The present invention discloses a leaf snatcher consisting of a protective grille, a blade activated by a motor. The blade is shaped so as to have vacuum capabilities to suck the unwanted leaves and debris. The leaf snatcher is generally setup over a waste container to receive the leaves and debris sucked by the blade. When the grille is lifted, it automatically stops the blade for increased safety.
1. A leaf snatcher comprising a frame structure; a grille structure hingedly attached to said frame structure; said grille structure having a protective grille mechanically fastened to said grille structure; said grille having slots configured and sized to selectively pass parts of a plant; a motor situated inside a motor housing underneath said grille and actuating a blade by way of a shaft; said motor housing being connected to said frame structure by way of members; a safety cutoff switch to cut power to said motor and said leaf snatcher having the following improvement:
said blade having vanes extending therefrom to combine cutting means and suction means.
2. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
said grille structure being hingedly attached to said frame structure by way of a hinge.
3. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
support legs, used for installing said leaf snatcher over a container, extending downwardly from said frame structure.
4. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
said grille having retaining means to maintain said grille frame shut.
5. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
said blade having an axis of rotation, two long generally parallel sides each having a sharp section; and opposite said sharp sections, said vanes extending generally perpendicularly along each longitudinal sides of said blade.
6. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
holes opposite said sharp sections to receive mechanical fasteners used for mechanically fastening said vanes.
7. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
said vanes generally semi circular in shape.
8. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
said vanes offset in view of the horizontal plane so as to generate a suction effect.
9. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
said vanes offset in view of the horizontal plane at an angle of between 10–35 degrees.
10. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
said grille being interchangeable so that various sized slots can be fitted on said leaf snatcher.
11. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
said grille having two or more sections of differently sized slots.
12. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
a braking system to brake said blade.
13. A leaf snatcher as in claim 12 wherein:
said braking system having a string pulling on a brake pin, said brake pin being biased by a biasing means into frictionally engaging a hub and said hub frictionally attached to and surrounding a shaft; when a grille frame is being closed, an L shaped stem, fixedly attached to said grille frame in turn pulling said pin so that it does not make contact with said hub; and when said grille frame being lifted, said L shaped stem not pressing down on said string so that said pin being biased back into frictionally engaging said hub.
14. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
said blade having a bevel situated on the top side so as to prevent said sharp section from hitting said grille.
15. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
a snap ring snapping a mesh type bag.
16. A leaf snatcher as in claim 1 wherein:
at least one threaded pin threading through said motor housing and making contact with said motor to align said motor so as to position said blade parallel to said grille.