Harvesters – Motorized harvester – Having motor on ground-supported carrier
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-14
2001-09-18
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)
Harvesters
Motorized harvester
Having motor on ground-supported carrier
C056SDIG002
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289660
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lawn edger and more specifically to a debris deflector for a vertical drive shaft lawn edger.
II. Description of the Related Art
Lawn edgers are well known in the art and are widely used in maintaining the appearance of lawns. They are primarily used to trim grass or cut a border between a lawn and adjacent walks, driveways, curbs, etc.
The prior art edgers typically use a horizontal output shaft that rotates a vertical cutting blade. The edger is manipulated by the user in a substantially upright position. Front and rear wheels bear upon the walk or driveway guiding the cutting blade.
The rotation of the blade tends to propel the lawn edger in a forward direction. The rotation of the blade is accomplished by a vertical drive pulley which rotates a vertical driven pulley through a V-belt. The driven pulley rotates the cutting blade, which has a horizontal rotational axis.
In operation, the blade projects downwardly into grass, dirt and other debris thereby cutting a border between the lawn and the adjacent surface. This operation projects grass, dirt and other debris are projected in a variety of directions, including rearwardly toward the operator. This debris can result in injury to the operator and to other neighboring elements such as, aluminum siding, brick, etc.
The prior art lawn edgers utilize a blade guard to protect the blade and eliminate some flying debris. However, the blade guard does not extend around the rear of the blade. The rear portion of the blade must be open to allow the blade to rotate properly. If the rear portion of the blade is not open the blade guard would prevent rotation of the blade due to the debris being caught between the blade and the blade guard.
In operation, the operator must maintain a line-of-sight with the blade and the edge to which he is cutting. Prior art debris deflectors have been mounted close to the cutting blade, thereby obstructing the line-of-sight of the operator. This often leads to the operator cutting too close to the rigid surface thereby damaging the lawn edger.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved debris deflector for a lawn edger that is simple in design, effective in use, and overcomes the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous overall results.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a new and improved lawn edger is provided which includes deflector means to protect the operator from flying debris.
According to one aspect of the invention, the lawn edger comprises a frame member having a substantially planar top surface and a planar first side wall intersecting in a first top edge, edging means disposed forwardly of the frame member including blade means rotatable in a plane generally parallel to the first side wall, and deflector means carried on the frame and being operable to intercept debris hurled rearwardly by the blade means. The deflector means includes a frame extension extending from the first side wall having a substantially planar deflector surface outwardly angled relative to the plane of the first side wall, the deflector surface extending from an upper forward portion of said first side wall to a lower rearward portion of the first side wall. The deflector means further comprises a deflector assembly disposed near the rearward portion of the first side wall.
According to another aspect of the invention, the deflector assembly comprises a flexible member having an upper portion mounted to the frame extension and being angled outwardly in the same plane as the deflector surface, and a lower portion mounted to a surface which is parallel to the top surface of the frame, and a mounting member for mounting the flexible member wherein the mounting member is v-shaped in cross section.
According to another aspect of the invention, the flexible member has a first non-mounted planar configuration and a second mounted configuration and wherein the mounting means is operable to re-form the deflector from the first configuration to the second mounted configuration.
According to another aspect of the invention, the upper angled portion of the flexible member comprises between 20-80% of the area of the flexible member.
One advantage of the present invention is that the increased rearward positioning of the deflector means relative to the blade means provides an improved sight line for an operator and decreases the likelihood of damage to the blade.
Another advantage of the present invention is that debris is deflected outwardly away from the frame rather than directly downward, without the need for additional blowing means.
Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
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patent: 5263303 (1993-11-01), Stroud
patent: 5490371 (1996-02-01), Potucek, III
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patent: 2221602 (1990-02-01), None
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Bennett Timothy D.
Emerson Roger D.
Kovacs Arpad F
MTD Products Inc
Will Thomas B.
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