Sweeper
United States Patent [11] 3,  
 Liebscher Apr. 1, 1975 1 SWEEPER 3,748,679 7/1973 Rosendall 15/42 inventor: Johannes Liebscher, Nassau, Lahn 3,750,215 8/1973 Llebscher 1 5/42 Germany Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts [73] Asslgnee: f f lntematlonal Gunter Attorney, Agent, or Firm -Michael S. Striker Lelfhelt KG, Wuppertal-Barmen, Germany 221 Filed: Aug. 20, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT [21 APPL No: 389,930 A housing of a sweeper has a circumferential side wall and an open side normally facing a surface to be swept. One or more rotary brushes are journalled in [30] Foreign Application Priority Data the housing and partly project through the open side Aug 19. 1972 Germany 2240852 for p g the Surface A pp auxiliary brush is also mounted in the housing for rotation and has an [52] us. Cl. 15/42, 15/87 n l f ri l hich partly project outwardly be- [51] Int. Cl A47l 11/33 y h i w ll at he open side. An inclined plate- [58] Field of Search l5/42, 87 p d rive whe l is m nted within the confines of the bristles of the auxiliary brush and cooperates with [56] References Cited the latter for rotating it.  
  UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 348,778 9/l886 Reynolds l5/87 SWEEPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a sweeper, and more particularly to a sweeper for surfaces of floors or the like.  
  It is already known to provide sweepers having a housing, the circumferential side wall of which bounds an open side which normally faces the surface to be swept. In this housing rotary brushes are mounted so that they partly project through the open side, into, contact with the surface to be swept. It is also known to provide an auxiliary rotary brush which overlaps, that is partly projects outwardly beyond the side wall of the housing, for the purpose of sweeping alongside this side wall, for instance along baseboards or the like where the main rotary brushes of the sweeper cannot reach. One or more receptacles are provided in the interior of the housing into which the various brushes deposit the swept-up dirt and the like.  
  In the prior art using this type of sweeper, which has the auxiliary rotary brush the auxiliary rotary brush is driven by a special drive wheel which is joumalled next to it in the housing. Of course, this drive wheel which is in contact with the surface to be swept and is driven by frictional engagement therewith, can drive the auxiliary rotary brush only by providing motion-transmitting means between it and the auxiliary rotary brush. This, necessarily, increases the expenses of constructing such a sweeper which is undesirable.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.  
  More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sweeper of the type under discussion which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages.  
  Still more particularly it is an object of the invention to provide such an improved sweeper which avoids the previously necessary provision of special motiontransmitting means for transmitting motion to the auxiliary rotary brush.  
  Another object of the invention is to provide such a novel sweeper which is less expensive to construct, and therefore to sell, than those known from the prior art.  
  In keeping with the above objects, and with others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides, in a sweeper, in a combination comprising a housing having a circumferential side wall and an open side which normally faces a surface to be swept. Rotary brush means is provided in the housing and partly projects through the open side for sweeping this surface. A cupped auxiliary brush is mounted in the housing for rotation and has an annulus of bristles which partly projects outwardly beyond the side wall at the open side. An inclined plate-shaped drive wheel is mounted within the confines of the bristles and cooperates with the auxiliary brush for rotating the same.  
  With this construction the need for expensive motion-transmitting means between the drive wheel and the auxiliary brush is avoided, because the drive wheel can now act directly upon the rotary brush and drive the same in rotation.  
  It is advantageous if the auxiliary brush together with its drive wheel is mounted for tilting movement in the housing. in such a manner that when the housing is moved to-and-fro in opposite directions for sweeping purposes, the auxiliary brush and its associate drive wheel can tilt to accommodate themselves to the particular direction. In such a construction different parts of the bristle annulus of the auxiliary brush will come in contact with the surface to be swept, depending upon the direction in which the housing is moved toand-fro, thereby assuring that there will always be an inwardly acting part of the annulus of bristles which becomes active for sweeping the surface. At the side more or less diametrally opposite that part which is in contact with the surface, the bristle annulus is out of contact with the surface so that the dirt can always be swept inwardly of the annulus and towards the interior of the housing, to be supplied to the main rotary brushes which pick it up and deposit it in the receptacle or receptacles provided for this purpose. This eliminates a flinging-away of the dirt in direction outwardly of the housing, and assures that in either direction of movement of the housing the dirt will be reliably picked up. As a result, the sweeper according to the present invention provides a more effective sweeping action than those known from the prior art.  
  The drive wheel is advantageously shiftable on a shaft or pin which is inclined to the plane of the open side of the housing, and is also turnably mounted, and the pin or shaft is provided on the journal which mounts the auxiliary brush for the aforementioned tilting movement. This assures in a simple manner that the tilting movement is imposed by the drive wheel, which due to the inclination of the shaft in which it is mounted will contact the surface to be swept always only over a part of its periphery.  
  The drive wheel is advantageously so inclined that it contacts the surface to be swept at a side of the drive wheel which is remote from the adjacent side wall, that is from that portion of the side wall beyond which the annulus of bristles partly projects to the exterior of the housing. This assures in a simple manner that during the to-and-fro movement of the housing the auxiliary brush will always be turned in such a direction that the dirt is swept inwardly of the housing where it can be reached by the main rotary brush or brushes.  
  The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a sweeper according to the present invention; and  
  FIG. 2 is a vertical section through a part of the embodiment in FIG. 1.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing in detail, which shows in FIGS. 1 and 2 one exemplary embodiment of the invention, it will be seen that reference numeral 10 identifies a housing having a frame 11 which is generally annular in configuration and constitutes the circumferential side wall of the housing. The upper side of the frame and of the housing is closed off by a cover or upper portion 12 which is made fast with the frame 1 l. A bracket 13 is mounted on the frame 11 so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis and a handle (not shown) can be connected with the bracket 13, by screw threading or the like, so that the housing can be moved to-andfro over a surface to be swept by pushing and pulling on this handle.  
 Located in the interior of the housing 10, the downwardly facing side of which is open and normally faces the surface to be swept, are wheels on which the housing rolls. These wheels are not illustrated because they are conventional and not necessary for an understanding of the invention. Also located in the interior of the housing are one or more rotary brushes, including at least one brush roller. These brushes also are well known in the art and for the sake of completeness one such a brush roller has been shown in broken lines in FIG. 1 and designated with reference character B. Of course more than one may be present and the roller or rollers will rotate about horizontal axes. Also located in the housing will be one or more receptacles which are so positioned that any dirt picked up off the surface to be swept by the brush or brushes B, will be flung into and deposited in the receptacle. The receptacle or receptacles have also not been illustrated as being well known in the art.  
  None of the features described thus far are new, and they have been mentioned merely for purposes of explanation. The brush or brushes B are usually driven by an appropriate driving connection with the wheels on which the sweeper rolls.  
  It will be appreciated from the description of the prior art and from the illustration in FIG. 1 that the brush or brushes B cannot reach dirt that is located beneath the edges of the frame 11 or outwardly adjacent to these edges. To be able to reach such dirt also, and thus to sweep up closely against baseboards and the like, the sweeper is provided with one or more (two are shown) auxiliary rotary brushes 23, 23. Each has an annulus of bristles which projects outwardly beyond the frame 11 at the open side of the housing 10 and can thus engage dirt located outwardly adjacent the frame 11.  
  In the illustrated embodiment the brushes 23, 23 are located at two corners of the housing 10 and are each turnable about a substantially upright axis.  
  The brushes 23, 23 are cupped as is shown by way of the exemplary vertical section taken through the brush 23 and the mounting element which journals it for tilting movement. Each of the brushes 23, 23&#39; is coupled with a drive 24 which drives it in rotation and employs a substantially plate-shaped inclined drive wheel 52. The drive wheel 52 is located within the confines of the annulus of bristles of the respective auxiliary brush, in FIG. 2 the brush 23.  
  The drive wheel 52 is mounted on a pin or shaft 53 so that is can turn about and shift axially of the same. The shaft 53 is a part of or secured to a mounting element 54 having two pins 55 with which it is journalled in the interior of the housing 10 so that it can tilt about an axis passing through the two pins 55. The axis extends transversely of the direction in which the housing 10 can be moved to-and-fro, that is between the lefthand an right-hand side of the housing 10 in FIG. 1, so that each time the direction of movement of the housing 10 is reversed the mounting member 54 will tilt about the axis passing through the two pins 55. This axis extends, of course, at least substantially parallel to the surface to be swept which is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 2.  
  The shaft 53 is somewhat inclined to the open side of the housing 10, which means to the surface to be swept that is normally faced by this open side, in such a manner that only that side of the drive wheel 52 which is remote from the part of the frame 11 beyond which the auxiliary brush 23&#39; (or the brush 23) projects, comes in contact with the surface to be swept. This is clearly shown in FIG. 2 where it will also be seen that the drive wheel 52 has a hub 56 of non-circular exterior configuration, which hub 56 extends into an opening 57 of the hub 58 of the brush 23 or 23; the opening 57 has a cross-section corresponding to that of the hub 56. The outer circumferential surface 59 of the hub 58 of the brush 23&#39; or 23 is received in a recess 60 of the tiltable mounting member 54, and the recess is so configurated that the axis about which the respective auxiliary brush 23 or 23&#39; rotates is upright and substantially normal to the surface to be swept.  
  It is particularly advantageous to use an energy storing device between the respective auxiliary brush 23 or 23 and the wheel 52. In the illustrated embodiment this energy storing device is in form of a helical spring 61 which assures that the brush 23 or 23 will be retained with its hub 58 in the recess 60, and that the drive wheel 52 will be pressed against a washer or disc 63 which is retained against the free end of the shaft 53 by a screw 62 extending through the washer 63 and threaded into a tapped bore in the shaft 53. When the sweeper according to the present invention is used, the wheel 52 is pushed slightly upwardly (in FIG. 2) against the force of the spring 61, so that the spring 61 will always push it into frictional engagement with the surface to be swept in the manner shown in FIG. 2, that is at one lateral side of the drive wheel 52. This assures that there will always be a reliable frictional contact between the drive wheel 52 and the surface to be swept, and that the auxiliary brush 23 or 23 will always be properly turned. When the sweeper according to the present invention is used, it is pushed forward and pulled back by means of the aforementioned handle, that is it performs a movement to-and-fro. During the forward movement the mounting member 54 will tilt in rearwood direction about the axis passing through the two pins 55, that is in direction away from the forward movement, and the auxiliary brush 23 or 23&#39; will come in contact with the surface to be swept with its bristle annulus at that part of the annulus which is located forwardly as seen with reference to the direction of movement of the housing 10. The wheel 52 is in contact with the surface to be swept, rolling over the same and being frictionally entrained, and thereby turning the brush 23 or 23 so that that portion of the bristle annulus which is in contact with the surface will brush dirt inwardly of the housing where it can be engaged by the brush or brushes B and deposited in the non-illustrated dirt receptacle.  
  When the direction of movement of the housing 10 is reversed, that is when it is pulled rearwardly, then the mounting member 54 again pivots about the axis passing through the two pins 55, but in the opposite direction, and again the wheel 52 turns the brush 23 or 23&#39;, causing the same to brush dirt inwardly of the housing for engagement by the brush or brushes B.  
  Of course, only a single one or more than two of the auxiliary brushes 23 or 23&#39; could be provided, and other modifications could be made without departing in any way from the intent and teaching of the invention.  
  It should be noted that the non-round configuration of the hub 56 and the opening 57 assures in a simple manner that the wheel 52 will always rotate the respective brush 23 or 23, despite the fact that their axes of rotation are inclined towards one another as shown in FIG. 2. The use of the washer 63 with the screw 62 as an abutment for the wheel-52 greatly facilitates the assembly of the arrangement, because it is merely necessary to place the various components over the shaft 53, and to thereupon pass the screw 62 through an opening in the washer 63 and thread it into the tapped bore in the free end face of the shaft 53.  
  It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.  
  While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a sweeper, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.  
  Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can be applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.  
  What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.  
  1. in a sweeper, a combination comprising a housing having a circumferential sidewall and an open side which normally faces a surface to be swept said housing being movable to and fro in opposite directions over said surface; rotary brush means in said housing and partly projecting through said open side for sweeping said surface; a cupped auxiliary brush in said housing and having an upright annulus of bristles which project through said open side and have free ends located in a common plane; mounting means mounting said auxiliary brush for tilting movement in dependence upon the direction of movement of said housing; an inclined drive wheel mounted within the confines of said annulus for axial movement inwardly and outwardly of said open side and cooperating with said auxiliary brush for rotating the same about an upright axis, said drive wheel having a rim; and biasing means biasing said drive wheel in a direction outwardly of said open side so as to maintain contact of said rim of said drive wheel with the surface to be swept.  
  2. A combination as defined in cliam 1, said mounting means having an upright shaft which is inclined to the plane of said open side; and said drive wheel being mounted on said shaft for rotation about and axial shifting along the same.  
  3. A combination as defined in claim 2, said housing having two opposite sides at one of which said auxiliary brush projects beyond said sidewall; and wherein said shaft and said drive wheel are so inclined to said general plane that the surface to be swept is contacted by a portion of said drive rim of said wheel which is remote from said one side.  
  4. A combination as defined in claim 2, said shaft having a free end provided with an abutment; and said drive wheel being in engagement with said abutment.  
  5. A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said free end is provided with a tapped axial bore; and wherein said abutment comprises a washer axially adjacent said free end, and a screw extending through said washer and threaded into said tapped bore.  
  6. A combination as defined in claim 2, said mounting means having a recess, and said auxiliary brush having a hub which is received in said recess; and wherein said shaft extends into said hub, and said biasing means comprises a spring reacting against said drive wheel and said hub so as to urge said hub inwardly of said recess and to bias said drive wheel in said direction outwardly of said open side.  
  7. A combination as defined in claim 6, wherein said biasing means comprises a helical spring.  
  8. A combination as defined in claim 1, said auxiliary brush having a hub provided with a non-circular opening; and said drive wheel having a drive wheel hub having a cross-section corresponding to that of said opening and being received in the latter.  
  mum. a&#39;l&#39;mlas PATENT OFFICE CERTEHCATEE 0F CQRRECTION PATH-4? NO. 3, 74, 016 DATED Apr, 1, 1975 lh&#39;vENZURLS) Johannes Liebscher i: [S m-rf sud *Emt er -0.&#34; appeals m if}? ab0veident1fied patent and that said Letters Patent hens-by :LUHEFYZU as shown below- On the cover sheet [73] the name of the Assignee should read Leifheit International Gunter Leifheit KG, Wuppertal-Barmen, Germany Signed and Scaled this [SEAL] twenty-second D3) of July 1975 A nest:  
  C.(!;|A SON C. MARSHALL DANN (s mg ffu&#39;er Commissioner afParenIs and Trademarks