GB2078476A - A garden tool for edging lawns and turfing - Google Patents

Abstract

A garden tool for edging lawns and turfing, which garden tool comprises a handle (4), a cutting blade (6) attached to the handle, and a slide unit in which the cutting blade is slidable up and down in bearing parts 38,40, the slide unit having a foot rest portion (24) for enabling the garden tool to be firmly located in position during movement of the cutting blade. <IMAGE>

Description

.SPECIFICATION A garden tool for edging lawns and turfing This invention relates to a garden tool for edging lawns and turfing.

More specifically, this invention provides a garden tool for edging lawns and turfing, which garden tool comprises a handle, a cutting blade attached to the handle, and a slide unit in which the cutting blade is slidable up and down, the slide unit having a foot rest portion for enabling the garden tool to be firmly located in position during movement of the cutting blade.

Preferably, the cutting blade has an inclined surface. The cutting blade may then be in the form of a guillotine blade.

The cutting blade may be spring biased to a rest position in the slide unit. The cutting blade will usually be spring biased to its rest position by a pair of coil springs.

Usually, the foot rest portion will have a flat grass-engaging surface for holding the garden tool steady and for holding the turf firm to give a clean cut.

Advantageously, the foot rest portion is pivotable with respect to the remainder of the slide unit in order to permit variation of the angle of cut of the cutting blade. The foot rest portion may pivot about one or more hinges or a rod.

The garden tool may advantageously include locking means for locking the foot rest portion in its chosen angular position. The locking means may comprise a wing nut arrangement or other device.

Preferably, the garden tool includes one or more apertures for receiving a guideline, the guideline ensuring that cutting takes place in a desired line.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1, 2 and 3 respectively show front, side and top views of a handle and cutting blade in the form of a spade, the top view omitting part of the handle; Figures 4, 5 and 6 respectively show front; side and top views of a slide unit; Figures 7 and 8 respectively show front and side views of the spade shown in Figures 1 to 3 assembled in the slide unit shown in Figures 4to 6; and Figures 9, 10 and 11 respectively shown front, side and top views of a modified slide unit.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, there is shown a spade 2 having a handle 4 attached to a blade 6. The handle 4 is received in a tubular member 8 secured to the blade 6. The cutting edge 10 of the blade 6 is inclined as shown in Figure 1 so that the blade 6 is in the form of a guillotine blade. The edge ofthe blade 6 remote from the cutting edge 10 is provided with flanges 12, 14. These flanges 12,14 will receive a person's foot to enable the person to stand or press on the blade 6 to cause it to cut into the ground for effecting edging of lawns or turfing. The flanges 12, 14 are respectively provided with holes 16,18.

Referring now to Figures 4 to 6, there is shown a slide unit 20. The slide unit 20 has a vertical portion 22 and a horizontal foot rest portion 24.

The portion 22 has a flange 26 at its upper end and this flange 26 is provided with a pair of holes 28,30 for co-operating with the holes 16, 18 in the flanges 12, 14 of the spade 2. The portion 22 has a pair of slide members 32,34 provided on its front surface and these slide members 32, 34 co-operate with the front surface 36 of the portion 22 to define slide slots 38,40.

The portion 24 is in the form of a horizontal plate as shown in the drawings. The portions 22, 24 define between them a right angle. However, referring to Figure 5, it will be seen that an alternative position for the portion 22 has been shown in dotted lines in which the portion 22 makes an angle of 75" with the portion 24.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, the spade 2 is shown assembled in the slide unit 20. It will be seen that a bolt 42 is located in the holes 16,28 and that a bolt 44 is located in the holes 18, 30. The bolts 42, 44 are held in position by nuts 46,48 respectively. The bolts 42,44 hold the spade 2 in position in the slide unit 20. A coil spring 50 is positioned over the bolt 42 and a coil spring 52 is positioned over the bolt 44.

The coil springs 50, 52 act to bias the blade 6 to a raised, rest position as shown in Figure 7. When a person treads one or other of the flanges 12, 14 the blade 6 will be depressed to the position shown in dotted lines in Figures 7 and 8 and a cutting action will take place. If the person then removes their foot, the coil springs 50, 52 can return the blade 6 to its rest position ready for another cutting stroke. The slide members 32,34 control the movement of the blade 6. The portion 24 lies flat on the turf and is effective to hold the garden tool illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 steady. The portion 24 also holds the turf firm enabling the blade 6 to cut cleanly. When the portions 22, 24 are at right angles then the blade 6 will give a straight cut into the turf.However, if the portions 22, 24 are positioned at the angle of 75" illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 5, then the blade 6 will give a sloping edge to a lawn if it is used for lawn edging.

The garden tool is preferably provided with one or more apertures for receiving a guideline (not shown), the guideline ensuring that cutting takes place in a desired line. One of these apertures is shown as aperture 54 in Figure 5. The garden tool can be moved along the guideline in the aperture 54 and this is especially useful for turfing where it is desirable to cut in straight lines.

Referring now to Figures 9 to 11, there is shown a modified slide unit 56. In Figure 11, the flange 26 has been omitted for clarity. The slide unit 56 has a vertical portion 58 and a horizontal foot rest portion 60. A guideline aperture 62 is formed by a hooped member 64 being located between the portions 58, 60.

The portion 58 is provided with slide slots 66, 68 which are defined by a front surface 70 of the portion 58 and elongate members 72,74. The members 72, 74 are spaced from the front surface 70 of the portion 58 by means of spacer members 76,78 respectively.

The members 72,76 and 74,78 are held in position by bolts 80 which are provided with nuts 82. The portion 58 is provided with an area 84 shown by shaded lines in Figure 9 and this area 84 is a cut out which is effective to take any soil carried up by the blade 6.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, instead of the portions 22,24 being rigidly fixed together as illustrated in Figures 4 to 6 they could be pivotally fixed together.

In this case, a locking device could be provided for locking the two portions 22,24 in their desired angu lar position.

In Figures 9 to 11, the modified slide unit 56 has spacer members 76,78. If desired, two or more spacer members 76 and two or more of the spacer members 78 can be employed. Since the spacer member or spacer members on each side of the modified slide unit 56 are positioned between the spade and the elongate members 72,74, good clearance can be achieved at the cutting point and this helps prevent soil clogging at the cutting point, which in turn gives cleaner cutting.

If desired, the spacer members 76,78 and the elongate members 72,74 can be welded together and in position instead of being bolted. Rivets can also be employed as a further alternative.

In order to avoid the side edges ofthe blade running against the metal of the spacer members 76,78, it may be desirable to provide the spacer members 76,78 with captured bearings, preferably ball bearings. The blade can then run over the bearings which will reduce metal to metal contact and assist in the smooth running of the blade.

Claims (12)

1. A garden tool for edging lawns and turfing, which garden tool comprises a handle, a cutting blade attached to the handle, and a slide unit in which the cutting blade is slidable up and down, the slide unit having a foot rest portion for enabling the garden tool to be firmly located in position during movement ofthe cutting blade.

2. A garden tool according to claim 1 in which the cutting blade has an inclined surface.

3. A garden tool according to claim 2 in which the cutting blade is in the form of a guillotine blade.

4. A garden tool according to any one of the preceding claims in which the cutting blade is spring biased to a rest position in the slide unit.

5. A garden tool according to claim 4 in which the cutting blade is spring biased to the rest position by a pair of coil springs.

6. A garden tool according to any one ofthe preceding claims in which the foot rest portion has a flat grass-engaging surface for holding the garden tool steady and for holding the turf firm to give a clean cut.

7. A garden tool according to any one of the preceding claims in which the foot rest portion is pivotable with respect to the remainder of the slide unit in orderto permit variation of the angle of cut of the cutting blade.

8. A garden tool according to claim 7 in which the foot rest portion pivots about one or more hinges or a rod.

9. A garden tool according to claim 7 or claim 8 including locking means for locking the foot rest portion in its chosen angular position.

10. A garden tool according to claim 9 in which the locking means is a wing nut.

11. A garden tool according to any one ofthe preceding claims including one or more apertures for receiving a guideline, the guideline ensuring that cutting takes place in a desired line.

12. A garden tool substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.