ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 21 -- United States Patent no. 12,442,151, issued on Oct. 14, was assigned to Jess Tools LLC (Hunnewell, Mo.).
"Post hole belling auger" was invented by Joseph Timbrook (Monroe City, Mo.), Skyler Timbrook (Monroe City, Mo.) and Saylor Timbrook (Monroe City, Mo.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A belling auger includes a rotatable shaft, a main shaft extending through the rotatable shaft, a sliding sleeve mounted on the main shaft a bottom panel and a shovel rotatably attached to the rotatable shaft. Pressing the rotatable shaft down towards the sliding sleeve causes the shovel to hinge outward at the bottom of a piling hole. As the device rotates the shovel scoops dirt ont...