AU675858B2 - Infinite ratchet shovel - Google Patents

Description

1 INFINITE RATCHET SHOVEL Field of the Invention The present invention relates to shovels and more particularly but not exclusively to shovels employed in digging trenches and holes.

Background of the Invention Digging holes with conventional shovels is extremely difficult. This is particularly so where the hole is relatively small having regard to the size of the shovel blade.

Australian Patent 200211 addresses the above problem. Disclosed in this earlier patent is a shovel having a blade which is pivotally mounted at the bottom of the shovel o0 handle. A ratchet mechanism permits the blade of the shovel to move from a position in which the blade extends in the general direction of extension of the handle, and a position at which the blade extends generally normal to the general direction of extension of the handle. The ratchet mechanism holds the blade in a selected position which is defined by one of the ratchet teeth. The ratchet cannot prevent pivoting of the blade except when the s15 pawl is engaged with one of the ratchet teeth.

Tile shovel of the above discussed earlier Australian patent has the disadvantage that the ratchet mechanism only provides a select number of blade positions.

Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the 20 above disadvantages.

a"b. Summary of the Invention There is disclosed herein a shovel comprising: an elongated handle; a blade pivotally attached to one end of the handle; and brace means extending between the blade and handle to hold the blade in a selected angular position relative to the handle, said brace means including a clamp means and a rod, with the position at which the clamp means engages the rod determining the angular position of the blade with respect to the handle, said clamp means permitting angular movement, about an axis generally transverse of said handle, in a first direction between said blade and said handle to reduce said angle while preventing angular movement in an opposite direction to said first direction, with said clamp means being releasable to permit movement in said opposite direction.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a shovel; IN:\LIITr]0019:exc Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the shovel of Figure 1 with the blade in a first operative position; Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation of the shovel of Figure 1 with the blade thereof in a second operative position; and Figure 4 is schematic illustrations of the use of the shovel of Figure 1.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a shovel 10. The shovel 10 includes an elongated handle 11 to which there is pivotally attached a blade 12.

The blade 12 has one or more eyelets 13. The blade 12 also has a pair of flanges 14 each with an aperture, which apertures are aligned along an axis generally transverse of the plane of the flanges 14.

Fixed to the lower extremity of the handle 11 is a mounting assembly 15 for the blade 12. The mounting assembly 15 includes a base 16 fixed to the extremity of the handle 11. The base 16 has an eyelet 17. A pivot pin 18 passes through the eyelets 13 15 and the eyelets 17 to pivotally attach the blade 12 to the base 16.

The mounting 15 has a pair of flanges 19 which engage a brace means 20. The brace means 20 extends between the flanges 19 and the flanges 14 and is operable to retain the blade 12 in a selected angular position with respect to the handle 11. The brace means is "infinitely" adjustable. More particularly, the brace means 20 includes a rod 21 terminating at its lower end with an eyelet 22. Extending through the eyelet 22 as well as the apertures in the flanges 14 is a pivot pin 23. The rod 21 extends through a guide flange 24 also fixed to the base 16.

Pivotally supported by the flanges 19 is a canting plate 25. The plate 25 has an .aperture through which the rod 21 passes. The plate 25 is angularly movable between a 25 position permitting movement of the rod 21, and a clamp position fixing the rod 21 from movement. The canting plate provides a clamped means to selectively retain the blade 12 in a selected position.

Extending from the canting plate 25 is a release rod 26 extending to a pivotally mounted lever 27. The rod 26 is pivotally attached to the plate 25 as well as the lever 27.

Initial angular movement of the lever 27 towards the handle II causes pivoting of the canting plate 25 to a position permitting movement of the rod 21. Further movement of the lever 27 toward the handle 11 will again cause engagement of the canting plate with the rod 21. This prevents pivoting (when desired) of the blade 12 upward.

Extending between the flange 24 and the eyelet 22 is a helical spring 28 which biases the blade 12 to a position in which it extends in the general direction of extension of the handle 11.

A spring 29 extends between the base 16 and canting plate 25 to bias the canting plate 25 to a position of engagement with the rod 21.

IN:\IlBTri00191 :cx As the position of engagement between the canting plate 25 and rod 21 approaches the blade 12, the blade 12 pivots from the position shown in Figure 2, to the position shown in Figure 3.

Use of the shovel is best seen in Figure 4. The shovel 10 is first arranged so that the blade 12 extends in the general direction of the handle 11 (Figure The blade 12 is inserted in the soil and the handle pivoted away from the user. The canting plate 25 will automatically move down the rod 21. When the handle 11 is pulled backwards, the canting plate 25 engages the rod 21 and fixes the position of the blade 12 with respect to the handle. The blade 12 then pivots to engage the soil at the bottom of the hole. This process is then repeated until the blade 12 reaches the position shown in Figure 3.

It should be appreciated that by removal of the pins 23 and 28 the blade 12 can be replaced. Accordingly a variety of blades of different configurations may be provided with the handle 11.

A stop 30 is provided to define the limit of movement of the blade 12. The stop 15 abuts the flanges 14 to prevent further pivoting.

9 0 9 *o *i oo *o* *too IN:\LIIi'l'l'Kl0 191 :cXe

Claims (8)

1. A shovel comprising: an elongated handle; a blade pivotally attached to one end of the handle; and brace means extending between the blade and handle to hold the blade in a selected angular position relative to the handle, said brace means including a clamp means and a rod, with the position at which the clamp means engages the rod determining the angular position of the blade with respect to the handle, said clamp means permitting angular movement, about an axis generally transverse of said handle, in a first direction between said blade and said handle to reduce said angle while preventing angular movement in an opposite direction to said first direction, with said clamp means being releasable to permit movement in said opposite direction.

2. The shovel of claim 1, wherein the clamp means is a canting plate.

3. The shovel of claim 2, wherein said rod is pivotally attached at one end to said 15 blade and extends therefrom through an aperture in said canting plate, with said canting Splate being pivotally attached to said handle.

4. The shovel of claim 3, further including a spring biasing said shovel to a position in which the shovel extends in the general direction of extension of the handle.

5. The shovel of claim 4, further including a spring biasing the canting plate into clamping engagement with the rod.

6. The shovel of any one of claims 2 to 5, further including a lever pivotally mounted on the handle and operatively associated with the canting plate so that operation S of the lever causes movement of the canting plate to release the rod.

7. The shovel of any one of claims I to 6, further including a removable pin 25 pivotally attaching the blade to the handle, so that the blade may be removed and replaced with an alternative blade.

8. A shovel, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this Eleventh day of December 1096 Anthony William Armytage Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON [N:\Lll r]00191 :exe INFINITE RATCHET SHOVEL Abstract A shovel (10) adapted to dig trenches and holes. The shovel (10) includes a handle (11) to which there is pivotally attached a blade A rod (21) and a canting plate secure the blade (12) in a selected position with respect to the handle A lever (27) operates the canting plate (25) so that the rod (21) may be released. The blade (12) can be held in any desired position. Fig. 1 S IN UIBTT0081:LMM