Abstract: A trimmer head assembly for use on a vegetation cutting machine. The trimmer head assembly has a housing. The housing has a top surface, bottom surface, and may have at least two recessed areas there between. Pivot posts are disposed about the trimmer head. An anchor disc is disposed around each pivot post. The anchor disc is free to rotate around the pivot post within a range. Each anchor disc may have two trimmer line channels extending through it. The two trimmer line channels are joined by an open edge groove that runs along one edge. A length of trimmer line is provided for each anchor disc. Each length of trimmer line has a first end that extends through the first of the trimmer line channels, a second end that extends through the second of the trimmer line channels and a bend that seats in the open edge groove.

Abstract: A trimmer head assembly and the method of configuring the trimmer head assembly. The trimmer head assembly has a housing that attaches to a string trimmer machine. A spool is provided inside the housing. The spool rotates about an axis of rotation. The spool can move longitudinally along the axis of rotation between a first position and a second position. A ratcheting mechanism is provided between the trimmer head housing and the spool. When the spool is in its first position, the ratcheting mechanism enables the spool to continuously rotate about the axis of rotation in the direction opposite that in which the trimmer head assembly spins. The ratchet mechanism also prevents the spool from rotating within the housing in the same direction in which the trimmer head is spinning.

Abstract: A trimmer head assembly for use on a vegetation cutting machine. The trimmer head assembly has a housing. The housing has a top surface, bottom surface, and may have at least two recessed areas there between. Pivot posts are disposed about the trimmer head. An anchor disc is disposed around each pivot post. The anchor disc is free to rotate around the pivot post within a range. Each anchor disc may have two trimmer line channels extending through it. The two trimmer line channels are joined by an open edge groove that runs along one edge. A length of trimmer line is provided for each anchor disc. Each length of trimmer line has a first end that extends through the first of the trimmer line channels, a second end that extends through the second of the trimmer line channels and a bend that seats in the open edge groove.

Abstract: A trimmer head assembly and the method of configuring the trimmer head assembly. The trimmer head assembly has a housing that attaches to a string trimmer machine. A spool is provided inside the housing. The spool rotates about an axis of rotation. The spool can move longitudinally along the axis of rotation between a first position and a second position. A ratcheting mechanism is provided between the trimmer head housing and the spool. When the spool is in its first position, the ratcheting mechanism enables the spool to continuously rotate about the axis of rotation in the direction opposite that in which the trimmer head assembly spins. The ratchet mechanism also prevents the spool from rotating within the housing in the same direction in which the trimmer head is spinning.

Abstract: In an embodiment, at least one pair cleats is provided. The two cleats of each pair are symmetrically arranged about a passageway for trimmer line. The two cleats of each pair allow trimmer line to be inserted through an entrance port with relatively little (if any) hindrance. However, the cleats grip the trimmer line preventing the trimmer line from being removed via the entrance port when the trimmer line is pulled from the entrance port (e.g., during use). In an embodiment, a trimmer head is provided with an exit port on the top of the trimmer head, which is for removing trimmer line by pulling the trimmer line through the exit port. The trimmer head uses a fixed length of trimmer line, which may be loaded with new trimmer line by inserting the trimmer line into an entrance port until one end of the trimmer line reaches the exit port.

Abstract: A vegetation trimmer comprising an elongate main handle to which is connected a motor that rotatably drives a trimmer head located at a distal end of the handle. The trimmer head defines a rotational axis and includes a housing, a spool rotatably received in the housing for carrying at least one coil of flexible trimmer line, a latch member carried by one of the housing and the spool for releasably locking the spool against rotation with respect to the housing, and at least one seat carried by the other of the housing and the spool for receiving the latch member, whereby either the latch member or the at least one seat orbits about the rotational axis of the trimmer head when trimmer line is dispensed from the spool. The spool preferably carries a yieldable trimmer line guide for guiding trimmer line between opposed trimmer line exit ports in the housing.

Abstract: A vegetation trimmer comprising an elongate main handle to which is connected a motor that rotatably drives a trimmer head located at a distal end of the handle. The trimmer head defines a rotational axis and includes a housing, a spool rotatably received in the housing for carrying at least one coil of flexible trimmer line, a latch member carried by one of the housing and the spool for releasably locking the spool against rotation with respect to the housing, and at least one seat carried by the other of the housing and the spool for receiving the latch member, whereby either the latch member or the at least one seat orbits about the rotational axis of the trimmer head when trimmer line is dispensed from the spool. The spool preferably carries a yieldable trimmer line guide for guiding trimmer line between opposed trimmer line exit ports in the housing.

Abstract: A motorized vegetation trimmer apparatus comprising an elongate main handle to which is connected a motor that rotatably drives a trimmer head located at a distal end of the handle. The trimmer head carries one or more radially outwardly projecting cutting members which cut vegetation as the trimmer head rotates. Each cutting member comprises a finite length of flexible strand. The cutting member is releasably gripped in a substantially enclosed chamber by a gripping mechanism including a movable gripping member and a spring that biases the gripping member into gripping contact with the strand. A release member cooperates with the gripping member to urge the gripping member against the biasing force of the spring to permit removal of a cutting member from the trimmer head.

Abstract: A vegetation trimmer comprising an elongate main handle to which is connected a motor that rotatably drives a trimmer head located at a distal end of the handle. The trimmer head defines a rotational axis and includes a housing and a spool rotatably received in the housing for carrying at least one coil of flexible trimmer line. The trimmer head further includes structure for enabling trimmer line to be wound through housing and onto the spool in a user-selected clockwise or counterclockwise direction without removing the spool from the housing such that trimmer line is dischargeable from the trimmer head in an appropriate clockwise or counterclockwise direction dictated by the direction of rotation of the vegetation trimmer drive shaft.

Abstract: A vegetation trimmer comprising an elongate main handle to which is connected a motor that rotatably drives a trimmer head located at a distal end of the handle. The trimmer head defines a rotational axis and includes a housing, a spool rotatably received in the housing for carrying at least one coil of flexible trimmer line, a latch member carried by one of the housing and the spool for releasably locking the spool against rotation with respect to the housing, and at least one seat carried by the other of the housing and the spool for receiving the latch member, whereby either the latch member or the at least one seat orbits about the rotational axis of the trimmer head when trimmer line is dispensed from the spool. The spool preferably carries a yieldable trimmer line guide for guiding trimmer line between opposed trimmer line exit ports in the housing.