Post hole digger

An improved post hole digger for removing a quantity of dirt from a ground surface in order to produce a narrow lateral hole thereat for receiving an elongated object such as a post, comprising:

• a) a plurality of elongated arm members, each of said elongated arm members having a proximal end and a distal end, and an inner surface and an outer surface;
• b) a sharpened shovel blade secured to the distal end of each of said elongated arm members;
• c) a hinge which secures the sharpened shovel blades to each other and acts as an axis of pivotal securement so that said sharpened shovel blades may be drawn together or spread apart about said axis in response to movement of the elongated arm members toward or away from each other;
• d) a handle bar which is secured perpendicular to the outer surface of each elongated arm member at the proximal end of said elongated arm member;
• e) a foot peg secured perpendicular to the outer surface of each elongated arm member at the distal end, wherein a user may drive the sharpened shovel blades into the ground by holding the improved post hole digger by the handle bars so that the sharpened shovel blades point into the ground, and jumping upon the foot pegs;
• and
• f) a flange having a flange aperture secured to and extending perpendicular from the outer surface of the proximal end of each elongated arm member, the handle bar having a handle bar aperture and secured pivotally to each flange with a pin extending through the aligned apertures, and a removable brace attached between each of the elongated arm members and the handle bar attached thereat, thus reinforcing each handle bar and allowing each handle bar to be collapsed and folded downward upon removal of the brace therefrom.

A method for removing a quantity of dirt from a ground surface in order to produce a narrow lateral hole thereat by utilizing an improved post hole digger which comprises a plurality of elongated arm members having a proximal end and a distal end and an inner surface and an outer surface, a sharpened shovel blade secured to the distal end of each elongated arm member, a hinge which pivotally secures the sharpened shovel blades to each other, and a detachable top plate assembly affixed to the proximal end of the elongated arm members, comprising the steps of:

• a) positioning the improved post hole digger perpendicular to the ground so that the sharpened shovel blades are adjacent to the ground;
• b) striking the top plate assembly of the improved post hole digger with a weighted object such as a sledge hammer, thus driving the sharpened shovel blades of the improved post hole digger firmly and deeply into the ground;
• c) continuing step (b) until the sharpened shovel blades have been driven adequately deep into the ground;
• d) removing the detachable top plate assembly from the improved post hole digger;
• e) spreading the elongated arm members apart so as to cause the sharpened shovel blades to pivot about their axis of securement and grasp a bite of dirt therebetween;
• and
• f) lifting the elongated arm members upward and removing the sharpened shovel blades from the ground surface, positioning the improved post hole digger above an adjacent area and drawing the elongated arm members together so that the bite of dirt is released from the grasp of the sharpened shovel blades.