Abstract:
A powered hand tool is adapted to use a variety of interchangeable rotary tools to assist in outdoor activities. Either of two basic tool designs can be utilized for activities including garden tilling, brushing and cleaning, auguring or post hole digging, and auto finishing and polishing. In one embodiment, an adjustable shroud is utilized along with a tiller construction to change the viewing angle of the working tiller tines to facilitate use by operators of different heights, including a kneeling position. The ability to utilize tow torque and low speed assists in avoiding accidental damage to underground wires and, if encountered, the reversibility of the drive assists in untangling the wires.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit and incorporates the subject matter of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/861,741 filed Aug. 2, 2013 and 61/915,201 filed Dec. 12, 2013. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A multi-use, powered hand tool that can selectively use any of a number of tools for outdoor functions would be very useful and could obviate the need for separate single-use tools. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to an electrically driven hand tool that is adapted to use interchangeable tools that provide a number of very useful functions for home gardening, outdoor brushing and cleaning, garden tilling, auguring, and auto finishing and polishing. 
         [0004]    The parts of the multi-function tool are made from stainless steel, brass, aluminum, and other non-corroding metals, and plastics. Each of the tools is mounted on an electrically driven rotary shaft powered by a conventional drill head providing rotation in opposite directions. The utilization of a drill head, besides the reversible action, provides variable speed and clutchable features that provide torque control. 
         [0005]    Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the disclosure. In the drawings: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the tilling tool of he present invention with the handle fully extended and operated by a standing user. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the tiller head, slightly enlarged with  1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an end view of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0010]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are partial sectional views showing the lower and upper positions of the adjustable shroud. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 6-8  show other adjustable positions for the shroud particularly where plant damage is not an issue. 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is a partial sectional view similar to  FIGS. 4 and 5  showing alternate shroud. positioning. 
           [0013]      FIG. 10  is a partially exploded view of the tiller of the subject invention showing the manner in which the shroud is attached to the tiller gear case. 
           [0014]      FIG. 11  is a full exploded view of the tiller of the present invention, including shaft extensions for maximum handle elongation. 
           [0015]      FIG. 12  is a partially exploded view of the apparatus in which the shroud and tiller blades have been removed to show the internal parts of the gear case. 
           [0016]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an operator using an S-shaft mounting for an auger. 
           [0017]      FIG. 14  is a view of the S-shaped tabular version without utilizing a shroud, 
           [0018]      FIGS. 15 and 16  are views similar to  FIG. 14  showing the use of the S-shaped drive tube with other rotary treatment and finishing tools. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 17 and 18  show the use of other rotary treatment tools utilized in the drive and support functions of the preferred embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    In  FIGS. 13 and 14 , there is shown a multi-use tool of the present invention comprising a rotary ground tiller  1 . A demountable connector  3  at the lower end of an S-shaped drive tube  2  carries a flexible drive shaft  5 , or optionally, directly to the S-shaped tube as best seen in  FIGS. 14-16 . The drive shaft extension  4  is connected to the lower S-shaped tube  2  with a connecting clamp  8 , or other suitable connection. The tiller  1  includes a series of spaced tiller blades  9  welded to the tiller shaft  7  and formed with radially outer tilling teeth  10 . The tiller blades  9  also include openings  11  in the titter body  12  to facilitate the movement of soil or other material being tilled. The tiller blades or other rotary tools (to be described below) may be partially covered by a demountable sheet metal shroud that will be described in detail with request to the preferred embodiment. The shroud helps prevent any undesirable throwing of tilled material. In this embodiment, the shroud may be attached to the drive tube with a clamp arrangement making it easy to attach and remove. 
         [0021]      FIG. 14  shows the S-shaped drive tube  2  connection to the drive shaft extension  4  using an over center shaft connection  16  or other connector. If the drive shaft extension  4  is not used, the S-shaped drive tube  2  receives its driving power directly from the drill head. If the extension shaft connection  16  is used, the drive shaft extension  4  comprises stationary tube  2  which connects at its lower end to the upper end of the flexible shaft  5  that extends through the outer S-shaped tube  19 . In  FIGS. 15 and 16 , there is shown a rotary foam buffing or cleaning pad  20 . The buffing pad is attached to the end of the S-shaped drive tube  2  using the same type of connector  3  used to attach the tiller. Similarly, a stiff bristled rotary brush  21  can be substitute and may include a shroud  14  as previously shown with respect to the tiller  1 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 13  shows an auger  22  attached with a connecting clamp  8  to an auger shaft  23 . In this arrangement, the S-shaped tube and flexible drive shaft  2  are not used. An operator&#39;s handle  24  is attached to the drive shaft extension  4  This will be described in greater detail below. 
         [0023]    In  FIGS. 6 and 14 , the connection of the handle  24  to the S-shaped drive tube  2  or to the drive shaft extension  4  as shown. If the drive shaft extension  4  is not used, the upper driven end  25  of the drive tube  2  and drive shaft extension  5  are connected directly to the power driver. If the shaft extension  4  is used, the upper driven end  25  of the S-shaped drive tube  2  is connected to the lower driven end  26  of the extension shaft  4 . The handle  24  may be similar to a handle used with a yard grass trimmer or similar tool. Depending on whether the drive shaft extension  4  is used or not, the upper end of the S-shaped drive tube  2  may be provided with a key that is received in a keyway in a bore through the handle  24  through which the S-tube  2  or the drive shaft extension  4  extends. 
         [0024]    Other rotary tools of many different kinds may be adapted for use with this driving system. In general, one group of rotary tools is connected to the drive tube to selectively carry a rotary tool on a coaxial mount with respect to the drive tube or a generally perpendicular mount with respect to the drive tube. The latter is shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14  where the S-shaped drive tube ends in the indicated perpendicular mount. However, embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1-12  are presently preferred. 
         [0025]    Drawing  FIGS. 1-12  show another and presently preferred embodiment of the invention that is particularly adapted to use as a garden tiller  30 . The tiller receives driving power from a drill head  31  that is of conventional construction. The drill head includes a body housing an electric motor to which are attached a battery pack and a chucked connector  34 , all of a conventional construction. Preferably, the chucked connector  34  is reversible, the motor provides variable speed and includes a clutch providing an adjustable output torque. 
         [0026]    A drive shaft  35  is housed in a drive tube  36  and has one end of the shaft rotatably attached to the chucked connector  34 . The opposite end of the drive shaft  35  carries a bearing  37  to rotatably support the drive shaft  35  in the end of the drive tube  36 . 
         [0027]    A bevel drive gear  38  is attached to the lower end of the drive shaft  35  and is supported in a T-shaped gear case  39  which carries a bevel driven gear  40  mounted on a cross shaft  41 . The cross shaft  41  carries two identical tiller blade assemblies  42  each mounted on an end of the tiller cross shaft  41 . Each end of the tiller shaft carries two or three tiller blade assemblies  42  and are held on the cross shaft  41  with cotter pins  51  or similar demountable connectors. The gears  38  and  40  provide a ratio suitable for the tilling task, but a large range of gear ratios may be acceptable. A first gear  38  to second gear  40  providing a 12:1 ratio may be acceptable. 
         [0028]    The tiller  30  of this embodiment has a shortened drive shaft/drive tube  35 / 36 , as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , but may include a drive shaft extension  44  similar to the extension  4  used in the initially described embodiment. An adjustably positioned handle  45 , the same as or similar to the handle  24  previously described, is adjustable both rotationally and axially. 
         [0029]    Referring also to  FIG. 6 , the tool may be shortened to facilitate use by a gardener kneeling on the ground. Shortening is accomplished by removing the drive shaft extension  44 , including the interior rotary drive shaft. The shroud  14  may include indicia showing the user where to set the shroud position with the words STAND or KNEEL as shown. Of course, this shortened version can also be modified by removing a number of tiller blades  9 . 
         [0030]    A significant feature of the present invention is the protective shroud  14  that partially surrounds the slitter blades  9  and, as indicated previously, the blade comprises two blade assemblies  42  that mount three blades on each end of the tiller cross shaft  41 . 
         [0031]    Referring briefly to  FIGS. 10-12 , and in particular.  FIG. 11 , the assembly of the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the exploded view. The tiller blade assemblies  42  are carried on cross shaft  41  and also carries the driven gear  40 , all enclosed in the T-shaped gear case  39 , as described in greater detail above. 
         [0032]    The tiller blade assembly  42  as best shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  is the same as the blade assembly utilized in the embodiment of  FIG. 14 . The major differences are the elimination of the S-shaped drive tube  2  and the addition of the adjustable shroud  14  best shown in  FIGS. 2-5  and  11 . A generalized view of the tiller  1  in operation is shown in  FIG. 1 . Here, the tiller blade assemblies  42  are providing a tilling function under the control of an operator holding the drill head  31  in one hand to which is chucked the upper end of the drive shaft extension  44  that is housed in the drive tube extension  48 .  FIG. 1  also shows a unique feature of the tiller  30  which incorporates an adjustable and demountable shroud as discussed previously with respect to the shroud  14 . 
         [0033]    In  FIG. 1 , the operator can guide the tiller between rows of garden plants using the shroud  14  to push aside the plants so they are not chopped or otherwise damaged by rotating tiller blades  9 . Because each of the tiller blades  9  is demountable from the cross shaft  41 , the tiller may be set to operate with any desirable arrangement of blades, including only the blades on one end of the cross shaft  41  to navigate through narrower plant rows or by utilizing any of the blade assemblies. 
         [0034]    As indicated above, important features of the invention, in addition to those already identified, include the use of plastic in the manufacture of the shroud  114 . Indeed, a plastic shroud is presently more desirable than one made of aluminum or another metal. Utilizing a power driver, whether with a rechargeable battery or a power cord, provides very quiet operation at any selected speed. The control speed, low torque, and reversibility of the tool of the present invention, particularly utilization as a soil tiller, provides the user with the ability to make use of certain unique features not found in any hand operated garden tiller. For example, in tilling into the soil, there is always the concern with potential damage to underground wires. This can be at least partially ameliorated by operating the tiller at low speed and low torque to minimize damage. The tiller may also be reversed, in the event of engagement of underground wires or the like, to assist in untangling the wires. Other features, such as protection of garden plants and the like have already been discussed above. 
         [0035]    To facilitate operation of the tiller of the preferred embodiment when operating fully extended, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the shroud  14  can be adjusted to suit the user&#39;s height. Furthermore, if the user prefers to do tilling on one&#39;s knees, only the shorter drive tube  36  and corresponding drive shaft  35  are used, as shown in  FIG. 6 . In  FIG. 1 , as the operator&#39;s position is adjusted downwardly corresponding to the height of a shorter user, the shroud may be repositioned as desired. Thus, the shroud may be positioned at an optimum operating position regardless of the user&#39;s height or hand positions with respect to the surface being worked. 
         [0036]    The shroud  14  is supported on the T-shaped gear case  34  to partially overlie the cross shaft  41  and the tiller blade assemblies  42 . The shroud is made of a rigid, semi-cylindrical sheet that is formed to provide a concave sleeve covering an upper portion of the blade assemblies. A raised upper gear case surface  52  includes a curved upper surface  53  having a curvature that matches that of the underside of the shroud and supports the same for movement. A supporting track  55  permits movement generally on the axis of the semi-cylindrical sheet forming the shroud such that the position of the shroud with respect to the blades can be adjusted. The track  55  includes a semi-circumferential slot  54 , the edges of the slot dividing the track into parallel track runs  56 , each run carrying a strip of a solid hearing material  57  that is positioned to engage and to be supported by the upper gear case surface. Threaded stud  58  extends upwardly from the upper gear case surface  60  where it is received in the slot  54  and fastened in place with an upper fastener  61 . Movement of the shroud with respect to the stud  58  permits the shroud  14  to be adjustably positioned on the semi-cylindrical path, permitting either adjustment of the shroud to accommodate the physical characteristics of the user or to provide the previously described function of clearing plants from the path of tiller blades  9 . These features are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , as well as  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  9 . The ends of the track  55  are provided with guide stops  62  that ride in the slot  54  to limit movement of the shroud and guide the shroud as it tracks in either direction.