Abstract: A hand-guided sweeper employing a rotary brush to propel debris into a detachable hopper, a blower to facilitate pickup of dust and a filter to remove dust prior to passing through the blower includes guides on the frame of the sweeper adapted to cooperate with projections on the sides of the hopper, permitting the hopper to be inserted and removed from the front of the sweeper without notable lifting and interference to the blower and filter.

Abstract: A hand-guided sweeping machine has a filter housing pivotally mounted to tilt about an axis to facilitate shaking the filter free of dust. The filter housing outlet is in sealing registry with the blower intake when the housing is lowered, and is moved out of sealing registry when the housing is raised. In the raised position, the filter housing covers the hopper opening so that debris from the filter housing will continue to fall into the hopper. A flap-like sealing arrangement surrounds the filter housing inlet to prevent dust from entering the internal mechanism of the sweeper.

Abstract: A floor polisher with a dust collecting device has a buffing pad which is rotated at a high speed by a motor, a circular cover member and a skirt for covering an upper surface of the buffing pad, and a dust collecting device for exerting a collecting function thereof on an internal space surrounded by the cover member and the skirt. The floor polisher is characterized in that the cover member and the skirt are partly extended on a tangential line to form a guide chamber for a dust-containing air current, that the guide chamber is provided at an inlet port thereof with a guide wall opposite inner wall surfaces of the cover member and the skirt extended on the tangential line and an inclined plate which is inclined toward a floor, and that the guide chamber is provided at the outer end thereof with an outlet port communicating with the dust collecting device.

Abstract: A disposable dust bag for vacuum cleaners and the like is disclosed which includes a mounting collar adapted to be removably mounted on a vacuum cleaner connector through which dirt-laden air is delivered to the dust bag. The connector has a generally cylindrical outlet end and peripherally spaced projections extending from the outer surface thereof. The collar provides an opening sized to closely fit the outlet through the majority of its peripheral extent and which provides peripherally spaced enlarged portions adapted to clear the projections on the connector when the bag is installed and removed. The collar also provides an inwardly extending elastomeric diaphragm having a centrally located opening substantially smaller than the outlet of the connector. During installation and removal of the bag on the connector, the enlarged portions of the collar opening are aligned with the projections on the connector and the collar is pressed over the connector until it is positioned behind the projections.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with a machine and/or system as well as a method of operation and an assembly whereby a sweeping unit may be quickly converted into a scrubbing unit and vice versa. The system is capable of operation either in a sweeping mode or a scrubbing mode and is also adaptable to include a vacuum wand assembly when the unit is to be operated in its sweeping mode.

Abstract: A leaf harvesting machine has an auxiliary rotary beater and main rotary pickup broom on a mobile frame which both extend transversely of the direction of travel of the frame. The main pickup broom is disposed rearwardly of and in tandem relation to the beater. Both the beater and pickup broom are disposed adjacent to the ground and operable to counterrotate relative to one another so as to deliver leaves from the ground upwardly therebetween. One feature of the machine relates to the provision of, and cooperation which occurs between, a plurality of lifting elements of the beater and pluralities of sweeping and lifting elements of the pickup broom. Another feature relates to an arrangement for adjustably mounting the beater for movement toward and away from the pickup broom for presetting the positional relationship of the beater lifting elements relative to the pickup broom sweeping and lifting elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sweeper machine for floors and bounded surfaces, e.g. the floors of workshops and warehouses, courtyards, having engaged with the machine frame, a removable container for collecting the swept trash supported by pivotally-mounted guides engaged by swivel members extending in a crosswise direction to the machine's longitudinal axis and cooperating to define a small frame intervening sealingly between a suction assembly in the frame and a suction mouth of the container, and with snap-action hook-up elements provided between the frame and the pivotally-mounted guides and spring members projecting from the frame and acting by spring contact on the container.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with a sweeper, meaning a sweeper with a rotary main brush opposite a hopper, and increasing its ability to load light debris, such as paper, dry leaves and the like so that light debris will be propelled farther into the debris hopper. This is done by setting the speed of the main brush at a lower speed for normal operation to effectively throw what may be thought of as heavier material, such as sand, forwardly into the hopper with the speed being such that excessive wear of the brush is avoided and a higher speed of rotation being effected from time to time so that paper, dry leaves and the like, which may be considered lightweight material, are thrown farther into the hopper with the increased speed of the main brush overcoming the air resistance that normally stops such lightweight material which, at normal operation of the brush, tends to pile up in the rear of the hopper.

Abstract: A walk behind floor maintenance machine is disclosed including a filter and filter housing that may be pivoted away to permit removal of the debris hopper. The filter may be cleaned by vibrating the filter and filter housing. Dust vibrated from the filter slides into the hopper. The hopper may be manually removed for emptying.

Abstract: An apparatus, to be incorporated into but not limited to a road planer, that would sweep, vacuum material not put onto the existing conveyor by the milling operation, as it now exists. This apparatus would route this material onto the existing conveyors in planing and milling machines. This apparatus may also be added to force feed loaders converting them to street sweepers.

Abstract: A high capacity filter and filtering system for a floor cleaning machine is provided. The floor cleaning machine comprises a frame, wheels supporting the frame on the surface to be cleaned, a rotatable sweeping brush carried by the frame, and a hopper carried by the frame near the sweeping brush. The hopper has a dirt- and debris-receiving opening at a lower rear portion thereof through which dirt and debris are received from the brush. A dividing wall extends between side walls of the hopper and divides it into a lower dirt- and debris-receiving chamber and an upper exhaust chamber with an inlet opening communicating between the chambers. A manifold is removably supported by the hopper in the exhaust chamber and a plurality of filters extend downwardly from the manifold into the exhaust chamber. Each of the filters has an outer surface and a central, inner chamber which communicates with the interior of the manifold.

Abstract: A dirt box for an upright vacuum cleaner comprises an elliptical upper side wall portion below a top wall, a bowl-shaped bottom wall, an inlet neck opening into the chamber in the lengthwise direction and below one end of the upper side wall portion, and aimed to establish a swirling action. An outlet port for the dirt box is off-center toward the end from which the inlet extends. The bowl-bottomed dirt box is tilted and emptied through the inlet neck.

Abstract: An upright-type vacuum cleaner wherein the air pump, traditionally fixed to the bottom motor shaft, is repositioned at the top of the motor shaft and the dirt-laden air duct is directed up over the motor to this top mounted air pump, and a radical change of direction is introduced in the air duct to cause heavy debris fragments, that would normally enter and damage the air pump, to drop out of the incoming air stream into an emptyable receptacle.

Abstract: A sweeping machine with a hopper and a dirt and debris control flap in the hopper. The sweeping machine includes a rotary broom adjacent the hopper opening which receives dirt and debris swept from a surface being cleaned by the broom. The hopper is maintained under negative pressure by a vacuum blower. A filter is also located in the hopper through which air is drawn by the blower. A dirt and debris control flap is pivotally mounted in the hopper with the flap having a first extreme position in which an outer edge of it is spaced adjacent an upper edge of the hopper opening and a second extreme position in which an outer edge is closer to a front end wall of the hopper. When the flap is swung from the first extreme position to the second the outer free edge of the flap moves through an intermediate position close to the bottom wall of the hopper and moves dirt and debris on the bottom wall toward the front end wall.

Abstract: A power broom with a transverse auger and vacuum debris conveying system especially well-suited for removing gravel or other debris from a flat, built-up roof or the like, and for conveying the loosened debris from the roof. The power broom includes a horizontal, rotary brush for dislodging gravel, dirt, and other debris from the roof and for propelling the debris within an enclosure substantially surrounding the rotary brush toward the auger which in turn positively conveys the dense gravel particles and other debris toward a vacuum pick up point within the brush enclosure where high velocity air from a vacuum source readily picks up and conveys the dense gravel particles from the power broom to a collector via a vacuum hose. The power broom is further provided with a handle assembly which is selectively operable to simultaneously disengage the power drive propulsion system of the broom and to raise the rotary brush clear of the roof.

Abstract: An automatic floor cleaning machine includes a unitary, self-contained and propelled, power driven body mounting from front to rear in a normal cleaning direction of travel: a propulsion mechanism including drive wheels and guide wheels for dry tracking on the floor surface to be cleaned, a scrubber mechanism including a pair of rearwardly disposed, vertically articulated counter-rotating magnetically and floatably mounted brushes for wetting and cleaning such floor surface, a vacuum mechanism including a vertically and horizontally articulated quick-detachable squeegee for drying of and proper tracking on the cleaned surface, and a combined mechanical and electrical control system operatively associated with each of such propulsion, scrubber, and vacuum mechanisms, for convenient actuation by a walk-behind operator to control actuation of such machine.

Abstract: A sweeping machine is disclosed including a planar pleated filter and a striking mechanism for removing collected dust from the pleated filter. The striking mechanism includes an elongated strap with resilient pad which overlies the pleated filter. A rotatably driven eccentric weight drives the strap and pad to strike the upper surface of the pleated filter.An industrial filter device is disclosed including a planar pleated filter and a striking mechanism for removing collected dust from the pleated filter. The striking mechanism includes an elongated strap which overlies the pleated filter. A rotatably driven eccentric weight drives the strap to strike the upper surface of the pleated filter.

Abstract: A powered sweeping machine is disclosed, particularly suitable for efficiently removing light and heavy weight litter from surfaces such as parking lots, warehouse floors and the like. The machine includes a main frame carrying a hopper and a powered brush. The brush operates through an opening in the lower side of a brush housing. The hopper is separated into a debris receiving compartment and a filter compartment. An air fan and an associated duct recirculates air from the far end of the debris compartment to a zone adjacent the brush. This nonfiltered air is discharged into the brush housing and again moved through the debris compartment to aid in moving debris to the far end of the debris compartment. A fan is provided for withdrawing a portion of the air from the filter compartment and discharging the air to the ambient atmosphere.

Abstract: A powered sweeping machine is disclosed, particularly suitable for efficiently removing light and heavy weight litter from surfaces such as parking lots, warehouse floors and the like. The machine includes a main frame carrying a hopper and a powered brush. The brush operates through an opening in the lower side of a brush housing. The hopper is separated into a debris receiving compartment and a filter compartment. An air fan and an associated duct recirculates air from the far end of the debris compartment to a zone adjacent the brush. This nonfiltered air is discharged into the brush housing and again moved through the debris compartment to aid in moving debris to the far end of the debris compartment. A fan is provided for withdrawing a portion of the air from the filter compartment and discharging the air to the ambient atmosphere.

Abstract: A maneuverable surface sweeper has a framework supporting a hopper configured to receive dust and debris swept from an underlying surface. A broom chamber is mounted within the framework overlying the surface to be swept and in communication with the hopper. The broom chamber may move vertically relative to the framework. A rotary driven broom is mounted in the broom chamber and has limited vertical movement capability relative to the chamber. A resilient tubular seal is disposed between the broom chamber and the hopper so that dust control is obtained therebetween while the broom chamber undergoes vertical movement. A bump encountered on the underlying surface elevates the broom chamber permitting the sweeper to pass thereover while allowing the broom to descend and continue in sweeping contact with the surface.

Abstract: A riding power sweeper with an improved dumping mechanism for emptying a hopper is provided. The hopper is pivotally supported at the front of the machine and a pair of fluid-operated rams raise the hopper and pivot it over the front. The hopper also has a unique air distribution system including a filter through which air is drawn from an opening communicating with a drum brush. Means forming a separate chamber is located in the hopper and holds the filter, and dirt from the filter is caught therein. The chamber-forming means is also pivotally supported so as to swing outwardly to be emptied when the hopper is raised. The drum brush has a unique design for adjusting and positioning the brush with a single linkage mechanism both applying pressure and adjusting the brush for wear.

Abstract: The specification discloses a mechanical sweeper having a roller brush which throws rubbish forward in the direction of travel into a collecting hopper. The hopper is mounted in a fork carried by a lifting arm and the arrangement is such that actuation of the lifting arm does not cause tipping of the hopper. Separate means are provided for tipping the hopper at any desired moment during lifting.

Abstract: An industrial dust collection system for collecting dust created by operation of a machine comprising dust collecting and storage means remote from the machine; a cyclone chamber means associated with the dust collecting and storage means for receiving dust laden air from the machine; forced air blower fan means associated with the cyclone chamber means for establishing a continuous induced flow of dust laden air from the machine to the fan means and for establishing a flow of dust laden air from the fan means to the cyclone chamber means; flow direction control means in the chamber means for establishing a circular and axially downward flow of dust laden air within the cyclone chamber means; vortex chamber means within the cyclone chamber means for establishing an upward flow of air in the center of said cyclone chamber means; and dust discharge passage means connecting said cyclone chamber means to said dust collecting means for transfer of dust from said cyclone chamber means to said dust collecting means

Abstract: A machine for cleaning a surface is provided. The machine includes a forward drum brush unit designed primarily for sweeping and a rear disc brush unit designed primarily for scrubbing. Squeegees are located behind the disc brushes. Cleaning solution is supplied between the drum brush and the disc brushes and is directed toward the drum brush to achieve a wet sweeping action thereby. The disc brushes are mounted for movement toward and away from the surface to be cleaned and are engagable with the surface under controllable pressure. The drum brush is mounted on a separate frame and is engagable by the disc brush unit so that it can be raised for transportation purposes when the disc brush unit is raised. The squeegees can be raised independently of the brushes.

Abstract: A power floor treating assembly having an improved arrangement for housing and mounting the rotary brush or other floor maintenance tool for sealing the brush or tool enclosure from ambient. The apparatus includes a main frame along with a powered output shaft for driving the rotary brush. Housing means are coupled to the frame to define a brush or rotary tool receiving enclosure, along with a solid debris receiving chamber which is in communication with the brush receiving enclosure. The rotary tool receiving enclosure is an enclosed sector having generally closed ends with transverse walls including a top wall, side walls, and with an open bottom. In addition, a solid-air separator is provided with a fluid evacuation port being formed in one of the brush enclosure walls.

Abstract: A scrubbing machine that includes an articulated vehicle having a power unit and a trailer unit coupled thereto, said trailer unit having cleaning and dirty solution tanks thereon, a squeegee assembly on the power unit having a central liquid take-up tube and a second take-up tube at one end portion thereof, controls operated by turning the vehicle in the appropriate direction for switching the application of vacuum from the central tube to the second tube, a scrubber head unit and an assembly for mounting and carrying the scrubber unit on the vehicle and raising and lowering the scrubber unit including an articulated joint to permit limited pivotal movement of the scrubber head about a generally vertical axis and an axis perpendicular thereto.