There are two main types of lawn sweepers, a push-cart style and a tow-behind style. The various lawn sweeper parts are nearly identical for both units, varying primarily in the mechanism used to move the sweeper across a lawn. Although most lawn sweepers do not come assembled and at first appear like a jumble of small parts, they do assemble into broader, functional pieces. Parts such as the hopper that catches leaves, the brushes and the height-adjustment mechanism all work together to remove leaves from lawns and driveways.
One of the main lawn sweeper parts that many other pieces on the unit use as a base is the handle on a push-style cart. The handle is the tallest part of the cart and generally looks like a horizontal bar that connects to two vertical bars running down the length of the cart and attaching to the leaf-sweeping housing on either side. Small switches, dials or levers are occasionally attached to the handle to make moving, adjusting or stopping the sweeper easier.
The hopper, which is a deep bag commonly made from plastic, tarp or canvas, usually hangs between the vertical bars of the handle. This is one of the more essential leaf sweeper parts, because it is designed not only to hold the leaves while the unit is being used, but also offers ways to dump the leaves once the hopper is full. Simple designs have the hopper attached with hooks that allow it to be removed easily and emptied, while more complex designs involve cords or other devices that cause the hopper to empty mechanically on its own.
On a tow-behind sweeper, which is designed to be attached to the back of a mower or other lawn vehicle, the lawn sweeper parts are slightly different. The handle is replaced by a simple frame that holds the hopper in roughly the same place. Instead of a handle, a hitch is attached either to the frame holding the hopper or the housing for the sweeping brushes.
Many lawn sweeper parts are inside a covered housing at the base of the unit. This housing contains the axle that holds the wheels. The housing also contains a second type of axle that holds the brushes used to pick up debris and push it into the hopper. In most cases, a gear is placed between the two axles, binding their movements to each other. The sweeper housing also contains any special-purpose lawn sweeper mechanisms, such as levers to adjust the height of the sweeping brushes or brakes to stop the unit from moving.