GB2078475A - Lawn rake - Google Patents

Abstract

A lawn rake or mower carries tines in the form of helical wire coils each having a short projecting stem at one end, the free end of the stem projecting transversely of the axis of the coil to engage the ground. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rake tine This invention relates to rakes.

A weti known form of a lawn rake has long straight springyvire tines mounted on a holder with their free ends bent at right angles to the main stems to engage the ground. These are very cumbersome and also uneven in action and tend to pull up grass as well as moss.

According to the present invention a rake is provided with tines in the form of a helical wire coil having a short projecting stem at one end, the free end of the stem projecting transversely to engage the ground, and a projection at the other end mounted on a support.

The wire is preferably much thinner than heretofore used for long tines and conveniently 0.025 to 0.04 inch diameter (or more for some purposes e.g.

ride-on mowers) made of spring steel hardened and tempered wire.

The coil is preferably 8 to 16 close wound helices with a length of 0.6 to 1.2 inches and may be 0.25 to 0.75 inches diameter (or more for some purposes e.g. ride-on mowers). The length of the stem may be from 1.0 to 3.0 times the length of the coil.

The short stem may be 0.5 to 3.0 inches in length.

Thus the rake with these short tines is much less cumbersome than formerly and has the advantage of being adequately flexible in all directions so as to deflect around tufts of grass and is found in practice to be much more efficient in clearing thatch, moss and debris, than long straight stem tines. The tines are sufficiently flexible to follow undulations of the lawn without shaving the high spots.

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings which show different types of rakes made in accordance with the invention. Figures 2 and 4 are side views of the rakes shown in perspective in Figures 1 and 3 respectively. Figures 5 and 6 show a mower attachment. Figure 7 is a view of a single tine.

In Figures 1 and 2 hand lawn rake is shown having a handle which carries a transverse support 11 at its lower end. A spindle 12 mounted in the support 11 carries ground engaging rollers 13. Tines 16 have their rear 15 ends fixed to the support 11 and have helciallywound portions 17 close to or touching the support 11. The forward ends of the tines are in the form of short stems 18 having downwardly turned ends'1 9. The ends 15 may be fixed by rivets, screws, welding or clamping.

Figures 3 and 4 show a similar rake but without rollers, a simplerform of support being provided.

The tines are fixed to the support by individual screws or bolts 20.

Figures 5 and 6 show a support 11 having side plates 22, 23 having slots 25 to receive bolts 26 for attachment to the frame 27 of a mower. The plates 22, 23 also carry hooks 30, 31 to engage around the side bars of the frame 27. The slots 25 allow the support 11 to be adjusted to a required depth of the tines.

Heavy rubber bands 33, 34 extend around the mower frame, and are connected to the hooks 30,31 and to screws 36,37 on the frame 11. These rubber bands hold the hooks 30, 31 on to the frame 27.

As shown in Figure 7, a tine has a close wound coil 17, a short stem 18, downturned end 19 and rear extension 14.

1. A rake provided with tines each of which is the form of a helical wire coil having a short projecting stem at one end, the free end of the stem projecting transversely of the axis of the coil to engage the ground, and mounted at the other end on a support.

2. A rake as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wire is 0.025 to 0.04 inch diameter made of spring steel hardened and tempered and the coil is 8 to 16 close wound helices with a length of 0.6 to 1.2 inches and 0.25 to 0.75 inches diameter.

3. A rake as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the stem is from 1.0 to 3.0 times the length of the coil.

4. A rake as claimed in claim 1,2 or3 comprising a handle which carries the support transversely on its lower end.

5. A rake as claimed in claim 1,2 or3 wherein the support carries a spindle on which ground engageable rollers are mounted.

6. A rake as claimed in claim 1,2 or3 wherein the support has side plates provided with slots and bolts passing through the slots to attach the support to the frame of a mower the slots allowing the support to be adjusted to a required depth of the tines.

7. A rake as claimed in claim 6 having rubber bands connected to hooks on the side plates and entered around the mower frame and fastened to screws on the support.

8. A rake substantially as described with refer encetofigures 1 and 2 or 3 and 4 or 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

The drawing(s) originally filed were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Rake tine This invention relates to rakes. A weti known form of a lawn rake has long straight springyvire tines mounted on a holder with their free ends bent at right angles to the main stems to engage the ground. These are very cumbersome and also uneven in action and tend to pull up grass as well as moss. According to the present invention a rake is provided with tines in the form of a helical wire coil having a short projecting stem at one end, the free end of the stem projecting transversely to engage the ground, and a projection at the other end mounted on a support. The wire is preferably much thinner than heretofore used for long tines and conveniently 0.025 to 0.04 inch diameter (or more for some purposes e.g. ride-on mowers) made of spring steel hardened and tempered wire. The coil is preferably 8 to 16 close wound helices with a length of 0.6 to 1.2 inches and may be 0.25 to 0.75 inches diameter (or more for some purposes e.g. ride-on mowers). The length of the stem may be from 1.0 to 3.0 times the length of the coil. The short stem may be 0.5 to 3.0 inches in length. Thus the rake with these short tines is much less cumbersome than formerly and has the advantage of being adequately flexible in all directions so as to deflect around tufts of grass and is found in practice to be much more efficient in clearing thatch, moss and debris, than long straight stem tines. The tines are sufficiently flexible to follow undulations of the lawn without shaving the high spots. The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings which show different types of rakes made in accordance with the invention. Figures 2 and 4 are side views of the rakes shown in perspective in Figures 1 and 3 respectively. Figures 5 and 6 show a mower attachment. Figure 7 is a view of a single tine. In Figures 1 and 2 hand lawn rake is shown having a handle which carries a transverse support 11 at its lower end. A spindle 12 mounted in the support 11 carries ground engaging rollers 13. Tines 16 have their rear 15 ends fixed to the support 11 and have helciallywound portions 17 close to or touching the support 11. The forward ends of the tines are in the form of short stems 18 having downwardly turned ends'1 9. The ends 15 may be fixed by rivets, screws, welding or clamping. Figures 3 and 4 show a similar rake but without rollers, a simplerform of support being provided. The tines are fixed to the support by individual screws or bolts 20. Figures 5 and 6 show a support 11 having side plates 22, 23 having slots 25 to receive bolts 26 for attachment to the frame 27 of a mower. The plates 22, 23 also carry hooks 30, 31 to engage around the side bars of the frame 27. The slots 25 allow the support 11 to be adjusted to a required depth of the tines. Heavy rubber bands 33, 34 extend around the mower frame, and are connected to the hooks 30,31 and to screws 36,37 on the frame 11. These rubber bands hold the hooks 30, 31 on to the frame 27. As shown in Figure 7, a tine has a close wound coil 17, a short stem 18, downturned end 19 and rear extension 14. CLAIMS

1. A rake provided with tines each of which is the form of a helical wire coil having a short projecting stem at one end, the free end of the stem projecting transversely of the axis of the coil to engage the ground, and mounted at the other end on a support.

2. A rake as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wire is 0.025 to 0.04 inch diameter made of spring steel hardened and tempered and the coil is 8 to 16 close wound helices with a length of 0.6 to 1.2 inches and 0.25 to 0.75 inches diameter.

3. A rake as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the stem is from 1.0 to 3.0 times the length of the coil.

4. A rake as claimed in claim 1,2 or3 comprising a handle which carries the support transversely on its lower end.

5. A rake as claimed in claim 1,2 or3 wherein the support carries a spindle on which ground engageable rollers are mounted.

6. A rake as claimed in claim 1,2 or3 wherein the support has side plates provided with slots and bolts passing through the slots to attach the support to the frame of a mower the slots allowing the support to be adjusted to a required depth of the tines.

7. A rake as claimed in claim 6 having rubber bands connected to hooks on the side plates and entered around the mower frame and fastened to screws on the support.

8. A rake substantially as described with refer encetofigures 1 and 2 or 3 and 4 or 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

The drawing(s) originally filed were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.