Claims
- 1. A sweeper attachment for attachment to a portable tool that comprises an elongate boom, a power generation means disposed at one end of the boom, and a power transmission means extending between the power generation means and the other end of the boom for transmitting power generated by the power generation means to other end of the boom, the power transmission means including first and second stub drive shafts extending transversely to and outwardly from the other end of the boom in opposite directions and rotatable by said power generation means, wherein said sweeper attachment comprises:
- a support means having a support means axis and a substantially symmetrical configuration about said axis, said support means including mated first and second substantially identical drum members, each said drum member defined by at least one side wall, an end of said side wall of each drum member including at least two flanges extending substantially parallel thereto such that said flanges mate in engagement with each other when said drum members are abutted end-to-end to form said support means;
- means for removably retaining said drum members in mated engagement to form said support means;
- means for mounting said support means to a said stub shaft such that said support means rotates synchronously with said stub drive shaft; and
- a sweeper belt attached around said support means for sweeping rotation therewith, said sweeper belt having a plurality of outwardly extending sweeper elements.
- 2. The sweeper attachment of claim 1 wherein:
- said flanges on each drum member project axially from said end thereof and are formed alternately around said end on inner and outer wall positions of said one side wall of each drum member, whereby the flanges of one drum member overlap the mating flanges on the other drum member when the drum members are abutted end-to-end.
- 3. The sweeper attachment of claim 1 wherein:
- each said drum member includes an end wall for substantially closing an end of said drum, each said end wall of each said drum member including an aperture substantially centrally disposed therein; and
- said means for removably retaining said drum members in mated engagement includes:
- an axle having an elongate axis and configured to extend through said drum members and be received by said apertures of said end walls when said drum members are mated to each other.
- 4. The sweeper attachment of claim 3 wherein:
- said axle includes first and second through holes extending transversely to said elongate axis and disposed in opposing ends thereof, said axle being of sufficient length such that said first and second ends thereof extend beyond said end walls of the mated drum members; and
- first and second pin means received snugly by said first and second through holes respectively such that said drum members are held closely engaged when said drum members are mated.
- 5. The sweeper attachment of claim 3 wherein:
- said axle is of sufficient length that said first and second ends thereof project axially beyond said end walls of the mated drum members; and
- fastening means removably affixed to said first and second ends of said axle outside of said end walls for securing said axle and said drum members against relative axial displacement.
- 6. The sweeper attachment of claim 3 wherein:
- one end of said axle includes a stub drive shaft bore configured to receive a stub drive shaft, said bore being disposed in said one end of said axle substantially parallel to said elongate axis, and further includes means for securing said one end of the axle to the stub drive shaft.
- 7. The sweeper attachment of claim 1 wherein:
- said means for mounting said support means includes at least one end wall extending across said side wall of one of said drum members and further comprises receiving means on said end wall for connection of a stub drive shaft.
- 8. The sweeper attachment of claim 1 wherein one of said drum members includes an end wall and said mounting means comprises a hub having a stub shaft-receiving bore for snugly receiving a stub drive shaft, said hub being disposed on said end wall, said hub and the stub drive shaft each having a transverse hole therethrough, wherein said transverse hole of said hub is capable of being aligned with the transverse hole of the stub drive shaft when the stub drive shaft is received within said receiving bore, said sweeper attachment being retained relative to the drive shaft for synchronous rotation by a retaining pin inserted through the aligned through holes
- 9. The sweeper attachment of claim 1 wherein said sweeper elements comprise pliant fins that each have a substantially rectangular cross section and extend substantially parallel to said support means axis.
- 10. The sweeper attachment of claim 1 wherein said sweeper elements comprise pliant fins each of which includes inner segments extending laterally beyond said support means inwardly toward the boom so as to provide substantially continuous fins over the entire width of said sweeper attachment so that said sweeper attachment sweeps a continuous swath substantially equal to the width thereof.
- 11. The sweeper attachment of claim 10 wherein the length of said fin segments is substantially equal to or greater than the distance between the inner end of its respective support means and the center of the boom.
- 12. A hand held, readily portable power sweeping tool comprising:
- an elongate boom;
- power generation means disposed at one end of said boom;
- sweeping means disposed at the other end of said boom; and
- power transmission means extending between said power generation means and said sweeping means for transmitting power generated by said power generation means to said sweeping means, said power transmission means including at least a first stub drive shaft extending substantially transversely to and outwardly from said boom;
- wherein said sweeping means comprises:
- at least a first sweeper, said sweeper including a cylindrical support means, said support means including a mounting means for affixing said sweeper to said drive shaft so that said sweeper rotates with said drive shaft, said sweeper further including a plurality of outwardly extending sweeping elements.
- 13. The tool of claim 12 and further including a sweeper belt attached around said cylindrical support means for rotation therewith, said sweeper belt including said plurality of outwardly extending sweeping elements.
- 14. The tool of claim 13 wherein said sweeping elements comprise pliant fins.
- 15. The tool of claim 12 wherein said sweeping elements comprise pliant fins.
- 16. The tool of claim 12 and further including a second stub drive shaft extending substantially transversely to and outwardly from said boom in a direction opposite to said first stub drive shaft, said sweeping means further comprising a second sweeper affixed to said second drive shaft for rotation therewith.
- 17. The tool of claim 16 wherein s id sweeping elements include pliant fins having inner segments extending laterally beyond said support means inwardly toward said boom so as to provide substantially continuous fins over the entire width of said sweeping means so that said tool sweeps a continuous swath substantially equal to the width of said sweeping means.
- 18. The tool of claim 16 wherein said stub drive shafts extend outwardly from and transversely to said boom along a common axis of rotation.
- 19. The tool of claim 12 wherein said mounting means comprises a hub having a shaft receiving bore for snugly receiving said stub drive shaft, said hub and said stub drive shaft each having a transverse hole therethrough said transverse holes being capable of being aligned when said drive shaft is received within said receiving bore, said sweeper being retained relative to said drive shaft for synchronous rotation by a retaining pin inserted through said aligned through holes.
- 20. A sweeper attachment for attachment to a portable tool that comprises an elongate boom, a power generation means disposed at one end of the boom, and a power transmission means extending between the power generation means and the other end of the boom for transmitting power generated by the power generation means to other end of the boom, the power transmission means including first and second stub drive shafts extending transversely to and outwardly from the other end of the boom in opposite directions and rotatable by said power generation means, wherein said sweeper attachment comprises:
- a support means having a support means axis and a substantially symmetrical configuration about said axis, said support means including mated first and second substantially identical drum members, each said drum member defined by at least one side wall;
- means for removably retaining said drum members in mated engagement to form said support means;
- means for mounting said support means to a said stub shaft such that said support means rotates synchronously with said stub drive shaft; and
- a sweeper belt attached around said support means for sweeping rotation therewith, said sweeper belt having a plurality of outwardly extending sweeper elements.
- 21. A power sweeping tool for sweeping a surface comprising;
- a power source;
- an elongate cylindrical sweeping head having an exterior periphery surrounding a longitudinal axis;
- a carrier, said sweeping head rotatably mounted to said carrier for rotation around the longitudinal axis;
- transmission means for transmitting power from said power source to said sweeping head for rotatably driving said sweeping head relative to said carrier; and
- said sweeping head comprising a plurality of fins radially extending from said periphery and cooperatively arranged to extend substantially along the length of the sweeping head at multiple circumferential positions on said periphery, said fins being flexible whereby the fins flex when contacting the surface being swept.
- 22. A power sweeping tool as defined in claim 21 wherein the sweeping tool is a readily portable power sweeping tool adapted to be handheld by an operator, said carrier including an elongate boom having an end adapted for holding by the operator, said power sweeping tool being supported on the surface at least in part by the rotating flexible fins engaging the surface, said tool adapted to rotate said sweeping head in a direction to produce a sweeping action directed away from the operator.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/729,063 filed Jul. 12, 1991.
US Referenced Citations (21)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
One page brochure published by Stihl, Inc. |
Multiple page catalog published by Stihl, Inc. |
Parts List published by Stihl, Inc. for Stihl Cultivator BC 40. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
729063 |
Jul 1991 |
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