ROTARY TOOL FOR SPREADING PARTICULATE MATERIALS AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME
A rotary tool for spreading mulch outwardly from a mound of the same. The tool has an elongated shaft with a rotatable body mounted proximate a first end thereof. The body has a peripheral edge with a plurality of flexible fingers radiating outwardly and downwardly therefrom. The fingers may be individually securable to the body. In a second embodiment, a ring is detachably mounted to the body and the fingers are on the ring. When the tool is activated, the fingers engage the mulch mound and cause pieces of mulch to be flicked outwardly away from the body. The tool may also be used as a shovel-type device when the motor is not activated and the mulch can then be carried on the upper surface of the body.
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This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/933,142, filed Sep. 2, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to rotary tools. More particularly, the invention relates to a rotary tool for spreading particulate materials. Specifically, the invention relates to a rotary tool which includes a rotatable body with a plurality of fingers radiating outwardly therefrom.
2. Background Information
In landscaping, it is common to apply particulate materials such as mulch to flowerbeds to reduce weed growth, retain moisture in the soil and improve the aesthetic appearance of the flowerbed. Commonly used mulch particulate materials include leaves, bark chips and shredded wood. These materials are usually delivered by wheelbarrow or bag to the flowerbed and the gardener then spreads the particulate materials around the plants using a rake. Spreading and leveling a particulate materials mound is both time consuming and laborious because of the physical nature of these types of materials and their tendency to stick together in clumps. This is especially true for employees of landscaping services who may have to particulate materials a large number of flowerbeds for numerous clients in a fairly short time span. It is also possible that a gardener will wish to distribute other types of particulate materials, such as gravel or stones, over the ground surface within a flower bed. These particulate materials are equally difficult to distribute over the surface.
There is therefore a need in the art for a device that assists the gardener to spread particulate materials, such as mulch, gravel or stone, around a flowerbed and which particularly assists in distributing the particulate materials from an initially formed mound of the same.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe rotary tool of the present invention includes a rotatable body that has an upper surface and a center axis therein. A stationary coupler is coaxial with the center axis of the rotatable body and receives a powered drive shaft therein. When the drive shaft is activated it causes the rotatable body to rotate about the center axis. The rotatable body also includes a peripheral edge for engaging the particulate materials. The peripheral edge may include a plurality of fingers that extend outwardly therefrom. The rotary tool may be rotated in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction, or the rotation may be of an oscillating nature where the rotatable body alternates between a clockwise and anticlockwise direction. As the rotatable body rotates, the fingers engage the particulate material and cause individual particulate materials to be flicked outwardly away from the rotating body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.
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Plate 26 preferably is manufactured from a more rigid plastic or rubber than is ring 24 but is still preferably slightly flexible. Plate 26 is slightly convex in shape (
Hood 18 is provided to partially cover ring 24 and plate 26 when rotatable body 12 is assembled. Hood 18 comprises a substantially triangular-shaped body 42 having an apex 44 and an arcuate outer edge 46. A skirt 48 extends downwardly from outer edge 46. Body 42 and skirt 48 preferably are integrally formed. Body 42 is provided with an aperture 50 proximate apex 44 through which a drive shaft 16 extends as hereinafter described.
Rotatable body 12 is assembled in the following manner. Plate 26 and ring 24 are connected together by bolts 52 inserted through aligned apertures 34, 38 in ring 24 and plate 26, respectively. Bolts 52 are secured in place with washers 54 and nuts 56. A drive shaft 58 extending outwardly from stationary coupler 14 is inserted through aperture 50 in hood 18, through aperture 36 in plate 26 and is secured in place by a washer 60 and nut 62. Drive shaft 58 is partially surrounded by a bushing 64 to prevent the rotational motion of shaft 58 from being transferred to hood 18. When rotatable body 12 is assembled, it can be seen that the outer edge 40 of plate 26 is substantially vertically aligned with the peripheral edge 30 of ring 24 (
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While it has been disclosed that ring 24, plate 26 and rotatable bodies 170 and 270 are manufactured from rubber or plastic, it will be understood that these components could be manufactured from a suitable metal or composite material, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, while plate 26, rotatable body 170 and rotatable body 270 have been shown and described as convex in cross-section, it will be understood that the plate or rotatable body could be substantially flat or concave in cross-section, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, while the rotatable bodies 170 and 270 and plate 26 have been shown and described as generally circular in shape, these components could be formed in other shapes, such as an ellipse or triangle, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Additionally, the rotatable body could be mounted on the end of a weed trimmer or other type of presently known tool.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.
Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention are an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.
Claims
1. A rotary tool for spreading a pile of mulch, the tool comprising:
- a body having a center axis, a lower surface and an upper surface; said body being rotatable about the center axis;
- a ring detachably connected to body; and
- a plurality of ground-engaging fingers radiating outwardly from the ring, whereby said upper surface of the body and said fingers are adapted to engage and spread mulch outwardly from the pile in a 360-degree-spread pattern when the body is rotated.
2. The rotary tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the ring has an inner edge of a first circumference and a peripheral edge of a second and larger circumference, and a wall extending between the inner edge and the peripheral edge; and wherein the wall slopes downwardly and outwardly away from the inner edge and toward the peripheral edge.
3. The rotary tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the body is substantially convex in cross-sectional shape and has a radius of curvature, and wherein the wall of the ring is complementary sloped to the radius of curvature of at least a portion of the ring.
4. The rotary tool as defined in claim 2, wherein the plurality of fingers extend outwardly and downwardly away from the peripheral edge of the ring and are adapted to engage the ground.
5. The rotary tool as defined in claim 4, wherein the fingers extend from the peripheral edge of the ring for a distance of between two to three inches.
6. The rotary tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the fingers are integrally formed with the ring.
7. The rotary tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the fingers are flexible.
8. The rotary tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the fingers are manufactured from one of rubber, plastic, metal and composite materials and are flexible enough to bend but are rigid enough to lift and spread mulch particles.
9. The rotary tool as defined in claim 1, further comprising a shield that is secured to the tool so as to restrict the mulch scatter pattern from the tool to less than 360 degrees.
10. A rotary tool for spreading a pile of mulch; said tool comprising:
- a body having a center axis, a lower surface and an upper surface; said body being rotatable about the center axis;
- a plurality of ground-engaging fingers that radiate outwardly from a ring, whereby said upper surface of the body and said fingers are adapted to engage and spread mulch outwardly from the pile in a 360-degree-spread pattern when the body is rotated; and wherein each of the fingers is individually connected to the body.
11. The rotary tool as defined in claim 10, wherein the body includes a plurality of apertures defined in the upper surface of the body and disposed proximate a peripheral edge thereof; and wherein each of the individual fingers is secured into one of the apertures in the body.
12. The rotary tool as defined in claim 11, wherein a portion of the peripheral edge curves inwardly for a short distance beneath the lower surface of the body to form an annular seat.
13. The rotary tool as defined in claim 12, wherein each individual finger includes a bulbous head and an elongated shaft; and wherein each of the bulbous heads of the fingers is interlockingly received through one of the apertures in the upper surface and rests in the annular seat.
14. The rotary tool as defined in claim 13, wherein the shafts of the fingers radiate outwardly and downwardly away from the peripheral edge of the body.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 2, 2008
Publication Date: May 1, 2008
Applicant: GREEN INDUSTRY INNOVATORS, L.L.C. (Louisville, OH)
Inventor: Todd Pugh (Louisville, OH)
Application Number: 11/968,373
International Classification: A01G 1/12 (20060101);