초록 ▼

A pet litter apparatus has an upper screen to retain litter and debris, a plurality of upper bars, a lower plurality of bars, mechanism for lowering the lower plurality of bars to define spaces for passage of particulate matter between the upper and lower bars, by rotating rods on sprockets to lower

A pet litter apparatus has an upper screen to retain litter and debris, a plurality of upper bars, a lower plurality of bars, mechanism for lowering the lower plurality of bars to define spaces for passage of particulate matter between the upper and lower bars, by rotating rods on sprockets to lower the second plurality of bars.

대표청구항 ▼

1. Litter disposal apparatus, comprising:upper screen means to retain thereon animal litter and debris deposited thereon,a first frame mounting a first plurality of generally parallel bars of generally upwardly tapered cross-section,a second frame mounting a second plurality of generally parallel ba

1. Litter disposal apparatus, comprising:upper screen means to retain thereon animal litter and debris deposited thereon,a first frame mounting a first plurality of generally parallel bars of generally upwardly tapered cross-section,a second frame mounting a second plurality of generally parallel bars of tapered cross-sectional configuration,sprocket and drive chain means operable to move one of the plurality of bars generally vertically between a first position wherein the second plurality of bars engages the first plurality of bars to prevent passage of particulate matter therebetween, and a second position wherein spaces are defined between bars of the second plurality of bars and bars of the first plurality of bars to pass particulate matter therethrough, andmechanism means operable by a person to move said second plurality of support bars between said first and second positions.2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said particulate matter is sand.3. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising:a container positioned to receive particulate matter dropped through said spaces between bars of said second plurality of bars for re-use or disposal.4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism means to move said second plurality of support bars comprises:a plurality of spaced-apart rotatable sprockets,a drive chain extending about said sprockets, andmeans operable to rotate said sprockets to move the second plurality of bars for passage of the particulate matter between the first plurality of bars and the second plurality of bars.5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means operable to move the second plurality of bars comprises a foot pedal connected with one of said sprockets to move said drive chain and other of the sprockets.6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said particulate matter is sand.7. Apparatus according to claim 4, and further comprising:a container positioned to receive particulate matter dropped through said spaces between bars of said second plurality of bars for re-use or disposal.8. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means operable to rotate the sprockets comprises:first and second pairs of rods spaced apart and mounted on respective spaced-apart sprockets, andrespective pairs of the rods being mounted on respective sprockets and rotatable therewith between a first orientation wherein the rods of each pair are disposed one above the other to support the second array of bars on the upper rods of each pair of rods, and a second orientation wherein both rods of each pair are disposed at the same level to lower the second plurality of bars for passage therebetween of particulate matter.9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means operable to move the second plurality of bars comprises a foot pedal connected with one of said sprockets to move said drive chain and other of the sprockets.10. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of sprockets comprises:a first sprocket connected with the means operable to rotate the sprockets,a second sprocket having two adjacent rods thereon to support the second and lower plurality of bars,a third sprocket spaced from the second sprocket and having two adjacent rods thereon,upon rotation of the sprockets two spaced-apart pairs of rods under the second plurality of bars are being rotated to cause each pair of rods to be rotated to positions wherein the rods are at the same level to support the second plurality of bars with the two pairs of rods being spaced apart under the bars, and upon rotation of the sprockets the rods are movable into positions wherein one rod is above the other to move the second and lower plurality of bars to lowered positions to permit passage of particulate matter between the first plurality of bars and the second plurality of bars.11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said means operable to move the second plurality of bars comprises a foot pedal connected with one of said sprockets to move said drive chain and other of the sprockets.12. Apparatus according to claim 10, and further comprising:a container positioned to receive particulate matter dropped through said spaces between bars of said second plurality of bars for re-use or disposal.13. Litter disposal apparatus, comprising:upper screen means to retain thereon animal litter and debris deposited thereon,a first frame mounting a first plurality of generally parallel bars of generally upwardly tapered cross-section,a second frame mounting a second plurality of generally parallel bars of inwardly tapered cross-sectional configuration,a plurality of spaced-apart rotatable sprockets,a drive chain extending about said sprockets,first and second pairs of rods spaced apart and mounted on respective spaced-apart sprockets,respective pairs of the rods being mounted on respective sprockets and rotatable therewith between a first orientation wherein the rods of each pair are disposed one above the other to support the second plurality of bars on the upper rod of each pair of rods, and a second orientation wherein both rods of each pair are disposed at the same level to lower the second-plurality of bars for passage therebetween of particulate matter, andmechanism means operable by a person to move said second plurality of support bars between said first and second orientations.14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said means operable to move the second plurality of bars comprises a foot pedal connected with one of said sprockets to move said drive chain and other of the sprockets.15. Apparatus according to claim 13, and further comprising;a container positioned to receive particulate matter dropped through said spaces between bars of said second plurality of bars for re-use or disposal.