Adjustable garden tool

Abstract

A manual garden tool having an elongate shaft with an actuator rotatably mounted at its lower end, tine(s) mounted to the actuator, and a cam surface at the lower end of the shaft in contact with a surface of each tine such that, as the actuator is rotated between the first and second positions, the upper portion of each tine rotates with respect to the actuator and the lower portion of the tine moves between extended and contracted positions. The actuator and tines are locked against rotation when the tines are in either position, with the tines being locked against movement by being seated in troughs of a stop plate. The actuator and tines can be unlocked and moved up the shaft to provide clearance past seat walls for the tines to move between the extended and contracted positions. A molded a plastic handle is also provided. The handle can be secured at the upper end of the shaft of a manual garden tool. The handle includes first and second hand grips spaced radially from the shaft and the handle can be secured to the shaft such that axial or rotational forces applied to the handle are transferred through a rigid support secured at the upper end of the shaft and which extends radially outwardly of the shaft thereof such that the forces are distributed radially outwardly across the length and width of the support.

1 . A manual garden tool comprising: 
 a shaft having an upper end and a lower end, and a longitudinal axis;    an actuator rotatably mounted at the lower end of the shaft for rotation between first and second angularly spaced apart first and second positions;    at least one tine having a lower ground-engaging portion and an upper portion rotatably mounted to the actuator; and    an abutment located at the lower end of the shaft in contact with a surface of the tine such that, as the actuator is moved between the first and second positions, the upper portion of the tine rotates with respect to the actuator and the lower portion of the tine moves between first and second radially spaced-apart positions.    
   
   
       2 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the tine includes an upwardly extending arm having a central axis, and the actuator has an aperture into which the arm is rotatably received such that the axes are mutually parallel to permit rotation of the arm about its axis as the actuator is moved between the first and second positions thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The tool of  claim 2 , wherein the lower portion of the tine is spaced radially outwardly of the upper portion of the tine and the upper and lower portions are rigidly affixed to each other by a laterally extending arm therebetween.  
   
   
       4 . The tool of  claim 3 , wherein the first position of the lower portion of the tine is located radially inwardly of the second position of the lower portion of the tine, and the abutment is rigidly affixed to the shaft and said surface abuts the laterally extending arm as the actuator is moved from the first to the second position thereof so as to force the lower portion of the tine to move radially outwardly.  
   
   
       5 . The tool of  claim 3 , wherein the first position of the lower portion of the tine is located radially inwardly of the second position of the lower portion of the tine, and the abutment is rigidly affixed to the shaft and said surface abuts the laterally extending arm as the actuator is moved from the second to the first position thereof so as to force the lower portion of the tine to move radially inwardly.  
   
   
       6 . The tool of  claim 3 , wherein the first position of the lower portion of the tine is located radially inwardly of the second position of the lower portion of the tine, and there is a first said abutment, rigidly affixed to the shaft and having a said surface which abuts the laterally extending arm as the actuator is moved from the first to the second position thereof so as to force the lower portion of the tine to move radially outwardly, and there is a second said abutment, rigidly affixed to the shaft and having a said surface which abuts the laterally extending arm as the actuator is moved from the second to the first position thereof so as to force the lower portion of the tine to move radially inwardly.  
   
   
       7 . The tool of  claim 6 , wherein the actuator is movable between an upper position and a lower position, and the tool further comprises a first seat for receipt therein of the laterally extending arm of the tine, when the lower portion of the tine is in the first position, as the actuator is moved into the lower position, to affix the tine against movement from the first position, and a second seat for receipt therein of the laterally extending arm of the tine, when the lower portion of the tine is in the second position, as the actuator is moved into the lower position, to affix the tine against movement from the second position.  
   
   
       8 . The tool of  claim 7 , wherein the tine is affixed against axial movement with respect to the actuator such that, when the actuator is in the upper position, clearance is provided for the laterally extending arm from the first and second seats to permit movement of the laterally extending arm as the actuator is moved between the first and the second positions thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The tool of  claim 8 , further comprising a lock for securing the actuator into the lower position.  
   
   
       10 . The tool of  claim 9 , wherein the actuator is biased toward the upper position and said lock comprises a lever rotatably mounted to the shaft about an axis of rotation transverse to the axis of the shaft, between an open first position and a locking second position, wherein the lever includes a cam surface which engages a surface of the actuator to move the actuator into the lower position upon rotation of the lever from the first to the second position thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The tool of  claim 10 , wherein there is a plurality of said tines.  
   
   
       12 . The tool of  claim 11 , where there are four said tines.  
   
   
       13 . The tool of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one tine comprises a single piece of metal.  
   
   
       14 . The tool of  claim 7 , wherein the actuator includes a downwardly facing lower surface and the tool includes a stop plate having a lower bed having an upwardly facing surface, and the laterally extending arm of the tine is sandwiched between the lower and upwardly facing surfaces when the actuator is in the lower position.  
   
   
       15 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the first seat comprises first and second surfaces of upwardly extending walls of the stop plate, and the second seat comprises third and fourth surfaces of upwardly extending walls of the stop plate.  
   
   
       16 . The tool of  claim 15 , wherein the stop plate comprises a single piece of bent metal.  
   
   
       17 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the actuator is biased toward the upper position by a compression spring.