Means for retrieving litter

Claim 2

Litter retrieving means for removing beverage bottles, cans and paper lying in random positions on the ground, comprising, a generally cylindrical drum having a peripheral surface, framework mounting said drum for rotation about a horizontal axis for moving said drum across the ground, an array of fingers mounted in spaced rows around said drum for movement in unison therewith when said drum rotates about said axis, each said finger projecting outwardly from the said peripheral surface and having an outer end passing proximate to the ground surface as the drum rotates about said axis, each finger being relatively short in relation to the diameter of the drum and being resiliently deflectable transversely of its longitudinal axis, each finger having a conical camming surface adjacent its said outer end and an article-holding surface radially inward of said camming surface for gripping articles such as bottles and cans, the article-holding surface presenting a concave neck having a minimum diameter less than the maximum diameter of said camming surface, said concave neck increasing in diameter radially inwardly of said minimum diameter, a spring associated with each finger, whereby each finger is resiliently deflectable transversely of its axis, said spring comprising a coil spring by which said finger is connected to said drum, a pointed hard spike projecting outwardly beyond said camming Surface for piercing paper and the like, means carried by said framework and projecting between the rows of fingers for dislodging articles from said fingers and spikes, and means attached to said framework for receiving and carrying articles dislodged from said fingers and spikes.

Claim 3

Litter retrieving means for removing beverage bottles, cans and paper lying in random positions on the ground, comprising, a generally cylindrical drum having a peripheral surface, framework mounting said drum for rotation about a horizontal axis for moving said drum across the ground, an array of fingers mounted in spaced rows around said drum for movement in unison therewith when said drum rotates about said axis, each said finger projecting outwardly from the said peripheral surface and having an outer end passing proximate to the ground surface as the drum rotates about said axis, each finger being relatively short in relation to the diameter of the drum and being resiliently deflectable transversely of its longitudinal axis, each finger having a conical camming surface adjacent its said outer end and an article-holding surface radially inward of said camming surface for gripping articles such as bottles and cans, the article-holding surface presenting a concave neck having a minimum diameter less than the maximum diameter of said camming surface, said concave neck increasing in diameter radially inwardly of said minimum diameter, a spring associated with each finger, whereby each finger is resiliently deflectable transversely of its axis, said spring comprising a flexible mounting to which the finger is attached, a pointed hard spike projecting outward beyond said camming surface for piercing paper and the like, means carried by said framework and projecting between the rows of fingers for dislodging articles from said fingers and spikes, and means attached to said framework for receiving and carrying articles dislodged from said fingers and spikes.

Claim 4

Litter retrieving means for removing beverage bottles, cans and paper lying in random positions on the ground, comprising, a generally cylindrical drum having a peripheral surface, framework mounting said drum for rotation about a horizontal axis for moving said drum across the ground, an array of fingers mounted in spaced rows around said drum for movement in unison therewith when said drum rotates about said axis, each said finger projecting outwardly from the said peripheral surface and having an outer end passing proximate to the ground surface as the drum rotates about said axis, each finger being relatively short in relation to the diameter of the drum and being resiliently deflectable transversely of its longitudinal axis, each finger having a conical camming surface adjacent its said outer end and an article-holding surface radially inward of said camming surface for gripping articles such as bottles and cans, the article-holding surface presenting a concave neck having a minimum diameter less than the maximum diameter of said camming surface, said concave neck increasing in diameter radially inwardly of said minimum diameter, a spring associated with each finger, whereby each finger is resiliently deflectable transversely of its axis, said spring comprising a flexible mounting to which the finger is attached, a pointed hard spike projecting outward beyond said camming surface for piercing paper and the like, means carried by said framework and projecting between the rows of fingers for dislodging articles from said fingers and spikes, and means attached to said framework for receiving and carrying articles dislodged from said fingers and spikes.

Claim 5

Litter retrieving means for removing beverage bottles, cans and paper lying in random positions on the ground, comprising, a generally cylindrical drum having a peripheral surface, framework mounting said drum for rotation about a horizontal axis and for moving said drum across the ground, an array of fingers mounted around said drum for movement in unison therewith when said drum rotates about said axis, each said finger projecting outwardly from the said peripheral surface and having an outer end contacting the ground surface as the drum rotates about said axis, each finger comprising a rigid stud having an inner end fastened to said drum and an outer end embedded in a body which projects outwardly beyond said stud, said body molded from a resiliently flexible material such as rubber so as to be deflectable with respect to said stud, said body having a conical camming surface adjacent an outer end thereof and an article-holding surface inward of said camming surface for gripping articles such as bottles and cans, the article-holding surface presenting a concave neck having a minimum diameter less than the maximum diameter of said camming surface, said concave neck leading inwardly toward a shoulder formed on said body, said shoulder having a diameter greater than said minimum diameter thereby resisting deflection of said body adjacent said stud, said stud being of smaller diameter than said shoulder, and a narrow, rigid pointed spike secured in said body at the outer end thereof, said spike projecting outwardly beyond said camming surface for piercing paper and the like, each finger being relatively short in relation to the diameter of the drum, means carried by said framework and projecting between the fingers for dislodging articles between said fingers or pierced by said spikes, and means attached to said framework for receiving and carrying articles dislodged from said fingers and spikes.

Claim 6

Litter retrieving means for removing beverage bottles, cans and paper lying in random positions on the ground, comprising, a generally cylindrical drum having a peripheral surface, framework mounting said drum for rotation about a horizontal axis and for moving said drum across the ground, an array of fingers mounted around said drum for movement in unison therewith when said drum rotates about said axis, each said finger projecting outwardly from the said peripheral surface and having an outer end contacting the ground surface as the drum rotates about said axis, each finger comprising a rigid stud having an inner end fastened to said drum and an outer end embedded in a body which projects outwardly beyond said stud, said body molded from a resiliently flexible material such as rubber so as to be deflectable with respect to said stud, said body having a conical camming surface adjacent an outer end thereof and an article-holding surface inward of said camming surface for gripping articles such as bottles and cans, the article-holding surface presenting a concave neck having a minimum diameter less than the maximum diameter of said camming surface, said concave neck leading inwardly toward a shoulder formed on said body, said shoulder having a diameter greater than said minimum diameter thereby resisting deflection of said body adjacent said stud, said stud being of smaller diameter than said shoulder, and a narrow, rigid pointed spike secured in said body at the outer end thereof, said spike projecting outwardly beyond said camming surface for piercing paper and the like, each finger being relatively short in relation to the diameter of the drum, means carried by said framework and projecting between the fingers for dislodging articles between said fingers or pierced by said spikes, and means attached to said framework for receiving and carrying articles dislodged from said fingers and spikes.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defiNed in claim 3 including a coupling means for connecting said framework to propelling means and adapted to accommodate the passage of the litter retrieving means over non-uniform ground surfaces.

Claim 8

The litter retrieving means of claim 3 wherein said fingers are spaced apart by distances such that when the camming surfaces of two adjacent fingers contact a bottle, the said fingers are resiliently sprung apart by the bottle sufficiently that the bottle moves relatively past the camming surfaces of the two fingers and is gripped between the article-holding surfaces of the two fingers.

Claim 9

The litter retrieving means of claim 3 wherein said framework is adapted to be moved over said ground with the spikes in contact with the ground surface.