Article Collecting Device

Abstract

Disclosed is a scissor-like waste disposal device having handles at one end and blades at the other end. The blades have upstanding side walls which form a receptacle for waste upon assuming a closed position. One blade has a finger extending across the engaging blades to prevent waste between the blades from moving out of engagement. A plastic bag is provided secured to the pivot of the scissor and arranged to act as a shield in a first position and, in a second position, to be pulled over and secure therewithin the waste and the blades. To this end a twist wire is affixed within the marginal end of the bag at its opening.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to devices for picking up articles and more particularly to devices intended to engage and collect such articles as, for example, refuse of various types.

More and more refuse and trash are becoming the pressing problem of society. In particular, it is noted that there are an increasing number of government laws, ordinances, and regulations directed to individuals to properly dispose of trash. In this connection, government agencies are requiring individuals to dispose of refuse caused by their industry and personal activities, including excrement left by pets.

Various suggestions have been made to provide implements capable of picking up trash, refuse, the excrement of animals, and the like. One such device is proposed by Fisher in U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,178. This device provides a frame as an integral part of an elongated handle. The frame supports a plastic bag which may be removed when desired, for disposal.

Another suggested device is a pair of pivotally mounted tongs carrying thereon a tissue container. This device, proposed by Gruber in U.S. Pat. No. 3,560,039, is intended to dispose of animal excrement by means of first engaging the excrement in the tongs and then removing it from the tongs by means of the tissues secured at the pivot.

Still another device is proposed by Johnston in U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,066. Johnston proposes an elongated handle with tongs, not unlike those of Gruber. The tongs are integral with lever arms which are, in turn, pivotally secured to one another. The jaws of the tongs, suggested by Johnston, are provided with lateral coplanar plates which, upon closing, form a pocket to hold trash therewithin.

All of these devices have a number of disadvantages. They have in common a bulkiness which makes them cumbersome to carry about and use. In addition, the construction of these devices is so intricate as to make it uneconomical to dispose of immediately after a single use. Bulkiness aside, there is the problem of carrying an instrument which is filthy from the trash or excrement it has collected, back to one's home or place of business.

Even where it is not inconvenient to carry a waste removing device, all of these devices provide certain disadvantages in the manner in which the refuse is picked up. In devices of the type proposed by Fisher, for example, refuse and particularly moist and semi-fluid excrement is pushed ahead of the open-mouthed receptacle. Unless another implement is used, at least a substantial part of the waste is likely to remain unremoved. The devices of the type proposed by Gruber and Johnston are similarly inefficient. Waste, and in particular animal excrement, rarely conforms to such a shape as to permit closing jaws to conveniently and cleanly grasp and retain such matter. More than that, there is believed to be required a considerable amount of dexterity and manipulation to retrieve waste. Furthermore, the narrow engaging surfaces of the jaws and the sharply curving walls thereof, will cause, it is believed, the refuse to be pushed outwardly as the jaws close. This is particularly true where such waste is powdery or dust-like.

In general, closing jaws or tongs are inefficient in holding portions of most particles. Thus, there is not provided in the aforementioned devices a sanitary method of waste removal. Gruber suggests the use of tissues. However, Gruber suggests the use of tissues provided in a container. In such a setting, the device must first gather the waste and then a separate tissue must be removed and placed about the waste. This is believed to be highly cumbersome and inconvenient. First, the waste must be removed and grasped by the tissue. Contact with waste cannot be avoided. Second, in such movement, the dropping of waste cannot be avoided. Furthermore, none of the devices discussed herein provide any means for shielding the hands of the user, particularly where the device requires that the hands be placed near the waste.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a waste collecting device which is economical to manufacture, and convenient to use.

It is an object of this invention to provide a waste collecting device which may be, if desired, disposable.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a sanitary method of removing such waste as, for example, animal excrement.

It is still another object of this invention to provide means for protecting the hands of the user from the waste and means for enclosing and disposing of the waste.

In fulfillment of these objectives there is provided a device for removing waste or refuse. Generally, this device is a pair of pivotally mounted lever arms. Means are provided, at one end of the lever arms, to collect the waste or refuse. A bag or receptacle is provided secured at its closed end and proximate the pivot point of the lever arms. The bag is so arranged that it may be disposed about and enclose therewithin the collecting means.

In another aspect of this invention, there is provided a scissor like device having handle and blade portions. The blade portions have substantially lateral walls. Upon closing the blades upon, for example, waste, the blades overlap and the lateral walls form, in combination with said blades, a receptacle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a top planar view of a hand grasping the device of the invention with a bag thereof partially sectioned;

FIG. 2 is a sectioned view of the device of FIG. 1 taken along lines 2--2.

FIG. 3 is a top, planar view of the device of FIG. 1 with the bag closed about the blade portion; and

FIG. 4 is a sectioned view of the device of FIG. 3 taken along lines 3--3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Disclosed is a device 10 for picking up articles such as, for example, waste and the like. One such use may be, as has been previously indicated herein, to remove animal excrement.

The device 10 comprises two scissor arms 12 and 14 which includes handle portions 16 and blade portions 18 and 20. The two scissor arms 12 and 14 may be pivotally secured to one another by any well-known means, such as a pin 22 located between the handle portions 16 and the blades 18 and 20. The blades 18 and 20 may be substantially planar members with the perimeters thereof defining rectangles. The rectangular blades 18 and 20 may be arranged with the large dimensions forming the engaging edges 24 and 26 thereof.

One of the blades 18 may have a finger 28 extending laterally with respect to the rectangular shape thereof and across the engaging edges 24 and 26 of both blades 18 and 20. The finger 28 may have a surface coplanar with the surface of the remainder of the blade 18 and form a rectangular extension thereof with at least one edge coincident with one edge of the blade 18.

The blades 18 and 20 overlap at their respective engaging edges 24 and 26. The opposed edges of each blade 18 and 20 may have substantially laterally upstanding side walls 30 and 32. The front of each blade 18 and 20, opposite the handle portions 16, may also have substantially laterally upstanding side walls 34 and 36. The engaging edges 24 and 26 of the blades 18 and 20 may be beveled with the apices 38 thereof being located adjacent the bottom surfaces of the blades 18 and 20. The application of the apices 38 will be more fully discussed hereinbelow.

Secured to the scissor arms 12 and 14 by the pin 22 may be a bag 40. The bag 40 may be secured at a closed end 42 which is opposite an open end 44 thereof. The marginal edge 44 defining the opening of the bag 40 may have a flexible semi-rigid member 46 therein. The member 46 may be made of any well-known material, such as a wire of metal or plastic.

The scissor arms 12 and 14 may be made of any commonly known material suitable for the purpose set forth herein. Thus, such materials as a semi-rigid or rigid plastic may be useful. Preferrably, the scissor arms 12 and 14 may be made of a thin and flexible plastic of approximately one eighth of an inch in thickness. The side walls 30, 32, 34, and 36 may extend upwardly, with respect to the blades 18 and 20, to a height of approximately 1 or 2 inches. The rectangularly shaped blades 18 and 20 may be, for example, approximately 3 by 6 inches. The swivel pin 22 may be made of metal or plastic, such as for example, a simple copper cotter pin. The bag 40 may be made of any well-known material, such as a transparent polyethelyne.

In assembly, the two scissor arms 12 and 14 may be arranged for securing one to the other. The closed end 42 of the bag 40 may be open at this time and placed with the opposed sides of the bag 48 and 50 on opposed arms 12 and 14. The bag 40 may be arranged with the body thereof drawn over the blades 18 and 20. The pin 22 may then be inserted through the bag 40 and arms 12 and 14 (FIG. 2) and the end 42 of the bag 40 sealed shut thereabout by well-known means, such as heat or the like. Thereafter, the bag 40 may be drawn across and enclosing therewithin the handle portions 16.

The blades 18 and 20 are so dimensioned as to form two scraping arms. When closed, the walls 30, 32, 34, and 36 together with the blades 18 and 20 form a three-sided receptacle (FIG. 3). The blades 18 and 20 may be arranged so that either one is below the other and the front walls 34 and 36 close tightly upon one another (FIG. 3). Preferrably, the blade 18 with the finger 28, may be placed beneath the other blade 20 and the front wall 30 thereof disposed in front of the blade 20.

The plastic construction suggested herein provides for an easily disposable waste collecting device. In use, a hand 52 may be inserted into the bag 40 and engage the handle portions 16. The bag 40 acts as a shield to protect the hand 52 from any waste to be collected. Waste 54, such as the excrement of an animal, may be gathered in the device 10 by placing the blades 18 and 20 flat on the ground 56. As the blades 18 and 20 are closed, the excrement 54 may be expected to be moved toward the front end of the arms 12 and 14. This movement is the natural result of the action of the engaging edges 24 and 26 of the blades 18 and 20. The overlapping of the blades 18 and 20 will, to some degree, retain the waste 54 thereon. The finger 28, however, blocks the movement of the excrement 54 from proceeding outside the confines of the device 10. The apices 38 of the beveled edges 24 and 26 aid in the scraping action against the ground 56 necessary to remove a moist waste 54.

Upon completion of this activity, the bag 40 may be drawn or disposed about the blades 18 and 20 and the wire 46 twisted shut, sealing the excrement 54 therewithin. The entire assembly may then be conveniently disposed of in any garbage can, sewer, or the like.

The benefits of a device 10 of this type are immediately apparent. For example, a person walking a dog can conveniently carry this light device 10, remove the dog's excrement and dispose of it with the device 10 and not have to carry any part back to his residence.

Another example of the usefulness of this device 10 is in the picking up of loose and small particles of waste. The scissor action tends to gather these particularly hard to remove particles.

The shape of the blades 18 and 20 need not, of course, be rectangular. Any desired shape, including semi-circular or elipsoid, may be used. The upstanding walls may thus conform to the shape of the marginal edges. The walls, however, need not be placed at the marginal edges and may assume any desire configuration. If desired, a fourth wall may be provided on the disclosed device 10 across at least a portion of the blades adjacent the pivot pin 22.

It is also clear that the bag 40 may be secured to any scissor or lever type device and so dimensioned that it may be disposed over the jaws or blades thereof.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An article collecting device of the type intended to hold refuse comprising: a scissor comprising at least two arms, each comprising handle and blade portions, pivotally secured to one another for relative movement therebetween, said blades including overlapping blade engaging portions and walls, such that upon closing said blades upon an article the article is pushed by one of said blades onto the other of said blades, said blades being in a closed condition in combination with said walls forming a receptacle, one of said blades comprises a finger extending from said one blade across said blade engaging portions such that said finger assists in entrapping said article enclosed within said device and between said blades.

2. An article collecting device as recited in claim 1 wherein

said finger comprises substantially laterally upstanding wall integral with the said wall of said one blade such that upon said blades being in a closed position said walls and said blades form said receptacle.

3. An article collecting device as recited in claim 2 wherein

said one blade rests beneath said other blade and said finger wall is exterior of said wall of said other blade.

4. An article collecting device as recited in claim 3 wherein

said blade portions are substantially rectangular in shape with said handle portions thereof each integral with said blade.

5. An article collecting device as recited in claim 4 further comprises

a pin, said arms pivotally secured to one another by said pin, said walls extending along said perimeter of said blades, said blade engaging portions comprising blade engaging edges, said edges being beveled, said blades having an upper, article holding surface and a lower, supporting surface, said apex of each of said bevels terminating at said lower surface so that said blades are adapted to scrape a surface upon which the article to be collected rests.

6. A device as recited in claim 5 further comprising a flexible bag having at least one open end and secured to said arms by said pivot pin and so arranged in a first predetermined position to surround said handles to act as a shield and in a second predetermined position to enclose said blades, said bag having wire means within the marginal edge surrounding said open end so as to enable said bag to be closed about said blades.

7. An article collecting device of the type intended to hold refuse comprising:

a pair of lever arms pivotally secured to one another for relative movement therebetween, said arms comprising handle portions disposed to one side of said pivot and blade portions disposed on the other side of said pivot, said blade comprising edge engaging portions and substantially laterally upwardly extending walls disposed about the perimeter thereof, one of said blades comprising a finger extending therefrom and across said edge engaging portions so as to entrap therewithin articles intended to be collected.

8. An article collecting device as recited in claim 7 wherein

said blades in a closed position, in combination with said walls, form a receptacle for holding therein the collected article.

9. A device as recited in claim 7 further comprising bag means having at least one open end and secured proximate said pivotal securing of said lever arms such that said bag means may be disposed about and enclose therewithin said blades.

10. A device as recited in claim 9 wherein

said bag being secured by the end thereof opposed to said open end and comprising means for closing said bag.