GB2340718A

GB2340718A - Gardening device

Info

Publication number: GB2340718A
Application number: GB9817934A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Richard Hemelryk
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-08-19
Filing date: 1998-08-19
Publication date: 2000-03-01
Also published as: GB9817934D0

Abstract

A gardening device to assist activities such as planting bulbs and seeds comprises a tube 1, of which the bottom end is open and having an internal movable piston 3 operated by means of a pedal 4 attached to the piston ther pedal projecting through an access opening 2 in one side of the tube. The device may have a further pedal 5 attached directly to the tube on the side opposite the access opening and a handle 6 at the top end of the tube. The device is pressed into the ground for the removal of a plug of earth thereby making a hole. Afterwards the plug of earth can be expelled from the tube by means of the piston which is moved downwards by pressure applied to its pedal. In an alternative form the piston is operated by means of connected levers (figure 2).

Description

2340718 Page I GARDENING DEVICE This invention relates to apparatus for

gardening J-- Z-- I Spades potting tools and similar devices used for the planting of bulbs and seeds and similar activities are crenerally unsatisfactory; firstly in that they do not provide a suitable means of removing an appropriate plug of earth from the ground; and secondly in that in that they do not afterwards expel the plug of earth which was extracted or provide means for it to be replaced into the bole created by Its original removal. Finally bulb and seed planting and similar activities typically require a good deal of bending over which adds to the stress and physical discomfort of the Z, gardener. The present invention provides a solution to these difficulties.

IN According to the present invention there is provided a gardening device to be used to assist with such gardening activities as the planting of bulbs and seeds in the ground comprising a tube of which one end (the bottom end) 'Is open and having an internal movable piston operated by means of a pedal (the 'piston pedal') which is attached to the piston and which projects through an access opening in one side of the said tube; a further pedal (the 'tube pedal') may, be attached directly to the other side of the said tube.

When the open end of the tube is pressed into the ground by means of hand pressure applied to the top of end of the device and/or foot pressure applied to the tube pedal a plug of earth enters the lower portion of the tube and the piston within the tube is driven upwards in consequence. The length of the earth plug is determined by the position of the tube pedal (which will restrict the entry of the tube into the ground) and also by the length of the piston, the available space for its movement within the tube and the length of the access opening in the tube which will limit the movement of the piston pedal and thus the movement of the piston itself. When the device is extracted from the ground the earth plug remains within the tube. A bulb or seed may then be inserted in the bole left in the ground by the removal of the said plug of earth. Afterwards the device may if desired be replaced over the hole and the plug of earth expelled from the tube and reinserted into the hole (and on top of any bulb or seed planted) by means of a downward movement of the piston achieved by hand or foot pressure applied to the piston pedal. The top end of the device may conveniently have a handle attached or alternatively the device may be attached to a conventional gardening implement shaft and handle.

The open bottom end of the tube may conveniently be serrated or similarly finished so as to facilitate its entry into the ground.

r-1 In an alternative form an articulated lever arrangement is attached to the piston instead of a piston pedal such articulated lever arrangement being operated by hand and by means thereof the piston may be raised or lowered. The said articulated lever arrangement consists of two rigid arms linked by a hinge the lower end of the lower arm being connected to the piston through the access opening in the tube by tl tn means of a hinge attachment and the top end of the upper arm being attached to the Page 2 device also by means of a hinge attachment. When the upper arm is raised the lower Z-- arm is likewise raised so in turn raising the piston within the tube. Similarly when the upper arm of the lever arrangement is lowered the piston is consequently lowered.

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 an embodiment of the invention with tube I tube access opening 2 and piston 3 (of which the concealed portion within the tube is indicated by broken lines). The piston pedal is shown 4 and the tube pedal 5. The device is shown with a handle 6.

Figure 2. shows an alternative form of the invention with an articulated lever arrangement (instead of a piston pedal) with upper arm 7 lower arm 8 and hinges 9, 10 and 11.

Referring to the drawings the gardening device comprises a tube I of which one end (the bottom end) is open the other end (the top end) being attached to a handle 6 the said tube havina an internal movable piston 3 operated by means of a pedal 4 (the 'piston pedal") which is attached to the piston and which projects through an access opening 2 in one side of the said tube and a further pedal (the 'tube pedal') 5 attached directly to the the said tube on the side opposite to the said access opening.

The device is used to remove a plug of earth from the ground thereby making a hole in the ground and following the planting of a bulb or seed in the hole or similar aardening activity it may be used to replace the plug of earth in the hole over the planted bulb or seed.

The open bottom end of the tube I of the device is pressed into the ground by means of downward hand pressure applied to top end of the device and/or downward foot pressure applied to the tube pedal 5. In this way a plug of earth enters the lower portion of the tube and the piston 3 is thereby driven upwards within the tube. When the device is extracted from the ground the earth plug remains within the tube.

A bulb or seed or other item to be planted as desired may then be inserted in the hole left in the ground by the removal of the said plug of earth. Afterwards the device may be placed over the hole and the plug of earth expelled from the tube of the device and reinserted into the hole (and on top of any bulb or seed planted) by means of a downward movement of the piston 3 achieved by foot or hand pressure applied to the piston pedal 4.

In the alternative form of the invention shown in figure 2 the piston 3 is operated by means of an articulated lever arrangement instead of a piston pedal. The said C, articulated lever arrangement is for use by hand and by means of it the piston 3 Page 3 may be raised or lowered. The said lever arrangement consists of two rigid arms 7 and 8 linked by a hinge 9 the lower end of the lower arm 8 beinc, connected to the piston 3 through the access opening 3 in the tube 1 by means of a hinge attachment 10 and the top end of the upper arm 7 being attached to the device also by means of a hinge attachment 9. When the upper arm 7 is raised the lower arm 8 is likewise raised so in turn raising the piston 3 within the tube. Similarly when the upper arm 7 of the lever arrangement is lowered the piston 3 is consequently lowered.

Z5 W

Claims

Page 4 CLAIMS

1. A gardening device to assist with gardening activities such as the planting of bulbs and seeds comprising a tube of which one end is open and having an internal movable piston operated by means of a pedal which is attached to the piston the said pedal projecting through an access opening in one side of the said tube the device being intended to be used b having the open end of the said tube pressed into the y ground and for the extraction from the ground of the resulting plug of earth which thereby enters the tube and for the subsequent expulsion of the said plug of earth by the movement of the said piston which is achieved by means of pressure applied to the said pedal attached to the piston.

2. A aardening device as claimed in Claim 1 in which a further pedal is attached directly to the side of the tube opposite the said access opening such further pedal being provided so as to allow for foot pressure to be applied to the tube so as to assist the entry thereof into the around.

3. A cardening device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the piston is operated by means of an articulated lever arrangement instead of a pedal, the said articulated lever arranaement consistine of two ricrid arms having a hinge attaching the upper end of the lower arm to the middle or other part of the upper arm and the lower end of the lower arm being attached to the said piston through the access opening in the tube by means of a hinge attachment and the upper end of the upper arm being attached to the said tube also by means of a hinge attachment.

4. A (Zardening device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3 in which the c & top end of the tube has a handle attached.

5. A aardening device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim -3 in which the tube is attached to a conventional aardening implement shaft and handle.

6. A gardening device as claimed in in any one of the preceding claims in which the c open bottom end of the tube intended to enter the ground is serrated or similarly finished.