US2962102A - Lawn edger - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent 2,962,102 LAWN EDGER Edward L. M. Weeren, Box '31, La Grange, Tex.

Filed Apr. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 725,634 s Claims. Cl. 172-18 This invention relates to lawn tools and more particularly to a lawn edger tool.

An object of the invention is to provide an edger which is capable of hand operation by a single attendant, the edger constructed and arranged to out either vertically or at an angle to the horizontal and vertical or both. This tool is easily handled and is provided with means for limiting penetration of the vertically cutting blade so as to establish a depth gauge and to also establish a firm base for manipulation of the angular cutting tool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a medhanically simple lawn edger capable of trimming the edges of lawns to a very fine degree of accuracy and with a minimum of difiiculty.

These together with other objects and advantages which Will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the ac companying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of an edger constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the edger of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

In the accompanying drawings there is an edging tool or edger which exemplifies the principles of the invention. It consists of an elongate handle 12 whose lower end is rigidly secured in sleeve 14. The sleeve is noncircular and of the same cross sectional shape as the lower end of the handle in order to prevent rotation of the bandle in its sleeve 14. The sleeve 14 has lateral flanges 18 and 20 to which a first blade 22 is fixed. This blade has a straight cutting edge 24 at its bottom and has upper plates 26 and 28 at its upper edge and to which the flanges 18 and 20 are welded or otherwise fastened. Depth gauge 30, constructed preferably of a U-shaped member and bolted or otherwise fastened to sleeve 14, depends slightly below the lower part of sleeve 14 and is adapted to contact the soil surface to function as a depth gauge (see Figure 1). Plates 26 and 28 can be used as step plates should the user so wish. Otherwise, they will serve only a structural supporting function.

The movable blade (movable with respect to blade 24) 34 is preferably a rectangular plate with :a lower straight, sharp cutting edge 36. Movable blade 34 has two tracks 40 and 42 fixed to its upper surface and these can be of any construction such as the grooved bars of Figure 4, angles, etc. Guides 44 and 46 are held captive in tracks 40 and 42, these tracks moving on the guides 44 and 46. They are held onto mounting brackets 48 and 50 that protrude from the front face of blade 22. The guides are angular in disposition that is, they are'in plane located between the vertical and horizontal directions so that the movement of the blade 34 is toward the rear face of blade 22 against which the cutting edge 36 comes to rest when the movable blade 34 is depressed the full extent of its travel.

' A step or foot plate 56 is attached by brackets 58 to the movable blade 34 and to the tracks 40 and 42. A spring 60 or a suitable equivalent is mounted on centering pin 62 that is carried by a mountingbracket 65. The mounting bracket 65is fixed' to the inside faces. of plates 48 and 50. The upper end of the spring 60 is mounted on a centering pin 66 which is fixed, as by bracket 68, to the bottom surface of the foot plate or treadle 56. Accordingly, the downward and outward movement of the movable blade 34 is opposed yieldingly by spring 60 when the user presses downward with its foot on foot plate 56. As soon as the user lifts his foot, the spring 60 automatically returns the movable blade 34 to the elevated position (Figure 1) at which time stop 64, that is adjustably attached to blade 34 by bolt 67, strikes bracket 65 (Figure 3).

In use, the attendant merely grasps handle -12 and depresses it in the ground at the point of his desire. This cuts a vertical line and is especially useful in trimming lawn edges where grass has grown adjoining concrete walks, driveways, etc. Thereafter the edge is made complete by the user depressing foot plate 56 thereby causing the lower part of movable blade 34 to cut a groove very neatly and smoothly with the cutting edge 36 coming against the rear face of the blade 22 so that the latter acts as a shear plate.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A lawn edger comprising the combination of a handle adapted to be manually operated, a first substantially flat blade, means attaching said blade to said handle, a depth gauge connected with said blade to limit the penetration of said blade into the ground, a second blade mounted at an angle with respect to said first blade and adapted to contact one face of said first blade in response to depression of said second blade, means movably mounting said second blade on said first blade and constraining the motion of said second blade to straight line motion so that the cutting edge of said second blade comes into contact with a face of said first blade upon depression of said second blade, yielding means opposing the movement of said second blade toward said first blade and returning said second blade after it is so moved, said means mounting said second blade including a pair of plates attached to said first blade and protruding from said face thereof, and means including engaged guides and straight tracks connected with said plates and said second blade operatively connecting said second blade to said plates.

2. The edger of claim 1 wherein there is a foot plate at the upper edge of said second blade for foot operation of said second blade, and a plate attached at the upper edge of said first blade to facilitate depression of said first blade into the turf by application of foot pres sure thereon.

3. A lawn edger is accordance with claim 1 wherein said depth gauge includes a substantially U-shaped memher which opens upwardly and which has a pair of sides alongside of said handle, adjustable means connected between said sides and the lower end of said handle for selectively adjusting the position of said substantially U- shaped member with respect to said handle thereby adjusting the position of said substantially U-sha ed memher with respect to, the length of said handle 4. The lawn edger vofclaim 3 wherein th'ereisasocket at the lower endofsaid handle and within whic'h said lower end of saidwhandle is disposed, said fsocket joined to said first substantially flat blade, and said substahtial- 1y U-shaped member defining said depth "gauge having the said sides thereof disposed againstitlie o'u'tside surface of said socket. i

5. The subjectmatter of claim 4 wherein said means adjustably securing said sides of said substantially U-shaped 4 member to the lower part of the handle include a series of apertures in said sides of said U-shaped member and at least one bolt passed through a selected pair of said apertures :and through an aperture in said socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 147,977 Race Feb. 24, 1874 1,537,537 Liebscher May 12, 1925 1,543,996 Franks June 30, 1925 2,015,109 Hays Sept. 24, 1935 2,348,669- Winter May 9, 1944 2,513,730 Little L July 4, 1950 2,777,380 Dickey Jan. 15, 1957

Images