the computer with the location of the sweeping machine, c) using the computer to provide an estimate of an amount of energy required to drive the sweeping machine from its location to the charging station in the transport mode, d) using the battery charge monitoring system to provide the computer with the amount of energy remaining in the battery, e) using the computer to compare the estimate with this amount of energy, and f) providing an operator notification when the amount of energy remaining in the battery falls below a predetermined amount of the estimate.

Abstract: A cleaning machine having two front wheels and two rear wheels supporting a chassis, the chassis having a central spine, the cleaning machine including a first electrical cell for propelling the cleaning machine, said first electrical cell being positioned between one of the front wheels and one of the rear wheels and outboard of the central spine.

Abstract: A method of operating an electric vehicle including the steps of: (1) providing the electric vehicle (2) providing an electric load device on the electric vehicle (3) providing a first battery on the electric vehicle with a first state of charge (4) providing a second battery on the electric vehicle with a second state of charge lower than the first state of charge (5) determining an initial state of charge of the first battery (6) determining an initial state of charge of the second battery (7) connecting the first battery to the electric load device (8) measuring the current flow from the first battery (9) calculating an instantaneous state of charge of the first battery (10) comparing the instantaneous state of charge of the first battery with the initial state of charge of the second battery, and (11) when the instantaneous state of charge of the first battery reaches a predetermined percentage of the initial state of charge of the second battery, connecting the second battery in parallel with the first b

Abstract: A method of operating a sweeping machine, including a battery, a positioning receiver, a battery charge monitoring system and a computer, and having a cleaning and a transport mode of operation The method comprising the steps of: a) providing the computer with the location of a charging station, b) using the positioning receiver to provide the computer with the location of the sweeping machine, c) using the computer to provide an estimate of an amount of energy required to drive the sweeping machine from its location to the charging station in the transport mode, d) using the battery charge monitoring system to provide the computer with the amount of energy remaining in the battery, e) using the computer to compare the estimate with this amount of energy, and f) providing an operator notification when the amount of energy remaining in the battery falls below a predetermined amount of the estimate

Abstract: A cleaning machine having two front wheels and two rear wheels supporting a chassis, the chassis having a central spine, the cleaning machine including a first electrical cell for propelling the cleaning machine, said first electrical cell being positioned between one of the front wheels and one of the rear wheels and outboard of the central spine.

Abstract: A compact sweeping vehicle has steerable front wheels of variable track with a minimum track dimension for sweeping and a maximum track dimension for travel to and from the workplace. The front wheels are steerable and independently driven by hydraulic motors and are each supported on extendable parts of a telescopic axle beam which is supported on trailing arms supported by ball joints from the chassis of the vehicle. The extendable parts are extended and retracted by track change cylinders and steering is by a hydraulic cylinder extending between the axle beam and a steering arm of a bell crank lever for one of the wheels, which is connected by a forwardly extending drag link to a bell crank forming part of a steering relay mechanism which is connected by a cross link to a second bell crank lever, one arm of which is connected to a rearwardly extending drag link to a steering arm of the other wheel.