Garden tool

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to gardening and more particularly to tools used to manually move, turn, loosen, cultivate and rejuvenate the soil of a garden or landscape plot while leaving ground cover, such as bark, peat moss or mulch, which is disposed on top of the soil relatively intact.

Household recreational gardening is well known in the art and is commonly performed by individuals using manually operated gardening tools, such as shovels, hoes, claws, cultivators, rakes and pitchforks.

It is widely appreciated by gardeners that turning, loosening, cultivating and rejuvenating the soil in which seeds are planted, and in which the resulting plants grow, provides numerous advantages which results in a more productive garden.

As a first advantage, it has been found that loosening the soil of a garden enables the roots of a plant to become more firmly entrenched within the soil, which is highly desirable. Specifically, because the roots of the plant become more firmly entrenched within the soil, the roots are more capable of extracting nutrients from the soil. In addition, because the roots of the plant become more firmly entrenched within the soil, the roots are better protected from animals. Furthermore, because the roots of the plant become more firmly entrenched within the soil, the plant is more securely rooted and is less apt to be removed from the garden due to harsh weather conditions, such as high force winds.

As a second advantage, it has been found that loosening the soil of a garden allows air to more easily reach and nutrify the roots or seeds of a plant, which is highly desirable.

Accordingly, gardening tools designed specifically for turning, loosening, cultivating and rejuvenating the soil of a garden while keeping ground cover, such as bark, peat moss or mulch, which is disposed on top of the soil relatively intact are well known and are widely used in the art.

Gardening tools for loosening the soil of a garden typically comprise an elongated rod having a first end and a second end. A handle is commonly formed onto the first end of the elongated rod and is used to facilitate handling of the tool. A tool head is mounted onto the second end of the elongated rod and is used to cultivate the soil. The tool head typically includes two or more sharpened tines which are disposed to project downward from the second end of the elongated rod.

In use, gardening tools of the type described above are commonly used in the following manner to manually move, turn, loosen, cultivate and rejuvenate the soil of a garden or landscape plot while leaving ground cover, such as bark, peat moss or mulch, which is disposed on top of the soil relatively intact. Grasping the handle, the user initially disposes the tool in a generally upright position with the sharpened tines penetrating the soil. The user then typically rotates and urges down the handle of the tool in such a manner that the tines cultivate a limited circular region of the soil. Upon completion of the rejuvenation of the limited circular region of the soil, the tool is lifted vertically out of the soil and can be repositioned at another location within the garden for further cultivation.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,900 to Dick Liao, there is disclosed a gardening tool for loosening soil which includes a shaft having an upper end and a lower end, a longitudinal axis, and a tine having a wavy profile along its length. The tine is connected to the bottom end of the shaft and initially projects outward from the longitudinal axis of the shaft and thereafter extends in a direction that points away from the upper end of the shaft and is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The gardening tool includes a handle having a unique design which improves ease of use.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,466 to Paul W. Ohlson, there is disclosed a prong-equipped garden tool having an elongate shaft with a handle on one end of the shaft and the opposite end of the shaft having a plurality of circumferentially spaced generally axially extending cultivating and weeding prongs, the shaft and handle permitting a gardener to use the tool in a generally upright position for soil loosening, cultivating and weeding by rotary and rocking maneuvers of the handle and agitating the prongs, and for optionally spearing trash or aerating sod.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,768 to F. Lorenz, there is disclosed a manual agricultural implement having a shaft with an axis and two ends, a handle arranged at one of the ends of the shaft and a tool arranged at the other end of the shaft having a plurality of tines arranged at radial distances from the shaft, the tines extending around the shaft axis in a curved manner and along the surface of an imaginary cylinder which is coaxial to the shaft axis.

Although well known and widely used in commerce, tools of the type described above suffer from notable drawbacks.

As an example, tools of the type described above typically comprise sharpened tines which have a limited surface area. As a result, the user is required to expend a considerable amount of time and energy in order to rejuvenate the soil of an entire garden, which is highly undesirable.

As another example, tools of the type described above are constructed to be used in a substantially vertical position. As a result, the user is required to constantly bend over in order to urge downward and rotate the tool, thereby creating a considerable amount of lower back strain on the user, which is highly undesirable.

As another example, tools of the type described above are constructed in such a manner so as to rejuvenate the soil of a garden at a fixed depth. As a result, the user is not able to modify the depth in which the soil is cultivated to accommodate the particular needs of the garden, which is highly undesirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved garden tool for manually moving, turning, loosening, cultivating and rejuvenating the soil of a garden or landscape plot.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a garden tool of the type described above which has a limited number of parts, which is easy to use and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a garden tool of the type described above which is constructed to enable for the manual moving, turning, loosening, cultivating and rejuvenating the soil of a garden at varying depths.

Accordingly, as one feature of the present invention, there is provided a garden tool, comprising a tool head having a plurality of tines, each tine comprising a tooth and a first wing formed onto the tooth, and a handle mounted onto said tool head.

As another feature of the present invention, there is provided a garden tool, comprising a tool head having a plurality of tine, and a handle pivotally and lockably mounted onto said tool head.

Various other features and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, a specific embodiment for practicing the invention. This embodiment will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings wherein like reference numerals represent like parts:

FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a garden tool constructed according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2

is an enlarged, fragmentary side view of one of the tines and the tool head in the garden tool shown in

FIG. 1

;

FIG. 3

is a section view taken along lines

3

—

3

in

FIG. 2

;

FIG. 4

is a top plan view of the tool head shown in

FIG. 1

;

FIG. 5

is an enlarged fragmentary section view of the garden tool shown in

FIG. 1

; and

FIG. 6

is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the garden tool shown in

FIG. 1

with the handle portion of the garden tool at a different angular position relative to the tool head than as shown in FIG.

1

.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a garden tool constructed according to the teachings of the present invention, the garden tool being identified generally as reference numeral

11

. As will be described further in detail below, garden tool

11

is constructed for use with gardens and landscape plots. Specifically, garden tool

11

can be used to manually move, turn, loosen, cultivate and rejuvenate the soil of a garden or landscape plot while leaving ground cover, such as bark, peat moss or mulch, which is disposed on top of the soil relatively intact.

Garden tool

11

comprises a tool head

13

for manually moving, turning, loosening, cultivating and rejuvenating the soil of a garden or landscape plot and a handle

15

for facilitating movement of tool head

13

, handle

15

being pivotally mounted on tool head

13

so that the angular position of handle

15

relative to tool head

13

can be adjusted.

Tool head

13

is constructed of a rigid and durable material, such as steel, and comprises a central hub

17

which comprises a top surface

19

and an outer periphery

21

. Hub

17

is shown as having a generally disc-shaped configuration. However, it is to be understood that hub

17

is not limited to a disc-shaped configuration. Rather, hub

17

could be constructed into different configurations without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

A plurality of eight tines

23

-

1

through

23

-

8

are integrally formed onto outer periphery

21

of hub

17

. Tines

23

protrude radially outward from periphery

21

of hub

17

in a generally star shaped configuration, as shown in FIG.

4

.

Preferably, tines

23

are spaced equally along outer periphery

21

of hub

17

, however, is to be understood that tines

23

could be alternatively configured without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Although too head

13

is shown comprising eight tines

23

, it is to be understood that tool head

13

could be constructed to include an alternative number of tines

23

, such as for example six or twelve, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Referring now to

FIGS. 2-4

, each tine

23

comprises an arm

25

which extends radially out and down from outer periphery

21

of hub

17

at an angle A relative to the horizontal axis H of hub

17

of approximately

30

degrees. In

FIG. 4

, arms

25

are labeled

25

-

1

through

25

-

28

. Each arm

25

comprises a first or inner end

27

which is integrally formed onto outer periphery

21

of hub

17

and a second or outer end

29

and has an overall length G of about 12 inches.

An elongated tooth

31

is integrally formed onto second end

29

of shoulder

25

and is disposed to project straight down from second end

29

. Tooth

31

is an elongated cylindrical member having a diameter D

2

of approximately {fraction (3/16)} of an inch. Tooth

31

is shaped to include a sharpened tip

33

. As can be appreciated, sharpened tip

33

is sized and shaped to easily penetrate the soil of a garden or landscape, which is highly desirable.

A first outwardly protruding wing, or flare,

35

is formed onto the outer periphery of each tooth

31

, wing

35

having a sharpened free edge

36

. Similarly, a second outwardly protruding wing, or flare,

37

is formed onto the outer periphery of each tooth

31

, wing

37

having a sharpened free edge

38

. As can be appreciated, wings

35

and

37

serve to increase the total surface area of tool head

13

which is in direct contact with the garden soil, thereby increasing the efficiency in which garden tool

11

cultivates the garden soil, which is highly desirable.

Wings

35

and

37

are thin, elongated members which extend nearly the entire length of each tooth

31

. Specifically, wings

35

and

37

extend approximately from second end

29

of arm

25

to a point directly above sharpened tip

33

.

Wings

35

and

37

are generally curved in shape so as to facilitate cultivation of the garden soil during use. As shown in

FIG. 3

, wings

35

and

37

are curved in opposite directions so as to maximize the efficiency in which tool

11

cultivates the garden soil, which is highly desirable. However, it is to be understood that wings

35

and

37

could be constructed in alternative shapes, such as flat, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Wings

35

and

37

are spaced approximately 180 degrees apart along the outer periphery of each tooth

31

so as to maximize the efficiency in which tool

11

cultivates the garden soil, which is highly desirable. However, it is to be understood that wings

35

and

37

could be alternatively spaced apart without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Tool head

13

further comprises a pair of support members, or flanges,

39

and

41

which are integrally formed onto top surface

19

of hub

17

. Specifically, support members

39

and

41

are each generally semi-circular in lateral cross-section and extend perpendicularly up from top surface

19

. Support members

39

and

41

are spaced apart so as to define a handle receiving opening

43

therebetween.

Handle

15

is generally in the shape of pole which is circular in lateral cross-section and preferably constructed of a rigid and durable material, such as a hickory-birch wood.

Handle

15

comprises a first end

45

and a second end

47

. Second end

47

is disposed between support members

39

and

41

. A pivot device in the form of a bolt

49

, extends through a hole

51

in support member

39

, a hole

53

in second end

47

and a hole

55

support member

41

so as to enable handle

15

to pivot relative to tool head

13

. A locking device in the form of a wingnut

51

is mounted onto bolt

49

so as to releasably lock handle

15

in a desired angular position relative to tool head

13

. The inner surfaces

59

and

61

of support members

39

and

41

, respectively, are preferably roughened as shown in

FIG. 5

as to more securely grip lower end

47

of handle

15

when support members

39

and

41

are tightened against handle

15

by wing nut

51

.

Although tool

11

is shown comprising bolt

49

and a wing nut

51

in order to pivotally and lockably mount handle

15

onto tool head

13

, it is to be understood that garden tool

11

could be constructed to include alternative means for pivotally and lockably mounting handle

15

onto tool head

13

without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

As can be appreciated, garden tool

11

is constructed so that handle

15

can be lockably disposed in a vertical position relative to tool head

13

, as shown in FIG.

1

. or at any angle C other than vertical such as for example 45 degrees from the vertical as shown in FIG.

6

.

It should be noted that, because handle

15

can be pivoted relative to tool head

13

, the user can selectively dispose handle

15

at a position which places the least amount of strain on the lower back of the user during use, which is highly desirable.

It should also be noted that, because handle

15

can be pivoted relative to tool head

13

, the user can modify the depth in which garden tool

11

cultivates the garden soil. Specifically, if the user laterally urges garden tool

11

with handle

15

disposed in its near vertical position, tool head

13

penetrates deeply within the garden soil, thereby cultivating the soil at considerable depth. To the contrary, if the user adjusts garden tool

11

so that handle

15

is disposed in a near horizontal position, tool head

13

penetrates shallowly within the garden soil, thereby cultivating the soil at a limited depth.

In use, garden tool

11

can be used in the following manner to manually move, turn, loosen, cultivate and rejuvenate the soil of a garden or landscape plot while leaving ground cover, such as bark, peat moss or mulch, which is disposed on top of the soil relatively intact. Specifically, the user loosens locking device

51

and pivots handle

15

relative to tool head

13

. Once handle

15

is disposed at its desired position, locking device

51

is tightened, thereby locking handle

15

at its desired position relative to tool head

13

.

With handle

15

disposed at its desired position, tool

11

is disposed onto the garden such that tips

33

of tines

23

penetrate the garden soil. Grasping first end

45

of handle

15

, the user laterally urges, or slides, garden tool

11

along the portion of the garden soil which requires loosening. Together, teeth

31

and wings

35

and

37

of each tine

23

serve to loosen the garden soil as tool

11

is laterally disposed.

As noted above, the user is capable of repositioning handle

15

relative to tool head

13

in order to change the depth in which tool head

13

loosens the garden soil and/or to decrease the strain placed on the lower back of the user, which is highly desirable.

It should be noted that, due to its particular construction, tool

11

is capable of being laterally pushed and pulled by the user to cultivate the garden soil. To the contrary, prior art cultivation devices typically require that the tool be lifted, dropped onto the portion of the garden requiring cultivation and rotationally displaced to loosen the soil. Because it can be laterally displaced, tool

11

is considerably easier to use and can operate more efficiently to cultivate a garden than comparable prior art tools, which is highly desirable.

The embodiment shown in the present invention is intended to be merely exemplary and those skilled in the art shall be able to make numerous variations and modifications to it without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.