Earth working – Lawn edger – Rolling or driven cutter
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-14
2001-10-16
Novosad, Christopher J. (Department: 3671)
Earth working
Lawn edger
Rolling or driven cutter
C030S347000, C030SDIG005
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302219
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to blades that are used on motorized landscaping edgers: More particularly, the present invention relates to blades that enable motorized landscaping edgers to create a beveled edge along the edge of a lawn or garden.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many homeowners and professional landscapers own motorized edging machines. Motorized edging machines contain small gasoline engines that turn a blade in the vertical plane. The blade is run along the edge of lawns and gardens to create a clean cut edge that is aesthetically pleasing.
In the prior art, blades for motorized edging machines are essentially flat. Accordingly, when these blades are used to cut an edge, the edge is perpendicular to the ground. However, in many instances a person may want the edge of their lawn or garden to be beveled so that the edge is not perpendicular to the ground. Often a landscaper or homeowner creates a beveled edge manually using a shovel or a flat spade. However, such manual work is highly labor and time intensive.
To a professional landscaper, time is money. The quicker a lawn or garden can be maintained, the quicker the landscaper can move on to other jobs. However, landscapers are expected to do professional looking jobs, which often means beveled garden and lawn edges. In an attempt to increase the speed and decrease the labor required to produce a beveled edge, landscapers have developed beveled blades that can be added to existing motorized edging machines, thereby eliminating much of the labor involved in producing a beveled edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,115 to Horzepa, entitled, Edging Bladed For Constructing Beveled And Angled Contours For Landscaping Purposes, shows a beveled blade that attaches to a motorized edging machine. The blade bevels away from the motorized edging machine. Accordingly, if the blade is being used around the periphery of a garden, the blade can only make a beveled edge that bevels toward the garden. The blade cannot be used to crate a beveled edge that bevels away from the garden without running the motorized edging machine within the boundaries of the garden. However, running a motorized edging machine within the boundaries of the garden is counter productive since the motorized edging machine will run over the garden and damage the plants or flowers within the garden.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,205 to Falk, entitled Horticultural Device and U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,441 to Hackney, entitled Lawn Edging Cutter both show motorized edging machines with beveled blades. Again, the blades being used are beveled away from the motorized edging machine. Accordingly, if the blade is being used around the periphery of a garden, the blade can only make a beveled edge that bevels toward the garden.
Additionally, the beveled blades used in the cited prior art references have complex structures, where multiple pieces of metal must be joined together at precise angles. This makes the cost of such beveled edging blades very expensive. When a motorized edging machine is used, the edging blade often strikes roots, stones, pavement, wall and other objects that are beneath the edge or adjoin landscaping. As such, blades on motorized edging machines do not enjoy long lives. Blades often bend, or even if not bent, they wear out quickly. Consequently, a landscaper or homeowner has no choice but to continuously buy expensive beveled edging blades if they want to continue to use their motorized edging machine to make beveled edges.
A need therefore exists for an improved edging blade design that can be attached to a motorized edging machine and can create a beveled edge that bevels toward the motorized edging machine. A need also exists for an improved beveled edging blade that is low cost and is resistant to bending and other damage. These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an edger blade assembly for cutting a beveled edge using a motorized edging machine. The edger blade assembly is a structure that includes a blade element. The blade element has two opposing free ends. Between the two free ends is a flat middle section, two diverging sections that extend outwardly from the flat middle section and two converging sections that extend between the diverging sections and the two free ends, respectively. The blade element is bent at an acute angle between the flat middle section and the diverging sections. The blade element is bent at an obtuse angle between the diverging sections and the converging sections, thereby forming a beveled blade structure from a single segment of steel.
A straight reinforcement element extends between the diverging sections of the blade element. The reinforcement element has a length that is longer than the flat middle section of the blade element. The reinforcement element adds strength to the blade element and makes the blade element highly resistant to bending without adding significant cost to the assembly.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2555441 (1951-06-01), Hackney
patent: 2630747 (1953-03-01), Mintz
patent: 3174224 (1965-03-01), Rousselet
patent: 3938249 (1976-02-01), Chacon
patent: 4002205 (1977-01-01), Falk
patent: 4072195 (1978-02-01), Carlson
patent: 4653590 (1987-03-01), Shank
patent: 5226248 (1993-07-01), Pollard
patent: 5441115 (1995-08-01), Horzepa
patent: 6062318 (2000-05-01), Andrews
LaMorte & Associates
Novosad Christopher J.
LandOfFree
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