GB2240247A

GB2240247A - Weed extracting tool

Info

Publication number: GB2240247A
Application number: GB9101767A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary Digby Lister
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-01-27
Filing date: 1991-01-28
Publication date: 1991-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 2011-01-28
Also published as: GB2240247B; GB9101767D0

Abstract

A gardening tool comprising first and second members which are movably connected together, the second of said members 4 being movable away from said first member 2 when axial pressure is applied to said first member. The first and second members are connected together through the intermediary of a sleeve 6, the second member including a bifurcated portion which embraces and is pivotally secured to said sleeve by front 12 and rear 18 pins, the second member pivotting relative to said sleeve about the front of said pins. <IMAGE>

Description

GARDENING TOOL This invention relates to gardening tools and more particularly to a weed-extracting tool.

According to the present invention there is provided a gardening tool comprising first and second members which are movably connected together, the second of said members being movable away from said first member when axial pressure is applied to said first member.

Preferably, said first and second members will be movably connected together through the intermediary of a sleeve. Said first member will preferably be a spindle having a pointed or sharpened end, said first member projecting from said sleeve and being fixedly secured to said sleeve such that the first member is novable with said sleeve.

Said second member will preferably be pivotally secured to said sleeve and to said first member through the intermediary of said sleeve.

Said second member will preferably include a rear bifurcated portion which partly embraces said sleeve so as to partially surround said sleeve when secured thereto and which is pivotally secured thereto.

Said bifurcated portion of said second member will preferably be secured to said sleeve by front and rear pins and will preferably be provided with slots or grooves which are engaged by said rear pin such that movement of said rear pin in said slots or grooves causes movement of said second member towards and away from said first member about said front pin.

Said tool will preferably include an operating handle which is biassed away from said first and second members.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gardening tool in accordance with the invention and showing the tool in a first position; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the tool in a second position; and Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on line III-III in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the gardening tool - or more specifically the weed-extracting tool - comprises a first member 2, a second member 4, a sleeve 6, and a handle 8 carried on a shaft 10.

The first member 2, in the form of a spindle, has a pointed or sharpened end 2A and is mounted within the sleeve 6 through the intermediary of a front pin 12 which extends through the second member 4 and the sleeve 6 as well as through the spindle 2 so as to connect the three members together. This connection of the three members is such that the spindle 2 is not movable relative to the sleeve 6, but such that the second member 4 may pivot about the pin 12 relative to the sleeve 6 and spindle 2.

The second member 4, which at its leading end 14 is shaped such that it may partly embrace the first member 2 as seen in Figures 2 and 3 and which at the other end 16 is bifurcated such that it partly surrounds and encloses the sleeve 6, is connected to the shaft 10, so as to be movable therewith, by means of a rear pin 18. This rear pin 18 also movably secures the bifurcated end 16 of the second member 4 to the sleeve 6, the pin being slidable in slots or grooves 20 in the end 16 of the member 4 and inslots 22 in the sleeve 6 so that the second member is pivotable about the pin 12 relative to the sleeve 6 such that the leading end 14 of the second member may move move towards and away from the spindle 2.The inner surface of the leading end 14 of the second member 4 is barbed, serrated or otherwise roughened as indicated by reference numerals 14A so as to increase the gripping pressure between the first and second members.

Located between the inner ends of the spindle 2 and the shaft 10 is a coil spring 24 which serves to bias the shaft 10 away from the spindle 2 and thus the leading end 14 of the second member towards the spindle 2.

The component parts of the weed-extracting too will be made of metal or plastics material, or indeed any other suitable material; the handle 8 will be composed of wood or plastics material in its preferred form.

In use, the weed-extracting tool - which starts with the various component parts in the dispositions shown in Figure 2 - is positioned over a weed to be extracted with the pointed or sharpened end 2A of the spindle 2 in close proximity to the weed, whereafter downward pressure is applied to the handle 8 so as to force the said end 2A into the ground. Upon this application of downward pressure to the handle 8, the shaft 10 moves against the presuure of the spring 24 towards the spindle 2 and simultaneously the rear pin 18 slides in the slots or grooves 20 and 22 such that the second member 4 pivots about the front pin 12 to allow the leading end 14 of the second member 4 to assume the position-shown in Figure 1.

At this position, the extremity of the leading end 14 of the second member 4 is at ground level and continued downward pressure on the handle 8 forces the spindle 2 and the leading end 14 of the second member 4 - which lie on opposite sides of the weed to be extracted - further into the ground. Release of the pressure on the handle 8 has the effect of causing the handle 8 to move upwardly due to the dissipation of the energy in the coil spring 24, and simultaneously the pin 18 moves in the slots or grooves 20 and slots 22 such that the second member 4 pivots about the front pin 12 thus allowing the leading end 14 to move towards the spindle 2 and thereby to grip the weed to be extracted.With the weed gripped between the leading end 14 and the spindle 2, the handle 8 is pulled upwardly, thereby extracting the tool and the weed from the ground, such upward pressure increasing the grip on the weed.

It will be seen from Figure 3, that the front pin 12 extends radially outwardly from the second member 4, and that each end of the pin is provided with a ferrule or the like 26, such that in certain ground conditions, for example in very wet soil or in soil containing a heavy proportion of clay, additional downward pressure may be applied to the tool so as to apply additional gripping pressure between the first and second members 2 and 4 when gripping a weed to be extracted.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the spindle 2 may be fixed to the sleeve 6 instead of the shaft being so fixed, in which case the slots 22 will be located towards the leading end of the sleeve 6, i.e.

closer to the spindle 2.

It will be appreciated that modifications may be made to a tool in accordance with the invention. For example, other mechanisms may be provided to cause movement of the second member relative to the first member, instead of the mechanism illustrated and described.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A gardening tool comprising first and second members which are movably connected together, the second of said members being movable away from said first member when axial pressure is applied to said first member.

2. A gardening tool according to Claim 1, wherein release of said axial pressure causes said second member to move towards said first member.

3. A gardening tool according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the first and second members are movably connected together through the intermediary of a sleeve.

4. A gardening tool according to Claim 3, wherein said first member is fixedly secured to said sleeve such that said first member is movable with said sleeve.

5. A gardening tool according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said first member is a spindle which projects from said sleeve and whose outer end is pointed or sharpened.

6. A gardening tool according to any of Claims 3 to 5, wherein said second member is pivotally secured to said first member through the intermediary of said sleeve.

7. A gardening tool according to Claim 6, wherein said second member is pivotally secured to said sleeve.

8. A gardening tool according to Claim 7, wherein said second member includes a rear bifurcated portion which embraces and is pivotally secured to said sleeve

9. A gardening tool according to Claim 8, wherein said bifurcated portion of said second member is pivotally secured to said sleeve by front and rear pins.

10. A gardening tool according to Claim 9, wherein said bifurcated portion of said second member is provided with slots or grooves which are engaged by said rear pin such that movement of the said pin in said slots or grooves causes movement of said second member towards and away from said first member about said front pin.

11. A gardening tool according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein said rear pin is connected to a shaft of an operating handle of said device, said shaft being co-axial with said first member.

12. A gardening tool according to Claim 11, wherein resilient spring means are located between said shaft and an inner end of said first member so as to bias the operating handle away from said sleeve.

13. A gardening tool according to any of Claims 3 to 12, wherein a leading end of said second member is shaped to partly embrace said first member when said second member is moved relative to said sleeve and into close proximity to said first member,

14. A gardening tool according to Claim 13, wherein an internal surface of said leading end is barbed, serrated or otherwise roughened.

15. A gardening tool according to any of Claims 10 to 14, wherein said front pin extends radially outwardly of said second member such that additional gripping pressure may be applied to said second member.

16. A gardening tool according to Claim 15, wherein a ferrule or the like is located on each end of said rear pin.

17. A gardening tool constructed and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.