The present invention is directed to cleaning devices, and more particularly to a device for removing leaves, pine needles, dirt, roof granules, and other debris from an overhead gutter of a residential or commercial building, or the like.
In early spring, it is a familiar and common sight showing building owners, particularly homeowners, engage in cleaning gutters. This is because in autumn or the fall season, trees, shrubs, etc, shed leaves, pine needles and the like that tend to accumulate in the gutters. Other debris also tends to gravitate toward and gets accumulated in the gutters.
Gutters are used on homes and buildings to properly channel the flow of water from a roof to the ground. Failure to keep gutters free of leaves and debris results in improper flow of water from the roof to the ground. This may cause damage to the roof, the gutter, the eaves, or even the inside of a home where water may be channeled.
The history of cleaning gutters has seen many tools developed to aid in this undesirable task. However, the most common and ordinary means has been to clean gutters by climbing a ladder. This has been accomplished by two methods. The first method is to climb onto the roof and physically clean the debris by hand or a small hand-held device. This method is very dangerous as the person has to lean over the edge of the gutter, while on a slopped roof also leaning towards the ground. The second method is by climbing up and down and manually moving the ladder laterally. This is also very dangerous because of the climbing itself and the possibility of the ladder moving while an individual is on it.
Other tools have been developed to remotely clean gutters. However, none of them have the safety features of the present invention, nor the ability to discard the leaves or debris in a controlled manner. Although the prior devices may be used from the ground, they require holding the apparatus, which is strictly the job of the person cleaning the gutter, with no weight-shifting or safety features. Conventional devices also do not have any guards or supports to hold the device in place. This means if it tilts too far in one direction, the device could fall to the ground or into the house. Even further, there are no controlled means to collect the leaves or debris, except letting it fall to the ground or lowering the device to the ground every time the device is full. Devices have also been proposed that use a water hose to flush the gutter clean. However, the debris flies out of the gutter and the person has no control over where it may go.
Various gutter cleaning devices have been proposed in the art, and examples are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,972,552; 4,057,276; 4,114,938; 4,194,780; 4,447,927; 4,502,806; 4,930,824; 5,855,402; and 6,017,070.
The prior art devices allow a person to clean an overhead gutter while staying at the ground level. In order to clean a gutter, a person holds a long handle to reach an overhead gutter and manipulates it to remove debris from the gutter. Although conventional devices allow a person to clean a gutter without having to climb a ladder, they still are not fully satisfactory in that effective debris collection means and safety features are not provided.
Therefore, there is a need in the industry for a remote gutter cleaning device where a person may thoroughly remove leaves and other debris in a safe and clean manner without being exposed to the risks of climbing or having to pick the debris up again from the ground.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device for removing leaves and other debris from an overhead gutter which overcomes the drawbacks associated with conventional devices.
One object of the present invention is to provide a safe and clean device for removing leaves and other debris from an overhead gutter which collects leaves and debris from a gutter and maintains control of the leaves and debris until it is disposed of in an intended bag or container. The device of the present invention includes an elongated pole having one end adaptable for an extension, for a multiple story dwelling, and a remote end with a mechanism designed to interact to collect and grasp leaves and other debris by spring-loaded fingers actuated by a rope or cord which will rise above the gutter, rotate, and dispose of the leaves and debris into an attached bag or container.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for removing leaves and other debris from an overhead gutter which allows a person to accumulate the leaves and debris adjacent the gutter thereby eliminating the need for the person to repeatedly remove the leaves and debris portion-by-portion from the gutter and collecting at the ground level. In other words, the device of the present invention allows a person to accumulate the leaves and debris adjacent the gutter, instead of having to bring it down on the ground in each instance of removing a small portion thereof. Therefore, the device of the invention allows a person to remove and accumulate the leaves and other debris, as the person moves along the gutter. This results in a faster, safer, and more efficient cleaning of the gutter.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a device for removing leaves and other debris from an overhead gutter in which the leaves and debris are collected adjacent the gutter thereby providing for a cleaner and more time-efficient operation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a device for removing leaves and other debris from an overhead gutter which includes a resting member that allows a person to balance or suspend the device from a gutter, thereby alleviating fatigue of the arms and shoulders due to maneuvering a long device overhead for an extended period. The resting member further allows a person to concentrate on cleaning the gutter, instead of struggling or maneuvering to hold the device, particularly on multiple story buildings. This results in the safety of the person and security of the building.
In summary, the main object of the present invention is to provide a device for removing leaves and other debris from an overhead gutter which allows a person to remove and collect the debris adjacent the gutter for a more cleaner and efficient operation, and which allows a person to balance or suspend the device from a gutter to alleviate fatigue.
In accordance with the present invention, a device for removing debris from an overhead gutter, includes an elongated pole with proximal and distal end portions. A debris handling assembly is disposed adjacent the distal end portion of the pole. A resting member for balancing the device on a gutter is provided. A debris collection member is disposed adjacent the distal end portion of the pole.