Means for collecting garden waste

Abstract

The present invention provides a blower-vacuum device having means for collecting garden waste, the garden waste collecting means comprising: an attachment part ( 42 ) for receiving a garden waste receptacle; and a garden waste receptacle ( 30 ) for removable engagement with the attachment part; wherein the attachment part ( 42 ) comprises an arcuate groove ( 44 ); and the garden waste receptacle ( 30 ) comprises a band ( 33 ) defining a mouth ( 35 ) of the receptacle for sliding engagement with the groove. Thus the receptacle may be easily removed from the attachment part of the blower-vacuum device merely by sliding the band ( 33 ) of the receptacle out of the groove ( 44 ), whereupon the receptacle may then be emptied of garden waste by tipping it upside-down. In a preferred embodiment, the band ( 33 ) is made of a resilient material, whereby when the band is inserted into the groove ( 44 ), the band is constrained by the groove and the mouth ( 35 ) of the receptacle defined by the band is made narrower than when the band is withdrawn from the groove. Thus when the band is withdrawn from the groove ( 44 ), the mouth ( 35 ) of the receptacle opens out (arrows R and S), making it easier to empty.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 . A garden waste receptacle for removable engagement with an attachment part ( 42 ) of a blower-vacuum device comprising;
 a band ( 33 ) defining a mouth ( 35 ) of said receptacle for sliding engagement with an arcuate groove ( 44 ) of the attachment part ( 42 ) of the blower-vacuum device.   
   
   
       8 . A garden waste receptacle according to  claim 7 , further comprising a handle ( 32 ) for inserting said band ( 33 ) into and withdrawing said band from said groove. 
   
   
       9 . A garden waste receptacle according to  claim 7 , wherein the band ( 33 ) is made of a resilient material, whereby when said band is inserted into said groove ( 44 ), the band is constrained by said groove and the mouth ( 35 ) of said receptacle defined by said band is made narrower than when said band is withdrawn from said groove. 
   
   
       10 . A garden waste receptacle according to  claim 9 , wherein the band ( 33 ) is made of metal. 
   
   
       11 . A garden waste receptacle according to  claim 7 , further comprising a latch ( 50 ) for engagement with an engagement means ( 54 ) of the attachment part ( 42 ) of the blower-vacuum device, whereby when said band ( 33 ) is inserted into said groove ( 44 ), said latch ( 50 ) engages with the engagement means ( 54 ), thereby preventing withdrawal of said band from said groove until the latch has been disengaged from said engagement means. 
   
   
       12 . A garden waste receptacle according to  claim 7 , wherein the band ( 33 ) is enclosed along at least a part of its length by air-porous material of a bag part of the garden waste receptacle ( 30 ). 
   
   
       13 . (canceled) 
   
   
       14 . (canceled)