Patent ID: 7506692

Claim:
A tine raking device comprising: a frame; a conveyor assembly supported on the frame, the conveyor assembly having a conveyor belt including a laminated rubber-type belting material defining a plurality of perforations sized to allow passage therethrough of granules of sand and to prevent passage therethrough of larger sized debris to be removed from a ground surface; and a plurality of flexible tines extending outwardly from the conveyor belt, the tines being arranged in rows across a width of the conveyor belt, the rows each being longitudinally spaced from adjacent rows along the conveyor belt and an outer surface of the conveyor belt being uncovered between adjacent tines along an associated row such that a generally smooth surface and unimpeded path is defined along the outer surface of the conveyor belt including between adjacent tines along an associated row for debris to flow between the adjacent tines, the tines in each row being disposed in staggered relationship along a width of the conveyor belt relative to the tines in the adjacent rows, the tines each including two generally parallel legs spaced from one another and connected together by a coil section, and wherein the conveyor belt defines a plurality of additional perforations each to accommodate a coil section of a tine in a recessed position relative to the outer surface of the conveyor belt; the conveyor assembly further including: a lower section for permitting the tines to contact and remove debris from a ground surface being cleaned; and an inclined section for lifting debris on the conveyor belt in a direction away from the ground surface being cleaned.