AU673476B2 - An apparatus for cleaning escalators - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: IAN HILTON KIRK IAN HILTON KIRK CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

Invention Title: AN APPARATUS

ESCALATORS

FOR CLEANING Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Nos. PM4018 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: THIS IrWENTION relates to an apparatus for cleaning escalators and especially to an apparatus having rotatable cylindrical brushes which can efficiently clean escalator steps including the side edges.

Escalators are subject to heavy pedestrian traffic and very quickly become grimy. Cleaning of the escalator steps is a requirement and cleaning must be carried out on a regular basis. Due to the corrugated nature of escalator steps, the steps are not efficiently cleaned by normal techniques.

Specialised escalator cleaning devices are known, these being described in Australian patent applications 61520/86 and 78220/87. These devices are clamped to the end of the escalator and the devices include a stationary elongate brush which cleans the steps as the escalator moves.

A disadvantage with these known cleaning i" devices are that they are very inefficient and it takes a long period of time to efficiently clean all the 20 escalator steps. In part, this is due to the fact that .'"the brushes can only clean the escalator steps at the rate that the escalator moves, this rate being slow so as to not injure or alarm pedestrians using the escalator.

S. The present invention has been developed to present a much more efficient escalator cleaning apparatus which uses at least two rotatable cylindrical brushes to clean the escalator steps. By being able to rotate the brushes, up to sixty times the cleaning effect S•is available compared to the stationary bushes being 30 currently used. This in turn greatly reduces the time required to clean the escalator steps.

To drive the rotating brushes, one end face of each brush can be provided with a pulley or sprocket about which a chain or belt can pass. However, this results in a reduced ability for the brush to extend right up to the side edges of an escalator step. To overcome this problem, the present invention provides at least two brushes, each having a drive means, but where the drive means are on opposed side faces. Thus, each brush can extend to one side edge of the step thereby ensuring that both side edges can be efficiently cleaned.

It is an object of the invention to provide an escalator cleaning apparatus which may overcome the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

In one form, the invention resides in an apparatus for cleaning escalator steps, the apparatus comprising a leading and a trailing rotatable cylindrical brush, each brush having a pair of end faces, the brushes being adapted to contact the step in use, at least one motor to rotate one or more of the brushes, the leading brush having one end face extendable to one side edge of an escalator step, and having the other end face spaced inwardly from the other side edge of the escalator step by a distance sufficient to allow a first drive means to extend to the other end face, the trailing brush having one end face extendible to the other side edge of the 20 step and having the other end face spaced inwardly from *the said one side edge of the step by a distance sufficient to allow a second drive means to extend to the other end face.

In this manner, one of the brushes can have one end face able to clean almost to one side edge of the escalator step, while the other brush has the opposite end face able to clean almost to the other side edge of the escalator step. Together, the two brushes can effectively clean the entire top surface and to, or S 30 almost to, both side edges of the step, with the rotating ability of the bushes making cleaning of the escalator steps much more efficient as less reliance is now placed on the movement of the escalator steps themselves to assist in the cleaning process (as is the case with earlier versions).

The end faces of each brush may be rotatably mounted to side walls of a housing of the apparatus. It is preferred that the side walls are of a relatively thin

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construction such that the brushes can still clean almost to the side edges of the escalator steps.

It is preferred that the leading and trailing brushes have longitudinal axis which are parallel to each other and that the brushes are spaced apart by a distance sufficient to ensure that the brushes do not interfere with each other.

The brushes may comprise bristles extending radially about a central axis or drum. The bristles may be formed from metal, fibre, hair or artificial fibres.

Generally, it is found that two brushes are sufficient to effectively clean escalator steps.

The apparatus may include a pair of ground engageable wheels to allow the apparatus to be manually wheeled into position. These wheels are preferably positioned adjacent a rear portion of the apparatus and preferably a pair of axially spaced wheels are provided such that the apparatus can be pivoted between a raised position where the brushes are above the ground surface, 20 and a lowered position where the brushes engage with a ground surface (or a escalator step).

The advantage of this pivoting ability is that the force of engagement of the brushes with the escalator step can be adjusted if necessary. Preferably, a handle is provided to allow an operator to pivot the apparatus.

The motor to rotate the brushes may be located within the housing and spaced inwardly from the end faces of the brushes. It is preferred that each brush is S.i e e associated with its own motor. The motors may be 30 electric motors and the apparatus may include its own power supply, or may be connected to a mains power supply.

The drive means on one end face of each brush may be a pulley, sprocket or like member about which a belt or chain may pass. The motor can have an output shaft about which the belt or chain may pass such that rotation of the output shaft causes rotation of the brush.

The motors may be constant or variable speed and gears or cogs may be provided to vary the speed of rotation. The brushes may rotate either in a clockwise or anticlockwise manner, and may rotate in the same direction or be contra-rotating relative to each other.

To assist in the cleaning process, the apparatus may be provided with clamps or anchors to hold the apparatus in place while the brushes are rotating on the moving escalator. These anchors or clamps can attach the apparatus to the escalator.

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a view of the apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention positioned on an escalator; Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus of Figure 1; *"""Figure 3 is a top view of the apparatus of 20 Figure 1; Figure 4 is a front view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figure 1, there is shown an apparatus for cleaning escalator steps. Each escalator step has a top wall 12 and a pair of opposed side walls 13, 14.

Apparatus 10 includes two rotatable cylindrical brushes being a leading brush 15 and a trailing brush 16 (see also Figure Each brush is in the form of an 30 elongate cylinder and has radially extending bristles which can contact the top wall 12 of the escalator steps.

The two brushes are positioned one behind the other and are in a parallel relationship relative to each other.

Figure 3 more clearly illustrates that leading and trailing brushes 15 and 16 are slightly axially offset with respect to each other. This offset arrangement allows the brushes to clean almost to the side edges 13 and 14 of the escalator steps. Leading brush 15 has opposed end faces 17, 18. One end face 17 is positioned as closely as possible to a side edge 14 of an escalator step. The other end face 18 is spaced inwardly from the respective side edge of the escalator step. The spacing is required such that a drive means 19 in the form of a take-up pulley or sprocket can be mounted to the shaft about which leading brush rotates.

Trailing brush 16 is identical to leading brush 15 except that it is in reverse to the leading brush.

Thus, trailing brush 16 has one end face 20 which is closely spaced to side edge 13 of the escalator step, and its other end face 21 is spaced inwardly to accommodate a second drive means 22.

It can be seen from Figure 3 that this arrangement allows the two brushes in combination to :clean as closely as possible to the side edges of the :..escalator steps. The first and second drive means 19 and 22 can be attached to a drive belt or pulley which is 20 itself attached to an output shaft of a motor 24, Each brush is powered by its own motor with leading brush being powered by motor 24 and trailing brush 16 being powered by motor 25. The motors are spaced inwardly from the edges of the brush. The motors are electric motors and are powered from an external mains power supply.

Brushes 15 and 16 are rotatably supported by side walls 26, 27 which form part of a housing 28 which encloses the motors and brushes.

•Towards the rear of the apparatus are provided 30 a pair of axially aligned wheels 30, 31. Wheels 30 and 31 allow the apparatus to be pivoted such that brushes and 16 can be spaced above a ground surface. This allows the apparatus to be wheeled through a shopping centre and towards the escalator. Another benefit is that the apparatus can also be pivoted to provide greater contact pressure of brushes 15 and 16 against the escalator steps should the steps be exceptionally dirty or grimy. A handle 32 is provided to allow an operator to pivot and move the apparatus and also to apply more contact force between the brushes and a step. To hold the apparatus in place when cleaning escalator steps, a pair of anchors 36 are provided. These anchors are in the form of Lshaped metal pieces which abut against front ends of an escalator as shown in Figure i. Clamps 37, 38 are also provided to firmly clamp the apparatus into position.

In use, the apparatus can be simply wheeled into position and the clamps tightened. The apparatus can then be switched on such that the leading and the trailing brushes rotate. The escalator continues its normal movement thereby allowing each step of the escalator to be cleaned in turn. By a combination of using the rotating brushes together with the moving escalator, it is found that a cleaning effect up to sixty times larger than using a stationary brush can be i achieved. By having the rotating brushes offset relative to each other, the escalator step can be cleaned including both side edges.

20 An atomised spray unit is fitted to the front of the apparatus, to direct atomised spray onto the steps to act as a chemical dissolver before the physical cleaning step. The unit comprises a number of spray nozzles 40 44 connected to a reservoir 45 which is pressurised by a pump 46.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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Claims (18)

1. An apparatus for cleaning escalator steps, the apparatus comprising a leading and a trailing rotatable cylindrical brush, each brush having a pair of end faces, the brushes being adapted to contact the step in use, at least one motor to rotate one or more of the brushes, the leading brush having one end face extendable to one side edge of an escalator step, and having the other end face spaced inwardly from the other side edge of the escalator step by a distance sufficient to allow a first drive means to extend to the other end face, the trailing brush having one end face extendible to the other side edge of the step and having the other end face spaced inwardly from the said one side edge of the step by a distance sufficient to allow a second drive means to extend to the other end face.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the leading and trailing brushes are within a housing, the housing having opposed side walls and a top wall and an open bottom wall through which the brushes can at least partially project to clean the steps.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the brushes S"are rotatably mounted to the opposed side walls.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 or 3, wherein the side walls are thin to allow said brush to extend closely against a side edge of the escalator step.

5. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 4 wherein the brushes are elongate, parallel to each other, counter-rotating with respect to each other and spaced S 30 apart.

6. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims including one or more ground engageable wheels to allow the apparatus to be wheeled into position.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more wheels are adjacent a rear portion of the apparatus such that the apparatus can be pivoted about the rear wheel or wheels between a raised position where the Rbrushes are above a ground surface and a lowered position 9zbrushes are above a ground surface and a lowered position I 9 where the brushes can engage with a ground surface.

8. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, including a handle to allow the apparatus to be pushed along a ground surface or tilted.

9. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the motor is positioned inwardly from the end face of the brushes.

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a motor is provided for each brush.

11. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive means on one end of each brush is a pulley, or sprocket about which a belt or chain may pass.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the belt or chain is driven by a said motor.

13. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, including locking means to releasably hold the apparatus in place while the escalator steps are being cleaned.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the locking means comprises projections which can abut against a non- moving portion of the escalator frame.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further including clamps to clamp the apparatus in place.

16. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, including a spray unit having one or more spray nozzles to direct a spray onto the steps.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein -he spray unit comprises a reservoir, and a pump to supply pressurised cleaning agent to the one or more nozzles.

18. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. DATED this 13th day of September 1996 Ian Hilton KIRK By his Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO. L ABSTRACT An escalator cleaner has counter rotating cylindrical brushes which are axially offset to allow the brushes to clean as close as possible to the edge of the escalator steps while still allowing belts and pulleys to be fitted to the brushes to drive them. o *S S S e* *e *e*e* *e*