Patent Publication Number: US-2003235470-A1

Title: Soil tamper

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to implements for tamping or compressing soil or other particulate matter. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for tamping or compressing soil that is used to fill in ditches created when installing irrigation systems, telephone or other cable and the like.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] Implements have been developed to tamp or compress soil that has been loosely deposited in a hole, ditch or trench after installation of an item, such as, but not limited to, irrigation systems, conduit for cable or other electronic, fiber optic or electrical, and the like. The ditch is often relatively narrow, often only a few inches wide, so as to minimize disruption to the grass or surrounding earth and cause minimal aesthetic and structural damage to grass, roots, and the like. Often the soil is returned to the ditch in layers and each layer is tamped down to evenly compress the dirt. Current tamping implements are generally large flat plates to which a handle is attached, usually perpendicular to the plate surface. The plate is usually made of metal to impart rigidity, desirable wear characteristics and weight. A heavy implement is normally desirable to provide the necessary compression force when dropped or forced onto the soil. Known implements are typically square and are used to tamp down large surface areas. The edges of the plate are usually square, rather than rounded because it is easier to manufacture. When used in connection with a narrow trench it is difficult to drop or force the plate down into a trench substantially narrower than the width of the plate. As a result, desirable compression occurs only when the mound of dirt is higher than the surrounding surface. If no layering is used because it cannot be compressed below surface level, improper soil compression can result, which, over a period of time can cause the surface level of the trench to lower, leaving a depression that is aesthetically undesirable and also a safety risk. It would be desirable to have a tamping implement that can be used effectively in narrow trenches that would permit the user to insert the implement down into the narrow trench to tamp down successive layers of dirt and result in better soil compression.  
       [0003] Current tamping implements also are of a generally fixed size and the handle is generally fixed to the head in a nonremovable manner. It would be desirable to have a tamping implement that has a detachable handle that could be used with tamping plates of different widths, depending on the width of the trench.  
       [0004] Current tamping implements are unable to conveniently smooth, dig or redistribute soil in or near the trench. It would be desirable to have a tamping implement that can be used to rake, dig or redistribute, as well as tamp the soil, without requiring a second implement.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] Generally described, the present invention provides in a first embodiment a tamping implement comprising a plate having a generally flat bottom surface, two opposing parallel sides having rounded edges and that are longer than two opposing parallel ends. On the top surface of the plate extends a hollow sleeve capable of receiving a handle. A plurality of bracing ribs extend from the sleeve and are attached or otherwise associated with the top surface of the plate for additional strength and stability. In one embodiment the handle is a long rigid handle and fits into the sleeve. In one embodiment the handle is held in the sleeve by a friction fit. In another embodiment the handle is removably held within the sleeve by a pin passing through two apertures on opposing sides of the sleeve and also passing through a bore in the handle. Other mechanisms for removable attachment are described. The handle can be removed from the sleeve and either stored or the handle can be fitted into another plate, such as one having a different width. Exchangeability is desirable where different width trenches may be dug and thus users would benefit from a tamping implement having a corresponding width tamping plate. A tamping plate too wide would not fit within the trench and one too narrow will not effectively tamp down all the soil without undue effort. Hence, a trench digger may want to have several different width plates to which a single handle can alternately be attached. This would obviate the need for several handles and can reduce storage space, particularly on landscapers&#39; trailers or trucks. In an alternative embodiment a curved claw or trowel-like extension extends from one short side of the plate. The claw provides a means for raking, digging or redistributing soil in or near the trench.  
       [0006] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the appended claims. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0007] The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures of which:  
     [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0009]FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the first embodiment.  
     [0010]FIG. 3 is a side view of the first embodiment.  
     [0011]FIG. 4 is a top view of the first embodiment.  
     [0012]FIG. 5 is an end view of the first embodiment.  
     [0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0014]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0015]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a variation on the third embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0016]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0017] In general, the present invention provides a tamping device for compressing soil or other particulate matter. FIGS.  1 - 6  show a first embodiment of a tamping device  10  of the present invention comprising a plate  12 . The plate  12  is made of rigid material capable or withstanding repeated compressive force being applied thereto. The plate  12  is preferably made of metal, such as, but limited to steel, iron, aluminum or other metal or metal composite. Alternatively, the plate  12  can be made of plastic, wood, ceramic, composite, or mixtures of any of the foregoing. It is preferable that the device  10  have sufficient weight to enable a user to pound and compress the soil with a single stroke. It is also contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention for the plate  12  to be hollow and a bar or sheet of material can be inserted in an opening in the side of the plate. The hollow portion of the plate  12  could also be filled with a quantity of soil or other particulate or granular material or a fluid to provide sufficient weight. The hollow portion can comprise at least one chamber (not shown) and at least one opening for accessing the aperture. The invention may further comprise at least one plug or other means for removably or permanently sealing the opening. Thus, where light tamping is desired, or when the user cannot lift or use a heavy tamping implement less weight can be included in the chamber.  
     [0018] The plate  12  has a top surface  14 , a bottom surface  16 , opposing short sides  18  and  20  and opposing long sides  22  and  24 . The plate  12  is preferably rectangular, although curved sides or other geometries or shapes of the plate  12  are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. While the dimensions are not critical, it is preferable for the length of the plate  12  to be at least twice that of the width. Each of the sides  18 - 24  has a top edge  26  and a bottom edge  28 . The bottom edge  28  preferably is beveled toward the bottom surface  16 . The bevel  30  is preferably curved, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, but can also be a straight angle bevel  30 . The bottom surface  16  is preferably flat. It is also possible for the bottom surface  16  to have protuberances extending therefrom, such as, but not limited to, rounded or angled bumps, pins, ridges, cylinders, combinations thereof, or the like. It is also possible for a pattern to be formed in or on the bottom surface  16  for imparting a pattern to the soil upon tamping. In an alternative embodiment, the bottom surface  16  can be curved or rounded either concave or convex. The plate  12  can be made in various widths and lengths. The width may be determined by the width of the trench which is to be filled with soil and tamped with the device  10 .  
     [0019] The top surface  14  can be generally flat. Extending upward from the top surface  14  is a sleeve  32 . The sleeve  32  is a generally hollow structure having an outer wall  31  and an inner wall  33  and either is formed as a part of the top surface  14  or attached to the top surface  14 , such as by welding, gluing, fasteners, locking mechanism, or the like. The sleeve preferably has a circular cross-section, but can alternatively have a rectangular, triangular or other regular or irregular cross-sectional shape. The sleeve  32  is sized to receive a post or handle  34  having an upper end  35  and a lower end  36 . The lower end  36  of the handle  34  can pressure fit within the sleeve  32  or, alternatively, can be held in the sleeve by a pin  38  which passes through an optional aperture  40 ,  42  in opposing sides of the sleeve  32  and through a bore in the handle  34  end  36 . The pin  38  can have a retention device  40  mounted on one end to prevent unintended removal of the pin  38 . The retention device  40  can be a retaining ring, nut, wingnut, cotter pin, slide lock, pivot member, latch or other retention mechanism for preventing the pin from siding out of the sleeve  32  and the handle  34 . The pin  38  can optionally be threaded at one end  42  and preferably has a head  44  with a widened diameter at the other end.  
     [0020] The device preferably, though not mandatorily, has at least one and preferably a plurality of support ribs  46  extending between the top surface  14  and outer wall of the sleeve  32 . In a preferred embodiment there are four ribs  48 ,  50 ,  52  and  54 , extending from each corner of the top surface  14  to the sleeve  32 . The ribs  46  are preferably triangular shaped and are either formed as part of the device  10  or attached thereto, such as by welding (shown at weld points  56 ), gluing, or the like. The ribs may be solid, have holes therein or comprise a frame structure. The ribs  46  support the sleeve  32  and help spread the tamping force evenly over the bottom surface. The ribs  46  can be arranged in other orientations, such as, but not limited to having one edge located generally midways on each side  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24 .  
     [0021] In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 6, a curved member  60  extends from one short side  18  of the plate  12 . The curved member  60  can be used, for example, to dig up, redistribute or smooth soil in the trench or extract stones, roots or the like. The curved member can have an edge  62  that is straight, angled, beveled, curved, pointed, rounded, or, alternatively, the edge  62  can have one or more teeth  64 , one or more tines, or other adaptations for interacting with the soil. Preferably, the width of the teeth area is slightly narrower than the width of the plate  12 .  
     [0022] In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 7, the handle  34  can have a metal (or other material) ring  70  mounted at least partially around and/or over the lower end of the handle  34 . The ring  70  can have a locking mechanism  80 , such as at least one, and preferably a plurality of tabs  82  protruding from the surface of the ring  70  which can interlock with a mating slot  84  associated with the plate  12 . The slot  84  can be J-shaped so that the tab  82  can be inserted and removably locked into position within the sleeve  32 . There are preferably two tabs  82  on opposite sides of the ring  70 . The tabs  82  mate with two slots  84 , one disposed in the wall in each side of the sleeve  32 . The ring  70  can mate and lock with the plate  12  using any one of a number of locking mechanisms known to those of ordinary skill in the art, such as, but not limited to, pins and apertures, slides, spring biased tabs, beveled tabs mounted on a depressible strip of material, or the like. This embodiment can provided increased longevity to the handle  34  and suitable for use where the handle  34  is to be exchanged frequently between different plates  12 . It is also possible, as shown in FIG. 8, for the handle  34  to not include the ring  70 , but rather have at least one pin or tab  82  projecting outward from the handle  34  which can engage the slot  84 . Although FIGS. 7 and 8 show the curved claw  62 , the claw  62  is optional.  
     [0023] In a further variation of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the pins  82  can be held in position and the handle held in position by at least one, and preferably a pair of fasteners  86 , such as, but not limited to, rings, loops, hooks or the like which are fastened at one end to the outer wall  31  of the sleeve  32 , such as by, but not limited to, a pivot  88  and at the other end can loop over and hold the pin  82 . The pin  82  can have a notch  90  formed therein for retaining the fastener  86 . The pin  82  can be constructed to be angled slightly upward toward the upper end  35  of the handle  34  to aid in retaining the fastener  86 .  
     [0024] An advantage of the present invention is that the narrower width of the plate  12  enables a user to fit the device  10  down in a narrow trench, such as a trench created during installation of an irrigation system, while still having sufficient weight to provide tamping force. The removable handle  34  enables a user to have plates  12  of different widths and attach the handle to whatever plate  12  is needed at the time, depending on the trench width or other factor. With the present invention several plates  12  of various widths can be stored compactly together with minimal space on truck or other transportation vehicle because each plate  12  does not require a separate handle  34 . The beveled edges  30  fit inside the trench more effectively than straight edges. The beveled edge  30  helps the plate  12  guide itself into the trench when being thrust downward as opposed to a flat plate which can easily catch an edge.  
     [0025] Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. It should further be noted that any patents, applications or publications referred to herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.