Attendant Supported Tool Patents (Class 172/41)
  • Patent number: 6595298
    Abstract: A multi-purpose weeder attachable to a hand-held rotary power implement is designed to weed, aerate and till soil. A vertical shaft is removably attached to the implement to permit erect operation of the weeder. A pair of substantially spiral-shaped blades are rigidly connected at an acute angle with the lower end of shaft to cause discharge of weeds upwardly and outwardly from soil when the shaft is rotated. The blades are equally spaced from the shaft as they diverge upwardly. A top end of an auger is connected to the lower end of the shaft to penetrate weed and soil at its free end. An annular member with a cross horizontal element connects the upper ends of the blades to the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Inventor: Morris A. Crady
  • Publication number: 20030066663
    Abstract: The key to this invention of a rotary hand-held tilling and weed removing device is simplicity. The three part design consisting of a 36″ shaft; a “T” shaped handle and two lock collars and only weighing 1.5 pounds makes it a multi purpose garden tool for use with any ⅜ household drill. Easlily attached to the drill chuck, the 2 inch wide rotary arms allow tilling and weed removal in very confined areas and precision control from the shaft handle adds to the ease of use. This simple design does not require blade or tiller bar replacement making it very cost effective. A low carbon, one piece, steel shaft requires no maintenance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventor: Robert McKill
  • Publication number: 20020153146
    Abstract: A powered garden tool is provided comprising a handle member having a power unit disposed therein and a digging attachment having a first end rotatably and detachably securable to the handle member and a second end having at least two cutting blade members secured thereto. In an alternative embodiment, the powered garden tool is in the form of a digging attachment which can be rotatably and detachably securable to a hand-held power tool, such as a power drill or cordless screwdriver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventor: Michele M. Dueitt
  • Patent number: 6460319
    Abstract: A vegetation trimming and edging device has an adjustable head that permits selective positioning between trimming and edging orientations. A shaft extends between the head and a handle. The head receives one end of the shaft. A coupling mechanism couples the head and shaft, and locks the head against rotational movement about the shaft. In particular, the coupling mechanism includes a locking structure and a bias mechanism. The bias mechanism urges the locking structure into engagement to prevent rotational movement of the head. Downward pressure applied to the head overcomes the bias, however, and disengages the locking mechanism for rotation of the head between trimming and edging modes. When the downward pressure is released, the locking mechanism is again engaged to lock the head in position for the desired operational mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Marshall, Michael Milligan, Iulian Bejan
  • Patent number: 6382325
    Abstract: Portable motorized hoe comprises a narrow elongate casing (1) forming the machine frame and comprising two complementary half-casings (2, 3) connected together in a direction parallel to the axis (99) of rotation of a hoeing unit, to provide, with reference to the working position assumed by the operator, in the part closest thereto a machine transporting and manoeuvring handle, in the intermediate part a housing containing an electric motor (80), and in the part farthest therefrom the support seats for said hoeing unit, the shaft of which is linkage-connected to said electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Eurosystems S.p.A.
    Inventor: Fabio Bovi
  • Patent number: 6352122
    Abstract: A garden tool for planting flower bulbs and ornamentals includes an elongated shaft culminating at one end in a boring bit for starting a planting hole. A pair of fins, each radiating at a non-perpendicular angle from each side of the body of the boring bit for widening the hole and breaking up the dislodged soil. The pulverized soil remains in the hole for covering the seed or bulb after planting. The garden tool cultivates to a depth of approximately 6 inches. The tool is driven from the other end of the elongated shaft by a conventional ⅜ inch to ½ inch electric drill. The tool is suitable for use by the landscape professional doing volume planting or the home gardener and can be used in either prepared or unprepared seed beds. The tool presents an easy to use device which greatly reduces the time and labor associated with the planting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Inventor: Larry W. Love
  • Patent number: 6340061
    Abstract: A hand-held portable lawn and garden tool having implements. A housing encloses a motor and at least two sets of gears arranged in cascade to provide low speed and high torque to the implements. Each set of gears is a sun gear with a plurality of planetary gears. The tool may be energized by battery packs, line power or internal combustion engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: AME Group, Incorporated
    Inventors: James W. Marshall, James A. Martin, Wendell B. Leimbach
  • Patent number: 6311782
    Abstract: An edging and trimming apparatus for a lawn sprinkler head includes an elongate rotary shaft carrying an annular rotary blade at a lower end thereof. The opposite upper end of the shaft is releasably interconnected to a rotary auger motor. The motor drives the shaft axially and rotates the blade to perform edging and trimming of the grass surrounding a standard sprinkler head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Inventors: Ronald A. Plasek, Daniel J. Toolan
  • Patent number: 6301866
    Abstract: A vegetation trimming and edging device has an adjustable head that permits selective positioning between trimming and edging orientations. A shaft extends between the head and a handle. The head receives one end of the shaft. A coupling mechanism couples the head and shaft, and locks the head against rotational movement about the shaft. In particular, the coupling mechanism includes a locking structure and a bias mechanism. The bias mechanism urges the locking structure into engagement to prevent rotational movement of the head. Downward pressure applied to the head overcomes the bias, however, and disengages the locking mechanism for rotation of the head between trimming and edging modes. When the downward pressure is released, the locking mechanism is again engaged to lock the head in position for the desired operational mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Marshall, Michael Milligan, Iulian Bejan
  • Patent number: 6293350
    Abstract: An attachment to replace existing landscaping trimmer heads and for mounting on new trimmers. The attachment includes specific structure for trimming grasses and weeds as well as structure for the removal of weeds unwanted grasses and unwanted shallow roots. The structure includes at least one pre-cut flexible trimming line that extends through the body member and a tapered bit member attached to the body member. The trimming line cuts and trims grasses and weeds and the tapered bit member has structure attached thereto for removal of weeds, unwanted grasses and unwanted shallow roots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Lawn Laser, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Paolo
  • Patent number: 6293349
    Abstract: An electrically powered lawn edger (10) having a wire wheel (26) specifically adapted for edging and trench cutting applications. The wire wheel includes pairs of twisted wire brush segments (34) which are held within a hub (32) of the wire wheel. The pairs of brush segments are spaced apart radially around a peripheral edge of the hub to produce evenly spaced gaps (36). The gaps help to prevent the edger from “loading up” with dirt and/or turf when edging or cutting a trench and possibly stalling the edger motor (21). A washer (40) having a key shaped boss (44) keys the wire wheel to an output spindle (21a) of the motor to prevent slippage of the wire wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: James Marshall, Richard Rosa, Jacob R. Prosper
  • Patent number: 6260278
    Abstract: A portable lawn and brush trimmer including an elongated tubular boom arm, motor assembly mounted at one end of the boom, a trimmer head mounted on the opposite ends of the boom arm, and two adjustment mechanisms, which allow the attitude of the trimmer head to be adjusted about two different axis in relation to the boom arm is disclosed. The adjustment mechanisms allow an operator to manually change the attitude and orientation of the trimmer's cutting plane to conform to the slope and contour of the terrain without the operator altering the natural balanced operating position of the trimmer or his body posture while maintaining the natural balanced orientation of the boom arm with respect to the operator and not the terrain being worked. One adjustment mechanism (pivot adjustment) allows the trimmer head to pivot in relationship to the boom arm between a number of manually selectable angular positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Inventor: Andy R. Faher
  • Patent number: 6247539
    Abstract: Implements for attaching to a hand-held, powered “Weed-Eater” type device to perform various work or chores (filament cutting, blade cutting, brushing, blowing, mixing, etc.). After disconnecting the device's original implement typically a spool of filament (6) with a bumper feed (7), an initial, cultivator/cutter implement (10), cylindrical in shape with a substantially solid, circular top (12) and a relatively thin, continuous wall of constant thickness, is attached by an appropriate threaded member (e.g. a nut or bolt, usually with one or more washers) to the bottom end of the powered device (FIGS. 1A-D) through a central opening (13). The cultivator's top includes a series of circumferentially spaced, “snap-in” openings (14; e.g. two or more) through and into which other implements (e.g. those of FIGS. 3-20) can be attached (FIGS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Inventor: Orlando Jerez
  • Publication number: 20010000881
    Abstract: A hand-held portable lawn and garden tool having implements. A housing encloses a motor and at least two sets of gears arranged in cascade to provide low speed and high torque to the implements. Each set of gears is a sun gear with a plurality of planetary gears. Embodiments energized by battery packs, line power and internal combustion engines are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Publication date: May 10, 2001
    Applicant: AME GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: James W. Marshall, James A. Martin, Wendell B. Leimbach
  • Patent number: 6189627
    Abstract: A hand-held portable lawn and garden tool having implements. A housing encloses a motor and at least two sets of gears arranged in cascade to provide low speed and high torque to the implements. Each set of gears is a sun gear with a plurality of planetary gears. The tool may be energized by battery packs, line power or internal combustion engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: AME Group, Incorporated
    Inventors: James W. Marshall, James A. Martin, Wendell B. Leimbach
  • Patent number: 5988292
    Abstract: A rotatable tilling device for tilling ground material, the device consisting of a rotatable shaft having an upper end, a lower end, and having an axis of rotation extending from its upper end to its lower end; a plurality of ground tilling tines, each ground tilling tine having an upper end and a lower end; and, upper and lower tine mounting structure capable of attaching the ground tilling tines to the rotatable shaft so that they span between the tine mounting structure, so that upon rotation of the rotatable shaft the ground tilling tines orbit about the axis of rotation, so that on contact of the rotatable shaft with ground material, the ground tilling tines also contact the ground material, and so that the ground tilling tines may flexibly bend between the upper and lower tine mounting structure; the upper and lower tine mounting structure fixedly attaching the ground tilling tines to the rotatable shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Inventor: Jerry Wayne Knotts
  • Patent number: 5960889
    Abstract: A soil tiller is provided including a hand held, portable frame having a handle. Also included is a drive assembly having a power source mounted within the frame and a motor for rotating upon the receipt of power from the power source. Next provided is at least one tine assembly rotatable with respect to the frame and further connected to the motor for rotating coincidentally therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Inventor: Dan McLaren
  • Patent number: 5850882
    Abstract: A hand held garden tool that utilizes rechargeable batteries and a variable speed, reversible motor as its power source. A drive shaft housing serves as a long handle member and contains a drive shaft. The drive shaft and its housing are connected to, and removable from the power unit. The drive shaft extends to a small, compact drive assembly which rotates a short shaft extending to each side. Each shaft holds two tine discs. The curved tines on the tine discs rotate closely around the perimeter of the drive assembly to speedily and thoroughly pulverize the soil and eliminate weeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Inventor: Cletus H. Link
  • Patent number: 5810093
    Abstract: A multi-purpose landscaping device for use with as hand-held rotary power tool such as an electric drill includes a shaft adaptable at one end for removable and operative connection to such a power tool, and a rotatable implement removably attached to the other end of the shaft, so that replacement of the rotatable implement is possible without replacement of the shaft. The rotatable implement is selected from the group consisting of a greenery cutter, a blower, a pruner, a soil augur and a weed extractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Media Group
    Inventor: Herman S. Howard
  • Patent number: 5730225
    Abstract: A power cultivator including a power source, a shaft and a cultivating head having a pair of cultivating blades is described. The cultivating head includes an assembly that opens and closes the blades using a mirrored arcuate motion. The cultivating head itself is also part of the invention in that it can be attached to a standard string trimmer in place of the standard string trimming assembly. The power cultivator is effective at cultivating small areas of soil, in which a gardener usually uses a common goose-neck garden hoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Inventor: Bobby J. Fults
  • Patent number: 5697453
    Abstract: A subsurface weed tool which makes use of a variety of different detachable blade attachments to cut the roots of and other plants. The tool can be provided with a variety of different attachments, permitting it to be used for other purposes such as aeration of the soil, removal of sod strips and lawn and garden edging. The tool comprises an elongate hollow supporting member having an upper end on which is mounted a motor. An elongate drive shaft or rod is operatively connected to the motor and extends through the supporting member to the latter's lower end. A reciprocating drive unit is mounted on this lower end and includes a drive conversion mechanism connected to the bottom end of the drive shaft and capable of converting rotary motion to a reciprocating linear motion in a certain direction. A blade attachment is connectible to the conversion mechanism and can include a planar blade member with a forward cutting edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Inventor: Lenard Van Den Bosch
  • Patent number: 5584349
    Abstract: A mechanized tool that produces rectilinear reciprocal motion for a tool carrying shaft is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, a rotating power takeoff shaft is attached to a circular disk, bar, or flywheel that has thereon a cam follower or protrusion. This cam follower is carried within a slot that is slidably mounted on a pair of guide rails or within a guide slot or guide rail. Also attached to the movable slot is a tool carrying shaft. Thus as the disk spins, the tool carrying shaft is moved in a reciprocal manner, with power being applied in the stroke in both directions. A pivotable cutting hoe is attached to the tool carrying shaft in the preferred embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Inventor: Randall W. Wilson
  • Patent number: 5540287
    Abstract: A ground working device for powered hand-held rotary devices includes four resilient ground working members mounted upon and extending downwardly from a mount and includes a weighted hub which along with the mount is detachably attached to the bottom of a rotatable shaft of a rotary device for rotation therewith and includes a flexible shroud fastenable to a housing of the rotatable shaft and shrouding the ground working members to prevent debris from being sent airborne and possibly injuring the user or others nearby. The ground working device conveniently and easily tills, weeds, and cultivates the ground especially lawns and gardens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Inventors: Paul M. Zaharia, Lisa G. Kiemele
  • Patent number: 5491963
    Abstract: A garden cleaning implement (10) for weeds and the like comprising a cutting mechanism (14) and a retractable guard mechanism (28), generally free to "float" up and down about the cutter mechanism, carried on, for example, an extended pole handle (22). The cutting mechanism includes--an associated rotational power source (16/116); an intermediate, rotatable shaft (18) connected thereto; and a rotatable, rectangular blade, cutting member (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Inventor: Orlando Jerez
  • Patent number: 5426852
    Abstract: A power hoe attachment for attachment to a power grass trimmer or the like includes a blade member of a continuous length having a first end attached to a disc shaped member and a second end attached to the disc shaped member. The disc shaped member contains a means for securing the same to a power grass trimmer. When affixed to the power grass trimmer, the power grass trimmer will be converted into a power hoe and the blade member used while rotating to turn soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Inventor: Lance R. Macomber
  • Patent number: 5031395
    Abstract: A contra reciprocating blade type trimmer having blades formed on the side and tip of a reciprocally driven cutting bar. The tip blade of each bar reciprocates with respect to each other to cooperate in cutting roots, limbs and the like. the tip blade is provided at the foremost tip of each bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Kioritz Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Ohkanda, Takeshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5025615
    Abstract: A hub and tine assembly for a rotary debris remover is provided which comprises a hub which is rotatable about a shaft and a plurality of tine members which are arranged symmetrically around the rotation axis of the hub. The tine members are pivotally connected to the hub at locations which follow a circular rotation path around the rotation axis of the hub when the hub is rotated. Each tine member has at least one tine which projects from the hub. The tine member has a centre of gravity which is located so that the tine is offset from the radial direction when the hub is rotated and displaced in a direction which corresponds with the direction of rotation so that the tine can effect a "punching" effect on debris in its path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Inventor: Bruce R. Hawkenson
  • Patent number: 5005653
    Abstract: A hoe attachment for a conventional rotary line trimmer designed to cultivate soil when rotated and which is particularly useful for cultivating small areas of soil. The attachment comprises a plurality of downwardly extending arms each having a blade projection at the lower end thereof extending radially inwardly toward the vertical axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Inventor: Lance R. Macomber
  • Patent number: 4964472
    Abstract: A weed remover (14) for eradicating, killing, collecting and dispensing weeds without the user having to touch the soil or weeds comprises a frame (22), a handle (16), a foot bar (34), a digging blade (36), a vacuum inlet tube (40), a vacuum blower (86), an outlet hose (94), and a weed collecting housing (48) secured to frame (22). A weed disposal bag (44) is secured to the weed collecting housing (48) and tubes (40, 42) provide a track for weeds to be sucked into a disposable weed bag (44) by vacuum generated from an electric motor (28). A battery charger (100 ) is provided as well as a tank (26) for weed killer or other fluids and delivery tubing is provided (50, 58, 150) for delivering the weed killer to soil near the severed weed root.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Inventor: Marianne Cleworth
  • Patent number: 4911247
    Abstract: A power handheld cultivating device has a protective tube for a motor drive shaft and a working implement mountable at the end of the protective tube. A miter-like gear is connectible to the end of the drive shaft and has an output shaft carrying a gear wheel which cooperates with a toothed gear rigid with a drive shaft for the working implement. The implement is mounted on a carrier which is laterally surrounded by an impact body and passages open to the outside may be provided between the impact body and the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignees: Josef Kuhlmann, Karl Schuer
    Inventors: Josef Kuhlmann, Gerd Scheipers
  • Patent number: 4862682
    Abstract: A blade assembly for cutting herbaceous terrestrial vegetation at a cutting speed of from about 1,000 to about 10,000 revolutions per minute, wherein said blade assembly is comprised of a U-shaped blade which has a Rockwell C hardness of from about 37 to 40, a flare resistance of less than about 15 degrees, and a bending resistance of less than about 5 degrees, and wherein said U-shaped blade is an integral, symmetrical member comprised a vertically-extending left cutting edge, a vertically extending right cutting edge, and a rotating support member connected to said left and right cutting edges, wherein:(a) said left cutting edge, said right cutting edge, and said rotating support member are integrally formed into a substantial U-shaped structure,(b) each of said left cutting and right cutting edges forms an angle with said rotating support member of from about 90 to about 95 degrees,(c) said U-shaped blade is from about 2.0 to about 15.0 inches long, from about 1.0 to about 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1989
    Inventors: Thomas R. Wait, Joseph J. DeMino, Bren R. Smith
  • Patent number: 4832131
    Abstract: A device for clearing debris from around an object such as a lawn sprinkler head. The device includes a cutting cylinder, a motor, means for coupling rotational output of the motor with the cutting cylinder, and a compression cylinder. A yieldable centering member may center the device axially of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Inventors: Jay W. Powell, Louis M. Skelley
  • Patent number: 4726427
    Abstract: The soil loosening device has at least one, preferably two journals protruding downwardly from a supporting body, which are driven to a pivotal motion along a limited angle. Tine-like soil loosening tool members in bifurcate arrangement, to be driven along a circle segment, are mounted on the journals. The driving unit for driving the tools is characterized by its simple design since it consists of only a few, reliably guided and sturdy components. Particularly, there is provided a crank shaft which drives a toothed rack member to an oscillating motion. Gear wheels connected to the journals mesh with the toothed rack member. Accordingly the expenditure in manufacturing the device is low and the device has a high resistance to wear. The driving unit of the device may be attached to the supporting body in different angular positions by means of a coupling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1988
    Inventor: Walter Steiner
  • Patent number: 4723802
    Abstract: A rotary driven elongated pointed rod member having wingnut-like projections affixed thereto. The wingnut-like projections being spaced apart sufficient distances for contacting weeds and undesired plants at interval points when the device is moved beneath the surface of the ground while being rotated. The projections grip and wind the weed about the rod and then retain the weed and its roots and carry the unwanted wood and its root system out of the soil. The projections can depend straight downwardly or can be canted to form a spiral soil entering action. Following the withdrawal of the weed the loose soil that has been pulverized and aerated is left in the hole that had been formed by the weed removing action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1988
    Inventor: David G. Fambrough
  • Patent number: 4648464
    Abstract: A cultivating tool comprises a housing, an electric motor mounted within the housing, a pair of soil working members which project from the housing, an elongate shaft connected at one end to the housing, and a handle at the other end of the shaft. The soil working members are of generally lamellar construction and arranged to be reciprocated relative to one another transverse to the direction from which they project from the housing and in adjacent parallel planes. The tool handle incorporates a switch with a lock off mechanism. In normal use of the tool the soil working members penetrate into soil to be cultivated and disturb the soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1987
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Edward J. Huxley
  • Patent number: 4541492
    Abstract: A head for a powered earth-working tool is adapted to be driven by a rotating shaft which is driven by the prime mover of the tool. The head includes a housing having an opening for the shaft; a driver gear in the housing fixed to the shaft which rotates with the shaft about an axis; an axle in the housing disposed perpendicularly to such axis of rotation and carrying a driven gear on a portion of the axle away from the ends to mesh with the driver gear and rotate the axle; a pair of pins, offset from the axis of the axle, mounted to move with the rotation of the axle, 180.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: Hawaiian Motor Company
    Inventor: John Motruk
  • Patent number: 4505040
    Abstract: A coupling for the handle shaft of a power driven implement which permits angular adjustment of a drive head. The coupling clamps two parts of the handle shaft together, preventing rotation of one part and permits the selectable rotation of the other. The coupling comprises a split clamp joining and securely holding the handle parts in abutment with one part of the handle shaft telescopically interconnecting with the split clamp, and the other part of the handle shaft rotatably interconnecting with the split clamp in any one of a plurality of alignments. A releasable fastener permits loosening of the split clamp to allow rotational adjustment of the parts and their retention at a selected orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1985
    Inventor: Robert G. Everts
  • Patent number: 4501332
    Abstract: A hand carried portable weeder/cultivator apparatus for weeding and cultivating small areas such as flower and vegetable gardens having a uniquely shaped weeder/cultivator element of inverted dish-shape which is designed for converting conventional above ground, string-type weeders into a below ground weeder/cultivator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1985
    Assignee: Evolution Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert O. Straayer
  • Patent number: 4469184
    Abstract: A cultivating tool having a U-shaped tubular frame defining a handle which may be gripped by an operator, and two hollow legs which latter house respective anchor legs biassed outwardly by means of a respective coil spring (not shown). A housing mounted between the legs contains a power source such as an electric motor and gearbox (both not shown) controlled by a switch on the handle and driving, via a reduction drive unit, a pair of cultivator rotors. In use, the legs are pushed into the ground against the pressure of the coil springs, a control being provided to ensure that the rotors cannot rotate until pressure has been applied to the anchor legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1984
    Inventor: Victor J. Simpson
  • Patent number: 4452316
    Abstract: A power hoe includes a power source, two substantially planar hoe blades positioned in apposition to one another and power connecting structure to synchronizingly reciprocate the blades in sliding engagement relative to each other. The sliding engagement causes the blades to be self-cleaning. Orientation of the tapered end of each hoe blade perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation effects a ground penetrating action of the hoe blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Inventor: John W. Edwards
  • Patent number: 4421176
    Abstract: A portable power operated cultivator includes a power unit comprising an internal combustion engine having a handle portion and being connected to one end of an elongated boom. A right angle gear drive mechanism is mounted on the opposite end of the boom and is driveably interconnected with the power unit by an elongated drive shaft disposed within the boom. An output shaft extends from opposite sides of the gear drive unit and is adapted to mount respective rotary cultivator blades on the ends thereof. A second handle is adjustably mounted on the boom to provide for a balanced weight distribution of the cultivator unit. The spaced apart cultivator blades are identical and include a plurality of radially projecting ground engaging tines. Adjacent tines on each blade have tip portions which are bent in the opposite direction with respect to each other along a bend line which provides for a positive angle of incidence or entry of the tine into the earth being worked by the cultivator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1983
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Lloyd H. Tuggle, Ronald C. Loyd
  • Patent number: 4391041
    Abstract: A powered ground care implement (2) includes a rotatable cutting head (14) having a filament line (16) for severing ground growing vegetation. An upwardly extending handle assembly (4) includes an engine (10) mounted at the top thereof. Engine (10) is fixedly secured to a backing plate (30) which is mounted by rubber mounting blocks (60) in an engine housing (12) secured to handle assembly (4). This vibrationally isolates engine (10) from handle assembly (4). Starter (80) having an active element (91) and a passive element (93) is contained in engine housing (12) with the active element (91) being secured to engine (10). In addition, a flexible drive cable (100) has an output end (101) non-rotatably received in recess (102) in the end of the crankshaft (23) of the engine (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1983
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventor: David E. Porter-Bennett
  • Patent number: 4364435
    Abstract: A power operated lawn edger includes a power unit comprising an internal combustion engine having a handle portion and being connected to one end of an elongated support boom. A cutter head including a vertically disposed rotating cutter blade is mounted at the other end of the support and comprises a right angle gear drive unit which is driven by the power unit through an elongated drive shaft mounted within the support. The cutter head includes a single adjustable gauge wheel for varying the depth of cut in normal operation of the edger. The gauge wheel is mounted on a support bracket which is pivotally connected to the cutter head. The gauge wheel support bracket is releasably retained in a selected position by a manually adjustable retaining member. A laterally projecting tubular support handle is mounted on the support by a bracket member which provides for moving the handle between a folded position alongside the power unit and a working position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Lloyd H. Tuggle, Ronald C. Loyd, Lee R. Walker
  • Patent number: 4353422
    Abstract: A light weight hand-held power actuated tool for aiding an operator do work such as raking, thatching, cultivating, hoeing and sweeping.A main member with handles for operator support has a motor attached. The motor activates a mechanism which holds a working tool such as a rake, thatching tool, cultivator, hoe or broom. The mechanism is such that the working tool is driven in a continuous oscillating motion similar to conventional hand raking, thatching, cultivating, hoeing or sweeping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1982
    Inventor: James H. Bennett, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4351396
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a powered cultivating tool or the like which includes a prime mover disposed within a housing, an output shaft extending from said housing having a pinion fixed thereto, said pinion being placed in meshing engagement with a gear having a first roller thereon offset from the axis of rotation of the gear which engages a cam follower operatively connected to a cultivating implement such as a tine so that the implement displays an oscillatory pendulum-like motion about a vertical radial line extending from an axis rotation of the gear. It is contemplated that the gear has extending therefrom an axle whose opposed extremity from the gear is provided with a disc hub having a similar roller, cam follower and the like for accommodating either a terminal portion of the first cultivating implement, or a second cultivating implement so that the sychronization of the two cam followers can be beneficially altered as is required by gardening constraints and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1982
    Assignee: Hawaiian Motor Company
    Inventor: Lee J. Moulton
  • Patent number: 4343366
    Abstract: A handle-guided, walking type, power-operated rotor tiller, having blades for digging a path in crusted soil while propelling itself along a path is provided with a plow, mounted in rear of the rotor blades to follow in the cultivated path with minimum resistance to advance of the tiller. The plow faces rearwardly and has an upstanding, trailing, plowing edge, and an upstanding trailing plowing surface, obliqued to the path of the tiller, to plow a furrow only when the tiller moves reversely along it's path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1982
    Inventor: Robert Walker
  • Patent number: 4305470
    Abstract: A power hoe for working soil. The power hoe includes a drive shaft contained inside a housing and driven by an electric hand drill. A drive pin mounted to a drive plate at the end of the drive shaft is inserted into a piston housed in a sleeve. The piston is allowed to slide back and forth within the sleeve thus allowing the rotational motion of the drive pin to be translated to harmonic reciprocating motion at the sleeve in a direction perpendicular to the path of the moving piston. The sleeve is attached to a cutting head, thus causing the cutting head also to reciprocate. The cutting head can be adjusted so as to change the length of the stroke; the speed of the stroke varies with the speed of the hand drill. A curved cutting edge on the blade of the cutting head compensates for the arc of the blade as it reciprocates, allowing for more efficient working of the soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1981
    Inventor: Elbert J. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4293041
    Abstract: A hand-held power driven cultivator incorporating a pair of ground working implements or tillers mounted on a pair of laterally spaced vertical shafts depending from a motor and drive train enclosing housing. The tillers are counter-rotated and include interdigitating tines which engage and move the earth forwardly. A barrier freely surrounds each tiller supporting and driving shaft, and completely encloses the shaft between the tiller and the overlying housing. A scraper blade is associated with each barrier and includes a scraping edge spaced slightly from the barrier so as to enhance the ability of the barrier to repel or prevent the accumulation of weeds, roots, debris, and the like. Support and manipulation of the housing is provided for by an elongated handle including an upper fixed hand grip and power switch, and a lower adjustable hand grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1981
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Ronald J. Holmstadt, Robert C. Comer
  • Patent number: RE32266
    Abstract: A power operated lawn edger includes a power unit comprising an internal combustion engine having a handle portion and being connected to one end of an elongated support boom. A cutter head including a vertically disposed rotating cutter blade is mounted at the other end of the support and comprises a right angle gear drive unit which is driven by the power unit through an elongated drive shaft mounted within the support. The cutter head includes a single adjustable gauge wheel for varying the depth of cut in normal operation of the edger. The gauge wheel is mounted on a support bracket which is pivotally connected to the cutter head. The gauge wheel support bracket is releasably retained in a selected position by a manually adjustable retaining member. A laterally projecting tubular support handle is mounted on the support by a bracket member which provides for moving the handle between a folded position alongside the power unit and a working position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1986
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Lloyd H. Tuggle, Ronald C. Loyd, Lee R. Walker
  • Patent number: RE33238
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a powered cultivating tool or the like which includes a prime mover disposed within a housing, an output shaft extending from .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.housing having a pinion fixed thereto, .[.said.]. .Iadd.such .Iaddend.pinion being placed in meshing engagement with a gear having a first roller thereon offset from the axis of rotation of the gear which engages a cam follower operatively connected to a cultivating implement such as a tine so that the implement displays an oscillatory pendulum-like motion about a vertical radial line extending from an axis rotation of the gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Hawaiian Motor Co.
    Inventors: Lee A. Moulton, Frederick Siegler