Abstract:
An apparatus  10  for compacting and baling leaves, grass clippings, sticks, pine straw and other debris on lawns, yards, or fields is provided. The apparatus  10  may have diagonal brushes  26  to gather debris for processing though a crusher  28,  a conveyor belt  30  to transport the crushed debris, and a baler  32  to compact and bale the debris. The baler  32  may compact the debris by rotating the debris in a continuous band  52,  into which baling material  72  may be inserted to bale the debris. Alternatively, the debris may be gathered and feed into a crusher  28  that deposits the crushed debris directly into the baler  32  for compacting and baling. Further still, the apparatus  10  may gather the debris with brushes  26  and feed it onto a conveyor mechanism  30  that then introduces it into a crusher  28.  The crushed debris may then be feed into a baling mechanism  32  that compacts and bales the debris for easy removal and disposal. In its various embodiments, the present invention may be connected to a prime mover  20  or alternatively connected to a portable base with a motor for driving the device  10.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation-in-Part of and claims priority to Non-Provisional Patent Application, U.S. Ser. No., 09/971,402, entitled “Leaf Compactor and Baler” filed Oct. 5, 2001, now abandoned, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to leaf gathering machines and to leaf balers and, more particularly, to an apparatus that will gather, crush, compress, and bale leaves and other debris. 
     2. Technical Background 
     The gathering and disposal of leaves is an essential activity to maintain the cleanliness and appearance of a variety of public lands, golf courses, and homes, including lawns and natural areas. Leaf gathering and disposal usually occurs in the fall in the northern hemisphere but can occur at other times of the year if plant-like material accumulates, such as pine cones, pine needles, tall grasses, shrubbery, weeds, and the like. Leaves and other related yard debris are usually separated from garbage and general household trash. Leaves and other yard debris can be used for composting so that landfill space is reserved for trash that is not suitable for composting. A common method of gathering and disposing of leaves by homeowners is to rake the leaves and to place them into trash bags, which is a burdensome chore. Raking leaves, picking them up, and placing them in bags is stressful work and is often beyond the ability of many older individuals or individuals with compromised health. 
     In some communities, the homeowners can rake leaves into a pile on the side of the street. Generally the leaves and other yard materials are deposited in a window adjacent to or on the edge of the street. A vehicle with a collection bin and a vacuum pickup the leaves and yard debris and hold these materials in a bin. The vacuum pickup is usually manipulated manually while gathering leaves. The bin tends to fill rapidly because in this process the leaves are not compressed. When the bin is fill, the machine stops gathering leaves and moves to a disposal site or transfer station where the bin is unloaded. During transport and unloading, the machine is not available to pickup leaves, which limits the rate at which leaves can be picked up and removed throughout the day. 
     Full capacity bagger attachments are known for use on lawn moving machines. Some or these employ an auger to feed leaf material into a bag and compress the material in the bag. These mowing machines have limited capacity to pickup leaves. They are slow and frequently plug with leaves. Once the bag is full, the mowing machine is stopped, the operator dismounts from the machine, closes the bag manually, removes the filled bag from the machines, mounts an empty bag in position to be filled, and then returns to the machine to resume the leaf bagging operation. The stationary bagging machines and the bagger attachments for lawn mowing machines fill relatively small bags. All bags are handled manually after they are filled. The major drawbacks of these bagging machine systems are the cost of the bags and the fact that the systems can be relatively labor intensive. 
     Full capacity machines are known which will gather leaves, shred the leaves, deposit the leaves to an auger, and the auger will direct the leaves to a bag. In these machines, the leaf gathering mechanism is a paddle like device and the shredder employs knife-like elements. The drawbacks of devices such as these are that sticks and similar debris amongst the leaves can cause the gathering mechanism or the shredder to jam. Sticks and the like can also jam between the auger and its housing. The present invention overcomes these drawbacks by providing a leaf gathering, crushing, compacting, and baling system which does not require the use of an auger and will bale the leaves automatically without the use of a bag. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention recognizes and addresses various of the foregoing limitations and drawbacks, and others, concerning leaf and debris gathering and bagging apparatuses. Therefore, the present invention is directed to a leaf gathering and baling apparatus which compacts the leaves and related debris by crushing and compressing the debris. 
     A first advantage of the present invention is that it crushes leaves, sticks, pine straw, pinecones and related debris on lawns, yards, and fields. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it has unlimited capacity because it continuously bales and eliminates leaves. In such context, the present invention produces bales that can be conveniently lifted and carried. 
     Still another advantage of the present invention is that it automatically gathers leaves thereby avoiding raking. Further, another advantage of the present invention is that it is hydraulically driven. Still further, another advantage of the present invention is that it does not have augers which require a housing. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that it is removably attachable to a prime mover. Finally, another advantage of the present invention is that can be used without the compactor and baler to produce mulch. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, there may be provided a gathering and baling apparatus capable of crushing sticks and similar material associated with the leaves. The apparatus is reversibly attached to a prime mover that can move the apparatus across lawns and fields as needed. In a first embodiment of the present invention, the front portion of the apparatus may have brushes extending diagonally at an angle to the centerline of the apparatus. The brushes roll inwardly on their bottom edges to gather leaves towards the front of the apparatus. The roller brushes direct and lift the leaves to a crusher. The crusher has one or more pairs of crushing rollers. Each crushing roller in a pair has crushing vanes and the crushing vane of one crushing roller inter-digitate or meshes with the crushing vane of the other crushing roller. The crushing rollers are driven by a motor to rotate towards one another so that the leaves and sticks and related debris from the brushes will be fed into the crushing roller pair and be crushed by the crushing vanes as the crushing rollers rotate. Crushed material can pass through one or more additional pairs of like crushing rollers, but will eventually fall and be pushed to the bottom of the crusher where it will be forced out of the crusher by a similar pair of crushing rollers with crushing vanes and be deposited onto a conveyor mechanism. The conveyor mechanism moves the crushed debris to a baler assembly. The baler assembly has two compacting rollers contained within a continuous band. One of the baler assembly compacting rollers is fixed and the other compacting roller is movable. When the movable compacting roller is moved away from the fixed compacting roller, the band can receive the crushed debris from the conveyor mechanism. Once the crushed debris is deposited on the band, the adjustable compacting roller is moved toward the fixed compacting roller, thereby compressing the debris further. The compacting rollers are rotated in the same direction by motors, causing the crushed compressed debris to rotate within the band. As the crushed debris rotates within the band, baling material such as paper is inserted between the compacting rollers and is directed by the moving band around the rotating debris. The paper tightly encircles the rotating debris, thus baling it. The movable roller within the compactor is moved away from the fixed roller, the baler assembly is rotated, and the baled debris is expelled. This sequence of gathering, crushing, conveying, compacting, and baling debris is produced continuously and automatically as the apparatus moves forward gathering leaves. 
     In a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the front portion of the apparatus may be brushes extending diagonally at an angle to the centerline of the apparatus. The brushes roll inwardly on their bottom edges to gather leaves towards the front of the apparatus. The roller brushes direct and lift the leaves to a conveyor mechanism. The conveyor mechanism moves the crushed debris to a crusher. The crusher has one or more pairs of crushing rollers. Each crushing roller in a pair has crushing vanes and the crushing vane of one crushing roller inter-digitate or meshes with the crushing vane of the other crushing roller. The crushing rollers are driven by a motor to rotate towards one another so that the leaves and sticks and related debris from the brushes will be fed into the crushing roller pair and be crushed by the crushing vanes as the crushing rollers rotate. Crushed material can pass through one or more additional pairs of like crushing rollers, but will eventually fall and be pushed to the bottom of the crusher where it will be forced out of the crusher by a similar pair of crushing rollers with crushing vanes and be deposited into a baler assembly. The baler assembly has two compacting rollers contained within a continuous band. One of the baler assembly compacting rollers is fixed and the other compacting roller is movable. When the movable compacting roller is moved away from the fixed compacting roller, the band can receive the crushed debris from the conveyor mechanism. Once the crushed debris is deposited on the band, the adjustable compacting roller is moved toward the fixed compacting roller, thereby compressing the debris further. The compacting rollers are rotated in the same direction by motors, causing the crushed compressed debris to rotate within the band. As the crushed debris rotates within the band, baling material, such as paper is inserted between the compacting rollers and is directed by the moving band around the rotating debris. The paper tightly encircles the rotating debris, thus baling it. The movable roller within the compactor is moved away from the fixed roller, the baler assembly is rotated, and the baled debris is expelled. This sequence of gathering, conveying, crushing, compacting, and baling debris is produced continuously and automatically as the apparatus moves forward gathering leaves. 
     In a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus is attached to a prime mover, such as a lawn mower base. Unlike the other alternative embodiments, the present embodiment lacks brushes extending diagonally at an angle to the centerline of the apparatus for the collection of debris. In the present embodiment, debris is manually introduced by the operator into the crusher. The crusher has one or more pairs of crushing rollers. Each crushing roller in a pair has crushing vanes and the crushing vane of one crushing roller interdigitate or meshes with the crushing vane of the other crushing roller. The crushing rollers are driven by a motor to rotate towards one another so that the leaves and sticks and related debris from the brushes will be fed into the crushing roller pair and be crushed by the crushing vanes as the crushing rollers rotate. Crushed material can pass through one or more additional pairs of like crushing rollers, but will eventually fall and be pushed to the bottom of the crusher where it will be forced out of the crusher by a similar pair of crushing rollers with crushing vanes and be deposited into a baler assembly. The baler assembly has two compacting rollers contained within a continuous band. One of the baler assembly compacting rollers is fixed and the other compacting roller is movable. When the movable compacting roller is moved away from the fixed compacting roller, the band can receive the crushed debris from the conveyor mechanism. Once the crushed debris is deposited on the band, the adjustable compacting roller is moved toward the fixed compacting roller, thereby compressing the debris further. The compacting rollers are rotated in the same direction by motors, causing the crushed compressed debris to rotate within the band. As the crushed debris rotates within the band, baling material, such as paper is inserted between the compacting rollers and is directed by the moving band around the rotating debris. The paper tightly encircles the rotating debris, thus baling it. The movable roller within the compactor is moved away from the fixed roller, the baler assembly is rotated, and the baled debris is expelled. The crushing, compacting, and baling sequence is guided by the user during the operation of the apparatus. The present embodiment is significantly smaller in size than the alternative embodiments and while motor driven is primarily manual in its continuous operation. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in, or will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the detailed description as follows. Also, it should be further appreciated that modifications and variations to the specifically illustrated and discussed features and materials hereof may be-practiced in various embodiments and uses of this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, by virtue of present reference thereto. Such variations may include, but are not limited to, substitutions of the equivalent means, features, and materials for those shown or discussed, and the functional or positional reversal of various parts, features, or the like. 
     Still further, it is to be understood that different embodiments, as well as different presently preferred embodiments, of this invention, may include various combinations or configurations of presently disclosed features, elements, or their equivalents (including combinations of features or configurations thereof not expressly shown in the figures or stated in the detailed description). 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following descriptions and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together with the descriptions, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A fill and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of the leaf compacting and baling apparatus of the present invention attached to a prime mover; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of a first embodiment of the present invention attached to a prime mover; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention as depicted in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of a first embodiment of the present invention showing a brush, the crusher assembly and the conveyor mechanism of the embodiment as depicted in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of the crusher rollers of the crusher assembly; 
         FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of the scissoring roller of the crusher assembly; 
         FIG. 6A  is a top view of the baler assembly of the present invention is an open position without the continuous band; 
         FIG. 6B  is a right side perspective view of the baler assembly of the present invention in an open position without the continuous band; 
         FIG. 7A  is a side view of the main drive gear of the baler assembly including the baling rollers and the continuous band in an open position; 
         FIG. 7B  is a side view of the main drive gear of the baler assembly including the baling rollers with the spring-loaded positioning arm holding the moveable baling roller in the open position; 
         FIG. 8A  is a rear perspective view of the baler assembly of the present invention in a closed position as seen without the continuous baling band; 
         FIG. 8B  is a right side perspective view of the baler assembly of the present invention in a closed position as seen without the continuous baling band; 
         FIG. 9A  is a side view of the main drive gear of the baler assembly including the baling rollers, the continuous band in a closed position and the debris within the band for compacting and baling; 
         FIG. 9B  is a side view of the main drive gear of the baler assembly including the baling rollers with the tensioned spring-loaded positioning arm allowing the moveable baler roller to be in the closed position; 
         FIG. 10A  is a top view of the baler assembly of the present invention in the dumping position; and 
         FIG. 10B  is a side view of the main drive gear of the baler mechanism including the baler rollers and the continuous band in an open dumping position expelling a bale of leaves and other debris. 
       Repeat use of reference characters throughout the present specification and appended drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are fully represented in the accompanying drawings. Such examples are provided by way of an explanation of the invention, not limitation thereof. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Still further, variations in selection of materials and/or characteristics may be practiced, to satisfy particular desired user criteria. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the present features and their equivalents. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a side view of the leaf/debris collecting, crushing, and compacting and baling apparatus  10  of the present invention. The apparatus is attached to the front end of a prime mover  20 . The prime mover  20  has an internal combustion engine  22  that provides power to drive its rear wheels  24  and to provide power to the hydraulic motors that run the various components of the present invention. The apparatus  10  has at least one leaf/debris gathering assembly  26 , a leaf/debris crusher assembly  28 , a leaf/debris conveyor assembly  30  and a leaf/debris baler assembly  32 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the apparatus  10  may include a plurality of debris-gathering assemblies  26 . Such assemblies  26  may extend in a forward, diagonal direction at the front of the crusher assembly  28  (as shown) and may include debris-gathering brushes  34  mounted on respective brush frames. Debris-gathering assemblies  26  are supported at the front and back ends by rollers mounted to their brush frames. The debris-gathering assemblies  26 , as well as a primary gathering brush  36  centrally located at the leading edge of the crusher assembly  28 , feed the debris into the crusher assembly  28 . The crusher assembly  28  consists of at least one pair of crushing rollers  38  and a scissoring roller  40 . The crusher&#39;s rollers  38  and  40  are driven by a hydraulic motor and chain attached to the crusher assembly  28 . 
     From the crusher assembly  28  the debris is fed onto a conveyor assembly  30 . The conveyor assembly  30  has a continuous conveyor belt  44  supported by multiple rollers, and finger like projections  46  on said conveyor belt  44 . The conveyor assembly  30  is supported at its front end by attachment to the crusher assembly  28  and brush frames and at its back end by attachment to the prime mover  20 . Hydraulic motors power the plurality of brushes  34 , the rotation of the crusher rollers  38  and  40  and also drive the conveyor belt  44 . 
     The baler assembly  32  is located at the distal end of the conveyor belt  44 . The baler assembly  32  consists of a fixed position baling roller  48  and a movable baling roller  50  (as best seen in FIGS.  7 A- 10 B). The baling rollers  48  and  50  are contained within a continuous baling band  52 . The baling assembly  32  is attached to the prime mover  20  by suitable framing. The compacting and baling apparatus  10  also has a baling material feed assembly that feeds baling material into the baling band  52 . The baling material  72  binds and retains the crushed and compacted debris in a small, lightweight roll. The baler assembly  32  is capable of rotating to eject the completed bale by way of a hole  64  in the underside of the baler assembly  32  (as best seen in FIG.  8 B). 
       FIG. 2  shows a diagrammatic top view of leaf compacting and baling apparatus  10  attached to a prime mover  20 . Although leaf gathering brushes  34  extend forward of crusher assembly  28 , they project at an angle from the crusher assembly  28 , preferably about thirty-five degrees. The bottom (ground) edges of leaf gathering brushes  34  are rotated by hydraulic motors inward towards the center line of the crusher assembly  28  to gather leaves towards the primary gathering brush  36  which lifts them upwardly into the crusher assembly  28  as the prime mover  20  moves the apparatus  10  forward. 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 2-4 , once gathered by the debris-gathering assemblies  26  toward the centerline of the crusher assembly  28 , the leaves and other debris may be lifted into the crusher assembly  28  by the primary gathering brush  36 , which similarly rotates so as to lift the debris and deposit it into the front of the crusher assembly  28 . After passage through the crusher assembly  28 , the now crushed leaves/debris is deposited onto the conveyor belt  44 . The continuous conveyor belt  44  of the conveyor assembly  30  includes numerous finger-like projections  46  for aiding in lifting the crushed debris up the inclined conveyor belt  44 . These projections  46  lift the debris from the crusher assembly  28  to the conveyor belt  44  as they move from the underside of the conveyor assembly  30  to the topside. As the finger-like projections  46  move from the top to the bottom side of the conveyor assembly  30  they facilitate depositing the crushed debris into the baler assembly  32 . 
     While the dimensions of the present invention form no particular aspect of the invention, the relative size of the various components may give rise to a better understanding of the capacity of the present invention to deal with a generally understood quantity of yard waste. To such end, the finger-like projections  46  of the conveyor assembly  30  may be generally between about 1 to 8 inches in length, most preferably about 2 inches in length and may be separated along the conveyor belt  44  generally between about 1 to 12 inches apart, most preferably about 8 inches apart. The debris-gathering brushes  26  may be between about 12 to 96 inches in length, most preferably about 24 inches, and generally between about 3 to 36 inches in diameter, most preferably about 12 inches in diameter. The upper surface of the conveyor belt  44  may be between about 24 to 96 inches in length, most preferably about 48 inches, and may be generally between about 12 to 96 inches in width, most preferably about 24 inches. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  depict an exemplary pair of crushing rollers  38  and a scissoring roller  40  of the crusher assembly  28 , respectively. The leaves/debris from the debris-gathering assemblies  26  and  36  are passed to the crushing rollers  38  of FIG.  5 A. The crushing rollers  38  may have multiple crushing vanes  58 . The crushing vanes  58  on one member of the roller pair  38  mesh with the crushing vanes  58  of the other member of the roller pair  38  as they rotate in the same direction, but do not touch. The leaves/debris are passed through the crushing vanes  58 . That part of the debris small enough to pass under the vanes  58  is pushed rearward to the scissoring roller  40 . The remainder of the leaves/debris are caught by the sharp edges of the crushing vanes  58  and circulated therethrough. The crushing vanes  58  will crush leaves, sticks, and other debris as the crushing rollers  38  rotate in the same direction and the leaves/debris pass through the crushing vanes  58 . Eventually the processed leaves/debris are small enough to pass under the crushing vanes  58  and are passed on to the scissoring roller  40  by the in-coming debris. In other words, the system is essentially self-feeding. 
     The scissoring roller  40 , as depicted in  FIG. 5B , is particularly effective in reducing the size of any fibrous debris material such as pine straw that was passed over by the crushing rollers  38 . The scissoring roller  40  is provided with a plurality of stationary cutting vanes  60 . Each of such cutting vanes  60  is associated with a corresponding rotating cutting vane  62  on the scissoring roller  40 . The plurality of paired vanes  60  and  62  on the scissoring roller  40  act as a plurality of scissors for cutting any material passed through them. Once passed through the scissoring roller  40  of the crusher assembly  28 , the leaves/debris is then passed onto the conveyor belt  44  of the conveyor assembly  30  for transport to the baler assembly  32  for compaction and baling by the dispensing paddles  42  attached to the shaft of the scissoring roller  40  and which are interdigitated between each of the stationary and rotating pairs of cutting vanes  60  and  62 . 
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate a top and a side perspective view of the baler assembly  32  of the present invention without the continuous band  52  that contains the crushed debris to be compacted and baled. As illustrated, the baler assembly  32  is in an open configuration awaiting the deposit of crushed material from the crusher assembly  28  via the conveyor assembly  32  comprises a fixed baling roller  48  and a movable baling roller  50 . Each end of the movable baling roller  50  passes through an opening  56  in its respective one of a set of paired main drive gears  66 . The pair of main drive gears  66  is primarily responsible for maintaining apart or bringing together the fixed and movable baling rollers  48  and  50  during the receipt and compacting/baling of crushed debris, respectively. Additionally, the main drive gear  66  is used to rotate the entire baler assembly  32  so as to expel the baled material through an opening  64  in the underside of the baler assembly frame. 
     The fixed baling roller  48  is affixed to the paired main drive gears  66  of the baler assembly  32  and move with the paired main drive gears  66  as they rotate. Generally, when the fixed baling roller  48  is at or near the front of the baler assembly  32 , the baler assembly  32  is considered in the open position, as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . When the fixed baling roller  48  is at or near the rear of the baler assembly  32 , it is in a dosed configuration. 
     The baling rollers  48  and  50  are contained within a continuous baling band  52 .  FIG. 7A  shows continuous baling band  52  in position on the baling rollers  48  and  50  in the open position. It is in this configuration that the baler assembly  32  receives the crushed leaves/debris from the conveyor mechanism  30  into the continuous band  52 . When the baling rollers  48  and  50  rotate on their horizontal axes the continuous band  52  similarly rotates in an identical direction. This is facilitated by the presence of a spring-biased friction roller  68  that introduces and maintains a sufficient amount of friction so as to ensure the movement of the continuous band  52  in coordination with the movement of the baling rollers  48  and  50 . It is this movement, along with the closure of the band  52  (by way of the closure of the baling rollers  48  and  50 ), that causes compaction of the crushed debris. 
       FIG. 7B  more clearly depicts the spring mechanism  74  that aids positioning arm  70  in maintaining the moveable baling roller  50  in it open position. The positioning arm  70  and the biased spring mechanism  74  aid in keeping the moveable baling roller  50  in position as main drive gear  66  rotates counterclockwise to bring fixed baling roller  48  toward moveable baling roller  50  in a closed configuration as best seen in FIG.  9 B. 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  depict 2 rear and side perspective views of the baler assembly  32  in its closed and compacting configuration without the continuous baling band  52 . As can be seen the main drive gears  66  have been rotated counterclockwise to bring the fixed baling roller  48  into communication with the movable baling roller  50  thus closing the baler assembly  32 . As before mentioned, closing baler assembly  32  compresses and further compacts the crushed leaves/debris. The fixed baling roller  48  is free to rotate about its horizontal axis. A hydraulic motor and chain drive the movable baling roller  50 . As the movable baling roller  50  is rotated, the continuous baling band  52  rotates in the same direction. The crushed compressed leaves also rotate but in the opposite direction of baling rollers  48  and  50 . 
       FIG. 9A  further illustrates the containment of the crushed leaves/debris within the continuous baling band  52  while the baler assembly  32  is in a closed configuration. Baling material  72 , including, but not limited to, paper, may be inserted into the rotating baling band  52  between closed baling rollers  48  and  50  to surround the crushed compressed leaves/debris. Through friction alone, the baling material  72  is maintained along the continuous baling band  52  and thus encircles the crushed, compacted leaves/debris. In so doing, the leaves/debris is baled. 
       FIG. 9B  shows that the movable baling roller  50  is biased toward the closed position. When inverted (i.e., when the baler assembly  32  is rotated to expel a bale of crushed and compacted leaves/debris) the movable baling roller  50  is similarly biased toward the closed position. This is to ensure a more secure compaction, as well as for safety during the baling process. A spring-biased positioning arm  70  connects the movable roller  50  to the central axis of the main drive gears  66 . Such positioning arm  70  aids in maintaining the proper motion of the movable roller  50  relative to the fixed roller  48  and the main drive gears  66  during operation of the apparatus  10 . 
     With the crushing, compaction and baling of the leaves/debris complete, there remains but one function for the apparatus  10  to perform—the expulsion of the baled material from the baler assembly  32 .  FIG. 10A  depicts a top view of the baler assembly  32  with the continuous baling band  52  in a dumping configuration (i.e., baling rollers  48  and  50  nearer bottom of baler assembly  32  and no material within the continuous baling band  52 ). In this orientation, the baler assembly  32  has been rotated almost 180 degrees about the central axis of the main drive gears  66  so as to allow the opening of the baling rollers  48  and  50  to expel the baled material through an opening  64  in the bottom of the baler assembly  32 . 
     A motor (not shown) drives one of the paired main drive gears  66 . These powered main drive gears  66  have a track that moves movable baling roller  50  along its opening  56  as the main drive gears  66  rotate the baler assembly  32 . The opposing side of the baler assembly  32  houses a reversable motor that turns a gear on the end of the movable baling roller  50 . This reversible motor rotates movable baling roller  50 , which in conjunction with spring-biased friction roller  68 , rotates the continuous baling band  52  and the fixed baling roller  48 . As shown in  FIG. 10B , the powered main drive gears  66  similarly are engaged to rotate the entire assembly  32  in a closed position to face downward. Once rotated, the positioning arm  70  may aid in realigning the movable baling roller  50  so as to open the baler assembly  32 . The baled leaves/debris simply fall out of baler assembly  32 . The expelled bales  80  can fall to the ground or can fall into a bale catcher. The dimensions of the bale are, preferably, about 24 inches in length and about 8 inches in diameter. The baling material  72  is, preferably, paper. Such paper may have one end prepared with an adhesive for sealing said bales  80 . 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms and devices, such description is for illustrative purposes only. The words used are words of description rather than of limitation. It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit or the scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of various other embodiments may be interchanged both in whole or in part. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred version contained herein.