Patent ID: 7661258

Claim:
A rake system comprising: a rake handle having a top end portion and a bottom end portion; a rake having a main body and a plurality of tines projecting from the main body, the main body mounted to the bottom end portion of the rake handle; a second handle having a top end portion and a bottom end portion; a gathering member having a main body, the main body mounted to the bottom end portion of the second handle; the handles pivotally attached to each other at a pivot point between the top end portions and the bottom end portions to permit the handles to pivot the rake and gathering member away from each other to form a debris receiving area between the plurality of tines and gathering member, and to permit the handles to pivot the rake and gathering member toward each other to capture the debris; a limit means mounted to the handles between the end portions of the handles and the pivot point for limiting the pivot action of the handles to prevent them from separating too for apart and to maintain an optimum debris receiving area; wherein the limit means comprises two struts one end of each being pivotally connected together and each of the other ends of the struts pivotally connected to a respective handle at a location between the end portions of the handles and the pivot point; wherein each of the tines of the rake has a distal end and the gathering member has a distal end, such distal ends forming an angle of about 45° and 60° between the ground upon which the distal ends rest and a longitudinal axis passing through the handles, wherein the main body of the rake and gathering member is adjustably and pivotally mounted to the bottom end portion of each handle to enable adjustment of the angle to a fixed angle between about 45° and 60°, wherein the rake is employed for raking the debris into the debris receiving area and the gathering member is employed for moving the debris toward the rake as the rake and gathering member are pivoted toward each other, the rake and gathering member holding the debris therebetween to enable the debris to be lifted for subsequent disposal.