Debris suctioning and separating apparatus for use in a surface sweeping vehicle having a mechanical debris elevator

A debris suctioning and separating apparatus for use in a surface sweeping vehicle having a cylindrically-shaped rotating sweeping broom that propels debris forwardly, a debris receiving and retaining hopper, and a debris conveying means to receive debris from said cylindrically-shaped rotating sweeping broom and convey it to said hopper, said debris suctioning and separating apparatus comprising:

• debris separator means mounted on said surface sweeping vehicle and having an air inlet for receiving debris-laden air created by said sweeping broom into said debris separator means, an air outlet for exhausting separated air from said debris separator means, and a debris release outlet for selectively releasing separated debris from said debris separator means;
• fan means operatively mounted at said air outlet of said debris separator means, to draw said debris-laden air through said air inlet and into said debris separator means, and to exhaust separated air from said debris separator means to ambient surroundings;
• valve means operatively mounted on the debris separator means at said debris release outlet, to effect the controlled flow-restricted release from said debris separator means of the separated and captured debris, and to preclude the ingress of air and debris into said debris separator means through said debris release outlet;
• wherein debris is separated from said debris-laden air drawn through said air inlet and into said debris separator means, during the operation of said cylindrically-shaped rotating sweeping broom and the debris conveying means.