Hand Tool Patents (Class 172/371)
  • Patent number: 6260631
    Abstract: The present invention is that of a innovative tool for use in a garden or on tilled earth. The present invention would allow a user to furrow into the dirt or ground, while at the same time, laying a length of tubing, electrical wire, hose, or cable into the bottom of the furrow as the blade would be pulled along. The present invention would have a comfortably angled handle with an incorporated channel running from the top of the handle to the rear of the blade assembly, allowing a small diameter tube or cable to feed through the present invention and into the newly formed furrow as the present invention would be pulled along the ground. The front edge of the blade assembly of the present invention would be tapered and have a sharp point to assist with cutting through loose dirt and/or gravel, and the handle would be knurled to prevent a user's hand from slipping while using the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Inventor: Narciso Q. Torrez
  • Patent number: 6233851
    Abstract: A method and compact portable system for excavating a two-soldier fighting position is disclosed in which the method includes using a material-retention type auger to bore a plurality of spaced hollow recesses to a desired depth, placing prepared explosive charges in each bored recess, detonating the explosive charges using a remotely operable detonation device to loosen the soil in the defined pattern, removing the loosened soil, and finalizing the interior walls of the structure. The system is compact and lightweight designed to be stored within a confined carrying pack volume and features a bucket-type, hollow auger system including handle extensions capable of being quickly assembled to bore clean holes in the earth, a plurality of explosive charges, the explosive charges being stored in canisters of a size to fit into the hollow auger bit and holes bored by the auger, means for connecting to and remotely detonating the binary charges in each of the canisters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Alan A. Alexander, Gary W. Erickson, Paul F. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6178731
    Abstract: A garden tool including a head having a front edge with an upturned edge formed thereon and a rear edge with a point thereon. Also included is a handle mounted on the head for utilizing the same to till soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Inventor: Jason K. Forbes
  • Patent number: 6152241
    Abstract: A dual blade garden hoe includes a head and a handle. The head has a longitudinal base to which two blades are mounted, the blades have cutting edges and being mounted so that the cutting edges are distal from the base. The base orients the blades so that when the cutting edges of the blades are in contact with a working surface, each blade extends upwardly from the working surface at an acute angle. The handle is mounted to the base and oriented at an acute angle to the working surface when the cutting edges are in contact with the working surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Inventor: James H. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6138769
    Abstract: A tool for inserting beneath a plant to sever roots, such as tap roots, that are located beneath a tree or shrub at a location relatively far from the circumference of a root ball, the tool comprising a cutting blade of generally triangular shape having a leading edge which is a relatively narrow cutting edge, and having sides angled inward from the cutting edge. The cutting blade is mounted on a long, slightly arcuate, slender shaft which is sufficiently long to reach under a tree shrub to sever roots and define a root ball in preparation for transplanting the tree or shrub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Inventor: Stephen R. Breyer
  • Patent number: 6131381
    Abstract: A lawn rake (100) has a cross head assembly (130) attached to a handle (120). A truncated tee (150) mounted on the cross arm (145) of the cross head assembly (130) receives the handle (120). A plurality of tines (170) is carried by the cross arm (145). The cross arm (145) is tubular and has a plurality of pairs (162) of apertures (164). The apertures (164) are larger than the cross section of the tines (170). The tines (170) are inserted through, and loosely positioned by, the apertures (164). The plurality of tines (170) forms an array (160) that is generally coplanar. The array (160) may form an obtuse angle with respect to the handle (120). Embodiments of the rake include arrays of tines (170) configured to form alternating rows of tines or a curvilinear arrangement of tines. A looped bend (178) formed in the end of each tine (170) distal to the ground engaging tip (176), snaps around the cross arm (145) to pivotally mount each tine (170).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Inventor: Thomas G. Milbury
  • Patent number: 6088621
    Abstract: An irrigation control system including an irrigation controller, a portable data shuttle, and a personal computer. The user creates a watering program comprising watering schedules by using a graphical user-friendly interface of the personal computer. The watering program is then downloaded into the portable data shuttle. The portable data shuttle is coupled to an irrigation controller and a first watering schedule is downloaded from the portable data shuttle into the irrigation controller in a matter of seconds. At a later time, the data shuttle automatically downloads a second watering schedule replacing the first schedule, thereby updating the irrigation programming. For example, a new watering schedule may be automatically downloaded at preselected intervals to accommodate the changing seasons. The portable data shuttle includes voltage regulation circuits so that it can receive power from either the personal computer or the irrigation controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Woytowitz, Michael J. McGrady
  • Patent number: 6058510
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus including a plurality of finger mounts and a plurality of rods each having a base coupled to the tip of one of the finger mounts and extending therefrom in coaxial relationship therewith. A web is mounted on the rods for manipulating and/or collecting debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Inventor: Emil Breitenbach
  • Patent number: 5996705
    Abstract: A trenching tool which includes a lower portion having a blade and a guide tube. The guide or alignment tube is vertically positioned on one edge of the blade. An impact rod slips into the alignment tube and is repeatedly forced, by the operator, to impact the top of the blade, thereby driving the blade into the ground. Through a rocking motion, the channel formed by the blade is widened and the blade is again forced into the ground until the desired depth is obtained. The assembly is then removed and repositioned to extend the channel through the same procedure. The blade has either a rectangular cross section or a triangular cross section permitting the channel to be sloped automatically while the blade is being driven into the soil. A handle, preferably having shock absorption capabilities, allows the operator to slide the impact rod to obtain the driving force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Inventor: Alan C. Downs
  • Patent number: 5921700
    Abstract: A transition piece for use on tools of the type having a tool head with a socket to receive a tool handle. The transition piece includes a hollow cylindrical body and an annular skirt extending from the cylindrical body and encircling the body to define a recess for receiving the end of a tool head socket. A lower portion of the body is provided with slots to define a split end, and such insertion of a tool handle through the transition piece causes the split end to be biased radially outwardly into engagement with the tool head socket. In addition, the transition piece provides a smooth visual transition between the handle and the socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: True Temper Hardware Company
    Inventors: Stephen Thomas Haver, Robert Leroy Diekman
  • Patent number: 5871058
    Abstract: An apparatus for manually moving, turning, and loosening earth and soil and which is particularly adapted for turning and loosening soil in a garden. An interchangeable implement head, preferably a fork, is configured for penetrating the earth. The implement head is connected to a shaft which supports a handle. The shaft includes upper and lower segments with the upper segment being angled away from the user's body. Positioned adjacent to the implement head, and connected to the shaft, is a structure for receiving the foot of the user. The structure for receiving the foot of the user preferably surrounds the circumference of the foot and loosely holds the foot in position to allow the user to push downwardly with the foot so that the implement head penetrates the earth. A lever arm adapted for extending the fulcrum point for the implement away from the back side of the implement head provides the user additional mechanical advantage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Leverage Digger Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert Naccarato, Bradley Olsen
  • Patent number: 5857529
    Abstract: An apparatus for uprooting weeds comprising a rotatable handle, a base, a rotatable contacting assembly co-axial with the handle, and a co-axial co-directional rotation multiplying assembly linking the handle to the contacting means wherein the rotation of the contacting means is many times the rotation of the handle so that the weed uprooting action can be achieved by pulling the handle pependicularly by a short distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Inventor: Tranh T. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 5848653
    Abstract: A heavy duty, earth-working implement including an elongated handle having a wedge-shaped head mounted thereto which extends upwardly from a cutting blade along a continuously curved back surface which functions as a fulcrum to assist in prying rocks and other earth buried debris, which fulcrum terminates in a ledge which is aligned with the cutting block of the head so that a driving tool may be used to strike the ledge to thereby facilitate penetration of the cutting blade of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Inventor: Steve Warter
  • Patent number: 5826668
    Abstract: A device and method for cutting, removing and inserting adjustable depth plugs of square straight edged turf. Square straight edged turf is readily positionable and makes a clean patch where a straight edge must be maintained. The device has a square frame in plan view with the four sides having openings and an open top and bottom. The square frame allows for the storage and easy transport of the square cut turf plugs to the insertion location, while the openings in the frame allow access to the stacked plugs. A cutting edge is provided on the open bottom with adjustable stops positioned near the open bottom. The adjustment of the stops allows the depth or thickness of the turf plug to be varied as needed. Consequently, the plugs can be varied as to depth to be cut. Angle irons comprise the adjustable stops, and the frame may be of welded steel or aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Inventor: John Kosmalski
  • Patent number: 5819856
    Abstract: A lawn edging tool comprises a first post which is hollow and having an open lower end to which a cutting blade is secured. A second post is fitted through the open lower end of and slideably held in the hollow first post The second post has a lower end provided with a ground plate below the first post. A spring is trapped between the upper end of the second post and a spring stop provided within the first post. This spring is compressed by pushing the first post downwardly over the second post with the ground plate in a ground engaging position to move the cutting blade on the first post downwardly from a storage to a cutting position. The spring, after being compressed, then provides a bias to raise the first post relative to the second post and to return the cutting blade to the storage position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Inventor: George Meyer
  • Patent number: 5816338
    Abstract: A combined furrowing and tamping garden tool includes an elongated handle having a ground engaging member disposed at one end thereof. The ground engaging member has a furrow forming member and a soil replacing and tamping element formed therewith as a unitary member. The furrow forming member depends from a first edge of the ground engaging member and the replacing and tamping portion is in diametric opposition to the furrow forming member such that the handle can be rotated 180.degree. in either direction for the desired function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Inventor: Damon S. Fleming
  • Patent number: 5813206
    Abstract: A hand held garden rake configured to enhance downward force for digging and raking. The rake has a rod frame which extends from tines located at the front end of the rake to a brace located at the rear of the rake. The frame is bent to extend back towards the front end of the rake, at which point the frame terminates in an upwardly extending handle. The brace rests on the forearm, so that additional force is developed when the tines of the rake are urged downwardly into the ground. The vertical orientation of the handle is more natural and comfortable than would be a horizontal orientation. The handle is provided with a molded grip for cooperating with a user's hand. The brace has a resilient cushion for comfort when pressing downwardly on the tines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Inventor: Janie McKittrick
  • Patent number: 5765647
    Abstract: A golfing aid is provided in which a pitch mark repair tool is mounted on the end of a shaft. The grip of the shaft can optionally have a ball retrieval device in the form of a suction cup having a plurality of inwardly biased or resilient fingers extending from its periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Inventor: Richard C. Hood
  • Patent number: 5743340
    Abstract: A device for pulling weeds, plants, small trees and the like includes an elongate handle portion terminating in a first end, with a leveraging head member attached to the first end. This leveraging head member has a first side bearing a weed clamp having at least one pivoting jaw adapted to close proximate a clamping surface, and a second side opposite the first side bearing a lever arm for mechanical advantage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Inventor: Michael E. Giacomini
  • Patent number: 5740869
    Abstract: The present invention is a cultivating tool which includes a rod having a handle on one end and a tool head with soil-breaking elements on the opposite end of the rod. The tool head can take the form of a fork spade with tines or cutting blades arranged in at least two planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Inventor: Hartwig Sandholzer
  • Patent number: 5735630
    Abstract: A striking tool assembly comprises a tool head including a tool eye having disposed therein a sleeve member for receiving an elongated tool handle to perform a manual tool work operation. A flexing structure enables the annular wall structure of the sleeve member to temporarily collapse inwardly for a retaining section to be located in a sleeve securing position when the sleeve member is moved in a longitudinal axial direction into the tool head eye. The sleeve member includes a tool eye mating portion and an overstrike portion. The tool head system comprises a plurality of tool heads each of which is effective to perform a different manual work operation. The sleeve member of each tool head assembly has an inner tapered bore including an inner frictionally mating surface effective to frictionally mate with a preselected elongated tool handle, which may be used interchangeably with each tool head of the tool head system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignees: IXL Mfg. Co., Inc., Mann Edge Tool Co.
    Inventors: Bob N. Keathley, John A. Waddell
  • Patent number: 5730226
    Abstract: While playing golf, it is common to land a ball on the green and leave a divot or indentation. It is proper golf etiquette to repair this divot so as not to affect the game of a subsequent golfer. But, many golfers do not repair their own divots, either because they are not aware they should, or because repair takes too much effort. For those that do attempt to repair their own divots, they often do it incorrectly and damage the fragile green turf even more. Either way, the golf course keeper must expend considerable resource in repairing unfixed or incorrectly fixed divots. The device disclosed herein allows a golfer or grounds keeper to easily, quickly, and correctly repair green divots while standing. The user simply centers the device over a divot and presses down on the engagement knob. As the device is engaged, blades are angled into the turf under the divot, and then tilted inwardly to fill in the indentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Inventor: George Kendall
  • Patent number: 5716132
    Abstract: An agricultural agitator used for disturbing matter such as compost includes a rod, a handle mounted on a top end of the rod, a first flat section formed at a middle portion thereof and a second flat section formed at a bottom end thereof. The second flat section is perpendicular to the first flat section and has a sharp tip at the bottom thereof. Two pairs of blades are respectively and pivotedly mounted on opposite sides of each of the first and second flat sections. Each blade resembles a tongue with a broad flat first end and a second end formed as two upright lugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Inventor: Hwei-rung Chou
  • Patent number: 5709273
    Abstract: A hand-held aerator useful for removing soil to facilitate the passage of water, air, and nutrients is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Inventor: Binson L. Roth
  • Patent number: 5690181
    Abstract: A tool handle mounting structure including a tool head having a fixed coupling cap, a handle having a tubular front end fastened to the coupling cap by a screw joint, and a sleeve fixedly mounted around the tubular front end to hold a sliding lock, wherein when the sliding lock is moved forwards after the handle is coupled to the coupling cap of the tool head, the handle is locked; when the sliding lock is moved backwards, the handle is unlocked, and can be turned reversely and disconnected from the coupling cap of the tool head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Inventor: Chun-Li Shu
  • Patent number: 5674022
    Abstract: The invention features a tool having a structure which rigidly secures the implement portion of a manual tool to its handle. The tool includes a handle having a first bore extending along a longitudinal axis and distal end of the handle, a washer having an aperture concentric with the first bore and disposed at the distal end of the, a ferrule disposed over the distal end of the handle and the washer, an implement including a shaft portion disposed through the aperture of the washer and within the first bore of said handle, and a fastening element cooperating between the ferrule and shaft portion to secure the implement to the wooden handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Greenlife, Inc.
    Inventor: Dick Liao
  • Patent number: 5641237
    Abstract: A sleeve for coupling a tool to a handle includes a collar, a shank and a pair of resilient clips. The collar defines proximal and distal ends, and includes an exterior surface which converges from the proximal end toward the distal end. In addition, the collar includes a central bore for receiving a shaft of the tool. In an especially preferred form, the central bore is so dimensioned as to fit closely around a shaft of the tool. In addition, the exterior surface of the collar meets an interior surface of the central bore at a right or acute angle. Then, the portion of the exterior surface of the collar near the juncture with the interior surface of the central bore acts as a knife edge to scrape deposits such as caked mud from the shaft of the tool as the shaft is inserted into the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: True Temper Hardware Company
    Inventors: Barry R. Albert, Christopher T. Rich
  • Patent number: 5628370
    Abstract: The invention is a wooden handled, heart shaped, garden tool configured to perform various garden tasks. The tool includes multiple edges and angles configured to perform various garden tasks and a bolt attached thereon at 36.degree. to mate with a handle connector equipped with three different angled mounting bosses. One boss comes straight from the end of the connector, the second boss is ninety degrees from the connector and handle, and the third boss is fifty four degrees from the connector and handle. A coupling has also been designed for the center of the of the handle to allow it to be taken apart for the ease of shipping or storing or to add a longer length handle section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Inventor: R. William Chrysler
  • Patent number: 5579848
    Abstract: A garden tool includes a beam having a tool secured to one end and having a ring and one or more fins formed in the other end. A handle has a number of blades tapered radially outward and has a number of gaps formed between the blades for engaging with the fins. A barrel has an inner thread for engaging with an outer thread of the ring and has a tapered surface formed in the inner peripheral portion for forcing the blades radially inward and for engaging the fins with the gaps such that the handle may be solidly and quickly secured to the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Inventor: Shih-Hao Hsu
  • Patent number: 5535833
    Abstract: Hand weeding tools have attempted to remove unwanted weeds from lawns and gardens by extracting as much of the root structure as possible. Usually, the extracted weed must be picked up after extraction. The disclosed device includes a curving cylindrical blade on one end of an elongated rod and a handle on the other. A lever on the handle operates a weed engaging jaw that grips the extracted weed against the concave surface of the curved blade. The jaw is pivotally hinged to the blade so that the jaw can be closed into the blade thus preventing unintended penetration of the blade into the soil, as when the tool is used as a cane to aid in walking or standing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Inventor: Linden H. Mathews
  • Patent number: 5477929
    Abstract: A garden tool that has a tool member coupled to a hollow aluminum handle by a nylon spacer and a pair of threaded nylon rivets,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Malco Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Bert Kenyon, Doug Ebbecke
  • Patent number: 5449254
    Abstract: A cylindrical bit is made from an elongated shaft with a spiral blunt pointed cutting element secured to one end by welding or molding. The upper end of the shaft is held in the chuck of a hand-held drill. The drill, battery or mains powered, rotates the shaft. The rotating shaft is repeatedly plunged into the compost mixture to add air and air holes to improve biological decomposition and conversion of organic material into a humus-like mixture (compost).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Inventor: Ruth Beckner
  • Patent number: 5390746
    Abstract: A shuffle hoe with a horizontal blade which is designed for chopping the earth with the blade sides as well as weeding with a forward and backward motion with equal efficiency and control. The simple design comprises a diamond shaped blade mounted on a straight handle shaft which has a movable grip handle curved near the opposite upper end and capped by a bicycle grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Ardle E. Page
    Inventor: Ardle E. Page
  • Patent number: 5372205
    Abstract: A hand held garden implement (FIG. 1) for refilling a furrow, requiring only one hand for operation, and allowing the operator to stand and walk fully erect. A handle (11) is attached into a receptacle (12) on a cover plate (13) which is connected to an inclined and converging scraper (14) which is connected to a bottom plate (15). Dirt is lifted up and into the tool as well as being pushed by it. Dirt then traverses the scraper towards the centerline of the tool, and is deposited into the furrow. The bottom plate then smoothes out and levels the deposited dirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Inventor: Thomas A. Velez
  • Patent number: 5370191
    Abstract: A semi-automatic, adjustable picking and weeding implement comprises a stationary prong and an adjustable prong with which a horizontal handle, a stop pad, a spring, two horizontal, partly-threaded shafts, two stop pegs and four nuts are associated so that the implement can be vertically pushed into soil, and one prong can be slantingly pressed toward the other to pluck up weeds easily and promptly. After that, the prong that is slantingly pressed can automatically recover its vertical position. In order to weed various sizes of weeds, the span between the stationary prong and the adjustable prong can be modified. Essential methods for using such an implement are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Inventor: Chih-chiang Lee
  • Patent number: 5360071
    Abstract: A gardening tool for digging around weeds, vegetables, bushes, etc., and in particular, a gardening tool having a handle, two laterally mounted straight prongs extending parallel to one another, and a medially mounted pair of diverging prongs which extend in a gradually diverging manner from one another to define a V-shaped member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Inventor: Frank H. Bergendorf
  • Patent number: 5350021
    Abstract: An implement for cleaning spaces between adjacent slabs of paving materials, the implement including a pilot member proportioned to fit into the spaces between the adjacent slabs of paving materials, a pair of flange members forming a V-shape having an apex, the pilot member and the pair of flange members being joined such that the pilot member extends away from the exterior of the apex of the V-shape, a handle that extends away from the interior of the apex of the V-shape, and a pivot apparatus for providing a pivoting movement between the pair of flange members and the pilot member and the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Inventor: Stafford B. Walker
  • Patent number: 5322130
    Abstract: A ball repair tool has a plurality of fingers which extend first vertically into the surface of the green. After extending into the green vertically a specified distance, the plurality of fingers are forced conically inward to force both dirt and grass into the unrepaired ball mark. Once repaired, the fingers are retracted leaving a repaired ball mark. The holes made by the blades of the fingers aid in the repair of the ball mark by aerating the area around the repaired ball mark. The vertical extension of the fingers into the green before the conical motion to force dirt and grass into the ball mark provides sufficient depth of the repair area to adequately support the green area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Inventor: Al Ryden
  • Patent number: 5109930
    Abstract: An earth splitting tool comprised of a central shaft, a handle bar, a foot pressure bar and a wedge-shaped blade is disclosed. The blade has two primary trapezoid-shaped faces, two triangular side faces and a rectangular butt face. One primary face in the same plane as a tangent to the surface of the central shaft. The butt face has a width substantially the same as the thickness of the central shaft. The butt face may be perpendicular to the axis of the central shaft, or it may be sloped away from the perpendicular. The length of the butt face may also be substantially the same as the thickness of the central shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Inventor: Dennis K. Napier
  • Patent number: 5097909
    Abstract: An arcuate "L" shaped handle is selectively mounted to a plurality of planar blade members to define a narrow longitudinal profile defined by the handle and blade organization. A forward terminal end of the handle includes a diametrically projecting fastener selectively securable to the associated blade. A modification of the invention includes the handle formed with a central reservoir and apertures directed therethrough, with a selective fluid impermeable sleeve or a fluid permeable sleeve securable about an exterior surface of the handle coextensively positioned over the apertures to permit flow of lotion through the permeable handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Inventors: Kuldip S. Jauhal, Bemi K. Jauhal
  • Patent number: 5060997
    Abstract: A weed removing device with a shaft having a handle end and blade end. A T-shaped handle is configured on the handle end at a sufficient distance away from the blade end to provide leverage in pushing, pulling and rotating the device. A blade is located at the blade end having an axis member extended axially from the shaft and a blade member extended laterally from the axis member. The blade end of the shaft is submerged into soil until the axis member is in close longitudinal juxtaposition with the main tap root of a weed to be removed. The T-handle is then turned to rotate the shaft, thereby cutting small lateral roots upon contact with a forward edge of the blade member and thereby also twisting the main tap root around the axis member then for removing the weed and root upon withdrawal of the device from the soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Inventor: Michael J. Plecki
  • Patent number: 5040614
    Abstract: An edging tool includes a sleeve unit in which a weight bar is slidably received and on which a blade is mounted. The weight bar is drawn back to a cocked position by hand, and when released, impacts an impact block mounted on the sleeve unit and which is in contact with the blade so impact from the weight bar drives the blade downwardly. The blade unit has a cutting edge which is positioned adjacent to an area to be edged. The movement of the weight bar with respect to the sleeve unit is controlled by various elements on the edging tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1991
    Inventor: Charles Nash
  • Patent number: 5014792
    Abstract: A garden tool configured as a glove includes a rigid "J" shaped body terminating in a continuous forward edge spaced from an entrance opening, wherein the entrance opening includes a flexible surrounding skirt mounted to the rigid opening. The interior surface of the glove defining the concave bottom surface is of an undulating configuration to accommodate fingers of a hand positioned therewithin. The glove includes modifications, wherein the glove terminates in a forward blunt surface receiving a spike thereon. Further, the invention utilizes a glove mounting a spike spaced from the forward continuous edge, and wherein the spike optionally may include a replaceable spike mounting spaced rearwardly extending cutting blades for cutting roots and the like in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Inventor: Christian S. Gierloff
  • Patent number: 4998726
    Abstract: A light-weight, integrated, self-contained golf premium device to aid a golfer during a golf game comprising a generally rectangular two-piece case having a circular rotatable stroke counter, a retractable cleaning tool, a ball marker retainer and ball marker, an information display surface and an eyelet to secure the device to a key chain or golf bag. The two-piece case has a front and rear piece formed of a relatively rigid material which are fixedly secured to one another by conventional internal connecting elements. Each case piece has a generally planar wall with a peripheral edge, an upper and lower end, a first side and a second side. The peripheral edges of the front and rear pieces are adapted to cooperate with each other to form the eyelet and to form the case for holding the ball marker, the stroke counter and the retractable cleaning tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Inventor: John Budnick
  • Patent number: 4930933
    Abstract: An attaching socket of a working implement fits a tool shaft and has an exterior clamping device with a clamping piece, which with the clamping device in a closed condition engages in the tool shaft through an opening in a wall of the attaching socket. The clamping piece is mounted on a clamping lever which is mounted pivotable exteriorly on the attaching socket about a pivot axis extending substantially perpendicular to the sleeve axis and extends from that pivot axis substantially further than the length of the clamping piece. This clamping piece together with the clamping lever form a bent lever. The clamping lever is pivoted in against the tool shaft in the closed condition of the clamping device, while it is swung out in the open condition far enough from it so that the clamping piece is out of engagement with the tool shaft. With the clamping device closed the end of the tool shaft is braced by the clamping piece axially against a backstop formed by and in the attaching socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Max Langenstein Feld- und Gartengerate GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Max Langenstein
  • Patent number: 4890679
    Abstract: A one-piece tool for performing controlled and exacting cuts for the removal of weeds 26 not susceptible to the strike of a horizontal hoe blade 24, as well as small limbs from trees and bushes, these by striking downward, the former by an oblique upward strike with the scythe-cutting edges 22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Inventor: Robert C. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 4886125
    Abstract: An improved accurate lightweight manual tool to cut suburban lawn and garden weeds efficiently and with little time and effort expended. It is like a miniature hoe half a man's height in length with a very thin very narrow blade, in length four to five times its width (FIG. 5). The chipper's light weight is achieved with a very lightweight conduit handle of any section joined at right angles by a secret joint to a backing plate for the blade and weighted with billet to increase and change the power for weight. A thin shock absorber is bolted between plate and blade by.The secret joint uses a steel billet driven through the metal plate into the conduit handle thereby expanding the handle against the metal collar and plate which has a self-centering protrusion fitting into a recess in the collar. The permanent right angle secret locking joint uses totally prefinished components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Inventor: Hugh M. Reilly
  • Patent number: 4832132
    Abstract: A manually operated weeder tool is disclosed. The tool has a weed engaging portion with a prong centered on the weed engaging portion. In a preferred form the weed engaging end has a forked tip and a prong extends between the tips of the fork end. The prong is preferrably serrated so as to entangle the root portion of a weed below the surface of the earth. The tool may be provided with a depth control attachment and a leverage bar that will assist in the extraction of a weed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Inventor: James M. Barcelon
  • Patent number: 4819736
    Abstract: A tool for removing roots and plants from the earth while only minimally disturbing the surrounding area. The tool includes a first, proximal end for attachment to a device for rotating the tool and a second end including a three-tined head. One tine or prong of the three-tined head is longer than the remaining tines and serves to anchor and stabilize the tool in a working position while preventing a vibration or wandering of the tool during rotation. Adjacent prongs or blades rotate about the elongated prong as the body of the tool is rotated and thus disrupt the soil and root system of the undesired plant enabling the plant to be easily removed from the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Inventor: Virgil E. Hedgepeth
  • Patent number: RE33666
    Abstract: A hand operated weeding device. The device is used in weeding such places as flower beds and vegetable gardens. It comprises a weed displacing structure composed of sections which have multiple functions. One section, when operated under the surface of the soil, is used as a self stabilizer of its operating depth in the soil; it crumbles the soil it passes under, the soil being around the top sections of the cut off weed roots; and it has a forward cutting edge. A second section further crumbles soil around this top part of the roots and pushes most of these root parts with attached weed tops out of the soil and pushes them all way. Weeds cut off on the surface of the ground are also pushed away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1991
    Inventor: Wade A. Erickson