NZ599654B - A Tool for collecting an object or material - Google Patents

Abstract

599654 Disclosed is a hand operated tool for removing faeces. The tool has a pair of arms, each arm providing a handle at an upper end and a scoop at a lower end, each scoop being in the form of a cup, the scoops having jaws adapted to interlock. The arms are connected so that at least one of the arms can pivot with respect to the other to move the scoops substantially together and then apart as desired, the tool having a length of approximately 500 mm to approximately 1,200 mm and formed so that a person can hold and manipulate the handles while in a standing position to collect an object, for example animal faeces, at ground level between the scoops and then move the faeces using the tool. arms can pivot with respect to the other to move the scoops substantially together and then apart as desired, the tool having a length of approximately 500 mm to approximately 1,200 mm and formed so that a person can hold and manipulate the handles while in a standing position to collect an object, for example animal faeces, at ground level between the scoops and then move the faeces using the tool.

Description

Patents Form No. 5 THE PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION A Tool for Collecting an Object or Material I, David Bay, a New Zealand citizen, of 255 Beeby Road, RD 21, Geraldine 7991, New Zealand, hereby declare this invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: TITLE A tool for collecting an object or material.

FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to a tool for collecting an object or material. A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a tool for collecting animal excrement from the ground without having to crouch to do so.

BACKGROUND In many situations it is necessary or desirable to remove animal feces left on the ground by, for example, a dog or a horse. To do so one may have to crouch down so that one’s hands are nearer ground level and the material may be collected using a short handled garden spade or the like. Even if using a spade with a longer handle one may have to stoop a little to scoop up the material. Further, scooping with a spade is not always an efficient way to do the job because in some circumstances it can be difficult to maneuver the material onto the blade of the spade. It is an object of at least a preferred form of the present invention go at least some way towards providing a useful alternative to the above.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention there is a tool having a pair of arms, each arm providing a handle at an upper end and a scoop at a lower end, each scoop being in the form of a cup, the scoops having jaws adapted to interlock, the arms being connected so that at least one of the arms can pivot with respect to the other to move the scoops substantially together and then apart as desired, the tool having a length of approximately 500 mm to approximately 1,200 mm and formed so that a person can hold and manipulate the handles while in a standing position to collect an object, for example animal feces, at ground level between the scoops and then move the feces using the tool.

Optionally the tool is about 600 mm to about 1,000 mm long.

Optionally the tool is about 700 mm to about 900 mm long.

Optionally the scoops each have an opening and each opening is arranged so that it faces the other when the tool is in a closed position.

Optionally each handle comprises a part which extends outwards, for example at a right angle, from the rest of the corresponding arm.

Optionally the arms are arranged to pivot in a scissor mechanism.

Optionally the arms are arranged to pivot about a pivot point which is at a central part of each arm.

Optionally the arms are arranged to pivot about a pivot point which is more than mid-way along each arm.

Optionally the arms of the tool are length adjustable so the tool can be used at a length best suited to the height of the person using it.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is providing a method of collecting animal feces from the ground comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a tool as set out above; b) from a substantially erect standing position manipulating the arms by way of their handles so that the scoops are either side of the animal feces at ground level; c) further manipulating the arms to cause the feces to be caught between and/or within the scoops; and d) further manipulating the arms to move the feces away from its original location.

DRAWINGS Some preferred forms of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a front-on perspective view showing a tool for collecting animal excrement; Figure 2 is a side-on perspective view of the tool; Figure 3 is an end-on perspective view of the tool; and Figure 4 is a side perspective view showing detail of part of the tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The tool 1 has a pair of arms 2, each arm having an inwards facing scoop in the form of a cup 3 at its lower end and a right angled handle 4 at its upper end. Each cup has a series of lower jaws 5 and these interlock when the arms 2 are pivoted in scissor-like fashion about a central pivot 6 to bring the cups together. The pivot 6 may comprise a screw, bolt, pin or similar piece.

In preferred forms the tool is of sufficient length so that a person using it can, while standing substantially or completely erect, hold it by the handles 4 and move the cups 3 apart so they are either side of an object (not shown) to be collected from ground level, for example from grass. The object may for example be dog or horse feces. The handles 4 are then moved towards one another to bring the cups 3 together so that their jaws interlock. This causes the feces or other object to be scooped up between the jaws 5 and it can then be moved and disposed of as desired. To release the feces or other object one only needs to move the handles 4 away from one another as this causes corresponding movement of the cups 3.

The tool 1 is of substantial length to enable it to be used as above, without the person having to stoop or bend over significantly, or at all. It may be anywhere from about 500 mm to about 1,200 mm long. It is preferably about 600 mm to about 1,000 mm long, and most preferably about 700 mm to about 900 mm long.

The optimal length will depend in the height of the person using the tool.

In some forms of the invention the tool’s arms may be length adjustable to accommodate people of different heights. To facilitate this each arm may be in two or more lengths where each adjoining length is able to overlap to a greater or lesser extent and be locked in place when the desired tool length is arrived at.

In some forms of the invention the right angled parts of the arms 4 are omitted and the handle is in each case simply an upper straight part of the arm.

While some preferred forms of the invention have been described by way of example it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the following claims.

WHAT I

Claims (13)

CLAIM 1. IS:

1. A tool having a pair of arms, each arm providing a handle at an upper end and a scoop at a lower end, each scoop being in the form of a cup, the scoops 5 having jaws adapted to interlock, the arms being connected so that at least one of the arms can pivot with respect to the other to move the scoops substantially together and then apart as desired, the tool having a length of approximately 500 mm to approximately 1,200 mm and formed so that a person can hold and manipulate the handles while in a standing position to collect an object, for 10 example animal feces, at ground level between the scoops and then move the feces using the tool.

2. A tool according to claim 1, which is about 600 mm to about 1,000 mm long. 15

3. A tool according to claim 1, which is about 700 mm to about 900 mm long.

4. A tool according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the scoops each have an opening and each opening is arranged so that it faces the other when the tool is in a closed position.

5. A tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each handle comprises a part which extends outwards from the rest of the corresponding arm.

6. A tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each handle 25 comprises a part which extends outwards at a right angle from the rest of the corresponding arm.

7. A tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arms are arranged to pivot in a scissor mechanism.

8. A tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arms are arranged to pivot about a pivot point which is at a central part of each arm.

9. A tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arms are 35 arranged to pivot about a pivot point which is more than mid-way along each arm.

10. A tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arms are length adjustable so the tool can be used at a length best suited to the height of the person using it. 5

11. A tool substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A method of collecting animal feces from the ground comprising the steps 10 a) obtaining a tool according to any one of the preceding claims; b) from a substantially erect standing position manipulating the arms by way of their handles so that the scoops are either side of the animal feces at ground level; c) further manipulating the arms to cause the feces to be caught 15 between and/or within the scoops; and d) further manipulating the arms to move the feces away from its original location.

13. A method of collecting animal feces substantially as herein described with reference to the accompany drawings. 25 David Bay By His Attorney AJ Pietras & Co