Leaf collecting and hauling tarpaulin

Abstract

A lawn tarpaulin of strong, flexible material for collecting and hauling leaves and lawn debris is described consisting of a rectangular tarpaulin with two or more weighted and partially stiffened edges. Both the weight and stiffening are provided by a plurality of strips of stiff dense material, such as metal strips, fastened to the tarp edges alternating with short gaps of flexible tarpaulin edge between them. This allows the tarpaulin to be folded for convenient storage. The weighted edges keep the tarpaulin from bowing in the wind and stable when raking debris onto the tarpaulin. A handle attached to one corner of the tarpaulin connects the opposite corner and to at least one central point on a front edge for hauling. The partially stiffened edges cause the tarpaulin to assume a shape while hauling that encloses the load and prevents spillage.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to material handling devices. More particularly, this invention relates to devices able to move large amounts of light, voluminous material such as lawn debris.BACKGROUND[0002]For as long as man has had lawns, the raking of leaves and removing debris has been an annual chore, particularly in the fall. Moving eaves and debris to the street curb for municipal pickup or to a disposal site can be a problem because the low density of the leaf litter in particular requires moving a very large volume of material. Wheelbarrows and carts are inefficient for this task because their limited volume carried requires many trips. A common solution is to use a medium size tarpaulin for the hauling lawn debris. Leaves are raked onto the tarpaulin, one end of the tarpaulin is partially gathered in one hand and lifted off the ground, then tarpaulin and contained leaves are dragged to the disposal site to be emptied. There are three problems with this ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004]The present invention describes a lawn tarpaulin made of strong, flexible material with two or more stiffened and weighted edges to prevent the tarpaulin from folding in wind and to keep leaves from going under the tarpaulin when raking leaves onto it. However, the stiffening and weighting elements are not continuous down an edge, but interrupted at periodic intervals to allow a short flexible section between stiffening elements. This allows the tarpaulin edges to better conform to the contour of the ground, and it also allows the tarpaulin to be folded into a small bundle for storage. Storage size is important because lawn tarpaulins are used infrequently, but must be conveniently available when needed. This tarpaulin requires no assembly and is ready for use simply by spreading it on the ground. The tarpaulin has a handle to facilitate hauling that is tethered to one corner of the tarpaulin. This handle has two or more connective means that can be connected to and released from the same number of connective means on one edge of the tarpaulin. Thus there are no separate parts to get lost or misplaced. When the handle is connected to opposite ends of the tarpaulin edge and one or more intermediate points, the tarpaulin with its partially stiffened edges forms an enclosure most of the way down the tarpaulin allowing a large load to be hauled without spilling its contents.

Problems solved by technology

Weighted edges also helps keep leaves from being raked under the tarpaulin However, each of these solutions introduces further inconveniences.

Stakes used to flatten a tarpaulin make moving it much less convenient.

Weighted edges along one or two edges of a tarpaulin either have to be removed to fold it, or if not removed, rolling the tarpaulin on an edge makes a very long package for storage.

The mesh type of leaf hauler has the disadvantage of collecting debris entwined in the mesh causing problems when emptying and storing the net.

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