Posthole digger and cleaning attachment

In a posthole digger comprising first and second spaced-apart and substantially upright handles for being gripped by a user at respective free ends thereof, pivot means for pivotally attaching the handles together at their respective proximal ends, and first and second cooperating blades attached to said respective proximal ends of the handles, the blades being moveable between a generally open position for penetrating the ground surface, and a generally closed position for excavating, the improvement comprising a cleaning attachment for removing accumulated earthen matter from an inside surface of the first and second blades when in the open position, said cleaning attachment comprising:

• (a) first and second, stationary hollow sleeves attached together and carried by the pivot means at the proximal ends of the handles;
• (b) first and second elongate rods extending between the handles, and received within respective sleeves for unison, sliding vertical movement relative thereto;
• (c) inner scraper means attached to respective ends of said rods and positioned between the first and second blades for reciprocating vertical movement along the length of the blades when in the open position;
• (d) biasing means engaging the first and second rods for normally urging the inner scraper means upwardly into a storage position adjacent to a top end of the blades;
• and
• (e) an extension secured to said inner scraper means for being depressed by the foot of a user against the force of said biasing means to move said inner scraper means downwardly along the length of said blades from the top end thereof to a bottom end thereof;
• and
• (f) outer scraper means secured to said extension and residing in closely-spaced relation to an outside surface of the blades, said outer scraper means being movable in unison with said inner scraper means to clean away accumulated earthen matter from the inside and the outside surfaces of the blades in the open position.

A cleaning attachment for use in a posthole digger comprising first and second spaced-apart and substantially upright handles for being gripped by a user at respective free ends thereof, pivot means for pivotally attaching the handles together at their respective proximal ends, and first and second cooperating blades attached to said respective proximal ends of the handles, the blades being moveable between a generally open position for penetrating the ground surface, and a generally closed position for excavating, the cleaning attachment being adapted for removing accumulated earthen matter from an inside surface of the first and second blades when in the open position, said cleaning attachment comprising:

• (a) a stationary hollow sleeve carried by the pivot means at the proximal ends of the handles;
• (b) an elongate rod extending between the handles, and received within the sleeve for sliding vertical movement relative thereto;
• (c) inner scraper means attached to an end of said rod and positioned between the first and second blades for reciprocating vertical movement along the length of the blades when in the open position;
• (d) biasing means engaging the rod for normally urging the inner scraper means upwardly into a storage position adjacent to a top end of the blades;
• and
• (e) an extension secured to said inner scraper means for being depressed by the foot of a user against the force of said biasing means to move said inner scraper means downwardly along the length of said blades from the top end thereof to a bottom end thereof;
• and
• (f) outer scraper means secured to said extension and residing in closely-spaced relation to an outside surface of the blades, said outer scraper means being movable in unison with said inner scraper means to clean away accumulated earthen matter from the inside and the outside surfaces of the blades in the open position.