Apparatus For Capturing And Removing Hair From A Drain

Abstract

An apparatus for capturing and removing hair from a drain. The invention further relates to the same apparatus that can be utilized for the maintenance of drains by capturing other foreign debris for removal from a drain. Other embodiments of the invention are also useful for preventing drains, such as shower drains, lavatories, and the like from being clogged with foreign matter; namely hair,

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for capturing and removing hair from a drain, comprising:
 a downwardly central longitudinal shaft member having an upper end connected to a top member which is secured in place in the drain by a sink plate located at the drain opening of the sink;   a plurality of hair catchers having slender rod-like bristles, each slender rod-like bristle having a first end emanating from the central longitudinal shaft member, a second outer end engaging with or in close proximity to the internal circumference of a drain pipe, and positioned at a predetermined acute angle relative to the downwardly vertical flow of water in the drain for capturing hair from the drain pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bristles extend from the exterior of the longitudinal shaft member at a predetermined acute angle relative to the central radius point of the longitudinal shaft member, but said bristles do not always have to pass through or have to be angled toward the central radius point of the longitudinal shaft member so long as the alternative configurations are effective for capturing hair from a drain. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outer ends of the hair catchers include barrier-like knobs for preventing hair from sliding off the hair catching members, and for effectively preventing hair from sliding along the sidewall of the drain pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bristles are round, square or otherwise in a cross-sectional configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bristles are positioned on the longitudinal shaft member in vertical columns. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom end of the central longitudinal shaft member is secured to an internal guide. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the internal guide is secured by a fastener to a stopper actuator rod. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the internal guide is u-shaped and secured to a stopper actuator rod that is not secured to a fastener. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal shaft member includes relatively thin blade-like plates. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 9 , wherein bristle rod-like members are positioned within said plates at a predetermined acute angle. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the slender rod-like bristles extending from the central longitudinal shaft member are positioned at a predetermined acute angle used for capturing debris in the drain pipe. 
     
     
         12 . A system for removing debris from a drain, said system including a downwardly central longitudinal shaft member having an upper end connected to a top member which is secured in place in the drain by a sink plate located at the drain opening of the sink;
 a plurality of hair catchers having slender rod-like bristles, each slender rod-like bristle having a first end emanating from the central longitudinal shaft member, a second outer end engaging with or in close proximity to the internal circumference of a drain pipe, and positioned at a predetermined acute angle relative to the downwardly vertical flow of water in the drain for capturing hair from the drain pipe and that utilizes a tool comprising:   a v-shaped blade device having a longitudinal-extended handle that is coupled to a syncline-shaped hook that extends from an arm, within the v-shaped hook is an opening that includes a blade extending from the inner tip to the bottom portion of the v-shaped opening;   the outer tip of the v-shaped blade is positioned at the top of the longitudinal shaft member and then the v-shaped blade is slowly pulled downward between the vertical columns of the bristle rod-like members for removing hair from the apparatus; and   the removed hair is discarded into a trash receptor; and the hair capturing device is repositioned back into the drain pipe for capturing and removing hair from the drain again.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the v-shaped blade device is used for removing debris from said apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , Wherein the outer tip of the v-shaped blade is positioned at the top of the longitudinal shaft member and the v-shaped blade is slowly pulled downward between the vertical columns of the bristle rod-like members for removing debris from said apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for capturing and removing hair from a drain, comprising:
 a downwardly central longitudinal shaft member having an upper end connected to a drain plate which is secured in place in the drain by a floor plate located at the drain opening of the shower;   a plurality of hair catchers having slender rod-like bristles, each slender rod-like bristle having a first end emanating from the central longitudinal shaft member, a second outer end engaging with or in close proximity to the internal circumference of a drain pipe, and positioned at a predetermined acute angle relative to the downwardly vertical flow of water in the drain for capturing hair from the drain pipe.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the bristles extend from the exterior of the longitudinal shaft member at a predetermined acute angle relative to the central radius point of the longitudinal shaft member, but said bristles do not always have to pass through or have to be angled toward the central radius point of the longitudinal shaft member so long as the alternative configurations are effective for capturing hair from a drain. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the outer ends of the hair catchers include barrier-like knobs for preventing hair from sliding off the hair catching members, and for effectively preventing hair from sliding along the sidewall of the drain pipe. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the bristles are round, square or otherwise in a cross-sectional configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the bristles are positioned on the longitudinal shaft member in vertical columns. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the bristles extending from the central longitudinal shaft member are positioned at a predetermined acute angle used for capturing debris in the drain pipe.