Abstract: A self-propelled road sweeper has brush gear comprising a narrow sweep brush and a wide sweep brush, together with an associated refuse collecting nozzle. The narrow sweep brush is mounted on a linkage comprising pivotally connected inner and outer mounting links and controlled by pneumatic actuators whereby the position of the brush and its downward loading is controlled. The brush can be tilted by one of said actuators. One of the mounting links is connected to the sweeper frame through a resilient mounting permitting the brush to yield under impact. The application also discloses details of the mounting and structure of the wide sweep brush, and of the mounting and fabrication of the nozzle and of a mechanism for tilting the nozzle.

Abstract: Refuse collecting apparatus for a road sweeper, gully emptier or the like comprises an internal combustion engine driving a fan which is connected to a refuse tank. A refuse collecting nozzle is connected to the tank by a duct whereby suction generated by the fan draws refuse into the tank. The fan is bolted to a flywheel at one end of the crankshaft of the engine whereby the fan is supported for rotation on the bearings of the crankshaft. Thrust means is provided to offset the axial thrust exerted on the crank shaft by fan, the thrust means comprising drillings in a plate of the fan whereby pressure is reduced in a chamber on the non-suction side of the fan. The engine is mounted directly above a water tank in an engine compartment and is cooled by means of a radiator. Air is drawn by another fan into the engine compartment through a radiator from a control compartment in which is located the control equipment for the refuse collecting apparatus.

Abstract: Rear discharge refuse collecting vehicle has a refuse container packed, for example, by a hydraulic packer mechanism in a pivotally mounted tailgate. A refuse pushing member is mounted for sliding movement by an inclined hydraulic refuse pushing ram to push refuse out of the container under the raised tailgate. The refuse pushing ram acts between the refuse pushing member and a short upstanding hollow fabricated steel cantilever just behind the vehicle cab at the front of the container. The cantilever is mounted on a support frame under the refuse container, and extends into a recess defined by a rearwardly sloping lower portion of the refuse pushing member whereby the cantilever occupies no space which would have been available for refuse, and the refuse pushing member can be fully retracted to the front of the refuse container and the container itself is not stressed by the ram.