Spade

Details Spade Spade

2001-06-08

2003-05-13

Smith, James G. (Department: 3723)

Compound tools

Weeding, gardening, or light agricultural or earthworking use

Spade or shovel

C007S148000, C007S158000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06560805

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present specification relates to a spade. More specifically, the present specification relates to a collapsible spade having an attached cutting tool such as a knife or saw.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Spades, such as collapsible spades and entrenching tools, are used for various purposes. For example, military personnel may use an entrenching tool to dig fortifications. Civilians find uses for collapsible spades when engaging in camping or other outdoor activities.
Entrenching tools are typically collapsible to save space when the tool is transported. The tool is made collapsible by having a blade or shovel and handle pivotally coupled to a shank.
Entrenching tools can, in addition to the shovel portion, have other ancillary tools such as an axe or a hammer. Further, a saw can be incorporated into the entrenching tool by providing a serrated or saw tooth cutting edge on the side of the blade for purposes of sawing, cutting into fencing, chopping through tree roots, etc.
Conventional entrenching tools and collapsible spades that incorporate a saw or knife edge into the spade blade have a variety of disadvantages. First, having an exposed cutting edge on the blade is a safety hazard as the user can be injured while using the tool for digging purposes, or while folding, storing, or transporting the tool. Second, a cutting edge provided in the blade can become dull after repeated use, requiring replacement of the entire blade portion of the tool in order to provide a new cutting edge. Third, when the cutting edge is provided directly on a portion of the spade, it is difficult to carry a replacement blade as an entire new blade portion may have to be carried along with the spade as a replacement part.
To remedy the disadvantages of conventional spades and entrenching tools, it is known to carry a separate saw along with the entrenching tool. However, carrying a separate saw adds bulk and weight to the overall carrying load of the user, and further creates the risk that the user will lose the saw because it is being carried separately, resulting in the inability to cut or saw when necessary.
Accordingly, there is a need for a spade that does not have a saw or knife edge incorporated into the blade portion of the tool. Further, there is a need for a spade or entrenching tool that safely incorporates a saw into the tool such that the user can easily carry a replacement saw blade, and eliminating the necessity of carrying an entire separate saw along with the entrenching tool.
The teachings hereinbelow extend to those embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above identified needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An exemplary embodiment relates to a spade. The spade includes a shank, a handle coupled to the shank, a blade coupled to the shank, and a cutting tool slidably coupled to the handle. The handle has an internal channel sized to receive the cutting tool.
Another exemplary embodiment relates to a spade. The spade includes a shank, a handle coupled to the shank, a blade coupled to the shank, and a cutting tool pivotally coupled to the handle. The cutting tool has a storage position and an operational position and the handle has a channel sized to receive the cutting tool.
Further, an exemplary embodiment relates to a spade. The spade includes a shank having a first end and a second end, a handle coupled to the shank at the first end, and a blade coupled to the shank at the second end. A cutting tool having a storage position and an operational position is coupled to the handle in the storage position and is coupled to the second end of the shank in the operational position.
Further still, an exemplary embodiment relates to a spade having a shank, a handle coupled to the shank, and a blade coupled to the shank. A cutting tool is coupled to the handle and the handle has a pocket configured to house the cutting tool in a storage position. An attachment mechanism couples the cutting tool to the blade when the cutting tool is in an operational position.


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patent: 6182541 (2001-02-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 6279186 (2001-08-01), Ge et al.
patent: 58 231 (1913-03-01), None
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Partial International Search Report for PCT/US02/16665, mailed Oct. 4, 2002.

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