Patent ID: 7784842
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: A01C

Abstract:
1. A hole digging device comprising: (a) a central shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein a crossbar is generally perpendicularly attached to the first end of the central shaft; (b) a push rod oriented generally parallel to the central shaft, the push rod having a first end extending upwardly toward the crossbar and a second end extending downwardly toward the second end of the central shaft; (c) a first rod guide fixedly attached to a portion of the central shaft and adapted for allowing the push rod to slide upwardly and downwardly though the first rod guide; wherein the first rod guide can help keep the push rod aligned when the push rod is slid upwardly and downwardly; (d) a generally flat circular base attached to the second end of the push rod and a pushing handle disposed on the first end of the push rod, wherein the pushing handle, push rod, and base can altogether move between an up position and a down position and are biased in the up position caused by a push rod spring that extends between the pushing handle and the first rod guide; (e) a first support brace and a second support brace each attached to the central shaft at the second end on opposing sides; wherein a first hinge is disposed on an end of the first support brace and a second hinge is disposed on an end of the second support brace; (f) a first digging blade pivotally attached to the first hinge and a second digging blade pivotally attached to the second hinge; wherein the first digging blade and second digging blade both surround the base and are oriented to face each other; wherein digging blades can together pivot inwardly towards each other to an engaged position or together pivot outwardly away from each other to a disengaged position; (g) a first digging blade shaft and second digging blade shaft both oriented generally parallel to the central shaft and opposite each other, wherein the first digging blade is pivotally attached to a second end of the first digging blade shaft via a third hinge and the second digging blade is pivotally attached to a second end of the second digging blade shaft via a fourth hinge; (h) a first grasping loop having an inner top corner, an outer top corner, and an inner bottom corner, wherein the inner top corner is pivotally attached to the crossbar via a first pivot component and the inner bottom corner is connected to a first end of the first digging blade shaft; wherein the first grasping loop can pivot between an up position such that the outer top corner is moved upwardly toward the crossbar and a down position such that the outer top corner is moved downwardly away from the crossbar; wherein the first grasping loop is biased in the down position caused by a first grasping loop spring attached to both the inner bottom corner of the first grasping loop and to the crossbar; and (i) a second grasping loop having an inner top corner, an outer top corner, and an inner bottom corner, wherein the inner top corner is pivotally attached to the crossbar via a second pivot component and the inner bottom corner is connected to a first end of the second digging blade shaft; wherein the second grasping loop can pivot between an up position such that the outer top corner is moved upwardly toward the crossbar and a down position such that the outer top corner is moved downwardly away from the crossbar; wherein the second grasping loop is biased in the down position caused by a second grasping loop spring attached to both the inner bottom corner of the second grasping loop and to the crossbar; wherein when the first grasping loop and second grasping loop are both pivoted to the up position, the inner bottom corners of the both the grasping loops are pushed downwardly to cause the respective digging blade shaft to push down on the respective digging blade so as to pivot the digging blade to the engaged position; wherein releasing both the grasping loops causes the grasping loops to return to the down position and the digging blades to return to the disengaged position.