ROTARY BRUSH SCOOPER DEVICE

Abstract

A rotary brush scooper device for scooping, sweeping and picking up loose material from a ground surface includes a base housing which includes an interconnected pair of wheels, drive assembly, and rotary brush member, as well as a lower shelf, a receptacle area, and handle portion. Positioned under the brush member, in front of the receptacle area, the lower shelf extends below the base housing such that it is adjacent to a ground surface over which the rotary brush scooper device is rolling and operative to lift loose material present off the ground surface as it passes thereover. Through action of the drive assembly, the rotation of the wheels as the rotary brush scooper device is rolled along the ground surface in a forward direction causes the brush member to be rotated in a sweeping direction, thereby sweeping loose material on the lower shelf into the receptacle area.

Claims

1. A rotary brush scooper device, comprising: a base housing defining a frame and including a lower shelf and a receptacle area, wherein said lower shelf extends below the frame of the base housing and is operative to lift loose material present off a target surface as the base housing traverses over the target surface; at least one wheel integral with said base housing so as to enable the base housing to roll along a target surface; a rotary brush member integral with said base housing and configured to rotate over the lower shelf and sweep loose material on the lower shelf into the receptacle area; and a drive assembly operative to transfer rotation from the at least one wheel to the brush member.

2. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 1, wherein said lower shelf includes a plurality of teeth.

3. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 1, wherein brush member includes four discrete rows of bristles.

4. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 1, wherein said base housing additionally includes a handle portion which adapts the rotary brush scooper device to either be grasped and pulled manually or attached to a discrete device which will pull it.

5. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 1, wherein two wheels are integral with said base housing, positioned on opposing sides thereof.

6. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 5, additionally comprising an axle which extends through the base housing and connects said wheels.

7. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 6, wherein said drive assembly includes an axle sprocket that is fixed to the axle, a brush sprocket that is fixed to the brush member, and a chain which connects the axle sprocket and brush sprocket such that rotating the axle sprocket drives the chain to cause the brush sprocket to rotate in the same direction.

8. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 6, wherein the drive assembly includes a chain guard cover operative to enclose at least a portion of the chain, axle sprocket, and brush sprocket.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a rotary brush scooper device built in accordance with the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a rotary brush scooper device built in accordance with the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a rotary brush scooper device built in accordance with the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a lower shelf of a rotary brush scooper device built in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, a rotary brush scooper device 10 is shown having a base housing 11, a pair of wheels 12, a drive assembly and a brush member 13. The base housing 11 defines the structural frame of the rotary brush scooper device 10 and includes a lower shelf 14 and a receptacle area 15. The wheels 12 are attached to opposing sides of the base housing 11, connected by an axle 16 which extends through the base housing 11. In this regard, the wheels 12 and axle 16 configure the base housing 11 to roll along a ground surface.

[0016] The lower shelf 14 is attached to the base housing 11 in front of the receptacle area 15, extending below the base housing 11 such that it would be adjacent to a ground surface over which the base housing 11 is rolling and operative to lift debris or other loose material present off the ground surface as it passes over it. In this regard, the lower shelf 14 is configured to scoop loose material off of a target surface.

[0017] In the preferred embodiment, the lower shelf 14 includes a plurality of teeth 14a to improve its ability to sift through a ground surface which is not smooth (such as grass).

[0018] The brush member 13 defines a rotary brush which, in the preferred embodiment, includes four discrete rows of bristles 13a. The brush member 13 is attached to the base housing 11, positioned over the lower shelf 14 such that its bristles 13a sweep across lower shelf 14 towards the receptacle area 15 as the brush member 13 is rotated. In this regard, the brush member 13 is configured to sweep loose material on the lower shelf 14 into the receptacle area 15.

[0019] Integrated with the base housing 11 and connecting the wheels 12 and axle 16 on one hand, and the brush member 13 on the other hand, is the drive assembly. The drive assembly is defined by an axle sprocket 17 that is fixed to the axle 16, a brush sprocket 18 that is fixed to the brush member 13 and a chain 19 which connects the axle sprocket 17 and brush sprocket 18 such that rotating either sprocket 17, 18 drives the chain 19 to cause the other sprocket 17, 18 to rotate in the same direction.

[0020] Through the drive assembly, when the wheels 12 are rotated as the rotary brush scooper device 10 is rolled along a ground surface in a forward direction 20, the brush member 13 is rotated in a sweeping direction 21. Specifically, the rotation of the wheels 12 causes the axle 16 and axle sprocket 17 to be rotated, causing the chain to rotate the brush sprocket 18, which in turn rotates the brush member 13.

[0021] In the illustrated embodiment, the base housing 11 includes a handle portion 22 attached thereto to allow the rotary brush scooper device 10 to either be grasped and pulled manually or attached to some device which will pull it.

[0022] In the preferred embodiment, the drive assembly includes a transparent chain guard cover 23 to prevent debris or other items from interfering with the operation of the chain 19 and sprockets 17, 18.

[0023] The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.