Spading fork

Claim 1

A manual tool for uprooting plants from the ground and working soil, comprising: a spade member adapted to be imbedded in the ground; an elongate main handle having a longitudinal axis; hinge means interconnecting said spade member and said handle for enabling said spade member to pivot about an axis relative to said handle from an initial position in which the spade member extends in prolongation of said handle generally along said longitudinal axis to a selected one of a plurality of adjusted positions relative to said handle; ratchet means for advancing said spade member from said initial position to a selected one of said adjusted positions in response to back and forth rocking movements of said handle; latch means for releasably locking said spade member in said selected position of adjustment; release means for disabling said latch means; and return mans constantly biasing said spade member toward said initial position for automatically returning said spade member to said initial position in response to disabling said latch means; said ratchet means including a ratchet plate having a plurality of directional ratchet teeth arranged along an arc having said pivot axis of said hinge means as its center, said latch means including a pawl engageable with successive ones of said ratchet teeth for enabling pivotal movement of said spade member in one direction and locking said spade member against reverse pivotal movement; and a spring acting on said pawl for continuously and forcibly urging said pawl toward engagement with said ratchet teeth, said latch means including a pivot pin defining a pivot axis and wherein said spring comprises a torsion spring supported on said pivot pin and reacting between said pawl and said extension arm for continuously urging said pawl toward rotation about said pivot axis into engagement with said ratchet teeth.