GB2192772A

GB2192772A - A gardening tool

Info

Publication number: GB2192772A
Application number: GB08713661A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael O'flanagan
Original assignee: Institue for Industrial Research and Standards
Current assignee: Institue for Industrial Research and Standards
Priority date: 1986-06-12
Filing date: 1987-06-11
Publication date: 1988-01-27
Also published as: GB8713661D0; IE861562L

Abstract

A gardening tool 1 for removing weeds and for planting plugs of grass, seedlings, bulbs and the like comprises an elongate tube 2 having a handle 12 at one end and a cutting blade 3 formed at the other end defining an open mouth. A piston 4 is mounted within the tube 4 and is movable axially through the tube away from the mouth for receiving a plug 21 of soil and towards the mouth for ejecting the plug 21. The piston 4 includes a number of holes 8 and a mounting pin 6 extends through opposed slots 5 in the tube and one of the holes 8. The piston is operated by an L-shaped arm 7 having a foot engaging portion 10. In use, the blade 3 is inserted into the ground by pressing on the handle 12. The handle 12 is then rotated and the blade is pressed into the ground until the bolt 6 impinges against the upper edge of the slots 5. As the tool is removed a plug 21 of soil is also removed which is ejected by applying pressure to the foot engaging portion 10 and pulling the tube upwardly. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A gardening tool The invention relates to a gardening tool for removing weeds and for planting plugs of grass, seedlings, bulbs, seeds and the like.

There have been many hand held tools proposed for removing a plug of soil or a weed including a plug of soil from the ground. Such tools however have been either of relatively complex construction and hence difficult and expensive to manufacture and/or are generally difficult and inefficient in use.

There is therefore a need for an improved construction of such a gardening tool.

This invention is directed towards providing such an improved gardening tool.

According to the invention there is provided a gardening tool comprising a cutting blade defining an open mouth for receiving a plug of soil, a body member extending rearwardly of the open mouth and a plunger mounted within the body member, the plunger being movable away from the mouth for receiving the plug and being movable towards the mouth for ejecting the plug.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the plunger is movable by an arm connected to the plunger through a slot in the body member. Preferably the arm includes a foot engaging portion projecting laterally of the body member.

In one embodiment of the invention the arm is of L-shape having an inner portion which lies along portion of the body member and a foot engaging portion which projects laterally from the body member.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the inner portion includes an elongate slot for limited travel of the arm.

Preferably the plunger is movable within the body member against a stop.

Typically the slot in the inner portion of the arm at least partially overlies the slot in the body member, a mpunting pin extending between the slots and engaging the plunger for limiting the travel of both the plunger and the arm.

In one embodiment of the invention the plunger is height adjustable within the body member for adjusting the stroke of a plunger and hence the length of the plug of soil.

Preferably the plunger comprises a piston having a plurality of axially spaced-apart locating holes for adjusting the stroke of the piston.

The mounting pin may comprise a screw which screw threadingly engages the plunger.

In one embodiment of the invention the plunger comprises a piston of wooden material.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the body member comprises an elongate tube and the cutting blade is provided at an extremity of the tube.

Preferably the cutting blade is formed at the extremity of the tube.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the blade is endless and extends around the mouth. The blade may be of saw tooth construction.

Preferably the body member includes a handle. The handle may for example be formed by a cross bar adjacent the end of the body member but remote from the mouth.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view from one side of a gardening tool according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tool from the opposite side, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a piston forming part of the tool, Fig. 4 is a front, partially diagrammatic view of the gardening tool, Fig. 5 is a front, partially diagrammatic view showing the gardening tool in the ground, Fig. 6 is a side view of part of the gardening tool in the ground, Fig. 7 is a front cross-sectional view of the gardening tool in the position illustrated in Fig.

5, Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the gardening tool withdrawn from the ground, and Fig. 9 is a front cross-sectional view of the gardening tool withdrawn from the ground.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a gardening tool indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 comprising a body member formed from a tube 2 terminating in a cutting blade 3 defining a mouth. The cutting blade 3 is in this case endless and of curved construction. A plunger which in this case is formed from a wooden piston 4 is mounted within the tube 2 and is movable axially through the tube away from the mouth for receiving a plug of soil and towards the mouth for ejecting the plug.

The tube 2 has a pair of opposed elongated slots 5 adjacent the mouth through which projects a mounting pin in this case comprising a screw or bolt 6 for connection of a mounting arm 7 onto the piston 4. The mounting arm 7 has an inner portion 9 and a laterally projecting foot engaging outer portion 10. The inner portion 9 includes a slot 11 to allow limited travel of the L-shape arm 7 as will be explained in more detail below.

The piston 4 is height adjustable within the body member to alter the stroke of the piston and hence the height of the plug of soil which can be received by the body member. In this case the piston 4 includes a plurality of axially spaced-apart holes 8 at different positions for reception of the bolt 6. It will be appreciated that the choice of hole 8 will determine the distance of travel into the tube 2 of the piston 4. The piston may be reversed in position to further vary the length of stroke.

A handle 12 formed from a crossbar is mounted on the top of the tube 2.

In use, the gardening tool 1 is offered up against the ground indicated in the drawings by the reference numeral 20 and the blade 3 is pushed into the ground by exerting pressure on the handle 12. The tool may be then rotated so that the cutting blade cuts the soil until the tool is so far into the ground that the piston 4 is prevented from further travel within the tube 2 by the bolt 6 impinging against the upper edge of the slots 5. During this operation the L-shaped arm 7 moves upwardly relative to the tube 2 and piston 4 as will be apparent from Figs. 3 and 4. As the tool is removed from the ground 20 the tool also removes a plug of soil identified by the reference numeral 21 leaving a hole 22 in the ground 20 when the arm 7 free-falls until the outer portion 10 of the arm is in line with the cutting blade 3.To eject the plug of soil the user places his foot on the outer portion 10 of the arm 7 and pulls the handle 12 upwardly pushing the plunger 4 downwardly through the body member to eject the plug of soil through the open mouth of the body member.

For ease of transportatiori and storage the crossbar handle 12 may be releasably mounted to the tube. Similarly when the mounting bolt 6 is unscrewed the arm 7 and the bolt 6 may be dropped into the tube. The ends of the tube may be closed for storage by plastics end caps.

It will be appreciated that the tube may have just one elongate slot 5 in which case the mounting pin may comprise a screw which only partially enters the piston. The particular advantage of a pin which extends through the tube however is in ease of operation of the tool.

It will also be appreciated that the cutting blade may be of arly suitable shape and construction. It may, for example, be of sawtooth construction. The blade may be formed at one end of the tube as illustrated and this has the advantage of cheapness and ease of construction and operation. The provision of a sloping blade is particularly advantageous for insertion -of the blade into the ground. It is envisaged that the blade may be formed separately and releasably mounted to the tube.

One advantage of providing an ejector mechanism operated from the side of the tube is that, particularly where the operator member includes a foot engaging portion, it is relatively easy to eject a plug of soil.

The gardening tool is so arranged and constructed that its parts can be packed within the tube for ease of transport. It will be appreciated that the gardening tool according to the present invention provides a mean for removing weeds from lawns or divot marks from golf courses and for inserting replacement plugs of soil or even soil and a plant or grass growing therein.

Further the gardening tool according to the present invention will be particularly useful for bulb planting as the ideal planting depth can be easily determined. Further, it could be used for the transplanting of seedlings, flowers, vegetables with the root system intact.

It is envisaged that the tool may be constructed in many sizes depending on the use and user.

Further, it will be appreciated that the tool according to the present invention can be used for the extraction of suitable soil samples.

Claims

1. A gardening tool comprising a cutting blade defining an open mouth for receiving a plug of soil, a body member extending rearwardly of the open mouth and a plunger mounted within the body member, the plunger being movable away from the mouth for receiving the plug and being movable towards the mouth for ejecting the plug.

2. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plunger is movable by an arm connected to the plunger through a slot in the body member.

3. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 2 wherein the arm includes a foot engaging portion projecting laterally of the body member.

4. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the arm is of L-shape having an inner portion which lies along poftion of the body member and a foot engaging portion which projects laterally from the body member.

5. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 4 wherein the inner portion includes an elongate slot for limited travel of the arm.

6. A gardening tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the plunger is movable within the body member against a stop.

7. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the slot in the inner portion of the arm at least partially overlies the slot in the body member, a mounting pin extending between the slots and engaging the plunger for limiting the travel of both the plunger and the arm.

8. A gardening tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the plunger is height adjustable within the body member for adjusting the stroke of the plunger and hence the length of the plug of soil.

9. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 8 wherein the plunger comprises a piston having a plurality of axially spaced-apart locating holes for adjusting the stroke of the piston.

10. A gardening tool as claimed in any of claims 7 to 9 wherein the mounting pin com prises a screw which engages the locating holes in the plunger.

11. A gardening tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the plunger comprises a piston of wooden material.

12. A gardening tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the body member comprises an elongate tube and the cutting blade is provided at an extremity of the tube.

13. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 12 wherein the cutting blade is formed at the extremity of the tube.

14. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 12 or 13 wherein the blade is endless and extends around the mouth.

15. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 14 wherein the cutting edge of the blade is curved axially for ease of insertion into the ground on rotation of the tool.

16. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 14 or 15 wherein the blade is of saw tooth construction.

17. A gardening tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the body member includes a handle.

18. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 17 wherein the handle is formed by a cross-bar adjacent its end remote from the mouth.

19. A gardening tool as claimed in claim 18 wherein the crossbar is releasably mounted to the body member.

20. A gardening tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.