Apparatus for removing material from a work area

An apparatus for removing material from a work area on the earth's surface during substantially continuous movement therealong, the apparatus comprising:

• A. a frame adapted to be mounted on a tractor or the like for substantially continuous movement along the work area along a path of travel substantially parallel thereto;
• B. an arm mounted on the frame having a distal end portion disposed for movement in relative proximity to the work area during said substantially continuous movement therealong;
• C. a wheel assembly mounted on the distal end portion of the arm for rotational movement about a substantially upright axis of rotation and having a plurality of ground engaging projections mounted on the wheel assembly outwardly spaced from and substantially concentric to said axis of rotation;
• D. a plurality of material removing members mounted on the wheel assembly extending outwardly therefrom for engagement with material in said work area during said substantially continuous movement therealong;
• and
• E. means for adjusting the attitude of said wheel assembly relative to said earth's surface to place a portion of said projections into engagement with the earth's surface whereby said wheel assembly is driven in rotational movement about the axis of rotation by said engagement of the projections with the earth's surface during said substantially continuous movement along the work area to pass the removing members through the work area to remove material therefrom.