Abstract:
A device for preparing holes in soil for planting bulbs or small plants includes a pair of mutually opposing members including scoops located along the distal portions thereof. The tool is spring biased to a normally open position for insertion into the soil. To remove soil, the handles are squeezed together, which in turn closes the scoops to entrap soil for removal.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present disclosure relates to a single handed small garden tool used to dig a hole in prepared soil to accept a small plant or bulb.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In the past, several soil diggers have been made which included complicated mechanisms that are expensive to manufacture and prone to sticking and malfunctioning. U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,512 shows a vertical motion for closing the diggers together through the use of a toggle mechanism device that pulls the two scoops together when the vertical motion is performed. This device, whose use is taught in the &#39;512 patent, is inserted (pushed) into the soil with a vertical motion that limits the force that can be applied to the digger. In some cases, where the soil is heavy, this vertical motion could cause user fatigue very quickly. Also, the complicated toggle mechanism takes considerable force to close and can be prone to sticking.  
         [0003]     Larger diggers, such as post hole diggers, have been in use for many years. This type of digger is two handled in use, and was designed to make large holes in the soil, mostly to accommodate wooden fence posts.  
         [0004]     Post hole diggers are operated by holding the long handles closely together to maintain the diggers in the open position. The post hole digger is then driven into the soil in a vertical motion. When the digger comes to a stop, the handles (one in each hand), are pulled away from each other, closing the two diggers, entrapping the soil between the scoops. Pulling the digger out of the soil will remove the trapped soil and leave a hole in the earth. Often, repeated cycles of this digger are required to get to the correct depth of the desired hole.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention is a gardening tool including mutually opposing scoops which is normally held in its ready to use, open position.  
         [0006]     The primary objective of the present invention is to make a pot hole digger that makes a hole in one cycle. The pot hole digger is low cost, substantially maintenance free and can be operated by one hand, leaving the other hand free to plant a flower or bulb, for example.  
         [0007]     The tool is easy closing, with minimum effort, by pulling together the scoops in a horizontal manner.  
         [0008]     While in operation, the tool is self-aligning wherein the right handle controls the left scoop and the left handle controls the right scoop. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the pot hole digger;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the pot hole digger shown in a normally open position;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the pot hole digger;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along reference A of  FIG. 3 ; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the pot hole digger shown in a closed position.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a gardening tool, otherwise referred to herein as a pot hole digger  10 , in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. As noted above, the tool is ideally suited for use in preparing the soil to accept small plants and/or bulbs. The tool is capable of being used in a single handed manner there by freeing up the user&#39;s other hand for planting, for example.  
         [0015]     The tool  10  generally includes mutually opposing first and second members  12  and  12 A, respectively, which are mirror images of each other. As such, common reference numerals will be utilized hereinafter to designate like components of the tool.  
         [0016]     With particular reference to  FIG. 2 , a first member  12  is shown to include a lower leg portion  14 , a horizontal crossbar  22  and an upper leg portion  18  which is offset from the lower leg portion. The leg portion  14  has disposed thereon an ergonomic handle  16  which is press fit or molded onto the lower leg portion as is known in the art. While not shown, the lower leg portion  14  may include means for retaining the ergonomic handle thereupon such as tabs, holes, or other known elements. The crossbar  22  which extends substantially perpendicularly from the lower leg portion  14  includes a centrally disposed aperture  24  for receiving a pivot pin  26  which will be described in further detail below.  
         [0017]     The offset upper leg portion  18  which extends substantially 180° from the lower leg portion includes along its distal end a scoop  20  which, in association with the opposing scoop  20 A of the second member  12 A, serves to remove the soil as desired.  
         [0018]     Likewise, the second member  12 A also includes a lower leg portion  14 A, a horizontally disposed crossbar  22 A, and an upper portion  18 A inclusive of a scoop  20 A along the distal end thereof. Again, the crossbar  22 A includes an aperture  24 A through which pivot pin  26  extends. Thus, as best shown in  FIG. 2 , first and second members  12  and  12 A are substantially Z-shaped along the length thereof.  
         [0019]     At least one, and preferable both, of the crossbars  20  and  20 A include an inwardly extending flange  28  and/or  28 A which projects in the direction of the other crossbar. Preferably, such a flange  28  and/or  28 A includes a down turned end  30  and/or  30 A which extends just beyond the crossbar of the opposing crossbar. The flange  28  and/or  28 A is generally disposed between the pivot pin  26  and the junction of the lower leg portion and crossbar from which it extends.  
         [0020]     Located between the first and second members  12  and  12 A, in proximity to the crossbars  22  and  22 A, is a torsion spring  32  through which pin  26  extends. The torsion spring  32  includes one or more arms for engaging the flange(s) of the crossbar to assist in positioning the tool. Preferably, the torsion spring is in the form of a helically coiled body  36  having a first arm  34  extending along one end of the spring in the direction of flange  28  and along its opposite end is arm  34 A extending in the direction of flange  28 A. The spring force of the torsion spring  32  is sufficient to exert force on the flanges  28  and  28 A which in turn cause the legs to move about the pivot pin  26  so that the scoops  20  and  22 A are held in a normally open position, as shown in  FIG. 2 . In addition, to providing a contact point for the torsion spring arm(s), the flange(s) provide a stop mechanism applied to the opposing crossbar thereby limiting pivotal rotation and closure of the tool as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0021]     In use, the pot hole digger is held in a horizontal position with arm extended, then raising the arm holding the digger upward approximately 30 to 45° from horizontal, then moving the arm downward, taking advantage of the lever action to increase the force as the digger enters the soil. The cantilever advantage of the design of the pot hole digger reduces the strain on the arm used in the operation of the digger, yet increases the force of the digger.  
         [0022]     Operation of the pot hole digger  10  is as follows:  
         [0023]     With the pot hole digger in the open position, place the digger in either hand and hold it in a vertical position by handles  16  or  16 A;  
         [0024]     With arm in horizontal position holding the digger in a vertical position, raise the arm upward to approximately 30 to 45° from horizontal;  
         [0025]     Lower the holding arm at a comfortable rate of speed until the scoops  20  and  20 A have entered the soil and come to a stop;  
         [0026]     When the digger is fully inserted into the soil, pull handles  16  and  16 A together, compressing torsion spring  32 . This will bring scoops  20  and  20 A together, trapping the soil between the scoops;  
         [0027]     When the handles  16  and  16 A are substantially together, pull the pot hole digger out of the soil in a vertical motion;  
         [0028]     With the pot hold digger out of the soil, by releasing the hand holding the handles  16  and  16 A, the bias spring  32  will push the scoops apart in order to deposit the trapped soil outside the hole. This bias spring action will return the pot hole digger to its pre-set open position, limited by the flanges  28  and  28 A, respectively, which are attached to crossbars  22  and  22 A.  
         [0029]     The present claimed invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.