Floating brush sweeper

Abstract

This invention relates to an industrial street sweeper and especially to a street sweeper having a floating sweeper brush which varies the downward force on the rotating brush on the surface being swept to float the brush over the surface.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A floating sweeper brush attachment comprising:
 a sweeper brush frame rotatably supporting a sweeper brush, said sweeper brush frame having a hydraulic brush motor mounting thereon for rotating said sweeper brush on said frame;   a linkage attached between said sweeper brush frame and a frame supporting plate to movably support said sweeper brush frame to said frame supporting plate;   a lift hydraulic cylinder attached between said sweeper brush frame and said frame supporting plate for raising and lowering said sweeper brush frame responsive to actuation of said lift hydraulic cylinder;   a floating hydraulic cylinder attached between said sweeper brush frame and said frame supporting plate for moving said sweeper brush frame responsive to actuation of said floating hydraulic cylinder;   a hydraulic fluid line operatively connected from said sweeper brush frame hydraulic brush motor to said floating hydraulic cylinder;   a hydraulic fluid pressure actuated valve operatively coupled in said hydraulic fluid line between said sweeper brush frame hydraulic brush motor and said floating hydraulic cylinder, said valve being opened and closed responsive to predetermined hydraulic fluid pressure in said sweeper brush hydraulic motor for raising or lowering said sweeper brush frame and sweeper brush;   whereby a sweeper brush frame and sweeper brush is raised and lowered responsive to hydraulic pressure in said sweeper motor.   
     
     
         2 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 1  in which said linkage has a frame lift plate movably attached to said sweeper brush frame on one end and movably attached to the frame supporting plate on the other end thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 2  in which said linkage has two frame lift plates each movably attached to said sweeper brush frame on one end and movably attached to the frame supporting plate on the other end thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 1  in which said sweeper brush frame has a linkage connecting plate pivotally supporting said sweeper brush frame to one end of said linkage. 
     
     
         5 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 4  in which said linkage connecting plate has a hydraulic cylinder connecting said linkage connecting plate to said sweeper brush frame for pivoting said sweeper brush frame thereon. 
     
     
         6 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 5  in which said linkage connecting plate has a pair of hydraulic cylinders for pivoting said sweeper brush frame thereon. 
     
     
         7 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 1  in which said lift hydraulic cylinder is manually remotely controlled to raise or lower said sweeper brush frame and sweeper brush. 
     
     
         8 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 1  in which said lift hydraulic cylinder and said floating hydraulic cylinder are manually remotely controlled to jointly raise or lower said sweeper brush frame and sweeper brush. 
     
     
         9 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 1  including a first hydraulic fluid reservoir and pump supplying said hydraulic lift cylinder and a second hydraulic fluid reservoir and pump supplying said hydraulic brush motor and hydraulic float cylinder. 
     
     
         10 . A floating sweeper brush attachment for a wheeled vehicle comprising:
 a sweeper brush frame rotatably supporting a sweeper brush, said sweeper brush frame having a hydraulic brush motor mounting thereon for rotating said sweeper brush on said frame;   a linkage attached between a front plate attached to said sweeper brush frame and a rear support plate attached to a wheeled vehicle to moveably support said sweeper brush frame and sweeper brush to said wheeled vehicle;   a lift hydraulic cylinder attached between said sweeper brush front plate and said rear support plate for raising and lowering said sweeper brush frame responsive to actuation of said lift hydraulic cylinder;   a floating hydraulic cylinder attached between said sweeper brush front plate and said rear support plate for moving said sweeper brush frame responsive to actuation of said floating hydraulic cylinder;   a hydraulic fluid line operatively connected from said sweeper brush frame hydraulic brush motor to said floating hydraulic cylinder; and   a hydraulic fluid pressure controlled valve operatively coupled to said hydraulic fluid in said hydraulic brush motor to control actuation of said floating hydraulic cylinder responsive to hydraulic fluid pressure in said sweeper brush hydraulic motor for floating said sweeper brush frame and sweeper brush;   whereby a sweeper brush frame and sweeper brush is raised and lowered responsive to hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic fluid in said sweeper motor.   
     
     
         11 . The floating sweeper brush attachment for a wheeled vehicle in accordance with  claim 10  including a first hydraulic fluid reservoir and pump supplying said hydraulic lift cylinder and a second hydraulic fluid reservoir and pump supplying said hydraulic brush motor and hydraulic float cylinder. 
     
     
         12 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 10  in which said linkage has a frame lift plate movably attached between said front plate and said rear support plate movably supporting said frame to said rear support plate. 
     
     
         13 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 12  in which said linkage has two frame lift plates movably attached between said front plate and said rear support plate movably supporting said frame to said rear support plate. 
     
     
         14 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 10  in which said sweeper brush frame has a linkage connecting plate pivotally supporting said sweeper brush frame to one end of said front plate. 
     
     
         15 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 14  in which said linkage connecting plate has a hydraulic cylinder connecting said linkage connecting plate to said sweeper brush frame for pivoting said sweeper brush frame thereon. 
     
     
         16 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 10  in which said lift hydraulic cylinder is manually remotely controlled to raise or lower said sweeper brush frame and sweeper brush. 
     
     
         17 . The floating sweeper brush attachment in accordance with  claim 16  in which said lift hydraulic cylinder and said floating hydraulic cylinder are manually remotely controlled to jointly raise or lower said sweeper brush frame and sweeper brush.