Earth working – Lawn edger – With or convertible to non-earth working implement
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-13
2003-12-16
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Earth working
Lawn edger
With or convertible to non-earth working implement
C056S012700, C056S014700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06662878
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a transmission for a trimmer/mower, a trimmer/mower having a transmission and in particular to a transmission for a trimmer/mower that is readily mountable to the trimmer/mower.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional trimmer/mowers have a trimmer/mower head that is driven by a vertically extending shaft driven in rotation by an electric motor or internal combustion engine. For cutting grasses and other thin stemmed vegetation, a line trimmer head having monofilament line extending from the periphery of the head is typically used. For cutting larger diameter stalks, including brush and small trees, disc-shaped blade attachments are known to be used. By using such attachments, the trimmer/mower can be used for more than one purpose. However, the vertical orientation of the driven shaft of the trimmer/mower limits the range of attachments that can be used in place of, or in addition to, the rotating trimmer head.
For attachments that perform work in a vertical plane, a horizontally extending driven shaft is required. However, horizontally extending drive shafts are not suitable for use with a trimmer head that cuts vegetation generally parallel to the ground surface, which is the trimmer/mower's primary function. Accordingly, trimmer/mowers of the prior art have limited versatility and are not able to support the use of attachments that perform work in a vertical plane (rotating about a horizontal axis) with respect to the ground.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to use a transmission with a trimmer/mower that drivingly connects to a drive shaft of a trimmer mower and that has an output drive shaft driven for rotation generally horizontally with respect to the ground surface.
It is a further object of the invention to readily mount and dismount such a transmission from a trimmer/mower, preferably without the need for tools using a simple, quick mounting procedure.
It is yet a further object of the invention to be able to readily mount and dismount such a transmission to a trimmer/mower that is provided with or retrofit with a bearing housing to which the transmission is to be mounted.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a suitable transmission is a worm-gear drive transmission that mounts on the bearing housing of a trimmer/mower and drivingly engages the vertically oriented shaft that is driven by the trimmer/mower. Further, preferably the worm gear drive has an output shaft that is horizontally oriented and rotates at a reduced speed and higher torque with respect to the vertically oriented shaft.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3603162 (1971-09-01), Gohler
patent: 4286675 (1981-09-01), Tuggle
patent: 4760646 (1988-08-01), Siegler
patent: 5653028 (1997-08-01), Hashimoto
patent: 5826414 (1998-10-01), Lenczuk
patent: 5873287 (1999-02-01), Kawada
patent: 6182367 (2001-02-01), Janczak
Kreissle Stephen O.
McMahon Paul
Van Woert Ned
Country Home Products, Inc.
Mattingly Stanger & Malur, P.C.
Pezzuto Robert E.
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