Abstract:
A yard waste bag loading assembly includes a base having dimensions able to accommodate a yard waste bag therein, the yard waste bag having a given opening size. A plurality of vertical supports extend from the base to a height necessary to accommodate the yard waste bag. A funnel is hingeably secured to the tops of the vertical supports. The funnel has a mouth greater than the bag opening size. The components of the loading assembly are readily formed from tubular plastic pieces, elbow fittings and tee fittings to facilitate easy breakdown and storage.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention in general relates to a lawn waste bag holder and in particular to a lawn waste bag holder adapted to receive material from a mechanical collector sack.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Mechanical lawn mowers and leaf vacuums have greatly eased the burden of lawn care. While some individuals compost yard waste, the vast majority of yard waste is packaged in paper bags and, to a lesser extent, plastic bags. The act of emptying yard waste from a mechanical collector sack into a yard waste bag represents a source of inefficiency. Since the relative size of the opening in a mechanical collector sack is typically greater than the diameter of a lawn waste bag, it is common for yard waste to be spilled onto the ground in the course of yard waste transfer. The collection of this yard waste spillage becomes a significant portion of the time spent performing the overall yard cleanup task.  
         [0003]     A still further problem associated with prior art attempts to stabilize a yard disposal bag involves the storage of assemblies that are awkward to store, difficult to assemble, or afford inadequate support for the yard waste bag. Conventional support devices have suffered to varying degrees some or all of these limitations. Thus, there exists a need for a yard waste bag loading device incorporating a funnel large enough to accommodate a mechanical collector sack output along with convenient disassembly and storage.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     A yard waste bag loading assembly includes a base having dimensions able to accommodate a yard waste bag therein, the yard waste bag having a given opening size. A plurality of vertical supports extend from the base to a height necessary to accommodate the yard waste bag. A funnel is hingeably secured to the tops of the vertical supports. The funnel has a mouth greater than the bag opening size. The components of the loading assembly are readily formed from tubular plastic pieces, elbow fittings and tee fittings to facilitate easy breakdown and storage. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a yard waste bag loading assembly according to the present invention with the funnel portion swung clear of a yard waste bag located within the assembly and shown herein in ghost;  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the inventive yard waste bag loading assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  is a view of an alternate embodiment of an inventive assembly suitable for internal mounting of a base wheel.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0008]     The present invention has utility in loading a yard waste bag with a yard waste collection tool or mechanical collector that has a dimension greater than the opening size of the yard waste bag. A base having vertical supports terminates in a funnel that overlies a yard waste bag placed within an inventive assembly where the mouth of the funnel has a dimension greater than the bag opening size thereby leading to considerably less yard waste spillage in the course of bag loading. Hingeable attachment of the funnel to the remainder of the assembly facilitates bag removal and replacement. While the present invention is detailed with respect to a preferred embodiment having structural components formed of conventional polyvinyl chloride plumbing pieces, it is appreciated that an inventive assembly structural component is readily formed from a material illustratively including steel rod, steel tubing, aluminum rod, aluminum tubing, and injection moldable thermoplastics. Additionally, while the embodiment depicted in the figures shows an inventive assembly having a rectilinear base and hexagonal funnel, it is appreciated that the base configuration and funnel configuration are each independently selected from circular, triangular, square, rectilinear, and higher side number polygonal forms.  
         [0009]     Referring now to the figures, an inventive yard waste bag loading assembly is shown generally at  10 . The assembly  10  has a base  12  enclosing a dimension suitable to accommodate a conventional yard waste bag. Preferably, the base  12  is formed of threaded polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pieces. Linear spans of threaded PVC tubing are joined with right angle elbow fittings to form the base  12 . While the base  12  is depicted as a closed square form, it is appreciated that the shape of the base is readily varied. Additionally, it is appreciated that forming a base of an inventive loading assembly from a different aforementioned construction material allows one to form an open-sided base structure. Optionally, a base  12  is modified to support the attachment of at least one wheel  18 . As depicted in the figures, a pair of wheels  18  are mounted to the base  12  by drilling an axle hole through opposing elbow fittings  14   a  and  14   b . An axle  20  extends the distance between  14   a  and  14   b  elbow fittings and wheels are mounted to the exposed ends of the axle  20 .  
         [0010]     In an alternate embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 , the base side defined by terminal elbow fittings  14   a  and  14   b  has a gap therein  22  bounded by end cap fittings  24   a  and  24   b . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 , end caps  24   a  and  24   b  are drilled to mount an axle  26  supporting a wheel  28 .  
         [0011]     Optionally, a bag support screen  30  is supported within the base  12 .  
         [0012]     The base  12  includes on at least two sides tee fittings  32 . The tee fittings  32  serve to anchor vertical supports  34  that extend a height suitable to accommodate a yard waste bag. A funnel sub-assembly  36  rests on the supports  34  to complete an inventive bag loading assembly. In the preferred embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , two supports  34  extend from the base side defined by elbows  14   a  and  14   b  to form a pivot point. The hinge pivot point is formed by terminating a support  34  with a tee fitting  38 . A funnel assembly having a diameter adapted to rotate within the tee fitting  38  affords a hingeable funnel assembly that is optionally rotatable out of an overlying orientation relative to the base  12 . Longitudinally sectioning a tee fitting on the other supports  34  forms a cradle  40  to support the funnel assembly  36  in a position overlying the base  12 . While the preferred embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2  shows a funnel sub-assembly hingeably attached to supports, it is appreciated that two opposing cradle supports are all that is essential to retain a funnel sub-assembly in an operative orientation to fill the yard waste bag. Additionally, while the funnel sub-assembly hinge is depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as a pair of spaced tee fittings  38 , it is appreciated that only a single support  34  terminating in a single tee fitting  38  on the side defined by elbow fittings  14   a  and  14   b  is sufficient to perform the functions thereof.  
         [0013]     A funnel assembly  36  has a rigid frame  42  from which is suspended a fabric wall  44 . Preferably, the fabric wall terminates in a rigid or semi-rigid spout  46 . The frame  42  as depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is hexagonal in shape and formed of threaded PVC tubing sections  48  interspersed with sixty degree elbow joints  50 . In order to retain the frame  42  in a fixed position relative to the tee fitting  38 , the frame side  52  complementary to the tee fitting  38  includes a short tee fitting  54  that maintains the relative position of the frame  42  relative to the tee fitting  38 . The frame  42  is preferably sized such that the cradle  40  supports at least one nonadjacent side of the hexagonal frame  42 . As a result, the side opposite  52  or one of the other two nonadjacent sides relative to  52  contacts a support. Preferably, both nonadjacent sides adjoining the adjacent sides relative to side  52  engage support mounted cradles  40 . The fabric wall  44  is secured to the frame  42  by conventional means illustratively including stitching, hook-and-loop fasteners, grommets, a zipper, and an elastomeric piping. The fabric wall is formed of materials illustratively including canvas, nylon, and flexible plastic sheeting. Preferably, the inner portion of the fabric wall  44  is secured by a conventional technique to a rigid or semi-rigid spout  46 . The spout is illustratively formed of plastic sheeting, cardboard, sheet metal, and stiffened fabric. The spout  46  is dimensioned to insert within the yard waste bag opening. The spout  46  is attached to the fabric wall by conventional techniques illustratively including stitching, adhesives, grommets and the like.  
         [0014]     While the present invention has been described herein in the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is appreciated that one skilled in the art upon reading the above description will readily appreciate modifications and variations that nonetheless remain within the scope and spirit of the invention. It is intended that these modifications and variations are interpreted as being within the scope of the appended claims.