Patent Publication Number: US-2003230419-A1

Title: Garden tool for grubbing

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] This application claims the benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No.  60 / 374 , 255  filed Jun. 13, 2002 and titled “Weed N&#39; dig—A.K.A.—hoe-shovel”. 
    
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] This invention relates generally to a garden tool and more particularly, to a garden tool having a grub hoe blade.  
       PROBLEM  
       [0003] It is a problem in the field of grubbing, the clearing or digging up roots and stumps, to have all of the tools required to complete the task at hand. It is also a problem when grubbing in areas where the user travels a distance on foot with the required tools, using the tools along the way or at the destination. For example, grubbing tools are used for constructing and maintaining trails and are also used by forest service firefighters. Particularly in remote or steep terrain it is difficult to have to carry several long-handled tools, such as different types of axes, shovels, rakes and hoes, to the work site. Furthermore, it is difficult to keep the variety of tools readily available when moving through different types of vegetation and ground cover. The user must have the variety of tools when he is transported to the work site and is likely to encounter any type of terrain in the geographical region. Therefore, a number of combination tools have been developed to perform two or more functions.  
       [0004] One type of known grubbing tool is the combination tool, which consists of two or more different types of tool implements connected with a single handle. Referring to FIG. 1 a , well know combination tool  10  used by forest service firefighters is a combination mattock and hoe, commonly referred to as a “Pulaski” after the designer of the tool. The Pulaski grubbing tool combines an axe  14  and a grub hoe  12  into one multipurpose firefighting tool that is easily adapted for trail work, especially for crews limited to a few tools, or crews with only a general idea of the job to be done.  
       [0005] Other combination tools with grub hoe blades are available for clearing or digging up roots and stumps, including a variety of mattocks and hoes. The cutter mattock  20  illustrated in FIG. 1 b  includes a grub hoe blade  22  opposite a cutter blade  24 , while the pick mattock  30  has a grub hoe blade  32  opposite a pointed tip, or pick  34 . Crews working in deep, rooty soil often prefer the cutter mattock. The roots are severed with the cutter blade and then pried out with the grubbing end. However, the pointed end of the pick mattock is useful for breaking rocks while the grub hoe blade is used for working softer materials. The grub hoe blade of the cutter mattock and the pick mattock may also be used to cut roots or to remove small stumps.  
       [0006] The Pulaski  10 , cutter mattock  20  and the pick mattock  30  all use a similar grub hoe blade as illustrated in FIGS. 1 a - 1   c . The grub hoe blade is wider at the distal end, requiring the user to swing the tool so that the edge of the grub hoe blade strikes the ground. Furthermore, the combination tools are made of forged steel which is heavier than a typical garden tool and therefore more fatiguing to use. Additionally, the grub hoe blade has a weight that is greater than the weight of the opposite tool making the grub hoe blade dominant over the opposite tool. When the grub hoe blade becomes dull through use, replacement of the entire tool head, including both the grub hoe blade and the opposite tool, is undesirably expensive. Attempts to improve the grub hoe blade by increasing the width at the distal end have made the tool more dangerous because of the increased unbalancing effect of the larger blade.  
       [0007] Combination tools are also less effective than single purpose tools. For example, an axe balances better and chops more safely than the Pulaski and the cutter mattock and grub hoes are more effective than the Pulaski, cutter mattock, and the pick mattock. Since the grub hoe blade is wider at the distal end, a second tool, a cutter, axe or pick, is necessary to soften the soil so that the grub hoe blade is effective.  
       [0008] A grubbing tool commonly used by gardeners is the draw, or swan neck hoe  40  illustrated in FIG. 2. The swan neck hoe  40  is used by gardeners for leveling or weeding the soil. The swan neck hoe  40  is a lightweight tool constructed of tempered steel with a wide, grub hoe blade for penetrating soft ground. However, when the ground is not soft, or is rooty, the light weight of the swan hoe combined with the width of the grub hoe blade prevents the blade from penetrating the ground. Therefore, the swan neck hoe is ineffective for compact soil or unusually bushy areas. A shovel having a pointed blade, an axe or a pick is often used to soften the soil. Once softened, the swan neck hoe is used to pry the roots out of the soil or to dig trenches for planting seeds.  
       [0009] Adze hoes  50 , grub hoes  60 , or hazel hoes  70  illustrated in FIGS. 3 a - 3   c  respectively, have shorter handles and are used to break sod clumps when constructing new trails or when leveling an existing trail head. These hoes can be used to break through heavy duff on the forest floor. Like the swan neck hoe, the grub hoe blade of the adze, grub and hazel hoes is wide, making it difficult to penetrate through duff, compact or rooty soil. The adze hoes  50 , grub hoes  60 , or hazel hoes  70  are also heavier, constructed of forged steel on a shorter handle, than the swan neck hoe or other typical garden tool, making them difficult and fatiguing to use.  
       [0010] The width of the grub hoe blade of the prior art combination tools, swan neck hoe, and the adze hoes, grub hoes, and hazel hoes is wider at the distal end of the grub hoe blade, resulting in a wide sharpened blade. The width of the grub hoe blade is not effective for digging into a hard soil, requiring the user to use the axe or a pick to soften the soil prior to using the grub hoe blade. Otherwise, it is recommend that the tool strike the ground so that the grub hoe blade hits at an angle on its corner.  
       [0011] The combination, or combi tool  80  illustrated in FIG. 4, is basically a military entrenching tool on a long handle. The combi tool functions as a hoe, pick, or shovel. The combi tool has a longer handle than the Pulaski, mattocks, and the adze, grub and hazel hoes, making the combi tool less fatiguing to use. The combi tool  80  includes a shovel type blade  82  that is hinged (at  86 ) to fold approximately perpendicular with the handle for use as a grubbing tool as illustrated in FIG. 4. When unfolded (not illustrated), the shovel blade functions as a shovel. Opposite of the folded shovel blade is a pick  84  for softening the ground prior to using the shovel blade  82 .  
       [0012] Unlike the Pulaski, mattocks, and the adze, grub and hazel hoes which have a wide grub hoe blade, the width of the shovel blade on the combi tool decreases to a rounded end as illustrated in FIG. 4. The rounded end of the shovel blade allows the shovel blade to more effectively penetrate rooty or hard soil, however, the increasing width and decreasing sharpness of the shovel blade prevents the shovel blade from cutting deeply into the rooty or hard soil. Like the balancing problem encountered when using the Pulaski, cutter mattock and the pick mattock, the shovel blade has a weight that is greater than the weight of the pick, making the shovel blade dominant over the pick resulting is difficulty balancing the combi tool during use. While the combi tool is lighter in weight than the Pulaski, cutter mattock and the pick mattock, the hinge between the opposing tools weakens when used for grubbing, resulting in unwanted flexing of the shovel blade or failure of the combi tool.  
       [0013] For these reasons, a need exists for a grubbing tool that breaks the surface of the soil and digs deep enough to reach the roots of the vegetation for cleaning the area while also providing a sufficiently sharp straight surface to cut roots.  
       SOLUTION  
       [0014] The present garden tool for grubbing includes an elongated handle attached with and approximately perpendicular to a grub hoe blade. The grub hoe blade has a proximal end and a distal end wherein the distal end is narrower than the proximal end. The grub hoe blade may include a rounded tip at the proximal end. The rounded tip and the sides of the grub hoe blade are sharp to allow the grub hoe blade to easily penetrate compact or rooty soil. Alternatively, the distal end of the grub hoe blade may be straight while maintaining a distal end that is substantially narrower than the proximal end. Like the grub hoe blade having a rounded tip, the straight edge and the sides are sharpened. The grub hoe blade is arcuate and the neck is connected with the handle approximately central to the grub hoe blade along a longitudinal axis, thereby balancing the present garden tool for grubbing during use. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0015]FIG. 1 a  illustrates a prior art combination tool including mattock and hoe, commonly referred to as a Pulaski;  
     [0016]FIG. 1 b  illustrates another prior art combination tool having a grub hoe blade opposite a cutter blade;  
     [0017]FIG. 1 c  illustrates yet another prior art combination tool having a grub hoe blade opposite a pick;  
     [0018]FIG. 2 illustrates a swan neck hoe of the prior art;  
     [0019]FIG. 3 a  illustrates an adze hoe of the prior art;  
     [0020]FIG. 3 b  illustrates a grub hoe of the prior art;  
     [0021]FIG. 3 c  illustrates a hazel hoe of the prior art;  
     [0022]FIG. 4 illustrates yet another prior art combination tool having a folding shovel blade used for grubbing opposite a pick  
     [0023]FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the present garden tool for grubbing;  
     [0024]FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a grub hoe blade of the present garden tool;  
     [0025]FIG. 7 illustrates another example of a grub hoe blade of the present garden tool;  
     [0026]FIG. 8 illustrates a rear view of the present garden tool;  
     [0027]FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of the present garden tool; and  
     [0028]FIG. 10 illustrates a top view of the present garden tool. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0029]FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the present garden tool for grubbing. The garden tool  100  includes an elongated handle  110  similar to those used with other garden tools and has a grub hoe blade  300  connected approximately perpendicular to elongated handle  110 . The edges of the grub hoe blade  300  are sharpened to allow the grub hoe blade  300  to penetrate the ground and to cut through plant roots. Unlike prior art grub hoe blades wherein the width of the blade increases at the distal end, the grub hoe blade  300  of the present garden tool decreases at the distal end  304 , allowing the grub hoe blade  300  to easily cut through compact or rooty soil. The present garden tool can be used for weeding an area, cutting through roots and for digging. Once the grub hoe blade is in the ground, the sharp edges of the grub hoe blade allows the user to drag the garden tool while the grub hoe blade cuts roots.  
     [0030] Referring to the garden tool  100  illustrated in FIG. 6, the grub hoe blade includes a substantially hollow neck  210  for receiving an end of a handle  110  for attaching the grub hoe blade  200  with the handle  110 . The grub hoe blade  200  includes a proximal end  202  to which the handle is attached and a distal end  204 . The distal end  204  may be a rounded nose as illustrated in FIG. 6 or straight as illustrated in FIG. 7. The rounded nose at the distal end  204  is sharpened for use cutting roots and to facilitate entry of the grub hoe blade  200  into compact or rooty soil. Unlike a traditional shovel or the shovel blade used for grubbing with the combi-tool, the sides of the grub hoe blade  200  of the present garden tool are substantially straight, not rounded. The shape of the grub hoe blade is substantially triangular rather than semicircular, as with the shovel. To facilitate the grub hoe blade  200  entering the ground to a greater depth, the sides of the grub hoe blade are sharpened the full length from the proximal end to the distal end. Crews working in deep, rooty soil can use the grub hoe blade  200  of the present garden tool  100  to cut the roots of the vegetation in the ground and to pry the roots out of the soil, reducing the number of tools required to complete the task.  
     [0031] Alternatively, the distal end  304  of the grub hoe blade  300  may be straight as illustrated in FIG. 7. The width of the distal end may vary while maintaining a width at the distal end  304  which is substantially less than the width of the grub hoe blade at the proximal end  302 . When working in areas with rooty soil and shrubs, the straight blade is effective for cutting the roots and the branches of the shrub above the ground as well as roots within the soil. Prior art grubbing tools required the user to either use an axe or a cutter for cutting the roots and branches of the bushes, thereby dulling the axe or cutter as the axe or cutter strikes the ground.  
     [0032] The side of the grub hoe blade may be used to clear above the ground without digging up the dirt by simply dragging the sharp side blade across the ground. Both the straight end of the grub hoe blade and the side of the grub hoe blade of either embodiment may be used to clear vegetation above the ground without digging up the soil. The sharpness of the side blade cuts the vegetation above the ground. The grub hoe blade may also be used for digging gardening trenches. Once the grub hoe blade has penetrated the soil, the user merely drags the garden tool while the grub hoe blade cuts the roots of the vegetation as the trench is dug.  
     [0033] The neck  210  may resemble the neck of the swan neck hoe as illustrated in the side view of FIG. 9 to add durability and stability to the garden tool for grubbing. The swan neck decreases or eliminations the vibration of the grub hoe blade and handle caused when a swan neck to used to connect the grub hoe blade to the handle. The neck  210  is attached with the grub hoe blade  200  substantially central to the grub hoe blade  200  creating a longitudinal axis as illustrated in the rear view of FIG. 8. The centrally located longitudinal axis is useful for balancing the grub hoe blade during use. The present garden tool is lifted to a height necessary for penetrating the soil. The lighter weight of the grub hoe blade allows the user to balance the garden tool as the garden tool swings downwardly for the grub hoe blade to hit the ground. The shape of the grub hoe blade, narrow at the distal end, allows the grub hoe blade to penetrate the compact soil. When the grub hoe blades become dull through use, the blades are sharpened in a manner similar to sharpening other traditional garden tools. A pin, bolt or other fastener (not shown) may be used to ensure that the grub hoe blade remains attached to the handle during use. The fastener is inserted through the neck  210  and the end of the handle contained therein, to prevent the handle  110  from sliding out of the neck  210 .  
     [0034] Referring to the rear view and the top view of the present garden tool in FIGS. 8 and 10 respectively, in an embodiment the grub hoe blade is arcuate, with the neck  210  and handle  110  centrally connected with the grub hoe blade to allow the user to balance the garden tool during use.  
     [0035] As to alternative embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present garden tool for grubbing can be configured with alternative configuration of the grub hoe blade while maintaining a distal end which is narrower than the proximal end to allow the grub hoe blade to easily penetrate compact soil and to cut roots.  
     [0036] It is apparent that there has been described a garden tool for grubbing that fully satisfies the objects, aims, and advantages set forth above. While the garden tool for grubbing has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and/or variations can be devised by those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.