Abstract: A pick-up head system for use with a surface cleaning vehicle comprises a housing with a debris receiving main inlet and a debris outlet. A rotatable door assembly is mounted on the housing at the debris receiving main inlet for rotation about a substantially horizontally oriented door pivot axis, for controlling the passage of debris through the debris receiving main inlet. In use, as the rotatable door assembly rotates about the horizontally oriented door pivot axis to thereby permit debris to enter the housing through the debris receiving main inlet. An air flow barrier disposed between the rotatable door assembly and the housing substantially precludes the passage of air and small debris between the rotatable door assembly and the housing.

Abstract: A utility type surface cleaning vehicle comprises a unitary frame utility type tractor defining a longitudinal axis and having front and back ends, left and right driven rear wheels, at least one steerable front wheel and a trailing unit connecting mechanism. A debris hopper is removably connectable in trailing relation to the utility type tractor via the trailing unit connecting mechanism. A pick-up head is operatively mountable on the unitary frame utility type tractor on the unitary frame utility type tractor forwardly of the rear wheels, and has a debris outlet. An air and debris transfer duct has an inlet connected in debris receiving relation to the debris outlet of the pick-up head and an outlet connected in debris depositing relation to the debris hopper. The air and debris transfer duct extends rearwardly from the pick-up head beneath the rear axle of the unitary frame utility type tractor.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a main hopper having a surface cleaning configuration and a sander-salter configuration. In the surface cleaning configuration, the main hopper has a debris-laden airflow ingress, an airflow egress, and a debris dumping egress, and is sealed to the ambient surroundings other than the debris-laden airflow ingress and the airflow egress. In the sander-salter configuration, the main hopper has a sander and salt receiving ingress and a sand and salt egress. In use, in the surface cleaning configuration, the debris-laden air enters the main hopper through the debris-laden airflow ingress, air exits the main hopper through the airflow egress, and the debris exits the main hopper through the debris dumping egress. In use, in the sander-salter configuration, the sand and salt enter the main hopper through the sander and salt receiving ingress, and the sand and salt exit the main hopper through the sand and salt egress.

Abstract: A pick-up head system comprises a housing and a main fan connected in air suctioning relation to the housing for causing the interior of the housing to have a reduced internal air pressure. A secondary substantially continuously available source of low air pressure has an inlet connected in air suctioning relation to the housing. A valve is operatively mounted between the housing and the inlet of the source of low air pressure. A control mechanism is operatively connected to the valve and responsive to at least one operational condition in the pick-up head system. In a reduced-flow position, the air pressure in the housing is unaffected by the vacuum tank. In the increased-flow position, when the at least one operational condition passes a threshold, the vacuum tank decreases the air pressure in the housing, thus precluding the escape of dust and other fine particulate matter from the interior of the housing.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a main hopper having a surface cleaning configuration and a sander-salter configuration. In the surface cleaning configuration, the main hopper has a debris-laden airflow ingress, an airflow egress, and a debris dumping egress, and is sealed to the ambient surroundings other than the debris-laden airflow ingress and the airflow egress. In the sander-salter configuration, the main hopper has a sander and salt receiving ingress and a sand and salt egress. In use, in the surface cleaning configuration, the debris-laden air enters the main hopper through the debris-laden airflow ingress, air exits the main hopper through the airflow egress, and the debris exits the main hopper through the debris dumping egress. In use, in the sander-salter configuration, the sand and salt enter the main hopper through the sander and salt receiving ingress, and the sand and salt exit the main hopper through the sand and salt egress.

Abstract: A high efficiency dust controlling gutter broom apparatus comprises a mounting arm, and a gutter broom having a mounting structure and bristles depending from the mounting structure. The gutter broom is mounted via the mounting structure in supported relation on the mounting arm for rotation about a gutter broom axis. A gutter broom motor rotates the gutter broom about the gutter broom axis. A shroud has a roof portion and a wall portion depending from the roof portion. The shroud is mounted in supported relation on the mounting arm such that the roof portion covers at least a rear portion of the mounting structure of the gutter broom and the wall portion covers at least a rear portion of the bristles of the gutter broom. An air-flow precluding member is secured to the gutter broom for rotation therewith, to thereby substantially obstruct air flow through the gutter broom.

Abstract: A sweeping broom apparatus for use with a vehicle comprises a main body with a debris receiving inlet, and a broom shroud with an open bottom. Airflow obstructing flaps are disposed around the bottom edge of the broom shroud. A forwardly facing debris outlet in the broom shroud permits the directed egress of debris therefrom as a forwardly propelled stream of debris. A main sweeping broom is mounted within the broom shroud for propelling debris forwardly, thereby creating a stream of debris propelled forwardly through the forwardly facing debris outlet. An air blast nozzle is connected in fluid communication to a source of compressed air for receiving compressed air therefrom. There is a nozzle mount for mounting the air blast nozzle for movement between a lower position whereat the air blast nozzle is disposed adjacent the surface being cleaned and to emit air in a forward and downward direction to impact on the surface being cleaned, and a raised impact-absorbing position.

Abstract: A gutter broom system comprises a gutter broom that comprises a main structural body, a plurality of sweeping bristles depending from the main structural body, at least one opening in the main structural body for permitting a blast of air to pass through the main structural body as the gutter broom rotates. A gutter broom shroud is in surrounding relation to the gutter broom and defines a substantially hollow interior that receives the gutter broom. An air blast nozzle has an air outlet and is operatively mounted on one of the gutter broom shroud, the mounting means and the surface cleaning vehicle such that the air outlet is generally downwardly facing, for emitting a blast of air through the at least one opening in the main structural body towards the surface being cleaned, to thereby clean dirt from the surface being cleaned.

Abstract: A pick-up head system for use with a surface cleaning vehicle comprises a housing extending between a first end and a second end, and having a front and a back, and a suctioning bottom opening. A debris outlet is disposed in the housing for permitting dust and debris to egress from the housing into a hopper. A debris passage is disposed within the housing in dust and debris delivery relation with respect to the debris outlet. There is at least one non-rotating main broom operatively mounted in the housing adjacent the debris passage for cleaning contact with a surface to be cleaned, thereby loosening debris for subsequent suctioning into the debris outlet.

Abstract: A pick-up head system for use with a surface cleaning vehicle comprises a housing with a debris receiving main inlet and a debris outlet. A rotatable door assembly is mounted on the housing at the debris receiving main inlet for rotation about a substantially horizontally oriented door pivot axis, for controlling the passage of debris through the debris receiving main inlet. In use, as the rotatable door assembly rotates about the horizontally oriented door pivot axis to thereby permit debris to enter the housing through the debris receiving main inlet. An air flow barrier disposed between the rotatable door assembly and the housing substantially precludes the passage of air and small debris between the rotatable door assembly and the housing.

Abstract: A debris shredding pick-up head system for use with a surface cleaning vehicle comprises a housing having an interior and a suctioning bottom opening in fluid communication and debris transfer relation to the interior, and defining a fore-aft axis. There is a debris receiving inlet in the housing for receiving debris to be shredded into the housing, and a debris outlet in the housing for permitting debris to egress from the housing. A debris path connects together in fluid communication the debris receiving inlet and the debris outlet. A debris shredder is operatively mounted in the housing for shredding debris within the interior of the housing, to thereby produce shredded debris to egress from the housing through the debris outlet.

Abstract: A pick-up head system for use with a surface cleaning vehicle comprises a housing having a substantially hollow interior and a suctioning bottom opening. A debris suctioning inlet in the housing is disposed adjacent the first end of the housing for suctioning debris into the housing. A debris outlet in the housing is open in fluid communication and debris transfer relation to the substantially hollow interior of the housing. Debris is suctioned into the substantially hollow interior of the housing through the debris suctioning inlet, and is discharged from the housing through the debris outlet.

Abstract: A pick-up head system for use with a surface cleaning vehicle comprises a housing having a suctioning bottom opening open in fluid communication and debris transfer relation to the interior. A debris receiving main inlet is disposed in the front wall of the housing, in debris transfer relation for receiving debris to the housing.

Abstract: A pick-up head system comprises a housing and a main fan connected in air suctioning relation to the housing for causing the interior of the housing to have a reduced internal air pressure. A secondary substantially continuously available source of low air pressure has an inlet connected in air suctioning relation to the housing. A valve is operatively mounted between the housing and the inlet of the source of low air pressure. A control mechanism is operatively connected to the valve and responsive to at least one operational condition in the pick-up head system. In a reduced-flow position, the air pressure in the housing is unaffected by the vacuum tank. In the increased-flow position, when the at least one operational condition passes a threshold, the vacuum tank decreases the air pressure in the housing, thus precluding the escape of dust and other fine particulate matter from the interior of the housing.

Abstract: A pick-up head system for use with a surface cleaning vehicle comprises a housing, forward debris passage having a bottom opening, and a rearward debris passage having a bottom opening. A divider separates the forward debris passage and the rearward debris passage. A debris outlet supplies a flow of high speed air a selected one of the forward debris passage and the rearward debris passage. An air supply inlet is in the other one of the forward debris passage and the rearward debris passage. A debris passing opening between the forward debris passage and the rearward debris passage permits the flow of air and debris from one to the other. High speed air flows through the air supply inlet into the forward debris passage and the rearward debris passage, as connected by the debris passing opening, to thereby clean the surface, and egresses through the debris outlet.

Abstract: A sealed pick-up head for a mobile sweeper comprises a housing defining a substantially hollow interior and a suctioning bottom opening. A suctioning front opening is for receiving debris into the substantially hollow interior of the housing. A door frame surrounds the suctioning front opening. A rotatable door has at least a first door portion and a second door portion joined together at a central pivot axis, and is operatively mounted at the central pivot axis in rotatable relation on the pick-up head at the suctioning front opening. A seal is operatively disposed between the rotatable door and the door frame for sealing the rotatable door with respect to the door frame, to thereby substantially preclude air from ingressing into the substantially hollow interior of the housing through the suctioning front opening, as the rotatable door rotates to permit debris to enter the substantially hollow interior of the housing.

Abstract: A pick-up head for a mobile sweeping vehicle comprises a housing defining a substantially hollow interior and a suctioning bottom opening for suctioning dust and small debris. A suctioning front opening is disposed in the front of the housing for receiving debris into the substantially hollow interior of the housing. A door is mounted on the pick-up head for selectively opening and closing the suctioning front opening. A dust and debris outlet in the housing permits dust and debris to be suctioned from the substantially hollow interior. A gutter broom is mounted within the housing adjacent one end, for sweeping dust and small debris inwardly from the selected one of the left end and the right end and towards the dust and debris outlet. An opening in the housing at the selected end permits the gutter broom to extend beyond the end of the housing, thus allowing the gutter broom to sweep against a curb, for sweeping dust and small debris towards a central path.

Abstract: A sweeping broom apparatus comprises a main body having a debris receiving outlet and connecting means for operatively connecting the main body to a vehicle. A broom shroud has an open bottom defined by a bottom edge. The broom shroud has a front end and a back end, and defines a longitudinal horizontal axis extending between the front end and the back end. An airflow obstructing skirt is disposed around the bottom edge of the broom shroud for substantially obstructing the egress of air from between the bottom edge of the broom shroud and the surface being cleaned. There is a forwardly facing debris outlet in the broom shroud for permitting the directed egress of debris therefrom as a forwardly propelled stream of debris. A main sweeping broom is mounted within the broom shroud for propelling debris forwardly from a surface being cleaned generally along the longitudinal horizontal axis, thereby creating a stream of debris propelled forwardly through the forwardly facing debris outlet.

Abstract: A pick-up head for a mobile sweeping vehicle comprises a main housing defining a substantially hollow interior and has a front, a back, a left end and a right end, a top and a bottom, and a suctioning bottom opening for suctioning dust and small debris into the substantially hollow interior of the main housing. There is 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. There is also at least one main broom operatively mounted in the rearward portion of the substantially hollow interior of the main housing, for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis so as to sweep a surface being cleaned in a generally forward direction, thereby propelling debris forwardly into the substantially hollow interior of the main housing, for subsequent suctioning into the dust and debris outlet. A selectively operable motor is for operating the at least one main broom.

Abstract: A pick-up head for a mobile sweeping vehicle comprises a housing defining a substantially hollow interior and a suctioning bottom opening for suctioning dust and small debris. A suctioning front opening is disposed in the front of the housing for receiving debris into the substantially hollow interior of the housing. A door is mounted on the pick-up head for selectively opening and closing the suctioning front opening. A dust and debris outlet in the housing permits dust and debris to be suctioned from the substantially hollow interior. A gutter broom is mounted within the housing adjacent one end, for sweeping dust and small debris inwardly from the selected one of the left end and the right end and towards the dust and debris outlet. An opening in the housing at the selected end permits the gutter broom to extend beyond the end of the housing, thus allowing the gutter broom to sweep against a curb, for sweeping dust and small debris towards a central path.