Trash Rake Attachment for Front End Loaders

Abstract

A tractor having a front end loader has a bucket with tines attached to the underside of the bucket. The front end loader is used to raise/lower and tilt the bucket in a conventional fashion in order to position the tines where they can gather trash by driving the tractor forwardly towards the trash. The trash can be picked up by first tipping the front end of the bucket up, which tips the bottom of the tines up as well. Secondly, the bucket, tines and trash can then be lifted using the front end loader. Thirdly, the tractor can then be driven to a place where the trash is to be dumped and fourthly, the bucket can be tipped so the front end of the bucket and thereby the bottom of the tines are tipped backwardly and upwardly to cause the trash to fall out of the tines.

1 . A trash collection apparatus comprising:
 a tractor having a frame;   a front end loader operatively attached to the frame and having a bucket;   the bucket having a raised position, a lowered position and elevational positions between the raised and lowered positions; the bucket being operatively pivotally attached to the frame at a lower rear portion of the bucket and having a substantially flat bottom disposed generally in a first plane, the bottom having a top side, a bottom side, a front edge and a rear portion, the bucket having a first position wherein the bottom is substantially horizontal, a second position wherein the bottom is pivoted in one direction from horizontal wherein the front edge is substantially above the rear portion thereof for causing any material on the bottom to move rearwardly by gravity when in the bucket and a third position wherein the bottom is pivoted in another direction from horizontal wherein the front edge of the bottom is substantially below the rear portion thereof whereby any material in the bucket is caused to be dumped out the front of the bucket by gravity; and   a plurality of spaced apart tines, a top of each tine being operatively attached to the bottom of the bucket, the tines each having a free end at an end opposite to the top end thereof, a substantial portion of each tine being disposed in a respective plane which is substantially perpendicular to the first plane of the bottom of the bucket.   
     
     
         2 . The trash collection apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the tines are substantially equidistantly spaced apart. 
     
     
         3 . The trash collection apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the tines are made of spring steel whereby they will bend due to forces thereon but will return to their original shape after such forces are removed. 
     
     
         4 . The trash collection apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the tines extend laterally wider than the width of the bottom of the bucket. 
     
     
         5 . A method of using a trash collection apparatus comprising a tractor having a frame; a front end loader operatively attached to the frame and having a bucket; the bucket having a raised position, a lowered position and elevational positions between the raised and lowered positions; the bucket being operatively pivotally attached to the frame at a lower rear portion of the bucket and having a substantially flat bottom disposed generally in a first plane, the bottom having a top side, a bottom side, a front edge and a rear portion, the bucket having a first position wherein the bottom is substantially horizontal, a second position wherein the bottom is pivoted in one direction from horizontal wherein the front edge is substantially above the rear portion thereof for causing any material on the bottom to move rearwardly by gravity when in the bucket and a third position wherein the bottom is pivoted in another direction from horizontal wherein the front edge of the bottom is substantially below the rear portion thereof whereby any material in the bucket is caused to be dumped out the front of the bucket by gravity; and a plurality of spaced apart tines, a top of each tine being operatively attached to the bottom of the bucket, the tines each having a free end at an end opposite to the top end thereof, a substantial portion of each tine being disposed in a respective plane which is substantially perpendicular to the first plane of the bottom of the bucket, said method comprising;
 a) disposing the bucket so that the bottom is substantially horizontal;   b) lowering the bucket until the tines are touching the ground;   c) driving the tractor forwardly toward and through trash disposed on the ground until the trash has gathered in the tines below the bucket;   d) tipping the bucket to the second position thereof to hold the trash from falling out of the tines;   e) raising the bucket;   f) driving the tractor to a place where the trash is to be dumped; and   g) tipping the bucket to the third position thereof to dump the trash.   
     
     
         6 . The method of using a trash collection apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the bucket is disposed over a place on the ground where the trash is desired to be dumped. 
     
     
         7 . The method of using a trash collection apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the bucket is disposed over a moveable bed of a trailer or truck where the trash is desired to be dumped so it can be hauled to a place for disposal or further transfer or processing.