Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-25
2001-02-13
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S348000, C015S383000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185782
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rain-gutter cleaners, and more particularly to pole mounted devices that allow an operator to remain on the ground even when cleaning a second story rain gutter.
2. Description of Related Art
Rain gutters mounted on houses allow the run-off water to be directed away from people and buildings so it will do no harm. Tree leaves and other debris often clog and fill common rain gutters, and then the run-off from the roof will simply spill wherever it can.
The most direct way to clean out rain gutters is to go up on the roof and use a small scoop or hands to clean out the build-up. But working so close to the edge of a roof can be very dangerous. Working from ladders is a little better, but ladders are not completely safe either. Ladders are also awkward to move about and position, and some spots along the rain gutter cannot be reached by ladder.
A simple garden air blower was adapted to have a long snoot in U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,106, issued Sep. 6, 1983, to Charles A. Mattson. The end of the long snoot is hooked to blow down into a clogged rain gutter. However, such blower sprays debris all over, on the house, and even on the operator on the ground below. A badly matted or stubborn tangle of debris in the rain gutters can also prove an impossible challenge to such a simple blower technique. The operator also cannot see where the clogs are or what they consist of. So a lot of guesswork is involved in the operation of the device described by Mattson.
A better rain-gutter cleaning system is described by Richard L. Watkins in U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,209, issued Mar. 23, 1993. A camera is mounted on top of a long pole so the operator can see into the rain gutter being cleaned from a safe place on the ground. A long tube runs up the pole and is used to vacuum out the rain gutters. A gas engine carried on a backpack runs the portable vacuum cleaner. Even though the operator can now see into the rain gutters being cleaned, some tangles and build-ups tend to continually clog the intake.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a gutter-cleaning system that is effective and able to clear out even the most stubborn clogs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rain-gutter cleaner that mechanically tears and conveys away debris it encounters.
Briefly, a rain-gutter cleaning system embodiment of the present invention has an agitator head that is mounted to the top end of a long suction tube and pole and supported aloft by them. A vacuum pump on the ground is connected to bring rain-gutter debris down the suction tube and into a collection bag. The agitator head includes rotating paddles that tear and break up tangles and clogs encountered in a rain gutter and has a rotating auger screw inside that helps direct the loosened debris down the throat of the suction tube. A camera mounted atop the agitator head allows an operator on the ground below to see the inside of the rain gutter on a small monitor screen. The camera can also record the cleaning process and document damaged or rotted gutters when connected to a camcorder.
An advantage of the present invention is that a rain-gutter cleaning system is provided that can clear stubborn clogs in rain gutters.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a rain-gutter cleaning system is provided that can be used by an operator on the ground.
A still further advantage of the present invention is that a rain-gutter cleaning system is provided that cleans without dirtying the house or the operator underneath.
The above and still further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3638369 (1972-02-01), Albrecht
patent: 3751749 (1973-08-01), Wilson
patent: 4168559 (1979-09-01), Henson
patent: 4238866 (1980-12-01), Taylor
patent: 4402106 (1983-09-01), Mattson
patent: 4602460 (1986-07-01), Langenbach
patent: 4718613 (1988-01-01), Moomaw
patent: 5195209 (1993-03-01), Waltkin
Hill Robert Charles
Moore Chris K.
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