Tennant Company

Robert D Hennessey

Michael Steward Wilmo

Ralph C Peabody

Gregory J Engel

Terence Alan Peterson

Timothy G La Rocque

Timothy G LaRocque

A sweeping machine includes a sweeping brush, a hopper having an inlet for receiving debris from said sweeping brush, an opening in said hopper and a vacuum system for creating an air flow path from the hopper inlet through the opening. There is a filter positioned in the hopper opening and a peripheral flexible seal between the inlet side of the filter and the hopper opening. A vibratory filter cleaner is positioned adjacent the outlet side of the filter to impart vibration thereto. There is a closure which encloses the filter and the filter cleaner and there is a second peripheral flexible seal between the filter outlet side and the closure. The filter is movable between the spaced peripheral seals at its inlet and outlet sides whereby vibratory cleaning force applied by the filter cleaner causes vibration of the filter to provide cleaning thereof.

Sweeper with dual seal filter

In a direct forward throw sweeper, improvements related to a door for closing the opening into the hopper permit backing away from a debris receptacle with the hopper door open after dumping a load of debris without damage to the machine. An attachment part is provided for connecting a vacuum pickup wand to the debris hopper. Associated improvements to a related air filter chamber provide improved dust control while dumping the hopper and convenient access for servicing a dust accumulation space in the bottom of the filter chamber.

Hopper and filter chamber for direct forward throw sweeper

A surface maintenance machine includes a cylindrical brush mounted in the machine for rotation about a generally horizontal axis extending transverse to the direction of machine movement. A recirculation flap is attached to the machine and extends generally coextensively with the brush and parallel thereto. The recirculation flap is normally yieldingly urged toward the brush, with contact between the flap and a floor obstacle causing the flap to move, against the force of its mounting springs, away from the brush.

Damage resistant recirculation flap

A self-propelled industrial cleaning machine has a cylindrical horizontally mounted rotatable cleaning brush. There is a torsionally rigid connecting member extending generally parallel to the brush. A rigid arm is attached to each end of the connecting member, with each arm supporting an end of the brush. There is a hand operable latch for releasing one of the arms to permit removal or replacement of the brush, with the hand operable latch being arranged to retain the one arm and attachment to the connecting member, with release thereof permitting removal of the arm from the connecting member and brush.

No-tool brush changing means

Sweeper

A power floor treating assembly having an improved arrangement for housing and mounting the rotary brush or other floor maintenance tool for sealing the brush or tool enclosure from ambient. The apparatus includes a main frame along with a powered output shaft for driving the rotary brush. Housing means are coupled to the frame to define a brush or rotary tool receiving enclosure, along with a solid debris receiving chamber which is in communication with the brush receiving enclosure. The rotary tool receiving enclosure is an enclosed sector having generally closed ends with transverse walls including a top wall, side walls, and with an open bottom. In addition, a solid-air separator is provided with a fluid evacuation port being formed in one of the brush enclosure walls. A baffle is provided within the rotary tool receiving enclosure, with the baffle means being disposed adjacent one of the transverse walls, and extending generally parallel to the axis of the rotary tool, with the location of the baffle being generally between the fluid evacuation port and the bottom opening in the rotary tool receiving enclosure.

Growing community of inventors

Golden Valley, MN, United States of America

Robert D Hennessey