Collapsible rake

Claim 2

An adjustable rake comprising: an elongated handle; a prong guide secured to the handle near an end thereof and extending transverse to the length thereof; a prong carrier slidably received on the handle; and a plurality of elongated prongs pivotally secured to the prong carrier and slidably received in the prong guide; said prong carrier including an opening through which said handle extends, and a tooth adjacent said opening directed toward said handle; said handle including a plurality of tooth receiving recesses spaced along at least a portion of the length thereof; and resilient means interposed between said prong carrier and said handle and opposite said tooth for normally urging said tooth into any one of said tooth receiving recesses to lock the prong carrier at a selected position of movement along the length of said handle.

Claim 3

An adjustable rake according to claim 1 wherein said prong carrier is generally U-shaped with said opening being located in one of the legs thereof, a second opening receiving said handle in the other leg thereof; said resilient means being interposed between said handle and the base of said U-shaped member.

Claim 4

An adjustable rake according to claim 2 wherein said resilient means comprises a spring member secured to the base of said U-shaped member and contacting said handle oppositely of said recesses.

Claim 5

An adjustable rake according to claim 2 wherein said second opening is in the leg of said U-shaped member nearest said prong guide, and said prongs include transverse ends received by said prong carrier; said prong carrier including an elongated slot therein at the junction of said base and said leg nearest said prong guide, said slot having a width corresponding approximately to the length of said transverse ends and extending generally transversely of the length of said legs; said transverse ends being received in said slot and in abutment with the edge of said slot in said base; and further including an L-shaped retaining member having one leg secured to said base below said transverse ends and a second leg extending therefrom to capture said transverse ends in said prong carrier.

Claim 6

An adjustable rake comprising: an elongated handle; a prong guide secured to the handle near an end thereof and extending transverse to the length thereof; a prong carrier slidably received on the handle; and a plurality of elongated prongs pivotally secured to the prong carrier and slidably received in the prong guide; said prong carrier including a member having an opening therein slidably receiving said handle and extending generally transversely to the axis thereof, said member further including an elongated recess bounded by edges generally transverse to each other and extending generally transversely to the length of said member; each of said prongs including transverse end portions having a length and a thickness so as to be received in said recess and be retained therein against movement in two directions by said edges, and further including a retaining element secured to said member and having a portion partially closing said recess for retaining said transverse ends therein against movement in the opposite directions while allowing pivoting of said prongs about an axis substantially coinciding with the longitudinal axis of said transverse ends.

Claim 7

An adjustable rake comprising: an elongated handle; a prong guide secured to the handle near an end thereof and extending transverse to the length thereof; a prong carrier slidably received on the handle; and a plurality of elongated prongs pivotally secured to the prong carrier and slidably received in the prong guide; said prong carrier including a member having an opening therein slidably receiving said handle and extending generally transversely to the axis thereof, said member further including an elongated recess bounded by edges generally transverse to each other and extending generally transversely to the length of said member; each of said prongs including transverse end portions having a length and a thickness so as to be received in said recess and be retained therein against movement in two directions by said edges, and further including a retaining element secured to said member and having a portion partially closing said recess for retaining said transverse ends therein against movement in the opposite directions while allowing pivoting of said prongs about an axis substantially coinciding with the longitudinal axis of said transverse ends.

Claim 8

The adjustable rake of claim 5 wherein said retaining member is an elongated, generally L-shaped member.