Patent Publication Number: US-8540167-B2

Title: Rotary tool for spreading particulate materials and method of using the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a Divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/691,838 filed Jan. 22, 2010, which is a Divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/968,373, filed Jan. 2, 2008, now abandoned, which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/933,142, filed Sep. 2, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,325,755, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention generally relates to rotary tools. More particularly, the invention relates to a rotary tool for spreading particulate materials. Specifically, the invention relates to a rotary tool which includes a rotatable body with a plurality of fingers radiating outwardly therefrom. 
     2. Background Information 
     In landscaping, it is common to apply particulate materials such as mulch to flowerbeds to reduce weed growth, retain moisture in the soil and improve the aesthetic appearance of the flowerbed. Commonly used mulch particulate materials include leaves, bark chips and shredded wood. These materials are usually delivered by wheelbarrow or bag to the flowerbed and the gardener then spreads the particulate materials around the plants using a rake. Spreading and leveling a particulate materials mound is both time consuming and laborious because of the physical nature of these types of materials and their tendency to stick together in clumps. This is especially true for employees of landscaping services who may have to particulate materials a large number of flowerbeds for numerous clients in a fairly short time span. It is also possible that a gardener will wish to distribute other types of particulate materials, such as gravel or stones, over the ground surface within a flower bed. These particulate materials are equally difficult to distribute over the surface. 
     There is therefore a need in the art for a device that assists the gardener to spread particulate materials, such as mulch, gravel or stone, around a flowerbed and which particularly assists in distributing the particulate materials from an initially formed mound of the same. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The rotary tool of the present invention includes a rotatable body that has an upper surface and a center axis therein. A stationary coupler is coaxial with the center axis of the rotatable body and receives a powered drive shaft therein. When the drive shaft is activated it causes the rotatable body to rotate about the center axis. The rotatable body also includes a peripheral edge for engaging the particulate materials. The peripheral edge may include a plurality of fingers that extend outwardly therefrom. The rotary tool may be rotated in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction, or the rotation may be of an oscillating nature where the rotatable body alternates between a clockwise and anticlockwise direction. As the rotatable body rotates, the fingers engage the particulate material and cause individual particulate materials to be flicked outwardly away from the rotating body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a rotary tool in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial exploded view of the rotatable body end of the rotary tool; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the rotary tool in which it is shown that the rotatable body can rotate in two opposing directions; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional side elevational view of the rotary tool through line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the rotary tool being brought into contact with a mound of particulate materials; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the rotary tool spreading a mound of particulate materials; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the rotary tool being brought into contact with a mound of particulate materials; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the rotary tool being used as a shovel to remove a portion of a mound of particulate materials; 
         FIG. 9  is a partial exploded view of a second embodiment of the rotary tool; 
         FIG. 10  is a partial exploded view of a third embodiment of the rotary tool; 
         FIG. 11  is a partial perspective view of the third embodiment of the rotary tool; 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of the rotary tool of  FIG. 11 ; and 
         FIG. 13  is a partial cross-sectional side view of a finger of the rotary tool taken through line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 12 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a rotary tool in accordance with the present invention and generally indicated at  10 . Tool  10  includes a rotatable body or spreader, generally indicated at  12 , mounted via a stationary coupler  14  to one end of a shaft  16 . Rotatable body  12  is partially covered by a hood  18  to protect the operator from flying debris. A motor  20  is mounted on the other end of shaft  16  and a handle  22  is provided for holding tool  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , a first embodiment of rotatable body  12  comprises a ring  24  and a plate  26  that are connected to stationary coupler  14 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , body  12  is arcuate and is substantially convex in cross-sectional shape. Ring  24  comprises a wall  24   a  having an inner edge  24   b  and a peripheral edge  30 . The inner edge  24   b  is of a first circumference and the peripheral edge  24   c  is of a second and larger circumference. Wall  24   a  slopes downwardly and outwardly away from inner edge  24   b  and toward peripheral edge  24   c . The curvature of wall  24   a  is complementary to the curvature of body  12 . In other words, the radius of curvature of wall  24   a  is complementary to the radius of curvature of body  12 . This complementary relationship is best seen in  FIG. 4 . Ring  24  has a plurality of flexible fingers  28  radiating downwardly and outwardly from its peripheral edge  30  and has a centrally located hole  32 . Fingers  28  have first ends  35  and second ends  37 . First ends  35  of fingers  28  are integrally formed with ring  24  and second ends  37  are coplanar with each other and are adapted to engage the ground during operation. The second ends  37  of fingers  28  preferably lay two to three inches outwardly from peripheral edge  30 . Ring  24  preferably is manufactured from a plastic or rubber that is sufficiently rigid to move the particulate materials but is flexible enough that fingers  28  can bend slightly upon entering the particulate materials and spring back to their original position, thereby flicking particulate materials away from tool  10 . A plurality of apertures  34  are provided at intervals around ring  24 . 
     Plate  26  preferably is manufactured from a more rigid plastic or rubber than is ring  24  but is still preferably slightly flexible. Plate  26  is slightly convex in shape ( FIG. 4 ) and has a central aperture  36  therein. Central aperture  36  may be slotted as at  36   a  to ensure correct alignment of a drive shaft therein as hereinafter described. A plurality of apertures  38  are provided at intervals proximate the outer edge  40  of plate  26  and are positioned and spaced to align with apertures  34  on ring  24 . As seen from  FIG. 4 , rotatable body  12  is arcuate and has a center axis Y-Y′. Stationary coupler  14  is coaxial with center axis Y-Y′ and is disposed on upper surface  26   a  of plate  26 . The diameter of ring  24  is substantially the same as the diameter of plate  26  so that outer edge  40  of plate is substantially vertically aligned with the peripheral edge  30  of ring  24 . Furthermore fingers  28  radiate outwardly from arcuate plate  26  at substantially the same rate of curvature as that of plate  26 . 
     Hood  18  is provided to partially cover ring  24  and plate  26  when rotatable body  12  is assembled. Hood  18  comprises a substantially triangular-shaped body  42  having an apex  44  and an arcuate outer edge  46 . A skirt  48  extends downwardly from outer edge  46 . Body  42  and skirt  48  preferably are integrally formed. Body  42  is provided with an aperture  50  proximate apex  44  through which a drive shaft  16  extends as hereinafter described. 
     Rotatable body  12  is assembled in the following manner. Plate  26  and ring  24  are connected together by bolts  52  inserted through aligned apertures  34 ,  38  in ring  24  and plate  26 , respectively. Bolts  52  are secured in place with washers  54  and nuts  56 . A drive shaft  58  extending outwardly from stationary coupler  14  is inserted through aperture  50  in hood  18 , through aperture  36  in plate  26  and is secured in place by a washer  60  and nut  62 . Drive shaft  58  is partially surrounded by a bushing  64  to prevent the rotational motion of shaft  58  from being transferred to hood  18 . When rotatable body  12  is assembled, it can be seen that the outer edge  40  of plate  26  is substantially vertically aligned with the peripheral edge  30  of ring  24  ( FIG. 4 ). Furthermore, the bottom edge  49  of skirt  48  extends below the outer edge  40  of plate  26  and edge  32  of ring  24 . Furthermore, bottom edge  49  of hood  18  is positioned so that the second ends  37  of fingers  28  lie under hood  18 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5-6 , rotary tool  10  is used in the following manner. Tool  10  is moved in the direction of the arrow “A” toward a mound  100  of particulate materials piled on the flowerbed ground surface  102 . Tool  10  is positioned above mound  100  and is activated so that rotatable body  12  rotates as indicated by arrow “B” ( FIG. 6 ). Tool  10  is moved vertically downwardly into mound  100  and as fingers  28  contact the particulate materials, small pieces of material are flung radially outwardly from rotatable body  12 . This causes the materials in mound  100  to be redistributed over a wider area of the ground surface  102 .  18 . Drive shaft  58  rotates plate  26  and consequently rotates ring  24 . Rotatable body  12  may be wired to cause drive shaft  58  to rotate plate  26  and ring  24  in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction, or to oscillate between the two directions. Furthermore, once the initial mound  100  of particulate materials has been partially spread by the rotating body  12 , the rotating body  12  may be moved laterally across ground surface  102  to further distribute the particulate material. This lateral motion may alternatively be undertaken prior to moving tool  10  vertically downwardly into mound  100 . When the desired spread and thickness of particulate material has been achieved, motor  20  is switched off and the rotation of rotatable body  12  ceases. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7-8 , rotary tool  10  may also be used to move particulate materials in the following manner. Tool  10  is moved in the direction of arrow “C” toward another mound  104  of particulate materials. Tool  10  is not activated and, consequently, there is no rotational motion of fingers  28 . Tool  10  is moved in the direction of arrow “C” until a small pile  106  of particulate materials accumulates onto plate  26 . Tool  10  is then withdrawn from mound  104  in the direction of arrow “D” and pile  106  of particulate materials may be carried on tool  10  over the ground surface to a remote location. When the desired remote location is reached, tool  10  is tilted so that pile  106  slides off from plate  26 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , there is shown a second embodiment of the rotatable body for use in association with tool  10 , and generally indicated at  112 . Rotatable body  112  comprises a rotatable body  170  having a convex cross-section and a centrally located aperture  136 . Aperture  136  may include a slotted area  136   a  for correct alignment of a drive shaft (not shown) housed within stationary coupler  14  of tool  10 . A plurality of fingers  128  radiate outwardly from the outer edge  172  of rotatable body  170 . Rotatable body  170  preferably is manufactured from a rubber or plastic material that is strong enough to support a small amount of particulate materials thereon, but which allows fingers  128  to be flexible. Rotatable body  170  is connected to the drive shaft (not shown) extending outwardly from stationary coupler  14 , through an aperture (not shown) in hood  18  and is secured thereto by a nut (not shown) as described with reference to rotatable body  12 . Rotatable body  112  is used in the same manner described with reference to rotatable body  12 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10-13 , there is shown a third embodiment of a rotatable body in accordance with the present invention and generally indicated at  212 . Rotatable body  212  comprises a convexly domed rotatable body  270  having a central aperture  236  therein. Aperture  236  may be slotted as at  236   a  to receive a drive shaft (not shown) therethrough. A plurality of keyhole-shaped slots  274  are formed in rotatable body  270  proximate the outer edge  272  thereof. A plurality of fingers  228  are provided for insertion into slots  274 . Each finger  228  has a bulbous head  278  and an elongated shaft  280 . Head  278  of each finger  228  is received in the wider portion  274   a  of one of slots  274  and a section of shaft  280  is received in the narrow portion  274   b  of the same slot  274 . When head  278  of a finger  228  is inserted into wider portion  274   a  of one of slots  274 , it is pulled radially outwardly away from the center axis of rotatable body  270  as shown by arrow “E” ( FIG. 13 ) and locks into a seat  282  formed in outer edge  272  of rotatable body  270 . Shaft  280  extends outwardly from rotatable body  270  through narrower portion  274   b  of slot  274 . In this position, head  280  is wedged beneath a section  272   c  of outer edge  272  which lies between wider portion  274   a  of slot and seat  282 . Section  272   c  substantially prevents finger  228  from popping out of slot  274  when rotatable body  212  is used. Rotatable body  212  is connected to stationary coupler  14  and hood  18  in the same manner as described with reference to the previous embodiments and rotatable body  212  is used in the same manner as described with reference to the previous embodiments. The configuration of rotatable body  212  allows individual fingers to be replaced if they are damaged by simply removing the damaged component and replacing it with an undamaged component. 
     While it has been disclosed that ring  24 , plate  26  and rotatable bodies  170  and  270  are manufactured from rubber or plastic, it will be understood that these components could be manufactured from a suitable metal or composite material, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, while plate  26 , rotatable body  170  and rotatable body  270  have been shown and described as convex in cross-section, it will be understood that the plate or rotatable body could be substantially flat or concave in cross-section, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, while the rotatable bodies  170  and  270  and plate  26  have been shown and described as generally circular in shape, these components could be formed in other shapes, such as an ellipse or triangle, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Additionally, the rotatable body could be mounted on the end of a weed trimmer or other type of presently known tool. 
     In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
     Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention are an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.