Harvesters – Cutting – Cutter members
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-01
2004-04-20
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)
Harvesters
Cutting
Cutter members
C056S255000, C056S017500, C056SDIG002
Reexamination Certificate
active
06722114
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safe lawn mower blade alternative system and more particularly pertains to cutting grass without the risk of harmful injury.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of lawn mower blades of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, lawn mower blades of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of cutting grass through conventional methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,922 to Ballas, et al discloses a rotary cutting assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,913 to Fisher, et al discloses a safe cutter disc assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,700 to Inada discloses a cutting head for a mower. U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,905 to Frantello discloses a vertically extending attachment for the vertically extending drive-shaft of a rotary lawn mower. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,947 to Poole et al discloses a safety lawn mower blade.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a safe lawn mower blade alternative system that allows cutting grass without the risk of harmful injury.
In this respect, the safe lawn mower blade alternative system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of cutting grass without the risk of harmful injury.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved safe lawn mower blade alternative system which can be used for cutting grass without the risk of harmful injury. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of lawn mower blades of known designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved safe lawn mower blade alternative system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved safe lawn mower blade alternative system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a lawn mower. The lawn mower has a motor. The motor has a rotatable drive shaft with associated fittings. A threaded aperture is formed in the drive shaft. A bottom hub is provided next. The bottom hub is in a circular configuration. Through the bottom hub is a central circular aperture. Around the bottom hub are eight equally spaced bolt holes. The bolt holes are adjacent to the periphery. A lower intermediate plate is coupled to the upper surface of the bottom hub. Centered over the central circular aperture is a generally oval recess. Eight generally V-shaped recesses with radiating side edges are provided around an opening into the periphery of the bottom hub. Next provided is a top hub. The top hub is in a circular configuration. Provided through the top hub is a central square aperture. Eight equally spaced bolt holes are provided adjacent to the periphery. An upper intermediate plate is coupled to the lower surface of the top hub. A generally oval recess is centered beneath the central aperture. Eight generally V-shaped recesses with radiating side edges are provided around an opening into the periphery of the top hub. Further provided is a metal weight. The weight is in a generally oval configuration. A generally oval aperture is provided through the center of the weight. The weight is positioned within the oval recesses of the top hub and bottom hub when coupled together. Provided next are eight cutting blades. The blades are fabricated of plastic. Each blade has an interior portion, an intermediate portion, and an exterior portion. The interior portion is in a generally circular configuration. A hole is provided through the interior portion. The hole is positioned between the holes of the top and bottom hubs. The interior and intermediate portions are relatively rigid. The exterior portion is flexible. The exterior portion is adapted to be trimmed to fit various lawn mower sizes. The interior portion is adapted to fit between the V-shaped recesses of the top and bottom hub when in a closed configuration. Next provided are eight cutting blade pivot bolts. The pivot bolts have a head. The pivot bolts have a male threaded portion. The pivot bolts are adapted to pass through aligned holes of the bottom hub of the blades. Eight hex nuts are adapted to receive the male threaded portions of the pivot bolts. In this manner, the blades are able to pivot in an arc of about 45 degrees with respect to the top hub and bottom hub. The top hub, bottom hub, metal weight, cutting blades, pivot bolts, and hex nuts form a rotatable cutting assembly with the apertures thereof in axial alignment and in alignment with the threaded aperture of the drive shaft. Provided next is a lock bolt. The lock bolt has a head. The lock bolt also has a threaded end. The threaded end is positioned through the apertures of the cutting assembly to removably couple with the threaded aperture of the drive shaft. A plurality of bushings are provided. The bushings are adapted to the various different types of associated fittings of the drive shaft. Each bushing has a top end and a bottom end with a central aperture. The top end is in a generally rectangular configuration. A variety of recess are adapted to fit the associated fittings of the drive shaft of the lawn mower. The bottom end is of a preselected configuration with a circumference less than that of the central aperture of the top hub. In this manner, the entire bushing may be positioned within the square recess of the top hub thereby allowing the drive shaft to abut the cutting assembly and allow the locking bolt to pass through the central apertures for releasably securing the cutting assembly to the lawn mower. Even further provided is a plurality of apertures. The apertures are provided on the central region of the top hub. The apertures enable any protuberances from the lawn mower to be adapted to fit with the cutting system. Last provided are a plurality of flanges. The flanges are provided on the central region of the top hub. The flanges enable apertures of the lawn mower to be adapted to fit with the cutting system.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent co
Burrow Robert C.
Poole James Terry
Dutkiewicz Edward P.
Petravick Meredith
Will Thomas B.
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