Importance

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Abstract

The invention comprises an improvement in a lawn-cleaning device for picking up debris wherein flexible and deformable belts are used in an easily configurable compact structure whereby leaves and the like are pierced by spikes, tines or the like in repetitive motions of protrusion and retraction. Tines mounted on an inner belt protrude through spaced-apart suitably-shaped openings in an enclosing rotational member whereby debris is pierced for collection on the tines. Collected debris is automatically removed from the tines and collected in a debris receiver during retraction of the tines. The improvement comprises use of an inner belt provided with an array of outwardly-extending spaced-apart tines, constrained to move in a first pre-defined circuit within a second pre-defined circuit of an outer belt. The tines are adapted to retractible protrusion outwardly through spaced-apart openings in the outer belt, while both belts are moving in the same directional sense at the same linear speed, in an extended region where the inner belt and the outer belt are in contact.

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First Claim