Combination chipper/shredder and vacuum apparatus for lawns and gardens

Apparatus for chipping, shredding and vacuuming lawn and garden debris comprising:

• a housing including a frame and support wheels permitting movement of the apparatus over a support surface;
• a motor mounted on said frame;
• a flat disc substantially enclosed within said housing and supported for rotation about a horizontal axis generally perpendicular to a nominal direction of apparatus movement when said apparatus is moved on said support wheels;
• said disc having a driving connection to said motor for disc rotation within said housing;
• a chipper blade mounted on a side of said disc facing said motor, said disc having an aperture extending therethrough adjacent said blade;
• a chipper inlet passageway forming a part of said housing in communication with said chipper blade at least once each disc revolution;
• an anvil supported on said housing in a position adjacent to said blade for cooperation with said blade upon each revolution of the disc to effect chipping of materials entering through said chipper inlet passageway to exit through the disc aperture;
• a plurality of generally radially extending blades mounted on and fixed relative to the other side of said disc opposite said side of said disc facing said motor for rotation with said disc within said housing to thereby cause air movement within said housing;
• said housing having a central area on one side adjacent to said blades provided with an opening in a housing sidewall substantially coaxial with the disc rotational axis;
• a generally cylindrical screen supported on said housing in the opening and in a position coaxial with said disc, the diameter of said cylindrical screen being greater than a diametrical distance between radially outer ends of said blades so as to overlie the ends of said generally radially extending blades, said screen being interposed between the ends of said generally radially extending blades in said housing and said housing, said screen being further comprised of a pair of generally circular rims joined by a plurality of spaced bar members, one of the rims having an enlarged lip which is engageable with said housing adjacent the central area opening on one side thereof;
• a cover for said housing opening partially defining an air passageway having an upstream air entrance end, said cover being removably fastened to said housing and having an aperture in the cover connected to said air passageway, said air passageway extending from said cover to said entrance end in a direction generally parallel to a major plane of said housing and a plane containing said disc to permit air to be drawn through said air passageway into said housing;
• said housing having a peripheral wall and a top rear outlet, said wall forming a generally volute curve cooperating with the ends of said generally radially extending blades to cause air from said entrance end of said air passageway to be propelled by said blades axially into said housing and through said top rear outlet of said housing.