Earth working – Lawn edger – Rolling or driven cutter
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-22
2001-07-24
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Earth working
Lawn edger
Rolling or driven cutter
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263975
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention is directed generally to lawn edger with an edge guide that provides a fixed surface that guides the lawn edger as it is moved along a curb or other suitable surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lawn edger with a multi-positionable edge guide movable between an edge-cutting mode and a trench mode.
2. Description of Related Art
Lawn edgers with fixed edge guides such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,463,544 and 5,301,757 have limited applications. The fixed edge guide causes excess resistance with the ground and decreased maneuverability for garden bed edging or trench cutting. The fixed edge guide can also interfere with other applications such as crevice cleaning, because of its depth. Also, the fixed edge guide may not allow transport of the edger with all wheels on the ground.
Conversely, while removable edge guides provide a solution to the problems associated with the fixed guides described above, the removal process can take significant time and storage is required once the edge guide is removed. When using a lawn edger without an edge guide, it is sometimes difficult to follow a desired cutting path, particularly if there is no straight curb or surface to follow.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,718,742 discloses a lawn edger including a guide strap
56
pivotable about a bolt
58
between positions abutting first and second stop pins
60
,
61
. However, U.S. Pat. No. 2,718,742 does not provide any convenient means by which a user may change the position of the guide strap, any visual positional (sight-line) as to the desired cutting path, or any indication to the user as to the position of the guide strap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One feature of the invention is directed to providing a lawn edger with a multi-positionable edge guide. In trench mode, the edge guide is out of the ground and can be positioned to provide a reference or sight-line for the user to follow. In the trench mode, because the edge guide is above ground, it does not interfere with transport of the edger or with applications such as trenching or crevice cleaning. In curb-edging mode, the edge guide can be in the ground, providing a physical directional or fixed surface that guides the edger along a curb or other suitable surface. The edge guide also serves to prevent contact between the cutting blade and the curb, which can cause damage.
By making the edge guide multi-positionable, the user need not remove it completely from the edger to perform trench cutting or to transport the edger. When it is desired or necessary to change from the curb-edging mode to the trench mode, the user can manipulate a lever in order to move, rotate or otherwise translate the edge guide. The lever can be moved or translated until the edge guide is properly positioned, whereupon the lever and/or the edge guide can be locked into position. The lever can be conveniently positioned within an aperture of a blade guard covering at least a portion of the cutting blade. Alternatively, a pin connecting the edge guide and the lever can pass through a slot shaped aperture in the blade guard, and the lever can remain behind the blade guard, opposite to where the cutting blade is positioned.
One exemplary embodiment of a lawn edger according to the invention includes a housing having a motor, a cutting blade coupled to the motor, a blade guard positioned to cover at least a portion of the cutting blade, an edge guide rotatably mounted between the housing and the cutting blade and a lever connected to the edge guide and extending through an aperture in the blade guard. The edge guide is moveable between a curb-edging mode and a trench mode, and the lever is operable to move the edge guide between the curb-edging mode and the trench mode. In this embodiment, the motor may include a rotating shaft coupled to the cutting blade and the edge guide. Also, a spindle boss may extend from the motor and rotatably mount the edge guide. The spindle boss may also include a rotating shaft coupled to the cutting blade.
In embodiments, the blade guard may include a pin member that engages with the first hole in the lever when the edge guide moves into the curb-edging mode and a second hole in the lever when the edge guide moves into the trench mode. A spring may be provided to bias the lever against a side surface of the aperture of the blade guard when the pin member engages the first or second hole of the lever. The lever may be movable between a retracted position with respect to the blade guard when the edge guide is in the curb-edging mode and an extended position with respect to the blade guard when the edge guide is in the trench mode. In the extended position, the lever can provide a visual directional aide to the user.
In another exemplary embodiment according to this invention, the lawn edger includes a housing including a motor, a cutting blade powered by a rotating shaft extending from a spindle boss of the motor, an edge guide rotatably mounted on the spindle boss of the motor, and a lever connected to the edge guide. The edge guide is movable between a curb-edging mode and a trench mode, and the lever is operable to move the edge guide between the curb-edging mode and the trench mode. In embodiments, the lawn edger may include a blade guard covering at least a portion of the cutting blade, and the blade guard may include an aperture through which the lever extends, wherein the lever is movable between a retracted position with respect to the blade guard when the edge guide is in the curb-edging mode and an extended position with respect to the blade guard when the edge guide is in the trench mode.
According to yet another exemplary embodiment according to the present invention, a lawn edger includes a housing having a motor, a cutting blade coupled to a rotating shaft extending from a spindle boss of the motor, and an edge guide rotatably mounted on the spindle boss of the motor, the edge guide being movable between a curb-edging mode and the trench mode.
Accordingly, the lawn edgers according to the exemplary embodiments are not application-limited because they can be used with or without the edge guide. In the trench mode, where the edge guide is clear of the ground, travel of the edger is facilitated. Also, the lever can provide an indication as to the position of the edge guide. In some cases, the lever can also provide a visual directional aide to the user. Trench mode operation also allows the edger to have increased maneuverability for garden bed edging or trenching.
In the curb-edging mode, where the edge guide is in the ground, the edge guide provides a physical directional aide and prevents the blade from contacting the curb or edge. The user can quickly adapt to different edging situations by moving, rotating or otherwise translating the edge guide into position, without tools and without removing the edge guide from the edger.
These and other objects and aspects of the invention will be described in and/or apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the lawn edger of the present invention.
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patent: 5325928 (1994-07-01), Wagster et al.
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patent: 5826667 (1998-10-01), Notaras et al.
Clements David
Marshall James
Rosa Richard
Black & Decker Inc.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Pezzuto Robert E.
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