GB2186471A - Hoe - Google Patents

Abstract

An implement for loosening earth and weeding land comprises a shaft 2, a principal blade 3 extending from one end of the shaft having its principal cutting edge 3a remote from the end of the shaft and at least one secondary cutting member 4, preferably in the form of a secondary blade, projecting from the shaft towards the principal cutting edge of the principal blade and preferably perpendicular to the plane of the principal blade. The implement may also be provided with an elongate projection 5 mounted on the shaft for making holes in the ground for planting seeds, seedlings etc. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Implement This invention relates to an implement and, in particular, to a hoe-like implement.

When preparing land forthe planting of crops it is usually necessary to loosen up the often hardened surface ofthe land in orderto aerate the soil and increase the porosity of the ground, thereby increasing the productivity of the land. It is also desirable to remove any weeds from the land prior to planting the crop so that the crop does not have to compete with the weeds for light, water and soil nutrients. These two tasks are normaily accomplished by the use of a conventional hoe, such as a Dutch hoe or Draw hoe.

Loosening ofthe ground can be accomplished by digging and/or inserting the cutting blade of a hoe into the ground, lifting a clump of hardened earth on the planar surface ofthe blade and then breaking up the clump usingthesharp edge ofthe blade.

Weeding is similarly accomplished by lifting a clump of earth with the blade or a ofa hoe,turningtheclump over and then breaking up the clump with the sharp edge ofthe hoe blade so that the roots of the weeds are exposed. The roots then dry out causing the weeds to die and the dead weeds can then easily be removed from the loosened soil. However, in both these operations, the lifting and breaking up of the earth must be done in two quite separate actions, both ofwhich require the expenditure of a considerable amount of energy on the part ofthe labourer. Moreover, the necessity to carry out these operations in two stages clearly increases the amount of time required to accomplish these tasks.

It is thus an object of the invention to provide an implement which can save time and labour and which will therefore help to increase productivity by accomplishing the above tasks of earth-loosening, or weeding and seedling planting in a single action.

According to the invention there is therefore provided an implement comprising a shaft, a principal blade extending from one end ofthe shaft having its principal cutting edge remote from the end ofthe shaft and at least one secondary cutting member projecting from the shaft towards the principal cutting edge of the blade.

It is preferred that the secondary cutting member is a secondary blade.

Preferably, the princpal blade extends from the shaft so that the plane of the blade is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

It is also preferred that the secondary blade be located on the principal blade in such a way thatthe plane of the secondary blade is perpendiculartothe plane ofthe principal blade. Preferably,the longitudinal axis ofthe shaft lies in the plane ofthe secondary blade to form a central ridge rising from the principal cutting edge.

It is further preferred that the secondary blade be located on a face of the principal blade in such a way that a first cutting edge of the secondary blade extends towards, and preferably slantingly towards the principal cutting edge of the principal blade but with the termination point of the secondary blade preferably spaced from the principal cutting edge and a second cutting edge of the secondary blade lies parallel to the plane ofthe principal blade.

Preferably, the first cutting edge lies at an acute angle to the plane ofthe principal blade so asto facilitate entry of the secondary blade into the ground in use. It is also preferred that a central axis of the principal blade which is perpendicularto the principal cutting edge ofthe principal blade lies in the plane of the secondary blade.

The implement may also include an elongate projection which can be used to make holes in the ground for planting seeds, seedlings etc. The provision of this projection on the implement is particularly advantageous in that it allows holes to be made inthefreshly prepared earth simply by moving the implement which has just been used to prepare the earth thus obviating the need for the labourer to use a further tool for this purpose in a separate action. In other words, the implement of the invention enables the user to prepare a piece of ground completelyfor planting using a single tool for all stages of the operation.

It is preferred that the elongate projection projects from the base ofthe shaft in the opposite direction to the principal blade.

It is also preferred that the elongate projection is substantially conical and that the apex of the cone lies furthest from the shaft. However, in the alternative, the elongate projection may be slightly curved or even crescent-shaped.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure lisa perspective view of the lower portion of an implement according to the present invention, and Figure2 is a side view of the implement of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show an implement 1 comprising a shaft 2, a principal blade 3, a secondary cutting member 4 and a projection 5.

Principal blade3 is in theform of a generally rectangular plate, having a principal cutting edge 3a and subsidiary cutting edges 3b, 3c and is attached to one end of shaft 2 by means of a socket 6 which fits over the end of shaft 2 and is fixed, eg. bywelding,to a face 3e of blade 3 so that the plane of blade 3 lies perpendicularto the longitudinal axis of shaft 2.

Alternatively, the principal blade 3 and socket may be cast together as a single cast.

Secondary cutting member4 comprises a blade in the form of a plate and is mounted on principal blade 3 so that its lower edge 4a is fixed to face 3e of blade 3, eg by welding, and faces 4b and 4c of secondary blade 4 are perpendicularto face 3e. Edge 4d of blade 4 is fixed to socket 6, eg. by welding, to help support blade 4 in its upright position. Alternatively, secondary blade 4may be casttogetherwith principal blade 3 and socket6 as a single cast. Blade4 is also provided with cutting edges 4e and 4f. Cutting edge 4e is parallel to the plane of blade 3 and cutting edge4fis inclined downwards in the direction towards principal cutting edge 3a of principal blade3 forming a sharp point with edge 4a thereby facilitating entry of blade 4 into the ground.

Projection 5 is generally conical in shape and is fixed to socket 6, eg. by welding so that it extends from shaft 2 in the opposite direction to principal blade 3. Projection 5 is positioned so that its longitudinal axis is perpendicularto the longitudinal axis of shaft 2 and its apex liesfurthestfrom shaft2.

In use, implement 1 is moved so that principal cutting edge3aofprincipal blade 3 enters the ground to be tilled first. As blade 3 enters further into the ground, cutting edge 4f of secondary blade 4 entersthe ground followed by cutting edge 4thus cutting through, lifting and splitting the clump of earth overlying principal blade 3. Once blade 3 has been fully inserted in the ground,the clump of earth overlying blade 3 may be broken up further by moving implement 1 from side to side i.e. in a direction transverse to the plane of secondary blade 4.This action causes subsidiary cutting edges 3b and 3c of principal blade 3 to cutfu rther into the ground thereby loosening more earth whilst at the same time causing the clump to besplitupfurther bythe faces 4b and 4e secondary blade 4 pushing the portions of earth at each side of blade 4further away from each other. It should also be noted thatthe length of the split could be increased by pivoting implement 1 about cutting edge 3a of blade 3which would cause cutting edges 4f and 4e to cut further into the earth overlying blade 3. The finai stage in the action consists of pulling implement 1 upwards out ofthe earth thus causing cutting edges 4f and 4e of blade 4to cut through any overlying earth and break up the earth on each side of biade 4 still further.

Once a portion of ground has been tilled bythe above action, conical projection 5 may be inserted into the ground, apex first, and then removed to produce a hole in which seeds, seedlings etc. may be planted.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely byway of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

For instance, although a secondary blade having the shape described has been found to facilitate entry ofthe blade into the ground, secondary blade4 could be of any shape providedthatthe edges which are not attached to blade 3 or socket 6 are cutting edges (i.e. the edges which jut out from blade 3 or socket 6 are cutting edges). Indeed, secondary blade 4could be replaced by a sharp-edged spike.

Similarly, blade 3 need not be rectangular in shape provided that it has cutting edges which allow cutting of the earth in front of and tothe side ofthe implement.

Also, the implement could be provided with more than one secondary cutting member projecting from shaft 2. Such an arrangement would probably require a greater expenditure of energy on the part of the user in order to push the additional cutting membersintotheground butthiswould be compensated for by the fingr division of the earth created bytheadditional cutting members.

In addition to its use for agricultural purposes, the implement according to the invention may also be used for construction purposes, e.g. picking ground for laying pipes, demolishing brickfaces orwalls, floor chipping etc.

Claims (13)

1. An implement comprising a shaft, a principal blade extending from one end of the shaft having its principal cutting edge remote from the end of the shaft and at least one secondary cutting member projecting from the shaft towards the principal cutting edge of the blade.

2. An implement according to claim 1 in which the secondary cutting member is a secondary blade.

3. An implement according to claim 2 in which the principal blade extends from the shaft so thatthe plane ofthe blade is perpendiculartothe longitudinal axis ofthe shaft.

4. An implement according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the secondary blade is located on the principal blade in such a way that the plane ofthe secondary blade is perpendicularto the plane of the principal blade.

5. An implement according to any one of claims 2 to 4 in which the longitudinal axis ofthe shaft lies in the plane ofthe secondary blade.

6. An implement according to any one of claims 2 to 5 in which the secondary blade is located on a face of the principal blade in such a way that a first cutting edge ofthe secondary blade extends towards the principal cutting edge ofthe principal blade.

7. An implement according to claim 6 in which a second cutting edge ofthe secondary blade lies parallel to the plane of the principal blade.

8. An implement according to claim 6orclaim7 inwhichthefirstcutting edge lies at an acute angleto the plane of the principal blade so as to facilitate entry of the secondary blade into the ground in use.

9. An implementaccordingto any one claims6 to 8 in which a central axis of the principal blade which is perpendicular to the principal cutting edge of the principal blade lies in the plane ofthe secondary blade.

10. An implement according to any preceding claim which further includes an elongate projection.

11. An implement according to claim 10 in which the elongate projection projects from the base of the shaft in the opposite direction to the principal blade.

12. An implementaccording to claim 1 0 or claim 11 in which the elongate projection is substantially conical and the apex of the cone lies furthestfrom theshaft.

13. An implement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the drawings.