Patent ID: 6029312
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: A01G

Abstract:
An apparatus for collecting and transporting organic material comprising:a trailer chassis;a fan/motor mount removably connected to said trailer chassis;a motor driven fan, rotatably journalled in a fan housing having an organic material collecting inlet and an outlet stream portal anchored to said fan/motor mount;two laterally spaced tongues extending forward from said trailer chassis and adapted for connecting a tractor to said trailer chassis at two hitch points, laterally spaced apart for limiting the yaw of said trailer chassis with respect to the tractor;a peripheral collector frame detachably connected at its rear corners to said trailer chassis by hinge blocks extending laterally from the rear corners of the trailer chassis;a collapsible collector bag having a means for attaching said collector bag to said collector frame, an inlet port connectable to said outlet stream portal for delivering organic material to said collector bag from said fan housing, top vent means for allowing air to escape from said collector bag, and a rear access flap for selectively opening or closing said collector bag;at least two collector bag side supports hingedly connected to said collector frame so that said bag side supports can each be folded downwardly from an upstanding collector bag deploying position to a down-folded position depressing said collector bag into a collapsed condition juxtaposed to said collector frame when the apparatus is not in use;said means for attaching said collector bag including a first support flap for wrapping around one of said bag side supports and a second support flap for wrapping around a different one of said bag side supports;said collector frame being pivotable about said hinge blocks upward to a dumping position in order to dump the organic material from said collector bag once said access flap is opened, andat least one wheel assembly swivelingly attached to said trailer chassis for supporting said collector frame and for permitting the apparatus to move via the swiveling rotation of a wheel, whereby jackknifing of the trailer relative to the tractor is avoided.