Abstract:
A gardening hand tool for digging holes is provided. The tool further comprises a pair of shovel blades aligned parallel to each other and are pivotally attached to the bottom of a shaft member. A handle is attached to the upper end of a shaft member and is pivotally connected to the shovel blades.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention related to manual hand gardening tools. In particular, the present invention relates to a tool for digging holes for plants. Many types of gardening as well as post hole digger tools are disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,294 disclose a hole making system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,363 discloses a post hole digger with shaft assembly with a pair of shoveling blades attached to the bottom thereto. However, the present invention discloses a uniquely designed gardening tool. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It is an object of the present invention to produce an improved gardening tool which allows a person to plant seedlings without bending, stooping and kneeling. 
         [0003]    Accordingly, the present invention is a gardening hand tool for digging holes. The tool further comprises a pair of shovel blades aligned parallel to each other and are pivotally attached to the bottom of a shaft member. A handle is attached to the upper end of a shaft member and is pivotally connected to the shovel blades. 
         [0004]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from reading the specifications in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    In the drawings, 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the present invention a gardening tool. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  an exploded top view of the handle and gear assembly. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an exploded top view with handle removed. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a view of the levers disassembled. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is an exploded handle and levers. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is an exploded bottom side view with shovel removed. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6A  is an exploded bottom side view. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6B  is an exploded disassembled view of the rod member. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of frontal view of the shovel member. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is an exploded side view of the shovel member. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8   a  an exploded side view of an alternative embodiment of the shovel member 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a front perspective view of gardening tool  10 . Gardening tool  10  further comprises a handle assembly  20 , a hollow shaft member  30 , and a pair of shovel blades ( 51 ,  52 ). Hollow shaft member  30  is further defined by an upper end  31  and a lower end  32 . Handle assembly  20  extends laterally across and is perpendicularly mounted upon the upper end  31  of hollow shaft member  30 . Handle assembly is defined by a left section  21  and a right section  22  with T shape connector  27  centrally disposed therebetween. Right section  22  and left section  21  of handle assembly  20  both are further defined by an inner side  25  and opposite outer side  26 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in the present invention, rod member  40  is inserted into hollow shaft member  30 . Rod member  40  is slidably engaged within hollow shaft member  30  and extends above the upper end  31  of hollow shaft member  30 . Attached to the upper end  41  of rod member  40  is gear assembly  43  that extends above the upper end  31  of hollow shaft member  30 . 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , front guide support  44  and back guide support  45  are coupled together to encapsulate gear assembly  43 . Each guide support member ( 44 ,  45  is equivalent in size and shape. In the preferred embodiment, each guide support member ( 44 ,  45 ) is made of a rectangular shape bar member having a length extending the distance from inner side  50  of lever  122  to inner side  57  of lever  123 . 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , a pair of levers, ( 122 ,  123 ) are horizontally mounted below handle assembly  20 . Each lever ( 122 ,  123 ) is defined by inner side  50  and opposing outer side  51 . As shown, the inner side  150  of each lever ( 122 ,  123 ) is adapted to pivotally engage into the gear assembly  43  such that gear assembly  43  is disposed between lever  122  and lever  123 . The outer side  152  of each lever ( 122 ,  123 ) is respectively situated below outer side  26  of each section ( 21 ,  22 ) of handle assembly  20 . As shown gear assembly  43  is disposed between the pair of levers ( 122 ,  123 ). As shown in  FIG. 3 , T-shape connector  27  has an opening  28  which is securely coupled to cover  124  that is adapted to slide over the exposed the gear assembly  43 . Front and back guide support members ( 44 ,  45 ) are situated below handle assembly  20 . 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , coupled to the lower end of rod member  40  is triangular joint member  60 . Situated above triangular joint member  60  is cylindrical disc  62  which encircles the lower end of rod member  40 . As shown in  FIG. 6A , rod member  40  is enclosed within the lower end of shaft member  30 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , cylindrical disc  62  has a bore that slides upon rod member  40 . Disposed above cylindrical disc  62  is tension spring  64  which encircles the area of the rod member  40  above cylindrical disc  62 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the lower end of rod  40  is adapted to cooperatively engage with triangular joint member  66 . 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the movement of the pair of shovels (left shovel  51 , right shovel  52  is respectively activated by a pair of compound joints (left compound joint  74 , right compound joint  75 ). The pair of compound joints ( 74 ,  75 ) is controlled by the movement of triangular joint member  66 . The left compound joint  74  is formed by an upper brace  70  and a lower brace  72 . As depicted in  FIG. 6 , the right compound joint  75  is formed by upper brace  85  and lower brace  86 . The lower end of rod member  40  is pivotally attached to triangular joint member  66 . Upper end of the left upper brace  70  is adjoined to the upper end of the right upper brace  85  forming the apex of triangular joint member  66 . Compression spring  84  is mounted between left upper brace  70  and right upper brace  85  allowing back and forth motion between the left upper brace  70  and right upper brace  85 . 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , left shovel blade  51  and right shovel blade,  52  are aligned parallel relation to each other and are pivotally coupled to the lower end of rod member  40  situated within the hollow shaft member  30 . Each shovel blade ( 51 ,  52 ) is defined by an upper end  100  and a lower end  102 . Lower end  102  of each blade ( 51 ,  52 ) faces downward toward the ground. As shown in  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 8   a , the upper end  100  of each blade ( 51 ,  52 ) has a hinged connection ( 200 ,  202 ) connected thereto. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 8   a , in one embodiment of shovel blade ( 51 ,  52 ) respective connections, opposing left lower brace and right lower brace ( 72 ,  86 ) are formed respectively within the upper portion of left shovel blade  51  and right shovel blade  52 . Pivoting connections  104  and  106  are integrated and respectively formed within the upper end of each lower brace ( 72 ,  86 ) which respectively extends into the upper end  100  of each shovel blade ( 51 ,  52 ). 
         [0026]    In an alternative embodiment of shovel blade ( 51 ,  52 ) respective connections, as shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , opposing left lower brace  72  and right lower brace  86  are separate and are respectively coupled to the outer surface of left shovel  51  and right shovel  52 . Each lower brace ( 72 ,  86 ) is further defined by an upper end  224  and a lower end  226 . The upper end of each lower brace ( 72 ,  86 ) are coupled to the lower end of each upper brace ( 70 ,  85 ) via pivoting connection ( 104 ,  106 ). As depicted, upper brace ( 70 ,  72 ) and lower brace ( 85 ,  86 ) are separate components. Additionally, hinge connection ( 200 ,  202 ) is a separate conventional hinge component. 
         [0027]    In use, referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 3  when the pair of levers ( 122 ,  123 ) is pulled upward, the upper end of the rod member  40  extends above the hollow shaft member  30 . As the pair of levers ( 122 ,  123 ) is pulled upward, tension spring  64  compresses to exert force upon cylindrical disc  62 . As force is exerted upon cylindrical disc  62 , left upper brace  70  and right upper brace  72  are forced to compress towards each other. As left upper brace  70  and right upper brace  72  are compressed, left lower brace and right lower brace respectively force pivoting connection  104  and  106  to expand outward forcing left blade  50  and right blade  52  to contract towards each other. As the levers are released, the left blade  50  and right blade  52  automatically retracts outward. Thus, an operator, determine where within the ground to plant a seedling. Next, the operator pushes the blades ( 50 ,  52 ) into the ground to dig a hole with tool  10 . Next, the levers ( 122 ,  123 ) are pulled upward to contract left blades  50  towards right blade  52 . While blades  50 , 52  are contracted the dirt is uplift forming a hole for the seedling. 
         [0028]    To insert the seedling into the hole, the operator pushes the seedling between blades ( 50 ,  52 ). Next, the levers ( 122 ,  123 ) are pulled upward to contract left blades  50  towards right blade  52 . While blades  50 ,  52  are contracted the seedling is placed into the hole without bending or stooping.