Two-stage separator apparatus for yard debris

• US 7,837,751 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bestrake, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bestrake, LLC
• Inventors: Dunning, Charles Everett, Saathoff, Richard Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, MINH CHAU THI
• Application Number:
  US11/648,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20070107405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 553/851, 553/99, 554/593, 553/853, 952/69, 952/71, 153/404, 153/46, 15/83, 153/403, 563/022, 562/02, 56/131, 56/132, 56/169, 563/44, 56/129, 56/135, 56/143, 56D/IG.8, 56D/IG.12
• US Class Current: 55/385.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 20/47 Vacuum or blower devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1658 Construction of outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 13/04 with beaters hinged to the rotor; Hammer mills
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 13/282 Shape or inner surface of mill-housings
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/06 with rotating knives
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/14 within horizontal containers B02C18/062, B02C18/065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 2201/066 for garden waste

Abstract

An apparatus for collection and reduction of yard debris combining a frontally facing vacuum pick up with a chipper-shredder-blower unit to induce airflow for entraining debris collected at the vacuum pick up; reduce the entrained debris to a more manageable volume; impel the reduced debris to a two-stage free-flow-separator device for removing the debris from the air in which it is entrained; and deposit the debris in a detachable accumulator for subsequent dumping.

Claims

1. A free-flow apparatus for separating entrained yard debris from a transporting air stream by action of body forces thereupon comprising:

a. a curvilinear primary-separation duct having an outer wall, an interior wall, an entrance for accepting a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris and an exit;

said curvilinear primary-separation duct being adapted for conducting said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris from said entrance to said exit;

b. a vessel having a roof, a bottom, and a generally frusto-conical outer peripheral wall section flaring downwardly and outwardly and an opening thereinto, a portion of said outer wall of said curvilinear primary-separation duct adjacent to said exit being generally tangential to a portion of said generally frusto-conical outer peripheral wall section of said vessel in a first location adjacent to said opening, a portion of said interior wall of said curvilinear primary-separation duct adjacent to said duct exit defining an acute angle with another portion of said generally frusto-conical outer peripheral wall section at a second location generally opposed to said first location adjacent to said opening;

c. a secondary-separation zone in said vessel being defined proximate said opening into said vessel and being adapted to receive said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris from said exit of said curvilinear primary-separation duct;

d. said secondary-separation zone in said vessel being at least partially wrapped by said curvilinear primary-separation duct, the curvature and arc length of said curvilinear primary-separation duct being sufficient to separate said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris into an inwardly located debris-depleted stream and an outwardly located debris-enriched stream;

e. said generally frusto-conical outer peripheral wall section of said vessel being adapted to further enrich the debris content of said outwardly located debris-enriched stream while further depleting the debris content of said inwardly located debris-depleted stream by action of body forces upon the debris as said streams of air bearing entrained yard debris pass tangentially thereto;

f. an accumulator located below said secondary-separation zone for receiving debris from said outwardly located debris-enriched stream; and

g. said roof of said vessel having defined therein a generally centrally located passage adapted to exhaust air from said inwardly located debris-depleted stream to the atmosphere.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the height of the uppermost extent of said curvilinear primary-separation duct above the uppermost extent of said secondary-separation zone is no more than 50% of the height of said secondary-separation zone.

3. The separator of claim 1 wherein said vessel is thermoformed.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the center of curvature of a portion of said outer wall of said curvilinear primary-separation duct and the center of curvature of a portion of said generally frusto-conical outer peripheral wall section of said vessel are generally coincident.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a portion of said debris-enriched stream proximate said generally frusto-conical outer peripheral wall section has a tangential velocity of at least about 2,000 feet per minute.

6. A free-flow apparatus for separating entrained yard debris from a transporting air stream by action of body forces thereupon comprising:

a. means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris;

b. a vessel having

i. an outer vessel wall having at least one inwardly curving portion flaring downwardly and outwardly,

ii. means defining an opening through said outer vessel wall, and

iii. a roof,

iv. a separation zone being defined in an upper portion of said vessel;

c. a curvilinear duct having an outer duct wall, an interior duct wall, a duct entrance and a duct exit;

said curvilinear duct being disposed about an upper portion of said vessel;

d. a portion of said outer duct wall adjacent said duct exit being generally tangential to said inwardly curving portion of said outer vessel wall in a first location adjacent to said opening, another portion of said interior duct wall adjacent to said duct exit defining an acute angle with another portion of said outer vessel wall at a second location generally opposed to said first location adjacent said opening;

e. said duct entrance being adapted to receive said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris, said duct being adapted for conducting said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris from said duct entrance to said duct exit, and to direct said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris into said vessel primarily tangentially along said inwardly curving portion of said outer vessel wall, the curvature and arc length of said curvilinear duct being sufficient to separate said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris into a debris-enriched outer stream and a debris-depleted inner stream;

f. said separation zone being adapted to further enrich the debris content of said debris-enriched outer stream into a further enriched outerly located debris-enriched stream while further depleting the debris content of said debris-depleted inner stream into a further depleted innerly located debris-depleted stream as said stream of air passes along said inwardly curving portion of said outer vessel wall;

g. said roof having defined therein a generally centrally located passage with a passage entrance and a passage exit;

h. said generally centrally located passage being adapted for receiving said further depleted innerly located debris-depleted stream from said separation zone through said passage entrance, and discharging air from said further depleted innerly located debris-depleted stream into the atmosphere; and

i. an accumulator below said separation zone being adapted to receive debris from said further enriched outerly located debris-enriched stream of air bearing entrained yard debris.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said outer vessel wall adjacent said separation zone is generally frusto-conical.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said outer vessel wall adjacent said separation zone is generally downwardly and outwardly flaring and generally vertical.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a portion of said outer vessel wall surrounding said separation zone generally flares downwardly and outwardly at from about 5 degrees to about 25 degrees from the vertical.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said outer duct wall of said curvilinear duct leans inwardly toward said separation zone at from about 5 degrees to about 25 degrees from the vertical.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a portion of said outer vessel wall surrounding said separation zone flares downwardly and outwardly and said outer duct wall of said curvilinear duct leans inwardly toward said separation zone.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the height of the uppermost extent of said curvilinear duct above the uppermost extent of said separation zone is no more than 50% of the height of said separation zone.

13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said curvilinear duct further comprises an adjustable duct-closure device for reducing airflow through said duct.

14. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said separation zone and said accumulator are adapted for mounting on an apparatus for collecting and reducing yard debris.

15. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said separation zone and said accumulator are adapted for towing with a riding lawnmower.

16. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said separation zone and said accumulator are adapted for mounting on a riding lawnmower.

17. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris comprises a blower.

18. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris comprises a chipper shredder.

19. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris comprises a shredder blower.

20. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a portion of said outer duct wall and a portion of said outer vessel wall are each inwardly curvilinear and wherein the center of curvature of said portion of said inwardly curvilinear outer duct wall and the center of curvature of said inwardly curvilinear portion of said outer vessel wall are generally coincident.

21. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a portion of said debris-enriched stream close to said outer vessel wall in said separation zone has a tangential velocity of at least about 2,000 feet per minute.

22. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said outer duct wall of said curvilinear duct spans an arc of at least about

arc cosine RI/RO

circumferentially along its length, adapted to direct said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris to flow along its length, wherein

RI=radius of curvature for the generally curvilinear interior duct wall of said curvilinear duct, and

RO=radius of curvature for said outer duct wall.

23. An apparatus for separating entrained yard debris from a transporting air stream by action of body forces thereupon, comprising:

a curvilinear separation duct for accepting a flow of air bearing entrained yard debris;

said apparatus having a perimetral wall with a generally inwardly curvilinear surface defining a separation zone;

said curvilinear separation duct opening into said separation zone adjacent to said generally inwardly curvilinear surface of said perimetral wall, said duct and said perimetral wall being disposed to direct said flow of air bearing entrained yard debris swirling downward along said generally inwardly curvilinear surface of said perimetral wall, said curvilinear separation duct being configured to separate debris from said flow of air bearing entrained yard debris thereby forming a debris-enriched outer layer and a debris-depleted inner layer wherein each layer flows into said separation zone, said generally inwardly curvilinear surface being disposed to further enrich the debris content of said debris-enriched outer layer while further depleting the debris content of said debris-depleted inner layer;

an accumulator below said separation zone adapted to receive debris from said debris-enriched outer layer;

a generally centrally located exhaust opening out of said separation zone adapted to discharge air from said debris-depleted inner layer into the atmosphere.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said curvilinear separation duct and said separation zone are configured to guide said debris-enriched outer layer from said curvilinear separation duct along said generally inwardly curvilinear surface of said separation zone, while flowing said debris-depleted inner layer inwardly thereof.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said curvilinear separation duct partially wraps generally horizontally about said separation zone.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said generally centrally located exhaust is disposed above said separation zone.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said perimetral wall defining said separation zone flares downwardly and outwardly.

28. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said perimetral wall defining said separation zone is generally frusto-conical.

29. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said perimetral wall defining said separation zone is generally vertical.

30. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said perimetral wall defining said separation zone flares downwardly and outwardly at from about 5 degrees to about 25 degrees from the vertical.

31. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the outer wall of said curvilinear separation duct flares downwardly and outwardly at from about 5 degrees to about 25 degrees from the vertical.

32. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said perimetral wall of said separation zone flares downwardly and outwardly and the outer wall of said curvilinear separation duct flares downwardly and outwardly.

33. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said curvilinear separation duct is disposed about said separation zone.

34. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said curvilinear separation duct at least partially encompasses said separation zone horizontally.

35. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said curvilinear separation duct further comprises an adjustable duct-closure device for reducing airflow through said duct.

36. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said perimetral wall and said accumulator are adapted for mounting on an apparatus for collecting and reducing yard debris.

37. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said perimetral wall and said accumulator are adapted for towing with a riding lawnmower.

38. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said perimetral wall and said accumulator are adapted for mounting on a riding lawnmower.

39. The separator of claim 23 wherein said perimetral wall is thermoformed.

40. The apparatus of claim 23 further having means for delivering said flow of air bearing entrained yard debris comprising:

(A) a frame adapted to be advanced over a surface;

(B) a conduit mounted on said frame and having a conduit entrance and a conduit exit;

(C) a blower unit operatively connected to said conduit exit and adapted to induce a flow of air through said conduit and provide suction at said conduit entrance;

said conduit exit being operatively connected to said duct entrance.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising an exhaust passage operatively connected to said generally centrally located exhaust and adapted to direct said air from said debris-depleted inner layer to a location proximate said conduit entrance.

42. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the outer wall of said curvilinear separation duct is inwardly curvilinear and the center of curvature of a portion of said inwardly curvilinear outer wall and the center of curvature of a portion of said generally inwardly curvilinear surface of said perimetral wall are generally coincident.

43. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said perimetral wall flares downwardly and outwardly and the center of curvature of a portion of said curvilinear separation duct and the center of curvature of a portion of said generally inwardly curvilinear surface of said perimetral wall are generally coincident.

44. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said perimetral wall of said separation zone is inclined downwardly and outwardly and is adapted to urge said debris-enriched outer layer to swirl downwardly toward said accumulator.

45. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein a portion of a stream in said debris-enriched outer layer close to said generally inwardly curvilinear surface in said separation zone has a tangential velocity of at least about 2,000 feet per minute.

46. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said curvilinear separation duct having an entrance and an exit, said entrance being adapted to receive said flow of air bearing entrained yard debris, said curvilinear separation duct being adapted for conducting said flow of air bearing entrained yard debris from said entrance to said exit, said curvilinear separation duct having a generally curvilinear outer surface spanning an arc of at least about

arc cosine RI/RO

circumferentially along its length, adapted to direct said flow of air bearing entrained yard debris to flow along its length, wherein

RI=radius of curvature for the generally curvilinear inner surface of said curvilinear separation duct, and

RO=radius of curvature for said generally curvilinear outer surface of said curvilinear separation duct.

47. A free-flow apparatus for separating entrained yard debris from a transporting air stream by action of body forces thereupon comprising:

a. means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris;

b. a vessel having

i. an outer vessel wall having at least one inwardly curving portion,

ii. means defining an opening through said outer vessel wall, and

iii. a roof,

iv. a separation zone being defined in an upper portion of said vessel;

c. a curvilinear separation duct having an outer duct wall, an interior duct wall, a duct entrance and a duct exit;

said curvilinear duct being disposed about an upper portion of said vessel;

d. a portion of said outer duct wall adjacent said duct exit being generally tangential to said inwardly curving portion of said outer vessel wall at a first location adjacent to said opening, another portion of said interior duct wall adjacent to said duct exit being generally tangential to another portion of said outer vessel wall at a second location generally opposed to said first location adjacent said opening;

e. said duct entrance being adapted to receive said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris, said duct being adapted for conducting said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris from said duct entrance to said duct exit, and to direct said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris into said vessel primarily tangentially along said inwardly curving portion of said outer vessel wall;

f. said separation zone being adapted to direct air flow swirling downward while inertial forces urge the debris content outwardly forming an outerly located debris-enriched stream and an innerly located debris-depleted stream as said stream of air passes along said inwardly curving portion of said outer vessel wall;

g. said roof having defined therein a generally centrally located exhaust;

h. said generally centrally located exhaust being adapted for receiving said innerly located debris-depleted stream from said separation zone through said passage entrance, and discharging air from said innerly located debris-depleted stream into the atmosphere; and

i. an accumulator below said separation zone being adapted to receive debris from said outerly located debris-enriched stream of air bearing entrained yard debris.

48. The free-flow apparatus of claim 47 wherein the curvature and arc length of said curvilinear duct are sufficient to separate said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris into a debris-enriched outer stream and a debris-depleted inner stream by action of inertial forces on debris entrained therein, said debris-depleted and debris-enriched streams passing into said separation zone and being respectively further depleted and enriched therein.

49. The free-flow apparatus of claim 47 wherein said outer duct wall of said curvilinear duct is generally curvilinear and spans an arc of at least about

arc cosine RI/RO

circumferentially along its length and is adapted to direct said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris to flow along its length and initiate separation of said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris into an outerly located debris-enriched stream and an innerly located debris-depleted stream, wherein

RI=radius of curvature for the generally curvilinear interior duct wall of said curvilinear duct, and

RO=radius of curvature for said generally curvilinear outer duct wall of said curvilinear duct.

50. An apparatus for separating entrained yard debris from a transporting air stream by action of body forces thereupon comprising:

a. a curvilinear primary-separation duct for accepting a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris, said duct having an outer wall, an interior wall, a duct entrance and a duct exit, said curvilinear primary-separation duct being adapted for conducting said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris from said entrance to said exit;

b. a roof and an inwardly curving outer peripheral wall defining a secondary-separation zone having an opening thereinto, a portion of said outer wall of said curvilinear primary-separation duct adjacent to said duct exit being generally tangential to a portion of said inwardly curving outer peripheral wall of said secondary-separation zone in one location adjacent said opening, another portion of said interior wall of said curvilinear primary-separation duct adjacent to said duct exit defining an acute angle with another portion of said inwardly curving outer peripheral wall at a location generally opposed to said one location adjacent to said opening;

c. said secondary-separation zone and said curvilinear primary-separation duct being adapted to direct said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris from said duct exit of said curvilinear primary-separation duct to flow downwardly around said inwardly curving outer peripheral wall;

d. said secondary-separation zone being at least partially encompassed by said curvilinear primary-separation duct, the curvature and arc length of said curvilinear primary-separation duct being sufficient to enrich the debris content of an outerly located layer of the flow through said curvilinear primary-separation duct while depleting the debris content of an innerly located layer of said flow through said curvilinear primary-separation duct;

e. said secondary-separation zone being configured to further enrich the debris content of said outerly located layer of said stream of air entering said secondary-separation zone while further depleting the debris content of said innerly located layer of said stream of air entering said secondary-separation zone, as said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris passes tangentially downward along said inwardly curving outer peripheral wall; and

f. an accumulator located below said separation zone for receiving debris from said outerly located debris-enriched layer;

g. said roof of said secondary-separation zone having defined therein a generally centrally located passage adapted to exhaust air from said innerly located debris-depleted layer to the atmosphere.

51. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein said inwardly curving outer peripheral wall is generally frusto-conical.

52. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein said inwardly curving outer peripheral wall flares generally outwardly and downwardly.

53. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the center of curvature of a portion of said curvilinear primary-separation duct and the center of curvature of a portion of said inwardly curving outer peripheral wall are generally coincident.

54. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein a portion of a stream in said outerly located debris-enriched layer close to said inwardly curving outer peripheral wall in said secondary-separation zone has a tangential velocity of at least about 2,000 feet per minute.

55. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein a portion of said outer wall of said curvilinear primary-separation duct adjacent to said duct exit being generally tangential to a portion of said inwardly curving outer peripheral wall of said secondary-separation zone in one location adjacent said opening, another portion of said interior wall of said curvilinear primary-separation duct adjacent to said duct exit being generally tangential to another portion of said inwardly curving outer peripheral wall at a location generally opposed to said one location adjacent to said opening.

56. The free-flow apparatus of claim 50 wherein said outer wall of said curvilinear primary-separation duct is generally curvilinear and spans an arc of at least about

arc cosine RI/RO

circumferentially along its length, wherein

RI=radius of curvature for the generally curvilinear interior wall of said curvilinear primary-separation duct, and

RO=radius of curvature for said generally curvilinear outer duct wall of said curvilinear primary-separation duct.

57. A free-flow apparatus for separating entrained yard debris from a transporting air stream by action of body forces thereupon comprising:

a. means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris;

b. means defining a primary-separation duct having an entrance and an exit, said entrance being adapted to receive said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris, said primary-separation duct being adapted for conducting said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris from said entrance to said exit;

said primary-separation duct having a generally curvilinear outer surface spanning an arc of at least about

arc cosine RI/RO

 

circumferentially along its length, adapted to direct said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris to flow along its length and initiate separation of said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris into an outerly located debris-enriched stream and an innerly located debris-depleted stream, wherein

RI=radius of curvature for the generally curvilinear inner surface of said primary-separation duct, and

RO=radius of curvature for said generally curvilinear outer surface;

c. means defining a secondary-separation zone connected to said exit from said primary-separation duct and having a peripheral wall with a generally annular outer wall portion, said secondary-separation zone further comprising means for;

i. receiving and directing said streams of air bearing entrained yard debris from said primary-separation duct in a downwardly swirling direction generally tangential to said generally annular outer wall portion of said secondary-separation zone,

ii. directing said outerly located debris-enriched stream from said primary-separation duct adjacent to said generally annular outer wall portion of said secondary-separation zone,

iii. directing said innerly located debris-depleted stream from said primary-separation duct radially inward of said debris-enriched stream, and

iv. further enriching the debris content of said outerly located debris-enriched stream while further depleting the debris content of said innerly located debris-depleted stream;

d. means defining a generally centrally located exhaust, said generally centrally located exhaust being adapted for exhausting air from said debris-depleted stream from said secondary-separation zone into the atmosphere; and

e. means defining an accumulation zone below said secondary-separation zone being adapted to receive debris from said debris-enriched stream.

58. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein said means defining an accumulation zone comprises a flexible bag-like container.

59. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein said means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris comprises a lawnmower having a discharge duct operatively connected to said entrance of said primary-separation duct.

60. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein said means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris comprises a shredder blower.

61. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein a portion of said debris-enriched stream close to said peripheral wall in said secondary-separation zone has a tangential velocity of at least about 2,000 feet per minute.

62. A free-flow apparatus for separating entrained yard debris from a transporting air stream by action of body forces thereupon comprising:

a. means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris;

b. means defining a primary-separation duct having an entrance and an exit, said entrance being adapted to receive said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris, said primary-separation duct being adapted for conducting said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris from said entrance to said exit;

said primary-separation duct having a generally curvilinear outer surface spanning an arc of at least about

arc cosine RI/RO

 

circumferentially along its length, adapted to direct said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris to flow along its length and initiate separation of said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris into an outerly located debris-enriched stream and an innerly located debris-depleted stream, wherein

RI=radius of curvature for the generally curvilinear inner surface of said primary-separation duct, and

RO=radius of curvature for said generally curvilinear outer surface;

c. a vessel defining a secondary-separation zone connected to said exit from said primary-separation duct and having an inwardly curving outer wall, said vessel defining said secondary-separation zone further comprising means for;

i. receiving and directing said streams of air bearing entrained yard debris from said primary-separation duct in a downwardly swirling direction generally tangential to said inwardly curving outer wall of said secondary-separation zone,

ii. directing said outerly located debris-enriched stream from said primary-separation duct adjacent to said inwardly curving outer wall of said secondary-separation zone,

iii. directing said innerly located debris-depleted stream from said primary-separation duct radially inward of said debris-enriched stream, and

iv. further enriching the debris content of said outerly located debris-enriched stream while further depleting the debris content of said innerly located debris depleted stream;

d. means defining a generally centrally located exhaust, said generally centrally located exhaust being adapted for receiving air from said debris-depleted stream from said secondary-separation zone and discharging it into the atmosphere; and

e. means defining an accumulation zone below said secondary-separation zone being adapted to receive debris from said debris-enriched stream.

63. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein said means defining an accumulation zone comprises a flexible bag-like container.

64. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein said means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris comprises a lawnmower having a discharge duct operatively connected to said entrance of said primary-separation duct.

65. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein said means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris comprises a shredder blower.

66. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein a portion of said debris-enriched stream close to said inwardly curving outer wall in said secondary-separation zone has a tangential velocity of at least about 2,000 feet per minute.

67. A free-flow apparatus for separating entrained yard debris from a transporting air stream by action of body forces thereupon comprising:

means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris;

means defining a primary-separation zone adapted to receive said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris, said primary-separation zone having a generally curvilinear outer surface adapted to direct said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris generally circumferentially along said generally curvilinear outer surface and initiate separation of said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris into an outerly located debris-enriched stream and an innerly located debris-depleted stream;

a vessel defining a secondary-separation zone connected to said primary-separation zone, said secondary-separation zone being defined by a generally inwardly curvilinear outer wall thereof, said apparatus further comprising means for;

receiving and directing said streams of air bearing entrained yard debris from said primary-separation zone swirling downwardly around the generally inwardly curvilinear outer wall of said secondary-separation zone, while directing said outerly located debris-enriched stream from said primary-separation zone adjacent to said generally inwardly curvilinear outer wall of said secondary-separation zone, and directing said innerly located debris-depleted stream from said primary-separation zone radially inward of said debris-enriched stream, and further enriching the debris content of said outerly located debris-enriched stream while further depleting the debris content of said innerly located debris depleted stream;

means defining a generally centrally located exhaust, said generally centrally located exhaust being adapted for receiving air from said debris-depleted stream from said secondary-separation zone and discharging it into the atmosphere; and

means defining an accumulation zone below said secondary-separation zone being adapted to receive debris from said debris-enriched stream.

68. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein said accumulation zone comprises a flexible bag-like container.

69. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein said means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris comprises a lawnmower having a discharge duct operatively connected to said primary-separation zone.

70. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein said means for delivering a stream of air bearing entrained yard debris comprises a shredder blower.

71. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein a portion of said debris-enriched stream close to said generally inwardly curvilinear outer wall of said vessel has a tangential velocity of at least about 2,000 feet per minute.

72. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein said primary-separation zone is adapted to direct said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris into said secondary-separation zone in a direction primarily tangential to said outer wall.

73. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein the curvature and arc length of said generally curvilinear outer surface of said primary-separation zone is sufficient to separate said stream of air bearing entrained yard debris into a debris-depleted inner stream and a debris-enriched outer stream.