Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Brushing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-07
2001-12-04
Till, Terrence R. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Brushing
C015S050300, C015S392000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324714
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a sweeping machine including a rotatably driven brushing roller which is rotatably mounted at each end in a frame and is driven at one end by a gear wheel which forms the mounting for the brushing roller at this end and the teeth of which engage in driver recesses in the brushing roller.
In order to replace the brushing roller in sweeping machines of this type, it is necessary to construct the mounting at at least one end thereof in such a manner that it can be displaced in an axial direction and thus moved away from the end-face region of the brushing roller so that the brushing roller can be extracted in an axial direction from the other mounting. This makes it necessary for the mounting to be of relatively complex construction as it has to be designed such that it can be moved away from at least one end of the brushing roller.
The object of the invention is to design a sweeping machine of the above type in such a manner that the mounting arrangement can be simplified.
This object is achieved in that, in the case of a sweeping machine of the type described hereinabove, the brushing roller is displaceable in an axial direction against the effect of a spring towards the gear wheel to an extent sufficient for the mounting for the brushing roller at the end thereof remote from the gear wheel to disengage, and in that the teeth of the gear wheel engage in the driver recesses with so much play as to enable the thus axially displaced brushing roller to be pivoted out from the region of the mounting by at least the radius of the brushing roller at the end thereof remote from the gear wheel.
Such a design enables the mounting between the brushing roller and the end remote from the gear wheel to be released by displacing the brushing roller in an axial direction against a spring. Thereafter, one end of the brushing roller can be swung out relative to the mounting axis, namely, to such an extent, that the brushing roller can then be moved past this mounting in an axial direction. Consequently, it is no longer necessary to design the mounting itself to be removable. The essential thing here, is that the gear wheel should engage in the brushing roller with sufficient play for such a pivotal movement of the brushing roller to be easily possible, and that in this pivoted position, the brushing roller can be further withdrawn from the gear wheel. Surprisingly, it has been established that, despite this play between the gear wheel and the brushing roller, the side faces of the gear wheel will rest against the side faces of the driver openings in the operational state, and a perfect mounting for the brushing roller is thereby produced.
It is expedient if the spring is disposed in the interior of the brushing roller and if it is in the form of a compression spring which is supported on the brushing roller at one end and on the gear wheel at the other end. The spring is thereby accommodated in a protected manner within the brushing roller so that the mounting arrangement can be further simplified in this manner.
In a preferred embodiment, provision is made for the driver recesses to be in the form of axially extending open ended grooves in the inner wall of a central open-ended accommodating space in the brushing roller, which said space accommodates the gear wheel and possible also, the spring.
It is particularly advantageous if the width of the grooves continually decreases at least in a section adjoining their open end-faces. The greater width of the grooves at the end-face end simplifies the insertion of the brushing roller and the introduction of the teeth into the grooves.
A section of constant width preferably adjoins the section of decreasing width.
It is also expedient if the width of the teeth of the gear wheel decreases in a direction towards the brushing roller. This also simplifies the introduction of the teeth into the grooves.
The decreasing width of the grooves on the one hand, and the decreasing width of the teeth on the other also leads to the brushing roller being subjected to an axial force when the gear wheel rests on the side walls of the grooves, said force pressing the brushing roller against the mounting for the brushing roller at the end thereof remote from the gear wheel in the effective direction of the spring. This leads to a more secure form of mounting and, at the same time, the spring force can be reduced since one part of the pressure-force needed for the reliability of the mounting is produced by the axial component of force which results from the application of the gear wheel to the side wall of the groove. The replacement of the brushing roller is simplified by virtue of this weaker spring force, since the brushing roller then only has to be displaced against a less powerful spring.
Hereby, one should be aware that the axial forces, which are exerted on the brushing roller during the operation of the gear wheel may be relatively large, this being dependent on the rotational speed of the brushing roller. This may, for example, be in the general order of magnitude of 1000 revolutions per minute.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, provision is made for the inclination of the side faces of the grooves in the section of decreasing width on the one hand and the teeth of the gear wheel on the other to be the same relative to the longitudinal axis of the grooves. In operation, this design results in the side faces of the gear teeth making full area contact with the side faces of the grooves, and, due to the inclination of the contact faces relative to the longitudinal axis of the grooves, perfect centralisation of the gear wheel relative to the brushing roller is thereby achieved.
Provision may also be made for the side faces of the grooves to be inclined relative to the base of the groove such that the groove widens from the base to the accommodating space in the brushing roller.
The side faces of the teeth relative to the peripheral faces of the teeth may also be inclined such that the teeth become wider from the peripheral surface to the rotational axis.
Hereby, it is particularly advantageous if the inclination of the side faces of the grooves and that of the side faces of the teeth is substantially the same. In particular, provision may be made for the inclination of the side faces of the teeth and that of the grooves to slightly differ so that these side faces will then be in parallel when the gear wheel makes contact with the side faces. Since the teeth of the gear wheel engage in the grooves with play, the gear wheel must be rotated slightly from its mid position relative to the brushing roller in order to establish such contact, and the orientation of the side faces of the teeth thereby naturally alters in a corresponding manner. In order to ensure that a merely linear contact does not occur when the teeth rest on the side faces of the grooves, but rather, that full area contact be made, the side faces of the teeth and of the grooves are inclined relative to one another in correspondence with this small angle of rotation of the gear wheel, namely they do not extend exactly in parallel. If a tooth is located in a groove in said mid position, i.e. there is play with respect to both side faces of the groove, then the side faces of the groove and of the teeth are inclined very slightly relative to one another, so that, when the tooth rests on the side face of the corresponding groove, there will be full area contact and the side faces will then extend in parallel.
In operation, this leads to the brushing roller being centred relative to the gear wheel, and, moreover, the brushing roller will be pressed against the corresponding bearing, in the axial direction, in the manner described. In particular, it has been shown that this double inclination of the contact faces relative to the longitudinal axis of the grooves in the insertion direction of the teeth into the grooves on the one hand, and relative to the longitudinal mid plane of the grooves on the other, in the sense of a widening of the grooves towards the central accommodating
Kloepfer Martin
Walz Jurgen
Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co.
Lipsitz Barry R.
Till Terrence R.
LandOfFree
Sweeping machine does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sweeping machine, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sweeping machine will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2559891