Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Implements – Scrapers
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-15
2003-03-04
Spisich, Mark (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Implements
Scrapers
C015S144100, C015S144400, C015S235800, C172S372000, C172S380000, C294S019200, C294S053500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06526619
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gutter cleaning system and more particularly pertains to conveniently removing debris from gutters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of house maintenance devices and apparatuses of known design and configuration is known in the prior art. More specifically, house maintenance devices and apparatuses of known design and configuration previously devised and utilized for the purpose of simplifying house maintenance through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,402 to Maraschiello, issued Jan. 5, 1999 discloses a rain gutter cleaning tool wherein the tool is supported and carried on an elongated pole with a fixed handle at one end, an intermediate actuating handle and operating gripper jaw mechanism on the other end. U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,715 to Mason, issued Nov. 23, 1999 discloses an apparatus for cleaning drain gutters. It includes a scoop member, a pole of telescopically adjustable length, and an attachment member of inverted U-shaped configuration that extends in joinder between the scoop member and the pole. U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,070 to Poppa, issued Jan. 25, 2000, discloses a cleaning tool particularly adapted for cleaning gutters. The tool has members which are movable relative to each other by a mechanism that is manipulated by the user on a pole that allows the members to be placed at an elevated site and then closed upon the material to be removed, then lifted and the material released. U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,818 to Smith, issued Jul. 18, 1989, discloses a gutter cleaning tool, with a multi-positional and a self locking joint, that can be remotely operated by hand from an oblique angle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,799, issued to Beelart, Jr., Issued Jun. 6, 1989 discloses an apparatus for manipulating the hinged member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,090, issued to Kilpatrick on Feb. 23, 1988, discloses a gutter cleaning device for use by a person standing on the roof of the house or building. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,553, issued to Cary on Sep. 24, 1985 relates to a device for removing debris from gutters. The tool comprises a singular rod-like member to which is attached a plate adjacent one end and a handle adjacent the other, an which is so configured that the plate can be scraped along an eave trough by a user and which can safely be used by a user positioned on a ladder.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a gutter cleaning system that allows conveniently removing debris from gutters.
In this respect, the a gutter cleaning system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of conveniently removing debris from gutters.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved a gutter cleaning system which can be used for conveniently removing debris from gutters. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of house maintenance devices and apparatuses of known design and configuration now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved a gutter cleaning system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved a gutter cleaning system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a gutter cleaning system for safely and conveniently removing debris from gutters comprising the following components, in combination. The shovel is in a flat, rectangular configuration. The shovel is comprised of a rigid material, preferably metal, and has a thickness of between about
{fraction (10/1000)}ths to
{fraction (30/1000)}ths of an inch, giving it strength and rigidity to sufficiently provide a rigid, durable working surface. The shovel size is between about
5 and 6 inches in length on the longitudinal axis, and between about 2 to 3 inches in width on the transverse axis, also known as the lateral axis, having a ratio of length to width being between about 2.0 to 2.5. The shovel ends with an square edge on the outboard end and in a V-like shape, pointed in the long axis, at the inboard end. There is a connecting component comprising a rigid, preferably metal, shaft, having the diameter of between about
¼ inch to
{fraction (
3/4
)} inch, in a “Z” shaped configuration. The two ends of the “Z” have between about
10 to 30 degrees of angle off the longitudinal axis of the shovel. The central portion is continuous with the two ends, the outboard end being attached and blended into the shovel surface, by a weld to the midpoint of the inboard end of the shovel. The weld is located at the midpoint of the inboard end of the shovel. The inboard end of the connecting component is in the form of a rounded shaft. The next component is a handle which has an inboard and outboard component. The outboard component comprises a straight, tube-like shaft of lightweight material, between about
½ inch to
1-½ inches in diameter, having a wall thickness sufficient to provide rigidity. The outboard component has an open outboard end, the opening being sized to tightly accommodate the inboard shaft of the handle thread, that comprises a shaft of plastic, between about 2 and 4 inches long, having an inboard and outboard end. The inboard end is defined as that part of the handle thread, from the mid-length point of the handle thread, to the inboard end, having a diameter of between about
¾ inch and
1-½ inches, lying in the longitudinal plane with a flat inboard end. The outboard portion of the handle thread runs from the mid-length point of the handle thread shaft, along the longitudinal axis to the outboard end of the handle thread. The outboard portion is threaded to mate with the threads of the inboard end of the handle connector. The outboard handle runs inboardly, along the longitudinal axis to the inboard end of that handle component, and has a plastic-like twist locking mechanism fixed in place at the inboard end. The twist locking mechanism comprises a hard plastic-like material shaft between about 2 and 4 inches long, with a small central aperture through the length, along the long axis, sufficient to allow the passage of air, as well as a split rotatable rings The shaft of the locking mechanism has an outboard diameter sufficiently sized to be press fit a distance of between about 1 and 2 inches into the inboard end of the outboard component of the handle. It has a greatest external diameter sufficient to match the outside diameter of the outboard handle commencing between about 1 and 2 inches from the most outboard end of the shaft. The locking mechanism shaft is reduced to form an off-center shaft with a lobe, between about
¼ inch and
1 inch in diameter, a distance of between about
{fraction (1/2 )} inch and
1 inch along the long axis, to accept the split rotatable ring. The lobed portion is located between about
¼ and {fraction (
1/2 )}inch from the inboard end of the shaft. The rotatable split ring, comprised of plastic, the width of between about
½ inch and
2 inches, has its inside diameter sufficient to accommodate the lobed shaft of the locking mechanism shaft. The lobe is off-center and the locking ring is of varied thickness. The inboard component of the handle comprises a straight tube-like shaft of lightweight material, of between about 1 and 2 inches in diameter,
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