Harvesters – Motorized harvester – Including cutter yieldably mounted on its drive means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-24
2001-07-10
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)
Harvesters
Motorized harvester
Including cutter yieldably mounted on its drive means
C056S012100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256970
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to lawn maintenance apparatus, and more particularly, to apparatus with an implement attached thereto such as a string weed trimmer with a string trimmer head which can be rotated from a horizontal trimming position to a vertical edging position, and can further be selectively positioned laterally to increase the trimmer's versatility and ease of maneuvering. The present invention is also directed to such apparatus with interchangeable implements.
2. Description of the Related Art
String trimmers and the like have traditionally taken the form of hand-held units with a small engine mounted at one end of an elongate tubular housing with the engine driving a drive shaft. The drive shaft typically connects through the tubing to a rotating string trimmer head at the opposite end thereof. These trimmers have a number of disadvantages, including discomfort associated with carrying fairly heavy engines and housings, the physical effort it takes to swing the trimmers back and forth during trimming, the corresponding restriction on engine size and power required to maintain portability of the trimmers, and other disadvantages.
Attempts have been made to mount string trimmers and powers sources to wheeled carriages. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,886 to R. D. Quillen teaches a string trimmer which resembles a typical hand held unit, but is carried on a horizontal frame supported by a pair of wheels. The trimmer drive shaft can be rotated relative the frame to adjust the trimmer head angle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,374 to T. G. Huston discusses another such trimmer. The Huston patent teaches a string trimmer head which is mounted forward of a wheeled carriage on a fixed frame extension. The wheeled carriage mounts an engine which drives a drive pulley. A flexible belt is connected between the engine drive pulley and trimmer head to provide rotary power to the head. The head itself is attached to an elongate shaft which can be rotated thereby adjusting the head angle.
A need still exists for a wheel-mounted string trimmer with a trimmer head which can be readily angularly adjusted about a first generally horizontal axis, and selectively positioned laterally about a second generally vertical axis for maximum maneuverability and versatility. In addition there remains a need for such an apparatus which could be adapted for interchangeable replacement of a string trimmer head with other rotatable implements such as edgers, blowers and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a mobile apparatus incorporating an implement drive shaft mounted in a bearing assembly which is telescopically mounted relative to a support frame by a telescoping implement mounting assembly. One or more rotatable implements, attachments or heads, such as a string trimmer head, blade edger, blower or the like, are removably securable to the implement drive shaft. The implement drive shaft is rotatably driven by an engine mounted to the support frame and connected to the implement drive shaft by a drive assembly such as a system of belts and pulleys.
The telescoping implement mounting assembly includes a base member mounted to the base frame and a telescoping member slidingly or telescopingly secured to the base member. The telescoping member is rotatably mounted relative to said base member about a horizontal axis and the base member is pivotally mounted to said base frame to pivot about a vertical axis such that an implement secured to the drive shaft may be rotated about a horizontal axis or pivoted from side to side.
In a preferred embodiment, the drive assembly comprises an engine drive shaft extending vertically below the engine with a drive pulley mounted on the end of the drive shaft. A second pulley is mounted on the implement drive shaft on a side of the bearing assembly opposite the implement. The drive pulley is connected to the second pulley by a belt. The drive pulley and the second pulley generally extend in the same plane when the implement drive shaft is vertically oriented. When the implement drive shaft is rotated out of vertical alignment by rotation of the telescoping member the pulleys are advanced out of planar alignment increasing the effective path of travel of the drive belt.
A spring is mounted to the telescoping implement mounting assembly and acts on the telescoping member to biasingly urge it away from the base member so as to urge the bearing assembly and implement drive shaft away from the base member. Biasing of the bearing assembly and implement drive shaft away from the base member provides for constant tension on the drive belt. For example, as the bearing assembly and implement drive shaft are rotated from an approximately horizontal alignment to a vertical alignment, the circumference of the drive belt necessary to maintain constant tension would be reduced if the mounting assembly were of fixed length. In the apparatus of the present invention, as the telescoping member is rotated to rotate the bearing assembly and the implement drive member to a vertical alignment, the spring biases the telescoping member outward thereby increasing the distance between the drive pulley and the second pulley to take up any slack in the drive belt and maintain constant tension thereon. When the telescoping member is rotated to rotate the bearing assembly and the implement drive member out of vertical alignment, the increased tension on the drive belt causes the telescoping member to retract relative to the base member against the biasing force of the spring, thereby maintain proper tension on the drive belt.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
The objects and advantages of the present invention include: providing a walk-behind lawn apparatus with a multi-adjustable head; providing such an apparatus with an implement head which is remotely adjustable; providing such an apparatus which is versatile and easily maneuverable; providing such an apparatus with an implement head which can be selectively positioned laterally; providing such an apparatus with an implement head that can be angularly rotated; providing such an apparatus in which a variety of implements are removably and interchangeably securable thereto and providing such an apparatus which is particularly well-suited to its intended purpose.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3668845 (1972-06-01), Parker
patent: 3977475 (1976-08-01), Zugai
patent: 4787195 (1988-11-01), Wenzel
patent: 4936886 (1990-06-01), Quillen
patent: 5167108 (1992-12-01), Bird
patent: 5199502 (1993-04-01), Hirata et al.
patent: 5246403 (1993-09-01), Uphaus
patent: 5577374 (1996-11-01), Huston
patent: 5862655 (1999-01-01), Altamirano et al.
Kovacs Arpad F
Shughart Thomson & Kilroy P.C.
Swisher Mower & Machine Co., Inc.
Will Thomas B.
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