Gutter cleaning system

• US 6,526,619 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald M. Cassels Jr
• Original Assignee: Donald M. Cassels Jr
• Inventors: Cassels, Donald M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/663,066
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 151/441, 151/443, 151/444, 152/360.1, 152/360.4, 152/358, 294/19.1, 294/53.5, 294/57, 172/371, 172/372, 172/380
• US Class Current: 15/236.04
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/0765 Cleaning tools

Abstract

A gutter cleaning system has a shovel with a working surface and a connecting component. The connecting component is a rigid member. A handle has inboard and outboard components and a locking mechanism to vary the length of the handle. An adjustable holder has an inboard component coupled to the handle, an outboard component coupled to the shovel, and a locking bolt with a wingnut to vary the angle between the shovel and the handle.

Claims

1. A gutter cleaning system for safely and conveniently removing debris from gutters, comprising, in combination;

a shovel in a flat rectangular configuration, having a longitudinal axis along its length and a transverse axis long its width being comprised of a rigid metal, having a thickness of between about {fraction (10/1000 )}ths to {fraction (30/1000 )}ths of an inch, sufficient to provide a rigid working surface, the shovel measuring 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 and having an inboard end and an outboard end with the shovel ending with an square edge on the outboard end with the inboard end having a V-shaped configuration being pointed in the direction of the longitudinal axis, a connecting component shaft fabricated of a rigid material having a diameter of between about {fraction (1/4 )}to {fraction (3/4 )}inch, the connecting component shaft having an inboard end and an outboard end and a central portion there between having a “

Z”

shaped configuration with the two ends having between about 10 to 30 degrees of angle off the longitudinal axis of the shovel, the central portion being continuous with the two ends, the outboard end attached and blended into the shovel surface, attached by a weld to the midpoint of the inboard end of the shovel, and the inboard end of the connecting component shaft being in the form of a rounded shaft;

a telescoping tubular configured two part handle having an inner handle and an outer handle each having an inboard end component and an outboard end component, each part of the handle comprising a straight tubular shaft of lightweight rigid material, between about {fraction (1/2 )}inch to 1-½

inches in diameter being slidably coupled and having a wall thickness sufficient to provide rigidity, the outboard end component of the inner handle having a male thread, the outboard end component of the outer telescoping handle having a plastic twist locking mechanism fixed in place at the inboard end component of the inner handle, the twist locking mechanism comprising a rigid material shaft between about 2 and 4 inches long, with a central aperture through the length of the shaft sufficient to allow the passage of air, the mechanism also having a split rotatable ring, the mechanism shaft having a first outboard external diameter sufficiently sized to be press fit a distance of between about 1 and 2 inches into the inboard end of the inner handle, and the shaft having a second larger inboard external diameter sufficient to match the outside diameter of the outboard end of the outer handle commencing between about 1 and 2 inches from the most outboard end of the shaft, with said mechanism shaft reduced to form an off-center shaft with a lobe, between about ¼

inch and 1 inch in diameter, the lobe having a length of between about one half and one inch and able to accept the split rotatable ring being located between about {fraction (1/4 )}inch and {fraction (1/2 )}inch from the inboard end of the shaft, and the rotatable split ring, fabricated of plastic having a width of between about ½

inch and 2 inches and having an inside diameter sufficient to accommodate the lobed shaft of the locking mechanism shaft, said lobe being off-center and the ring having a varied thickness, and the outer handle having an overall internal diameter sufficient to accommodate the outside diameter of the inner handle, the outer handle having an outboard end which is open, and an inboard end, which is open, allowing a hanging cap, press fit into the open end of the inboard end of the outer handle, comprising a shaft, between about 3 and 4 inches in length, made of a hard plastic material; and

,

a movable holder, having an inboard component and an outboard component, the outboard component comprising a shaft of plastic with a diameter of between about {fraction (1/2 )}inch and 1-½

inches, which terminates at its outboard end in a flat, circular surface having an aperture of between about 1 and 2 inches in depth and a diameter between about {fraction (1/2 )} inch to 1 inch, which lies centrally in the flat end surface of the outboard end which is configured to allow for a press fit of the in board end of the connecting component shaft of the shovel into the outboard end of the outboard component of the movable holder, the overall length of the outboard component being between about four and six inches, with an inboard end of the outboard component of the movable holder having a diameter between about three quarters and one and one half inches and the diameter of the outboard end of the outboard component which is between about one and two inches in diameter, with the inboard end of the outboard component being rounded at the end, having a radius of between about one half inch and one inch, and having two parallel surfaces with a thickness of between about one half and one inch, one parallel surface being flat and the other parallel surface having raised ridged teeth running from the central point of the surface, radially to the outer edge of the inboard end, with an aperture centrally located and the inboard component of the movable holder having an inboard and outboard end with the inboard end comprising a shaft of plastic material, between about five and seven inches in length, with an outside diameter of between about one and two inches, the inboard end of the inboard component of the movable holder having a threaded aperture running from the inboard end of the inboard component of the movable holder, outwardly, between about two and three inches, the threaded aperture having an inside diameter being sufficiently sized to accommodate the male thread of the outboard end component of the inner handle, the threaded aperture runs to within between about one and three inches of the most outboard end of the inboard component of the movable holder, the outboard end of the inboard component being rounded, having a radius of between about one half and one inch, the rounded end of the inboard component having two parallel surfaces, defining a thickness between about one quarter and one inch in thickness and parallel with the mid line of the shovel, the parallel surfaces each having raised ridged teeth which run from the central point of the surface, radially to the outer edge of the outboard end, with a centrally located aperture centrally located and a locking bolt with a wingnut, the bolt coupling and holding together the ridged, toothed surfaces of the inboard and outboard components of the movable holder, allowing a pivoting movement by loosening the bolt.

2. A gutter cleaning system, comprising;

a shovel in a flat rectangular configuration, having a longitudinal axis along its length and a transverse axis long its width being comprised of a rigid metal, sufficient to provide a rigid working surface and a having an inboard end and outboard end with the shovel ending with an square edge on the outboard end with the inboard end having a V-shaped configuration being pointed in the direction of the longitudinal axis, a connecting component shaft fabricated of a rigid material, the connecting component shaft having an inboard end and an outboard end and a central portion there between having a “

Z”

shaped configuration, the central portion of the shaft being continuous with the two ends, the outboard end attached and blended into the shovel surface, attached by a weld to the midpoint of the inboard end of the shovel, and the inboard end of the connecting component shaft being in the form of a rounded shaft;

a telescoping tubular handle configured two part handle having an inner handle and an outer handle each having an inboard end component and an outboard end component, each part of the handle comprising a straight tubular shaft of lightweight rigid material being slidably coupled, the outboard end component of the inner handle having a male thread, the outboard end component of the outer telescoping handle having a plastic twist locking mechanism to vary the length of the handle the mechanism being fixed in place at the inboard end component of the inner handle, the twist locking mechanism comprising a rigid material shaft with a central aperture through the length of the shaft sufficient to allow the passage of air, the mechanism also having a split rotatable ring, the mechanism shaft having a first outboard external diameter and the shaft having a second larger inboard external diameter with said mechanism shaft reduced to form an off-center shaft with a lobe to accept a split rotatable ring fabricated of plastic having an inside diameter with the lobe being off-center and the ring having a varied thickness, the outer handle having an outboard end which is open, and an inboard end, which is open, allowing a hanging cap, press fit into the open end of the inboard end of the outer handle;

an adjustable holder having an inboard component and an outboard component with the inboard component being coupled to the handle and an outboard component coupled to the shovel, the outboard component comprising a shaft of plastic which terminates at its outboard end in a flat, circular surface having an aperture, with the inboard end of the outboard component being rounded at the end and having raised ridged teeth running from the central point of the surface, radially to the outer edge of the inboard end, with an aperture centrally located and the inboard component of the movable holder having an inboard and outboard end with the inboard end comprising a shaft of plastic material, the inboard end of the inboard component of the movable holder having a threaded aperture running from the inboard end of the inboard component of the movable holder, outwardly, the threaded aperture having an inside diameter being sufficiently sized to accommodate the male thread of the component outboard end of the inner handle, the outboard end of the inboard component being rounded, the rounded end of the inboard component having two parallel surfaces, defining a thickness between with the parallel surfaces each having raised ridged teeth which run from the central point of the surface, radially to the outer edge of the outboard end, with a centrally located aperture centrally located and a locking bolt with a wingnut to vary the angle between the shovel and the handle, the bolt coupling and holding together the ridged, toothed surfaces of the inboard and outboard components of the movable holder, allowing a pivoting movement by loosening the bolt.