US3051253A

US3051253A - Ice and post hole auger

Info

Publication number: US3051253A
Application number: US128756A
Authority: US
Inventors: Floyd E Mccann
Original assignee: HERBERT MCCANN
Current assignee: HERBERT MCCANN
Priority date: 1961-08-02
Filing date: 1961-08-02
Publication date: 1962-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1979-08-28

Description

Aug. 28, 1962 F. E. MOCANN ICE AND POST HOLE AUGER Filed Aug. 2, 1961 INVENTOR. Floyd E. McCann BY M,M 8 me a- [flfirne s United States Patent Office 3,951,253 Patented Aug. 28, 1962- 3,051,253 ICE AND P081 HQLE AUGER n Floyd E. McCann, Miiwaukee, Wis, assignor of one-hair to Herbert McCann, Milwaukee, Wis. Filed Aug. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 128,756 7 Claims. (Cl. 175-18) The present invention relates generally to the art of drilling holes in ice or in the ground, and relates more particularly to improvements in the construction and operation of portable ice augers or the like.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved ice or post hole auger which is extremely simple and durable in construction and capable of rapid production at low cost, and which is moreover highly eihcient in actual use.

Augers or drills for forming holes in ice for fishing and for other purposes such as drilling post holes must meet various requirements, Not only must they be of durable construction capable of withstanding considerable abuse, but they must be effective in rapidly performing their intended functions of drilling through ice of different hardness characteristics and varying thicknesses without clogging. Then too, means must be provided for positively positioning the blade for its starting out while preventing lateral or radial displacement as the drill is rotated and proceeds in its boring or drilling operation. It is important that the device perform these desired functions effectively and speedily with a minimum of effort on the part of the operator or motive force, and for the sake of versatility, it is desirable that the cutting head and attendant parts be removable and readily replaceable as well as useable either for hand operation or for power operations as by electric motor or gas engine.

While many ice drills or angers have heretofore been proposed, none of these prior devices have satisfactorily met all of the foregoing requirements, and while some of the available devices perform certain functions quite capably, it is only at a sacrifice in other areas.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved ice auger or drill which possesses all of the various requirements above mentioned and which obviates the disadvantages and objections attendant prior devices of this general type.

Another object of my present invention is to provide an improved cutting head for ice drills which is selfcontained and which may be readily applied to or removed from the driven shaft of a prime mover and/or the operating shaft of a hand drill for either powered or hand operations with utmost efficiency.

Still another object of the invetnion is to provide an improved ice auger which embodies a unique positioning point which effectively cooperates with the cutting edge of the blade to prevent radial displacement at all times and which is readily removable and replaceable for sharpening while being self-cleaning in operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved ice auger which incorporates a novel work performing head having a flat generally sector-shaped blade and a detachable trailing hole cleaning blade of helical formation cooperating with and extending rearwardly and upwardly from the cutting blade, the leading portion of the cutting blade having a generally L-shaped cutting edge.

An additional important object of the present invention is to provide an improved ice auger which may be economically produced from available materials and which may be readily dismantled into a compact package, the assemblage also embodying a housing section for an extra positioning or locating point.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the construction of a typical hand operated ice auger embodying the present improvements and of the mode of operating the same may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the several views:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a typical completely assembled hand-operated ice auger embodying the invention, parts being broken away to reveal normally hidden structure;

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged perspective view of the assembled cutting head of the device removed from the operating shaft;

FIG. 3 is another enlarged bottom end view of the cutting head;

FIG. 4 is a likewise enlarged side elevational view of the cutting head but with the hole cleaning blade removed therefrom;

FIG. 5 is a top end view of the cutting head with the hole cleaning blade again removed;

PEG. 6 is a further enlarged side elevation of one of the improved positioning points removed from the head; and

FIG. 7 is another side elevation of the positioning point rotated clockwise ninety degrees from its position in FIG. 6.

While the improvements have been shown and described herein as being specifically embodied to advantage in a hand operated ice auger or drill, it is not intended to unnecessarily limit the scope or utility of the invention by reason of such specific embodiment since the improved cutting head may be used to like advantage in conjunction with a suitable power source or prime mover. It is also contemplated that certain specific descriptive terms used herein shall be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

Referring to the drawing, the improved cutting head, designated generally by the numeral 10, is illustrated in FIG. 1 as being detachably secured to the end of a shaft section or extension 11 as by means of a bolt 12 or the like, the other end of the shaft 11 projecting partially into one end of a section of tubing =13 and being secured thereto in any suitable manner as by means of a bolt 14. In turn, the end of the operating shaft 15 of a hand brace, generally designated by the numeral 17, is telescoped within the other end of the tube section 1 3 and is detachably secured thereto by means of a bolt 16 or the like, the hand brace 17 including crank

arms

18, 19 joined by a hand grip portion 2% with the arm 19 being provided with an end thrust member 21 concentric with the operating shaft 15. By means of this arrangement, the tubular section 13 provides a convenient housing for an extra positioning point 22, the construction and purpose of which will be hereinafter described, and this extra point 22 may be positively suspended within the tube 13 as by means of a cotter pin 23 or the like to prevent the same from sliding about and possibly becoming damaged.

While the operating device thus described and shown in FIG. 1 provides a suitable means for manual manipulation, it should be understood that the cutting head 10 may be secured either directly to the power driven shaft of a gasoline engine or other suitable prime mover, or it may be secured to such power driven shaft through the shaft extension 11 and/or the tubular section 13:.

The improved cutting head 10 comprises essentially a tubular body 24 having a radiating fiat segmental cutting blade 25 rigidly secured thereto and a positioning point 32 projecting axially therefrom. In accordance with the invention, the blade is defined by a pair of

rectilinear edges

27, 28 intersecting at '39 and a circumferential arcuate edge 29, the blade being secured to the tubular body 24 at an intermediate portion of the edge 27 at a slight oblique angle relative to the tube axis as by welding or the like with the arcuate circumferential edge 29 disposed concentrically of the tube 24 and the

edges

27, 28 corresponding to intersecting chords. With the intersecting edges 27', 2S sharpened, a forwardly extending V-shaped cutting edge portion 26 is provided in advance of the point of attachment of the blade 25 to the body 2 the point of intersection of the sharpened edges 27', 28 being in close proximity to the tubular body 24- and being arranged to advance ahead of the edges 27', 28 as the blade is rotated clockwise.

The drill rod or positioning point 32 is detachably secured partially within the tubular body 24 as by means of one or more machine screws or bolts 31 and has the outwardly projecting portion 33 thereof tapered from opposite sides and flattened into a plane disposed diametrically of the tube, the point terminating in intersecting wedge shaped sharpened

edges

34, 35 with the extending portion 33 of the point 32 being disposed in a plane approximately parallel to the plane of the cutting edge 28 of the blade 25. Also, the upper end of the projecting portion 33 of the point 32 and the adjacent end of the tube 24 are both angularly tapered to a somewhat higher point on the cutting side than on the trailing side as at 36 to thereby permit the displaced ice to be forced radially outwardly above the cutting blade 25 as the drill is rotated in a clockwise direction.

To aid in rigidly securing the blade 25 to the tubular body 24, an L-shaped bracket '37 is provided, the bracket having the end of the leg 38 thereof rigidly secured as by welding to the tubular body 24 with the end of the other leg 39 rigidly secured as by welding to the arcuate edge 29 of the blade 25 rearwardly of the cutting edge 28. This bracket 37 thus aids in positively rigidly securing the blade 25 in position, and it also cooperates with this blade to detachably receive a helical hole cleaning blade 46 and retain the same in position when such hole cleaner is required, the forward end portion of the hole cleaning blade 40 being attachable as by means of a machine screw or bolt 41 to the trailing portion of the blade 25 and the trailing portion of the hole cleaning blade 40 being attachable to the leg 38 of the brace 37 as by means of a machine screw or bolt 42.

In operation, the tapered pointed edges '34, 35 of the positioning point 32 are placed at the desired location on the ice, and as pressure is applied and the drill head 10 is rotated in a clockwise direction by means of the hand brace 17, the point is driven into the ice and the cutting edges of the blade 25 operate to cut into and through the ice about a circumferential path, the corner or intersection 30 of the

cutting edges

27, 28 initiating the cutting action and causing removal of the ice from the vicinity adjacent to the positioning point 32. Since the wedge shaped end of the point 32 lies in a plane perpendicular to the cutting edge 27' and parallel with the cutting edge 28, radial thrust is properly absorbed and lateral or radial displacement of the drill is prevented by the positioning point as the drill is rotated and performs its cutting operation. The hole cleaning blade 40 is, of course, not always required, but when a deep hole is being drilled in the ice, the blade 40 may be readily applied in a simple and obvious manner.

From the foregoing detailed description, it is believed apparent that an extremely simple, compact and durable ice auger has been provided which has a novel cutting head which is extremely simple yet highly effective in properly positioning and in efficiently cutting through ice formations. The assemblage also includes a housing for a point 22 which may or may not be of the same design and size as the point 32 and which may be used interchangeably therewith as required, and the improved device has, in fact, proven highly satisfactory in actual use. Also, while the improved device has been shown and described herein as being especially adapted for drilling holes in ice, it can be used to equal advantage for forming post holes or the like in the ground, and when used for drilling post holes, a somewhat longer point 22 is preferably utilized which may be conveniently stored, as shown in FIG. 1 in the tubular housing 13.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

1 claim:

1. A cutting head for a hole digger comprising, a tubular body, a fiat segmental cutting blade bounded by an arc and by two intersecting chords, said blade being rigidly attached to said body at an intermediate portion of one of said chords at an oblique angle relative to the axis of said body with the are being disposed concentrically thereof and the other chord being located in advance of said body to provide a cutting area radiating therefrom, and a flat centering point extending axially from said tubular body in a plane approximately parallel to said other chord.

2. A cutting head for an ice drill comprising, a tubular body, a fiat segmental cutting blade bounded by an arc and by two intersecting chords, said blade being rigidly attached to said body at an intermediate portion of one of said chords at an oblique angle relative to the axis of said body with the arc being disposed concentrically thereof and the other chord being located in advance of said body to provide a cutting area radiating therefrom, and a flat centering point extending axially from said tubular body in a plane approximately parallel to said other chord, the flat point remote from its lower end being tapered outwardly thereacross at an oblique angle relative to its axis to thereby direct ice displaced by said point into the path of said cutting blade.

3. A cutting head for an ice drill comprising, a tubular body, a flat segmental cutting blade bounded by an arc and by two intersecting chords, said blade being rigidly attached to said body at an intermediate portion of one of said chords at an oblique angle relative to the axis of said body with the are being disposed concentrically thereof and the other chord being located in advance of said body, said chords being sharpened to provide a V-shaped cutting edge radiating from said body, and a flat centering point extending axially from said tubular body in a plane approximately parallel to said other chord.

4. A cutting head for an ice drill comprising, a tubular body, a flat segmental cutting blade bounded by a circumferential arcuate edge and by two intersecting chords, said blade being rigidly attached to said body at an intermediate portion of one of said chords at an oblique angle relative to the axis of said body with the arcuate edge being disposed concentrically thereof and the other chord being located in advance of said body to provide a cutting area radiating therefrom, a brace extending between and rigidly secured at opposite ends thereof to said body and to the arcuate edge of said blade, and a flat centering point extending axially from said tubular body in a plane approximately parallel to said other chord.

5. A cutting head for an ice drill comprising, a tubular body, a flat segmental cutting blade bounded by a circumferential arcuate edge and by two intersecting chords, said blade being rigidly attached to said body at an intermediate portion of one of said chords at an oblique angle relative to the axis of said body with the arcuate edge being disposed concentrically thereof and the other chord being located in advance of said body to provide a cutting area radiating therefrom, a brace extending between and rig dly secured at opposite ends thereof to said body and to the arcuate edge of said blade above the latter, a flat centering point extending axially from said tubular body in a plane approximately parallel to said other chord, and a helical hole cleaning blade detachably secured at its opposite ends to said cut ting blade and to said brace.

6. A cutting head for an ice drill comprising, a tubular body, a flat segmental cutting blade bounded by a circumferential arcuate edge and by two intersecting chords, said blade being rigidly attached to said body at an intermediate portion of one of said chords at an oblique angle relative to the axis of said body with the arcuate edge being disposed concentrically thereof and the other chord being located in advance of said body to provide a cutting area radiating therefrom, an L- shaped brace extending between said body and the arcuate edge of said blade above the latter, one of the legs of said brace being rigidly attached to said body and the other leg thereof being rigidly attached to said blade, a flat centering point extending axially from said tubular body in a plane approximately parallel to said other chord, and a helical hole cleaning blade detachably secured at its forward end to said cutting blade and detachably secured at its trailing end to said one leg of said brace.

7. In an ice auger, a cutting head including a tubular body, a flat segmental cutting blade bounded by an arc and by two intersecting chords and rigidly attached to said body at an intermediate portion of one of said chords at an oblique angle relative to the axis of said body, and a centering point detachably secured to and extending axially from one end of said tubular body to a. point below said cutting blade; an operating shaft attached to and extending from the other end of said tubular body; means operatively associated with said shaft for rotating the same; and a tubular section interposed between Said shaft and said operating means for housing an extra positioning point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 161,374 Arnold Mar. 30, 1875 20 2,329,388 Brown Sept. 14, 1943 2,591,233 Browne Apr. 1, 1952 2,733,047 Morgan Jan. 31, 1956