Device for picking up small pieces of litter

• US 4,640,539 A
• Filed: 10/21/1985
• Issued: 02/03/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Allen R. La Porte
• Original Assignee: Allen R. La Porte
• Inventors: La Porte, Allen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marbert, James B.
• Application Number:
  US06/789,320
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 294/19.1, 294/1.1, 294/61, 15/104 R, 15/104 A, 15/231, 15/98
• US Class Current: 294/182
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 25/005 using adhesive or tacky surfaces to remove dirt, e.g. lint removers

Abstract

The present invention has a rod with a handle on one end and on the other end a means for dispensing tape. A means for actuating a take-up reel for the tape is also provided. By operating the actuating means, the take-up reel is advanced, tape from the dispensing means is drawn over a roller mounted on the lower end of the rod. Because the sticky portion of the tape is away from the roller, the tape may be pressed against small pieces of litter located on the ground, which small pieces of litter stick to the tape and are wound around the take-up reel. The actuating means controls how rapidly the tape will be dispensed and taken up.

Claims

1. A device for picking up small pieces of litter, using a roll of tape that is sticky on one side, comprising:

a rod of a rigid material having a length generally equal in length to a walking cane;

a handle located on an upper end of said rod;

a means for mounting a pick-up roller, said pick-up roller mounting means being located on the lower end of said rod, said pick-up roller mounting means including roller flanges extending downward from said rod, and a pick-up roller axle between said roller flanges;

a roller mounted on said roller axle, said roller having a rigid inner cylinder and a resilient outer cylinder bonded thereto for pressing said sticky side of said tape against said small pieces of litter;

a means for dispensing tape, said dispensing means including a dispensing reel located above and in front of said roller, with the axis of rotation of said dispensing reel being parallel to the axis of rotation of said roller, said dispensing reel comprising a hub between a dispensing plate and dispensing back plate, said dispensing plate being attached to said rod near said lower end thereof and mounted on a first side of and above said pick-up roller, said dispensing back plate being located on the opposite side of said rod from said dispensing plate;

a means for taking-up tape, said take-up means including a take-up plate attached to said rod near the lower end thereof and mounted on a second side of and above said roller means, and a take-up reel rotatably mounted cylinder mounted on said take-up plate, said take-up reel being a cylinder, an external end of said cylinder being open and having slot therein parallel to the axis of rotation of said take-up reel, said slots being of sufficient size to receive a starting end of said tape;

a means for advancing said tape including an actuating rod extending below said pick-up roller means and a means for rotating said take-up reel, said actuating rod being movable in a generally vertical direction, said actuating rod being pivotally connected to said take-up means to cause rotation with a first direction of motion of said actuating rod but not in a second direction of motion of said actuating rod, spring means for returning said actuating rod to a lowermost position.

2. The device for picking up small pieces of litter as recited in claim 1 wherein said tape dispensing means includes a spacer between said dispensing back plate and said rod.

3. The device for picking up small pieces of litter as recited in claim 2 wherein said tape take-up means includes a tapered surface in the lower center edge of said take-up plate to force said litter and said tape onto said take-up reel.

4. The device for picking up small pieces of litter as recited in claim 1 wherein said handle, rod and dispensing plate and take-up plate are formed in one integral piece.

5. The device for picking up small pieces of litter as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said take-up reel includes a yoke connector, a lever arm, a tension band for gripping a pulley to cause said rotation, and an offset arm.

6. A device for picking up small pieces of litter, using a roll of tape that is sticky on one side, comprising:

a rod of a rigid material having a length generally equal in length to a walking cane;

a handle located on an upper end of said rod;

a means for mounting a pick-up roller, said pick-up roller mounting means being located on the lower end of said rod, said pick-up roller mounting means including roller flanges extending downward from said rod, and a pick-up roller axle between said roller flanges;

a roller mounted on said roller axle, said roller having a rigid inner cylinder and a resilient outer cylinder bonded thereto for pressing said sticky side of said tape against said small pieces of litter;

a means for dispensing tape, said dispensing means including a dispensing reel located above and in front of said roller, with the axis of rotation of said reel being parallel to the axis of rotation of said roller, said dispensing reel comprising a hub between a dispensing plate and dispensing back plate, said dispensing plate being attached to said rod near said lower end thereof and mounted on a first side of and above said pick-up roller, said dispensing back plate being located on the opposite side of said rod from said dispensing plate;

a means for taking-up tape, said take-up means including a take-up plate attached to said rod near the lower end thereof and mounted on a second side of and above said roller means, and a take-up reel being a cylinder, an external end of said cylinder being open and having slots therein parallel to the axis of rotation of said take-up reel, said slots being of sufficient size to receive a starting end of said tape, and said take-up means including a tapered surface in the lower center edge of said take-up plate to force said litter and said tape onto said take-up reel.

a means for advancing said tape, said tape advancing means including lever means extending downward from said handle, ratchet means on a lower end of said lever means to advance said advancing means in one direction upon moving said lever means in a generally vertical direction with respect to said rod, spring means for returning said lever means to a rest position.