Harvesters – Motorized harvester – Having motor on ground-supported carrier
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-02
2002-04-16
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Harvesters
Motorized harvester
Having motor on ground-supported carrier
C056S016700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06370854
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to line trimming devices and more particularly, to a guard and a dolly for receiving and mounting a line trimming device or apparatus and mowing, edging and trimming a lawn. The guard of this invention includes a shaped debris-deflection device having a tab-and-slot opening for receiving and mounting a corresponding coupling flange attached to the line trimming apparatus motor in a free-hand trimming configuration. In a second embodiment of the invention a universal dolly is broadly characterized by a dolly frame shaped and adapted for receiving a gasoline-powered or electric line trimmer for various lawn mowing, trimming and edging functions. The dolly is characterized by a frame base and plate having front, side and rear wheel receptacles for selectively receiving brackets which rotatably mount the wheels. In a first application of the dolly, three wheels are attached by means of the brackets to the side and the center rear wheel receptacle locations for supporting the dolly frame and line trimmer in rolling relationship in a horizontal plane for operation of the line trimmer in a mowing configuration. In a second application, the wheels in the side wheel receptacles are rearranged in the outside rear wheel receptacles to support the dolly frame and line trimmer in a horizontal plane for operation of the line trimmer in a trimming configuration. In yet another application of the dolly the wheels are attached to the front wheel receptacles only, to support the dolly frame and line trimmer in a vertical plane for operation of the line trimmer in an edging configuration. Accordingly, the line trimmer can be attached to a guard without wheels for use as a free-hand trimmer, as well as a universal dolly for disposition in mowing, trimming and edging configurations. In both of the embodiments, the line trimming apparatus is fitted with a motor coupling flange that engages a corresponding tab-and-slot opening in the guard and dolly frame, respectively, to removably mount the line trimming device on the free-hand trimmer and universal dolly, respectively.
One of the problems which exists in the use of conventional electric and gasoline-powered lawn mowers is that of cutting grass to a uniform height on lawns characterized by uneven terrain. Since the spacing between the front and rear wheels of a conventional lawn mower typically ranges from about 18 inches to about 30 inches, depending upon the lawn mower design, grass which is cut from the top of small hummocks and hills, as well as on other uneven terrain, is frequently shorter than that cut on level terrain or in small valleys. This problem is not alleviated by cutting the grass in a direction perpendicular to the normal direction of mower travel, since the span of the wheels ranges from about 18 inches to about 24 inches and this distance mandates cutting the grass either higher or shorter than desired, depending upon the nature of the terrain traversed by the mower.
Conventional line trimmers such as the line trimmer marketed under the well known “Weed Eater” trademark, are frequently used to trim grass in inaccessible areas where lawn mowers cannot be operated or in hilly or irregular areas where the terrain will not permit a lawn mower to cut the grass at a uniform height. However, since line trimmers are held by hand, cutting of the grass to a uniform height in such areas is extremely difficult and frequently results in “scalping” of the lawn or cutting and trimming the grass unevenly in these areas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Line edgers and trimmers have long been known and used for trimming and edging lawns and other grassy and weed-infested areas. Typical of these devices are the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,047,299, and 3,859,776. Accessory devices are also used in connection with “edgers” and line trimmers and typical of these devices is the attachment described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,749, dated Jun. 28, 1971, to Gerald P. Sauer, entitled “A Lawn Edger Attachment For A Power Saw”. In this patent the saw blade of an electric power saw is replaced with a two-side ground cutter blade and the power saw is attached to and carried by a wheeled carrier. A shoe on the power saw is attached to a base plate of the carrier and the shoe and cutter blade are adjustable relative to each other, in order to adjust the blade cutting height. A pivotally-mounted handle, by which the carrier may be pushed, carries a switch for stopping and starting the electric motor which drives the saw. The carrier base plate is supported on three wheels for ease of turning and maneuvering. An “Attachment For Line Trimmer” is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,784, dated Sept. 30, 1980, to Lee A. Hansen. This device is designed to convert a line trimmer to an edge trimmer and includes a collar with support legs attached thereto and wheels attached to the support legs. A U-shaped brace extends between the support legs, in order to hold the support legs at an angle with respect to each other. The collar is placed loosely around the handle of an existing line trimmer and the line trimmer is inverted, in order to present the spool thereof perpendicular to the ground. The legs are inserted into the collar and the collar is then secured to the handle, with the head of the line trimmer located between the ends of the U-shaped brace. U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,178, dated Jan. 26, 1982, to Allie Callaghan, details a “Lawn Edging Machine”. The patent discloses a balanced, self-propelled and manually guided lawn edge in which an edging cutter blade is positioned near the inner side and rearwardly of the larger of two traction wheels of unequal diameter, mounted on a common drive axle. The smaller traction wheel can be axially adjusted relative to the larger wheel to regulate the angle of cut adjacent to a side wall or a curbing. A “Dolly For Lawn Trimmer and Combination Thereof” is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,659, dated Apr. 17, 1984, to H. J. Enbusk. The patent details a trimmer supported on a dolly, each of which trimmer and dolly is provided with a handle. The operator holds the dolly handle in one hand and the trimmer handle in the other hand and the trimmer is pivotally connected to the dolly, whereby movement of the handle of the trimmer relative to the dolly handle changes the approach angle of the trimmer relative to the movement of the dolly. The pivoted connection is positioned forward of the dolly wheels, whereby raising and lowering the dolly handle effects lowering and raising of the trimmer and the corresponding depth of cut. The pivoted connection includes adjustment means to adjust the positions of the trimmer relative to the dolly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,680, dated May 8, 1984, to Thomas C. D'Alessandro, details a “Battery Powered Lawn Edger”. The device includes a frame supported on at least three wheels, which frame securely carries one or more rechargeable wet-cell batteries, as well as a pivotally-mounted sub-assembly having a heavy duty, series-wound drive motor, a rigid edger blade mounted on the drive motor output shaft and a blade guard. Re-charging may be accomplished by interconnection to a conventional automotive charging system, a battery charger or to a 115-volt power source. The blade is positioned to rotate in a plane generally perpendicular to the ground and a blade-positioning lever is pivotally attached to the main guide handle for vertical adjustment of the blade. A drive motor on-off switch attachable to the handle is also provided and a removable cover may be provided for protecting the battery energizers. One or more of the wheels may also include drive means for locomotion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,544, dated Aug. 7, 1984, to Anthony Carsello, et al, details an “Edger”. The edger is provided with a rotatable cutting blade for trimming grass, weeds and the like. The cutting blade is driven by a motor mounted within a motor housing which is, in turn, supported for rotation about a longitudinal axis between a front wheel assembly and a rear wh
Mammen Nathan
Strasburger & Price LLP
LandOfFree
Guard and dolly for line trimming apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Guard and dolly for line trimming apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Guard and dolly for line trimming apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2907262