US005334 13A

United States Patent 19 11 Patent Number: 5,133,413

9 9

Baxter (45) Date of Patent: Jul. 28, 1992

54) BEACH CLEANING APPARATUS 4,482,019 1/1984 Murphy ................................ 171/63
4,550,465 ll/1985 Chrisley ............................ 171/63 X
76 Inventor: Randall K. Baxter, 403 E. Pecan St., 4,603,544 8/1986 Hayhurst ........................ 172/554 X
San Saba, Tex. 76877 4,809,380 3/989 Van Ginhoven et al. ......, 56/364 X
21) Appl. No.: 472,345 4,842,076 6/1989 Welp ............................... 171/130 X
22 Filed: Jan. 30, 1990 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
53679 9/1937 Denmark ............................ 171/130
51) int. C. ............................................... E01H 1/04
52 U.S.C. ........................................ 171/63; 171/85; 1217676 5/1966 Fed. Rep. of Germany ........ 171/63
15/84; 56/364 Primary Examiner-Randolph A. Reese
58) Field of Search ................... 17/7, 63, 84, 86, 93, Assistant Examiner-Jeffrey L. Thompson
171/95, 98, 107, 130, 85; 172/30, 33, 122, 123, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Donald R. Comuzzi
519,540, 543, 554; 56/400, 364, 344, 12.4, 12.5;
15/82, 83, 84.78 (57) ABSTRACT
(56) References Cited An apparatus for picking litter off sandy beaches with
minimal sifting of sand. A rotary drum, with unique
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS rigid protrusions and non-rigid projections, is indepen
469,030 2/1892 Newlove ................................. 15/84 dently powered to roll in the opposite direction as the
685,352 10/1901 Schunicht ........................... 171/116 moving apparatus. The protrusions on the drum dig into
881,323 3/1908 Long ....................................... SA84 the subsurface of sandy beaches and bring up debris that
2,296,851 9/1942 Henry ..................................... 71/9 may be lodged in the sand, while the projections toss
2,652,673 9/1953 Zehren ...... ... 71A63
2,856,013 10/1958 Evans ...................................... 171/9 debris on the surface into the apparatus for collection.
3,777,327 12/1973 Ellis ......................................... 15/84
4,434,011 2/1984 Moore ................................. 15/78 X 11 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
U.S. Patent July 28, 1992 Sheet 1 of 2 5,133,413
U.S. Patent July 28, 1992 Sheet 2 of 2 5,133,413

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As the drum further rotates, weight is lifted off the
BEACH CLEANINGAPPARATUS resilient projections. With release of compressive
weight, the projections regain their shape and this meta
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION morphosis “flicks" rearwardly any litter that lies in their
This invention relates to cleaning equipment used on 5 path. The rearward flicking motion tosses the debris
land surfaces, and more particularly but not by way of onto a perforated, endless conveyor belt.
limitation to apparatus for picking litter and other de At predetermined intervals, the rotary drum, addi
bris off sand beaches. Beaches attract fun-seekers and tionally, has a plurality of rigid protrusions, separate
vacationers and, with them, disposable items which are and distinct from the non-rigid projections. As the drum
left scattered on the shoreline, often embedded in the 10 rotates, the rigid protrusions dig below the surface and
sand. The tides also bring in undesirable, unsightly flot bring up litter lodged in the sand. Once brought to
sam and debris which, together with artificial trash, surface, the non-rigid projections toss the excavated
have to be picked up. litter onto the perforated endless conveyor belt.
The major difficulty encountered in cleaning litter off In the preferred embodiment, the resilient, non-rigid
beaches with machines is picking up the garbage with 15 projections are made of a suitable rubber material and
out hauling off large volumes of sand and water. Sev the rigid protrusions are comprised of metal tine. One
eral attempts have been made in the past to produce skilled in the art could easily substitute other resilient
machines that can efficiently remove debris without materials suitable for the former and other suitable rigid
removing sand. The present invention is a vast improve 20 materials for the latter and obtain substantially similar
ment over these previous attempts. For instance, U.S. results.
Pat. No. 2,488,774 issued to Hassan discloses a beach The perforated conveyor belt performs two func
cleaning machine which has excavating buckets tions. The first is to carry trash toward an intermediate
mounted onto a rotating drum. The buckets are de trash collector or trough. The second function is to sift
signed to scoop up large amounts of sand which are any sand that may have been brought up along with
then sifted on an inclined screen. This design would be 25 tossed debris. Sand by nature has a tendency to cling
inefficient and time consuming in practical application onto debris and this physical aspect prevents total sepa
since much of the effort will be directed to filtering bulk ration of sand from trash even with the tossing action.
sand.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,744,739 issued to Evans et al. dis However, on the conveyor belt, much of the sand ad
closes a beach cleaning device which has the same basic 30 hered to the surface of the debris does come off and falls
design as Hassan '774, except for elongated blades back onto the beach through the perforations in the
which are mounted along the length of a rotating drum conveyor belt.
instead of excavating buckets. Both Hassan '774 and In the preferred embodiment, there are two conveyor
Evans '739 are designed to scoop large amounts of sand belts, the first substantially wider than the second. The
which is then filtered for litter and sand allowed to 35 first conveyor belt has one end adjacent the length of
return to the beach. U.S. Pat. No. 2,733,904 issued to the rotating drum, and an opposite end, astern and adja
Gauther et al. discloses a beach cleaner which utilizes cent the collecting trough. Both conveyor belts are
an adjustable shovel and a paddle wheel. The shovel is comprised of mesh screen which creates abundant per
lowered onto sand and forward movement of the entire forations through which sand and water can easily drip
machine combined with help from the paddle wheel through. A skilled artisan could easily substitute other
pushes sand into the shovel and onto a sieve net. perforated materials for the belt to create an endless
In sum, prior art discloses drums which are dragged conveyor and a separator of sand from debris.
along the sand in the same forward direction as the The first conveyor belt carries debris towards the
powered vehicle which mounts or tows the drum. Prior intermediate collecting trough. Within the trough, a
art designs focus on lifting large bulks of sand contain 45 screw conveyor agitates the debris further loosening
ing litter upward onto screens for subsequent straining. any sand that may have overcome the hurdle of the first
The present invention discloses an apparatus which conveyor belt. The bottom of the trough has linear,
can actually pick litter off a sandy beach without having perforated striations through which any loosened sand
to scoop upward bulk sand, avoiding needless effort and and extraneous water falls through. Additionally, rota
delay. Thus, an object of the present invention is to 50 tional movement of the screw conveyor pushes the
efficiently clean litter off beaches with minimal sifting debris onto the second endless conveyor belt. In the
of sand. This is accomplished using unique projections preferred embodiment, the second conveyor belt is
and protrusions on a rotary drum that is independently much narrower than the first, and is located on one
powered to roll in the opposite direction as the moving lateral side of the apparatus (either port or starboard).
apparatus. Another object of the present invention is to 55 This second belt moves debris toward a main trash
dig into the subsurface of sandy beaches to bring to storage bin. In transit, sand loosened by the screw con
surface debris that may be lodged in the sand. These and veyor in the trough filters through perforations in the
other improvements will become evident to those the second conveyor belt.
skilled in the art in the following disclosure. In the preferred embodiment, the main storage bin is
a hopper with a curved floors. A hinged screw auger is
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION positioned in the upper portion of the hopper on the
The present invention discretely lifts debris off the same lateral side as the second conveyor belt. As debris
surface of sandy beaches using a plurality of resilient, leaves the second conveyor belt and moves into the
non-rigid projections protruding out of a rotary drum. hopper, the auger urges the debris towards the opposite
As the apparatus moves forward over a beach surface, 65 side avoiding unbalanced piling or overflow. The
the drum rotates in the opposite direction powered by a curved floor is comprised of expanded metal which
drive means. The rotation of the drum compresses non allows final filtration of any sand that may have reached
rigid projections which press against the sand surface. that far and drains any moisture that may collect in the
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5,133,413
4.
hopper. Finally, when the hopper is full, hydraulic with projections and accomplish the same objectives.
means mounted externally lifts the hopper and tips it All these possibilities are included within the spirit of
over allowing collected debris to fall into a dump site or the present invention. Other objects, features and ad
an independent collecting vehicle to be hauled away to vantages of this invention will become evident in light
a distant dump site. The screw auger within the hopper of the following description of the invention.
hinges freely from the interior of the bin so that dump BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
ing is not hindered.
The entire invention is primarily designed to operate FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the preferred embodi
as a trailer towed by a powered vehicle such as a trac ment. The entire apparatus is shown mounted on a
tor, but one embodiment is self-propelled. In the pre O trailer frame.
ferred embodiment, the apparatus is mounted onto a FIG. 2 depicts a top plan view of the preferred em
trailer frame which has two vehicular wheels located bodiment. The path of the moving debris is indicated by
substantially midway from aft to stern. The wheels are arrows. The debris itself is not illustrated.
not powered and rotate with the forward movement of FIG. 3 depicts an end view of the preferred embodi
the apparatus. Beginning at the forwardmost portion of 15 ment showing the location of the rotary drum with the
the trailer, a hitch assembly allows connection to a projections. The drum is situated between the two .
powered vehicle which pulls the trailer. In one embodi wheels on the trailer frame.
ment, a drive shaft extends from a tractor to the trailer FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the rotary drum
forming a drive train which powers the rotating drum prominently displaying the two types of projections
through a series of chains mounted on sprockets. This 20 protruding from the drum's surface.
drive train also powers the rotation of both endless DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
conveyor belts through another series of chains EMBODIMENT
mounted on sprockets.
As the trailer is pulled forward by the tractor, the Referring to FIG. 1, the invention is shown mounted
drive train is designed to rotate the drum and the first 25 on a trailer frame designated numeral 1. Hitch assembly
conveyor belt in a rotational direction opposite the 15 connects trailer 1 to a tractor (not illustrated) which
forward direction of the trailer. This allows the drum to pulls the trailer. Drive shaft 16 extends from the tractor,
"flick' debris backward and onto the first conveyor belt through hitch assembly 15, and ultimately forms drive
which carries debris onto the trough. The second con train 17. Drive train 17 powers chain 18 (shown in phan
veyor belt is designed to move in a rotational direction 30 tom lines) via gear box 19 Chain 18 powers drum 3
same as the forward direction of the trailer which al (shown partially in phantom lines) in a counter-clock
lows the second belt to move debris forward into the wise rotation, whereas wheel 30 rotates clockwise when
main hopper. the apparatus is in operation and advancing forward.
Moving from the forward portion (hereinafter the Means for driving endless conveyor belts is generally
"bow") of the trailer to the rear (hereinafter the 35 designated with the numeral 25 depicted in FIG. 1 with
"stern'), located behind the hitch assembly is the main phantom lines.
trash storage bin or hopper. The reason for the forward Located behind hitch assembly 15 is hopper 20. As
location of the hopper is mainly one of balance. As debris collects within hopper 20, the weight bears down
debris collects it gets heavier and the forward location and forward onto hitch assembly 15. When hopper 20
on the trailer avoids unbalanced tipping which could has been filled, hydraulic means 23 and 23' lift hopper
occur if the main storage bin were located towards the 20 onto its side so that debris falls out and into indepen
rear of the trailer frame. dent collecting means to be hauled away to dump sites.
Situated substantially midway from bow to stern is Situated midway from bow to stern, substantially
the rotary drum which is aligned with the two vehicular aligned with wheel 30 is rotary drum 3. Rotary drum 3
wheels on the trailer frame. The two vehicular wheels 45 has a plurality of rigid projections 5 and a plurality of
each have a mini-axle which independently mount onto resilient projections 4. Vehicular wheel 30 has a mini
the frame, one on each external, lateral side of the ro axle 31 which is independently mounted onto trailer
tary drum. The rotary drum has its own independent frame 1. Hydraulic jack 35 mounted onto trailer frame
axle mounted onto the trailer frame, separate and dis 1 lifts drum 3 from contact with a beach or road surface
tinct from the mountings of the mini-axles of the two 50 to facilitate transportation after it has completed its
wheels. This midway location of the drum and align cleaning task.
ment with the wheels allows the apparatus to follow the FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of the path of moving
contour of a beach surface Hydraulic jacks, mounted to debris depicted by arrows. The debris itself is not illus
the frame, lift portions of the trailer in scissor fashion trated. Litter is lifted off a beach surface using plurality
lifting the drum at its axle away from contact with a 55 of resilient, non-rigid projections 4 mounted on rotary
beach or road surface facilitating transportation after drum 3. The projections are best illustrated in FIG. 4.
the apparatus has completed its cleaning task. Referring back to FIG. 2, as the trailer is towed for
Located behind the rotary drum is the first conveyor ward, drum 3 rotates counter-clockwise in the opposite
belt which links the path of moving debris from the rotational direction over a beach surface. Non-rigid
midway portion of the trailer to the collecting trough. projections 4 are sequentially compressed as drum 3
The collecting trough forms the stern of the trailer. In rolls over the sand. As weight comes off the non-rigid
the preferred embodiment, the second conveyor belt is projections, they "flick" rearwardly any litter that lies
located on the port side, and the second belt links the in their path. This rearward flicking motion separates
path of moving debris from the stern portion of the sand from debris as they are tossed onto first, endless
trailer to the main storage hopper located in the bow. 65 conveyor belt 7.
There is a wide possibility of different configurations, At predetermined intervals, rotary drum 3 has an
arrangements and vehicular design changes which one additional plurality of rigid protrusions 5, separated
skilled in the art could adapt to mount the rotary drum from non-rigid projections 4. Again, this is best illus
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5 6
trated by FIG. 4. Referring back to FIG. 2, as drum 3 a means for rotatably driving said axle of said drum
rotates over sand, rigid protrusions 5 dig below the such that said plurality of rigid nail-like protrusions
surface and bring up litter which are lodged within the provide means for digging up litter embedded in
sand. Subsequently, non-rigid projections 4 toss the said sandy beach and said plurality of non-rigid
uncovered trash along with other litter already on the projections provide means for tossing litter from
surface onto first endless conveyor belt 7. said beach onto said conveying means.
First endless conveyor belt 7 is composed of mesh 2. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said vehicular
screen material 8. Conveyor belt 7 inclines at an upward frame has at least two wheels, said drum being substan
angle towards intermediate collecting trough 10. On tially aligned with said wheels.
first conveyor belt 7, any sand that falls off the surface O 3. The apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said means for
of debris being carried toward trough 10 is sifted to fall rotatably driving said axle rotates said drum in the op
back onto the beach through mesh screen material 8. posite rotational direction as said wheels when said
Trough 10 forms the stern of the apparatus and trough vehicular frame is in forward motion.
10's curved bottom acts as an intermediate collecting 4. The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said conveying
point for the debris. Additionally, trough 10's bottom 15 means includes an endless conveyor belt comprised of a
has linear, striated perforations through which extrane perforated material.
ous sand and water which may collect dribble through 5. A sandy beach cleaning apparatus, comprising:
and fall back onto the beach. Within trough 10, debris is a vehicular frame with a front end and a rear end;
agitated by screw conveyor 11 which rotates and loos a drum having an axle rotatably engaged to said
ens any sand that may have overcome the hurdle of first 20 frame, said drum having a plurality of non-rigid
conveyor belt 7. Screw conveyor 11 then pushes debris projections and a plurality of rigid nail-like protru
onto second conveyor belt 9 which is shown running sions around the outer surface of said drum;
along the port side of the apparatus. Second belt 9 a collecting trough mounted to said frame at said rear
moves debris toward hopper 20 and any sand loosened end;
by screw conveyor 11 filters through mesh screen mate 25 a first endless conveyor belt connected to said frame,
rial 8 while in transit. located between said drum and said trough;
Hopper 20 has a screw auger 21 which is hinged at a storage bin mounted on said frame at said front end;
hinge joint 22 positioned on the same lateral side as a second endless conveyor belt connected to said
second conveyor belt 9. As debris leaves second con frame, located between said trough and said bin;
veyor belt 9 and moves into hopper 20, auger 21 urges and
the debris towards the starboard side of hopper 20 30 a means for simultaneously driving said axle of said
avoiding a jam at the point of entry. When hopper 20 is drum, said first conveyor belt, and said second
full, hydraulic means 23 (shown in FIG. 1) lifts hopper conveyor belt such that when said frame is moved
20, allowing it to tip over and dump out collected de in a forward direction, said driving means rotates
bris. Hinge joint 22 of screw auger 21 allows the auger said drum and said first belt in a rotational direction
to hinge freely away so that dumping is not hindered. 35 opposite said forward direction of said frame, and
FIG. 3 illustrates an end view of the apparatus show rotates said second conveyor belt in the same rota
tional direction as said forward direction of said
ing the location of rotary drum 3 in reference to vehicu frame.
lar wheels 30 and 30'. As seen in FIG. 1, wheel 30 is 6. The apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said plurality
substantially aligned with drum 3 at roughly the mid of rigid nail-like protrusions dig into said sandy beach
way point from bow to stern on trailer frame 1. Refer and remove embedded debris as said drun rotates in
ring back to FIG. 3, vehicular wheel 30' is also aligned said opposite direction to said forward movement of
with rotary drum 3. Wheels 30 and 30' each have mini said frame.
axles 31 and 31' which independently mount onto trailer 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said plurality of
frame 1. Rotary drum 3 has its own independent axle 2. 45 non-rigid projections toss up debris lying on said sandy
The midway location of drum 3 and its alignment with beach onto said first endless conveyor belt as said drum
wheels 30 and 30' allow drum 3 to follow the rolling rotates in said opposite direction to said forward move
contours of a beach surface with the wheels and with ment of said frame.
out becoming an anchor in the sand. 8. The apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said first end
Thus, the present invention is well-suited to carry out less conveyor belt and said second endless conveyor
the objects and attain the ends and advantages men 50
tioned above as well as those inherent therein. While
belt are comprised of a perforated, mesh-screen mate
rial.
the preferred embodiments of the present invention 9. The apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said trough has
have been described for the purposes of this disclosure, a screw conveyor mounted on at least one wall of said
changes in the design and arrangements of features can trough, and has a bottom comprised of linear, striated
be made by those skilled in the art, which changes are 55 perforations.
encompassed within the spirit of this invention as de 10. The apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said storage
fined by the appended claims. bin further comprises:
What is claimed is: a screw auger mounted on at least one sidewall, said
1. An apparatus for cleaning litter off a sandy beach, screw auger hinged at a hinge joint on said side
comprising: wall;
a vehicular frame; an expanded metal floor; and
a drum having an axle rotatably mounted on said a means for lifting and tipping said storage bin such
frame, said drum having a plurality of non-rigid that said screw auger hinges free at said hinge joint.
projections and a plurality of rigid nail-like protru 11. The apparatus as in claim 10 wherein an hydraulic
sions around the outer surface of said drum; 65 means connects said axle of said drum to said frame, said
a litter collection bin mounted on said frame; hydraulic means raises said drum when said apparatus is
a conveying means connected to said frame located in a non beach-cleanings: mode.
between said drum, and said bin; and