Expandable gathering device with removable collection basket

A gathering device for picking up small items, the gathering device comprising:

• a removable collection basket including a first basket side and a second basket side spaced laterally apart and interconnected by a basket wall, the basket wall having a collection basket opening, each basket side including a basket side tongue downwardly oriented and positioned at an upper rear basket side portion;
• a first integrally molded bracket and a second integrally molded bracket spaced laterally apart, each of the brackets being vertically oriented, and including bracket facing sides and having a rear receiver connected to an elongate axle of the device, an upper receiver connected to a remover mechanism cross member, and having a lower receiver connected to an elongate cross member, each of the brackets respectively having a slot removably receiving and connecting to the respective basket side tongue, and a plurality of spaced sockets, each bracket further including another bracket side, the another bracket side being a mirror image of each facing bracket side, each bracket side having a side stop extending outward of the slot for constraining lateral movement of the tongues in the slots;
• a roller assembly positioned between the facing bracket sides and rotatably connected to the axle, the roller assembly including a plurality of wheels formed by a plurality of flexible and resilient spokes for picking up small items therebetween, each of the wheels being independently rotatable,
• a handle connected to and between the brackets;
• and
• a plurality independent teeth pivotally connected to the remover mechanism cross member, in front of the axle, the teeth respectively extending between two of the wheels adjacent each other for stripping small items from between the plurality of wheels and between spokes on each of the wheels, the teeth having free ends riding on the wheels and the opposite ends thereof being adjacent to the collection basket opening for directing small items captured by the wheels into the collection basket.

A gathering device for picking up small items, the gathering device comprising:

• a collection basket having an elongate opening;
• a first integrally molded bracket and a second integrally molded bracket spaced laterally apart, each bracket being vertically oriented and having facing sides and a rear receiver connected to an elongate axle extending between the facing sides, an upper receiver connected to an elongate forward remover mechanism cross member, a lower receiver connected to an elongate lower cross member, each of the brackets having a slot for removably receiving a connecting portion of the collection basket, and a plurality of spaced sockets, each bracket further including a second bracket side being a mirror image of the first bracket side, and a side stop respectively adjacent each of the slots extending outward thereof for constraining lateral movement of the connecting portion and the collection basket;
• a roller assembly positioned between the first bracket and the second bracket and rotatably connected to the axle, the roller assembly including a plurality of wheels of flexible and resilient spokes for picking up small items therebetween;
• and
• a plurality of teeth pivotally connected to the remover mechanism cross member, and having one end portion extending between adjacent two of the wheels for stripping small items from between the adjacent wheels, the plurality of teeth having their opposite end portions positioned adjacent to the elongate opening for directing small items into the collection basket;
• wherein the collection basket is removable from the device and includes a first basket side and a second basket side spaced laterally apart and interconnected by a basket wall, the collection basket opening being adjacent an upper and forward end of the collection basket to receive directed small items from the roller assembly, the connecting portion including a basket side tongue downwardly oriented and located at an upper rear basket side portion and respectively insertable into the slots of the brackets, and each basket side having a hand hold for gripping by a user to empty same.