US2978731A

US2978731A - Leaf and trash gatherer

Info

Publication number: US2978731A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1961-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 1978-04-11

Description

April 11, 1961 Filed June 29, 1959 F. V. BELLUOMINI LEAF AND TRASH GATHERER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Ez'ea V. fiel/zzominz' BY dM/QM F 1C Patented Apr. 11, 1961 2,978,731 LEAF AND TRASH GATHERER Fred V. Belluomini, P.0. Box 644, Jackson, Calif.

Filed June 29, 1959, Ser. No. 823,614 I 3 Claims. 01. 1s-2sm The present invention is directed to and it is a major object to provide a novel, manually portable device for domestic or light commercial use to gather leaves and trash and to then carry the accumulated debris to a discharge or dumping point; the device being readily handsupported and manipulated.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a leaf and trash gatherer which includes a handlesupported, initially open top receptacle normally disposed in a vertical carrying position but movable under control of the handle to and from a horizontal loading position; the top of the receptacle being provided with a hinged cover, and there being means to automatically open and close the cover when the receptacle is moved, respectively, to and from said horizontal loading position. Thus, whenever the receptacle is in horizontal loading position, the cover is open so that debris may be swept into said receptacle, and when in vertical carrying position, the cover is closed so that the debris in said receptacle cannot accidentally escape or be blown out by the wind.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a leaf and trash gatherer wherein the handle remains at all times in a position upstanding from the receptacle; there being a novel catch unit which automatically but manually releasably locks the receptacle to the upstanding handle upon movement of said receptacle to horizontal loading position. The handle is formedat its upper endwith a grip, and the aforesaid catch unit includes a release trigger adjacent said grip for ready finger engagement and actuation.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a leaf and trash gatherer which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture and convenience of use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable leaf and trash gatherer, and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

' In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the leaf and trash gatherer in its vertical carrying position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of the leaf and trash gatherer in the position of Fig. l; the upper portion of the upstanding handle and related parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar view, but shows the leaf and trash gatherer in its horizontal loading position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, and by reference to the positions of the parts when the device is in its vertical arrying position, such device comprises an initially open top receptacle indicated generally at 1.

The receptacle 1 is of lightweight sheet metal construction and includes sides 2 of trapezium shape, a front 3, a back 4 of lesser height than the front 3, and a bottom 5. The top opening of the receptacle 1 thus inclines rearwardly and downwardly from the upper edge of the front 3, as shown for example in Fig. 1. A girth-band 6 is fixed to and surrounds the receptacle 1 in substantially the plane of the upper edge portion of the back 4; such girth-band being above the gravitational dead center of said receptacle 1.

A grate-like cover 7 is disposed on the receptacle 1 in normally closing relation -to the open top thereof; such cover being hinged, as at 8, at its lower edge to the portion of the girth-band 6 at the upper edge of the back 4.

A fork-leg handle, indicated generally at 9, straddles the upper portion of the receptacle 1 and .upstands thereabove, such handle 9 including an upstanding tubular post 10 formed at its upper end with a relatively short rearwardly projecting hand grip 11. Adjacent but short of its lower end, the post 10 is fitted with laterally outwardly extending, downwardly inclined legs 12, and such legs include vertical lower end portions 13 which depend in spaced relation outwardly of the sides 2. At their lower ends the leg portions 13 are pivoted, as at 14, to

the girth-band 6 substantially centrally between the front 3 and back 4.

A horizontal, cover actuating rod 15 extends transversely between and is secured at the ends to the upper ends of the leg portions 13; i.e. closely adjacent the point of bend in the legs 12. As so mounted, the cover actuating rod 15 normally spansin spaced relationabove the cover 7 intermediate the upper and lower edges thereof.

A pair of guide or retention rods' 16 are mounted in connection with the cover 7 and extend from adjacent the lower edge thereof to a point ahead of the cover actuating rod 15; such guide or retention rods 16 converging upwardly and being mounted in stand-01f relation to the cover 7, with said cover actuating rod 15 disposed under said guide or retention rods 16; i.e. be-

tween the latter and said cover 7. The cover actuating rod 15 thus normally occupies a position beneath the guide or retention rods 16 adjacent the upper ends of the latter.

Adjacent but short of its lower end, the upstanding tubular handlepost 10 is fitted exteriorly thereof, and on the back side with a vertically elongated weight 17 which includes a vertical inwardly projecting web 18 which passes through a longitudinal slot 19 in post 10; such web 18 being grooved on opposite sides, as at 20, for the reception in guiding relation of the adjacent portions of the past '10 on opposite sides of said slot 19. The weight 17 is thus mounted for guided up and down motion.

A pull rod 21 is disposed within the post 10 and such pull rod is connected, at its lower end, to the Web 18 while the upper end of said pull rod is connected to the shank 22 of a trigger 23 slidably mounted on the back side of said post directly below the hand grip 11. A finger of the hand which engages the grip 11 canv convenientiy engage and pull upwardly on the trigger 23 whereby to impart corresponding movement to the pull rod 21 and weight 17; the latter being one element of a catch unit, the details of which will hereinafter appear.

An upstanding tubular handle 24 is disposed adjacent but outwardly of the back 4 of receptacle 1 and centrally of its sides; such handle including a forwardly extending upper attachment bar 25 and a corresponding lower attachrnent bar 26. At its inner end, the attachment bar 25 is secured to the girth-hand 6, while at its inner end the lower attachment-bar26 is secured to the bottom 5 as shown:

At substantially the point of bend between the handle 7 a di s set t hmen a l sh a le is "formedvvithan outwardly openinghotch 27; Thelower endq i he i ht 7 s' fmmed as-ai mccat'clh'izss which catch lies in the same vertical longitudinalplane as the notch 27; Upon swinging ofthe receptacle Iii-om H its; vertical carrying. position, as'in Fig; 1, to its horizon,-

talil'oading pos ition, as in Fig, 4and at which timethe post 10. remains "in an upstanding position, the camfacedicatch 28 snap-engages, under the influence of-the fork-leg handle 9 in an upstandingposition on the recep tacl e l'lwhen the latter is in its horizontal loading position. 7 V r v,

' j Additionally, and to laterally stabilize the 'forlg-leg weight 17; in the notch 27; This eflectively' lock sfthe handle 9wl1en'the receptacle 1" is iii said horizontal load; 7

ing positiomlhe portion of the, post 10 belowthej catch 2;8fisfjcut away, as at 29'," to define a-cradl'e including side ears 30-which, straddle saidrattachment bar. 25; Further, a dog 3 1 isinturned from the lower. end. of post 10 and engagesin, a notchr32 in. the upper attachment bar'25 when said fork-leg handle 9. -is in its latched or loclced position, 7 V V vr'lforele'ase the receptacle11 ,-for return to its vertical carrying position from the horizontal leading position,

tion. v As. hereinbefore described, the; grate-lik'evc over 7"is normally closed; i.e., when the receptacle 1 is in its vertical carryingposition, 7 However, when such ,re cept aclefl isvmanipulated by the fork-leg handle 9, between said vertical carrying position andhoriz'ontal loading posie the user, liftsthe entire devicefby the grip'lland'then V pulls upwardly on, the trigger 23 which, withdraws the catch 28' from the notch 27 whereupon said receptacle'l gravitationally swings,backtosaidvertical carrying posi tion, and which is accomplished by swinging of the. re- 1 ceptacle forwardly. and downwardlypreferably while in ground engagement, the cover 7 is, automatically opened. This occursby'reason of the cover actuating rod 15 slid? ing under andalong the. guide orretentionrods 16 in the directionof the, upper edge of the-back 4. As 'a consequence, and when the fork-leg handle 9.isin a position upstanding from the then horizontally disposed receptacle I leaves and trash may-then be; readily swept into such -,re

,ceptacle much in ,the nrannengf a: dustpam At such;tin1 e e receptacle m y: emei ta nsi-s a nary; by, han

" engagement of the 11 0f handle 9, orlon hezh rfldle 24; the latter handle also being useful to dump the debris from the receptacle 1 when desired andwhich isaccom- 7 plished with the coverj7, enemas in Fig. 4.

From the foregoingdes'cfiptiomfit will be readilyseen that there has been produced sucha device as substan- 'tially'fulfills the objects of" theinvention, asset forth herein. 7 a

' Whilethis'specification-sets'forth in detail'the present and preferred construction of injedevice, still in practice such deviations-from such detail may-be resorted to as do not form razdeparturez'from the spirit of the invention, asv definedbythe appended-claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed asnewand useful and upon which Letters Patent is deired: I 1

1. A manually portable leaf and trash gatherer comprising a receptacle normally disposed in a vertical carrying position, the receptacle including a bottom, front,

back, and sides; a fork-legged handle upstanding from the receptacle, the fork'jlegsi straddling the receptacle, means transversely pivoting the fork legs ,at their lower ends to adjacent sides intermediate the-front and back of said-receptacle whereby with;the, handle remaining 7 upstandingthe receptacle is swingable forwardly and downwardly from said-verticaltcarrying position to a horizontal loading position, the handle including a post from which the fork legs extend above a lower end portion of said post, said lower end portion of the post being adjacent the back of the receptacle when the latter is in said horizontal loading position, and means between said lower end portionof the post and theback of-thereceptaeleoperative when the same-are in saidadjacent-relation to automatically but releasably -lock-the receptacle in said horizontalloading positionysaid' releasable locl ing-means including a membenvertic'ally. slidablymounted on said lower end portion of the-post, the lower end;of' I saidmernber being formed as acatch element, and'va'bar fixed on the -backof the receptacle formed with a notch into which said element is adapted;tocsnap engage; said bar being included'in another handle on the receptacle atthe-rear thereof.

a 2. A device; asinclaim 1-, in which said ;memb'er is -a weight; there being control means-which-limitthe down ward movement of the weight.

3. A manually portable leaf and trash -gatherer 'com-t prising a receptacle normally disposed ina vertical carryir'lg position, the receptacleincluding a bottom, front,

hack,*- andsides; a fork-legged handleupstandingfrom thezre'c'eptacle, the fork'legsstraddling'the receptacle,

mean's'transversely pivotingthefork'legs at their lower 7 ends to adjacent sides intermediate the front; and back 'ofsaid receptacle whereby with-thehandle remaining upstanding the receptacle is swingable'forwardlyfand downwardly from said vertical carrying position toga horizontal loading position, the handle-including 'a* post from which the fork le gs; extend above a lower endfporftion of saidpost, said lower end-portion of the post 'being adjacent the back of-there'ceptacle'whenthelatter is in said horizontal leading position, and means between-said lower end portion-ofthe post anatheba kaemeiece tacle operative when the-same are insaidadjacentufelafi e to: a i ma a lv t releasablr l skthei 'e spts n said horizontal loadingpositiong said relea bl ess n l d n a me r v wllii l deb mn n i n: sa d e end p n otx he sweet of l a d;m m er.b n -form d'aso a 'catch'el m ntan i s 7 fixed on the back of the receptaclefQrmedwithanotch 7' into which said elementis adapte'd it'o snap-engage; said a r i eti is re e r a e h ask otset:

of the post beingformed with a rearwardly openingloeating cradle in which said bar seats-Mhc'nasaids catch is engagedzinthe notch.;. I r V ,7 References. Cited in the filelof this patent ,7 I ",UNITED'STATESQPATENTS v 531,177" 7 i ne;18,..1,8 1;

Gere W 8 44, 168 Murray Feb.; 12 ,j1 907 1,389,249 Kitchel Aug;3 0,' '192 1 2,5 4 4 e ba