Patent ID: 7020930

Claim:
A mobile sweeper apparatus comprising; a wheel supported housing to be moved over an underlying surface to be swept of debris and having a bottom opening; rotary brush means mounted in said housing and projecting through the bottom opening of said housing for sweeping up debris from said underlying surface; drive means connected for rotatably driving said brush means; a vacuum fan with shredder means mounted in said housing and communicating through a vacuum chute with said bottom opening for drawing in, shredding and discharging debris swept up by said brush means; a damper valve plate disposed in said vacuum chute between said brush means and vacuum fan and operable for closing off said vacuum chute; a normally closed vacuum port positioned on said vacuum chute between said damper valve plate and said vacuum fan with shredder means for connecting a vacuum conduit to said port for vacuum communication with said fan; and a linkage connected to said damper valve plate and to said drive means for simultaneously disengaging said drive means and closing off said vacuum chute with said damper valve plate.