AU724284B2

AU724284B2 - Earth-working tilling tool

Info

Publication number: AU724284B2
Application number: AU52827/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Albert Van Der Berg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-01-30
Filing date: 1998-01-30
Publication date: 2000-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 2018-01-30
Also published as: AU5282798A

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: ALBERT VAN DER BERG ALBERT VAN DER BERG SANDERCOCK COWIE 69 Robinson Street, DANDENONG VIC 3175 EARTH-WORKING TILLING TOOL Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): Australian Provisional Application No. P04836 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: -1- 1998-01-29,A:\136 VANDER.FIL,1 -la- 4 TITLE: EARTH-WORKING TILLING TOOL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates toportable and hand held power operated earth-working tools and, more particularly, to working heads for such tools such as a tilling tool.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION The development of relatively small-scale hand held power operated earth working tools has been the subject of great thought and effort over the years in view of the widespread need for convenient, workable tools of this type operable under power by a single person in the course of home gardening or commercial cultivation of vegetable, flower or like plants.

EARTH-WORKING TILLING TOOL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to portable and hand held power operated earth-working tools and, more particularly, to working heads for such tools such as a tilling tool.

1998-1-23,A:136 VANDERBERG.CAPI It has been known to provide a power hoe head which in its basic form incorporates into the head a motor having a driving axle connected to a pair of hoeing tines extending downwardly and inwardly and then generally upwardly and inwardly. The two hoeing tines move 1800 out of phase with each other, in pendulum-type oscillation forward and backwards.

Also known is a tool having a hoeing action accomplished by a U-shaped cutting blade carrying front and back cutting edges therealong, which moves forward and backward.

Also known are earth-working tools incorporating prong-like tines configured in a generally horizontal plane which tiller is adapted for use on one's hands and knees.

Another known tool head incorporates legs, which move 1800 one another carrying cutting blades. This apparatus is rather large and complex and is supported and moved on wheels.

15 Also, in a somewhat more general context, powered trench digging is typically accomplished by, for example, large, heavy duty apparatus incorporating a blade which rotates into the earth and is mounted on wheels.

The present invention resides in a power operated earth-working tool for tilling purposes 20 just below the surface of the earth in a horizontal oscillating action, said tool having a prime mover distant from the immediate vicinity of the tool head, the apparatus comprising a tool head and a prime mover said apparatus being adapted to be held and controlled by a person during operation of the apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one form of the invention, there is provided a hand held power operated earth-working tool comprising a power source having one end of an elongated tubular housing extending therefrom and a tool head secured at the other end of said tubular housing, a rotating drive shaft connected between the power source and the tool head and located within the tubular housing, the tool head adapted to be driven through gearing connected to said drive shaft so as to move a cutter blade on said tool head in a substantially horizontal cutting oscillating action through an eccentric pin and slot 1998MI-23.A:\136 VANDERBERG.CAP.2 -3mechanism.

In accordance with another form of the invention there is provided a tool head for a hand held power operated earth-working tool comprising bevel gearing connected to the end of a drive shaft of the earth-working tool, a drive spindle connected to said gearing and at its other end connected centrally of a disc member having an eccentrically located pin thereon, said eccentrically located pin extending through and in driving engagement with a slot located adjacent one end of an elongated cutting tool member, said cutting tool member being pivotally mounted on a pin supported from the outer end of bracket means secured to an outer end of a tubular housing enclosing said drive shaft, so that movement in and through said slot results in oscillating movement of said cutting tool member.

PREFERRED ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION 15 The power source may comprise an electric motor or an internal combustion engine and .ithe bevel gearing may be of an angular disposition to suit the normal stance of an operator and also the depth of cut of the tool in its weed cutting tilling action.

The eccentrically located pin is preferably housed in a bearing member, the outer 20 circumference of which engages the inner surfaces of the slot in a rolling action so as to S" obviate wear on the eccentrically located pin.

The bracket for pivotally supporting the cutting tool member may be secured to the lower end of the drive shaft tubular housing and the bevel gear housing by U-bolts.

Alternatively the bracket for pivotally supporting the cutting tool member may be integral with and extending from the bevel gear housing.

In another form of the invention the slot for engagement with the eccentrically located pin may be located adjacent one end of a support arm pivotally mounted on the bracket with the cutting tool member located on an extension part secured to the underside of the support arm and said extension part may conveniently take the form of a tube.

199"-O1-23,A:\136 VANDERBERG.CAP,3 -4- The tool head having the extended cutting tool member may incorporate the support bracket embodiments of the above embodiments.

In order that the invention and its manner of performance may be fore fully understood, reference will not be made to an embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the power operated earth-working tool of the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the tool head of Figure 1, 15 Figure 3 is a plan view from underneath of the tool head of Figures 1 and 2, and Figure 4 is a side view of another embodiment of the tool head.

INTEGER LIST 5. Power source 6. Tubular shaft 7. Tool head 8. Housing 9. Drive spindle Disc 11. Drive pin 12. Slot 13. Cutter member 14. Pin Supporting bar 16. Clamps 17. Shield member 1998-01-23.A:\136 VANDERBERG.CAP,4 18. Support handle 19. Drive shaft Bearing on eccentric pin 21. Supporting bracket 22. Cutter member 23. Spacer tuber 24. Support arm DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the portable hand held power operated earth-working tool of this embodiment of the invention comprises a power source which may be an electric motor or an internal combustion engine.

15 An elongated tubular housing 6 encloses a drive shaft 19 between the power source 5 and a tool head 7 and acts as a holding and support through handle 18 for an operator of the device.

The tool head 7 consists of bevel gearing within a housing 8 located at an end of the 20 tubular housing 6 and having a drive spindle 9 extending therefrom and secured to a circular plate or disc SDisc 10 has a drive pin 11 located eccentrically thereon and engageable through a bearing •member 20 in a longitudinally extending slot 12 in a cutter member 13. Cutter member 13 is pivotally mounted on pin 14 on the lower end of supporting bar 15 which is cast integrally with bevel gear housing 8 and extending outwardly therefrom.

A shield member 17 is also mounted towards the lower end of the tubular housing 6 to protect an operator against flying material such as stones during the oscillating movement of cutter member 13. It will be appreciated that rotation of disc 10 moves pin 11 and its bearing 20 through slot 12 and this results in oscillating action of cutter member 13 about pivot pin 14.

1998-01-23,A:\136 Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings there is illustrated a tool head of the invention showing an embodiment of the cutter member supporting bar 21 and its clamping means comprising U bolts 16. There is also illustrated the feature of the cutter member 22 located on an extension tube 23 secured to a support arm 24 pivotally mounted on supporting bar 21 so as to give an oscillating action to cutter member 22 using the eccentric pin and slot mechanism of the previous embodiment.

The feature of the extended location of cutter member 22 may be used with the embodiment of the integrally mounted supporting bar 8 and the bearing member The extended location of the cutter member 22 is eminently suitable for tilling at a lower depth than that tilled by the cutter member of Figures 1, 2 and 3 which is very suitable for light depth tilling.

.1 0 0 a* a a a..

1998-01-23.A:136 VANDERBERG.CAP.6

Claims

1. A hand held power operated earth-working tool including a power source having one end of an elongated tubular housing extending therefrom and a tool head secured at the other end of said tubular housing, a rotating drive shaft connected between the power source and the tool head and located within the tubular housing, the tool head adapted to be driven through gearing connected to said drive shaft so as to move a cutter blade on said tool head in a substantially horizontal cutting oscillating action through an eccentric pin and slot mechanism.

2. A hand held power operated earth-working tool according to Claim 1 wherein said power source is an internal combustion engine.

3. A hand held power operated earth-working tool according to Claim 1 wherein 15 said power source is an electric motor. S:

4. A tool head for a hand held power operated earth-working tool comprising bevel gearing connected to the end of a drive shaft of the earth-working tool, a drive spindle connected to said gearing and at its other end connected centrally of a 20 disc member having an eccentrically located pin thereon, said eccentrically :--located pin extending through and in driving engagement with a slot located adjacent one end of an elongated cutting tool member, said cutting tool member :being pivotally mounted on a pin supported from the outer end of bracket means secured to an outer end of a tubular housing enclosing said drive shaft, so that movement in and through said slot results in oscillating movement of said cutting tool member.

A tool head for a hand held power operated earth-working tool according to Claim 4 wherein the bevel gearing is of an angular disposition to suit the normal stance of an operator and also the depth of cut of the tool in its weed cutting tilling action.

6. A tool head for a hand held power operated earth-working tool according to

1998-01-23,A:\136 VANDERBERG.CAP7 Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the eccentrically located pin is housed in a bearing member the outer circumference of which engages the inner surfaces of the slot in a rolling action so as to obviate wear on the eccentrically located pin.

7. A tool head for a hand held power operated earth-working tool, according to any one of Claims 4 to 6, further including a housing for the bevil gearing and wherein the bracket means for pivotally supporting the cutting tool member is secured to the lower end of the drive shaft tubular housing and the bevel gear housing by U-bolts.

8. A tool head for a hand held power operated earth-working tool according to any one of Claims 4 to 6, further including a housing for the bevil gearing and wherein the bracket means for pivotally supporting the cutting tool member is an integral part of and extending from the bevel gear housing. o• 4 So.•

9. A tool head for a hand held power operated earth-working tool according to any 6: one of Claims 4 to 8 wherein the slot for engagement with the eccentrically located pin is located adjacent one end of a support arm pivotally mounted on the bracket means with the cutting tool member located on an extension part secured 20 to the underside of the support arm. A tool head for a hand held power operated earth-working tool according to Claim 9 wherein said extension part comprises a tube member secured between the underside of the support arm and the cutting tool member. 11. A hand held power operated earth-working tool substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 12. A tool head for a hand held power operated earth-working tool substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19981-23.A:\136 VANDERBERG.CAP.8 -9- Dated this 7 t1h day of July, 2000. SANDERCOCK COWIE PATENT ATTORNEYS FOR ALBERT VAN DER BERG 1998-01-23,A:%136 VANDERBFRG.CAP.9