Lawn rake tongs

A raking system for grasping and moving yard waste, the system comprising:

• a first sleeve and a second sleeve, the first and second sleeves being pivotally interconnected such that the first sleeve rotates in a first plane and the second sleeve rotates in a second plane which is parallel to and spaced from the first plane, a longitudinal axis of the first sleeve lying on the first plane, a longitudinal axis of the second sleeve lying on the second plane;
• a first rake comprising a first handle and a first tool head, the first sleeve receiving the first handle therein, the first tool head being coupled to an end of the first handle and having a plurality of first tines extending away from the first handle, the first sleeve being slidable along the first handle, the plurality of first tines fanning outwardly from the end of the first handle, the first rake frictionally engaging the first sleeve to retain the first sleeve in a first selected position on the first handle;
• a second rake comprising a second handle and a second tool head, the second sleeve receiving the second handle therein, the second tool head being coupled to an end of the second handle and having a plurality of second tines extending away from the second handle, the second sleeve being slidable along the second handle, the plurality of second tines fanning outwardly from the end of the second handle, the second rake frictionally engaging the second sleeve to retain the second sleeve in a second selected position on the second handle;
• wherein the first and second tool heads are moved toward each other when a distal portion of the first handle with respect to the first tool head and a distal portion of the second handle with respect to the second tool head are moved toward each other;
• a coupler connecting the first and second sleeves together to allow the first and second sleeves to pivot relative to each other, the coupler comprising a cord having a pair of connecting portions which engage and extend between the first and second sleeves to retain the first and second sleeves in abutment with each other, the pair of connecting portions being resiliently stretchable, each connecting portion being stretched when first and second tool heads are pivoted away from each other such that the first and second tool heads are biased toward each other, the cord including a first interior portion extending between the pair of connecting portions and laterally through the first sleeve, the cord including a second interior portion extending between the pair of connecting portions and laterally through the second sleeve, the first interior portion being positioned between and frictionally engaging the first handle and an interior surface of the first sleeve, the second interior portion being positioned between and frictionally engaging the second handle and an interior surface of the second sleeve.

A method of moving yard waste comprising:

• inserting a first handle of a first rake into a first sleeve;
• inserting a second handle of a second rake into a second sleeve, wherein the second sleeve is pivotally coupled to the first sleeve such that each of the first and second sleeves are rotatable about a shared rotational axis with respect to each other;
• positioning the first sleeve in a first selected position on the first handle and the second sleeve in a second selected position on the second handle such that the first rake is pivotable with respect to the second rake to move a first tool head of the first rake alternately toward and away from a second tool head of the second rake;
• positioning the first tool head opposite the second tool head across a pile of yard waste;
• moving a distal portion of the first handle with respect to the first tool head toward a distal portion of the second handle with respect to the second tool head to pivot the first tool head toward the second tool head, thereby grasping the pile between the first tool head and the second tool head;
• moving the pile to a selected location;
• and
• moving the distal portion of the first handle away from the distal portion of the second handle to pivot the first tool head away from the second tool head, thereby releasing the pile.