Dog-type recoil actuated auger

Abstract

A dog-type recoil actuated auger enables holes to be drilled by using only straight line motions of a person's hand, arm, and shoulder. The recoil actuated auger is comprised of a recoil drive system connected to a shaft, which in turn is connected to an auger. The recoil drive system has a recoil mechanism that imparts unidirectional rotation to the auger in response to bidirectional rotation of the recoil mechanism. The recoil mechanism may have dogs that engage a drive cup, or clutch bearings, to unidirectionally rotate the auger. The recoil drive system has a handle that the person grasps during operation. Operation is achieved by pulling a rope wound around a rope wheel. A recoil spring rewinds the rope after a pulling motion. Multiple recoil mechanisms assembled to the shaft and a suitable handle enable more than one person to operate the recoil actuated auger at the same time.

1 . A recoil actuated auger comprising: 
 a. an auger; and    b. means for manually unidirectionally rotating the auger about a longitudinal axis in response to a person exerting straight line motions with a first hand, arm, and shoulder of the person.    
   
   
       2 . The recoil actuated auger of  claim 1  wherein: 
 a. the auger comprises a shaft; and    b. the means for manually rotating the auger comprises a recoil mechanism connected to the auger shaft.    
   
   
       3 . The recoil actuated auger of  claim 2  wherein the recoil mechanism comprises: 
 a. a rope wheel;    b. a drive cup fixed to the auger shaft; and    c. means for selectively engaging and disengaging the drive cup in response to rotating the rope wheel in first and second directions, respectively.    
   
   
       4 . The recoil actuated auger of  claim 3  wherein: 
 a. the recoil mechanism further comprises a rope wound on the rope wheel; and    b. the person exerts the straight line motion on the rope and thereby rotates the rope wheel.    
   
   
       5 . The recoil actuated auger of  claim 1  wherein the means for rotating the auger comprises: 
 a. a housing that rotatably guides the auger; and    b. a recoil mechanism connected to the auger.    
   
   
       6 . The recoil actuated auger of  claim 5  wherein: 
 a. the auger comprises a shaft;    b. the housing comprises first and second tubes;    c. the recoil mechanism comprises a drive cup that fits in the housing first tube and that is fixed to the auger shaft; and    d. the housing second tube rotatably guides the auger shaft.    
   
   
       7 . The recoil actuated auger of  claim 5  wherein the housing comprises a housing plate, and wherein a handle is attached to the housing plate, 
 so that the person can grasp the handle with a second hand, and exert the straight line motion with the first hand, arm, and shoulder.    
   
   
       8 . The recoil actuated auger of  claim 1  wherein: 
 a. auger comprises an auger shaft; and    b. the means for manually rotating the auger comprises: 
 i. a drive cup having a drive cup shaft that is selectively connectable to the auger shaft;  
 ii. a rope wheel rotatable in first and second directions; and  
 iii. means for selectively engaging and disengaging the drive cup in response to rotating the rope wheel in the first and second directions, respectively, the drive cup rotating with the rope wheel when the rope wheel rotates in the first direction.  
   
   
   
       9 . The recoil actuated auger of  claim 1  wherein: 
 a. the auger comprises an auger shaft; and    b. the means for rotating the auger comprises: 
 i. a second shaft connected to the auger shaft;  
 ii. a housing that rotatably guides the second shaft; and  
 iii. at least one recoil mechanism including a rope wheel that rotates in first and second directions, the second shaft rotating in the first direction when the rope wheel rotates in the first direction, the second shaft being stationary when the rope wheel rotates in the second direction.  
   
   
   
       10 . Apparatus for drilling holes comprising: 
 a. an auger; and    b. a recoil drive system connected to the auger for unidirectionally rotating the auger.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein: 
 a. the auger has a first shaft; and    b. the recoil drive system comprises a second shaft that is connected to the first shaft.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the recoil drive system comprises: 
 a. a shaft connected to the auger; and    b. means for unidirectionally rotating the shaft and thereby unidirectionally rotating the auger.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the recoil drive system comprises: 
 a. a housing that rotatably guides the shaft; and    b. a handle attached to the housing.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the means for unidirectionally rotating the shaft comprises a rope wheel that rotates in first and second directions, the shaft rotating in the first direction when the rope wheel rotates in the first direction, the shaft being stationary when the rope wheel rotates in the second direction.  
   
   
       15 . A method of drilling holes comprising the steps of: 
 a. placing an auger in contact with a material to be drilled;    b. connecting the auger to a recoil drive system;    c. exerting a first motion on the recoil drive system in a first straight line direction and thereby rotating the auger in a first rotational direction; and    d. exerting a second motion on the recoil drive system in a second straight line direction opposite the first straight line direction without rotating the auger.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein: 
 a. the step of providing an auger comprises the step providing an auger with an auger shaft; and    b. the step of connecting the auger to the recoil drive system comprises the steps of: 
 i. providing the recoil drive system with a second shaft; and  
 ii. connecting the auger shaft to the second shaft.  
   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein: 
 a. the step of connecting the auger to a recoil drive system comprises the step of providing a handle on the recoil drive system; and    b. the step of exerting the first and second motions comprises the step of grasping the handle with a first hand and exerting the first and second motions with a second hand.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein: 
 a. the step of connecting the auger to the recoil drive system comprises the steps of providing the recoil drive system with a housing, and guiding the second shaft in the housing; and    b. the step of exerting the first and second motions comprises the steps of grasping the housing with a first hand, and exerting the first and second motions with a second hand.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein: 
 a. the step of connecting the auger to the recoil drive system comprises the steps of providing the recoil drive system with a rope wheel, and winding a rope around the rope wheel; and    b. the step of exerting the first motion comprises the step of pulling the rope and thereby rotating the rope wheel in the first rotational direction.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein: 
 a. the step of connecting the auger to the recoil drive system comprises the further steps of: 
 i. fixing a drive cup to the second shaft; and  
 ii. providing a rope wheel with at least one dog thereon; and  
   b. the step of exerting the first motion comprises the steps of rotating the rope wheel in the first rotational direction, and engaging the at least one dog with the drive cup and thereby rotating the second shaft in the first rotational direction.