GB2296642A

GB2296642A - Garden hoe blade

Info

Publication number: GB2296642A
Application number: GB9500208A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David William Purt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-01-06
Filing date: 1995-01-06
Publication date: 1996-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 2015-01-06
Also published as: GB2296642B; GB9500208D0

Abstract

A multi-edged Garden Hoe Blade 1 is in the shape of a symmetrical Cupid's Heart having a metal shaft 5 mounted perpendicular to the face of the blade and at the location of its centre of gravity. The blade has an acute fold 3 along its centreline and the shaft 5 is mounted on the apex of the fold. The two halves 4 of the blade created by the fold are mutually curved outwards from the fold and each has a shallow curve across its width which is also constant along its length. The two fluted halves are mirror images of each other and their extreme outer edges are on a common plane which is at right-angles to the axis of the shaft. The perimeter of the heart-shaped blade is provided with a cutting edge 2. The outer end of the shaft 5 affords the attachment to the blade of a convential wooden or metal handle. <IMAGE>

Description

A MULTI-EDGED GARDEN HOE BLADE.

This invention relates to a multi-edged Garden Hoe Blade.

Garden hoes are commonplace devices and are available with a large range of blades with which to till the earth surface. Some blades are very complicated in design but the more popular hoes have a single flat blade of a simple square or rectangular shape. These blades usually have one straight cutting edge that is opposite to the edge of the blade to which the shaft and handle are secured. Common examples of this type are the Draw hoe and the Dutch hoe.

The configuration of the Draw hoe dictates to the user how the hoe must be used for efficient results: the shaft-edge of the blade must be held uppermost and the cutting edge below it can then act vertically downward so to strike or scrape the earth. The blade can be turned on its side or upside down to create different cutting edges as found necessary by the user but these are much less efficient. Most of the popular hoes have this single edge limitation and it is because of this that they are less versatile than the average gardener might desire in normal weeding or tilling operations.

The other popular hoe, the Dutch hoe, has a push-pull slicing action on the earth surface. Because of its single-edge limitation it cannot easily take on the workload of a Draw hoe and vice versa. Also, both hose feel unbalanced when used other than in their designed single-blade mode of action.

The very keen gardener who is prepared to purchase and use a range of more elaborate hoes is well provided for by some manufacturers, the WOLF company for instance has an excellent range of interchangable "SNAP-LOCK" tool heads all designed to be used with a single handle giving the user what is perhaps the greatest versatility of hoe actions.

However, the aquisition of a range of different tools can be expensive and the Draw hoe and the Dutch hoe do appear to be the universal favourites for their economical and simple convenience, despite their limitations.

According to the present invention there is a Multi-edged Garden Hoe Blade having the outline spape of a symmetrical Cupid's Heart which has an acute fold along the centreline of its length and the two halves of the blade created by the fold are mutually curved outwards from the fold, each half then having a shallow curve across its width which is also constant along its length so to form two mirror-image shallow grooves along the lengths of the halves of the blade.

The blade is provided with a metal shaft secured perpendicular to the face of the blade and on the apex of the fold and at the centre of gravity point of the blade. A specific embodiment of the blade is its complex shape which is now described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which : FIGURE 1 shows the plan view of the blade.

FIGURE 2 shows the Front Elevation of the blade.

FIGURE 3 shows the Side Elevation of the blade.

FIGURE 4 shows a perspective view of the Top, Rear and Side view of the blade with the shaft in an upright position.

Referring to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows that the plan view of the blade 1 is in the shape of a symmetrical Cupid's Heart. The blade is provided with a cutting edge 2 around its perimeter. FIG 2 shows how the blade is formed with an acute fold 3 along the whole centreline of its length to create the two symmetrical halves 4. Each half of the blade has a shallo' curve across its eidth which is also constant along its length so to appear as a longitudinal groove or fluted feature. FIG. 2 also illustrates how the shaft 5 is secured to the apex of the fold. FIG. 3 shows how the shaft is located in relation to the length of the fold of the blade.

FiG. 4 is a perspective view of the blade with the shaft in an upright position. The shaft affords a means by which a conventional wooden or metal handle can be fitted to the blade.

This blade has the advantage over single-edged blades of a choice of shapes of efficient cutting edges around its perimeter and the user can select any desired edge by simply rotating the hoe handle through the appropiate angle. The shaft and handle being located at the blades centre of gravity ensures that the hoe remains perfectly balanced throughout its rotary movements. Furthermore, the shape and attitude to the ground of the blade's cutting edges can be instantly changed the moment the user perceives the ~ need for a change when wiewing the ground surface changes or the disposition of growing plants/weeds that ar ejust about to be encountered.

This multi-edged Garden Hoe Blade reduces considerably the user's need to change hoes or hoe-heads during normal weeding or tilling operations.

Claims

1 A Multi-edged Garden hoe Blade having the outline shape of a symmetrical Cupid's Heart which has an acute fold along the centreline of its length and the two halvers of the blade created by the fold are mutually curved outwards from the fold, each half then having a shallow curve across its width which is also constant along its length so to form two mirror-image shallow grooves along the lengths of the halves of the blade.

2 A Multi-edged Garden Hoe as in CLAIM 1 wherein the blade is provided with a metal shaft secured perpendicular to the face of the blade and on the apex of the fold and at the centre of gravity point of the blade.

3 A Multi-edged Garden Hoe Blade as in CLAIMS 1 and 2 wherein the extreme outer edges of the two halves of the blade lie on a common plane which is at right-angles to the axis of the shaft.

4 A Multi-edged Garden Hoe Blade as in CLAIMS 1,2 and 3 wherein the perimeter of the blade is provided with a cutting edge.

5 A Multi-edged Garden Hoe Blade as in CLAIM 2 wherein the outer end of the perpendicular shaft mounted on the blade can accept the attachment of a conventional wooden or metal handle.

6 A multi-edged Garden Hoe Blade as described herein with reference to FIGURES 1-4 of the accompanying drawing.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1 A Multi-edged Garden hoe Blade having the outline shape of a symmetrical Cupid's Heart which has an acute fold along the centreline of its length and the two halves of the blade created by the fold are mutually curved outwards from the fold, each half then having a shallow curve across its width which is also constant along its length so to form two mirror-image shallow grooves along the lengths of the halves of the blade.

2 A Multi-edged Garden Ho@ as in CLAIM 1 wherein the blade is provided with a metal shaft secured perpendicular to the face of the blade and on the apex of the fold and at the centre of gravity point of the blade.

5 A Multi-edged Garden Hoe Blade as in CLAIM 2 wherein the outer end of the perpendicular shaft mounted on the blade can accept the attachment of a conventional wooden of metal handle.

6 A multi-edged Garden Hoe Blade as described herein with re@e@ence to FIGURES 1-4 of the accompanying drawing.

7 A Garden Hoe having incorpoated in it a Multi-edged Garden Hoe Blade as described in CLAIMS 1-5.