Electric muck-out fork

A fork (1) for collecting animal excrement, or horse droppings, comprising a handle (2) and a plurality of tines (3), which, after activation of an electromechanical actuation element (4), can be set into rapid oscillation by a jiggling device (5) arranged in the handle (2) so as to separate the animal excrement from shavings and other bedding material, wherein the jiggling device (5) is driven by an electric motor (26), characterized in that a coupling between the electromechanical actuation element (4) and the jiggling device (5) has a damping behavior, and therefore allows mechanical oscillations issued from the jiggling device (5) or electric cut-in or cut-off pulses to pass onto an electromechanical switch (49) of the electromechanical actuation element (4) only in a dampened extent, wherein

• a) the electromechanical switch (49) of the electromechanical actuation element (4) is not arranged at the handle (2) itself, but is indirectly connected therewith, namely is arranged on a grip (6) plugged together with the upper end of the handle (2), wherein the mating surfaces facing each other, of one or two plug elements of the grip (6) on the one hand and the handle (2) on the other hand, are provided with one or a plurality of projections (38) so that only said projections (38) make contact with the other one of the two plug elements, and wherein
• b) the activation current of the electric motor (26) does not flow through the electromechanical switch (49) of the electromechanical actuation element (4, 45), but through a contactless electronic switch element (53), which, for the actuation thereof, is electrically coupled to the electromechanical switch (49) of the electromechanical actuation element (4).