GB2305382A

GB2305382A - Demountable waste collector for lawn edging shears

Info

Publication number: GB2305382A
Application number: GB9619776A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen John Maiden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-09-22
Filing date: 1996-09-23
Publication date: 1997-04-09
Also published as: GB9619776D0

Abstract

A demountable collector for application to lawn edging shears comprises a waste collection body 28 which is arranged to be held adjacent to the shears' blades 16,18 by means of a stem 30 which projects from the body for attachment to one handle 20 of the shears. A free end of the stem is arranged to be snap-fitted to the handle. A variable geometry joint 26 between the collection body and the stem enables the stem to be set at a selected angle to the body, to suit the geometry of a particular pair of shears.

Description

DEMOUNTABLE WASTE COLLECTION ATTACHMENT This invention relates to a demountable waste collection attachment for application to lawn edging shears.

Edging shears are used for trimming the edges of lawns, keeping them in a neat and tidy condition. The grass residue from the shears is ordinarily left to fall onto the ground adjacent to the lawn, and then has to be picked up laboriously or hoed into the ground.

According to the present invention there is provided a demountable waste collection attachment for application to lawn edging shears comprising a waste collection body arranged to be held adjacent to cutting blades of the shears by means of a stem which projects from the body for attachment to a handle of the shears.

Fastening of the attachment by means of a stem applied to one handle of the shears enables the attachment to be held securely but in a manner which allows the body to be demounted readily.

The stem preferably comprises attaching means enabling it to be snap-fitted to the handle, the attaching means comprising, for example, a resiliently openable split collar which can be snap-fitted over a handle of matching cross-section. The collar can conveniently be formed as a plastics moulding.

Most preferably, a variable geometry joint is provided between the body of the attachment and the stem. This enables the angle of projection of the stem from the body to be varied. There are many different makes of garden edging shears in use, presenting a range of different blade/handle angles. Articulation of the stem to the body can make the attachment applicable to a wide variety of shears in use. Most preferably, the attachment comprises setting means enabling the body and stem to be retained set at a suitable angle (for particular shears) over a range of joint angles provided for.

For lightness, durability without corrosion, and ease of manufacture in an attractive appearance, the body and stem and any other component parts of the attachment may be moulded of plastics materials.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a first form of attachment applied to edging shears, the attachment being shown in section; Figure 2 is an end view of the attachment in use; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a second form of attachment; Figure 4 gives two views showing respectively attaching means alone and applied to a handle; Figure 5 illustrates a first form of articulating joint between body and stem of the attachment; and Figure 6 illustrates a second form of articulating joint between body and stem.

A first form of demountable grass-collecting attachment for lawn edging shears is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The attachment is moulded in one piece of a suitable plastics material and comprises a first portion forming a waste collection body 10 and a second portion projecting from one end of the body to form an attachment stem 12.

The waste collection body 10 forms an elongate trough 14 arranged to be positioned alongside the blades 16,18 of the shears. The body is held in such position, adjacent to the blades, by means of the stem 12 which is fixed to one of the handles 20,22 of the shears above the shears' pivot 24. Suitable attaching means (not shown in Figures 1 and 2) enables the free (top) end of the stem to be secured to the handle 20 in a manner permitting ready attachment and demounting.

The arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 has no provision for variation of the angle at which the stem projects from the body. Since different makes of shears present different handle/blade angles, it is of advantage if the stem/body angle can be varied to suit.

A second embodiment of attachment is shown in Figure 3 in which there is a variable geometry joint 26 provided between a body moulding 28 and a stem 30, enabling the angle of projection of the stem to be varied; components of the joint are shown separated in Figure 5.

The body moulding 28 is formed (at its end which is to be positioned adjacent to the shears' pivot 24) to present a serrated arcuate toothed crown 32 which faces upwardly. A bottom end portion of the stem 30 is formed with a central downwardly-projecting tooth 34, positioned on a side face 36 of the stem at a short distance above a pivot pin 38 formed adjacent to the bottom end of the stem. The body 28 is formed with a pivot hole 40 at a corresponding distance below the crown 32. By means of this arrangement, the stem can be applied to the body with the tooth 34 engaged in a selected slot between teeth of the crown, and the pivot pin 38 inserted into the pivot hole 40 to retain the stem secured to the body. The stem so becomes set at a selected angle of projection from the body within the range of angles provided.

An alternative arrangement for such a variable geometry joint is illustrated in Figure 6. In this case a downwardly-projecting tooth 44 is formed on the body moulding 28 above the pivot hole 40, and serrations 46 are formed along a bottom edge of an aperture 48 in the stem 30. A stud 50 formed on the stem is arranged to engage in the hole 40 in the body upon bringing the stem and body together, with the tooth 44 engaged in a selected one of the serrations 46.

Attaching means enabling the stem 30 to be secured to the handle 20 of the shears is illustrated in Figure 4. The attaching means comprises a split cylindrical collar 52 formed by a top end portion of the stem. The moulding provides some resilience in the collar which enables the collar to be opened and snap-fitted over a handle 20 of matching cross-section.

The attachment is placed on the edging shears as shown in Figures 1,2 and 3. The edging shears, with attachment secured, is presented to the edge of the lawn. The edging shears are operated as normal with the attachment collecting waste material. This can then be emptied into a suitable container.

The attachment can be removed at any time to enable maintenance and cleaning to be carried out on the edging shears.

Claims

1. A demountable waste collection attachment for application to lawn edging shears comprising a waste collection body arranged to be held adjacent to cutting blades of the shears by means of a stem which projects from the body for attachment to a handle of the shears.

2. An attachment according to claim 1 in which the stem comprises attaching means enabling it to be snap-fitted to the handle.

3. An attachment according to claim 2 in which the snap-fitting attaching means comprises a resiliently openable split collar which can be snap-fitted over a handle of matching cross-section.

4. An attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which there is a variable geometry joint between the body and the stem enabling the angle of projection of the stem from the body to be varied.

5. An attachment according to claim 4 comprising means enabling the body and stem to be held set at a suitable angle over a range of joint angles.

6. A demountable waste collection attachment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference either to Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 3,4 and 5, or Figure 6.

7. Lawn-edging shears fitted with a demountable waste collection attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 6.