US1973310A

US1973310A - Lever digger

Info

Publication number: US1973310A
Application number: US681525A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold H Glasier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-07-21
Filing date: 1933-07-21
Publication date: 1934-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1951-09-11

Description

P 1934- H. H. GLASIER 1,973,310

LEVER DIGGER Fil ed July 21, 1953 Inventor Patented Sept. 11 1934 UNITED STATES LEVER niacin:

Harold H. Glasier, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application July 21, 1933, Serial No.- 68g1 5fr35 6 claims. (Cl. 97-58) This invention relatesto a lever operated digger for tilling gardens-or small plots of land altho not limitedto this use. The principal object of this invention is to providea tool of the character de- 5' scribed having anovel swivel joint between the ground bracing member and the .lever operated digging member Heretofore intools of this type, a free operating swivel has been employed, with the result thatas the digging element proceeds :10. to penetrate the soil, uneven hardness of same or such obstacles as rocks, tend to divertthe digger away from these objects with the result that-the digger --is thusswung out of its forward course and will therefore not make a satisfactory 15.1 penetration. The operator is compelled to spend much of his energy in striving to hold the tool in an even, forward course. By providing a lock or stop means, whereby the swivel joint is restrained from making any side to side movement 5,0; during the process of penetrating the soil, this serious disadvantage of the free swiveling lever digging tool is overcome. With my device, the swivel joint is converted into a pivot joint during the act of penetrating the ground and as such, 2-3111 permits the digging element to oscillate only and not until it is desired to lift and turn the soil which has been broken out, is the joint given free swiveling so that the digging tool may revolve as well as oscillate. Another object of this so; invention is to provide a lever digger of light,

simple construction wherein one handle will control both the digging and the turning operations.

These objects, together with other objects and corresponding accomplishments are obtained by means of the embodiment of my invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan view, Fig. 3 a front elevation and Fig. 4 a fragmentary view showing the lock or stop feature of the swivel 1401 joint.

Referring to the drawing, the device is seen to consist of a brace frame formed of two longitudinal runners 1 held in place by three cross ribs and emerging into the ground engaging feet 2.

A sleeve 3 is pivoted to the forward extremity of brace frame 1 by means of pins 4. Sleeve 3 encompasses the tubular handle lever 5. The handle lever has grips 6 projected laterally from its upper extremity and a forked digging tool pro- 1 5 11601186. forwardly from its lower extremity. Tu-

bular handle lever 5 is prevented from having other than limited up and down sliding motion in the sleeve 3 by means of the upper pin 8 and the lower pin 9. Notches 10, cut in both sides of 55. sleeve 3, normally engage the lower pin 9 and while in this position tubular handle lever 51s thereby prevented from revolving within the sleeve 3; Sleeve 3 is always free to move up wardly and thus break contact with lower 'pin -9,' thereby permittingthe handle lever 5. to freely revolve within the sleeve. The upwardmotion of thesleeve alongthe-handle lever is of course lim. ited by upperpin 8 which movement is justsuffi cientfor notohes 10 to clear pin 9. f 1

An extension of runners 1 backwardlyabove 6d the ground engaging feet -2 forms a pedal which provides a control means whereby: the operator manipulates the releasing of the-swivel stoptas will now be described.

In the operation of this device the handle lever 5 is swung forwardly, thus rocking the digger tool 7 in the position for piercing the ground. The handle lever is then drawn backwardly and a pressure exerted by the operators foot downwardly on the frame 1. The influence of these 75. two forces causes the digger tool '7 to enter the ground and to continue forwardly until it has scooped up a quantity of soil. The operator then steps on pedal 11 which tilts the brace frame 1 backwardly, rocking about the fulcrum point formed by the contact of the ground engaging feet 2 with the ground. As the brace frame tilts backwardly, its forward portion of course raises and in so doing it slides the sleeve 3 upwardly, thus releasing its contact with pin 9 and thereby 85,2 permitting the tubular handle lever 5 to freely revolve within it. The operator has by now drawn the handle lever 5 directly to him which action results in the entire implement continuing the backwardly tilt of the brace frame until the loaded digger tool has swung to a sufficient height to enable it to fully clear the surface of the ground whereupon it is revolved by twisting the handle grips 6. A half revolution is suificient to effect a good turning of the soil held in the digger.

The operator then removeshis foot from the pedal 2 and twists handle grips 6 back to their normal cross position, whereupon lower pin 9 is turned to the point where it contacts notches 10 in sleeve 3 and the notches immediately fall over the pin and the handle lever is again locked or stopped from revolving and rigidly holds the digger tool in a forwardly point course while it again is forced into the ground. Were there no m5 stop means provided, the tool would waver and swing from side to side as rocks and roots and hard spots were encountered and little penetration would be made as all the thrust against the tool would be consumed in worming sideward- 1.1

1y. To conserve all the motion exerted by the operator thru the handle lever and direct this motion fully upon the tool so that the ground may be pierced with the full efficiency of the tool is the principal object of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A lever digger comprising a digging tool, a lever provided to actuate said digging tool, a ground brace against which said digging tool fulcrums, and a. swivel joint connecting said ground brace and said lever, said swivel joint being convertible to a pivot joint.

2. A lever digger comprising a diggingtool, a lever provided to oscillate and revolve said digging tool, a ground brace to provide a fulcrum point for said lever, and a swivel joint between said lever and said ground brace, said joint having controllable means provided to prevent said lever from revolving said digging tool.

3. A lever digger comprising a digging tool having a handle, a ground brace adapted to range along the ground and having feet at its end for anchoring in the ground and fulcruming thereabouts, said digging tool and said handle being swivelly connected tosaid ground brace so as to be rockable forwardly and backwardly about the front end of said ground brace and to be tiltable laterally thereof or to be prevented from tilting laterally thereof by means of a stop mechanism.

4. A lever digger comprising a digging tool having a handle, a ground brace adapted to range along the groundand brace thereon, a swivel connection between said ground brace and said digging tool and its handle, and controllable stop means provided to support and steady said digging tool and its handle and thereby hold said tool in a forwardly pointed course while said tool is in the process of piercing the ground.

5. A lever digger having a ground brace adapted to range along the ground and brace thereon, a digging tool propelled by a lever, said lever being swiveledto the aforesaid ground brace at the front thereof, and stop means to resist lateral swing of said digging tool, said stop means being manipulated by suitable controls;

6. A lever digger comprising a ground brace having ground engaging feet for the purpose of anchoring in the ground and fulcruming thereabouts, a pedal extension of said ground brace extending rearwardly above said ground engaging feet, said pedal being for the purpose of providing a means of tilting said ground brace backwardly, a sleeve pivoted at the forward extremity of said ground brace, said sleeve having notches provided therein, a tubular handle lever passing thru said sleeve, an upper and a lower pin projecting thru said tubular handle lever above and below said sleeve so as to retain said lever and said sleeve in fixed relationship, said lever being free to revolve within said sleeve provided said lower pin is not engaging the aforesaid notches in said sleeve, a pair of handle grips laterally projected at the upper extremity of said handle lever, and a digging tool forwardly projected at the lower extremity of said handle lever.

HAROLD H. GLASIER.