초록 ▼

A device for connecting two rakes to gather and/or pick up loose materials is disclosed. The device has a first handle attachment and a second handle attachment. The first handle attachment has a first projection and a first recess. The second handle attachment has a second projection and a second r

A device for connecting two rakes to gather and/or pick up loose materials is disclosed. The device has a first handle attachment and a second handle attachment. The first handle attachment has a first projection and a first recess. The second handle attachment has a second projection and a second recess. The first projection is removably receivable in the second recess and the second projection is removably receivable in the first recess to join the first handle attachment to the second handle attachment. When the first projection is received in the second recess and the second projection received the first recess the first and second handle attachments are positionable in an open position where the first bottom end of the first attachment is spaced apart from the second bottom end of the second attachment and a closed position where the first bottom end is adjacent the second bottom end.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A joining device for two rakes, each rake comprising an elongated handle connected to a rake implement comprising tines, the device comprising: a first handle attachment configured to be connected to a first rake handle, the first handle attachment comprising a first bottom end, a first top end,

1. A joining device for two rakes, each rake comprising an elongated handle connected to a rake implement comprising tines, the device comprising: a first handle attachment configured to be connected to a first rake handle, the first handle attachment comprising a first bottom end, a first top end, and an elongated first body extending between the first bottom end and the first top end, the first body comprises a first projection and a first recess, the first projection is adjacent the first recess;a second handle attachment configured to be connected to a second rake handle, the second handle attachment comprising a second bottom end, a second top end, and an elongated second body extending between the second bottom end and the second top end, the second body comprises a second projection and a second recess, the second projection is adjacent the second recess;the first projection is removably receivable in the second recess and the second projection is removably receivable in the first recess to join the first handle attachment to the second handle attachment;the second recess comprises at least one unimpeded exit path in a direction opposite of an inner wall of the second recess configured to permit the first projection an unimpeded withdrawal from the second recess, the first recess comprises at least one unimpeded exit path in a direction opposite of an inner wall of the first recess configured to permit the second projection an unimpeded withdrawal from the first recess;when the first projection is received in the second recess and the second projection received in the first recess, the first and second handle attachments are movable between an open position where the first bottom end is spaced apart from the second bottom end and a closed position where the first bottom end is adjacent the second bottom end;the first handle attachment is completely user separable from the second handle attachment. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the second projection is identical to the first projection and the second recess is identical to the first recess. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the second handle attachment is identical to the first handle attachment. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first handle attachment comprises a first rake handle channel, the first bottom end comprises a first aperture in communication with the first rake handle channel; wherein the second handle attachment comprises a second handle channel, the second bottom end comprises a second aperture in communication with the second rake handle channel. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first projection shares a first common wall with the first recess and the second projection shares a second common wall with the second recess. 6. The device of claim 1, wherein a first projection inside wall of the first projection is co-planer with a first recess inside wall of the first recess, and a second projection inside wall of the second projection is co-planer with a second recess inside wall of the second recess. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first handle attachment comprises a first rake handle channel, the first bottom end comprises a first aperture in communication with the first rake handle channel; wherein the second handle attachment comprises a second handle channel, the second bottom end comprises a second aperture in communication with the second rake handle channel; wherein the first projection, the first recess, the second projection, and the second recess each comprises a triangular shape. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first projection, the first recess, the second projection, and the second recess each comprises a scalene triangular shape where a shortest side of the scalene triangular shape for each is adjacent the first top end or the second top end. 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first recess comprises a shape of the second projection and the second recess comprises a shape of the first projection. 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first body comprises a first upper surface, a first valley intersection, and a first ridge intersection, the first upper surface located above the first projection and the first recess, the first valley intersection formed between the first upper surface and the first projection, the first ridge intersection formed between the first upper surface and the first recess;the second body comprises a second upper surface, a second valley intersection, and a second ridge intersection, the second upper surface located above the second projection and the second recess, the second valley intersection formed between the second upper surface and the second projection, the second ridge intersection formed between the second upper surface and the second recess;the first and second handle attachments are pivotal between the open position and the closed position where the second ridge intersection mates with and pivots at the first valley intersection and the first ridge intersection mates with and pivots at the second valley intersection. 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the first body comprises a first front wall, the first front wall comprises the first projection, the first recess, a first lower surface, and a first upper surface; and,the second body comprises a second front wall, the second front wall comprises the second projection, the second recess, a second lower surface, and a second upper surface; and,the first lower surface is in contact with or adjacent to the second lower surface when in the closed position, the first upper surface is in contact with or adjacent to the second upper surface when in the open position. 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first lower surface, the first upper surface, the second lower surface, and the second upper surface are each flat surfaces. 13. The device of claim 11, wherein the first upper surface is at an acute angle to a plane of the first lower surface. 14. The device of claim 1, wherein the first handle attachment comprises a first rake handle channel, the first bottom end comprises a first aperture in communication with the first rake handle channel; wherein the second handle attachment comprises a second handle channel, the second bottom end comprises a second aperture in communication with the second rake handle channel; wherein the first body comprises a first fastener aperture in communication with the first rake handle channel; wherein the second body comprises a second fastener aperture in communication with the second rake handle channel. 15. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second projections comprise a plurality of inclined surfaces and the first and second recess comprises a plurality of declined surfaces, and one or more of the plurality of inclined surfaces interact with one or more the plurality of declined surfaces when the projections are inserted into the recess to align the first handle attachment with the second handle attachment. 16. A joining device for two rakes, each rake comprising an elongated handle connected to a rake implement comprising tines, the device comprising: a first handle attachment comprising a first bottom end, a first top end, and an elongated first body extending between the first bottom end and the first top end, the first body comprises a first projection and a first recess, the first projection is adjacent the first recess;a second handle attachment comprising a second bottom end, a second top end, and an elongated second body extending between the second bottom end and the second top end, the second body comprises a second projection and a second recess, the second projection is adjacent the second recess;the first projection is removably receivable in the second recess and the second projection is removably receivable in the first recess to join the first handle attachment to the second handle attachment;the second recess comprises at least one unimpeded exit path in a direction opposite of an inner wall of the second recess configured to permit the first projection an unimpeded withdrawal from the second recess, the first recess comprises at least one unimpeded exit path in a direction opposite of an inner wall of the first recess configured to permit the second projection an unimpeded withdrawal from the first recess;the first handle attachment and the second handle attachment are pivotable, at a first junction between the first projection and the second recess and a second junction between the second projection and the first recess, between an open position where the first bottom end is spaced apart from the second bottom end and a closed position where the first bottom end is adjacent the second bottom end;the first handle attachment is completely user separable from the second handle attachment. 17. The device of claim 16, wherein the first and second projections are elongated and the first and second recesses are elongated; wherein the first handle attachment comprises a first rake handle channel, the first bottom end comprises a first aperture in communication with the first rake handle channel; wherein the second handle attachment comprises a second handle channel, the second bottom end comprises a second aperture in communication with the second rake handle channel. 18. The device of claim 16, wherein the second projection is identical to the first projection and the second recess is identical to the first recess; the first projection, the first recess, the second projection, and the second recess each comprises a scalene triangular shape where a shortest side of the scalene triangular shape for each is adjacent the first top end or the second top end. 19. The device of claim 16, wherein the first body comprises a first front wall, the first front wall comprises the first projection, the first recess, a first lower surface, and a first upper surface; and,the second body comprises a second front wall, the second front wall comprises the second projection, the second recess, a second lower surface, and a second upper surface; and,the first lower surface is in contact with or adjacent to the second lower surface when in the closed position, the first upper surface is in contact with or adjacent to the second upper surface when in the open position. 20. A method of gathering and lifting leaves using two rakes, comprising the steps of: placing a first rake adjacent to leaves to be collected, where the first rake comprises a first handle shaft connected to a first rake tines, a first handle attachment is attached to the first handle shaft opposite the first rake tines, the first rake tines of the first rake are facing the leaves, a first projection and a first recess of the first handle attachment orientated in a direction of a working side of the first rake tines;placing a second rake adjacent to leaves to be collected and opposite the first rake, where the second rake comprises a second handle shaft connected to a second rake tines, a second handle attachment is attached to the second handle shaft opposite the second rake tines, the second rake tines of the second rake are facing the leaves, a second projection and a second recess of the second handle attachment orientated in a direction of a working side of the second rake tines;leaning one or both of the first or second handle attachments toward the other of the first or second handle attachments so that the first and second handle attachments contact each other;applying a force to the first rake and the second rake, where the force is applied on a side of the first rake opposite the first projection and the force is applied on a side of the second rake opposite of the second projection;moving the first projection into the second recess and the second projection into the first recess in a pivoting motion and compressing the leaves between the first rake tines and the second rake tines;lifting the first and second rakes with the compressed leaves between the first and second rake tines.