Leaf sweeper and loader

Claim 2

The combination comprising a wheeled hand-guided vehicle, a rotary sweeper element rotatably mounted on the vehicle for rotation about an axis extending generally transversely of the vehicle such that the element engages leaves and cuttings and the like as the vehicle is moved along the ground, a feed screw mounted for rotation about a transverse axis on the vehicle adjacent the sweeper element, a casing having a longitudinal opening therein surrounding said screw, shroud means extending from the sweeper element to said screw for guiding leaves and the like from said sweeper element through the longitudinal opening to said screw, a foraminous housing mounted on said vehicle and having inlet opening adjacent one end thereoF, said casing having an outlet adjacent one end thereof through which the screw feeds the leaves and cuttings, passage means interconnecting the outlet of said casing and the inlet of said housing, means releasably connecting a collapsible container to the inlet of said housing within said housing whereby upon operation of said sweeper element and said screw, the leaves and cuttings are compacted and delivered to the flexible container within said housing.

Claim 3

The combination set forth in claim 1 including means drivingly interconnecting the sweeper element and the screw.

Claim 4

The combination set forth in claim 1 including means on the vehicle for rotating said sweeper element.

Claim 5

The combination set forth in claim 1 including means on said vehicle for rotating said sweeper element in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the wheels of the vehicle as the vehicle is moved along the ground.

Claim 6

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said screw has a progressively increasing pitch toward the outlet of the casing.

Claim 7

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said passage has progressively increasing cross sectional area from the outlet of said casing to the inlet of said housing.

Claim 8

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing has readily removable and replaceable wall portions for gaining access to said collapsible container.

Claim 9

The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a removable wall of said container.

Claim 10

The combination comprising a wheeled hand-guided vehicle, a rotary sweeper element rotatably mounted on the vehicle for rotation about an axis extending generally transversely of the vehicle such that the element engages leaves and cuttings and the like as the vehicle is moved along the ground, a feed screw mounted for rotation about a transverse axis on the vehicle adjacent the sweeper element, a casing having a longitudinal opening therein surrounding said screw, shroud means extending from the sweeper element to said screw for guiding leaves and the like from said sweeper element through the longitudinal opening to said screw, a foraminous housing mounted on said vehicle and having inlet opening adjacent one end thereof, said casing having an outlet adjacent one end thereof through which the screw feeds the leaves and cuttings, passage means interconnecting the outlet of said casing and the inlet of said housing, means releasably connecting a collapsible container to the inlet of said housing within said housing whereby upon operation of said sweeper element and said screw, the leaves and cuttings are compacted and delivered to the flexible container within said housing, said screw having a progressively increasing pitch toward the outlet of the casing, said passage having progressively increasing cross sectional area from the outlet of said casing to the inlet of said housing, said housing having readily removable and replaceable wall portions for gaining access to said collapsible container.

Claim 11

The combination comprising a wheeled hand-guided vehicle, a rotary sweeper element rotatably mounted on the vehicle for rotation about an axis extending generally transversely of the vehicle such that the element engages leaves and cuttings and the like as the vehicle is moved along the ground, a feed screw mounted for rotation about a transverse axis on the vehicle adjacent the sweeper element, a casing having a longitudinal opening therein surrounding said screw, shroud means extending from the sweeper element to said screw for guiding leaves and the like from said sweeper element through the longitudinal opening to said screw, a foraminous housing mounted on said vehicle and having inlet opening adjacent one end thereof, said casing having an outlet adjacent one end thereof through which the screw feeds the leaves and cuttings, passage means interconnecting the outlet of said casing and the inlet of said housing, means releasably connecting a collapsible container to the inlet of said housing within said housing whereby upon operation of said sweeper element and said screw, the leaves and cuttings are compacted and delivered to the flexible container within said housing, said screw having a progressively increasing pitch toward the outlet of the casing, said passage having progressively increasing cross sectional area from the outlet of said casing to the inlet of said housing, said housing having readily removable and replaceable wall portions for gaining access to said collapsible container.

Claim 12

For use with a wheeled hand-guided vehicle having a rotary sweeper element rotatably mounted on the vehicle for rotation about an axis extending generally transversely of the vehicle such that the element engages leaves and cuttings and the like as the vehicle is moved along the ground, the improvement comprising a feed screw mounted for rotation about a transverse axis on the vehicle adjacent the sweeper element, a casing adapted to be mounted on said vehicle having a longitudinal opening therein surrounding said screw, shroud means adapted to be mounted on said vehicle and extend from the sweeper element to said screw for guiding leaves and the like from said sweeper element through the longitudinal opening to said screw, a foraminous housing adapted to be mounted on said vehicle and having inlet opening adjacent one end thereof, said casing having an outlet adjacent one end thereof through which the screw feeds the leaves and cuttings, passage means interconnecting the outlet of said casing and the inlet of said housing, means releasably connecting a collapsible container to the inlet of said housing within said housing whereby upon operation of said sweeper element and said screw, the leaves and cuttings are compacted and delivered to the flexible container within said housing.

Claim 13

For use with a wheeled hand-guided vehicle having a rotary sweeper element rotatably mounted on the vehicle for rotation about an axis extending generally transversely of the vehicle such that the element engages leaves and cuttings and the like as the vehicle is moved along the ground, the improvement comprising a feed screw mounted for rotation about a transverse axis on the vehicle adjacent the sweeper element, a casing adapted to be mounted on said vehicle having a longitudinal opening therein surrounding said screw, shroud means adapted to be mounted on said vehicle and extend from the sweeper element to said screw for guiding leaves and the like from said sweeper element through the longitudinal opening to said screw, a foraminous housing adapted to be mounted on said vehicle and having inlet opening adjacent one end thereof, said casing having an outlet adjacent one end thereof through which the screw feeds the leaves and cuttings, passage means interconnecting the outlet of said casing and the inlet of said housing, means releasably connecting a collapsible container to the inlet of said housing within said housing whereby upon operation of said sweeper element and said screw, the leaves and cuttings are compacted and delivered to the flexible container within said housing.

Claim 14

The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said screw has a progressively increasing pitch toward the outlet of the casing.

Claim 15

The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said passage has progressively increasing cross sectional area from the outlet of said casing to the inlet of said housing.

Claim 16

The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said housing has readily removable and replaceable wall portions for gaining access to said collapsible container.

Claim 17

The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a removable wall of said container.

Claim 18

The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said casing includes an inclined edge at one end of said opening which has the same inclination as the endmost convolution of said screw cooperates with said convolution of said screw to provide a shearing action in the leaves and cuttings.

Claim 19

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said casing includes an inclined edge at one end of said opening which has the same inclination as the endmost convolution of said screw cooperates with said convolution of said screw to provide a shearing action on the leaves and cuttings.

Claim 20

The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein said casing includes an inclined edge at one end of said opening which has the same inclination as the endmost convolution of said screw cooperates with said convolution of said screw to provide a shearing action on the leaves and cuttings.