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TYPES OF MUNICIPAL STREET SWEEPERS.

5th June 1923, Page 10
5th June 1923
Page 10
Page 11
Page 10, 5th June 1923 — TYPES OF MUNICIPAL STREET SWEEPERS.
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Brief Details of the Various Appliances Which Are Available.

T T CAN BE eaid. -with eaeety that I practically every np-to-date municipal authority which exercises control overt_ populous traffic centres makes use of street sweepers. Such machines enable main thoroughfares to be cleansed in am, economical and expeditious manner.

Street sweepers can be divided into three main . classes. First, there are those which are built solely for the purpose of sweeping and brushing the dirt to the gutters edge, where it is collected by other vehicles; secondly, those which brush the sweepings and collect them at the same time; and, lastly, those in which a brush is fitted on a tip.wagon, water wagon, or other municipal vehicle in order to extend its sphere of usefulness,. In all cases the petrol chassis is Used for the work.

Under the fleet heading the are two types of sweeper available, thesebeing the Lacre, ade by the Lacre Motor Car Co., of Letchworth, and the Lafily—a French product—handled in this country by Laffiy (England), Ltd., 20-26, Lorisdale Road, London', N.W. 6.

The present Lacre sweeper is a three. wheeler, and, although its build is decidedly unorthodox, the company make many claims to support the censtruction to which they adhere. That more than fleeting regard must be given to their expressions of opinion will be understood when we state that the company have had considerable experience in the manufacture of foer-wheeled sweepers, and from 1911 until the introduction of their L-type three-wheeler tho supplied many four-wheeled road sweepers.'

In the Lacre three-wheeled machine the brush is mounted in a semi-circular guard which is carried on detachable pivots attached to the rear end of the frame. The weight of tha brush is taken by double counter-weights so erranged that their position can be altered from the driver's seat, thus enabling the pressure on the road to be varied. The drive for the brush is taken direct from the gearbox by a. totally enclosed gear vie a universally jointed shaft to an enclosed chain drive attached to the side of the brush case.

The brush itself is built up of ;ix Sections, each 15 ins, long, thus giving a total sweep of 7 ft: 6 ins.

Various claims are made by the rem,' C26 pany for their three-wheeler, and these can be classified as loll-ow :—(1) Improved suspension and control of the brush. In action the brush is allowed to sit well down on the road and approximates the action of a wellmanipulated hand broom, thus giving a particularly efficient and clean sweep.

12) Increased length of broom and increased length of bristles owing to the clearance given under the chassis frame. The bristles are roughly 10 ins, out from their stocks, and, as a result of the adjustment provided, they can be worn down to the maximum extent. (3) The single seat for the driver enables him to concentrate on this work. He also has the advantage of sitting behind the broom and can see its off-side and nearside ends. (4) Special provision for the renewal of brushes. By a simple operation the whole brush gear can be detached in about three minute3 and withdrawn from its hangings on the chassis. (5) 'Better accessibility to the various -fittings, which are contained within a smaller compass. (6) Lightness of constrection. (7) Low initial cost and low running charges. The figures quoted by the company show that the average cost of operation is 1s. 4d. per mile run, or, reduced 'to area, this represents about 5d. per 1,000 sq. yards swept, after allowing for loss of productive work due to turning, running to and from depot, etc. TheLacre three-wheeled sweeper is usualry supplied with a water tank and sprayer, the tank having a capacity of 100 gallons and being located ahead of the driver's cab. The water is forced from two spraying nozzles at the front of the vehicle at a pressure of about 20 lb. per sq in. The other vehicle coming under the heading of sweepers proper iS the Laffly—a four-wheeled vehicle. 'This is a machine which is in use by a number of municipal authorities and which is giving good results. In this machine the brush is disposed at an angle across the rear of the chassis, and it is claimed to be perfectly suspended, thus enabling it to be easily controlled. The throwing in and out of retion of the brush is automatic, all con. trolling mechanism being located close to the driver. The brush is driven by means of bevel gears and a chain through a linked shaft actuated through the gearbox. Its pressure cla the roadway is easily adjusted by modifying the tension of the balance springs. •

The latest type of Laffiy sweeper is the D2 type; which has now been on lest for the past 18 months, and embodies all the latest practices in vehicles of this description. It • is fitted with a water tank of .13.6-gallon capacityfor enabling the roadway throughout the whole length of the brush to be sprayed.

The company inform us that they have just completed their 2,600th sWeeping rna,ehine, and that at the moment • their works are producing over 100 vehicles of this type per week. This is sufficient in itself to indicate tho esteem. in which the sweeper is held by local councils. ' We now come to the second type of sweeper, in which road refuse is swept and also collected by the same machine.

A unique type of sweeper of this-class, and one that embodies many,unconventional characteristics, is the Karrier, built in the works of Karrier Motors, Ltd., of Huddersfield_ This machine is a sprinkler, road sweeper and refuse collector, and incorporates in its construction a combined water tank and refuse receptacle and a three-brush sweeper. •

The full-width sprinkler is situated at the front of the vehicle, and sprinklers are also located in front of the sweeping brobnis. Two short brooms are disposed at an angle behind the front wheels, and these are driven by a

diagonal shaft bevel-geared to the engine transmission shaft. These brushes sweep the dust from the sides to the -centre; where it is picked up by the brush at the rear of the machine. This brush conveys the sweepings into an inclined trunk which contains a pair of ratary brushes which act as conveyors, the dust being finally taken to a suitable

receptacle behind the driver's cab, which can be tipped when it. is desired to dump the material.

A development of this type of machine was recently described in our page devoted to a résumé of recently published patents. In this design the refuse ie not thrown into a.receptacle carried by the vehicle, but is taken to a trailer receptacle, which can easily be detached end taken awn-v to be emitted, its place being taken by a similar unit. This type of vehicle, however, is not-yet in

• production. We illustrate elsewhere a type of vehicle wherein a brush is fitted to a specific type of municipal vehicle to enable it to be used for road sweeping. The method of driving the brush will be clearly seen from the picture. This scheme has been extensively adopted by John I. 'fhornycroft and Co., Ltd., of Bazingstoke, and other makers who have given much attention to the diversified requirements of munieipalities. • -•

We should not conclude this article without a reference to the Pioneer sweeping and loading attachment, which it designed chieflY to he operated in con. junction with 'refuse wagons,and has been employed on Leese machines.

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