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US 5,685,134 AGranted
Simultaneous litter removal and grass cutting apparatus
AssigneeThe Burg Corporation
InventorCecil Jackson Thornburg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus towed behind a conventional farm tractor has a vacuum section ahead of a conventional mowing section so that litter and other debris are vacuumed into a rear hopper before entering into the mowing section. A conventional power take-off unit on the tractor distributes power via a transmission unit to a pair of centrifugal fans for the vacuuming stage and power to three mower blades. The apparatus may optionally have a sorting section in the discharge tube from the centrifugal fans to separate heavier recyclable debris from lighter debris such as grass clippings.
Claims24
An apparatus having a translatable ground support housing adapted to be connected to a towing vehicle having a power take-off unit, comprising:
- a) a transmission unit carried by said housing and operatively connected in driving relation to said power take-off unit;
- b) linkage means for connecting said housing to said towing vehicle;
- c) said housing including a partition on an underside thereof forming a forward section and a rearward section, rotary cutting means within said rearward section to said transmission unit;
- d) vacuum means supported by said housing and operatively connected to said transmission unit, said vacuum means having an inlet means within said forward section and a tangentially oriented outlet means;
- e) hopper means attached to said housing for receiving debris from said outlet means;
- and.
- f) wherein said forward section includes molding means for directing debris into said inlet means upon forward translation of said housing and in conjunction with said vacuum means, said molding means comprising a resilient outer skirt molding positioned on a leading edge of said forward section and extending downward to near ground level, said outer molding having a pair of vertical slits located proximal said inlet means to facilitate passage of larger sized debris under said outer molding, said outer molding being substantially "V" shaped and including a pair of forwardly extending resilient protrusions positioned on outer sides of said "V" for directing debris inwardly toward said slits, and wherein said molding means further comprises a resilient inner skirt molding positioned on a leading edge of said housing partition, said inner molding being substantially plow shaped and including a leading edge for directing said debris toward said inlet means.
4 more elements
An apparatus having a translatable ground supported housing adapted to be connected to a towing vehicle having a power take-off unit, comprising:
- a) means for connecting said housing to said towing vehicle;
- b) said housing including a partition on an underside thereof forming a forward section and a rearward section, rotary cutting means within said rearward section supported by said housing, said cutting means including an adjustable discharge vent on a side thereof for venting vegetation clippings a predetermined distance from said apparatus;
- c) vacuum means supported by said housing having an inlet means within said forward section and a tangentially oriented outlet means;
- d) a transmission unit carried by said housing including a first gear fixedly mounted to a drive shaft for concomitant rotation therewith and wherein said drive shaft is operatively connected to said power take-off unit, a second cooperating gear rotatably mounted within said transmission unit and operatively meshed with said first gear, an output gear rotatably mounted within said transmission unit and operatively meshed with said second gear, said second gear operatively engaged with and connected to said cutting means for mowing vegetation, and said output gear operatively engaged with and connected to said vacuum means for generating vacuum within said inlet means;
- e) hopper means attached to said housing for receiving debris from said outlet means;
- and
- f) wherein said forward section includes molding means for directing debris into said inlet means, said molding means comprising a resilient outer skirt molding positioned on a leading edge of said forward section and extending downward to near ground level, said outer molding having a pair of vertical slits located proximal said inlet means to facilitate passage of larger sized debris under said outer molding, said outer molding being substantially "V" shaped and including a pair of forwardly extending resilient promotions positioned on outer sides of said "V" for directing debris inwardly toward said slits.
4 more elements
An apparatus having a translatable ground supported housing adapted to be connected to a towing vehicle having a power take-off unit, comprising:
- a) a transmission unit, carded by said housing and operatively connected in driving relation to said power take-off unit;
- b) linkage means for connecting said housing to said towing vehicle;
- c) said housing including a partition on an underside thereof forming a forward section and a rearward section, rotary curing means within said rearward section supported by said housing and operatively connected to said transmission unit;
- d) vacuum means supported by said housing and operatively connected to said transmission unit, said vacuum means having an inlet means within said forward section and a tangentially oriented outlet means;
- e) said forward section including molding means on an exterior portion thereof for directing debris into said inlet means, said molding means comprising a resilient outer skirt molding positioned on a leading edge of said forward section and extending downward to near ground level, said outer molding having a pair of vertical slits located proximal said inlet means to facilitate passage of larger sized debris under said outer molding, said outer molding being substantially "V" shaped and including a pair of forwardly extending resilient protrusions positioned on outer sides of said "V" for directing debris inwardly toward said slits;
- f) hopper means attached to said housing for receiving debris from said outlet means;
- and
- g) sorting means attached to said vacuum means comprising a tubular section having one end connected to said outlet means and a discharge end, said tubular section having an upper surface and a lower surface, a first port extending downward from said lower surface proximate said outlet means and terminating in said hopper means, a second port extending downward from said lower surface proximate said discharge end and terminating in said hopper means, said upper surface having a plurality of openings between said first port and said outlet means such that heavier debris flows out said first port and lighter debris flows out of said second port.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.