Hoe attachment for edgers

Claim 2

A hoe attachment to be rotated by the blade shaft of an edger, such blade shaft extending away from the main body of such edger, comprising: a unitary elongate blade including (a) a hub portion at the center of said blade, said hub portion having means for accomodating the shaft such that said blade is positioned to one side of the main body of such edger and such that as the blade shaft rotates about a horizontal axis, said hub portion rotates within a substantially vertical plane, (b) a hoe portion at either end of said blade, each said hoe portion including a leading edge rotationally in advance of the remainder of the corresponding end of said blade, an end edge at the extreme end of the corresponding end of said blade and forming an acute angle with said leading edge, a hoe face bounded in part by said leading edge and said end edge, and a substantially flat tab portion adjoining said hoe face rotationally at the rear of said hoe face, said hoe face facing to some extent into the direction of rotation such that when said blade is attached to an edger, the junction of said hoe face and said tab portion rotates within a path closer to the main body of such edger than does said leading edge and said tab portion rotates within a path closer to the main body of such edger than does the junction of said hoe face and said tab portion, and (c) an arm portion intermediate each said hoe portion and said hub portion, each said arm portion forming an angle with said hub portion to the extent that as the blade shaft rotates about a horizontal axis, all parts of both of said hoe portions are to one side of the plane within which said hub portion rotates.

Claim 3

The hoe attachment as recited in claim 1 wherein each said arm portion extends outwardly from said hub portion.

Claim 4

The hoe attachment as recited in claim 2 wherein the width of each said hoe face is substantially greater than the width of said hub portion.

Claim 5

The hoe attachment as recited in claim 1 wherein the plane of each said arm portion forms an angle of approximately 45° with said hub portion.

Claim 6

The hoe attachment as recited in claim 4 wherein the plane of each said hoe face forms an angle of approximately 32 degrees with the plane of the arm portion intermediate such hoe face and said hub portion.

Claim 7

The tool for hoeing comprising: a shaft having a substantially horizontal axis; means for rotating said shaft about its axis; frame means for transporting said shaft and said rotating means over the ground in a direction substantially perpendicular to said axis of said shaft such that one end of said shaft is maintained a generally constant distance above the ground and to one side of said frame means; and a blade attached to and rotated by said one end of said shaft, said blade having (a) a hub portion at the center of said blade, said hub portion having means for attaching said blade to said shaft such that as said shaft rotates about a horizontal axis, said hub portion rotates within a substantially vertical plane, and (b) a first hoe portion at one end of said blade and a second hoe portion at the other end of said blade, each said hoe portion having a leading edge rotationally in advance of the remainder of said hoe portion and disposed so as to cut into the surface of the ground along a substantially vertical plane as said blade is rotated by said shaft, and end edge at the extreme end of said hoe portion and intersecting said leading edge to form an angle, said end edge extending both rotationally behind said leading edge and toward said frame means so as to scrape the surface of the ground rotationally behind said leading edge as said blade is rotated by said shaft, and a tab portion rotationally at the rear of said hoe portion, said tab portion having an edge that rotates in a plane nearer the frame of the edger than does the remainder of said hoe portion; and (c) an arm portion intermediate said hub portion and each said hoe portion, each said arm portion extending outwardly from the frame of the edger.

Claim 8

The tool for hoeing comprising: a shaft having a substantially horizontal axis; means for rotating said shaft about its axis; frame means for transporting said shaft and said rotating means over the ground in a direction substantially perpendicular to said axis of said shaft such that one end of said shaft is maintained a generally constant distance above the ground and to one side of said frame means; and a blade attached to and rotated by said one end of said shaft, said blade having (a) a hub portion at the center of said blade, said hub portion having means for attaching said blade to said shaft such that as said shaft rotates about a horizontal axis, said hub portion rotates within a substantially vertical plane, and (b) a first hoe portion at one end of said blade and a second hoe portion at the other end of said blade, each said hoe portion having a leading edge rotationally in advance of the remainder of said hoe portion and disposed so as to cut into the surface of the ground along a substantially vertical plane as said blade is rotated by said shaft, and end edge at the extreme end of said hoe portion and intersecting said leading edge to form an angle, said end edge extending both rotationally behind said leading edge and toward said frame means so as to scrape the surface of the ground rotationally behind said leading edge as said blade is rotated by said shaft, and a tab portion rotationally at the rear of said hoe portion, said tab portion having an edge that rotates in a plane nearer the frame of the edger than does the remainder of said hoe portion; and (c) an arm portion intermediate said hub portion and each said hoe portion, each said arm portion extending outwardly from the frame of the edger.

Claim 9

The tool as recited in claim 6 wherein said hoe portion is substantially wider than said hub portion.