US3912316A

US3912316A - Litter collector

Info

Publication number: US3912316A
Application number: US396684A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert D Veech
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-09-13
Filing date: 1973-09-13
Publication date: 1975-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 1992-10-14

Abstract

A litter collector, or the like, including, in combination: a foldable receptacle bag having an open end and a closed end adapted to be placed between a pair of open operating jaws with the open end being folded and draped around the outside of the jaws forming a second opening between the open end of the bag and the closed end of the bag through which the refuse or litter is collected by closing the jaws; the bag having a closure at the open end for alternately fixing the bag to the jaws, or closing the bag when removed from the jaws.

Description

United States Paten Veech Oct. 14, 1975 [54] LITTER COLLECTOR 3,767,247 10/1973 Wetzler 294/1 R 3 7 78 l 974 P 2 [76] Inventor: Robert D. Veech, ll Yates Ave., n ezzmo 94/19 R X Commack, NY. 11725 Przmary Exammer-Evon C. Blunk Flledi P 13, 1973 Assistant ExaminerJohnny D. Cherry [2]] APPL No: 396,684 Attorney, Agerit, or Firm-Edward Halle, Esq.

521 us. 01. 294/19 R; 294/1 R 1 ABSTRACT [l] Int. Cl. A47F 13/06 A litter collector, or the like, including in Combina Fleld of Search 294/ l R, 19 16, 506, tion: a foldablereceptacle bag having an open end and 55, no 115, 118; a closed end adapted to be placed between a pair of 15/1043 257-1; 119/1 R open operating jaws with the open end being folded and draped around the outside of the jaws forming a [56] References C'ted second opening between the open end of the bag and UNITED STATES PATENTS the closed end of the bag through which the refuse or 718,079 1/1903 Bindhammer 294/ A litter is Collected y closing the j the g having 1,523,517 1/1925 Doty 294/110 A losure a the open end for alternately fixing the bag 2,320,967 6/1943 Dunkelberger 1 294/100 to the jaws, or closing the bag when removed from the 3,093,402 6/l963 Sisson 294/19 R jaws 3,446,525 5/1969 Jones 294/19 R 3,703,158 11/1972 Lemler 294/19 R X 11 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures Sheet 1 of3 3,912,316

US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet20f3 3,912,316

U.S. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 3 013 3,912,316

LITTER COLLECTOR BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to trash cleaning devices and in particular for picking up dog, or other, litter. The handling of refuse and litter created by pets in metropolitan areas and especially on city streets is becoming more and more serious. Many different types of litter disposal devices have been made in the past, some of which were adapted to pick up animal litter and others not so well adapted.

Three of such devices are illustrated in prior United States patents. For example, US. Pat. No. 3,052,214, granted on Sept. 4, 1962, shows a container means which can be used for picking up animal leavings in cooperation with a bag to be used with the device and to be disposed of.

US. Pat. No. 3,281,176 issued on Oct. 25, 1966, and US. Pat. No. 3,659,891 issued on May 2, 1972, show similar devices each having a disposable bag for use as an animal leavings collector.

US. Pat. No. 3,052,214 has some mechanical movements connected with the collection. The latter two mentioned patents do not have moving parts. None of the three mentioned patents shows a device for use with a simple bag in which the bag is opened and closed by the device by an operator operating the device with a one-handed operation leaving the other hand free for controlling the dog or other animal.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a litter collector which works in combination with a receptacle bag and which has means to open and close the bag available to the operator to work the entire combination as a scoop means with the bag being a part of the scoop so that the bag when retaining scoop litter can be closed, removed and disposed of with the contents being kept completely within the closed condition of the bag, thereby minimizing undesirable contact between the operator and the litter. It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device for onehanded operation so that the operator can operate the device with one hand and control the dog or other animal with the other hand.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a device which can be used for more than one pickup operation with a single bag. It is another object of this invention to provide such a device with a bag having a closure means so that it may be disposed of in a sanitary manner. Other objects and advantages will appear in the description hereinbelow and in the claims hereinbelow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view with parts cut away and parts in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a detail including jaw 40 and handle 28 as seen from line 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along lines 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the bag or container of the device with parts cut away;

FIGS. 5 through 14 are all views in elevation showing the device in various operating positions with a portion of handle extension 58 cut away; and

FIGS. 15 and 16 are both elevational views of an altemate form of the invention in different operating positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The dog litter collector 20 of the invention has a main frame 22 comprising an operating portion 24 having pivot means 26 connecting a pair of handle means 28 and 30. Resilient means, such as a coil spring 32, is wound around the pivot 26 having

spring arms

34 and 36 bearing against portions of

handles

28 and 30 to normally keep the

jaws

40 and 42 in closed position.

Jaws

40 and 42, including scooper edge means such as

edges

44 and 46, respectively, are formed integrally, or may be attached to handles 28 and 30, respectively, by welding, molding, or any other fastening means. (See FIGS. 15 and 16 in which the scooper edge means are in the form of separate blades and 121.)

Jaw 42 includes a latch seat 50 which serves as a pivot means for a latch 52 having a latch end 51 to move end 54 from a first, or disengaged, position (see dotted lines 52in FIG. 1) to a second, or engaged, position (see solid lines 52 in FIG. 1) with latch end 54 against opposite jaw 40. The spring 32 and its

arms

34 and 36 serve as a means to urge and hold the

jaws

40 and 42 in normally closed position (with spring arm 34 pressing handle 28 outwardly at point 35) while the latch 52 serves as means to releasably hold the

jaws

40 and 42 in open position. It is preferred to mount the latch as shown in FIG. 1 with latch end 54 at a strike portion 56 inside jaw 40 as in the second or engaged position when it is desired to hold

jaws

40 and 42 apart against the force of spring 32.

A handle extension 58 may be provided for connecting to handle 30 by means of any other fastening means known to the art. The handle extension 58 in the preferred form of invention is fitted to handle 30 at area 60. The handle extension 58 may also be a sleeve that fits handle 30, or any other type of extension, or may be integral with handle 30.

A hand grip 62 may also be provided. Any type of grip known to the art such as the umbrella or chain grip shown may be used. The grip illustrated is preferred. The extension handle 58 may be painted white or have a fluorescent coating, or device, as indicated by dotted lines at reference numeral 64. This is for safety in case the device is used at night and on a dark street the headlights of an approaching automobile will reflect off the handle extension 58 and warn the driver that someone may be in the road. The extension 58 may be of telescoping or separable sectional design as desired.

The latch 52 may be set with only one hand in the following manner:

The extension handle 58 is held horizontally with handle 30 above it, as for example if one views FIG. 10 upside down turn). Handle 28 is squeezed to handle 30. By force of gravity the latch 52 will assume a vertical position. Handle 28 is then gently released and the latch will remain in second, or engaged position, resulting from the described one-handed operation.

During the pickup and jaw closing operations, the device is held by one hand at the handle 62 and the latch 52 is foot operated, leaving the other hand free.

The latch 52 construction provides for foot operation of the device as will be described below, because it has foot operating portions 66 which extend, preferably laterally, beyond the

handles

28 and 30 so that they may be engaged by the foot (or by the hand) of the operator to move the latch 52 from one position to another.

The receptacle 70 of the litter collector is made preferably in the form of a bag 72 having an opening 76 with a fastening and closure means such as drawstring 78. The material of the bag 72 is optional, but it should be foldable or deformable. The preferred material is one such as polyethylene, and may be fashioned in the form of a sleeve which can be cut into desired lengths. Each cut length may be heat sealed at an end 73 to form the closed end, or bottom, 74 of the bag 72. The other end 75 is left open to provide an opening 76. The opening 76 is provided with the drawstring 78 which may be of any type of cotton string or twine or any other suitable material. The drawstring 78 is held in position about the opening 76 by means of one or more heat sealed folds 80 in the material of the bag 72 or by any other means.

The drawstring 78 serves the purpose of being a closure for the bag 72 and is also used, in the manner described below, as a fastening means to hold the bag 72 about the

jaws

40 and 42 during the operation of the device. Any other type of bag or closure therefore may be utilized with the invention so long as the material of the bag or receptacle can be folded or draped over the jaws in the manner described herein.

A hook 82 is provided either on handle extension 58 or any other part of the main frame of the device to fasten end 84 of the drawstring closure 78 when the bag 72 is applied and folded over the

jaws

40 and 42, as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings.

METHOD OF OPERATION Reference is now made to FIG. 5 of the drawings. FIG. 5 shows the device in a position with the

jaws

40 and 42 held upwardly and a bag 72 placed and held firmly between the

edges

44 and 46 of

jaws

40 and 42 with the opening 76 on top and the closed end or bottom 74 of the bag 72 at the bottom. This step is accomplished by opening the

jaws

40 and 42, then placing the bag 72 between them and then permitting the spring 32 to close and hold the bag 72 between between the

edges

44 and 46. The

jaws

40 and 42 are opened by pressing handle 28 toward handle against the action of spring 32. When handle 28is released the spring will close the jaws and 42 to hold the bag 72 between them.

In FIG. 6 of the drawings the next step is illustrated. The opening 76 of the bag 72 is pulled down over the

jaws

40 and 42 and folded or draped around the outside of the jaws. The drawstring 78 is pulled tight and its end 84 is attached to hook 82, thus completing the operation of attaching and fastening the receptacle or bag 72 to the

jaws

40 and 42 of the device.

With the apparatus in this position a second opening 86 will be provided when the

jaws

40 and 42 are next separated, as shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. This second, intermediate, opening 86 will appear when the bag 72 is folded back, or cuffed 100 upon itself, as shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. In order to maintain the second opening 86 and the

jaws

40 and 42 in open position the latch 52 is set, as shown in FIG. 7, in its second or engaged position.

The device is now ready for picking up litter. Reference to FIG. 8 of the drawings will show animal refuse or litter 88 on a street 90. The device has been inverted so that the

jaws

40 and 42 and the second opening 86 of the bag 72 are now pointing downward. Opening 86 has been placed over the litter 88 with the scooper edges 44 and 46 and bag opening 86 against the street 90.

Reference to FIG. 9 shows what happens after the latch 52 has been kicked at comer 66 (see FIG. 3) by the foot 53 of the operator from its second, or engaged position, back to its first, or disengaged position. The latch 52 has laterally extending corners 66 which extend beyond the main frame sufficiently to permit the foot 53 of the operator to kick or push a corner 66, and end 54, of the latch 52 away from its latch strike position 56, then the spring 32 action forces the

jaws

40 and 42, as well as the scoop edges 44 and 46, to come together placing the litter 88 within the temporarily formed inner bag 92, as shown in FIG. 9. Thus it appears that the combination of the cuffed bag over the jaws of the main frame acts as a scoop when the scoop edge means guide and force opening 86 of the bag around the litter 88 to scoop up the litter. The bag thereby actually becomes a working part of the scooping device and is nevertheless removable at will when loaded.

The device is now loaded and has cleared the street of the dog litter 88. The bag can be removed at this point and discarded together with the litter 88 (see FIG. 14 and description below). However, the device may be used again before unloading the bag 72, if desired. Reference to FIG. 10 shows that the dog litter collector 20 has been tilted approximately 90 so that the inner bag 92 will fall in the space 41 (see FIG. 2) between the arms 39 of jaw 42.

In FIG. 11 when the device 20 is again held vertical, the mentioned inner bag 92 together with the first collected litter portion 88 will rest against the pavement 90 with the collected litter 88 to a side of the

jaws

40 and 42. In FIG. 12 the scooper edges 44 and 46 are again separated in the manner set forth hereinabove, by hand, against the action of spring 32. The latch 52 is again hand set to maintain the

jaws

40 and 42 in open position. Thus the second collection of litter 96 may be done while the first collection of litter 88 sits at one side of the inner bag 92. The

jaws

40 and 42 are again closed by operation of the latch 52 by the operators foot 53 and the

jaws

40 and 42 again close, causing the

scoop blades

44 and 46 to place the second load 96 within the inner bag 92, as shown in FIG. 13.

In FIG. 14 the device has been turned around again so that the bag 72 is uppermost. The drawstring is untied and the cuffed portion 100 of the big is lifted over the jaws. The drawstring is then closed, as shown in FIG. 14, the bag is then removed and dropped into a trash or litter basket.

In FIG. 15 an alternate form of handle and operating mechanism is shown. It comprises an elongated handle means 1 10 which is hollow. Within the hollow is an operating rod 112 connected at its top end to an operating button 114 and at its lower end to a pair of

spring arms

116 and 118. At the lower ends of the spring arms are

scoop edges

120 and 121. The

blades

120 and 121 and the

spring arms

116 and 118 work in the same way as scoop edges 44 and 46 and

jaws

40 and 42 of the first form of the invention.

Helical spring 122 is mounted around the operating rod 1 l2 and is seated between the operating button 1 14 and a guard 124. The. operation of this form of the invention is as follows:

The spring 122 pushes the button 114 away from the guard 124. This keeps

spring arms

116 and 118 within the confines of the lower tubular portion 130 of the handle 110. When the spring arms are within the confines of the tube 130 the

blades

120 and 121 are together as shown in FIG. 15. Finger pressure against the button 1 14 to move it toward the guard 124 pushes rod 112 downwardly and pushes spring

arms

116 and 118 out of the confines of the tube at portion 130. The spring action of the arms spreads outwardly seprating the blades I20 and 121, as shown in FIG. 16. Thus the

blades

120 and 121 are controllable from a closed jaw position as shown in FIG. 15 to an open jaw position as shown in FIG. 16. Downward pressure on button 114 will maintain the jaws in open position. A catch 132 in the form of a hook or some other device is provided to hook the operating button 114 to the guard and maintain the jaws in open position and the action of catch 132 is similar to the action of latch 52. Thus it can be seen that the handle of the alternate form of the invention will work with the invention in the same manner as the handle means of the preferred form illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 14 of the drawings, and the invention is worked in exactly the same way with its alternate handle.

It can be seen from the foregoing description that a sanitary method of picking up dog or animal refuse or litter has been provided with several definite advantages. First, it has a positive action for cleaning and lifting the matter. Second, it is operable with one hand so that the other hand of the operator can hold the dog firmly on the leash. Third, no bending or stooping. Fourth, multiple pickups with one bag are possible.

While the device has been described in its preferred forms, it may be made in other forms coming within the scope of the claims hereinbelow. Protection is desired for all forms coming within the claims hereinbelow.

Wherefore, I claim:

1. A litter collector comprising a main frame, including a pair of jaws comprising means to hold the jaws normally in a closed position and means to releasably hold the jaws in open position: in combination with a receptacle comprising a main body portion of a deformable material comprising an opening; wherein the receptacle body portion is held between said jaws with at least a portion of said receptacle body portion adjacent said opening being folded over the outside of at least one jaw; said combination comprising means to selectively secure the receptacle to the main frame and closure means for the receptacle opening; said receptacle comprising an opening being in the form of a bag, or envelope having a closed end and an open end, with said open end folded over said jaws by cuffing at least a portion of said open end over said jaws; thereby forming a second, intermediate opening positioned between said cuffed portion of the bag and said closed end of the bag, at least when the jaws are in open position; said bag being provided with closure means for the first mentioned opening in said open end; in which the jaws comprise a pivot connection and the means to hold the jaws in normally closed position comprises a spring, and the means to releasably hold the jaws in open position comprises a latch pivoted to one of the jaws for movement from a first or open position to a second or closed position.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the means to hold the jaws in normally closed position comprises a spring.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2, in which at least a portion of said spring is curved around said pivot connection for said jaws.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the means to releasably hold the jaws in open position comprises a latch.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4 which includes latch strike means.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 4, in which the latch comprises a corner means extending laterally away from the center of the main frame.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 6 which includes latch strike means and in which the latch is positioned between the jaws.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which there is a latch seat in the other of said jaws.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one jaw is provided with scooper edge means.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 9, in which the closure means comprises a drawstring for selective fastening to the main frame.

1 l. The combination as claimed in claim 10, in which each jaw is provided with scooper edge means.

Claims

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4 which includes latch strike means.

11. The combination as claimed in claim 10, in which each jaw is provided with scooper edge means.