Street sweeper guide bar

Abstract

A street sweeper guide includes a rubber body and metal bar placed along the bottom edge at regularly spaced intervals. Each metal bar includes a wear-resistant tungsten carbide plug. The guide is formed by vulcanizing the rubber body with the metal bars in place.

1 . A sweeper guide comprising: 
 (a) a body comprised of a resilient material and having a lower edge;    (b) a plurality of metal bars formed within the body adjacent the lower edge, wherein each metal insert is comprised of a metal body defining a channel and a wear-resistant insert disposed within the channel; and wherein the metal bars are spaced along the lower edge with rubber material between two adjacent metal inserts.    
   
   
       2 . The sweeper guide of  claim 1  wherein the resilient material is rubber and the body is vulcanized with the metal bars in place.  
   
   
       3 . The sweeper guide of  claim 1  wherein the resilient material is polyurethane.  
   
   
       4 . The sweeper guide of  claim 1  wherein the metal body comprises steel and the wear-resistant material comprises carbide.  
   
   
       5 . The sweeper guide of  claim 1  wherein between about 50% and 95% of the longitudinal length of the guide is comprised of metal bars.  
   
   
       6 . The sweeper guide of  claim 4  wherein the metal bars are spaced apart by a distance equal to about 25% of its length.  
   
   
       7 . A method of manufacturing a sweeper guide including a rubber body having a lower edge, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) making a plurality of metal bars, each comprising a carbide insert;    (b) vulcanizing the metal bars within the rubber body, such that the metal bars are adjacent the lower edge and are spaced apart.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein metal bars are spaced apart equally such that about 50% and 95% of the longitudinal length of the guide is comprised of metal bars.  
   
   
       9 . The sweeper guide of  claim 7  wherein the metal bars are spaced apart by a distance equal to about 25% of its length.