US3000451A

US3000451A - Cultivating and weeding implements

Info

Publication number: US3000451A
Application number: US706182A
Authority: US
Inventors: Monte E Adams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-12-30
Filing date: 1957-12-30
Publication date: 1961-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1978-09-19

Description

Sept. 19, 1961 M. E. ADAMS CULTIVATING AND WEEDING IMPLEMENTS Filed Dec. 30, 1957 INVENTOR.

MONTE E. ADAMS Mamm United States Patent 3,000,451 CULTIVATIN G AND WEEDING IMPLEMENTS Monte E. Adams, 4650 Maple Ave., San Diego, Calif. Filed Dec. 30, 1957, Ser. No. 706,182 2 Claims. (Cl. 172-372) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending United States application, Serial No. 448,517, now Patent No. 2,864,297 which issued December 16, 1958.

This invention refers to a cultivating and weeding hand tool. The general object of this invention is to provide a highly efliciently hand tool, particularly for the use of gardeners in cultivating and weeding.

A more specific object is to provide a hand tool having a plurality of plate-like blades which are secured in series on a mounting bar, the blades being generally circular with chordal edge segments of adjacent blades abutting at an interface substantially normal to the mounting bar, so that cutting crotches are defined at each end of such interface and at a considerable distance from the adjacent side of the mounting bar. This construction has several advantages including that of lending a self-cleaning characteristic to the tool. This self-cleaning is partly the result of the said. spacing of the said cutting crotches away from the mounting bar. Another advantage is the easy sharpening feature attained by this construction.

Another object of this invention, ancillary to the preceding primary object, is to provide for the bracing of the mounting bar by the blades themselves. As mentioned above, the blades abut at an interface normal to the mounting bar. Since the blades are attached on the undersurface of the mounting bar, they resist any tendency for upward deflection or bending of the mounting bar and the latter can be constructed of lighter material since the principal strain on the mounting bar is directed upward at the center thereof when the tool is being used.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hand tool of the general character mentioned above and in which the blades are curved transversely of the mounting bar to present a concave undersurface, this curvature functioning in conjunction with the above mentioned spacing of the cutting crotches to enhance the self-cleaning characteristic of the tool, this effect being further enhanced by the curvature of the cutting crotches resulting from the generally circular character of the blades.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hand tool which is adapted for fabrication from many diiferent materials, so that the choice of material can be according to the dictates of availability and price considerations, the exact sizes and proportions being matters easily determined to suit particular conditions and needs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hand tool which is practicable and inexpensive to manufacture.

Finally, it is an object to provide a hand tool of the aforementioned character which is simple and convenient to use and which will give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a three-dimensional view of the hand tool, the handle being shown fragmentarily and the part hereinafter referred to as the fork being shown broken and shortened to conserve space;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the plate-like blades secured to the mounting bar and the fork is again shown tragmentarily in this figure;

3,000,451 Patented Sept. 19, I961 FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 in FIGURE 3.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the hand tool will be provided with a handle, fragmentarily indicated at 10, the exact form of that handle being immaterial to this disclosure. A fork, generally indicated at 12, has a shank 14 inserted in the lower end of the handle 10 and a pair of divergent arms 16. The shank may consist of parallel upper end portions of the arms. Parallel terminals 18 are provided on the lower ends of the arms 16, and a mounting bar 20 is supported on and between said terminals 18.

The mounting bar 20 preferably constitutes a section of straight bar stock with upstanding terminal lugs 22. The terminal lugs 22 and the terminals 18 are similarly apertured to receive attaching bolts 23 and a suitable complement of nuts and washers will be provided to enable the user to adjust the mounting bar at any desired angle relative to the fork 12. Plate-like blades 24 are secured by rivets 26, or the equivalent, to the horizontal portion of the mounting bar 20, as disclosed, this said horizontal portion being fiat and rectangular in cross section. Obviously the shape of the mounting bar can be varied considerably without departing from the scope of this invention but it is a feature of this invention that the mounting bar may be relatively light in weight because of the inherent bracing thereof by the blades 24 as will now be further explained.

The blades 24 are generally circular with flat or chordal edge segments 28 of equivalent length, the chordal edge segments being abutted at an interface, identified by the numeral 30. Because the blades are secured on the underside of the mounting bar 20, the abutting chordal edge segments are disposed beneath the mounting bar and, since the blades are originally fixed to the mounting bar, there results a very considerable bracing of the mouting bar against upward deflection or bending at the center thereof. This bracing eifect is achieved Without an increase in weight and a relatively light weight mounting bar can be employed.

The plate-like blades are peripherally sharpened, except the chordal edge segments 28, to provide curved, nearly circular cutting edges 32 and it will be noted that these cutting edges 32 extend well beyond the ends of the mounting bar 20. That is, the mounting bar is of such a length that the terminals 18 thereof are disposed well within the boundaries of the adjacent blades 24. This is an important feature in making the tool self-cleaning, as fully disclosed in the claims in my co-pending application. As stated in my said co-pending application, tangential contact portions of the blades are flattened or merged where the edges of the blades are disposed in continuous cutting extended relation. In other words, portions of the curved cutting edges define cutting crotches 34. The interface 30 is considerably longer than the corresponding transverse dimension of the mounting bar 20, so that the said cutting crotches 34 are spaced well beyond the adjacent edges of the mounting bar. The cutting crotches 34, by reason of their being defined by curved cutting edges and the spacing of the cutting crotches from the mounting bar, provides the tool with definite self-cleaning characteristics. These self-cleaning characteristics are enhanced further by reason of the cutting edges having a dual curvature, since the blades 24 are curved transversely of the mounting bar, the blades being convex from front to rear as looked at from above and concave as looked at from below; such form being obviously of greater utility where depth of contact with the weeds is required to effect better loosening of the soil and more eifective evacuation of the Weeds therein, that is, the undersurface of the blades is concave, as best illustrated at 36, and the upper surface is convex, as best illustrated at 38 in FIGURE 4, transversely of the mounting bar. The transverse curvature of the blades aids in securing a desirable penetration of the soil and the blades are sharpened so that the sharpening bevel 40 is on the upper surface of the blades to accentuate this efiect. In this regard it should be noted that the chordal edge segments 28 have a considerable vertical dimension at the interface 30 so that the assembly of the tool during its original manufacture is facilitated, the Provision of the flats or chordal edge segments making it much easier to secure the proper relationship of the blades on the mounting than would be possible if the blades were completely circular. This advantage is in addition to the other advantages already mentioned.

Minor variation from the form of the invention detailed herein may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the instant invention.

I claim:

1. In a cultivating and weeding hand tool, elongated mounting bar means normally disposed horizontally when in use and having'means for attachment of a handle thereto; a plurality of plate-like blades secured in series on said mounting bar means; said blades being generally circular with chordal edge segments of adjacent blades abutting at an interface substantially normal to said mounting bar means, thus facilitating original assembly of the blades thereon, said blades, excepting said segments, being peripherally sharpened to constitute curved cutting edges and adjacent portions of the blades at the ends of said interface being sharpened and defining cutting crotches; said chordal edge segments being of a length greater than the corresponding horizontal, transverse dimension of said mounting bar means and said cutting crotches being spaced beyond the adjacent portion of said mounting bar means; said blades being convex upwardly, in one direction only transversely of said mounting bar and being flat in the direction longitudinal of said mounting bar; said cutting edges, including said portions definin-g cutting crotches being curved in two directions; the dual curvature of the blades combined with the spacing of said cutting crotches from the mounting bar means providing the tool with self-cleaning characteristics.

2. A cultivating and weeding implement, comprising a plurality of disc-like cutting blades, sequentially and tangentially disposed, the edges of which are bevelled and continuously sharpened; a mounting bar secured to said blades with the outer edges of said blades extending beyond said bar; and a handle afiixed to said bar; said blades being upwardly convex transversely of said bar and fiat in the direction longitudinal of said bar; said blades having tangential contact portions flattened and merged, with continuous cutting edges defining cutting crotches extended beyond the adjacent edges of the mounting bar, the curvature of the blades combined with the spacing of said cutting crotches from the mounting bar providing the tool with self-cleaning characteristics.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 678,535 Bigg July 16, 1901 841,488 Doidge Jan. 15, 1907 1,239,316 Svendsen Sept. 4, 1917 1,404,666 Stekley Jan. 24, 1922 2,752,839 Robertson July 3, 1956 2,864,297 Adams Dec. 16, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,016,474 7 Germany Sept. 26, 1957 2,128 Great Britain Ian. 31, 1901