GB2130461A

GB2130461A - Hand-operated gardening implement

Info

Publication number: GB2130461A
Application number: GB08233323A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald Thomson Macniven; Christian David Gorry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-11-23
Filing date: 1982-11-23
Publication date: 1984-06-06
Also published as: GB2130461B

Abstract

A pair of stub-axles (13, Fig. 3 not shown) are mounted on the end of a handle 10 such that they are angularly spaced apart by an angle a between 160 DEG and 120 DEG (preferably about 140 DEG ) in a plane which is itself inclined at an angle beta of about 45 DEG to the handle 10. Each stub- axle (13) rotatably carries a pair of circular discs 16 for cultivating soil through which they are pushed in a direction 23. Blades 22 are provided for removing clods of earth and the like from the discs 16 as the latter rotate. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hand-operated gardening implement This invention relates to a hand-operated gardening implement.

According to the present invention, such an implement comprises an elongate, manually graspable handle having a pair of stub-axles provided on an end portion thereof, and at least are circular discs mounted on each of the stub-axles for rotation about respective axes which lie at an angle to one another in a plane which is itself at an angle to the handle.

The angle between the stub-axles is preferably between 160 and 120 , most preferably substantially 140 . The angle between said plane and the handle is desirably substantially 45".

The gardening implement may also comprise a bracket having depending flanges at its ends to which are respectively connected end portions of the stub-axles remote from the handle. Blades can also be provided in the proximity of the disc surfaces for, as the discs rotate, removing clods of earth and the like which adhere to the discs. Most conveniently, these blades are mounted on the bracket, and at least some of the blades can be constituted by the depending flanges of the latter. Where two discs are mounted on each stub-axle, the blades are preferably provided adjacent both surfaces of the disc which is nearer the handle and also adjacent the surface of the other disc which faces away from the handle.

The stub-axles can be formed by an angled shaft which is secured to the handle.

Advantageously at least two discs are mounted on each stub-axle and are secured to a common tubular member which surrounds and is rotatable relative to the stub-axle.

Where the implement is to be moved in the direction of divergence of the stub-axles, each disc is preferably shaped so that it is concave away from the handle and convex towards the latter. This configuration will however be reversed where the implement is to be moved in the opposite direction.

Conveniently the discs or, where more than two are provided, the discs closest to the handle, have portions of their peripheries in close proximity to one another.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a handoperated gardening implement according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a front view of a lower part of the implement shown in Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a section taken along the line Ill-Ill in Fig. 2.

The gardening implement shown in the drawings is intended for use in cultivating soil and the like, and comprises an elongate handle 10 having a hand grip 11 at its upper end. At the lower end of the handle 10 there is secured a generally V-shaped bracket 1 2 from which a pair of stub-axles 1 3 extend at an angle. As can be seen to advantage in Fig.

3, the axles 1 3 are formed from a bent shaft 1 4 which is passed through apertures 1 5 in the bracket 1 2 and welded in position. The axles 1 3 lie at an angle a to one another in a plane which is itself at an angle ss to the handle 1 0. The values of a and ss are chosen to give the most favourable conditions of use, and are readily determined by suitably shaping the bracket 1 2. Desirably, the angle a is between 160 and 120 , the most preferred value being 140 , while the angle ss is conveniently about 45 .

On each stub-axle 1 3 there are mounted a pair of circular discs 1 6 : it is to be appreciated however that any suitable number of such discs could be provided. The discs 1 6 in each pair are welded respectively to the ends of a tube 1 7 which surrounds the respective axle 13, with a plastics bearing sleeve 1 8 (preferably made of nylon) interposed between the tube 1 7 and the axle 1 3 to allow the discs to rotate in unison relative to the latter. Each of the discs 1 6 is shaped so that it is concave away from the bracket 1 2 and convex towards the latter.The two discs disposed closest to the bracket 1 2 have portions of their peripheries in close proximity to one another, as indicated at 19 in Fig. 3. The gap between the discs at this point should be as small as possible to reduce the size of the ridge of soil which will be produced therebetween as the discs are pushed through the ground.

A bracket 20 lies across the tops of the discs 16, and has depending flanges 21 at its ends to which are connected the ends of the stub-axles 1 3 remote from the bracket 1 2.

Secured to the bracket 20 are a plurality of blades 22 which are disposed in proximity to the discs 1 6 to break up any clods of earth or the like which may adhere to the latter. More particularly, two such blades 22 are provided adjacent the inboard and outboard surfaces respectively of the disc 1 6 in each pair which is nearer to the bracket 12, while the flanges 21 on the respective end of the bracket 20 forms a further blade disposed adjacent the outboard surface of the other disc 16.

The implement is used by pushing it through the soil in the direction of arrow 23 in Fig. 1, i.e. in the direction of divergence of the stub-axles 13, whereupon the discs 1 6 rotate and act to cultivate the soil in the manner of a disc harrow. As indicated above, this action will produce a ridge of soil between the two innermost discs : although the size of this ridge is minimised by bringing the peripheries of these discs close together, it is possible to mount a plough attachment (not shown) on the bottom on the handle 10 and behind these discs to clear the ridge alto gether.

In a modified construction (not illustrated), the stub-axles 1 3 diverge rearwardly rather than forwardly of the handle 10, in which case the configuration of each disc 1 6 is reversed, i.e. so that it is concave towards the bracket 1 2 and convex away therefrom.

Claims

1. A hand-operated gardening implement comprising an elongate, manually graspable handle having a pair of stub-axles provided on an end portion thereof, and at least one circular disc mounted on each of the stubaxles for rotation about respective axes which lie at an angle to one another in a plane which is itself at an angle to the handle.

2. An implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angle between the stub-axles is between 160 and 120 .

3. An implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the angle between the stub-axles is substantially 140 .

4. An implement as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the angle between said plane and the handle is substantially 45 .

5. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a bracket having depending flanges at its ends to which are respectively connected end portions of the stub-axles remote from the handle.

6. An implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein blades are provided in the proximity of the disc surfaces for, as the discs rotate, removing clods of earth and the like which adhere to the discs, said blades being mounted on the bracket and at least some of the blades being constituted by the depending flanges of the latter.

7. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein blades are provided in the proximity of the disc surfaces for, as the discs rotate, removing clods of earth and the like which adhere to the discs.

8. An implement as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein a pair of discs are mounted on each stub-axle, and the blades are provided adjacent to both surfaces of the disc in each pair which is nearer to the handle and also adjacent to the surface of the other disc in each pair which faces away from the handle.

9. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the stub-axles are formed by an angled shaft which is secured to the handle.

10. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least two discs are mounted on each stub-axle and are secured to a common tubular member which surrounds and is rotatable relative to the stub-axle.

11. An implement as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one bearing sleeve is provided between each stub-axle and the respective tubular member.

1 2. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each disc is of dished configuration and is concave away from the handle.

1 3. An implement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the discs or, where more than two discs are provided, the discs closest to the handle have portions of their peripheries in close proximity to one another.

1 4. A hand-operated gardening implement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.