Apparatus for collecting litter and objects from a ground surface

Apparatus for collecting surface litter and the like on the ground, comprising:

• (a) a main frame having means for supporting the frame in elevated position on a vehicle;
• (b) a carriage pivotally attached to the main frame for movement between a vertical, storage position and a horizontal, ground engaging position laterally adjacent said frame;
• (c) front and rear tandem rollers mounted on said carriage, each roller being driven in opposite direction to each other and respectively including a pluraliy of fingers projecting outwardly therefrom and being engageable with the ground to grasp and remove surface litter engaged between adjacent fingers from the ground, said front and rear fingers being timed to mesh between the rollers to transfer substantially entirely all litter entrapped by the front fingers rotating upwardly into meshing contact with and to the rear fingers so that objects engaged between fingers of the front roller have a tendency to become dislodged from the front fingers by the rear fingers and entrapped between the rear fingers for transfer thereto, causing litter to move downstream over the rear roller;
• and wiper blade means meshing with the front and rear roller fingers to dislodge objects entrapped between the fingers to augment transfer of said objects towards said rear roller fingers;
• (d) auger conveyor means positioned downstream the rear roller and mounted on the carriage for conveying litter transferred downstream of by the rear fingers laterally towards the main frame;
• and
• (e) means mounted on the main frame for conveying litter transferred from said auger means into a collection area of the vehicle.

Apparatus for collecting litter lying on the ground, comprising:

• (a) a main frame including means supporting the main frame for movement over the ground;
• (b) a front roller and means for pivotally mounting the front roller to the main frame, said roller including a plurality of fingers projecting outwardly therefrom to contact the ground to grasp and lift objects therefrom;
• (c) means rotatably mounted downstream from the front roller, said means including a plurality of fingers projecting outwardly therefrom to grasp and remove objects from the ground, said front roller and rotatable downstream means being driven in opposite direction to each other with said fingers on the front roller rotating upwardly into meshing contact with said fingers on said rotatable downstream means so that objects engaged between fingers on the front roller have a tendency to become dislodged from the front fingers by the rear fingers and entrapped between the rear fingers for transfer thereto;
• (d) wiper means meshing with the front and rear fingers for dislodging objects entrapped between the front and rear fingers and to augment transfer of said objects towards said rear fingers, said wiper means including means located to engage with the front fingers as the front fingers travel out to contact with the rear fingers to dislodge objects entrapped between the front fingers as the front fingers travel towards their uppermost position, said means being further located to direct said dislodged objects onto the rear fingers;
• and
• (e) storage means on the main frame for storing objects lifted by the front and rear fingers, said fingers on the rotatable downstream means conveying said objects in the direction of said storage means, and means for directing said objects from the fingers into the storage means.

Apparatus for collecting litter lying on the ground, comprising:

• (a) a main frame including means supporting the main frame for movement over the ground;
• (b) a front roller, and means for movably mounting the front roller to the main frame, said roller including a plurality of fingers projecting outwardly therefrom to contact the ground to grasp and lift objects therefrom;
• (c) means rotatably mounted downstream from the front roller, said means including a plurality of fingers projecting outwardly therefrom to grasp and remove objects from the ground, said front roller and rotatable downstream means being driven in opposite direction to each other with said fingers on the front roller rotating upwardly into meshing contact with said fingers on said rotatable downstream means so that objects engaged between fingers of the front roller have a tendency to become dislodged from the front fingers by the rear fingers and entrapped between the rear fingers for transfer thereto;
• (d) cleaning means cooperating with the front and rear fingers and directed between adjacent fingers for dislodging objects entrapped between the front and rear fingers and to augment transfer of said object towards said rear fingers, said cleaning means including means located to enter between adjacent front fingers as they travel out of contact with the rear fingers to dislodge objects entrapped between the front fingers as the front fingers travel towards their uppermost position, said means being further located to direct said dislodged objects onto the rear fingers;
• and
• (e) storage means on the main frame for storing objects lifted by the front and rear fingers, said fingers on the rotatable downstream means conveying said objects in the direction of said storage means, and means for directing the object from the fingers into the storage means.

Apparatus for collecting litter lying on the ground, comprising:

• (a) a main frame including means supporting the main frame for movement over the ground;
• (b) a carriage pivotally secured to the main frame;
• (c) a front roller rotatably connected to the carriage, said roller including a plurality of fingers projecting outward therefrom to contact the ground to grasp and lift objects therefrom;
• (d) means rotatably mounted on the pivotal carriage downstream from the front roller, said means including a plurality of fingers projecting outward therefrom to grasp and remove objects from the ground, said front roller and rotatable downstream means being driven in opposite directions to each other with said fingers on the front roller rotating upward into meshing contact with said fingers on said rotatably downstream means so that objects engaged between fingers of the front roller have a tendency to become dislodged from the front fingers by the rear fingers and entrapped between the rear fingers for transfer thereto, said pivotal carriage being movable between a raised position wherein the front and rear fingers are out of contact with the ground and a lower operative position wherein said front and rear fingers engage the ground;
• (e) wiper means meshing with the front and rear fingers for dislodging objects entrapped between the front and rear fingers and to augment transfer of said objects towards said rear fingers;
• and
• (f) storage means on the main frame for storing objects lifted by the front and rear fingers, said fingers o the rotatable downstream means conveying said objects in the direction of said storage means, and means for directing the objects from the fingers into the storage means.

Apparatus for collecting litter lying on the ground, comprising:

• (a) a main frame including means supporting the main frame for movement over the ground;
• (b) a carriage pivotally secured to the main frame;
• (c) a front roller rotatably connected to the main frame, said roller including a plurality of fingers projecting outward therefrom to contact the ground to grasp and lift objects therefrom;
• (d) means rotatably mounted on the pivotal carriage downstream from the front roller, said means including a plurality of fingers projecting outward therefrom to grasp and remove objects from the ground, said front roller and rotatably downstream means being driven in opposite directions to each other with said fingers on the front roller rotating upwardly into meshing contact with said fingers on said rotatable downstream means that objects engaged between fingers of the front roller have a tendency to become dislodged from the front fingers by the rear fingers and entrapped between the rear fingers for transfer thereto, said carriage being movable between a raised, in operative position wherein the front and rear fingers are out of contact with the ground and a lowered operative position wherein said front and rear fingers contact the ground;
• (e) means cooperating with the front and rear fingers and directed between adjacent fingers for dislodging objects entrapped between the front and rear fingers and to augment transfer of said objects towards said rear fingers;
• and
• (f) storage means on the main frame for storing objects lifted by the front and rear fingers, said fingers on the rotatable downstream means conveying said objects in the direction of said storage means, and means for directing the object from the fingers into the storage means.