Abstract:
Rain gutter and downspout cleaning tongs. The rain gutter cleaning tongs include a pair of arms, each having a distal portion and a proximal portion that are arranged at obtuse angles relative to each other. A gripping head is located at a distal end of the distal portion of each arm. The proximal arm portions are pivotally attached to each other and are spring loaded to bias their gripping surfaces away from each other. Optionally, a guide is attached to one of the arms for guiding the two arms relative to each other during operation.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     This invention relates to the area of rain gutter and down spout cleaning devices, and more particularly to rain gutter and downspout cleaning tongs.  
         [0002]     The use of rain gutters to re-channel rain water from roof eaves is now fairly widespread. However, oftentimes homeowners and businesses neglect to properly clean out the rain gutters and downspouts of leaves, dirt and other debris which can cause the rain gutters to clog, and work inefficiently or not at all. Sometimes, debris will flow through the horizontal rain gutters and clog downspouts causing a backup of the rain water in the horizontal gutters.  
         [0003]     Various tools are presently available to clean out rain gutters, including a variety of scraping tools and shovel-like implements for removing the debris. However, in the case of scraper implements, these implements simply accomplish scraping debris off of the bottoms and/or sides of rain gutters, pushing the debris to another location in the rain gutter and/or loosening up the debris, leaving the debris to be picked up and collected later. In the case of shovel-like scooper tools, if too much is attempted to be picked up in one shovel full, the debris will sometimes fall out. Moreover, these scraper-like tools and shovel tools are not very useful for cleaning out downspouts. Accordingly, there remains a need for a tool for cleaning rain gutters and downspouts which allows for the faster and more efficient removal of debris from the rain gutter and downspouts.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The invention provides a rain gutter cleaning tong having two gripping heads which extend from obtuse angled articulating arms. The arms are preferably spring loaded and the gripping surfaces are preferably adapted to capture debris in a pinching motion when the two obtuse angled arms are brought together. The front edge of the gripping heads can be flat to permit the gutter to be scraped while debris is being removed.  
         [0005]     In order to ensure proper alignment of the two arms during operation, an arm guard can be affixed to one of the arms to maintain a parallel alignment of the arms during operation.  
         [0006]     The rain gutter cleaning tongs can be formed of a strong material such as steel, aluminum or strong plastic. Other materials could also be used such as composite materials or even wood. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the rain gutter cleaning tongs in an open position.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the rain gutter cleaning tongs of  FIG. 1 , but in a closed position.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a top plan detail showing an exemplary embodiment of a gripping head.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of another exemplary embodiment of the cleaning tong gripping heads.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a yet another exemplary embodiment of the rain gutter cleaning tongs gripping heads.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a side view of another exemplary embodiment of the rain gutter cleaning tongs of the invention in an open position.  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a detail of a portion of the lower arm of the rain gutter cleaning tong of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  is a partial side of another exemplary embodiment of the rain gutter cleaning tongs of the invention particularly adapted for cleaning rain gutter downspouts.  
         [0015]      FIG. 9  is a front view of the exemplary rain gutter cleaning tongs of  FIG. 8 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 10  is a front view of another head design of the gutter cleaning tongs of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     Referring now to the figures,  FIG. 1  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a pair of rain gutter cleaning tongs  10 . The rain gutter cleaning tongs has two arms  12  and  14  which have at their distal ends gripping heads  16  and  17 , respectively. Arms  16  and  17  are connected at their proximal ends  18  and  20 , respectively, by a pivot  22 . The two arms  12  and  14  are preferably spring loaded. An optional arm guide  24  is mounted to one of the arms, e.g., arm  12 , and has a guide wall  26  which guides the movement of the arms in a parallel relationship relative to each other. Each of the arms  12  and  14  have two sections  12   a  and  12   b , and  14   a  and  14   b , respectively, which are in obtuse angular relationship with respect to each other. The obtuse angular relationship of the two sections of the arms  12   a  and  12   b  and  14   a  and  14   b  is important since the proximal sections of the arms  12   a  and  14   a  provide an upwardly angled grip portion where a user can squeeze these two sections  12   a  and  14   a  together to cause the gripping heads  16  and  17  on distal arm portion  12   b  and  14   b , respectively, to be brought together, which is best shown in  FIG. 2 . This takes place while, for example, the distal arm portion  12   b  is used to scrape the bottom of the gutter. The lower arm  12  to which the arm guide  24  is attached will, in use, be the lower arm which is placed in contact with the gutter. Again, by simply bringing the two arms together, debris can be grasped and picked up and removed from the rain gutter and/or the downspout. Again, the proximal portions  12   a  and  14   a  are important since they allow users to operate the rain gutter cleaning tongs without placing the users hand in the gutter. The angle α between the distal and proximal parts is between about 100 and 170 degrees and more preferably between about 135 to about 160 degrees, depending on the relative lengths of the proximal and distal portions of the arms  12  and  14 .  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a first exemplary embodiment of gripping heads  16  and  17 . In the first exemplary embodiment, the gripping heads  16 ,  17  comprise a generally flat and rectangular plate  30  and is shown with optional protrusions  32  formed thereon for providing a better grip with the debris being captured. A front edge  34  is preferably relatively straight and can be used for scraping the bottom and/or sides of the rain gutter.  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a second exemplary embodiment of a gripping head  40  of the rain gutter cleaning tongs which has scalloped edges  42  and is also shown with optional gripping protrusions  44  extending from a generally flat plate  46 . As with the first embodiment of the gripping head, a relatively flat front  46  may be provided at a front of the gripping surface. The gripping head  40  extends from the distal end of the arms  12   b  and  14   b  and can be preferably be formed together therewith.  
         [0020]     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a third exemplary embodiment of the gripping head  50  of the rain gutter cleaning tongs. This embodiment is similar to that shown in  FIG. 4  except it has an extension portion  52  at a leading edge thereof. As with other embodiments, optional protrusions  54  can be located on the gripping head to provide for better gripping action on debris and the gripping surface  52  can extend from the distal ends  12   b  and  14   b  of the arms.  
         [0021]     The gripping heads  16 ,  17 ,  40 ,  50  may also be shaped to include concavities, or to be curved if desired.  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a side view of another exemplary embodiment of the rain gutter cleaning tongs  60  of the invention in an open position. This embodiment has a lower arm portion  62  and an upper arm portion  64 . The lower arm portion  62  has a proximal portion  62 A and a distal portion  62 B, with the proximal portion  62 A angled slightly upwardly from the distal portion  62 B. A gripping head  66  is provided at the distal portion  62 B and can, if desired, be slightly angled up from the distal portion  62 B. A debris tray  70  is provided on the upper surface of the distal portion  62 B and functions to carry additional debris. Alternately, the debris tray  70  can be integrated into the shape of the arm portion  62 . The proximal portion  62 B has a pivot end  68 . The upper arm portion  64  has a proximal portion  64 A and a distal portion  65 B, with the proximal portion  62 A angled slightly downwardly from the distal portion  64 B. A gripping head  72  is provided at the distal portion  64 B and can, if desired, be slightly angled down from the distal portion  64 B. The proximal portion  64 B has a pivot end  74  which connects to the pivot end  68  of the lower arm  62  by a pivot  76 . A spring  78  biases the lower and upper arms away from each other.  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is a detail of a portion of the lower arm  62  of the rain gutter cleaning tong  60  of  FIG. 6 , showing the debris tray  70  on the lower arm  62 . The debris arm  70  can optionally have low rising walls  80  for added strength and gripping action. Although the tray is shown as being relatively flat, it can have other shapes and contours. The gripping head  66  has an appearance similar to that shown in  FIG. 5 , e.g. with a shovel tip  82  and is shown without optional protrusions  54 . If desired, the gripping head  66  can have other shapes, can be cupped, etc.  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a partial side of another exemplary embodiment of the rain gutter cleaning tongs  90  of the invention particularly adapted for cleaning rain gutter downspouts. These tongs have arms  92  and  94 , with gripping heads  96  and  98 , respectively, having inwardly facing profiles that are adapted for inserted into an opening of a rain gutter downspout.  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  is a front view of the exemplary rain gutter cleaning tongs  90  of  FIG. 9 , and shown the gripping heads  96  and  98 , respectively, as being arc-shaped with their concavities facing each other. Alternately, the gripping heads can be generally U-shaped, or have other shapes with inwardly facing concavities that face each other that permit the tongs to be fix down into an opening of rain gutter downspout to pull out debris from therein, such as the U-shaped heads  100  shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0026]     It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details and construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the above description or illustrations and drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments that are being practiced and carried in various ways. It also is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.