AU2011201701B1 - Hole Shovel and Method of Clearing A Hole - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A hole shovel 10 comprising a shaft 12 and an operating portion 14 connected to the shaft 12. The operating portion 14 has an area defined by a back plate 16, side walls 18 and a base wall 20. The base wall 20 extends beyond the defined area to form a protruding portion 42 having a shovelling edge 44.

Description

-1 "HOLE SHOVEL AND METHOD OF CLEARING A HOLE" FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a hole shovel and a method of clearing a hole. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction as at the priority date of the application. There are many existing tools for digging post or pylon holes (collectively referred to hereafter as "footing holes"). These include post hole diggers, suction devices and single and double handled shovels. While each system has its own particular problems and advantages, in each case the removal of loose soil using such tools are time consuming, laborious ad generally ineffective. At the same time the removal of loose soil from footing holes is of high importance. The effects of a failure to remove such soil, or an inadequate removal may have varying effects ranging from the construction being held up due to a failure to meet appropriate building inspections to the sinking and cracking of building pillars and/or foundations. Either situation can be costly and create a negative experience for all parties involved. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hole shovel that allows for efficient and effective cleaning of footing holes. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Throughout this document, unless otherwise indicated to the contrary, the terms 5 "comprising", "consisting of", and the like, are to be construed as non-exhaustive, or in other words, as meaning "including, but not limited to". In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is a hole shovel comprising: a shaft; and -2 an operating portion connected to the shaft, where the operating portion has an area defined by a back plate, side walls and a base wall and where the base wall extends beyond the defined area to form a protruding portion having a shovelling edge and where the exterior surface of at least one of the base wall and protruding portion is flat to facilitate compacting of a footing hole and where the angle of connection between the shaft and the operating portion is a function of the depth of a footing hole in which the hole shovel is to be used. This combination of features allows the hole shovel to also act as a compactor in addition to a clearing apparatus. The angle of the axis of the shaft may be substantially perpendicular to an exterior surface of the base wall. The shaft may be connected to the operating portion by way of a variable angle connector, the variable angle connector able to change the angle of connection between the shaft and the operating portion as desired by a user. The shaft may be made from a plurality of extendable segments. Again these features, both alone or in combination, allow a single hole shovel to be configured to meet the needs of the footing hole being cleared as well as the personal circumstances of the user. The side walls are preferably triangular, or substantially triangular, in shape. Side walls not being triangular or substantially triangular in shape may include protrusions which stop the hole shovel from being able to clear soil contained closest to the sides of the footing hole. The protruding portion may have open corners. The shaft may have a handle or grip. A single sheet of material may be used to form at least two of the following: the side walls, the back plate, the base wall. The defined area is preferably of size and dimension to hold 1.5 kilograms of soil. Similarly, the shaft preferably has a length of 2300mm or 2900mm.

-3 In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is a method of clearing a footing hole comprising the steps of: inserting a hole shovel as described in the first aspect of the invention in the footing hole such that the shovelling edge connects with a bottom of the footing 5 hole and the protruding portion is angled relative to the bottom of the footing hole. directing the shovel in a manner that the shovelling edge scoops up loose soil contained in the bottom of the footing hole and directs it towards the defined area, the angle between the protruding portion and the bottom of the footing hole 10 decreasing throughout this step; removing the hole shovel, including the loose soil received within the defined area, from the footing hole; and compacting the bottom of the footing hole with an exterior surface of at least one of the protruding portion and the base wall. 15 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a hole shovel in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is a side plan view of the hole shovel shown in Figure 1. 20 Figure 3 is a front view of the hole shovel shown in Figure 1. Figures 4a through 4c are side plan views of the hole shovel shown in Figure 1 in use as a digging implement. Figure 5 is a side plan view of the hole shovel shown in Figure 1 in use as a compacting implement. 25 PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention there is a hole shovel 10. The hole shovel 10 comprises a shaft 12 and an operating portion 14.

-4 Attached to one end of the shaft 12 is the operating portion 14. The operating portion 14 comprises a back plate 16, side walls 18 and a base wall 20. The back plate 16 is rectangular in shape. The back plate 16 has first edge 22, a second edge 24 and a third edge 26. Positioned centrally from the third edge 26 is a hollow cavity 28. The hollow cavity 28 creates a raised portion 30 in the back plate 16 having a first cavity end 32 and a second cavity end 34, The first cavity end 32 tapers away as the hollow cavity 28 extends towards the second edge 24. The second cavity end 34 extends up from the back plate 16 and away from the third edge 26. The second cavity end 34 is open ended The attachment between the shaft 12 and the operating portion 14 is achieved by receipt of one end of the shaft 12 within the second cavity end 34 Means of retaining the end of the shaft 12 within the second cavity end 34 would be readily apparent to the person skilled in the art and as is not pertinent to the inventive elements of the present invention will not be discussed in more detail here. Each side wall 18 attaches to the back plate 16 at a second edge 24. The base wall 20 extends between and is attached to the two side walls 18. In this embodiment, the side walls 18 attach to the base wall 20 for approximately three quarters of its depth. The side walls 18 are each substantially triangular in shape. The angle of the triangle at the point of connection between the side wall 16 and the base wall 20 is obtuse. The apex of the triangle opposite the side where the side wall 18 attaches to the base wall 20 is replaced with a substantially rectangular portion 36. The points P 1 where each side wall 20 transforms from the rectangular portion 36 to its substantially triangular shape is substantially in line with the point P 2 where the second cavity end 34 extends up from the back plate 16. One end 38 of the rectangular portion 36 has a rounded edge. The base wall 20 also attaches to the second edge 24. The base wall 20 is substantially rectangular in shape. The base wall 20 has a protruding portion 42 having open corners 40. Extending between the open corners 40 is a shovelling edge 44. The invention will now be described in the context of its intended use.

-5 The hole shovel 10 is directed towards the bottom of a hole 100 at an angle slightly away from the user. In this position, the base plate 20 is also angled relative to the bottom of the hole 100. This angling allows the shovelling edge 44 to makes its way under loose soil 102 that has gathered to the side of the hole 100 near the user. (See Figure 4a) The user then directs the hole shovel 10 towards himself. This causes the gathered loose soil 102 to be gathered by the shovelling edge 44 firstly towards the protruding portion 42 to eventually accumulate in the area of the hole shovel 10 bounded by the back plate 16, side walls 18 and base plate 20. At the same time, as the hole shovel 10 has been moved to a closer position relative to the user, the user is able to hold the hole shovel 10 in a substantially vertical position. (See Figure 4b). In this manner, the user is in effect scooping up the loose soil 102 contained in the hole 100, Once the hole shovel is full, or all loose soil 102 has been retained within the bounded area of the hole shovel 10 described above, the user then pulls up the hole shovel 10 and out of the hole 100. As the hole shovel is in a substantially vertical position prior to removal from the hole 100, the loose soil 102 retained within the bounded are of the hole shovel 10 is not lost during the removal process to again fall towards the bottom of the hole 100. Once removed, the loose soil 102 can be disposed of by appropriate manipulation of the hole shovel 102 as required by the disposal systems of the construction site. (see Figure 4c). This process is then repeated until such time as all loose soil 102 contained within the hole 100 is removed. Once all of the loose soil 102 has been removed from the hole 100, the hole shovel 10 is again inserted into the hole 100. This time, the user directs the hole shovel 10 to a position where the base wall 20 is substantially parallel to the bottom of the hole 100. Once so positioned, the user may then repeatedly move the hole shovel 10 up and down with force. The repeated striking of the base wall 20 against the bottom of the hole 100 operates to compact any remaining loose soil 102 that may remain therein. (See Figure 5) -6 It should be noted that during this process the user has no need to bend their back in operating the hole shovel 10. Thus, expenses caused by medical claims relating to back injuries that may otherwise arise through use of other tools is effectively minimised through the use of the hole shovel 10 of the present invention. 5 It should be appreciated by the person skilled in the art that the above invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. In particular, the following modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention: * The shaft 12 may be made from timber, fibreglass or steel tubing of any form. 10 The operating portion 14 is preferably made of various thicknesses depending on requirements. Material used to form the operating portion 14 include trade strength tool steel; mild steel and stainless steel. e The shaft 12 may be of any length and may be made from one or more extendable segments. Of course, it should be appreciated that a shorter length 15 of the shaft 12 impacts on the depth to which a footing hole can be efficiently and effectively cleared using the hole shovel 10 of the present invention. Furthermore, too long or too short a shaft 12 may affect the balance of the hole shovel 10 during use and thus reduce its efficiency and/or effectiveness. " The applicant's have found that a shaft 12 length of 2300mm allows effective and 20 efficient clearing of footing holes to a depth of 900mm, being the standard depth to which footing holes are dug. For deeper footings (.ie for pylon foundations of approximately 1500mm) a shaft 12 length of 2900mm is appropriate. " The size of the area bounded by the back plate 16, side walls 18 and base plate 20 can be varied to meet various desired volumes. However, the applicant's 25 have found that sizing this area so as to accommodate approximately 1.5kg of soil is most advantageous as such weight can readily be handled by a user. * While the hole shovel has been described in the embodiment above as being directed towards the user when used, it is also possible to use the hole shovel in a direction away from the user. 30 * Side walls 18 may vary in shape than that described. For instance the side walls 18 may be triangular in shape. Further variations may see the side walls 18 shaped like a truncated triangle. The important elements is that the side walls -7 are sized and shaped so as to allow a desirable amount of soil to be retained within the area bounded by the back plate 16, side walls 18 and base plate 20. * The base plate 20 and back plate 16 may be formed from a single sheet of bent material. In such a configuration, second edge 24 is made redundant. * Alternatively, the base plate 20 and side walls 18 may be formed from a single sheet of bent material. * In a further alternative, the back plate 16 and side walls 18 may be formed from a single sheet of bent material. In such a configuration, first edge 22 may be made redundant. In a still further alternative, the base plate 20, side walls 18 and back plate 16 may all be formed from a single sheet of bent material. Again, in such a configuration, first edge 22 and second edge 24 may be made redundant. * The point of connection between shaft 12 and operating portion 14 may vary from that described. For instance, the shaft 12 may connect to the side of the back plate 16 opposite the side from which the side walls 18 extend. Alternatively, the shaft 12 may comprise a split tube, the back plate 16 designed to be received within the split and securely connected on both sides to the tube. . The angle at which the shaft 12 connects to the operating portion 14 may vary according to its intended use. For example, where the hole shovel 10 is intended to be used in 1500mm footing holes, the angle of connection may need to be smaller than the angle of connection for hole shovels intended to be used in 900mm footing holes. * The open corners 40 may be more or less rounded depending on requirements, * The angles of the first edge 22 and second edge 24 may be greater or less depending on requirements, a The shaft 12 may include a handle or grip to facilitate use. * The shaft 12 may connected to the operating portion 14 by way of a variable angle connector. The variable angle connector able to allow the user to adjust the angle of the connection between the shaft 12 and operating portion 14 as desired to meet the depth of the hole being cleaned and/or the comfort of the user.

It should be further appreciated by the person skilled in the art that the modifications and variations described above, where not mutually exclusive, may be combined to form yet further embodiments that fall within the scope of this invention. DATED 15 APRIL 2011

Claims (12)

1. A hole shovel comprising: a shaft; and an operating portion connected to the shaft, where the operating portion has an area defined by a back plate, side walls and a base wall and where the base wall extends beyond the defined area to form a protruding portion having a shovelling edge and the exterior surface of at least one of the base wall and protruding portion is flat to facilitate compacting of a footing hole and where the angle of connection between the shaft and the operating portion is a function of the depth of a footing hole in which the hole shovel is to be used.

2. A hole shovel according to claim 1, where the angle of the axis of the shaft is substantially perpendicular to an exterior surface of the base wall.

3. A hole shovel according to any preceding claim, where the shaft is connected to the operating portion by way of a variable angle connector, the variable angle connector able to change the angle of connection between the shaft and the operating portion as desired by a user.

4. A hole shovel according to any preceding claim, where the shaft is made from a plurality of extendable segments.

5. A hole shovel according to any preceding claim, where the side walls are triangular, or substantially triangular, in shape.

6. A hole shovel according to any preceding claim, where the protruding portion has open corners.

7. A hole shovel according to any preceding claim, where a single sheet of material is used to form at least two of the following: the side walls, the back plate, the base wall.

8. A hole shovel according to any preceding claim, where the shaft has a handle or grip. -10

9. A hole shovel according to any preceding claim, where the defined area is of size and dimension to hold 1.5 kilograms of soil.

10.A hole shovel according to any preceding claim, where the shaft has a length of ) 2300mm.

11.A hole shovel according to any one of claims 1 to 9, where the shaft has a length of 2900mm.

12.A method of clearing a footing hole comprising the steps of: inserting a hole shovel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 in the footing hole such that the shoveling edge connects with a bottom of the footing hole and the protruding portion is angled relative to the bottom of the footing hole, directing the shovel in a manner that the shovelling edge scoops up loose soil contained in the bottom of the footing hole and directs it towards the defined area, the angle between the protruding portion and the bottom of the footing hole decreasing throughout this step; removing the hole shovel, including the loose soil received within the defined area, from the footing hole; and compacting the bottom of the footing hole with an exterior surface of at least one of the protruding portion and the base wall.