GB2156641A

GB2156641A - A spade/fork digging aid attachment

Info

Publication number: GB2156641A
Application number: GB08423888A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frederick George Cook
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-03-13
Filing date: 1984-09-20
Publication date: 1985-10-16
Also published as: GB8423888D0; GB8406534D0

Abstract

An attachment for a spade or fork which allows an operator to stand in an upright position when digging comprises a hand grip at one end of a steel cable which is adjustably attached at its other end to a bracket connectable to the lower end of the spade or fork handle, and a tension spring attached to the hand grip and connectible to the upper end of the handle. The tension spring is restricted in overstretching by a cord passing down the centre of the spring and connected in use with the handle and hand grip. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid This invention relates to a swing balance spade/fork digging aid.

Spades and forks which are well known tools are used to dig gardens etc.

The blade of the spade/fork is pressed into the soil, by the foot on the blade, and pressure on the handle. The soil is then turned over by physically lifting the clump of soil on the blade, by the operator, bending almost double with one hand at the lowest point of the handle with its junction with the blade, making the action of digging by hand very hard work.

Machines are available for this work but are too expensive for most gardeners.

According to the present invention, there is a spade/fork swing balance pull handle digging aid, comprising of a bracket bolted to the handle of the spade/fork at the point where the handle meets the blade. A length of steel cable is attached to the bracket by a pinch bolt. At the other end of the steel cable a pull handle has been attached. The pull handle is connected to the top of the spade/fork handle by a tension spring: restricted in over stretching by a length of cord passed down centre of spring and tied at each end.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which.

Figure 1 shows in perspective the swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid on the spade and fork.

Figure 2 illustrates the spade/fork embedded in the soil.

Figure 3 shows the lever action of the spade/fork breaking the soil and the stretching of the spring.

Figure 4 shows the lifting of the spade/fork by the pull handle with its clump of soil, allowing the operator to stand in an upright position, the pull handle acting as a fulcrum.

Referring to the drawing a swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid comprises of a sDade/fork with either 2 a handle end as a

a

or a

straight handle.

The swing balance pull handle is attached to the spade/fork handles 2 by a tension spring 3, with a cord stretched resistor passed down centre of spring and tied at each end of spring.

Each end of spring a

shaped hook is attached. One hook is passed through centre of pull handle 4, and the other hook is bolted to a snap-on plastic shell 5, which is clipped on to 2 spade handle.

A steel cable 6 with end nipple for retention is passed through hole in base of 4 pull handle. Fibre washer grommet in hole to protect cable wear 7.

Lower bracket 8 bolted to bottom of spade/ fork handle 2 steel cable 6 passed through hole in lower bracket 8, protected by fibrewasher grommet 9: end of cable 6 secured to bottom bracket 8 by pinch bolt 10 for length adjustment.

1. A swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid comprises of a steel blade 1 and handle 2.

2. A swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid where 3 a tension spring is provided to allow the stretch and return of 4 pull handle. Spring 3 restricted in stretch by cord passed down centre and tied at each end of spring.

3. A swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2. Each end of spring 3 hasS shaped hook, one end of hook is attached to centre of pull handle 4. Hook at other end of spring is bolted to plastic snap-on shell 5, which clips on to 2 spade/fork handles.

4. A swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 where 4 pull handle is provided between 3 spring and 6 steel cable.

5. A swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid, as claimed in claim 4 where 6 a steel cable with end nipple is passed through hole, with fibre washer grommet in base of 4 pull handle to bottom bracket 8.

6. A swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid as described in claim 5 where lower bracket 8 is bolted to spade/fork handle.

7. A swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid as described in claim 6 wherin lower bracket 8 with 10 pinch bolt for securing end of steel cable 6. Fibre washer grommet protects cable passing through hole in lower bracket 8 on way to pinch bolt 10.

8. A swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid as substantially described herein with reference to Figs. 1 to of the accompanying drawings.

CLAIMS Superseded claims 1-8.

New or amended claims:- 1. I claim that in my invention, the lifting device can be attached to any standard manufactured spade or fork garden or farm, with a blade of any angle, in a manner, which enables the device to be secured in a permanent position at each end of the head lifting handle where the operator can use the spade/fork without having to remove second handle when not in use, and to have available at all times the second lifting handle.

2. As in claim one any spade/fork farm or garden of standard manufacture where the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid This invention relates to a swing balance spade/fork digging aid. Spades and forks which are well known tools are used to dig gardens etc. The blade of the spade/fork is pressed into the soil, by the foot on the blade, and pressure on the handle. The soil is then turned over by physically lifting the clump of soil on the blade, by the operator, bending almost double with one hand at the lowest point of the handle with its junction with the blade, making the action of digging by hand very hard work. Machines are available for this work but are too expensive for most gardeners. According to the present invention, there is a spade/fork swing balance pull handle digging aid, comprising of a bracket bolted to the handle of the spade/fork at the point where the handle meets the blade. A length of steel cable is attached to the bracket by a pinch bolt. At the other end of the steel cable a pull handle has been attached. The pull handle is connected to the top of the spade/fork handle by a tension spring: restricted in over stretching by a length of cord passed down centre of spring and tied at each end. A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which. Figure 1 shows in perspective the swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid on the spade and fork. Figure 2 illustrates the spade/fork embedded in the soil. Figure 3 shows the lever action of the spade/fork breaking the soil and the stretching of the spring. Figure 4 shows the lifting of the spade/fork by the pull handle with its clump of soil, allowing the operator to stand in an upright position, the pull handle acting as a fulcrum. Referring to the drawing a swing balance spade/fork pull handle digging aid comprises of a sDade/fork with either 2 a handle end as a a or a straight handle. The swing balance pull handle is attached to the spade/fork handles 2 by a tension spring 3, with a cord stretched resistor passed down centre of spring and tied at each end of spring. Each end of spring a shaped hook is attached. One hook is passed through centre of pull handle 4, and the other hook is bolted to a snap-on plastic shell 5, which is clipped on to 2 spade handle. A steel cable 6 with end nipple for retention is passed through hole in base of 4 pull handle. Fibre washer grommet in hole to protect cable wear 7. Lower bracket 8 bolted to bottom of spade/ fork handle 2 steel cable 6 passed through hole in lower bracket 8, protected by fibrewasher grommet 9: end of cable 6 secured to bottom bracket 8 by pinch bolt 10 for length adjustment. CLAIMS

6. As in claim 5, the stretching of the tension spring in any direction is protected from over stretching by a nylon cord passed down centre of spring and secured at each end.

CLAIMS Superseded claims 1-8.

New or amended claims:-

1. I claim that in my invention, the lifting device can be attached to any standard manufactured spade or fork garden or farm, with a blade of any angle, in a manner, which enables the device to be secured in a permanent position at each end of the head lifting handle where the operator can use the spade/fork without having to remove second handle when not in use, and to have available at all times the second lifting handle.

2. As in claim one any spade/fork farm or garden of standard manufacture where the said lifting device is clamped to the bottom of the head lifting handle, where the handle meets the blade by a seperate manufactured bracket which is secured with a clamp.

3. As in claim 2 within the clamped on bottom bracket is a pinch bolt for securing and adjusting steel cable, which stretches between bottom fixing bracket and the second handle, which is secured at top handle with end nipple, or a fixed steel rod with threaded end which screws into top handle for adjustment and is fixed to bottom bracket through pinch bolt.

4. As in claim 1-3 where the lifting device is attached to the head carrying handle on any standard farm or garden spade/fork where the second handle is secured to the top of the head carrying handle by a tension spring. The free end of the tension spring is attached to a snap-on shell which fits all known handles.

5. As in claim 4 the tension spring allows the second handle to be stretched in any direction when the operator carries out his duties, returning the second lifting handle to holding position when released.