Abstract:
Apparatus, devices, systems and methods for removing automatically removing fixed carpeting such as glued down carpeting from spaces. The apparatus can include a motor powered winch having a hook end that can grip about a raised edge of the carpet. The winch can be anchored to a doorway by clamping ends of a telescopic bar to doorjamb members about the doorway opening. An operator can operate the winch by remote control and be spaced outside the room that the carpet is being removed from. Another version can include a U-shaped telescopic clamp arrangement so that the winch is also spaced outside the room from which the carpet is being removed.

Description:
This invention relates to carpet removing, in particular to apparatus, devices, systems and methods for removing automatically removing fixed carpeting such as glued down and tacked down carpeting from rooms and other spaces. 
     BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
     The removal of glued down carpeting has often typically required human laborers to physically peel up the carpeting with either their hands or some hand tools, such as pry bars, and screw drivers, etc. In addition, the laborer must then pull and rip the carpeting out which is very difficult since they often must stand on the actual carpeting they are removing. The hand tools used can often damage the underlying floor beneath the carpet which will require additional time and expense to fix. Often physical injuries such as wrenched backs, and torn up hands result from such removal techniques. In addition, this time consuming work will often takes hours if not days to accomplish for large amounts of spaces and buildings, which adds additional expense. 
     Devices have been attempted over the years to try to remove carpeting but still have problems of their own. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,332,371 to Bell et al.; 4,533,118 to Thomas et al.; 4,560,146 to Thomas et al.; 4,906,323 to Thomas; 5,387,308 to Heavrin; 5,454,899 to Glenn et al.; 5,720,844 to Hanson; 5,909,868 to Galena; 6,004,426 to Johnson; 7,032,886 to Kraft. 
     Thomas &#39;323, Heavrin &#39;308, Hanson &#39;844, and Gaiella &#39;868 each require a laborer having to physically grip tools to remove the carpeting, which would be undesirable for being at least time consuming and labor intensive. 
     Bell &#39;371, Thomas &#39;118, Thomas &#39;146, Kraft &#39;886, and Johnson &#39;426 have automated machines that generally require an operator be adjacent to the machine for operate, and the machine is placed directly on the carpet. Thus, the machines would generally need to be constantly moved about so that the carpet under the machines is removed. Also, some of these machines require anchoring through the carpeting which could be difficult to achieve and could potentially damage the sub floor under the carpeting. Additionally, many of these machines can require two or more persons to operate, and the machines can cost in the thousands of dollars, which makes them further undesirable to use. 
     Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, devices, systems and methods for automatically removing fixed carpeting such as glued down carpeting and tacked down carpeting from spaces that eliminates any labor extensive efforts of having to physically pull up and tear out the carpet. 
     A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, devices, systems and methods for automatically removing fixed carpeting such as glued down carpeting and tacked down carpeting from spaces without having to physically move or drag tools or machines about the carpet. 
     A third objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, devices, systems and methods for automatically removing fixed carpeting such as glued down carpeting and tacked down carpeting from spaces that allows for an operator to be spaced away from and not in the same room as the carpet that is being removed. 
     A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, devices, systems and methods for automatically removing fixed carpeting such as glued down carpeting and tacked down carpeting from spaces that does not require anchoring through the floor. 
     A fifth objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, devices, systems and methods for automatically removing fixed carpeting such as glued down carpeting and tacked down carpeting from spaces that substantially reduces the time and labor to remove the carpeting. 
     A sixth objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, devices, systems and methods for automatically removing fixed carpeting such as glued down carpeting and tacked down carpeting from spaces so that only one person is needed to remove carpeting in a timely manner from any size room. 
     A seventh of objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, devices, systems and methods of automatically removing fixed down carpeting, such as glued down carpeting and tacked down carpeting, with an inexpensive machine that is light enough to be carried and transported by a single operator. 
     A novel automated carpet removing device, can include a motor powered winch having an elongated line rolled thereon, the line having an outer end, a carpet gripper attached to the outer end of the line adapted for gripping a raised edge of a carpet, and a doorway anchor for mounting the winch adjacent to a doorway of a room that the carpet is to be removed. 
     The doorway anchor can include telescoping bars having a first outer end and a second outer end. The anchor can include a first clamp attached to the first outer end that clamps about a first vertical frame member of a doorjamb, and a second outer clamp attached to the second outer end that clamps about a second vertical frame member of the doorjamb. 
     The first clamp and the second clamp can each include a telescoping member for allowing the first clamp and the second clamp to expand or contract about different widths of the doorjamb. 
     The first clamp and the second clamp can each include an elongated telescoping member for allowing the first clamp and the second clamp to expand or contract about different widths of the doorjamb, and mount the winch outside the room in which the carpet is being removed. 
     A remote control for operating the winch can be included so that an operator is adapted to be located outside the room in which the carpet is being removed. 
     The carpet edge gripper can include a carpet edge clamp having gripping teeth for locking about the raised edge of the carpet. 
     The doorway anchor can include members for mounting the winch directly inside of the doorway. The doorway anchor can include members for mounting the winch to be located outside to the doorway and outside of the room in which the carpet is being removed. 
     A novel method of automatically removing carpeting from a room, can include the steps of mounting a motor powered winch to doorjambs of a doorway of a room where carpeting is to be removed, attaching an outer end of an elongated line wrapped about the winch to a raised edge of carpeting spaced away from the winch, and operating the winch to retract the elongated line in order to start removal of the carpeting from the room. 
     The mounting step can include the step of clamping ends of a bar about each doorjamb. The method can include the step of telescopingly expanding or retracting the bar so at fit within the doorway. 
     The clamping step can include the steps of clamping a first end of the bar with a first width adjustable clamp about a first doorjamb, and clamping a second end of the bar with a second width adjustable clamp about a second doorjamb. 
     The mounting step can include the step of mounting the winch directly inside of the doorway of the room where the carpet is to be removed. The mounting step can include the step of mounting the winch to be located outside to the doorway and outside of the room in which the carpet is being removed. 
     Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of the novel carpet removing device. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the carpet removing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the motor and winch with support plate of the carpeting removing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an opposite side view of the motor and winch with support plate of the carpeting removing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a rear side view of the carpet removing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front side view of the carpet removing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the carpet removing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the carpet removing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  shows the carpet removing device attached to a doorjambs of a doorway with a gripping clamp about a raised edge of a carpet. 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the telescoping bar section of  FIGS. 3-4  along arrows  10 X. 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged side view of the gripping clamp of  FIG. 9  along arrow  11 X. 
         FIG. 12  is an exploded view of a second version of the clamp ends of the telescoping bars of the novel carpet removing device. 
         FIG. 13  shows the carpet removing device attached to the doorjambs of a doorway so that the winch and motor sits outside of the room in which the carpet is to be removed. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
     The components of the invention will now be described.
           1 . Automated carpet removing device     10 . First doorjamb clamp     12 . fixed L-shaped side arm     13 . female socket of fixed side arm     14 . moveable L-shaped side aim     15 . male protruding member of moveable side arm     18 . locking screw for first door clamp     20 . Second Doorjamb clamp     22 . fixed L-shaped side arm     23 . female socket of fixed side arm     24 . moveable L-shaped side arm     25 . male protruding member of moveable side arm     28 . locking screw for second door clamp     30 . Telescoping bars     32 . fixed bar     33 . female socket end     36 . moveable bar     37 . male protruding end     38 . locking screw for telescoping bars     40 . Motor     45 . power cord     50 . Winch     55 . cable     58 . hook end of cable     60 . Support plate     70 . Remote control     80 . Doorway     82 . First Doorjamb     84 . Second doorjamb     100 . Carpet gripping clamp     200 . Expandable clamp embodiment with elongated telescoping bars     230 ,  240  Additional insert adapters  230 ,  240       232 ,  242  Male end     236 ,  246 , Second Fixed L-shaped arm     237 ,  247 , Female Socket     238 ,  248 , Screw down tighteners     300 . Carpeting in room/space     310 . raised edge of carpeting     400 . Operator       

       FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of the novel carpet removing device  1 .  FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the carpet removing device  1  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a side view of the motor and winch with support plate of the carpeting removing device of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is an opposite side view of the motor  40  and winch  50  with support plate  60  of the carpeting removing device  1  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 5  is a rear side view of the carpet removing device  1  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 6  is a front side view of the carpet removing device  1  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 7  is a top view of the carpet removing device  1  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the carpet removing device  1  of  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-8 , the carpet removing device can include an electrical motor  40 , such as 12 volt motor that is powered by a wall plug  45 . The motor can run a winch  50  having a rotatable drum with a elongated line  55 , such as a cabled wrapped thereon. At the end of the cable  55  can be a hook end  58  for attachment to a carpet edge clamp that will be described later. The motor  40  and winch  50  can be fastened to a support plate  60 . 
     Attached to the support plate  60  can be telescoping bars  30 . One bar  32  can be fixed to the support plate  60  between the motor  40  and winch  50 . The fixed bar  32  can have a open female socket end  33  at one end. A second bar  36  can have a male protruding end  37  which can be telescopingly received within the female socket end  33  of the fixed bar  32 . A tightening thumb type screw  38  can be attached to pass through the top of female socket end  33  of the fixed bar  32  in order to tighten against the upper surface of male protruding end  37  of the telescoping bar  36 . Moving the male protruding end  37  of the telescoping bar  36  in and out of female socket end  33  of fixed bar  32  can adjust the length of the telescoping bars  30 . 
     The opposite end of the fixed bar  32  can be attached to a fixed L-shaped arm  12  of a first doorjamb clamp  10 . The fixed arm  12  can have an open end with a female socket  13 , so that the male protruding end  15  of a moveable L-shaped side arm  14  can be inserted therein. A locking screw  18  can pass through the top of female socket end  13  to abut against the top of male protruding end  15  so that the width of the clamp  10  can be adjusted in size for different sized doorjambs. 
     The opposite end of the moveable bar  36  can be attached to a fixed L-shaped arm  22  of a second doorjamb clamp  20 . The fixed arm  22  can have an open end with a female socket  23 , so that the male protruding end  25  of a moveable L-shaped side arm  24  can be inserted therein. A locking screw  28  can pass through the top of female socket end  23  to abut against the top of male protruding end  25  so that the width of the clamp  20  can be adjusted in size for different sized doorjambs. 
     A remote control  70  can be tethered to the motor  40  so that an operator can turn on and off the winch from a remote location. Alternatively, the remote control can be battery operated, and be wireless for activating the motor for the winch. 
       FIG. 9  shows the carpet removing device  1  attached to a doorjambs of a doorway with a gripping clamp  100  about a raised edge  310  of a carpet  300 .  FIG. 10  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the telescoping bar section of bars  32 ,  36  and locking screw  38  of  FIGS. 3-4  along arrows  10 X.  FIG. 11  is an enlarged side view of the gripping clamp  100  of  FIG. 9  along arrow  11 X with adjustable handle  110  and pair of clamp teeth  120 . A raised edge  310  of carpet can be inserted between teeth  120  and locked in place by pushing down on handle  110 . The carpet gripping clamp  100  can be such as but not limited to the gripping jaw assembly  20  shown and described in reference to U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,118 to Thomas et al., which is incorporated by reference. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9-11  and  1 - 8 , the operator can attach each of the clamps  10 , about side edges of a first doorjamb  82  and a second doorjamb  84  of a doorway, by wrapping each of the L-shaped arms of the clamps  10 ,  20  about the respective doorjamb and tightening the attachment with respective locking screws  18 ,  28 . Here the motor  40  and winch  50  with support plate  60  can sit directly in the actual doorway  80  of the room where the carpet  300  is to be removed. Next, the gripping clamp  100  can be attached to the hook end  58  of the elongated line (such as a cable)  55 . The operator  400  can stand behind the doorway  80  outside of the room in which the carpet  300  is to be removed. To activate the device  1 , the operator  400  merely needs to turn on and off the winch  50  to start pulling the elongated line  55  about the drum of the winch  50  and pulls up the carpet edge  310  which results in removing the carpeting  300  from the space. 
       FIG. 12  is an exploded view of a second version  200  of the clamp ends of the telescoping bars of the novel carpet removing device  200 .  FIG. 13  shows the carpet removing device  200  attached to the doorjambs  82 ,  84  of a doorway  80  so that the winch  50  and motor  40  sits outside of the room in which the carpet is to be removed. 
     This version has the same components as the former carpet removing device, with the exception of adding an additional insert adapters  230 ,  240  so as to be able to space the support  60  with winch  50  and motor  40  outside of the doorway  80  and into a different space/room than which the carpet  300  is to be removed. Here, the male end  232  of the adapter  230  telescopingly is inserted into the female socket  23  of the fixed L-shaped arm  22 . Next, the male protruding end  25  of the moveable L-shaped arm  26  is inserted into the female socket end  237  of the second fixed L-shaped arm  236 . The screws  28  and  238  can adjust the lengths of the bar  234  so as to customize the amount of distance for placing the support  60  with winch  50  and motor  40  outside of the room where the carpet is to be removed. Likewise, the second adapter  240 , has components  242 ,  244 ,  246 ,  247 ,  248  which function similarly with L-shaped arms  12  and  14 . 
     The carpet gripping clamp can also be two parallel bars that can be bolted together with screws/bolts that can pass through a carpet edge that is inserted between the bars. One bar can move relative to another bar so as to tightly grip the carpet edge. 
     The doorway clamps can also be positioned in a window frame as needed. 
     The novel device can weigh between approximately 50 to approximately 60 pounds so as to be car fable and can be operated by a single operator. The prior art machines often require two or more operators to carry and operate, and can weigh over 150 pounds. 
     Although the invention is described as being used to remove carpeting, the invention can be adapted to remove other types of rolled down flooring, such as but not limited to rubber flooring, vinyl flooring, and the like. 
     While the winch is described as being electrically powered with a wall mounted power plug, the winch can be powered by other batteries, and the like. Alternatively, the winch can be powered by other sources, such as but not limited to gas and the like. 
     Although the invention is described for removing glued down carpeting, the invention has other applications such as but not limited to removing carpeting that is nailed down, and fastened in other ways to a floor surface. 
     While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.