Patent Grant
12077926
The subject invention relates to a curb-sweeping apparatus mountable to, and operable from, the blade of a blade-carrying machine such as a motor grader, for example.
In civil engineering “rough grading” is performed by heavy equipment such as wheel tractor-scrapers and bulldozers whereas “finish grading” is performed by motor graders. A motor grader, also commonly referred to as a grader, road grader, or simply a blade, is a form of heavy equipment with a long blade (also known as a “moldboard”) used to create a flat surface during grading.
Motor graders typically include an elongated frame assembly with at least two sets of wheels that are widely spaced from one another, and a blade assembly disposed between the sets of wheels. Variations in motor grader designs include, for example, machines having two closely disposed pairs of rear wheels from which a front pair of wheels is spaced, and machines that have articulated front and rear frame assemblies.
One of the features that makes motor graders especially fit for finish grading is that the angle (relative to a vertical axis of rotation), slope (relative to horizontal), tilt (or pitch) and height of their blade (relative to ground) are all capable of being adjusted to a high level of precision. In constructing paved roads, motor graders prepare a wide flat base course for the final road surface. When curbing exists, the motor grader can set the depth of the base course to the desired level below the curb so that the final finish grade is at the desired depth below the curb gutter. Another design feature that makes motor graders ideal for this purpose is that the operator cab is positioned between the motor housing and the blade. Such an arrangement assures that the motor housing does not obstruct the operator's view of the blade. Accordingly, a skilled motor grader operator can cause the ends of the blade to be in very close proximity to the curb toe in order to remove adjacent material, and cause that removed material to flow away from the curb and gutter during the grading process. Regardless of the skill level of the operator, however, it is inevitable that some ground material will end up on the curb, or more specifically, in the gutter. This material must be removed prior to application of the surface course.
Various types of machines have been developed to sweep or vacuum debris from pavements, roadways, streets and gutters. In general, these machines can be classified as mechanical broom sweepers, regenerative air sweepers, vacuum sweepers, and, in some cases, combinational variants thereof. A substantial number of such machines are in the form of a vehicle specially designed for the sole task of debris removal. As such, they require a substantial investment of capital to acquire and are commonly comprised of a complex array of working parts which increases the risk of mechanical failure due to wear, mishandling or accidents. Smaller and less complex options do exist in the form of walk-behind self-propelled machines, but these too can be relatively expensive. Still further, there exist a number of sweeping apparatuses intended to be mounted to the frame of a motor vehicle, typically a truck. Such variety of sweepers suffer from various shortcomings. For example, they require large and bulky frames that must be mounted to the vehicle's chassis and supported in cantilevered fashion, they are cumbersome to move when not in use and not suitable for transport in the back of a pickup truck, and they often are comprised of a necessarily large number of components including, by way of example only, angle cylinders, an A-frame (aka push frame) for attachment to the vehicle's coupler, a hydraulic attachment system, a base angle, a blade lift, blade shocks, a control box for truck-side electrical components, a controller (joystick or hand held), a coupler that houses the hydraulic manifold and power unit, hydraulics to lift, lower and angle the sweeper, etc. As a result of the aforesaid shortcomings and limitations of prior art sweeping devices, it is common in the road construction industry to hire two or more employees or contractors to manually remove the debris from gutters and curbs using brooms and shovels. Anyone involved in operating a motor grader as a full-time career knows all too well how the expense of such workers impacts the business' bottom line. This can be particularly frustrating when such laborers sit idle during work delays but must be paid nonetheless for their time.
Accordingly, there is a need in the road grading industry for a sweeping apparatus that is relatively small in size, comprised of few moving parts, that requires little effort to move, mount and dismount from a carrier vehicle, needs little maintenance, and that does not require a substantial investment of capital to acquire.
The subject invention meets the above-described needs in the art by providing a curb-sweeping apparatus that is mountable to, and leverages the strength, visibility and multi-directional movement capabilities of, an adjustable blade of a motor-driven blade carrying machine such as a motor grader. More specifically, embodiments of the sweeping apparatus of the subject invention are intended for mounting on either end of a “blade-carrying machine” as defined and described in detail herein. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided, generally, a sweeping apparatus for releasable engagement with a blade of a blade-carrying machine, the blade being arcuate in cross-section and having a top edge, a bottom edge (which is typically a cutting edge), a left end portion, a right end portion, and a front face, the sweeping apparatus comprising: a height and depth adjustable mounting assembly, a carrier frame fixedly connected to the mounting assembly, and a motor-driven rotary sweeper comprised of a sweeper brush assembly rotatably mounted to the carrier frame and a sweeper motor mounted to the carrier frame and operably coupled to the sweeper brush assembly.
In certain embodiments of the invention there is provided, more particularly, a sweeping apparatus for releasable engagement with a blade of a blade-carrying machine, the blade being arcuate in cross-section and having a top edge, a bottom edge, a left end portion, a right end portion, and a front face, the sweeping apparatus comprising a height and depth adjustable mounting assembly, a carrier frame fixedly connected to the mounting assembly, a sweeper brush assembly mounted to the carrier frame, the sweeper brush assembly including one of a sweeper shaft or drum rotatable about a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with the ground, and a cylindrical brush head comprising a brush hub mounted to the sweeper shaft or said drum for rotation therewith, the brush hub having a plurality of bristles, and a sweeper motor mounted to the carrier frame and having a crankshaft coupled to the sweeper shaft to cause rotation of the sweeper shaft when the motor is energized; whereby mounting of the sweeping apparatus across the front face of selectively either the left end portion or right end portion of the blade is accomplished by tilting the top edge of the blade forward, driving the blade-carrying machine forward until the top edge of the blade is inserted into the mounting assembly, tilting the top edge of the blade rearward and simultaneously lifting the blade vertically until the bottom of the mounting assembly comes into abutting contact with the bottom edge of the blade.
In certain embodiments, the mounting assembly is comprised of a first vertical support and a second vertical support connected to one another by at least one cross brace, each of the first vertical support and second vertical support having a top portion; a first vertical extension member slidably and adjustably mounted to the top portion of the first vertical support, a second vertical extension member slidably and adjustably mounted to the top portion of the second vertical support, the first vertical extension member including a first forward canted arm, the second vertical extension member including a second forward canted arm, the first forward canted arm terminating in a first rearward canted arm extending perpendicular to the first forward canted arm, the second forward canted arm terminating in a second rearward canted arm extending perpendicular to the second forward canted arm; and a first L-shaped extension bracket slidably and adjustably mounted to the first rearward canted arm to form a first U-shaped channel into which the top edge of the blade is inserted when mounting the sweeping apparatus to the blade, and a second L-shaped extension bracket slidably and adjustably mounted to the second rearward canted arm to form a second U-shaped channel into which the top edge of the blade is inserted when mounting the sweeping apparatus to the blade; whereby, the depth of each U-shaped channel is adjustable to accommodate blades of varying thickness by sliding the first and said second extension brackets proximally or distally relative to the rearward canted arms from which they depend.
In other embodiments, at least one C-shaped hook may be bolted or welded to the top edge of the blade to work cooperatively with the mounting assembly to prevent detachment of the sweeper apparatus from the blade during operation of the motor grader, with detachment only being possible when the operator causes the top edge of the blade to tilt forward a sufficient degree to cause the hook to release the mounting assembly. As further described herein, use of two hooks prevents axial movement of the sweeper apparatus along the top edge of the blade. As should be readily appreciated, once the sweeper apparatus is mounted to one side of the blade and the motor activated, the bristles of the rotating drum brush will remove any ground material or other debris from the curb gutter as the blade-carrying machine travels along its length, with its operator selectively adjusting the degree of contact of the drum brush bristles with the curb surface by precisely adjusting the height of the blade relative to the surface to be cleaned.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the subject invention to provide a curb sweeper apparatus for removable attachment to, and operable from, the blade of a blade-carrying machine such as a motor grader.
It is also a primary object of the subject invention to provide a curb sweeper apparatus that can be mounted to a blade without manually lifting the curb sweeper apparatus.
It is another primary object of the subject invention to provide such a sweeper apparatus that can be mounted to a blade solely by manipulation of the blade.
Another object of the subject invention is to provide a curb-sweeper apparatus for blade-carrying machines such as motor graders that is relatively small in profile and therefore easily transported to the work site on a trailer or in the back of a pickup truck.
Another object of the subject invention is to provide a curb-sweeper apparatus for blade-carrying machines such as motor graders that is relatively simple in design, has few moving parts and is therefore easy to maintain and repair.
Still another object of the subject invention is to provide a curb-sweeper apparatus for blade-carrying machines such as motor graders that is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.
The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
At the outset, it should be clearly understood that like reference numerals are intended to identify the same structural elements, portions or surfaces consistently throughout the several drawings figures, as such elements, portions or surfaces may be further described or explained by the entire written specification, of which this detailed description is an integral part. Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read (e.g., cross-hatching, arrangement of parts, proportion, degree, etc.) together with the specification, and are to be considered a portion of the entire written description of this invention. The figures provided herewith are for explanation purposes to persons ordinarily skilled in the art and that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. One of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate that a component may be designed as multiple components or that multiple components may be designed as a single component.
Furthermore, reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “one example” or “an example” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, “in some embodiments”, “one example” or “an example” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable combinations and/or sub-combinations in one or more embodiments or examples.
Before describing the various embodiments of the subject sweeping apparatus it is helpful to first describe, very basically, some primary components of a typical motor grader including the blade component to which the subject apparatus is intended to be mounted. Accordingly, reference is first made to
A blade mounting and control assembly 24 (also referred to herein more simply as “blade control assembly 24”) is mounted along the front frame section 14 for supporting and controlling a blade 26 (also known as a moldboard) which is utilized for grading. An example blade mounting and control assembly is described in U.S. patent Application Publication No. US2010/0163259A1 of Howson et al. published on Jul. 1, 2010 incorporated herein by reference for the sake of brevity. Regardless of the specific component parts used, or the details of their arrangement, blade control assembly 24 facilitates the adjustment of the angle (relative to a vertical axis of rotation), slope (relative to horizontal), tilt (or pitch) and height of blade 26 (relative to the motor grader 10) with a high level of precision.
With continued reference to
An operator cab 28 may be supported along mainframe 12 rearward of blade mounting and control assembly 24 generally, and blade 26 in particular such that the operator can maintain a clear view of blade 26. This high degree of visibility of blade 26, and the ability to manipulate it in multiple directions, makes it an ideal attachment point for the sweeper apparatus of the subject invention. Cab 28 may include, for example, a seat (not shown), a steering mechanism 30, a speed-throttle or control lever 32, and a joystick 34 which is a component of the blade mounting and control assembly 24 and used to control the movement of blade 26. An operator occupying the cab 28 can control the various functions and motion of the motor grader 10, for example, by using the steering mechanism 30 to set a direction of travel for the motor grader 10 and by using the control lever 32 to set the travel speed of the machine. As can be appreciated, the representations of the various control mechanisms presented herein are generic and are meant to encompass all possible mechanisms or devices used to convey an operator's commands to motor grader 10 and its blade control assembly 24.
The rear frame portion 16 of mainframe 12 includes a rear frame section 36 that is supported on the plurality of ground engaging members 18 along either side of grader 10. Rear frame section 36 supports engine compartment 38 and the engine and related components (not shown) for driving grader 10 forward and backward.
Reference now being made to
Embodiments of a sweeper apparatus 100 for removable mounting to the blade of a blade-carrying machine are comprised of the following primary components: a height and depth adjustable mounting assembly 102, a carrier frame 104 fixedly connected to the mounting assembly, and a motor-driven rotary sweeper comprised of a sweeper brush assembly 106 rotatably mounted to the carrier frame and a sweeper motor 108 mounted to the carrier frame and operably coupled to the sweeper brush assembly.
In certain embodiments, mounting assembly 102 is comprised of a pair of vertical supports 110a, 110b (also referred to as “first vertical support 110a” and “second vertical support 110b”) connected to one another by cross braces 112. A pair of vertical extension members 114a, 114b (also referred to as “first vertical extension member 114a” and “second vertical extension member 114b”) are slidably and adjustably mounted to the top portions of corresponding vertical supports 110a,b, respectively, to enable vertical adjustment of the height of the mounting assembly 102 to accommodate mounting to blades of varying heights. Each vertical extension member 114a,b includes a forward canted arm 116a,b, respectively, (also referred to as “first forward canted arm 116a” and “second forward canted arm 116b”) which are canted approximately 45 degrees to vertical, each of which in turn terminates in a rearward canted arms 118a,b, respectively, (also referred to as “first rearward canted arm 118a” and “second rearward canted arm 118b”). First rearward canted arm 118a extends perpendicular to first forward canted arm 116a, and second rearward canted arm 118b extends perpendicular to second forward canted arm 116b. A pair of L-shaped extension brackets 120a, 120b (also referred to as “first L-shaped extension bracket 120” and “second L-shaped extension bracket 120b”) are slidably and adjustably mounted to rearward canted arms 118a,b, respectively, to form a pair of U-shaped channels 122a, 122b (also referred to as “first U-shaped channel 122a” and “second U-shaped channel 122b”) into which the top edge 26a of blade 26 is inserted when mounting sweeper apparatus 100 to the blade. As may be appreciated, the depth of each channel 122a,b can be adjusted to accommodate blades of varying thickness (specifically along their top edge 26a) by sliding extension brackets 120a, 120b proximally or distally relative to the rearwardly canted arms 118a,b from which they depend. An “over the blade” crossbar 124 extends between the elbows 126a, 126b (also referred to as “first elbow 126a” and “second elbow 126b”) of each extension bracket 120a,b for added stability and, in some embodiments, to serve as a mount for mounting hooks attached to blade 26 as described infra (see
Mounting assembly 102 is fixedly attached to carrier frame 104 preferably but not essentially via welding. As best observed upon reference to
Sweeper brush assembly 106 includes a sweeper shaft 130 in the form of a solid bar or hollowed drum (in the latter case, “drum 130”) rotatable about a longitudinal axis AL substantially parallel with the ground. A cylindrical brush head 132 (also referred to as a “drum brush 132”) comprises a brush hub 134 mounted to the sweeper shaft 130 for rotation therewith, the brush hub 134 having a plurality of bristles 136. In certain embodiments, the plurality of bristles 136 are comprised of a near continuous array of bristles 136 (typically in the form of pre-assembled bristle modules) mounted about the circumference of brush hub 134 and along its length and projecting away from its longitudinal axis AL. Each end of sweeper shaft 130 is rotatably mounted within bearing mounts 131 which in turn are mounted to carrier frame 104. Bristles 136 can be made of natural or synthetic materials displaying one or more of the suitable characteristics such as durability, lightness or resiliency. For example, polymers, straw, fur, or the like may be used. In some embodiments the bristles 136 project from brush hub 134 in a substantially radial manner; in others bristles will project in a non-radial manner at some tangent to brush hub 134; in still further embodiments some bristles 136 may project radially while others project non-radially. In some embodiments, bristles 136 may be clustered in defined circumferential groups along the length of brush hub 134; in other embodiments they may be randomly dispersed along the length or arranged in a helical pattern as is known in the art. It is contemplated that brush head 132 may be removably attached to sweeper shaft 130 to permit replacement of the former when worn beyond practical use.
As best observed upon reference to
With reference now being made to
In other embodiments, a more positive attachment of sweeper apparatus 100 generally, and its mounting assembly 102 in particular, to blade 26 may be achieved by attaching at least one, and preferably two, generally C-shaped hooks 160 to top edge 26a of blade 26 using bolts or welding as illustrated in
In operation, once the sweeper apparatus 100 is mounted to one side of the blade 26 and the motor 128 is activated, the bristles 136 of the rotating drum brush 132 will remove any ground material or other debris from the curb gutter as the motor grader travels along its length, with its operator selectively adjusting the degree of contact of the drum brush bristles with the curb surface by precisely adjusting the height of the blade relative to the surface to be cleaned. Note that the direction of rotation of sweeper shaft 130 should be such that debris is propelled forward of the sweeper apparatus 100 in the direction of the motor grader's travel.
To keep sweeper motor 128 and other components within carrier box portion 104a of carrier frame 104 clean and to protect them from flying debris and dust, carrier box portion 104a is preferably outfitted with an outer cabinet comprised of floor panel (not shown), side panels 170, and a curved lid 172 typically hingedly mounted to the frame and having a handle 174 for opening the lid. A pair of curved end walls 176 mounted at opposite ends of the lid 172 complete the enclosure. One or more side panels 170 may be adapted with vents as shown to permit exhaust to escape from the cabinet and prevent the buildup of heat. Sweeper brush assembly 106 is also preferably covered with a removable safety lid 178 and end wall 176 each of which are mounted to carrier shelf portion 104b above drum brush 132. In some embodiments, safety lid 178 is removably or pivotally mounted to facilitate removal of drum brush 132 for maintenance or replacement.
In some embodiments, sweeper apparatus 100 may be equipped with a cabinet or frame mounted electric start switch 180 in electrical communication with a battery (not shown) and sweeper motor 108 for starting the latter. The switch also serves as an emergency stop switch.
In some embodiments, sweeper apparatus 100 may be controlled by a remote brush control unit 182 in operable communication with sweeper motor 108 via hard wiring or via a wireless receiver 184 as is known in the art. The control unit 182 is ideally mounted inside of cab 28.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the particular embodiments herein set forth, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should not be limited by the foregoing specifications, but rather only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/437,342 filed Jan. 5, 2023 and entitled, Curb Sweeper Apparatus for Motor Graders.
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| 63437342 | Jan 2023 | US |
