US 4,213,504 AGranted

Rotary, hand-held apparatus for performing various soil working operations

OwnerFred A. Schneiderinventor

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Abstract

A portable, hand-held apparatus or implement employing various interchangeable soil working assemblies, wherein the latter rotate about an axis oriented substantially normal to the soil surface, i.e., the assembly rotates in a horizontal plane parallel to the soil surface. The soil working assemblies selectively include soil engaging tine, auger, drill, etc., members which depend via integral support bases from a central guide rod. The guide rod extends along the axis of rotation of the soil working assembly, wherein the tip thereof engages the soil prior to contact therewith by the rest of the assembly. The apparatus contemplates various power source configurations, mutually interchangeable with the various soil working assemblies, dependent upon the operation to be performed, the existing soil conditions, etc. Thus the apparatus may include manual, electrical, gas, etc., power sources and may employ cultivating, mulching, weeding, boring, etc., assemblies.

Claims16

Dependent claims

Rotary, hand-held apparatus for selectively working soil, comprising the combination of;

a frame including, a handle having an upper grip formed in the upper end thereof, a lower end, and a second grip secured to
the handle and extending at right angle therefrom a selected distance from the upper grip;
power means including an electric drill with a clamping chuck, a source of electricity, and a switch for selectively energizing the electric drill;
clamp means integral with the handle for demountably securing the electric drill to the handle;
drive train means including a housing secured to the lower end of the handle and including a sealable cover for the housing;
said drive train means having, a first gear rotatably disposed within the housing, wherein the clamping chuck of the electric drill is demountably secured to the first gear to impart rotation thereto, a second gear of selectively larger diameter meshed for rotation by the first gear within the housing, and an output shaft secured to the second gear for rotation therewith in response to rotation of the electric drill;
wherein the first and second gears have a gear ratio of the order of 1-to-5;
a soil working assembly secured to the output shaft for rotation therewith about an axis substantially normal to the soil surface;
said soil working assembly including, soil engaging tines formed of a flat length of metal to define a support base from which integrally extend the tines to engage the soil, and a guide rod coaxially secured to the output shaft to demountably confine therebetween the support base of the soil engaging tines;
wherein the end of the guide rod extends beyond the tips of the tines and is formed at a selected angle to define a boring tip;
and
the soil working assembly further includes, a reinforcing ring rigidly secured to the soil engaging tines immediately below the support base to strengthen the assembly against torsional forces produced by contact of the tines with the soil.

9 more elements

A soil working assembly and a torque producing output shaft adapted for rotating said assembly by a power means, said assembly comprising;

a guide rod demountably secured coaxially to the output shaft for rotation therewith about an axis substantially normal to the soil surface, said guide rod having an internally threaded hub means integral with the mounting end thereof, with the depending end being formed at a selected angle to define a soil boring tip;
a soil engaging member formed of a flat length of metal to define a support base from which depends at least a pair of tines, each having a tip at the ends thereof, with the guide rod extending axially therebetween beyond the tine tips and rotatable about the same axis;
wherein the flat tines are disposed with a sharpened leading edge and a trailing edge, the tips of the tines being formed at an angle to their direction of motion with the leading edges being longer than the trailing edges thereof;
a reinforcing member secured to the pair of tines immediately below the support base to strengthen the assembly against torsional forces produced by contact of the tines with the soil;
and
the assembly further including, said support base having a square hole formed therein, a square shank formed along an end portion of the output shaft, a shoulder formed in the output shaft and terminating the square shank, threads formed along the end of the output shaft, wherein the square hole of the support base fits over the square shank, and the soil engaging member is demountably secured to the output shaft for positive rotation therewith by threading the hub means onto the threaded end of the output shaft to confine the soil engaging member therebetween.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.