NZ245573A

NZ245573A - Garden hoe with diamond shaped head at an acute angle to the handle

Info

Publication number: NZ245573A
Application number: NZ24557392A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Frederick Walter Wright
Original assignee: Frederick Walter Wright
Priority date: 1992-12-23
Filing date: 1992-12-23
Publication date: 1997-05-26
Also published as: AU5264493A

Description

2455 7 Patents Form No. 5 Patent No. 245573 Dated: 23rd December 1992 Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION GARDEN TOOL I, FREDERICK WALTER WRIGHT, a New Zealand citizen, of 219 MacKenzie Drive, Twizel, Canterbury, New Zealand, hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 24 55 7 3 The present invention relates to a garden tool which can be used for either hoeing or digging and which is especially suitable for removing weeds from gravelled surfaces such as gravel drives and paths, or for removing compacted dirt or debris from hard surfaces such as paths or truck or trailer trays.

An object of the invention is the provision of a tool which can be used with maximum efficiency and with a minimum of effort.

The present invention provides a garden tool comprising: a handle to which is secured a tool head, said tool head being diamond-shaped in plan and secured to the handle such that the plane of the tool head Is inclined towards the handle and is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the handle, and one of the points of the diamond is lowermost in use.

Preferable said acute angle is in the range 35°-80°, most preferably 45°-65°.

Preferably said tool head is secured to said handle by a curved portion.

By way of example only, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig.l is a side view of the garden tool of the present invention; Fig.2 is a front view of the tool in Fig.l; and Fig.3 is an isometric view of the tool of Fig.l. 24 55 7 3 Referring to the drawings, a garden tool 2 comprises a conventional wooden handle 3 (only a small part of which is shown) which fits in known manner into a metal socket 4 to the other end of which is rigidly attached a tool head 5.

The tool head 5 is secured to the socket 4 by a curved portion 6 which curves above the longitudinal axis x-x of the handle 3 and then below said axis and hooks towards the handle 3, to join the head 5, so that the plane of the head 5 lies at an angle y of about 63° to the axis x-x.

Referring in particular to Fig.2, the head 5 in plan is diamond-shaped, with one of the points 7 of the diamond secured to the portion 6 and the opposite point 8 forming the lower working point of the tool.

Thus, the head 5 provides a point 8 which may be used for digging under a weed, and two slightly blunted cutting edges 9, 10, one on each side of the point 8, which can be used for slicing or scraping by angling the tool slightly. The lateral points 12 of the head also may be used for digging.

In use, the tool is held by the handle 3 in the usual way and may be used for digging with on* of the points of the head or may be drawn towards the user over the surface of the ground, so that the point 8 or one of the edges 9, 10 (depending upon the angle at which the tool is held) slides under any surface-growing weeds and digs them out of the ground. It has been found that if either of the points 12 are used, weeds 24 5 5 7 3 can be dug out complete with roots.

The curved portion 6 may be straight, but a curve is preferred because the space 13 which the curve provides allows dug-out weeds to fall clear, without obstructing the head 5.

The tool may be made of any suitable materials or a combination of materials. The size of the head may be varied to suit particular requirements, but the following dimensions have been found to work well: a = 8 cm b = 14 cm c = 7 cm It is not generally desirable to make the dimension 'b' too large:- if the lateral points 12 are too far out on each side of the handle 3, the tool tends to twist when the point 12 or edges 9,10, are used. 4

Claims

245573 • . • WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A garden tool comprising: a handle to which is secured a tool bead, said tool head being diamond-shaped in plan and secured to the handle with one of the point of the diamond pointing downwards in use, and such that the plane of the tool head is inclined towards the handle and is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

2. The garden tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein said acute angle is in the range 35°-80°.

3. The garden tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein said acute angle is in the range 45°-65°.

4. The garden tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said tool head is secured to said handle by a curved portion, one end of which is secured to said handle, and which then curves first above the longitudinal axis of said handle, and then below said axis, the tool head being secured to the other end of said handle which lies below said axis.

5. A garden tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. i u. z. r-v-'.y ui r 21 DEC 1993 TOCgTVEP END OF CLAIMS FREDERICK WALTER WRIGHT. By his authorised agents, P L. BERRY & ASSOCIATES. vtr' 5