Abstract: An improvement for flail cutter heads so that additional flail can be fed from the device by merely bumping its rotating body on the ground. A pair of disc-shaped cams are readily mounted on the centerline of the body on the opposite radial sides of a spool around which the flails are wound. The disc-shaped cams interact with facing cam followers on the inner surfaces of spool covers forming the major portions of the body so that when the lower cam is moved axially out of contact with the lower follower, by bouncing a downwardly biased, axially mounted bumper member on the ground, the other has already moved axially upwardly in position for engagement with the upper follower. This engagement occurs after a predetermined rotation of the spool. Once the bounce is over, the upper cam moves axially in the reverse direction, disengaging the upper cam follower after the lower cam is in position the contact the lower cam followers after another predetermined of rotation.

Abstract: A venipuncture site protector to be secured to a patient over a venipuncture site containing an intravenous needle for shielding the site and needle against contact by other objects which would cause trauma to the endothelial lining of the venal wall, pain and discomfort to the patient, and other adverse effects. The protector has a body including a relatively rigid cup-like shield of frustro-pyramidal shape and mounting tabs extending from the shield, these tabs are taped to the patient's body with the shield positioned over the venipuncture site and the intravenous needle entering the shield through a side opening. The protector body is constructed of relatively thin, stiff but readily bendable material having a low modulus of elasticity such that the protector may be bent without appreciable springback to accommodate the protector to the patient's body surface contour at the venipuncture site.

Abstract: An improved cutting head for rotary mowers and trimmers for vegetation, having major components that are interchangeable and reversible, comprises a pair of housing members having cylindrical side portions and radially extending portions. The housing members are coaxial and enclose a pair of coaxial flail spools, each spool having at least one flail and preferably a pair of flails, wound thereon. Flail may be extended from both spools to provide four cutting flails or from only one spool to provide two cutting flails. The spools are stressed apart axially toward confronting inner surfaces of the housing members by a compressed spring therebetween, thus to cause ribs on the spools and stop lugs on the inner surfaces of the housing members to cooperate in providing ratchet arrangements to allow portions of flails to be fed through the housing member cylindrical side portion upon release of a manual knob.

Abstract: A convenience improvement for rotary mowers, trimmers and edgers of vegetation that have a rotating body from which one or more flexible cord-like filamentous cutting blades or flails extend radially so that additional flail length can be fed from the device by merely bumping the rotating body on the ground. A pair of disc-shaped cams, preferably having square peripheries, are radially mounted on the centerline of the cutter, oriented at 45.degree. to each other. They interact with a cam follower so that when a first cam is moved axially out of contact with the follower, by bumping of the rotating body on the ground, the other moves axially into engagement with the follower after a 45.degree. rotation. Once the bump is over, the second cam moves axially in the reverse direction, disengaging the cam follower and allowing another 45.degree. of rotation before the first cam, repositioned by the axial movement comes into abutment contact with the cam follower. The 90.degree.

Abstract: A convenience improvement in rotary mowers, trimmers and edgers of vegetation that have a rotating body from which one or more flexible cord-like filamentous cutting blades or flails extend radially so that additional flail length can be fed from the device by merely bumping the rotating body on the ground. The improvement includes a plurality of spline lugs on one portion which extend into a serpentinous cam slot on another. Bumping of the device on the ground causes the lugs to move from stable positions to other stable positions allowing relative movement between the outer case of the mower and a spool of flail therein so that predetermined length of flail is fed out through the case.

Abstract: A convenience improvement in rotary mowers, trimmers and edgers of vegetation that have a rotating body from which one or more flexible cord-like filamentous cutting blades or flails extend radially so that additional flail length can be fed from the device by merely bumping the rotating body on the ground. The improvement includes a plurality of spline lugs on one portion which extend into a serpentinous cam slot on another. Bumping of the device on the ground causes the lugs to move from stable positions to other stable positions allowing relative movement between the outer case of the mower and a spool of flail therein so that a predetermined length of flail is fed out through the case.

Abstract: A cutting head for rotary mowers, trimmers, and edgers for vegetation, having a rotating body from which flexible flail-like filamentous cutting blades extend radially. The device contains improvements over the cutting head described in my copending application Ser. No. 722,015. The flails are preferably of high-strength organic polymer such as nylon monofilament and exit from the rotating body through grommets. The improved grommets are molded from a bearing material of plastic filled with powdered dry lubricant and metal particles. The head has raised ramp portions alongside each grommet to protect the grommet. Sharp-edged radial ribs on the top of the rotating body operate to deter weed and grass stems from wrapping and binding about the upper body.

Abstract: An improved cutting head for rotary mowers, trimmers and edgers for vegetation is constructed with a generally cylindrical rotating body from which flexible flair-like cutting blades extend radially in a plane orthogonal to the rotational axis. The flails are preferentially formed of nylon monofilament and exit through grommets secured in the rotating body. The inner and outer portions of the channels through the grommets are flared into curvilinear funnels to allow the blade filaments to be flexed in any direction without undue stress. The flails are additionally protected by circumferential flanges running around the periphery of the cutting head, above and below the cutting plane, which project to radial dimensions beyond the outer lips of the grommets to prevent the filaments from being trapped between the body and a foreign object.