Abstract: A hand-held power-operated hedge trimmer for trimming plant growth such as hedges, shrubs, tree branches and the like. The hedge trimmer includes a housing containing a motor assembly, a blade assembly extending forwardly in a lengthwise direction from the housing, and a drive mechanism for coupling a movable cutting blade of the blade assembly to an output of the motor assembly for causing reciprocatory rectilinear movement of the movable cutting blade relative to a stationary combing blade in response to selective actuation of the motor assembly. The cutting blade includes a series of cutter teeth formed along its opposite longitudinal edges with each cutter tooth having a compound tooth profile. The compound tooth profile includes a pair of shear tooth segments formed along opposite lateral edges of the cutter tooth and a saw tooth segment formed at its distal edge between the shear tooth segments.

Abstract: A shear capable of cutting weeds close to the ground, without cutting grass in the presence of the weeds, is described. The shear can be implemented as a battery operated hand held device or as a shear mounted on a lawn mower. The shear operates by maintaining a spacing between the blades such that the flexible grass will only be bent between the blades. Weeds which have a thicker and stiffer shaft than the grass will be cut, thus functioning as a selective mechanical herbicide.

Abstract: A vine cane pruner has a frame with four hedgers mounted on the frame. First and third hedgers are mounted on opposite sides of the frame with cutting teeth extending forwardly. Gathering mechanisms mounted on the first and third hedgers engage vertical canes on opposite sides of the vine and draw the engaged vertical canes into the cutting teeth of the first and third hedgers. Second and fourth hedgers are mounted on opposite sides of the frame and rearwardly of the first and third hedgers with cutting teeth extending forwardly. Gathering mechanisms mounted on the second and fourth hedgers engage the horizontal canes on opposite sides of the vine and draw the engaged horizontal canes into the cutting teeth of the second and fourth hedgers. A telescoping mast connected between the frame and a transport vehicle supports the frame and permits it to be selectively raised and lowered.

Abstract: A landscape care tool can take the form of a vegetation-cutting tool incorporating circular-shaped blades having teeth or an earth-working tool incorporating hoeing tines. Drive linkage for such tool forms, as well as other tool forms, imparts linear movement in response to rotation of a shaft. The drive linkage includes a worm element which rotates with the shaft and a tooth carrier which moves linearly in response to rotation of the worm element. The worm element has one set of threads angled in one direction and a second set of threads angled in the opposite direction. The tooth carrier carries one tooth which engages threads of the first set of threads in order to move the carrier in one linear direction and a second tooth which engages threads of the second set of threads to move the carrier in the opposite linear direction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cutting blade for a mowing apparatus, which comprises a pair of first and second pivotal cutting wheels slidably superposed with each other and each provided with a number of grass cutting edges along its circumference, each of the teeth having a major surface, two side edges and an outer periphery edge; and mechanism for reciprocatingly rotating each cutting wheel in opposite directions through a predetermined angle, respectively. At least one of the side edges of each of the teeth of the cutting wheels is defined by an inclined surface forming an acute angle relative to a major surface of the tooth so as to form a cutting edge, and the outer periphery edge is defined by a plane substantially perpendicular to the major surface of the tooth. Namely, there is no sharp edge in the outer peripheries of the teeth of the cutting wheels or the free ends of teeth.

Abstract: A device for removing unwanted vegetation consisting of a pole with a pair of cutting members on one end and two control handles on the other end. In use, the end with the cutting members is pulled through the vegetation and as the device moves, the offending vegetation is cut off by the cutting action produced by the pulling movement. If, during the cutting, the unwanted vegetation is found to be supple and yielding, a first handle is depressed. This brings the cutting members closer together and causes the supple vegetation to be sheared off. On the other hand, if, during the cutting, the unwanted vegetation pulls out of the ground and becomes lodged in the device, a second handle is depressed. This permits the cutting members to rotate away from each other thereby releasing the unwanted vegetation from the device.