GB2449851A - A tool - Google Patents

Abstract

A tool comprising a tool head with a tool face 10, a handle and collection means 14 provided at the tool head for the collection of debris generated by operation of the tool, characterised in that at least the collection means is raised. Preferably the tool face has an inclined portion in the form of a kick plate 12 for urging debris into the collection means. The collection means may be a mesh riddle of formed wire, rounded at a back surface and with a curved inlet. The tool head may be formed from plastic or electro-plated metal. Preferably a handle attachment portion 15 is provided and is selectively moveable between a first position in which the tool is pushed in use and a second position in which the tool is pulled in use. The tool face may comprise a hoe blade, a rake (30, Fig 9) or a cultivator protrusion (40, Fig 10). Advantageously the tool is used as a gardening tool or to retrieve golf balls from water hazards.

Description

The present invention relates to a tool, and in particular to various

forms of a multi-purpose tool that have utility in gardening and other applications.

Various tools exist of the type comprising a tool head attached to a handle.

The tool is designed such that the tool head operates on a surface or through a medium to perform a given function With this type of tool, debris is also generated, which has to be collected separately. Tools of this type include hoes, rakes and cultivators To illustrate a particular example, a garden hoe has a tool head comprising a blade and a handle comprising a long pole. Various types of blade are known, which can be pushed or pulled for their operation.

1 5 Examples include the Dutch hoe, scuffle hoe, or thrust hoe. The blades can be used for may different purposes, but one of the most common uses is to agitate the surface of soil around plants for the extirpation of weeds.

The weeds must then be collected separately once they have been extirpated, usually by hand.

Various improved designs have been proposed for hoes wherein means are provided for the collection of the debris created by operation of the hoe. An example of this is shown in British Patent Application GB 337384 to William Henry Bishop and Hugo Albert Guy Smith and also in UK Patent Application GB 2268036 to John Gough.

The idea behind the provision of a basket or mesh riddle is to collect the debris generated by operation of the tool, for example for a garden tool the debris would comprise garden waste including weeds etc. These can then be easily disposed of because they are collected in the basket and can be dumped into a suitable receptacle such as a bin or compost heap.

However, these types of tools have never been commercially successful on a large scale. One of the reasons for this is that the existing designs do not offer the promised ease of use. They are inefficient because the debris is not in fact all collected, and because they tend to clog up easily Accordingly there is a need in the art for a tool with improved properties According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a tool comprising a tool head with a tool face, a handle and collection means provided at the tool head for the collection of debris generated by operation of the tool, characterised in that: the tool face and the collection means is raised from the tool face.

The tool face is for operation on a surface or through a medium. The surface or medium will be agitated by operation of the tool. The term debris" refers to foreign matter found in the surface or medium.

Optionally, the collection means is also at an angle to a plane of the tool face. The angle is preferable between zero and forty-five degrees, most preferably between five and twenty degrees.

Optionally, the tool face comprises an inclined portion for urging the debris into the collection means.

Optionally, the inclined portion comprises a solid kick plate.

Optionally, the collection means comprises a mesh riddle, which is preferably formed from wire which can for example be twelve gauge.

Optionally, the mesh riddle has a mesh size chosen to be optimal for the type of debris to be collected by the tool.

Optionally, the mesh size is approximately two and a half centimetres square.

Optionally, the tool head comprises a handle attachment portion which is 1 0 angled so that the tool is pushed in use Alternatively, the handle attachment portion is angled so that the tool is pulled in use.

Optionally, the handle attachment portion is selectively movable between a first position in which the tool is pushed in use, and a second position in which the tool is pulled in use.

Optionally, the handle attachment portion is secured to the collection means or a frame thereof by at least one attachment member and the provision of at least one attachment point, which can optionally comprise welds.

Optionally, the tool head is formed from metal and electro-plated.

Optionally, the tool head is formed from plastic.

Optionally, the mesh riddle is rounded at a back surface thereof.

Optionally, the mesh riddle has a curved inlet.

Optionally, the tool face comprises a hoe blade.

Optionally, the tool face comprises a rake.

Optionally, the tool face comprises one or more cultivator protrusions.

Optionally, the tool face comprises the combination of one or more of a hoe, rake or cultivator.

Optionally, each of the different tools provided as part of the tool face are I 0 provided at different angles for selective operation thereof.

Optionally, the handle is adapted to receive a pole, for example a wood or metal pole.

1 5 The present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention in perspective view.

Fig 2 shows a side view of the embodiment of fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the embodiment of fig 1, Fig. 4 shows a front view of the embodiment of fig. 1; Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a draw hoe according to a second embodiment: Fig. 6 shows a plan view of the embodiment of fig. 5; Fig. 7 shows a front view of the embodiment of fig. 5; Fig. 8 shows a draw hoe according to a further embodiment; Fig. 9 shows an embodiment where the tool face comprises rake prongs; Fig 1 0 shows a tool where the tool face comprises cultivator prongs; Fig. 11 shows a tool comprising a combined cultivator and rake; Fig. 12 shows a second embodiment of combined cultivator/rake where each of the tools is proved at different angles, and Fig. 13 illustrates the multi-purpose tool in use.

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a head for a tool, in this example a hoe for weeding or gathering stones. The tool face comprises a hoe blade 10, and a kick plate 12 is provided to help sweep debris and other matter upwards into the body of the collection means 14 which in this embodiment comprises a wire mesh basket 14 The angle of the kick plate 12 is chosen to ensure efficient collection of debris and is preferably in the region of 20-50 degrees, but most preferably 45 degrees.

The basket 14 can be horizontal, but level with the kick plate 14 such that it is raised with respect to the level of the blade 10, or it can be angled to further improve the efficiency of collection. Its angle to the horizontal is preferably zero and forty-five degrees, most preferably between five and twenty degrees. In either case the basket can have a curved portion 1 6 for attachment with the kick plate 1 2.

The basket 1 4 has a shape curved at the back and is open at the front end face. The size of the mesh is optimised for the application for which the tool is intended to be used. The inventors have found that for the application of weed extirpation from garden soil a mesh size of one inch is desirable. The criteria for the optimisatton of the size include a consideration of the size of the debris that is collected, and the type of surface or medium the tool is operated on or through. The mesh size can be chosen between a minimum value that will let a smallest chosen size of medium through, and a maximum value that will let a largest chosen size of debris through. In general, it is desired to catch the debris, but to let the medium pass through the mesh. In the example of a garden hoe, the medium the tool passes through is soil, and the target debris is weeds and other matter. A mesh size of approximately two and a half centimetres (one inch) has been found by the inventors to be suitable, as this takes into account the fact that soil tends to congeal and form into balls. Smaller mesh sizes as exist in the prior art have been found to be insufficiently large to let gathered balls of dirt pass through them.

The rounded shape of the new basket 14 also ensures that balls of dirt do not get stuck in the corners or edges of the mesh At the same time, stones which are smaller than one inch will return to the soil which is important to preserve the soil structure.

The tool head comprises a handle attachment portion 15 which is of an improved design, comprising a pole receiving portion 18 and two attachment members 20, 22 each of which is affixed at at least two points to the pole receiving member 18 and one point to the frame of the basket 14. Additional affixation points can be provided if required. This provides a stronger structure than the usual uniform pole construction. A pole can be inserted into the pole receiving means 1 8 and no weak point is provided at the interface between the pole and the tool.

The structure can be formed from any suitable material, for example a metal such as steel, or from plastic, and in a preferred embodiment a metal structure can be e-coated in order to provide a durable and attractive finish These general concepts can be realised in many different ways Firstly.

the handle 16 may be angled either away from or back from the face of the tool in order to provide different types of tools. In the example of a hoe the handle 16 may be oriented away from the face as shown in figure 1 to provide a draw hoe which is pulled in use or as shown in figure 8 the handle may be oriented away from the face in order to provide a Dutch hoe which is pushed in use. In an alternative embodiment, the handle may be selectively moved between the two positions in order to provide an

adjustable tool.

It will be appreciated that the size of the basket 14 may be varied. Figure shows a second version where the basket is wider than the first version.

This may be useful for industrial applications or applications where a large area needs to be hoed.

The invention is not limited to the use of a tool as a hoe. The invention enables a whole new concept of gardening, providing a revolutionary new method where cuttings and trimmings etc are gathered into a basket provided at the end of a tool for easy removal into a rubbish bin as illustrated in figure 1 3.

Figure 9 shows an alternative embodiment where the tool face comprises a rake surface 30 so that the tool can be used as a rake, plus as a collector for debris upturned during the raking process.

Figure 1 0 shows an example of a tool face comprising a cultivator set of prongs 40. It is to be appreciated that many other types of tools can be envisaged.

1 0 Further modifications can involve the combination of different types of tools Figure 11 shows a combined rake and cultivator tool. The cultivator prongs 40 and the rake blades 30 can be provided at the same angle, with the rake blades optionally comprising a turned down portion in the normal fashion. Alternatively, the rake and cultivator can be provided at different angles so that the tool can be flipped to provide a cultivator in one rotation and a rake in another This is illustrated in figure 12, which shows cultivator prongs 40 and rake blades 30 separated by an angle e.

In preferred embodiments, the blade, basket and handle are provided as an integral unit for attachment to a pole. However, in an optional embodiment the basket can be provided as a detachable member so that the tool may be operated without the riddle feature if required.

It will be appreciated that tools according to the invention can be used in a wide variety of applications, not just for gardening. It can be used for the maintenance of any type of ground. Additionally, smaller lighter versions of the tool could be used by golfers bag for the retrieval of golf balls from water hazards.

In addition it will be appreciated that various improvements and modifications can be made to the above without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, various different materials can be used and the tool can come in many different sizes

Claims (1)

1. A tool comprising a tool head with a tool face, a handle and collection means provided at the tool head for the collection of debris generated by operation of the tool, characterised in that: the tool face and the collection means is raised from the tool face.

2 The tool of claim 1, wherein the collection means is also at an angle to a plane of the tool face.

3 The tool of claim 2, wherein the angle is between zero and forty-five degrees. most preferably between five and twenty degrees.

4. The tool of any preceding claim, wherein the tool face comprises an 1 5 inclined portion for urging the debris into the collection means.

5. The tool of claim 4, wherein the inclined portion comprises a solid kick plate.

6 The tool of any preceding claim, wherein the collection means comprises a mesh riddle.

7 The tool of claim 6, wherein the mesh riddle is formed wire which can for example be twelve gauge.

8. The tool of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the mesh riddle has a mesh size chosen to be optimal for the type of debris to be collected by the tool.

9 The tool of claim 8, wherein the mesh size is approximately two and a half centimetres square.

10. The tool of any preceding claim, wherein the tool head comprises a handle attachment portion which is angled so that the tool is pushed in use 11. The tool of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the handle attachment portion is angled so that the tool is pulled in use.

12. The tool of any preceding claim, wherein the handle attachment portion is selectively movable between a first position in which the tool is pushed in use, and a second position in which the tool is pulled in use.

1 3. The tool of any preceding claim, wherein the handle attachment portion is secured to the collection means or a frame thereof by at least one attachment member and the provision of at least one attachment point, which can optionally comprise welds.

14. The tool of any preceding claim, wherein the tool head is formed from metal and electro-plated.

1 5. The tool of any of claims 1 to 1 3, wherein the tool head is formed from plastic.

15. The tool of any of claims 6 to 15, wherein the mesh riddle is rounded at a back surface thereof.

17. The tool of any of claims 6 to 15, wherein the mesh riddle has a curved inlet 1 8. The tool of any preceding claim, wherein the tool face comprises a hoe blade.

1 9 The tool of any oF claims 1 to 17, wherein the tool face comprises a rake.

20. The tool of any of claims 1 to 1 7, wherein the tool face comprises one or more cultivator protrusions.

1 0 21. The tool of any of claims 1 to 17, wherein the tool face comprises the combination of one or more of a hoe, rake or cultivator.

22. The tool of claim 21, wherein each of the different tools provided as part of the tool face are provided at different angles for selective operation thereof.

23. The tool of any preceding claim, wherein the handle is adapted to receive a pole.