Garbage disposal unjamming device

• US 5,685,209 A
• Filed: 10/20/1995
• Issued: 11/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paul H. Fiedler
• Original Assignee: Paul H. Fiedler
• Inventors: Fiedler, Paul H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meislin, D. S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANGANAN, JONI BALDOS
• Application Number:
  US08/546,140
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 81/488, 81/436, 81/176.1, 81/176.15, 29/240
• US Class Current: 81/436
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/16 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 2018/164 Prevention of jamming and/or overload
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 33/00 Hand tools not covered by any other group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/2665 Disintegrating apparatus specially adapted for installation in waste pipes or outlets disintegrating apparatus per se B02C

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a garbage disposal unjamming device which enables a user to easily unjam a garbage disposal by rotation of blades. The present invention garbage disposal unjamming device has a shaft with a first end and a second end opposite one another. The elongated shaft has a handle connected to the first end. At the second end of the shaft is a flat plate having a straight bottom edge and an upper edge, which is hingedly connected to the second end of shaft at a location below the upper edge of the flat plate. The flat plate has a first position wherein the bottom edge forms right angles with the shaft and a second position wherein the bottom edge of the plate forms an acute angle on one side of the shaft and an obtuse angle on the opposite side of the shaft. Thus, when the plate is in its first position the device can fit into an opening of a first, predetermined size and, when the plate is in its second position the device can fit into an opening of a different predetermined size being less than the first predetermined size. The device also includes a biasing mechanism which may be, e.g., a spring or off-centered weight of the flat plate so as to maintain the flat plate in its second position.

Claims

1. A garbage disposal unjamming device, which comprises:

a) an elongated shaft, said shaft having a first end and second end opposite one another;

b) a handle connected to said first end of shaft;

c) a flat plate having a straight bottom edge and an upper edge and being hingedly connected to said second end of said shaft at a location below said upper edge, said plate having a first position wherein said bottom edge forms right angles with said shaft and a second position wherein said bottom edge of said plate forms an acute angle on one side of said shaft and an obtuse angle on an opposite side of said shaft, such that when said plate is in first position, said device can fit into an opening of a first predetermined size, and when said plate is in second position, said device can fit into an opening of a second predetermined size, said second predetermined size being less than said first predetermined size;

d) biasing means for biasing said plate into said second position, such that said device may be inserted into a sink drain having a garbage disposal therein and, upon downward pressure against blades of a garbage disposal, said biasing means yields to allow said plate to be in said first position and to enable a user to rotate said device with said plate against upwardly extending elements of a garbage disposal so as to rotate same and thereby unjam same;

e) a slidable pull rod slidably connected to said elongated shaft and hingedly connected to said flat plate so as to be used to hold said flat plate in its first position and, to move said flat plate such that when said pull rod is pulled and pushed, the flat plate is rotatably moved so as to be held in said first position or said second position with said pull rod as a user may desire; and

,

further, wherein said flat plate is hingedly connected to said second end of said shaft whereby an imaginary center line running down said shaft and through said flat plate designates a first side of said flat plate to one side of said imaginary center line and a second side of said flat plate on the opposite side of said imaginary center line and one of said first side of said flat plate and said second side of said flat plate is heavier than the other, and, the excess weight on one of said flat plate sides is a biasing means for rotating one side of said flat plate upwardly and the other downwardly by gravity.

2. The garbage disposal unjamming device of claim 1 wherein said handle and shaft are unistructurally formed.

3. A garbage disposal unjamming device, which comprises:

a) an elongated shaft, said shaft having a first end and second end opposite one another;

b) a handle connected to said first end of shaft;

c) a flat plate having a straight bottom edge and an upper edge and being hingedly connected to said second end of said shaft at a location below said upper edge, said plate having a first position wherein said bottom edge forms right angles with said shaft and a second position wherein said bottom edge of said plate forms an acute angle on one side of said shaft and an obtuse angle on an opposite side of said shaft, such that when said plate is in first position, said device can fit into an opening of a first predetermined size, and when said plate is in second position, said device can fit into an opening of a second predetermined size, said second predetermined size being less than said first predetermined size;

d) biasing means for biasing said plate into said second position, such that said device may be inserted into a sink drain having a garbage disposal therein and, upon downward pressure against blades of a garbage disposal, said biasing means yields to allow said plate to be in said first position and to enable a user to rotate said device with said plate against upwardly extending elements of a garbage disposal so as to rotate same and thereby unjam same; and

,

further, wherein said plate is hingedly connected to said second end of said shaft with an imaginary center line running through said shaft and down through said flat plate, whereby the weight to one side of said imaginary center line of said flat plate is equal to the weight of said flat plate on the other side of said imaginary center line, and, said means for biasing said plate is a spring which biases one-half of said plate rotatably upwardly and the other half of said plate rotatably downwardly.

4. The garbage disposal unjamming device of claim 3 wherein said handle and shaft are unistructurally formed.