Stand-up weeder

Details Stand-up weeder Stand-up weeder

1999-09-10

2001-07-10

Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)

Earth working

Guided by walking attendant; supported, propelled, or held...

Hand tool

C294S050800

Reexamination Certificate

active

06257346

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a weed pulling or similar device that permits an operator to remain standing while using the device. More particularly, the invention relates to a weed pulling device in which grasping movement of blades about the weed results from the interaction of downward movement of the device coupled with relative upward movement of a uniquely shaped plunger between the blades.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many types of lawn and garden tools which can be utilized to remove weeds from the ground. Most of these tools have few or no moving parts and instead rely on fixed position blades of one configuration or another (e.g., shaped like a small shovel, trowel, fork, sickle, hoe, etc.) for facilitating weed removal. Examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,484,653, 5,469,923, 5,386,681, 5,360,071, 5,207,466, 5,188,340 and 5,060,997. Although these types of weed removing devices can be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, substantial manual effort is often required to remove the weeds from the ground or to remove the weed plug from the device. Further, these types of devices not well suited for removing the root structures of the weeds.
Other types of weed pulling or similar devices include movable blade-like members that are lever actuated and configured to penetrate the ground and grasp the weed upon actuation by the operator. Examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,535,833, 5,476,298, 5,154,465, 5,476,248 and 4,473,248. Because these types of tools require the operator to squeeze a hand-actuated lever to actuate the blade-like members about the weed and soil plug, a significant amount of hand strength is typically required, particularly during operation in difficult soil conditions (e.g., heavily compacted soil or high clay content).
Other known types of weeding devices employ rotating members configured for penetrating the ground (e.g., drill bits or augers) and exterminating the weed and corresponding root structure. Examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,865,259, 5,491,963, 3,444,934 and 2,763,222. Tools of this type, however, can be relatively complex and costly to manufacture and may be more prone to breakage than the foregoing types.
Another example of a known weed pulling device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,241. This patent discloses a manually operable weed remover consisting of a cluster of pivotal spikes guided by a bottom flange and pivotally attached to a handle. When the device is positioned over the center of a weed and downward pressure is applied, the flange is forced up by the ground and the spikes are forced into the ground in a converging motion around the weed. The plug is released from the device by actuation of a rod attached to a central knob or T-shaped handle. The weed remover may also be configured to store and deliver liquid or powdered weed killer. One drawback of the radial spikes and guide flange arrangement is that the narrow spikes can become bent from the repeated collapsing movement over prolonged use, particularly in rocky conditions. If even one spike becomes bent or otherwise out of radial alignment with the other spikes, the guide flange is unable to pass move vertically relative to spikes and the device becomes inoperative.
As such, there is a continuing need for new and improved manually operable garden tools which are simple to manufacture and which at the same time require less physical effort to remove weeds, and which remain operable even when used for prolonged periods in difficult soil conditions. In these and other respects, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the disadvantages inherent in the foregoing types of weed removing tools presently known, the present invention provides an improved weeder construction that can be used to remove substantially all of the root structure associated with a weed while a user of the tool applies only minimal physical effort. The weeder is constructed in a simplified manner using materials and configurations the various components designed to provide the weeder with enhanced durability over extended use. As such, the general purpose of the present invention is to provide a new and improved weeder which has all the advantages of the foregoing known weed removing tools and none of the disadvantages.
In accordance with the foregoing, the present invention provides an apparatus for removing weeds from the ground. The apparatus comprises an elongated shaft, a handle mounted to an upper end of the shaft, a pair of blades mounted for opposed pivotal movement at a lower end of the shaft, and a plunger. Each blade has an upper section above a pivot point of the blade and a lower section below the pivot point. The plunger is mounted for reciprocal sliding movement between an extended position intermediate the lower sections of the blades and a retracted position intermediate the upper sections of the blades. The plunger and the upper sections of the blades are configured such that movement of the plunger from the extended position to the retracted position forces the upper sections of the blades away from one another and the tips of the blades towards one another.
The invention also provides a weeding device comprising a center tube, a handle mounted to an upper end of the tube, and a weed grasping assembly mounted at a lower end of the tube. The weed grasping assembly includes a housing, a pair of blades mounted in the housing for opposed pivotal movement, and a plunger mounted for sliding movement between the blades. The plunger and the blades are configured such that the blades are in an open position when the plunger is in an extended position, at which a lower face of the plunger is adjacent tips of the blades. When the plunger is moved to a retracted position, at which an upper portion of the plunger is inside the tubular shaft, the blades are forced into a collapsed position with the tips of the blades adjacent one another.
The invention further provides a weed removing apparatus comprising an elongated shaft, a handle mounted to an upper end of the shaft, at least two blades mounted for collapsing pivotal movement at a lower end of the shaft, and a plunger. Each blade includes an inwardly bent portion located above a pivot point of the blade and a pointed weed grasping portion located below the pivot point. The plunger is mounted for reciprocal sliding movement between an position intermediate the weed grasping portions of the blades and a retracted position intermediate the inwardly bent portions of the blades. The plunger is configured such that movement of the plunger from the extended position to the retracted position forces the inwardly bent portions of the blades outwardly and the weed grasping portions of the blades to collapse.


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