Abstract:
A method for catching shrub or hedge cuttings. The method includes a setup of providing a at least one frame assembly with a first side, a spatially disposed second side, a distal side, and a bottom, which cooperate to form a catching area. The receptacle may be made from two frame assemblies of differing widths so that the assemblies can be telescopically positioned to form a generally continuous receptacle, and for compact storage. The receptacle may have a cutout in the bottom to allow for positioning the receptacle around a trunk of a shrub.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/918,671, filed Aug. 13, 2004, now abandoned, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/495,003 filed Aug. 14, 2003. The entire disclosures of both applications are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. 

   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to a receptacle and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a receptacle and a method for catching and collecting shrub cuttings. 
   2. Brief Description of the Related Art 
   With the planting of shrubs comes the task of trimming. Shrubs are trimmed to remove dead leaves and branches or for providing a decorative effect. One problem that occurs during the trimming of shrubs relates to the difficulty of picking the cuttings out of ground cover, such as volcanic rock, wood chips, stone, and the like, which are used under shrubs for decorative purposes and for controlling weeds. More specifically, as the shrub is trimmed, the cuttings fall and collect in the ground cover directly beneath and around the shrub. 
   To this end, a need exists for a receptacle and method for collecting cuttings that accumulate from cutting shrubs. It is to such a receptacle and method that the present invention is directed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a receptacle constructed in accordance with the present invention positioned around a shrub being trimmed. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the receptacle of  FIG. 1  containing shrub cuttings. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the receptacle in the unassembled position. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the receptacle in the assembled position. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the receptacle positioned around a hedge being trimmed. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the receptacle of  FIG. 5  in a partially closed position for storage. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The term “shrub” when used herein means a shrub, bush, and any other plant, taken singly or in combination. The term “hedge” when used herein means a grouping of two or more shrubs. 
   Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIG. 1 , shown therein and designated by a reference numeral  10  is the preferred embodiment of a receptacle constructed in accordance with the present invention for catching shrub cuttings. The receptacle  10  is shown positioned about a trunk  12  of a shrub  14  while the shrub  14  is prepared to be trimmed with a pair of shears  16 . While the receptacle  10  is shown being used with the shrub  14 , it should be understood that the receptacle  10  may be positioned about the trunk or stem of any shrub, bush, hedge, or other plant to catch cuttings. Further, while shears  16  are shown being used to trim the shrub  14 , any cutting device, such as electric or gas hedge trimmers, scissors, and the like may be used to trim the shrub  14 . The receptacle  10  may be constructed from any suitable material, such as wood, metal, aluminum, rubber, cardboard, or a polymeric material and can be produced in various sizes and shapes depending on the size of the trunk of the shrub to be trimmed. In  FIG. 2 , cuttings  18  are shown being caught in the receptacle  10  upon trimming the cuttings  18  from the shrub  14 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the receptacle  10  is a box-like structure having a first frame assembly  20  and a second frame assembly  22 . The first frame assembly  20  has a first side  24 , a spatially disposed second side  26 , a distal or back side  30 , and a bottom  32 . The first side  24 , second side  26 , distal side  30  and bottom  32  cooperate to form a first catching area  33 . While the first frame assembly  20  is shown as being rectangular in shape, it should be understood that the first frame assembly  20  may be any shape, such as circular, oval, square, and the like, as long as the first frame assembly  20 , in cooperation with the second frame assembly  22  function to provide a receptacle for catching cuttings from a shrub. The bottom  32  is provided with a first cutout  34  disposed in a front edge  35  of the bottom  32  such that the first cutout  34  is substantially centrally disposed between the first and second sides  24  and  26 , respectively, of the first frame assembly  20 . The first cutout  34  extends inwardly a selected distance from the front edge  35  of the bottom  32  toward the distal side  30  of the first frame assembly  20 . The first cutout  34  may be any suitable shape and size. 
   The second frame assembly  22  has a first side  36 , a spatially disposed second side  38 , a distal or back side  42 , and a bottom  44 . The first side  36 , second side  38 , distal side  42 , and bottom  44  cooperate to form a second catching area  45 . While the second frame assembly  22  is shown as being rectangular in shape, it should be understood that the second frame assembly  22  may be any shape, such as circular, oval, square, and the like, as long as the second frame assembly  22 , in cooperation with the first frame assembly  20 , function to provide a receptacle for catching cuttings from a shrub. The bottom  44  is provided with a second cutout  46  disposed in a front edge  48  of the bottom  44  such that the second cutout  46  is substantially centrally disposed between the first and second sides  36  and  38 , respectively, of the second frame assembly  22 . The second cutout  46  extends inwardly a selected distance from the front edge  48  of the bottom  44  toward the distal side  42  of the second frame assembly  22 . The second cutout  46  may be any suitable shape and size. 
   The second frame assembly  22  is provided with a width  47  less than the width  49  of the first frame assembly  20  so that at least a portion of the second frame assembly  22  can be telescopically positioned within the first catching area  33  of the first frame assembly  20  substantially as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Thus, the first and second frame assemblies  20  and  22  cooperate to form the receptacle  10 . While the receptacle  10  is shown in  FIGS. 1-4  as a box-like structure, it should be understood that the receptacle  10  may be any shape, such as circular, oval, or the like. The first cutout  34  of the first frame assembly  20  and the second cutout  46  of the second frame assembly  22  cooperate to form an opening  50  for the trunk  12  of the shrub  14 . The second frame assembly  22  and the first frame assembly  20  may increase and decrease the size of the receptacle  10 , which also varies the size of the opening  50 , by telescopically sliding the second frame assembly  22  with respect to the first frame assembly  20 . The telescoping of the first frame assembly  20  and the second frame assembly  22  allows the receptacle  10  to be positioned about shrubs of various sizes. 
   To assemble the receptacle  10  for use with catching the cuttings  18  of the shrub  14 , the first frame assembly  20  is positioned on the supporting surface  52  around the shrub  14  to be trimmed such that a portion of the trunk  12  of the shrub  14  is positioned within the first cutout  34  in the bottom  32  of the first frame assembly  20 . The second frame assembly  22  is then positioned on the supporting surface  52  so as to be disposed opposite the first frame assembly  20 . The second frame assembly  22  is slid or moved telescopically into the first catching area  33  of the first frame assembly  20  until the second cutout  46  in the bottom  44  of the second frame assembly  22  substantially abuts the trunk  12  of the shrub  14 , thus, placing the receptacle  10  in the assembled position. This allows both the first and second cutouts,  34  and  46 , while forming the opening  50  to have a substantially abutting relationship with the trunk  14  of the shrub  12 . 
     FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate another embodiment of the receptacle in which the first cutout,  34  and the second cutout,  46  consist of perforations rather than complete severance so as to allow the user to use the receptacle on a hedge as well as a single shrub. 
   The user may sever the first cutout  34  of the first frame assembly  20  and the second cutout  46  of the second frame assembly  22  to form the embodiment described in  FIGS. 1-4 . The user may alternatively leave the front edges,  35  and  48 , of the bottoms,  32  and  44 , of the frame assemblies  20  and  22  intact. The front edge  35  of the bottom  32  of the first frame assembly  20  and the front edge  48  of the bottom  44  of the second frame assembly  22  cooperate to form an opening  54  for the trunks of a hedge. 
   To assemble the receptacle  10  for use with catching the cuttings  18  of a hedge, the first frame assembly  20  is positioned on the supporting surface  52  on one side of the hedge to be trimmed such that the trunks are positioned along the front edge  35  of the bottom  32  of the first frame assembly  20 . The second frame assembly  22  is then positioned on the supporting surface  52  so as to be disposed opposite the first frame assembly  20 . The second frame assembly  22  is slid or moved telescopically toward the first catching area  33  of the first frame assembly  20  until the front edge  48  of the bottom  44  of the second frame assembly  22  substantially abuts the trunks of the hedge, thus, placing the receptacle  10  in the assembled position. This allows both the first and second frame assemblies,  20  and  22 , while forming the opening  50  to have a substantially abutting relationship with the trunks of the hedge.