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US 7,740,296 B2Granted
Gutter cleaning apparatus
OwnerPaul C. DaViainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gutter cleaning apparatus includes a pair of opposing reverse curved blades biased open and connected together at upper edges by spring hinges. A fixed blade attaches to an extendible pole. A movable blade includes a lever arm fixed to an end of a rope that extends down the axis of the pole to the user's hand. During operation, the end of the pole with the attached apparatus is lifted over the gutter; the blades are lowered into the gutter sidewalls, and slid along the gutter trough to pile up debris. The apparatus, with open blades, is lifted over the pile and lowered into the debris. The rope is then pulled taut to close the blades and grasp the debris. The apparatus and debris are lifted from the gutter. Tension on the rope is slackened to release the debris that falls to the ground for collection and disposal.
Claims26
A gutter cleaning apparatus comprising:
- a generic extendible, non-conductive pole having male threads at an upper end thereof;
- a fixed blade having a threaded receptacle that comprises female threads for attaching to the extendible non-conductive pole;
- said fixed blade having a raised beveled edge located along a top edge thereof that acts as a stop;
- said fixed blade having a flat surface above the threaded receptacle;
- said fixed blade having an operating end that comprises a reverse curve or “S” shape extending to a blade tip thereof;
- said fixed blade having a reinforcing or stiffening ridge located along a center exterior side of the operating end extending proximate to said blade tip;
- said fixed blade having serrations located at said blade tip of said operating end of the fixed blade to facilitate loosening of hard or caked debris in the bottom of a gutter;
- a movable blade opposing the fixed blade and attached thereto, said movable blade having a lever arm arranged on an exterior face thereof and at a side of the movable blade opposite an operating end thereof and in proximate line with the generic, extendible nonconductive pole, an opening being arranged in the lever arm near an end distal said exterior face at an outer end of the lever arm to which an actuator rope is attached;
- said movable blade having hole openings located along of a top edge thereof, said movable blade having a raised beveled edge located between the pair of hole openings that acts as a stop for the movable blade in the biased open position, said movable blade having an operating end that comprises a reverse curve or “S” shape, said operating end of the movable blade comprising a reinforcing and stiffening ridge located at a center exterior side of the “S” shape, said movable blade having serrations located at an edge of the operating end of the movable blade to facilitate loosening of hard or caked debris in the bottom of a gutter, said movable blade having marked or scored trim lines on the exterior side along the blade outer edges to assist in trimming the blade width should it be necessary;
- a blade fastener comprised of at least one spring-biased hinge located at a top edge and between the fixed and movable blades and attaching the blades together to bias the blades toward an open position;
- and,
- a rope connected to the lever arm on the moveable blade such that tension may be applied to the rope to rotate the movable blade around the spring-biased hinge thereby closing the operating end of the movable blade tightly against the operating end of the fixed blade.
9 more elements
A gutter cleaning apparatus comprising:
- an extendible, non-conductive pole having male threads at an upper end;
- a fixed blade having a receptacle that comprises female threads for attaching to the extendible non-conductive pole wherein said receptacle of the fixed blade includes a threaded hole at ninety degrees to and located at a center of the female threads to accept a thumb screw, said fixed blade having a pair of hole openings located along of a top edge of the blade, said fixed blade having a raised beveled edge acting as a stop in a biased open position, said fixed blade having a flat surface above the threaded receptacle that allows full closure of the apparatus, said fixed blade having an operating end that comprises a reverse curve or “S” shape, said operating end comprising a reinforcing and stiffening ridge located at a center exterior side of the “S” shape, said fixed blade having serrations located at an edge of the operating end of the fixed blade to facilitate loosening of hard or caked debris in the bottom of a gutter;
- a movable blade opposing the fixed blade and attached thereto with said movable blade having a lever arm arranged on an exterior face thereof and at the side of the movable blade opposite an operating end and proximately at the axis of the extendible pole, said lever arm having a circular opening arranged in the lever arm near an end distal the movable blade at an outer end of the lever arm, said movable blade having hole openings located along of a top edge of the movable blade to accept blade fasteners, said movable blade having a raised beveled edge acting as a stop against an opposing bevel on the fixed blade to limit the open bias of the movable blade with relation to the fixed blade, said movable blade having an operating end that comprises a reverse curve or “S” shape, said operating end of the movable blade having a reinforcing and stiffening ridge located at a center exterior side of the “S” shape, said movable blade having lightly scored or marked trim lines on the blade edges on exterior sides thereof to facilitate trimming the blade if necessary to fit a gutter opening said movable blade having serrations located at the lower edge of the operating end to facilitate loosening of hard or caked debris in the bottom of a gutter;
- blade fasteners comprised of at least one spring hinge arranged against respective hole openings coupling the fixed blade to the movable blade, said at least one spring hinge being located at a top edge and between the fixed and movable blades and attaching the blades together so as to bias the blades towards an open position;
- and,
- a rope connected to the lever arm on the moveable blade such that tension may be applied to the rope to close the operating ends of the fixed and movable blades together.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.