Abstract:
The weed cutting tool ( 10 ) comprises a handle ( 12 ) and two adjustable cutting arms ( 14 ) extending outwardly from the handle ( 12 ) and lying in a single plane, the arms ( 14 ) being pivotably adjustable toward and away from the handle ( 12 ), in increments, to accommodate cutting various densities of weeds growing along shorelines of bodies of water.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/309,581 filed Mar. 31, 2010, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present application relates to tools for cutting down weeds in bodies of water, in particular to tools having adjustable cutting arms used in cutting down submerged vegetation near the root. 
         [0003]    There is an increased use of shoreline along bodies of water for recreational uses. However, not all shoreline is desirably free from weeds and other vegetation growth. Owners of this type of property, in many instances, wish to remove the weeds and below the water growth along shorelines. 
         [0004]    One ineffective solution is to remove the vegetation by hand with or without a hand tool. This requires wading into the water and the use of shovels to dig out the roots of the vegetation. Another ineffective solution is to use a knife. This method requires the laborer to bend over and work in a situation where the water impairs the view of the cutting operation. 
         [0005]    There have been various other attempts at creating tools for the cutting of aquatic vegetation. These tools can be used by hand or used by tossing the tool into the water on a tethered line, followed by pulling the tool along the shoreline to perform a cutting operation. All of these tools have their limitations and are not efficient. Some have blades that are hazardous to the user. Others have blades that are in an ineffective position to cut and retrieve the vegetation. Most have fixed blades. Still others cannot work in a situation where the vegetation is of a varied nature. 
         [0006]    The fact of the mater is the density and variation of vegetation encountered when using cutters can be highly variable. Some vegetation contains thick fibrous stalks and others are thin and filamentous. Depending on the vegetation type, density and heterogeneity of the vegetation, most tools can be difficult to use and are not effective in cutting vegetation of a variable nature. In nature, a wide instance of this type of growth occurs. Thus these tools are largely un-effective in this situation. 
         [0007]    In some cases tools can be difficult to pull through vegetation because the cutting width is too large to effectively pass through the vegetation. In other cases the vegetation is too filamentous to effectively slough off the cutting edges during retrieval limiting the effectiveness of the tool. Foreign matter and vegetation can also catch on the tool during use. 
         [0008]    There are also cases where the vegetation is sufficiently sparse that a wider cutting position angle would increase the efficiency of the tool by clearing larger areas with each pass. Most tools are unable to accomplish this adjustment. 
         [0009]    Those tools having adjustment, such as the V shaped cutters, have fixed blades and in order to change the position angle of the blades the tool must be partially disassembled. This can be time consuming and excessive handling of this tool for assembly and disassembly can increase the risk, to the user, of being cut by one of the cutting blades. 
         [0010]    Another disadvantage of the tools configured in a V shape. The distance between the end of the cutting blades can be as much as 50 inches. Thus the fixed V shape makes storage problematic. 
         [0011]    Accordingly there is a need for an adjustable weed cutting tool which overcomes the limitations of other tools, noted above, and allows for adjustability, adjustability without disassembly, versatility of the cutter for various vegetation types and densities, efficiency at not allowing foreign matter to collect on the tool during use, compactly storable and safe. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    In one embodiment, weed cutting tool is provided that includes: a segmented handle having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the segmented handle having a length between the first and second ends; a plurality of cutting arms pivotally coupled to the segmented handle at an engagement member located between the first and second ends of the segmented handle proximate to the first end, each of the cutting arms having a cutting edge, the segmented handle further having a plurality of detents therein along at least a portion of the length of the segmented handle; a slider coupled movably to the segmented handle so as slide lengthwise along at least a portion of the length of the segmented handle, the slider lockable at each of the plurality of detents; and a plurality of adjustment arms, each of the adjustment arms pivotally coupled to a cutting arm and the slider, wherein lengthwise movement in the slider causes the cutting arms to pivot about the engagement member inward and outward relative to the segmented handle between a plurality of positions. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, the plurality of cutting arms extend outwardly in a common plane. 
         [0014]    In one embodiment, the plurality of detents are located between the first end and the engagement member. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, the slider is located between the first end and the engagement member. 
         [0016]    In one embodiment, wherein the detents are holes in the segmented handle at predefined distances there between, the slider lockable at each detent with a removable pin passing through a hole in the slider and at least one of the detents. 
         [0017]    In one embodiment, the detents are popup buttons that engage a hole in the slider. 
         [0018]    In one embodiment, the segmented handle comprises a plurality of segments releasably connected to each other. 
         [0019]    In one embodiment, at least one of the segments include a male type coupling that fits into a female type coupling at an opposite end of another of the segments. 
         [0020]    In one embodiment, at least one of the female and the male type couplings including a depressible lug that interconnects with a bore in another of the one of the female and male type couplings. 
         [0021]    In one embodiment, the weed cutting tool further includes a hand grasp located at the second end of the segmented handle. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, the cutting arms are adjustable between a plurality of V shaped positions. 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, the cutting edge of each of the cutting arms point outwardly. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment, the weed cutting tool includes at least 4 detents. 
         [0025]    Additional aspects of the present invention will be apparent in view of the description which follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of the adjustable weed cutting tool according to one embodiment of the tools disclosed herein. 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view showing a first position of the adjustable cutting arms 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view showing a second position of the adjustable cutting arms. 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view showing a third position of the adjustable cutting arms. 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation view showing a fourth position of the adjustable cutting arms. 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged elevation view of the adjustment system of the tool. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 1  and other drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated herein the weed cutting tool  10  of the present invention generally identified by reference numeral  10 . A tool  10  is constructed of metal in the preferred embodiment and could also be made of plastic or other materials, or a combination of materials. A tool  10  comprises a segmented handle  12  with two oppositely disposed cutting arms  14  extending outwardly in a plane there from. 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  through  FIG. 6  illustrate a light weight variable V-shaped aquatic vegetation cutting tool  10  for the efficient removal of aquatic weeds and other vegetation growing from the bottom of bodies of water, rivers or streams or for the harvesting of aquatic weeds and crops. 
         [0034]    In the preferred embodiment, the handle is made of a plurality of segments  16  that are releasably connected together end to end. The releasability may be achieved in a variety of ways. For example one end of the segment  16  may have a male type coupling that fits into a female type coupling at an opposite end of another segment  16 . In one embodiment, one of the ends of a segment  16  includes one or more depressible lugs  18  that interconnect within bores  20  in a contiguous segment  16 . A through bore  22  may be provided in a free end  24  of a terminal segment  16 , just distal to a terminal hand grasp  23 , by means of which a retrieving/pulling rope or line  25  is made fast to the handle. In this respect, multiple segments  16  may be coupled to achieve a desired overall length of the tool  10 . 
         [0035]    A tool  10  can be used in hand or by tossing the cutter into the water on a tethered line  25  or rope. A tool  10  is retrieved using a jerking motion on the rope to sever or shear the vegetation near the bottom as it encounters the cutting edge of cutting arms  14 . 
         [0036]    To describe the cutting arms  14 , it will be understood that one elongated edge  26  of each arm  14  facing away from the handle  12  is razor sharp while an opposite elongated edge  28  is not. The cutting arms  14  engage adjustably to the handle  12  via a diamond shaped engagement member  30  engaging the handle  12  as well as pivotably engaging one end  32  of each cutting arm  14 . 
         [0037]    The V orientation of these blades on cutting arms  14  makes a tool  10  ideal for cutting submerged vegetation. The position angle of the cutting blades on cutting arms  14  is such that much of the vegetation slides off the ends of the bladed as a tool  10  is being retrieved. The profile of a tool  10  is also very sleek, with limited surfaces or hardware where vegetation and other foreign matter can catch on the surfaces, during use, making tool  10  more effective. 
         [0038]    A pair of adjustment arms  31  is also provided, each adjustment arm  31  is pivotably engaged at one end to an engagement flange  33  extending from elongated edge  28  of one of the cutting arms  14  and at another end pivotably to an adjustment mechanism slider  34  in the form of a slider  34  which rides along a distal end portion  35  of the handle  12 , distal to the engagement member  30 . 
         [0039]    A plurality of openings  36  is provided along the distal end  35  of the handle  12 , and the slider  34  slides along the distal end  35 , with a central opening  38  thereof aligning over a desired opening  36  that creates the desired angle of the cutting arms  14 . When so aligned a fixation member  40 , such as an insertable pin, or pop up button interior to the opening  36  fixes the adjustable arms  32  in position, maintaining cutting arms  14  in the desired extended position. 
         [0040]    This adjustability as disclosed in  FIG. 2  through  FIG. 5  provides a benefit with respect to the density of weeds one is cutting through, with narrowly set cutting arms  14  handling thicker densities and wider set arms  14  handling lesser densities. Further, when a tool  10  is collapsed as shown in  FIG. 2 , it is more easily stored. 
         [0041]    As described above, the adjustable weed cutting tool  10  of the present invention provides a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the invention. Also, modifications may be proposed to a tool  10  without departing from the invention disclosed herein. Accordingly the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims. 
         [0042]    While the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, from a reading of the disclosure, that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the true scope of the invention.