GB2286102A

GB2286102A - Adjustable pitch hand tool

Info

Publication number: GB2286102A
Application number: GB9500917A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Alan Bojar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-02-07
Filing date: 1995-01-18
Publication date: 1995-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 2015-01-18
Also published as: GB9500917D0; GB9422015D0; GB2286102B; GB2286101B; GB2286101A

Description

1 1 Adiustable Pitch Tool 2286102 The present invention relates to an

adjustable Ditch tool, for example, a garden hoe tool having an adjustable pitch head which can readily and easily be locked in a desired pitch position.

To date the usual garden hoe has a fixed head that is not adjustable thus the dig or bite into the soil cannot be easily controlled.

Prior art hoes are disclosed in US-A-386,197 in which the hoe includes a wedge shaped horizontal blade; US-A568,143, in which the hoe includes a cutting blade and side wings; US-A-824,862, in which the hoe is designed as a mulching tool; US-A-1,334,586, in which the hoe has an adjustable head to adjust the position of the blade; US-A-1,591,280, which discloses a scuffle hoe with an adjustable handle; US-A-1,627,901, in which the hoe has an adjustable blade section; US-A-1,870,891, which discloses a tool for gardening lawn edging etc. Other patents for the record US-A-1,895, 055, US-A-1,940,169 and DE-A-606,411.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved adjustable pitch tool.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adjustable pitch tool comprising a handle; first and second leg mount segments attached to the handle; a tool head mounted on the first and second leg mount segments by means of fastening pivot means, the tool head including a base blade and first and second side members extending from opposite sides of the base blade, each side member including a pitch set aperture and a plurality of pitch set stops associated with the pitch set aperture; a V spring mounted between the leg 2 mount segments, the spring including first and second legs and first and second arms each operative to move within a respective one of the first and second pitch set apertures and into and out of one of the associated plurality of pitch set stops.

In a preferred embodiment, there is provided an adjustable pitch garden hoe tool having a handle with ferrule legs attached thereto and a hoe tool head attached to the ferrule legs by means of a fastening pivot pin and a V spring with arms extending outward from legs of the V spring, and the arms extending through the ferrule legs and into a pitch set slot and into pitch set stops, and the compression V spring movable along the long axis to move the arms from and to the pitch set slot and pitch set stops. The above mentioned fastening pivot pin may include either a bolt or a rivet as a substitute for the fastening pivot pin.

Preferably, there is provided an adjustable pitch garden hoe tool having a handle and ferrule legs attached thereto and a hoe tool head attached to the ferrule legs by means of a fastening pivot pin and mounted within the ferrule legs is a V spring with arms extending from legs of the V spring, and the arms extending through holes or apertures in the ferrule legs and into pitch set slots and pitch set stops in each vertical side of the base blade and the bottom of the V spring extending toward the handle end with clearance between the handle end and bottom of the V spring coil.

Advantageously, the compression V spring includes a bend in each leg and an arm extending outward from each leg, leg segments between each leg bend and arm of each leg being substantially parallel, when the compression spring is assembled in the preferred adjustable pitch garden hoe tool head.

3 In an embodiment, there is provided an adjustable pitch garden hoe tool having a head with a modified V shaped hoe blade base and vertical sides on the hoe blade base and a compression V spring fitting between ferrule legs, and the legs attached on end end thereof to an extended handle and the opposite ends of the ferrule legs, to each of which is attached its respective vertical side of the hoe blade base by means of fastening pivot pins and each arm of compression V spring legs extending into a pitch set slot and into pitch set stops on adjustment of the pitch by means of withdrawal of the V spring arms from pitch set stops, and leg segments of the compression V spring are parallel to each other on assembly of the adjustable pitch garden hoe tool.

The compression spring may be a modified V spring, with a coil at the apex.

An embodiment of the present invention is described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of adjustable pitch garden hoe tool; Fig.2 is a left side elevational view of the tool of Figure 1; Fig.3 is a bottom plan view of the tool of Figure 1; Fig.4 is a top plan view of the tool of Figure 1; Fig.5 shows a V spring of the tool of Figure 1; and Fig.6 is a side elevational view of the tool of Figure 1 in which the hoe tool is disassembled from its ferrule legs and handle.

4 Referring to Figure 1, the adjustable pitch garden hoe tool shown includes a handle 1, to which is attached by means of bolts 22 ferrule mount segments 2, 21 and ferrule legs 11, 111 attached to the ferrule mount segments 2, 21. The adjustable pitch segment of this garden hoe tool head 16 is an assembly of garden hoe tool base blade 6, and two "vertical" sides 5, 51 of garden hoe tool base blades 6. The base blade 6, and "vertical" sides 5, 51 of base blade 6 is a unitary or single unit garden hoe tool head 16 and is adjustable for the variable pitch of hoe tool head 16. The "vertical" sides 5, 51 attached to the sides of base blade 6 are mounted on the ends of ferrule legs 11, ill by means of fastening pivot pins 12, 121 to thus allow pivoting of hoe tool head 16, in an "up and down,' direction. (see Fig.1).

To adjust the pitch of the hoe tool head 16, in each of the "vertical" sides 5, 51 there is a pitch set slot 4, 41 and each slot is arc shaped on a radius having the fastening pivot pins 12, 121 as the centre point. The arms 9, 91 extending outwards from legs 15, 151 of modified compression V spring 10 extend into their respective slot 4, 41 in "vertical', sides 5, 51 of base blade 6. The slots 4, 41 are of such width to allow arms 9, 91 of V spring 10 to be movable back and forth easily therein (see Fig. 2).

On adjustment of the pitch of the garden hoe tool, the hoe tool head 16 is to be locked in the adjusted position by means of arms 9, 91 of V spring legs 15, 151. The arms 9, 91 of V spring legs 15, 151 extending into pitch set slots 4, 41 slide into pitch se-L stops 3, 31 on release of compression V spring 10. Spring 10 on being forced downward to withdraw the arms 9, 91 from pitch set stops 3, 31 allows setting of the pitch of hoe tool head 16 (see Fig. 4).

C The modified compression V spring 10, is mounted in the fork of the mounted ferrule legs 11, 111 and is held in position by mounting of arms 9, 91 in pitch set slots 4, 41 and extending into pitch set stops 3, 31.

The legs 15, 151 of compression V spring each have a leg bend 13, 131 extending inward so that leg segments 19, 191 are parallel each to the other on assembly and these leg segments 19, 191 on compression V spring 10, reciprocate in guides 20, 201 located on the inside of ferrule legs 11, 111. (see Fig.5).

Reference is now made to Fig.2, where the legend 7 front edge of garden hoe tool base blade is shown and legend 14 back edge of garden hoe tool blade is shown of the garden hoe tool head 16.

In the above discussion, for identification purpose the legends with a "prime,, (1) indication are on one side of the garden hoe tool head 16, and the prime legends are in general a mirror image of the non-prime legends.

Holes or apertures 18, 181 in ferrule legs provides for arms 9, 91 to extend through the ferrule legs and align with and extend into respective pitch set slots 4, 41 and pitch set stops 3, 31 thus the arms 9, 91 of V spring legs extend through the holes 11, ill in their respective ferrule legs and into the pitch set slots 4, 41 and pitch set stops 3, 31.

Holes or apertures 18, 181 in ferrule leg segments for arms of V spring legs are slotted to allow back and forth movement of V spring arms 9, 91 of V spring 10 in pitch set slots 4, 41 and pitch set stops 3, 31 on adjusting the pitch of the hoe tool head 16.

Reference is now made to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 to identify 6 the legend 7, front edge of garden hoe tool base blade.

The V spring is shown in Fig.5, and as sho,,7n legend 8. spring coil base of compression V spring 10 may be a single or multi-coil, or a plain V base or apex without a coil.

To adjust the pitch of the garden hoe tool head 16, the compression V spring 10 is forced backward toward the handle 1 which withdraws the arms 9, 91 down from the pitch set stops 3, 31, and into pitch set slots 4, 41, at which time the pitch is adjusted as desired and on release of the V spring 10, the arms 9, 91 slide into the desired pitch set stops 3, 31 to lock the tool head in the desired pitch or angle for use.

Reference is now made to Fig.4 wherein directional arrows are shown to indicate that the compression V spring can be reciprocated back and forth in a lengthwise direction which serves to release the arms 9, 91 of V spring 10 from the pitch set stops 3, 31 to set the pitch of the hoe tool head 16.

The pitch set slots 4, 41 in each vertical side 5, 51 of the base blade 6 of the garden hoe tool head 16, are arc shape with fastening pivot pins 12, 121 at the centre point of the arcs and pitch set stops 3, 31 of two or more on the outer edges of the pitch set slots 4, 41.

It is to be pointed out that legends 17, 171 for holes in ferrule legs for fastening pivot pins 12, 121 are aligned with holes in 5, 5 1 vertical sides of base blades to allow f or pitch adjustment of the garden hoe tool head 16, and further the holes 18, 181 in the ferrule legs 11, 111 are oblong or of a slot shape to allow for movement of the arms 9, 91 in ferrule legs 11, 111 to move back and forth between pitch slots 4, 41 and pitch set stops 7 3, 31 to thus adjust the pitch of adjustable pitch garden hoe tool head 16.

A minimum of two pitch set stops 3, 31 adjoining each of pitch set slots 4, 41, but a plurality greater than two pitch set stops 3, 31 is preferred.

Referring now to Figs. 1-4, the garden hoe tool base blade 6 is of a modified V shape, with the "point" extending forward and is identified as legend 7, front edge of garden hoe tool blade and legend 14 is back edge of garden hoe tool base blade.

The guides 20, 201 for leg segments 19, 191 of compression V spring 10 may be merely pins, or grooved clips on each ferrule leg 11, ill for guiding of the leg segments 19, 191 in their back and forth movements of the V spring 10 to allow adjustment of the pitch of the garden hoe tool head 16.

On assembly of the hoe tool head 16 to the ferrule legs 11-111 holes 21, 211 in vertical sides 5, 51 of base blade align with holes 17, 171 in ferrule legs for insertion of fastening pivot pins 12, 121, and the compression V spring 10 is mounted as outlined above with arms 9, 91 extending through slotted holes 18, 181 in ferrule legs 11, 11 1 and into pitch set slots 4, 41 and pitch set stops 3, 31 to adjust to the desired pitch of the hoe tool head 16.

The arms 9, 91 extending outward from leg segments 19, 191 of the compression spring 10, mounted between ferrule legs 11, 111 extend into pitch set stops 3, 31 in normal operating mode when the pitch is set for desired used. The leg segments 19, 191 of compression V spring 10, are essentially parallel each to the other when mounted in the adjustable pitch garden hoe tool. As 8 described above the arms 9, 91 are forced into the pitch set slots 3, 31 due to the nature of the compression spring 10 which forces the legs 15, 151 and leg segments 19, 19 1 in a direction away from the handle 1, and the arms 9, 91 are withdrawn from the pitch set slots 3, 31 by hand forcing the spring coil base 8 of the V spring in a direction toward the handle 1, which then brings the whole V spring including the legs 15, 151 leg segments 19, 19. and arms 9, 91 toward the handle.

The f ront edge 7, back edge 14 and edges of vertical sides of the base blade 6 may be sharpened to facilitate use of the adjustable pitch garden hoe tool.

In the above discussion apertures may be referred to in the alternate as holes which may be oblong or slotted. The word "spring" may be used as an alternate to "compression V spring 1011.

Other aspects of the described adjustable tool are disclosed in our copending British patent application no. 9422015.9 filed on 1st November 1994, the disclosure in which is incorporated herein by reference.

The disclosure in United States patent applications no. 08/192,613 and 08/278,599, from which this application claims priority, and in the abstract accompanying this application are incorporated herein by reference.

9 LEGMM of DRAWINGS 1.

2,23, 3' 4,41 5,51 6. 7.

8.

9,91 10.

11, 11, 12,121 13, 13' 14.

15,15. 16.

17,17' 18,18.

Handle Ferrule mount segments Pitch set stops Pitch set slots Vertical sides of base blade Garden hoe tool base blade Front edge of garden hoe tool base blade Spring coil base of V spring Arms of V spring legs Compression V spring Ferrule legs Fastening pivot pins Leg bend Back edge of garden hoe tool base blade Legs of V spring Adjustable pitch garden hoe tool head Holes in ferrule legs for fastening pivot pins Holes or apertures in ferrule legs for arms of spring legs.

19,191 Leg segments between leg bends 13, 131 and arms 9, 91 of V spring legs 15, 151 of compression spring 10.

20, 201 Guides for leg segments 19, 191 on inside of ferrule legs 11, 111.

Holes in vertical sides of base blades Bolts attaching ferrule mount segments of ferrule legs to handle.

21,211 22.

Claims

1. An adjustable ritch tool comprising a handle; first and second leg mount segments attached to the handle; a tool head mounted on the first and second leg mount segments by means of fastening pivot means, the tool head including a base blade and first and second side members extending from opposite sides of the base blade, each side member including a pitch set aperture and a plurality of pitch set stops associated with the pitch set aperture; a V spring mounted between the leg mount segments, the spring including first and second legs and first and second arms each operative to move within a respective one of the first and second pitch set apertures and into and out of one of the associated plurality of pitch set stops.

2. A tool according to claim 1, wherein the f irst and second legs include leg portions substantially parallel to one another, each leg mount segment including guide means on an inner surface thereof co- operable with a respective leg portion to guide the operation of the V spring.

3. A tool according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second leg mount segments are pivotally fastened to the first and seconds side members, respectively, by means of the fastening pivot means.

4. A tool according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the V spring can reciprocate back and forth along a longitudinal axis of the first and second leg mount segments.

5. A tool according to any preceding claim, wherein each pitch set aperture is in the form of a slot.

6. A tool according to claim 5, wherein each slot is in 11 the shape of an arc having its centre of curvature substantially at its associated fastening pivot means, the pitch set stops including at least two stops located on an outer surface of the slot.

7. A tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second legs meet at an apex of the V spring.

8. A tool according to claim 7, wherein the V spring includes a coil portion at its apex.

9. A tool according to claim 8, wherein the coil portion includes a single coil ring.

10. A tool according to claim 8, wherein the coil portion includes a plurality of coil rings.

11. A tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the tool is a garden hoe.

12. An adjustable pitch tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.