Abstract:
A dog-type recoil actuated auger enables holes to be drilled by using only straight line motions of a person&#39;s hand, arm, and shoulder. The recoil actuated auger is comprised of a recoil drive system connected to a shaft, which in turn is connected to an auger. The recoil drive system has a recoil mechanism that imparts unidirectional rotation to the auger in response to bidirectional rotation of the recoil mechanism. The recoil mechanism may have dogs that engage a drive cup, or clutch bearings, to unidirectionally rotate the auger. The recoil drive system has a handle that the person grasps during operation. Operation is achieved by pulling a rope wound around a rope wheel. A recoil spring rewinds the rope after a pulling motion. Multiple recoil mechanisms assembled to the shaft and a suitable handle enable more than one person to operate the recoil actuated auger at the same time.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field Of The Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention pertains to manually operated augers, and more particularly to apparatus that uses a straight line manual motion to rotate an auger.  
         [0003]     2. Description Of The Related Art  
         [0004]     Augers for drilling in ice and earth are well known and in widespread use. Augers typically include a center shaft. A helical band with a cutting edge at one end surrounds the center shaft. Rotating the center shaft causes the cutting edge to cut into the ice or earth. The helical band pushes the cut material away from the cutting edge to make a hole.  
         [0005]     Some prior augers were manually driven. Manual augers were usually light weight, fairly inexpensive, and relatively easy to carry. An example of a prior manual auger, which uses a crank and gear mechanism, may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 1,294,098. U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,735 shows a foot powered auger. Perhaps the classic example of prior manual augers is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,393,282; 2,476,047; 3,051,253; 3,929,196; and 5,038,870. Those five patents each show an offset handle connected to an auger center shaft. A person grasped the handle with one hand and steadied the auger with the other hand. The person exerted his shoulder and arm muscles to produce a circular motion with his first hand, thus turning the handle and the auger.  
         [0006]     When using a manual auger with an offset handle, multiple combinations of forces had to be generated by the person for each revolution of his hand. Specifically, a first force was generated to pull the hand in a first motion toward his body. Then the handle was forced across the front of the body in a second motion. Then, the person had to push the handle away from his body in a third motion. Finally, the person forced the handle across the front of his body in a fourth motion opposite the second motion. The process was repeated for each revolution of the handle and auger.  
         [0007]     Because of the nature of ice and earth, considerable effort was required to drill holes with offset handle augers. Ergonomically, it was very difficult for most people to perform three of the four handle motions. The only motion that most people could complete with ease was the first motion of pulling the hand toward the body. That was a fairly natural motion during which most people could generate the maximum force with their arms and shoulder muscles. In general, younger, older, and other persons without adequate strength could not easily use the prior manual augers.  
         [0008]     To ease the task of drilling in ice and earth, power driven augers have been developed. A common power source was a gasoline engine that connected to the auger center shaft. Some augers were powered from remote locations by suitable transmissions. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,710,877; 3,828,861; and 4,116,284 illustrate different kinds of remote power sources and associated transmissions. Japan patent application number 1998000220506 teaches an auger powered by a motor and assembled to the end of a crane boom.  
         [0009]     There are several disadvantages associated with power augers. In addition to being undesirably expensive, they are heavy and awkward to carry. The engines are subject to environmental standards, including emission controls and anti-noise ordinances. A related problem concerns the odors emitted from the engine, which is only an arm&#39;s length from the user&#39;s face. The noise and emissions make it an unpleasant task to drill holes with power augers. Moreover, power augers develop high torque, so safety is a major concern.  
         [0010]     Thus, a need exists for improvements in ways to operate augers.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     In accordance with the present invention, a dog-type recoil actuated auger is provided that requires a person to exert only straight line motions of the person&#39;s hand, arm, and shoulder to operate. This is accomplished by apparatus that includes a recoil mechanism that imparts unidirectional motion to an auger.  
         [0012]     The auger has a shaft and a helical band around the shaft. A working end of the helical band at the auger shaft first end is sharpened. A second end of the auger shaft is connected to the recoil mechanism. The recoil mechanism is part of a recoil drive system that also includes a housing and a handle.  
         [0013]     According to one aspect of the invention, the housing is comprised of a flat plate and first and second tubes all concentric with the auger shaft. The first and second tubes are joined by a transverse annular disk. The first tube receives and rotatably guides the auger shaft. The second tube receives a drive cup of the recoil mechanism. The drive cup has an annular wall, and an end wall that is fixed to the auger shaft. A washer separates the drive cup end wall from the housing annular disk. A collar on the auger shaft adjacent the first tube cooperates with the drive cup to capture the auger shaft to the recoil drive system housing. In the drive cup annular wall are a number of circumferentially spaced openings.  
         [0014]     The recoil mechanism further comprises a cover that is secured to the housing plate. The cover contains a rope wheel that is rotatable about a cover pin. A rope is wound around the rope wheel. The rope terminates in a pull handle that is on the outside of the cover. A recoil spring biases the rope wheel to rotate in a first direction such that the rope pull handle is against the cover, which limits the rotation of the rope wheel in the first direction and establishes a wound position for the rope wheel. Manually pulling the rope pull handle rotates the rope wheel in a second direction and unwinds the rope from the rope wheel.  
         [0015]     A pair of dogs are pivotable on associated rope wheel posts between working and retracted locations. When in their working locations, the dogs engage associated openings in the drive cup annular wall. The dogs are in their retracted positions when the rope wheel is at its wound position under the bias of the recoil spring and the rope pull handle is against the cover.  
         [0016]     To pivot the dogs from their retracted locations to their working locations, they are designed to contact first surfaces of a cam that oscillates on the cover pin. An initial pull on the rope pull handle in a pull stroke rotates the rope wheel but does not turn the cam. After the rope wheel has rotated through a few degrees, the dogs contact the first surfaces of the stationary cam. Upon contacting the cam, the dogs pivot to their working locations under the impetus of the continually rotating rope wheel. Continued pulling on the rope causes the drive cup, cam, and auger shaft to rotate together with the rope wheel. At the end of the pull stroke, the rope is released, under control. The recoil spring turns the rope wheel, but initially not the cam, in the opposite direction and rewinds the rope onto the rope wheel. That action also causes the dogs to contact second surfaces on the stationary cam and pivot the dogs back to their retracted locations. The dogs therefore disengage from the cup wheel. From that point, the rope wheel, together with the cam, rotates back to its wound position, but without imparting any rotation to the auger shaft. The cycle is repeated as often as necessary until the auger has drilled the desired hole.  
         [0017]     It is a feature of the invention that the auger may be disconnected from the recoil drive system. For that purpose, an output shaft is fixed to the drive cup end wall instead of the auger shaft. The free end of the output shaft is designed to selectively connect to and disconnect from the auger shaft. In that manner, the dog-type recoil actuated auger of the invention may be broken down for easily transportation.  
         [0018]     The method and apparatus of the invention, using just straight line motions by a person, thus enables holes to be drilled in an ergonomically satisfactory way. The probability of unsuccessful operation is remote, even though he may not have adequate strength to generate forceful circular motions with his hand, arm, and shoulder.  
         [0019]     Other advantages, benefits, and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the invention and studying the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention in use at the start of a pull stroke of the recoil mechanism.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing the invention in use at the end of a pull stroke.  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  at the start of a pull stroke.  
         [0025]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5 , but showing the recoil mechanism at initial contact of the dogs by the cam.  
         [0026]      FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 6 , but showing the dogs in their working locations.  
         [0027]      FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 7 , but showing the cam in contact with the dogs to pivot the dogs back to their retracted locations. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]     Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention, which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.  
         [0029]     Looking first at  FIG. 3 , a dog-type recoil actuated auger  1  is illustrated that includes the present invention. The recoil actuated auger  1  is particularly useful for drilling holes in ice or earth, typically represented at reference numeral  9 . However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to outdoor related applications.  
         [0030]     The particular dog-type recoil actuated auger  1  illustrated is comprised of an auger  3  connected to a manual recoil drive system  5 . The auger  3  preferably has a sharpened end  6  opposite the recoil drive system  5 . Operation of the recoil drive system causes rotation of the auger about a longitudinal axis  7  of the recoil actuated auger to drill into the ice or earth  9 .  
         [0031]     The auger  3  includes a shaft  11  around which is a helical band  13 . The auger sharpened end  6  may be in the form of a knife  15 .  
         [0032]     In the preferred embodiment, the recoil drive system  5  is disconnectable from the auger  3 . For that purpose, the auger shaft  11  has a socket  107  that receives an end  109  of a drive cup shaft  111 , as will be explained shortly. A thumb screw  113  is used to hold the shafts  11  and  111  to each other and concentric to the longitudinal axis  7 . In that manner, the dog-type recoil actuated auger  1  can be broken down for easy transportation.  
         [0033]     The auger  3  is unidirectionally rotated by manual operation of the recoil drive system  5 . Looking also at  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the recoil drive system comprises a housing  17  and a recoil mechanism  19 . The recoil mechanism  19  may be generally conventional. However, it will be described in detail so as to provide a full explanation of and appreciation for the invention.  
         [0034]     The housing  17  includes a flat plate  21  and a pair of tubes  23  and  25 . Both tubes  23  and  25  are concentric with the longitudinal axis  7 . The two tubes are joined to each other by a transverse disk  27 . The tube  25  rotatably guides the shaft  111 .  
         [0035]     A handle  28  is attached to the housing plate  21 . According to one aspect of the invention, the handle  28  is constructed with a pair of small plates  30  welded or otherwise attached to the housing plate ( FIG. 3 ). A bar  32  is welded between two plates  34 , which in turn are attached to the small plates  30 .  
         [0036]     The recoil mechanism  19  is comprised of a cover  29  that is secured to the housing plate  21  by bolts and nuts  31 . On the cover  29  is a cover pin  33  that is concentric with the longitudinal axis  7 . A rope wheel  35  is rotatable on the cover pin  33 . The rope wheel  35  has a hub  36  with a transverse end surface  80 . In the hub  36  are two first diametrically opposed surfaces  38  that extend generally radially from and parallel to the longitudinal axis  7 . The hub also has two second diametrically opposed surfaces  40  that extend generally radially from and parallel to the longitudinal axis. The rope wheel further has a peripheral groove  37  around which is wound a rope  39 . One end of the rope  39  is fastened to the rope wheel. The other end of the rope terminates outside the cover at a pull handle  41 . A recoil spring  43  has a first end hooked to the cover, as to a pilot  46 . The recoil spring  43  also has a second end hooked to the rope wheel, such as to an annular rib  48 . The recoil spring biases the rope wheel to rotate in a first direction, designated by arrow  44 , toward a wound position. When the rope wheel is at its wound position, the rope is wound on the rope wheel and the pull handle  41  is against the cover. Pulling the pull handle rotates the rope wheel in a second direction, arrow  97 , against the force of the recoil spring and unwinds the rope from the rope wheel groove  37 .  
         [0037]     On the rope wheel hub  36  are a pair of short posts  45 . On each post  45  is a dog  47 . Each dog  47  has first and second ends  49  and  51 , respectively, on opposite sides of the post. Each dog also has an outside surface  53  and an inside surface  59  between the first and second ends  49  and  51 , respectively. On the outside surface  53  is a first step  55  and a second step  57 . The inside surface  59  has a portion  61  near the first end. The dogs are pivotable on the rope wheel posts  45  in the directions of arrows  62  and  64 .  
         [0038]     Also on the cover pin  33  is a cam  63 . The particular cam  63  illustrated is formed with a flat disk  65  and four bent-over tabs  67 A- 67 D. Each tab  67 A- 67 D has a first surface  71  and a second surface  73 . The rope wheel  35  and cam are held on the cover pin by a D-washer  77  and retainer ring  79 . A compression spring  75  between the rope wheel and the cam disk  65  presses the cam disk against the D-washer  77 . For clarity, a clearance is shown between the cam disk, dogs  47 , and rope wheel end surface  80 . In actuality, the clearance is minimal.  
         [0039]     A drive cup  81  is also part of the recoil mechanism  19 . The drive cup  81  has an annular wall  83  and an end wall  85 . Preferably, the annular wall  83  has a flange  87  at its end opposite the end wall  85 . In the annular wall are a number of circumferentially spaced openings  89 . Fixed to the end wall is the drive shaft  111 .  
         [0040]     The drive cup  81  fits mostly inside the housing first tube  23  such that the openings  89  are transversely aligned with the dogs  47 . A thrust washer  91  is interposed between the drive cup end wall  85  and the housing disk  27 . A collar  93  with a set screw  95  on the drive shaft  111  cooperate with the drive cup end wall to retain the drive cup and auger  3  to the recoil drive system housing  17 .  
         [0041]      FIG. 1  shows a person with the dog-type recoil actuated auger  1  at the start of an operating cycle. In that situation, the recoil mechanism  19  is as shown in  FIG. 5 , with the rope wheel  35  at its wound position. The dogs  47  lie generally inside a circular envelope defined by the cam tabs  67 A- 67 D. There is a space S between the portion  61  of the inside surface  59  of each dog and the second surface  73  of the associated cam tab  67 A or  67 C.  
         [0042]     At the start of an operating cycle, the person holds the recoil drive system handle  28  with one and and the rope pull handle  41  with the other hand. He exerts a force on the rope pull handle by pulling it with a straight line motion  101  in a pull stroke. Doing so rotates the rope wheel  35  in the direction of arrow  97 . Initially, there is sufficient friction between the D-washer  77  and the cam  63  such that the cam does not rotate with the rope wheel. Consequently, the rope wheel, together with the dogs  47 , acquire the position relative to the cam shown in  FIG. 6 . In  FIG. 6 , the rope wheel has rotated to take up the spaces S, and the portions  61  of the dogs inside surfaces  59  have contacted the second surfaces  73  of the cam tabs  67 A and  67 C.  
         [0043]     Continued rotation of the rope wheel  35  causes the cam tabs  67 A and  67 C to pivot the dogs  47  in the direction of arrow  62 ,  FIG. 7 . The dogs inside surfaces  59  slide on the cam tab surfaces  73  from the portions  61  as far as respective portions  99  of the dogs inside surfaces. That action pivots the dogs to working locations, and the dogs first ends  49  approach and contact the first radial surfaces  38  in the rope wheel hub  36 . At that point, there is a space S 1  between the outside surfaces  53  of the dogs and the first surfaces  71  of the cam tabs  67 B and  67 D. Pivoting of the dogs to their working locations also causes their second ends  51  to enter two openings  89  in the drive cup  81 .  
         [0044]     When the dogs first ends  49  contact the rope wheel hub radial surfaces  38  no further pivoting of the dogs  47  relative to the rope wheel  35  is possible. Accordingly, continued rotation of the rope wheel under the impetus of the person continuing to pull the rope pull handle  41  forces the dogs, by way of their inside surface portions  99 , to force the cam  63  to rotate in unison with the rope wheel. Simultaneously, the dogs inside surfaces at portions  115  force the drive cup  81  to rotate in unison with the rope wheel and thereby rotate the auger  3 .  
         [0045]      FIG. 2  shows the person and the dog-type recoil actuated auger  1  at the end of the pull stroke. The person then releases the rope pull handle  41 , under control, with a straight line motion  103  in a return stroke. That action enables the recoil spring  43  to rotate the rope wheel  35  in the direction of arrow  44  ( FIG. 7 ). Again, friction between the D-washer  77  and the cam  63  keeps the cam stationary at the start of the return stroke. The distances S 1  are taken up such that the first step  55  on each dog  47  contacts the first surface  71  of the associated cam tab  67 B or  67 D,  FIG. 8 . Continued rotation of the rope wheel pivots the dogs in the direction of arrow  64  out of engagement with the drive cup openings  89  and back toward the dogs retracted locations. Pivoting of the dogs continues by the sliding of their outside surfaces  53  on the cam tabs first surfaces until the cam tabs first surfaces contact the dogs second steps  57 . At that point, the dogs inside surfaces  59  have contacted the rope wheel hub surface  40 , and the dogs cannot pivot further. As a result the dogs force the cam to rotate in unison with the rope wheel back to the start of the operating cycle of  FIGS. 1 and 5 , but without any rotation of the drive cup  81  or auger  3 . The cycle is repeated as often as needed to drill the desired hole in the ice or earth  9 .  
         [0046]     It is an important feature of the invention that the auger  3  is rotated about the longitudinal axis  7  using only the straight line motions  101  and  103  of the persons&#39;s arm, hand, and shoulder. The problems associated with the multiple circular motions required for prior manual augers with offset handles is therefore eliminated. Even persons of modest strength are capable of drilling holes using the present invention.  
         [0047]     As mentioned previously, the auger  3  is disconnectable from the recoil drive system  5  by means of the socket  107  and thumb screw  113 . It will be appreciated, of course, that the auger shaft  11  and the recoil mechanism drive shaft  111  may be a single integral piece, if desired.  
         [0048]     In summary the results and advantages of holes in ice and earth can now be more fully realized. The dog-type recoil actuated auger  1  of the invention provides both an ergonomically sound way to manually operate an auger  3  as well as unidirectional rotation of the auger. This desireable result comes from using the combined functions of the recoil drive system  5 . The handle  28  provides a good grip for a person&#39;s first hand. The recoil mechanism  19  rotates the auger in response to straight line motions  101  and  103  of the person&#39;s second hand, arm, and shoulder. The person exerts the straight line motions on the rope pull handle  41  to selectively wind and unwind the rope  39  on the rope wheel  35 . The cam  63  cooperates with the dogs  47  on the rope wheel to pivot the dogs between working and retracted locations. When in their working locations, the dogs engage the drive cup  81  and force it to rotate with the rope wheel, thereby rotating the auger. In a return stroke, the dogs pivot out of engagement with the drive cup back to their retracted locations, thereby allowing the rope to rewind on the rope wheel without turning the auger.  
         [0049]     It will also be recognized that in addition to the superior performance of the dog-type recoil actuated auger  1  of the invention, its construction is such as to to be of modest cost in relation to the benefits it provides. Its ergonomically superior design more than compensates for any increased cost relative to prior ergonomically unsatisfactory manual augers.  
         [0050]     Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, a dog-type recoil actuated auger that fully satisfies the objects, aims, and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.