Compaction apparatus for use with lawn grooming equipment
First Claim
1. In lawn grooming equipment in which lawn grooming means are mounted within a main body adapted to be moved over the surface to be groomed, which grooming means are driven to generate a flow of refuse material picked up from the lawn into a compacting device connected to said main body, said compacting device comprising a conveyor which rotates within a housing to convey the refuse material from a material inlet end to a material outlet end therein, the improvement comprising:
- (a) a conveyor housing surrounding a solid type compacting screw conveyor rotating therein to convey the refuse material while compressing it progressively therein as it is advanced through said housing from said material inlet to said material outlet end;
(b) perforations in the wall of said conveyor housing for evacuating accompanying air and moisture from the refuse material during the compression step; and
(c) a tubular casing extensibly connected to the outlet opening of said conveyor housing for receiving the initially compacted refuse material and allowing it to expand against the tubular wall thereof to plug one end thereof and thus cause the casing and the enclosed compacted refuse material to advance like a sausage from said outlet end under the force of the continuous advancement of refuse material from said conveyor housing.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A compaction apparatus for use with lawn grooming equipment such as a lawn mower, leaf blower and the like, including a compactor housing having an inlet opening at one end to receive the refuse material picked up from the lawn and a screw conveyor rotatably mounted within the housing to transport and compact the received material as it is advanced through the conveyor housing. Perforations in the housing provide outlets for evacuating from the housing, air and moisture separated from the compressed material as it is initially compacted in the housing. A flexible tubular collector casing or hose is extensibly connected to the outlet end of the compactor housing, into which the initially compacted material is continuously advanced. The cuttings and other refuse material are further compacted against the interior wall of the casing by the force of the continuously advancing material and form a plug in the end of the hose-like casing, causing it to extend from the outlet end of the compactor housing like a sausage. This sausage of compacted refuse material crawls in serpentine fashion along a guided path on the top of the main body of the grooming equipment. When the casing, filled up with backed-up refuse material, has been extended or unfolded, the resultant sausage is severed from the compactor housing and may be dropped on the lawn for subsequent removal to composting dump or other collection site.
The screw conveyor may be provided with a bore for transporting a composting fluid from the inlet end of the conveyor to be discharged into the housing towards its outlet end.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. In lawn grooming equipment in which lawn grooming means are mounted within a main body adapted to be moved over the surface to be groomed, which grooming means are driven to generate a flow of refuse material picked up from the lawn into a compacting device connected to said main body, said compacting device comprising a conveyor which rotates within a housing to convey the refuse material from a material inlet end to a material outlet end therein, the improvement comprising:
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(a) a conveyor housing surrounding a solid type compacting screw conveyor rotating therein to convey the refuse material while compressing it progressively therein as it is advanced through said housing from said material inlet to said material outlet end; (b) perforations in the wall of said conveyor housing for evacuating accompanying air and moisture from the refuse material during the compression step; and (c) a tubular casing extensibly connected to the outlet opening of said conveyor housing for receiving the initially compacted refuse material and allowing it to expand against the tubular wall thereof to plug one end thereof and thus cause the casing and the enclosed compacted refuse material to advance like a sausage from said outlet end under the force of the continuous advancement of refuse material from said conveyor housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification