Abstract:
An interface jig for removably securing a portable auger to a vehicle includes a carriage guide assembly, a sliding carriage assembly and a receiver assembly. The carriage guide assembly includes a vertical support having an upper portion and a bottom portion. A hitch adapter is affixed to the bottom portion to secure the carriage guide assembly to a vehicle hitch receiver. The sliding carriage assembly includes a horizontal member having a first end opposite a second end. The first end Is affixed to a vertical member that slides along the vertical support between the upper portion and the lower portion of the carriage guide. The receiver assembly is attached to the second end of the sliding carriage assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   
     
       
             
           
             
             
             
             
             
           
         
             
                 
             
             
               CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
           
        
         
             
                 
               2723835 
               November 1955 
               Reese 
                 
             
             
                 
               3602321 
               August 1971 
               Kortschaga 
               175/18 
             
             
                 
               3731751 
               May 1973 
               Rusco 
             
             
                 
               5363925 
               November 1994 
               Gallagher 
               173/186 
             
             
                 
               5836402 
               November 1998 
               Jones 
               173/185 
             
             
                 
               6076617 
               June 2000 
               Berner 
               175/18 
             
             
                 
               5330014 
               July 1994 
               Wagner 
               175/18 
             
             
                 
               6155771 
               December 2000 
               Montz 
               414/543 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   

   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable 
   REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The present invention relates to devices for attaching auger type devices to vehicles for the purpose of easy and safe transportation of the auger and then to provide support and control of the auger during operation whether this operation is initiated remotely, from the vehicle, or locally in reference to the auger. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Throughout history man has found a need to excavate small diameter holes in the earth&#39;s surface for the multiple purposes ranging from dwelling erection, securing livestock and the gathering of food. This surface can include both soil and ice, ice, which forms on the surface of lakes, streams and ponds during winter. Today there are many types of devices; both self-powered and manually operated which were designed for excavating such holes. Whereas these devices work well for what they were designed to do, which is to drill a small diameter hole in either earth or ice, they generally require excessive manual effort to transport and utilize. 
   The effort required to transport and utilize the available portable auger devices can expel a significant toll on the user. When using these devices there is generally excessive manual effort associated with their implementation. This will cause undo stress to the human body and will lessen the production and lengthen the time required to perform the task at hand. This also limits the use of such devices to only those people physically capable of performing such functions. There have been several devices designed to assist the user in the transportation and utilization of auger devices but due to their design tend to be bulky, expensive to manufacture and therefore purchase and require far more labor from the user to install and operate than necessary. 
   The devices available today are designed to assist the user in the transportation and utilization of the auger but still fall short of the essential goal of taking the work out of drilling a small diameter hole. Some of these devices do not address the transportation of the auger but solely assist the user with the operation of the auger, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,321 (1971, Kortschaga) teaches the use of an auger powered by the clutch pulley of a snowmobile. U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,751 (1973, Rusco) teaches the use of an auger powered by the track of a snowmobile. These devices require added assembly time and energy and can often be dangerous to use due to the open moving parts associated with the assembly and operation of the apparatus. Since operation of the auger is in the outdoor environment thick clothing and gloves could be required to keep the individual warm, dry and safe. Such bulky clothing and gloves can get caught in the open moving parts. It is also difficult for someone wearing such clothing to set up devices requiring the manipulation of small parts or to operate a device that requires precise movements. Another problem associated with these devices is that they take up space in the cargo rack of the supporting vehicle and/or must be secured to the user&#39;s vehicle during transportation and then requiring additional assembly once onsite. This requires time and the expenditure of energy, thus detracting from the safety and fulfillment of the task at hand. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 2,723,835 (1954, Reese) teaches a frame for supporting a motor-driven ice hole cutter. The frame of the Reese device rests on the top surface of the ice. The frame has prongs that are inserted into the ice in order to further secure the frame while operating the ice cutter. The motor of the cutter is secured to a platform carried by the frame for vertical movement. The Reese device also has a windlass journalled in the frame and has a hoisting rope secured to the platform for raising the platform and the parts associated therewith after the ice hole has been cut. 
   The Reese device fails to address many of the problems associated with the stabilization, transportation and operation of the auger. While the Reese device may provide more stability than a hand-held auger, the device may still twist or loosen, depending on the vibration and torque exerted when drilling through the ice. The Reese device must be assembled and disassembled each time a new hole is drilled. The device takes up space on the vehicle and likely must be secured during transportation. The operation of the Reese device becomes more difficult because of the setup time required to secure the pins in the ice and the rope-pulley means for retracting the auger from the hole. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,402 (1998, Jones) teaches a frame for securing and supporting an auger device to a vehicle by means of additional bracketry. The Jones device supports the auger during transportation and operation of the drilling process. The Jones device is designed to be adaptable to most vehicles including ATV&#39;s (All Terrain Vehicles) and snowmobiles, with the use of custom designed bracketry. The problem with this design as it relates to securing it to a vehicle is that it not only requires custom designed bracketry to secure the Jones device to a vehicle but also requires additional brackety to stabilize the Jones device and therefore the auger it supports during the transportation process and the hole drilling operation of the auger unit. This additional supporting bracketry not only adds additional weight which must be carried by the supporting vehicle but also adds an additional cost to the user in both monetary terms when purchasing the Jones device and in time spent in assembling the Jones device to the supporting vehicle. 
   The Jones device also states the ability to adapt to varying handle sizes and widths of multiple pre-manufactured powered auger devices. The problem with this design as it relates to the ability to adapt to multiple pre-manufactured augers is that the entire apparatus of the Jones design must be physically adjusted, most likely requiring tools, to accommodate differing auger unit widths rather that just adjusting the portion of the unit that supports the powered auger device or having an auger supporting unit that automatically adjusts to the varying handling sizes and widths of multiple pre-manufactured powered auger devices. Since set-up and assembly of the Jones device is likely to be done in an unheated garage or outdoors, thick clothing and gloves could be required to keep the individual warm, dry and safe. Such bulky clothing and gloves can make it difficult to make such adjustments required by the Jones device not to mention it also adds weight, bulk, cost and time to the end-user. 
   Therefore what is needed is an auger/vehicle interface jig that can be easily secured to, transported by, and operated from various types of vehicles, including ATV&#39;s and snowmobiles, without the need for customized vehicle attachment or additional customized stabilizing bracketry, therefore allowing the unit to be lightweight, streamlined, and inexpensive to manufacture, requiring minimal effort from the end user to install. What is further needed is an auger/vehicle interface jig that permits full use of the vehicle&#39;s cargo rack. What is still further needed is a device that allows an individual to easily raise and lower the auger when drilling a hole. What is still further needed is an auger/vehicle interface jig that can easily be adapted to multiple pre-manufactured augers requiring no disassembly or adjustments to the unit at any point. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an auger/vehicle interface jig that can be secured to a vehicle frame at a single point or by using a standard after-market square tubular style vehicle hitch which requires no additional custom securing or stabilizing bracketry for the purpose of transporting said unit and associated pre-manufactured auger. It is another object of the present invention to provide an auger-mounting device that permits the installation of pre-manufactured augers of varying handle dimensions and widths that requires no tooling or adjustments to be made to the auger or the invention. It is another object of the present invention to provide an auger-mounting device that permits the auger to be operated while secured to a vehicle. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an auger/vehicle interface jig that can be transported by a vehicle without limiting the normal use of the vehicle&#39;s cargo rack or requiring supplemental means for securing the auger device. Another object of the present invention is to provide an auger/vehicle interface jig that will assist a single person in the act of drilling and then retracting the auger during the normal operation of drilling a hole. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an auger/vehicle interface jig that is easy to install and operate while wearing thick clothing and gloves. 
   The auger/vehicle interface jig of the present invention includes a vertically standing carriage guide assembly, a sliding carriage assembly and an automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly. The carriage guide assembly includes a means for securing the auger/vehicle interface jig to a vehicle via a standard after-market square tubular style vehicle hitch. The sliding carriage assembly is then joined with the carriage guide assembly in such a manor that allows for the up and down vertical movement of the sliding carriage assembly along the vertical support member of the said carriage guide assembly. The automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly includes a means for securing an auger and is then attached to the sliding carriage assembly. The sliding carriage assembly is supported by an assistive operational means such as but not limited to a cable and winch or cable and spring device and can be secured in the up most position for the purpose of long distance transportation by inserting a single transport locking pin. The carriage guide assembly may include a means for adjusting the vertical support member of the carriage guide assembly, and therefore the auger, in relation to the terrain. 
   The auger/vehicle interface jig may be used to secure many sorts of hole digging equipment including but not limited to post hole drill/augers and ice augers. For earth drilling type augers the carriage guide assembly of the present invention can be adjusted for the present terrain as to accommodate the pitch of a hill in order to align the postholes vertically when operating the vehicle up or down the face of a hill. For ice drilling type augers the adjustable capabilities of the present invention would not generally be necessary for the ice auger to drill a hole perpendicular to the plane of the ice, but the distinguishing feature may occasionally be useful when pressure ridges cause the ice to become uneven and non-flat. Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide an auger/vehicle interface jig that automatically adjusts to various types of augers, is adjustable for use on various types of terrain and that requires minimal effort and cost from the end-user to install and operate. 
   An obvious advantage of this invention is the ability to easily secure an auger to a vehicle and then to drive it to any location where a hole is to be drilled and then to drill the hole without any further installation or adjustment of the present invention or auger. Due to the simplistic design of the invention another advantage of the present invention is its ease of installation onto any vehicle equipped with a standard after-market square tubular style vehicle hitch. The unit is secured and then removed from the vehicle&#39;s hitch by inserting and then removing a single hitch pin. The standard after-market square tubular style vehicle hitch used by the present invention is a common after-market accessory obtainable by the user from many vehicle related retail outlets. The advantage of this design provides for maximum strength and stability of the present invention while minimizing the weight of the unit and therefore manufacturing costs. Another advantage due to the design of the present invention is the ease of storing the unit when not in use; its slim design allows the user to store the unit in locations unavailable to prior invention designs, which are more bulky and heavy in nature. Another advantage arises because the auger is capable of being operated while attached to the vehicle. Again, because of the simplistic design of the present invention it allows one to secure, transport, and operate the auger without the need of any customized securing and stabilizing bracketry, unlike other designs that do which typically involves the use of the vehicles cargo rack. This allows the user to take full advantage of the vehicle&#39;s cargo rack. A further advantage of the invention is to facilitate the drilling of the hole and retracting the auger from the hole after it has been drilled. This may be accomplished by using assistive means including, but not limited to, a spring-, hydraulic-, gear-, or motorized type mechanisms mounted on the vehicle or carriage guide assembly of the present invention. Finally, a further advantage is that the present invention may be used on various types of augers without the need of additional adjustment to the present invention. The unique design of the automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly automatically adjusts to the varying dimensions of the operating handles of multiple pre-manufactured augers, allowing the auger unit to be supported and operated as it was designed by the manufacture, unlike previous inventions where the user must physically adjust the width of the supporting structure. These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the drawings, detailed description of the device, and the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the present invention secured to an ATV while holding an auger in the fully raised position. 
       FIG. 1   a  is a front view of the present invention secured to an ATV while holding an ice auger in the fully raised position. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the present invention secured to an ATV while holding an auger in the fully lowered position. 
       FIG. 2   a  is a front view of the present invention secured to an ATV while holding an ice auger in the fully lowered position. 
       FIGS. 3 &amp; 3   a  show a side and front view respectively of the present invention with an ice auger in the fully raised position. 
       FIGS. 4 &amp; 4   a  show a side and front view respectively of the present invention with an ice auger in the fully lowered position. 
       FIGS. 5 &amp; 5   a  show a side and front view respectively of the present invention without an ice auger in the fully raised position. 
       FIGS. 6 &amp; 6   a  show a side and front view respectively of the present invention without an ice auger in the fully lowered position. 
       FIG. 7  shows a side view of the carriage guide assembly. 
       FIG. 7   a  shows an exploded side view of the carriage guide assembly. 
       FIG. 8  shows a side view of the sliding carriage assembly. 
       FIG. 8   a  shows an exploded side view of the sliding carriage assembly. 
       FIG. 9  shows a front view of an automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly. 
       FIG. 9   a  shows an exploded front view of an automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly. 
       FIG. 9   b  shows the range of motion for an automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly. 
       FIG. 10  shows an exploded side view of the present invention, showing the assembly of the units three sub-assemblies (the carriage guide assembly, sliding carriage assembly and automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly). 
   

   REFERENCE NUMBERALS IN DRAWINGS 
   
       
         18  auger/vehicle interface jig 
         20  carriage guide assembly 
         20   a  carriage guide hitch adapter 
         20   b  carriage guide lower horizontal support 
         20   c  carriage guide stiffener plate 
         20   d  carriage guide vertical support 
         20   e  carriage guide upper horizontal support 
         20   f  carriage guide assembly bolt 
         20   g  carriage guide assembly nut 
         20   h  carriage guide bracing clevis 
         22  square tubular style vehicle hitch 
         22   a  hitch pin 
         24  vehicle 
         25  stiffener strap (optional) 
         26  auger 
         28  power unit (in this case a winch) 
         30  power unit linkage (in this case a winch cable) 
         32  sliding carriage assembly 
         32   a  sliding carriage assembly vertical support 
         32   b  sliding carriage assembly stiffener gusset 
         32   c  sliding carriage assembly horizontal support 
         32   d  sliding carriage assembly power unit linkage interface 
         32   e  sliding carriage assembly power unit linkage interface securing nut 
         32   f  sliding carriage assembly end plate 
         32   g  automatically adjusting auger receiver pivoting pin receiver 
         33  transport locking pin 
         34  automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly 
         34   a  automatically adjusting auger receiver vertical support member 
         34   b  automatically adjusting auger receiver horizontal support member 
         34   c  automatically adjusting auger receiver base gripper angle 
         34   d  automatically adjusting auger receiver top gripper angle 
         34   e  automatically adjusting auger receiver gripper cushion 
         34   f  automatically adjusting auger receiver fastening bolt 
         34   g  automatically adjusting auger receiver fastening handle 
         34   h  automatically adjusting auger receiver pivot pin 
         34   j  automatically adjusting auger receiver thrust washer 
     
  
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 10 .  FIGS. 1 through 2   a  show various views of a basic version of the auger/vehicle interface jig  18  in various states of use. The three main components or assemblies of the auger/vehicle interface jig  18  are illustrated in these same figures and consist of a carriage guide assembly  20 , a sliding carriage assembly  32  and an automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly  34 . The sliding carriage assembly  32  is affixed to the carriage guide assembly  20  by such means that it is able to move vertically up and down along the vertical support  20   d  of the carriage guide assembly  20 . The automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly  34  is then connected to the opposite end of the sliding carriage assembly  32 . The auger/vehicle interface jig  18  is made of tubular steel, however, it is to be understood that all or portions of the auger/vehicle interface jig  18  may be made from materials such as other formed or extruded metals (such as aluminum) and or plastics (including fiberglass), or the like, having sufficient strength to support the auger  26  and the vibration associated with its use. The auger/vehicle interface jig  18  attaches to a vehicle  24  through the vehicle hitch  22 . Whereas  FIGS. 1 through 2   a  show the vehicle  24  as an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) it should be understood that the said vehicle  24  could be any type of vehicle including snowmobile, tractor, car or truck. The auger/vehicle interface jig  18  is further secured to the vehicle  24  with a hitch pin  22   a . Further support for the auger/vehicle interface jig  18  is provided with the use of an optional readily available off the shelf adjustable belt, cord or stiffener strap  25  when it is attached to the vehicle  24  and to the auger/vehicle interface jig  18  through the carriage guide bracing clevis  20   h . A locking means for securing the sliding carriage assembly  32  to the carriage guide assembly  20  when the sliding carriage assembly  32  is in the fully raised position is provided by the transport locking pin  33 . It should be understood that the transport locking pin  33  is only used when the auger/vehicle interface jig  18  is being transported over long distances by the vehicle  24  and must be removed when actually performing the digging operation. The auger, drill, hole digger  26  is attached to the auger/vehicle interface jig  18  through the automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly  34 . An optional power unit  28 , for the purpose of assisting in the vertical motion of the auger  26  during the digging process, can be provided. Whereas  FIGS. 1 through 6   a  show the power unit  28  as a winch it should be understood that said power unit  28  could be any type of powering means such as but not limited to hydraulic, pneumatic, motor driven gears, springs or devices of that nature. The power unit  28  is then connected to the sliding carriage assembly  32  by the means of a power unit linkage  30 . 
     FIGS. 3 through 4   a  show various views of a basic version of an auger/vehicle interface jig  18  with an auger  26  and optional power unit  28 . The vehicle  24  is not included in these figures for the purpose of clarity. 
     FIGS. 5 through 6   a  show various views of a basic version of an auger/vehicle interface jig  18  with an optional power unit  28 . The vehicle  24  and the auger  26  are not included in these figures for the purpose of clarity. 
     FIG. 7  shows a side view of the first main assembly, the carriage guide assembly  20 .  FIG. 7   a  shows an exploded side view of the carriage guide assembly  20 . In  FIG. 7   a  the carriage guide assembly  20  consists of a carriage guide hitch adapter  20   a  which is affixed to the carriage guide lower horizontal support  20   b . The carriage guide lower horizontal support  20   b  is then fastened to the carriage guide vertical support  20   d  by two carriage guide stiffener plates  20   c  and four carriage guide assembly bolts  20   f  and four carriage guide assembly nuts  20   g . The top of the carriage guide vertical support  20   d  is fastened to the carriage guide upper horizontal support  20   e  by two carriage stiffener plates  20   c  and four carriage guide assembly bolts  20   f  and four carriage guide assembly nuts  20   g . Prior to this the carriage guide bracing clevis  20   h  is inserted into the open end of the carriage guide horizontal support  20   e  and is secured by one of the four bolts mentioned above. Additional carriage guide assembly bolts  20   f  are inserted through both the carriage guide upper horizontal support  20   e  and the carriage guide lower horizontal support  20   b  and secured with carriage guide assembly nuts  20   g . The purpose of these two bolts is to provide a guiding means for the optional power unit linkage  30 . (Not shown on this drawing, refer to  FIG. 2. ) 
     FIG. 8  shows the side view of the second main assembly, the sliding carriage assembly  32 .  FIG. 8   a  shows an exploded side view of the sliding carriage assembly  32 . The sliding carriage assembly vertical support  32   a  is affixed to the sliding carriage assembly horizontal support  32   c . In each of the two 90 degree corners formed by this union a sliding carriage stiffener gusset  32   b  is attached and affixed to both the sliding carriage assembly vertical support  32   a  and the sliding carriage assembly horizontal support  32   c . At the opposite open end of the sliding carriage assembly horizontal support  32   c  the sliding carriage assembly end plate  32   f  is inserted and affixed. Into the sliding carriage assembly endplate  32   f  the automatically adjusting auger receiver pivoting pin receiver  32   g  is inserted and affixed. At this same end of the sliding carriage assembly horizontal support  32   c  the sliding carriage assembly power unit linkage interface  32   d  is inserted and fastened with the use of two sliding carriage assembly power unit linkage interface securing nuts  32   e.    
     FIG. 9  shows a front view of the third main assembly, the automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly  34 .  FIG. 9   a  shows an exploded front view of the automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly  34 . In  FIG. 9   a  the automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly  34  consists of two automatically adjusting auger receiver vertical support members  34   a , one right hand and one left hand, each of which are affixed to an automatically adjusting auger receiver horizontal support member  34   b . Affixed to each automatically adjusting auger receiver horizontal support member  34   b  are the automatically adjusting auger receiver base gripper angles  34   c . Each automatically adjusting auger receiver horizontal support member  34   b  then receives an automatically adjusting auger receiver fastening bolt  34   f  which passes through each of the automatically adjusting auger receiver horizontal support members  34   b  which are then secured by the automatically adjusting auger receiver fastening handles  34   g . The automatically adjusting auger receiver top gripper angle  34   d  is then affixed to the inside radius of the automatically adjusting auger receiver fastening bolt  34   f . Affixed to the inside flanges of both the automatically adjusting auger receiver base gripper angle  34   c  and the automatically adjusting auger receiver top gripper angle  34   d  is the automatically adjusting auger receiver gripper cushion  34   e . Both of the automatically adjusting auger receiver vertical support members  34   a  are then attached to the automatically adjusting auger receiver pivoting pin receiver  32   g  (not shown in this drawing, reference  FIG. 8   a ) by the automatically adjusting auger receiver pivot pin  34   h . Two automatically adjusting auger receiver thrust washers  34   j  complete this assembly, one of which resides between each of the two automatically adjusting auger receiver vertical support members  34   a  and the other resides between the left hand automatically adjusting auger receiver vertical support member  34   a  and the automatically adjusting auger receiver pivoting pin receiver  32   g  (not shown in this drawing, reference  FIG. 8   a ).  FIG. 9   b  shows the full range of motion of the automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly  34  which in turn displays the flexibility of the auger/vehicle interface jig&#39;s  18  ability to adapt to varying auger handle widths and configurations. 
     FIG. 10  shows the assembly of the three main components of the auger/vehicle interface jig  18 . During the assembly of the carriage guide assembly  20  the sliding carriage assembly  32  is joined with the carriage guide vertical support  20   d  then, the assembly of the carriage guide assembly  20  is completed as described above. The automatically adjusting auger receiver assembly  34  is then fastened to sliding carriage assembly  32  by the automatically adjusting auger receiver pivot pin  34   h  (not shown in this drawing, reference  FIG. 9   a ). 
   The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.