Sweepers

Sweepers is a broad term used to describe devices or personnel involved in sweeping away dust, debris, or other material, and, in a naval context, ships designed to clear mines from waterways. The term covers household and industrial cleaning tools as well as specialized vessels.

In cleaning contexts, a sweeper refers to a person who sweeps or to a device that does the same job. Manual sweepers include brooms and push sweepers; powered sweepers include walk-behind and ride-on floor cleaners that brush or vacuum debris into a bin.

Street sweepers are motorized vehicles used by municipalities to clean roads and other paved surfaces. They typically combine rotating brushes with a suction system to collect litter into a hopper. Many models include water spray to control dust and may operate on defined routes on a daily or periodic schedule.

Mine sweepers, or minesweepers, are naval vessels or boats dedicated to clearing mines from harbors, rivers, and sea lanes. They perform mechanical sweeping with towed wires or paravane devices to cut or detonate moored mines, as well as influence sweeps that mimic a ship's magnetic or acoustic signature to trigger mines at a distance. Modern techniques also employ remotely operated or autonomous systems.

The concept of sweeping devices has a long history, evolving from manual labor to specialized machines and vessels used in civilian and military applications.