Apparatus and method for the collection and disposal of waste materials

A method for collecting materials from a surface, comprising:

• providing a receptacle adapted to be placed on a support surface, the receptacle including a lower tray and a cooperating upper portion;
• the lower tray having a substantially planar bottom wall;
• a pair of vertically extending side walls and front and rear edges wherein the front and back of said lower tray are substantially open;
• the vertically extending side walls respectively including elongated lateral slots extending therethrough;
• the upper portion having a generally convex configuration;
• the upper portion further including a pair of vertically depending side walls which are slidably disposed between the vertically extending side walls of said lower tray;
• the upper portion having an arcuate front portion having a front edge adapted to scrape a horizontal surface and a downwardly sloping rear portion terminating in a rear edge, said rear edge adapted for flush alignment with the bottom wall of said lower tray;
• the vertically depending side walls of the upper portion further including downwardly depending attachment lips;
• the receptacle further including pivot members fixedly attached to the attachment lips and extending through the elongated lateral slots, wherein said upper portion is slidably and rotatably engaged with said lower tray;
• placing the receptacle behind the material to be collected;
• rotating the front edge of the upper portion upward;
• sliding the upper portion forward relative to the lower tray until the front edge of the upper portion is a position beyond the material;
• rotating the front edge of the upper portion downward to contact the support surface and encompass the material within the upper portion;
• sliding the upper portion backward relative to the lower tray to drag the material onto the lower tray;
• rotating the upper portion backward until the rear edge of the upper portion is flushly aligned with the bottom wall of the lower tray;
• lifting the receptacle in a forward rotational motion until the lower tray is approximately 45° from the horizontal;
• transporting the receptacle to a deposit location;
• lifting the receptacle in a forward rotational motion until the lower tray rotates to a vertical position;
• and
• releasing the material into the deposit location.