Powered Debris Collector
A PTO driven yard clean up tool is for attachment to a tractor is disclosed and claimed. The PTO system drives a rake attachment that runs in a counter-clockwise direction to the direction of travel to throw material into a basket; the material can be dumped out of the basket when it gets full by tilting the basket.
This application is a continuation of and claims benefit of pending utility non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 13/920,896 filed on Jun. 18, 2013 which claimed benefit of provisional Pat. App. No. 61/661,380 filed on Jun. 19, 2012, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a powered device which may be pulled for engaging and collecting irregularly positioned debris, such as that found on lawns and in yards and including at least small stones, leaves, twigs, branches, walnuts and husks, for use with a tractor, gator or lawn mower.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNo federal funds were used to develop or create the invention disclosed and described in the patent application.
AUTHORIZATION PURSUANT TO 37 C.F.R. § 1.171 (d)(c)A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright and trademark protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.
Before the various embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components and elements set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways not explicitly disclosed herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION—LISTING OF ELEMENTS
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appending claims. Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. Broadly, the embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus that allows for yard waste and debris pick-up and collection.
The debris collector depicted in
As shown through-out the figures, to drive the components of the debris collector as shown, a first shaft 2 (PTO shaft) is connected to a gear box 15 which is connected to and turns (drives) an input (drive) shaft 16 upon the end of which is first sprocket 17 which is drive or driver sprocket 17. (See
The rake drum shaft 41 of rake attachment 40 as illustrated rotates in a counter-clockwise direction (based on right hand nomenclature) to collect and throw debris material into the basket. (See
In this way the rake attachment 40 works to “scoop up” the debris from the terrain for collection in basket 8 and removal. As shown in
The rake attachment 40, of the illustrative embodiment shown herein, as detailed in
The rake drum shaft 41 as illustrated is one inch in diameter is and is held to the main frame 3 using a pair of carriage bearings 42. Although not shown in detail, the carriage bearings 42 are affixed to the main frame 3 with three eighths inch by three inches (⅜″×3″) bolts. One of ordinary skill will appreciate that other methods of fabrication and means of construction are contemplated and further discussion is unnecessary.
As shown throughout but best exemplified by
As shown, the height of the debris collector 1 is adjustable in relation to the terrain (labeled 56 in
The gauge wheels 24 are solidly mounted to the frame 3 by gauge wheel assembly 23 which is a one inch (1″) square tubing, that is six and one-half inches (6½″) long and bolted to the main frame 3 proximate the rake attachment 40 and posterior of the front wheel assembly 21. A five-eighths inch (⅝″) bolt holds the gauge wheel assembly 23 to the end of the bracket. (See
On the front piece of the frame 3b is the bracket 14 that holds the one inch (1″) drive shaft 16 from the gear box 15 which drives sprocket 17. This shaft 16 is held in place by another carriage bearing 13. As shown, the bracket 14 that holds the gear box 15 to the main frame 3 is made from flat stock, welded and shaped in an “H” pattern. (See
As shown in
The basket 8 to catch debris 7 may be constructed of hard plastic and as illustrated measures thirty-one inches by forty-six inches (31½″×46″) and is attached to the frame 3 by a five-eighths inch (⅝″) pin. (See
The rear wheels 28 are pneumatic and attached to the frame 3 by wheel assembly 27 which is an axle made from a three-quarter inch (¾″) shaft measuring four and one-half inches (4½″) in length. The rear wheels 28 are ten and one-half inches in diameter (10½″) mounted on four and one half inch (4½″) rims. As shown throughout the figures, the rear wheel assemblies 27 are made using brackets five inches (5″) in length with two triangular pieces attached twenty inches (20″) below the frame 3b and five inches (5″) in from the back of the frame 3b. One of ordinary skill will appreciate other wheel assembly configurations and constructions are possible without departure from the scope of the present disclosure.
Towards the front of the debris collector 1 there is a flexible engagement member 50, shown throughout the figures but best illustrated at
During operation of the debris collector 1, the front wheels 22 and gauge wheels 24 function to allow the front portion of the debris collector 1 to closely follow the contour of the terrain 60 upon which the debris collector 1 operates. (See
One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the operation of the debris collector 1 can be modified in a multitude of ways including without limitation, the distance between the frame and the terrain (56), the distance between the tines and the terrain (57), and the distance (gap) between the flexible engagement member and the terrain (58). (See
As shown in the above figures, the distance between the frame 3 and the terrain 60 is selected by adjusting the height of the front wheel assembly 21. (See previous discussion and description) Adjusting this dimension changes the depth of the tines 47 engaging the terrain 60, i.e. downward adjustment increases engagement with the terrain 60, which can increase, by way of example and without limitation, removal of grass clippings from the terrain allowing the debris collector 1 to be used for de-thatching. (Not shown) Too much downward adjustment, however, can negatively affect performance as too much soil may be engaged and removed from the terrain. (Not shown) Adjustment of the distance between the frame and the terrain (56) may be accomplished by using the three-point hitch of a tractor (not shown) engaged with the hitch 30 to raise or lower the height of the frame 3, as limited by the position or adjustment of the front wheel assembly 21 and front wheels 22. Further methods of height adjustment of both the engagement gap 58 and the depth of the tines in relation to the terrain 57 are possible and well known to one of ordinary skill, including by application of hydraulic cylinders or pneumatic actuators, with supporting mounting hardware and brackets, in place of the adjustment mechanisms and structures disclosed herein.
Further, by way of illustration and without limitation, the front wheel assembly 22 and the gauge wheel assembly 24 may be configured to work cooperatively together to allow adjustment of the engagement gap 58 between the terrain 60 and lower edge of the flexible engagement member 50a. Reduction in the dimension of gap 58 limits the size of the debris 7 collected as well increasing the tension incurred when the lower edge of the engagement member 50a increases downward contact with debris 7. (See
The flexible engagement member 50 during operation may act upon “irregularly positioned” debris, such as yard waste as may be found lying on a lawn. Typically, the irregularly placed material “bumps” against the flexible engagement member and then rolls under it. Engagement of the irregular positioned debris, prior to rolling under the lower edge 50a typically results in positioning the debris so that it is not parallel with the rotating tines 47, which improves engagement of debris with the tines 47 resulting in more debris 7 “catching” upon the rotating tines 47 for transport through the housing intake 35a to basket 8. (See
It should be noted that the debris collector 1 and various elements thereof are not limited to the specific embodiments pictured and described herein, but is intended to apply to all similar apparatuses and methods for removing debris from terrain. Modifications and alterations from the described embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art without departure from the spirit and scope of the debris collector 1. Furthermore, variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the debris collector 1. It is understood that the debris collector 1 as disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features and/or methods mentioned or evident from the text and/or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the debris collector 1. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the debris collector 1 and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the same. The claims are to be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.
Claims
1. A pull-type powered debris collection apparatus comprising:
- a) a horizontal frame having a width and a length further comprising a front portion and a rear portion;
- b) a delivery arrangement comprising an intake portion and a discharge portion;
- c) a pair of wheels engaged for attachment to the front portion of the horizontal frame and positioned across its width therein, the pair of wheels engages for attachment to the rear portion of the horizontal frame and positioned across its width therein;
- d) a basket cooperatively engaged with the rear portion of the horizontal frame;
- e) a hitch having a first and a second end; and,
- f) a power arrangement.
2. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the front portion of the horizontal frame engages and supports a rotatable rake attachment mounted across its width therein.
3. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the delivery arrangement is configured and arranged to provide a quantity of collected debris from the intake portion to the discharge portion.
4. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pair of wheels could be a pair of caster wheels positioned anterior the rake attachment.
5. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pair of wheels could be a pair of gauge wheels positioned posterior the flexible engagement member.
6. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pair of wheels positioned posterior the rake attachment.
7. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the basket is further defined as having a first side, a second side, and a third side therein.
8. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the first side and the second side are substantially perpendicular to each other therein.
9. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the second side and the third side are substantially perpendicular to each other therein.
10. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first end of the hitch is connected to the front portion of the horizontal frame therein.
11. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the second end of the hitch is attachable to a garden tractor therein.
12. A pull-type powered debris collection apparatus comprising:
- a) a horizontal frame having a width and a length further comprising a front portion and a rear portion;
- b) a delivery arrangement comprising an intake portion and a discharge portion;
- c) a pair of wheels engaged for attachment to the front portion of the horizontal frame and positioned across its width therein, the pair of wheels engages for attachment to the rear portion of the horizontal frame and positioned across its width therein;
- d) a power arrangement for delivering power to rotate the rake attachment during operation to collect debris; and,
- e) a basket cooperatively engaged with the rear portion of the horizontal frame, the basket being supported by two vertical supports of the frame, the basket being located between the two vertical supports therein.
13. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the basket is rotatable between a first position and a second position therein.
14. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the first position permits debris to be received by the basket therein.
15. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the second position discharges collected debris from the basket therein.
16. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the basket is rotatable about a pivot axis therein.
17. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the pivot axis intersects the basket and the two vertical supports therein.
18. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the pivot axis is above a base of the basket when the basket is in the first position therein.
19. The pull-type powered debris collection apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the pivot axis is below the base of the basket once the basket is pivoted to the second position therein.
20. A method of collecting a debris, said method comprising:
- a) powering a debris collection system;
- b) placing the basket at the rear portion of the horizontal frame wherein the basket is repositionable so that the basket is able to receive the quantity of collected debris;
- c) positioning the basket in a first position wherein the first position permits the debris to be received by the basket and wherein the pivot axis is above the base of the basket in the first position;
- d) rotating a rake drum of a rake attachment in a counter-clockwise direction to collect and throw debris materials into the basket;
- e) delivering the debris to the basket via the delivery arrangement wherein the intake portion delivers the debris to the basket wherein the intake portion is operatively engaged with a flexible engagement member positioned anterior of the rotatable rake attachment and across the width of the rotatable rake attachment;
- f) inclining the basket up and over its axis of rotation in a second position wherein the basket is full of debris materials and wherein the pivot axis is below the base of the basket once the basket is pivoted to the second position; and
- g) dumping the collected debris materials out of the basket therein.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 1, 2017
Publication Date: Mar 22, 2018
Inventor: Ron Nitz (Port Byron, IL)
Application Number: 15/829,561