AU2006100863A4 - Stabilising device for long handled garden tools - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATIVE PATENT A STABILISING DEVICE FOR LONG HANDLED GARDEN TOOLS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of utilising it known to me.

I P Australia 1 0 OCT 2006 N A STABILISING DEVICE FOR LONG HANDLED GARDEN TOOLS

O

(This invention relates to a device that is adapted to clamp onto the handle of a leaf rake or the like, for the purpose of stabilising the 0 handle of the said tools in a general upright position when the tool is put aside. Locking means hold the device against the rake handle in the retracted position.

Quite often when raking leaves or the like in an open area the tool IN is put aside on occasions; this would mean that the operator has to 00oo walk some distance to lean the tool up against whatever is available, or place the tool flat on the ground. A tool lying in this position could easily cause an injury to the operator. The other IN drawback being that the operator has to bend down to ground level 0 to pick the tool up again.

The present invention has been devised to overcome the present said disadvantages and the general object of the invention is to provide a device that is light, easy to use and able to present the said tools in the before said manner, close to the working area. It is also the object of the invention to provide a device that is simple and economical to manufacture.

The following description will be described in relation to a garden leaf rake.

Accordingly this invention resides broadly in a device for stabilising the handle of a leaf rake in a general upright position, when the tool is put aside, during the gardening operation. Said device comprising, rake handle clamping means, a stabilising arm, arranged to pivot near its upper end, on the said clamping means, said arrangement allowing the lower part of the device that includes a base member, to pivot towards or away from the rake handle in a plane parallel to its axis. An extension of this stabilising arm past the said pivotal arrangement is formed into a handle, which is offset in a direction away from the rake handle, the amount of said offset will be seen to govern the amount of splay given to the base of the stabilising arm. A robust rake handle locking clip, pivotally arranged on the stabilising arm, near the upper end, is so arranged as to be releasably attached to the rake handle. A pair of rubber collars residing on each side of the said locking clip are slideably arranged, allowing for linear adjustment of the said clip (refer to other type of clamping means). The device can be made of metal or moulded plastic or a combination of both.

An alternative clamping means would be to employ the worm and circular rack type of system that is used to clamp a hose.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the IND following description.

In order that the preferred embodiment of the invention may be N readily understood, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings. Wherein: O s oFigure 1. is a perspective view of the stabilising device according to the invention.

Figure 2. is a side elevation of the locking clip engaged over a 1 ~10 section of a rake handle.

00oo Figure 3. is a view of the component parts of the clamping means and the related pivoting arrangement of the stabilising arm of IN which only a short section is shown.

Figure 4. is a view of the device clamped onto a rake handle, in the engaged position.

Figure 5. shows the device in the neutral or carrying position attached to the underpart of a rake.

Figure 6. is a side view of the device attached to a rake, with the locking clip fully engaged on the rake handle.

The device shown in the drawings in relation to a leaf rake includes: a stabilising arm 2 (Fig. An extension on the end of this stabilising arm 2. is formed into an offset handle 3. A handle grip 4. The amount of offset on the handle 3 is governed by the amount of splay required by the lower part of the stabilising arm 2.

An outwardly extending lug 9. A hole in the said lug 9. arranged as part of the pivoting means of the stabilising arm. A rake handle clamp 10. in the form of a short sleeve. A wide slot formed longitudinally in its body, a pair of outwardly extending lugs 11.

formed on both sides of the said slot on the sleeve 10. Holes in said lugs formed to accommodate the clamping means, consisting of a setscrew 13. (Fig. a steel washer 19. and wingnut 14. An outwardly extending lug 12. formed on one side X. and substantially parallel to the said lugs 11., a hole in said lug formed as part of the pivoting arrangement of the stabilising arm which includes a setscrew 17., said lug rubber washer 18., said lug 12., steel washer 19., and locknut 20., the locknut being tightened just enough to allow the stabilising arm 2. to be pivotally moved in a slightly stiff manner.

Attachment of the device to a rake are as such, with the various parts of the device assembled as before said. The clamp 10. (Fig.

2) is passed over the rake handle 22. as in Fig. 6.

The base member 5. coming into contact with the underside of the Srake head, a short distance away from the rake teeth, as in Fig. In this position the wingnut 14. is tightened to secure the clamp O 10. to the rake handle 22.

0 5 SIt can be seen that the stabilising arm 2. (Fig presents itself at a different angle to that of the rake handle, allowing the locking clip 7. to be adjusted axially along the rake handle 10. to a point IND where the clip 7. has to be forced over the rake handle to give the 00 10 necessary grip or tension. The operator slightly flexes the stabilising arm 2. at X. Fig. 6 towards the rake handle 10. when engaging or disengaging the said clip 7.

SIt will be understood that the particular embodiment of the invention herein described and illustrated may be subject to minor modifications of constructional detail and design without departing from the ambit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims (6)

1. A stabilising device adapted to be attached to the handle of a o garden leaf rake or the like for the purpose of stabilising the said handle of the said tools in a general upright position, until required, said device comprising clamping means, a stabilising arm arranged to pivot near its upper end on the said clamping means, said arm pivoting in a plain substantially parallel to the IN rake handle, a handle formed on the upper end of the said arm, oo said handle being slightly offset, away from the rake handle, the amount of offset governing the amount of splay given to the stabilising arm and base member, said base member formed as a junction on the lower part of the said arm. A robust rake Ohandle locking clip, pivotally arranged on the stabilising arm near its upper end, is so arranged as to be releasably attachable to the rake handle when required, a pair of rubber collars residing on each side of said locking clip, slideably arranged on the said arm, allowing for linear adjustment of said locking clip

2. A stabilising device according to Claim 1 wherein the stabilising arm consists of a metal rod of round cross section, a base member of like material being formed as a junction on its lower end, a lug extending outwardly near the top end of the said arm, arranged as part of the pivoting means, a hole in said lug formed to accommodate bolting means, enabling the said lug on the stabilising arm to be pivotally attached to the matching lug on the clamping means, a rubber washer residing between the before said pivoting means functions to steady the pivotal movement of the said arm that is controlled by the tension of the bolting means. A handle at the very top of the stabilising arm is offset away from the rake handle and arranged as to pivotally splay the said arm outward, when engaged.

3. A stabilising device as claimed in Claim 1 and 2 wherein the clamping means consists of a short sleeve of ample bore size, said sleeve having a wide slot formed longitudinally in its body, a pair of lugs extending outwardly and formed on each side of said slot. Holes in said lugs formed to accommodate the bolting means, said assembly when engaged on the rake handle form the clamping means, a lug extending outwardly and projecting substantially opposite said clamping lugs formed as part of stabilising arm pivoting means.

4. A stabilising device according to Claim 2 wherein the said locking clip is adjusted by linear movement on the stabilising arm that in turn governs the amount of tension or grip the IND locking clip has over the rake handle when the device is in the retracted position, the stabilising arm being forced to flex Stowards the rake handle at the point of engagement, thus giving the locking clip a flexible amount of tension over the rake 0 5 handle.

5. A stabilising device for long handled garden tools substantially as herein before described, with reference to Figures 1 6 of the accompanying drawings. 00 R.R. DE CAMPI

6 OCTOBER 2006 (-N