Rotating-cutting-disk Type Patents (Class 56/255)
  • Patent number: 4996832
    Abstract: A rotary mower is provided with a side guard preferably along the left side of the housing and extending fore-and-aft to the outboard sides of the left-hand front and rear wheels at about axle height for the purpose of protecting the mower against obstacles at that side. The guard is extended in J fashion at its front and rear ends to extend around the front of the front wheel and in back of the rear wheel and each J portion has a short leg for affixation to existing parts of the mower, such as the housing, front and rear axles and the like. The guard is adjustable fore-and-aft to compensate for differences in spacing of the front and rear axles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Inventor: Leslie W. McKeever
  • Patent number: 4995228
    Abstract: A rectangular metallic plate cutting blade having an opening at the center thereof for attaching the plate to a rotary power shaft. A pair of trapezoidally-shaped cutting recesses are cut into the leading edges of the blade. The edges of the plate defining the cutting recesses are beveled to provide sharp cutting edges. A turbulence flange extends upwardly from the trailing edge of the metallic plate on the opposite side of the plate from each of the trapezoidally-shaped cutting recesses. Each of these turbulence flanges is from about 1.0 to about 1.5 times as long as the width of the trapezoidally-shaped recess with which it is aligned across the blade, and defines an angle of from about 35.degree. to about 55.degree. with respect to the major plane of the rectangular plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Inventor: Joseph C. Hladik, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4987732
    Abstract: To mow even soft grass more tidily in shearing mode without kicking pebbles, a pair of two grass cutting wheels are pivotally driven by an engine in two mutually-different directions. One cutting wheel is slidably fixed relative to the other cutting wheel for safety. The mowing machine can be used in common to shear off grass on the ground and trim a garden tree by adjusting an angle between a hollow grip pipe and the machine cutting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: Komatsu Zenoah Co.
    Inventors: Akio Terai, Junichi Yoshino, Shinroku Satsumi, Mitsuru Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 4974399
    Abstract: Hinged connection (16) forms a connection element (17) connected to hitching element (9) by a first joint (20) and to support beam (14) by a second joint (21). Connection element (15) and connection element (17) form with hitching element (9) and support beam (14) a deformable quadrilateral (22) making it possible, for transport, to move the mowing group (2) toward median vertical plane (62) of the tractor (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Kuhn S.A.
    Inventor: M. Jean-Paul Haberkorn
  • Patent number: 4967546
    Abstract: A mulching attachment for a lawn mower includes a disc-like base having a fan associated therewith for establishing a radial flow of air thereacross. The mulching attachment further includes a cylindrical blade assembly disposed around the periphery of the disc and including a number of spaced apart blades operative to finely chop vegetation into mulch and to discharge the mulch through openings between the blades. The mulching attachment may be factory installed or retrofitted onto existing lawn mowers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Inventor: Edward Forbush
  • Patent number: 4958483
    Abstract: A rope guide for the recoil starter rope of a power lawn mower, said rope guide being adapted for attachment to an extruded mower handle member having a substantially C-shaped configuration without drilling, cutting or otherwise deforming the handle member. The guide comprises a tubular body portion having an inner configuration in substantial conformity with the outer configuration of the handle member and adapted to receive the handle member therewithin in close fitting, sliding relation. The body portion is attached to the handle member by means of a screw passing through a bore in the body portion, through the opening in the handle member and into a threaded plate within the handle member spanning the opening therein. An arm portion extending outwardly from the body portion includes an aperture therein for receiving and guiding the mower starter rope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventor: Richard A. Heismann
  • Patent number: 4958484
    Abstract: Vegetation cutting apparatus having a frontal housing deck overlies at least three rotary blade cutters arrayed leftwardly, medially, and rightwardly for simultaneously cutting a continuous transversely extending swath and centifugally discharging the cuttings through a central and rearwardly longitudinally extending cuttings chute. The vertical shaft for each horizontal rotary blade carries a sheave; a belt transmission means, emanating from a powered gearbox, drives the respective blade sheaves and also a reversing sheave, the latter ensuring that the arrayed rotary blades direct vegetation cuttings toward the central discharge chute. A novel spring-loaded device maintains constant tension upon the circuitous belt transmission means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: Exmark Manufacturing Company Incorporated
    Inventor: Garry W. Busboom
  • Patent number: 4951450
    Abstract: A mowing machine comprising a cutter bar having rotary mowing members arranged thereabove. The cutter bar is connected for its support in two places to a carrier frame. One of these connections includes a flexible member, constituted by a resilient element, which permits relative limited movement between the carrier frame and the portion of the cutter bar that is contiguous to the connection. The resilient connection can be attached to a mowing member mounted on the cutter bar or outside the reach of the mowing members by means of an upwardly extending connection beam which is rigidly connected to the carrier frame at its upper end and is connected to the cutter bar at its lower end via a horizontal resilient element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: C. van der Lely N.V.
    Inventors: Maarten Koorn, Sape Sikkema
  • Patent number: 4946488
    Abstract: A heavy duty brush cutting machinery having vehicle mounted brush cutters mounted on a boom extending outwardly from the vehicle. The cutter head assembly is comprised of a generally circular rotary cutter blade, a blade-rotating motor and drive shaft, and a semi-circular cutter blade shroud mounting the motor and the drive shaft. The shroud is comprised of a top deck mounting the blade, motor and drive shaft. The top deck has a first peripheral edge encompassing an obtuse arc, a second segmental edge lying radially outwardly from the first edge and non-radially across the plane of the underlying cutter blade, and a third segental edge extending from the first edge and intersecting the second edge at an obtuse angle. The shroud includes an anvil cutting edge provided at the leading edge of the top deck's third segmental edge to sever or dislodge oversized objects from the blade before the object can be carried into the shroud enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Inventor: Timothy A. Davison
  • Patent number: 4938011
    Abstract: An attachment for a conventional lawn mower provides shredding or pulverizing of lawn materials, including leaves, limbs and the like. The attachment includes an arcuate closure wall secured to the cutting blade housing of the lawn mower over the discharge opening in the housing. The attachment includes a plurality of cutting members arranged in preselected groups thereof. Each cutting member includes a plurality of radially extending cutting elements which are configured so as to be self-cleaning and effect pulverizing or shredding of the lawn material. The placement and positioning of the cutting members on the closure wall may be readily varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Inventor: Nicholas L. Pernia
  • Patent number: 4936884
    Abstract: A cutting device is provided to replace a conventional lawnmower blade which offers improved safety, outstanding grass cutting ability, improved grass bagging suction, and a reduction in the strain on the engine. The device includes an elongated, downwardly curved rigid thermoplastic member having an upstanding airfoil at each distal end. Several elongated flexible tines extend outwardly away and downwardly from the member. The tips of these tines operate to effectively cut the grass while flexing for safety if an object is encountered, such as a rock or toe. The airfoils increase the suction within the mowing cavity to increase the grass bagging efficiency. The downwardly curved configuration presents the tips of the tines for grass cutting while reducing or eliminating the drag of the member on the grass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignees: Wesley R. Oder, Stephen M. Bingham
    Inventor: David L. Campbell
  • Patent number: 4922693
    Abstract: A mower including a housing and an assembly for fastening guiding and driving bearings to an upper part of the housing. The assembly includes plural bolts each fastened to a holding element which holds each bolt approximately in its appropriate position and which prevents rotation of each bolt during the tightening or loosening of the nut. The bolt and its holding element constitute a removable assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Kuhn S.A.
    Inventor: Horst Neuerburg
  • Patent number: 4911247
    Abstract: A power handheld cultivating device has a protective tube for a motor drive shaft and a working implement mountable at the end of the protective tube. A miter-like gear is connectible to the end of the drive shaft and has an output shaft carrying a gear wheel which cooperates with a toothed gear rigid with a drive shaft for the working implement. The implement is mounted on a carrier which is laterally surrounded by an impact body and passages open to the outside may be provided between the impact body and the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignees: Josef Kuhlmann, Karl Schuer
    Inventors: Josef Kuhlmann, Gerd Scheipers
  • Patent number: 4899522
    Abstract: The brushwood cutting device comprises a frame structure, a massive circular flywheel disk rotatable about its geometrical axis, and a hydraulic motor mounted on the frame structure for rotating the flywheel disk at high speed. A first flat and rectangular blade has an end attached to the disk through a first, peripheral pivot, while a second blade of same shape has an end also attached to the disk through a second, peripheral pivot, which first and second pivots are diametrically opposed with respect to each other. The frame structure comprises a plurality of vertically positioned transversal plate members, including front and rear plate members and intermediate ones. Each intermediate plate member is provided with an elongated aperture in which the disk and blades rotate. The frame structure is pivotally mounted at the distal end of a hydraulic backhoe whereby the brushwood cutting device can be moved as desired through operation of the backhoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Inventor: Serge Munger
  • Patent number: 4896484
    Abstract: A disc mower-conditioner having the disc cutterbar driven at each end thereof, the rotational power being delivered to the outboard end of the disc cutterbar by a power transfer mechanism rotated above the disc cutterbar, is disclosed wherein the drive mechanism includes a gearbox operable to receive rotational power from a power input shaft and transfer rotational power to three output shafts to operably power equally the opposing ends of the disc cutterbar and to power the rotation of the conditioning rolls positioned rearwardly thereof. The gearbox is provided with a removable lid rotatably supporting the output shaft operably associated with the power transfer mechanism to deliver rotational power to the outboard end of the disc cutterbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Ford New Holland, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Jennings
  • Patent number: 4896493
    Abstract: A mower has a frame which allows the mower to be hitched to a tractor. A mowing group is connected to the frame by a joint having an axis directed substantially in a direction of advance. The mowing group is equipped with at least one cutting element and one rotor, with the rotor extending in part at least above one of the cutting elements. The mower also includes drive elements for the cutting elements and the rotor, and a control element which allows the mowing group to be pivoted around the joint connecting the mowing group to the frame to bring the mowing group to a transport position in which the mowing group is directed upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Kuhn S.A.
    Inventor: Horst Neuerburg
  • Patent number: 4890446
    Abstract: A mulching attachment is provided which is adapted to be detachably secured in place within the cavity defined by the deck of a lawn mower in spaced relation to the mower discharge chute opening, so as to permit air flow thereby and to enable virtually unhampered bagging of the leaves picked up by the mower. The mulching attachment comprises a mulching plate which is disposed above the plane of the path of travel of the mower cutting blade, with a portion of the lower edge of the mulching plate being disposed closely adjacent to the upper surface of the cutting blade during rotation of the cutting blade so as to provide a shearing or scissoring cutting action in the area of the lower edge portion. The radial outermost portion of the lower edge of the mulching plate is shaped so as to permit air flow thereby. In one embodiment, a pair of plates are used to form the mulching plate so as to enable the size of the mulching attachment to be adjusted to accommodate mowers of different types and sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Inventor: Bert L. Israel
  • Patent number: 4890448
    Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement of a mowing blade unit in which a rotary blade and a fixed blade are overlapped to each other in coaxial relation to each other so as to cut the weeds under rotation of the rotary blade, wherein the circumferential edges of the rotary blade are formed with concave-shaped blade portions curved toward its rotating direction, the circumferential edges of the fixed blade are formed with a plurality of convex-shaped blade portions oppositely and slidably contacting with the concave-shaped blade portions with a specified holding angle, thereby the concave-shaped blade portions at the circumferential edges of the rotary blade take weeds into areas between each of the convex-shaped blade portions at the circumferential edges of the fixed blade and the rotary blade to hold the weeds with the convex-shaped blade portions with a specified holding angle and to made a positive cutting of the weeds to improve an efficiency of cutting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Ahresty Corporation
    Inventor: Hachiro Doi
  • Patent number: 4890445
    Abstract: A disc cutter forming a part of a disc cutterbar used on harvesting implements such as disc mower-conditioners is configured to permit a movement of the disc member relative to the driven shaft on which it is mounted. The disc member, which carries knives for rotation within a path of travel at a generally high speed to sever standing crop material by impact action, is clamped in a split hub by a spring-loaded fastener. At least one-half of the split hub is affixed to the driven shaft for rotation therewith. The disc member is frictionally held in place by the spring-loaded fastener which permits movement of the disc member relative to the split hub upon impact with a substantial object restricting rotative movement. The spring-loaded fastener can be in the form of an assembly of cupped washers compressed by a nut threaded onto the driven shaft of the disc cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Ford New Holland, Inc.
    Inventor: Jack W. Crane
  • Patent number: 4889089
    Abstract: An improved work vehicle is disclosed in which a vertical shaft V-type engine having vertically supported crankshaft with the pair of right and left cylinders being arranged in V-shape is housed inside the front bonnet that is forwardly downwardly inclined at the top. The work vehicle, while having no less excellent performance in terms of power output, noise, and vibration, provides more increased operability and a wider range of forward visibility than conventional horizontal opposed type engine vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuzo Fujikawa, Makizo Hirata, Shinichi Tamba
  • Patent number: 4887416
    Abstract: A disc cutterbar for use on a harvesting implement, such as a disc mower-conditioner, is driven by an endless timing belt entrained around toothed sprockets corresponding to each disc cutter within the transmission casing. The positive engagement between the toothed timing belt and the corresponding toothed sprocket provides a means for timing the rotation of adjacent disc cutters to minimize the possibility of interference between rotating knives. The toothed timing belt, however, is capable of movement relative to the toothed sprocket should the corresponding disc cutter become restricted in its rotation, such as by impact with a substantial object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1989
    Assignee: Ford New Holland, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack W. Crane, L. Lavern Anstee, Robert M. VanGinhoven, Richard E. Jennings
  • Patent number: 4881363
    Abstract: To mow even soft grass more tidily in shearing mode without kicking pebbles, a pair of two grass cutting wheels are pivotally driven by an engine in two mutually-different directions. One cutting wheel is slidably fixed relative to the other cutting wheel for safety. The mowing machine can be used in common to shear off grass on the ground and trim a garden tree by adjusting an angle between a hollow grip pipe and the machine cutting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Kamatsu Zenoah, Co.
    Inventors: Akio Terai, Junichi Yoshino, Shinroku Satsumi, Mitsuru Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 4881361
    Abstract: A ground-working vehicle including a chassis, at least three ground-contacting wheels coupled with the chassis for supporting and moving the vehicle on the ground and an implement coupled with the chassis for working on the ground, at least beneath one side of the chassis, while the vehicle is in motion. A first one of the wheels is positioned opposite the one side of the chassis and mounted for rotation about only a single axis extending generally towards the one side of the chassis. Each of the at least two other wheels are mounted for rotation about two axes including a vertical pivot axis. The pivot axes are asymmetrically spaced from the first wheel to enhance the operability and maneuverability of the vehicle in various configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Cameron Constructors, Inc.
    Inventor: John F. Dalton
  • Patent number: 4862682
    Abstract: A blade assembly for cutting herbaceous terrestrial vegetation at a cutting speed of from about 1,000 to about 10,000 revolutions per minute, wherein said blade assembly is comprised of a U-shaped blade which has a Rockwell C hardness of from about 37 to 40, a flare resistance of less than about 15 degrees, and a bending resistance of less than about 5 degrees, and wherein said U-shaped blade is an integral, symmetrical member comprised a vertically-extending left cutting edge, a vertically extending right cutting edge, and a rotating support member connected to said left and right cutting edges, wherein:(a) said left cutting edge, said right cutting edge, and said rotating support member are integrally formed into a substantial U-shaped structure,(b) each of said left cutting and right cutting edges forms an angle with said rotating support member of from about 90 to about 95 degrees,(c) said U-shaped blade is from about 2.0 to about 15.0 inches long, from about 1.0 to about 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1989
    Inventors: Thomas R. Wait, Joseph J. DeMino, Bren R. Smith
  • Patent number: 4845929
    Abstract: A cutter-trimmer comprising a drivingly rotatable cutter disposed at the front end of the body thereof, a guide handle disposed at the rear end of the body, a wheel member disposed in the vicinity of the cutter and reversibly rotatable about a horizontal axis for supporting the body thereon, and a cutter driving engine and a wheel member driving electric motor provided at a longitudinally intermediate portion of the body toward its front end. The device is adapted to perform a cutting operation while traveling forward, rearward or sideways by shifting the wheel member to a forward position or to a lateral position about a vertical axis and holding the wheel member in the shifted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1989
    Assignee: Kubota Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Kawasaki, Keiichi Sanpei, Tetsuya Nishida
  • Patent number: 4823542
    Abstract: A mobile lawn mower is designed multi-part in that the four-wheel carriage housing is provided with a center opening for lockable accommodation of a self-acting so-called grass trimmer, such design permitting operation of the lawn mower as such or the use of the grass trimmer by itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1989
    Assignee: Gutbrod-Werke GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Klever, Karl-Heinz Rott
  • Patent number: 4809488
    Abstract: A mower including a frame supporting, by means of connecting members, one or more rotary cutting elements equipped with cutting tools and surmounted by a rotary drum which is equipped with a casing. At least a part of the connecting members penetrate into the rotary drum. A device for drive the cutting element and the rotary drum includes a shaft and a hub connected in rotation to the shaft. The cutting element and the rotary drum are fastened to the hub, and the shaft and the hub extend partly at least into the rotary drum. The part of the connecting members penetrating into the rotary drum is connected to the shaft of the cutting element. The casing of the the rotary drum is formed by standards separated from one another by spaces and connected together at their lower part by a lower connecting element and at their upper part by an upper connecting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Kuhn, S.A.
    Inventors: Horst Neuerburg, Jean-Marc Jurgens
  • Patent number: 4802327
    Abstract: A mower attachment for use on farm and highway equipment such as tractors. A cutting head assembly is mounted on an extensible boom supported from the tractor. The cutting head assembly can be moved in three dimensions without changing the position of the tractor. The cutting head assembly has a guard for the cutting chain and has a window therein. A door can open and close the window. It is especially useful for cutting brush along fence rows. It can be useful for cutting and trimming trees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1989
    Inventor: Charles A. Roberts
  • Patent number: 4796415
    Abstract: A dolly for receiving a line trimming apparatus and maintaining the rotating spool in the line trimming apparatus in a selected orientation with respect to the ground, in order to cut the grass at a selected height above the ground regardless of the contour of the terrain, trim the grass adjacent a structure such as a fence and edge along fixed structures such as a driveway and sidewalk. In a first preferred embodiment, a universal dolly is characterized by a split frame provided with removable front and rear legs and removable side legs for selectively receiving wheels and supporting the dolly in rolling relationship on a lawn, driveway or sidewalk. In a second preferred embodiment, an injection-molded plastic dolly is also characterized by a split frame and removable front rear and side legs to facilitate optional configurations for operation of the line trimmer in mowing, trimming and edging configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Inventor: Mark R. Moore
  • Patent number: 4782731
    Abstract: A brush cutting blade having a curved slitter type/non-raker type primary cutting tooth and a preceding appendage forming a combination depth gauge and small stem slitter. The primary tooth terminates over the blade body with the cutting edge provided by that curved portion of the tooth between its most lateral point and the point of termination over the blade body. The cutting edge is curved but outwardly directed in a slitter configuration throughout its length. The lateral point of the cutting edge determines the kerf width to prevent binding. The slitter cutting edge of the appendage is hook shaped to cut small willowy-type stems and the appendage has an upper inclined guide edge that guides the larger rigid-type stems into the primary cutting tooth. The uppermost point of this guide edge of the appendage provides a depth gauge for the primary cutting tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Blount, Inc.
    Inventor: Kent L. Huntington
  • Patent number: 4769977
    Abstract: Three booms (20,30,50) form an articulated boom structure that is mounted on a pivotable base (10). The booms (20,30,50) are extendible into a position in which they extend one from another and are generally parallel to each other. The booms (20,30,50) may be folded into a position in which a workhead (74) attached to the outer boom (50) is positioned to work in the area on the ground near the base (10). The booms (20,30,50) fold into a Z-shaped configuration and may be pivoted to move the workhead (74) in a vertical line reaching to a height of about 40 feet. A rotary cutter (90) is carried by the workhead (74). Opposing jaws (84,86) are carried by the workhead (74) and third boom (50), respectively, and function, when the workhead (74) is pivoted, to grasp debris or to perform a digging operation. The jaw (84) may also be used as a rake. A shroud (82) on workhead (74) prevents debris from flying away from cutter (90) in unpredictable directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Inventor: David E. Milbourn
  • Patent number: 4765127
    Abstract: A blade for a rotary mower comprising an elongated, flat metallic member having first and second ends and a central aperture for mounting the member on a shaft for rotation in a cutting plane, each of the first and second ends having a leading cutting edge and a trailing cutting edge, the leading cutting edge being formed on a downturned portion of a leading edge of the metal member when the member is rotating in the cutting plane and the trailing cutting edge being formed on an upturned portion of an edge opposite the leading edge, the downturned portion being angled between 15 and 45 degrees with respect to the cutting plane. The blade may include air dams formed on upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the member parallel to and coterminous with the cutting edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Inventor: Elic S. Hamblen
  • Patent number: 4756147
    Abstract: A conventional hand-held weed trimmer of the type including a motor with a flexible cutting line fixed to the output of the motor is provided with a carriage for converting the trimmer into a wheel-mounted lawn mower. The lawn mower consists of a wheel-mounted, planar deck having an open interior portion for receiving the housing of the weed trimmer, and means for supporting the lower skirt portion and protective shield of the motor housing below the plane of the deck. The supporting means comprises means for clamping the rear portion of the skirt to the deck, and a toe-piece for supporting the front portion of the skirt. The deck, or at least the bottom flange of the toe-piece, is flexible enough to allow the forward portion of the trimmer to be tilted downwardly when a downward force is exerted on the trimmer housing. In a first embodiment of the invention, the deck of the carriage is essentially circular, with a key-shaped aperture formed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Savell
  • Patent number: 4738089
    Abstract: The invention deals with a stiffener assembly for an engine crankshaft to protect the crankshaft against radial bending.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1988
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip J. Smucker, James S. Hayek
  • Patent number: 4736576
    Abstract: A lawn mower is described having a high collection efficiency. This is accomplished by constructing a housing having a toroidally-shaped skirt defining the interior space in which the blade rotates in a horizontal plane. The interior space has a generally circular cross-section, the radius of which gradually increases toward a region of maximum radius between upper and lower portions of the housings. The blade is positioned to rotate in the lower portion of the housing and a discharge port is positioned to encompass the region of maximum radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1988
    Assignee: Textron Inc
    Inventors: Brian T. Mallaney, Frank R. Allen, J. Jiri Olmr
  • Patent number: 4736573
    Abstract: Improved guard and blade assemblies for a rotary cutting machine; wherein the guard has a full rear skirt, and an apertured front skirt of three designs of guard element mounted in cantilever; and wherein the cutter blade is of the swivel type but with retention means for the cutter blade designed to warn the operator of swivel blade pivot failure and with the blade being replaceable without need to disassemble the cutter head; the cutter blade has apertures for adjustable weighting of the swivel blade to provide a variable moment arm; an improved design of replaceable blade tip is also proposed for propeller-type and swivel-type blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1988
    Inventor: Wing C. Seck
  • Patent number: 4735038
    Abstract: Ground and/or turf penetrating discs for selective attachment to wheels of a lawn mower to increase safe operation of such lawn mowers on embankments. The ground engaging discs, are for selective secured engagement over the hub and tread of one or more of the lawn mower's wheels and include a plurality of outwardly extending projections which penetrate through the underlying grass, if any, and into the sod or earth's surface sufficiently during operation of the lawn mower to prevent its lateral slippage as it traverses a sloped surface. The projections extend completely around the disc and, when used, at least two are extending into the sod or ground or both at all times. The disc has notches for three adjustable holding brackets spaced about equal degrees (120.degree.) around the disc for different size tires. The brackets are removable and secured firmly to the sides and tread of the tires by lock washers and knurled faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1988
    Inventor: Will T. Williams
  • Patent number: 4733525
    Abstract: A cutting machine for use in agriculture, viticulture and arboriculture has at least one cutting assembly constituted by a plurality of superposed cutting tools, each cutting tool comprising a rotary circular cage provided with peripheral openings, and a member disposed in the cage and taking part in the cutting action, the improvement being that the cage and the member disposed therein are made in a complementary manner and are associated so as to constitute a system of blade and counter blade producing a cut by shearing action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1988
    Assignee: Etablissements Pellenc & Motte
    Inventors: Roger J. P. Pellenc, Georges Roman
  • Patent number: 4731981
    Abstract: A crankshaft impact protector for protecting the crankshaft of a lawnmower engine from bending beyond its elastic limit whenever a hard or immovable object like a rock or a stump is struck by the lawnmower blade. The protector has a flange for mounting on a mower deck, a mounting base for mounting the lawnmower engine thereupon and a bumper for providing physical support to the crankshaft. Impact forces experienced by the crankshaft are dissipated by the bumper of the protector and shifting of the bumper with respect to the crankshaft is prevented because the engine is integral with the crankshaft impact protector. A small clearance is provided between the bumper and the crankshaft thereby also helping to prevent soil and dust from traveling therethrough and reaching the main bearing of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1988
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventor: Miles S. Geringer
  • Patent number: 4716717
    Abstract: There is disclosed a power lawn mower which comprises a carriage having a top deck and side walls, a pair of front wheels, a pair of rear wheels having corresponding wheel axle shafts, a cutting mechanism having a rotary cutting element, a prime mover mounted on the top deck of the carriage and having an output shaft drivingly connected to the cutting element to rotate the same, and a rear wheel drive mechanism for transmitting driving power of the prime mover to the rear wheels and including at least one drive shaft. In this arrangement, the carriage includes front and rear openings. The front wheels are independently supported on the front portion of the carriage and the rear wheels are independently supported on the rear portion of the carriage. Further, front and rear guard members are swingably mounted to the lower surface of front and rear portions of the top deck, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1988
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeo Ogano, Yoshihiro Toda, Masato Mukainakano, Mikio Shoji
  • Patent number: 4711074
    Abstract: The mowing and chopping machine comprises at least two rotors, which are rotatable about vertical axes, which are spaced apart transversely to the direction of travel of the machine. Each rotor comprises a tooth-carrying disc and a plurality of cutting rotor teeth, which are angularly spaced apart and pivoted to said disc by means of vertical pins and protrude from the periphery of said disc. The rotor teeth are either curved upwardly and downwardly out of the plane of the disc or are composed of a plurality of superimposed cutter blades. A fixed backing cutter is provided in the generally triangular space defined by the flight paths described by the rotor teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1987
    Inventor: Franz Jetzinger
  • Patent number: 4711077
    Abstract: A cutter housing for use in a power-driven lawn mower has a substantially cylindrical skirt wall and a top wall covering the upper end of the skirt wall. The top wall has a substantially central recess for accomodating the engine of the lawn mower and includes a pair of half members positioned one on each side of the recess and lying substantially flush with each other in symmetrical and contiguous relation. The cutter housing also has a rear housing portion extending rearwardly in contiguous relation to the skirt wall and the top wall, and a partition disposed in the rear housing portion and dividing the rear housing portion into two spaces. The skirt wall, the top wall, the rear housing portion, and the partition are integrally molded of synthetic resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1987
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Kutsukake, Takahiko Murata, Gunji Saito, Takeshi Komatsuzaki, Kuniaki Uehara, Toshinobu Kato, Takeo Hattori, Morimasa Hayashida
  • Patent number: 4706446
    Abstract: A lawn mower having a housing and a cutter unit positioned below the housing. The cutter unit comprises an upper rotating cutting unit and a lower stationary cutting unit that is concentric with the upper cutting unit and which have a plurality of upper and lower blades at their borders. Each blade has a cutting surface with a near end close to the border, and a far end away from the border. The blades of the upper cutting unit extend in front of a line passing through the concentric axis and the near end, in the direction of rotation of the upper cutting unit.The upper blades rotate and slide over stationary lower blades, thereby cutting the lawn in a manner similar to a pair of scissors. The angle between the upper and lower blades is preferably 16-20 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Fuso Keigokin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hachiro Doi, Masayuki Yaegashi
  • Patent number: 4679383
    Abstract: A lawn edger having a motor (14) arranged with a vertical axis of rotation, a fan and cutter assembly (15) within a hollow frame (11), cutting blades (17) being below the fan blades (16) and extending not only radially outwardly from the axis of rotation but also axially downwardly so that they slope towards the cutting edges, and cutting is affected over a small segment of the periphery of the cutting blades, for example, by tilting the lawn edger to one side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1987
    Assignee: Robert Douglas Sheehan
    Inventor: Francis W. Quintel
  • Patent number: 4676205
    Abstract: An arrangement for mounting a two-stroke cycle vertical crankshaft internal combustion engine on a rotary mower deck to accept a four-stroke cycle vertical crankshaft internal combustion engine whereby either type engine may be adapted to the same mower deck is disclosed including a feature for minimizing the risk of crankshaft or crankcase damage in the event of impact of the rotating mower blade with a relatively immovable object. By employing the adapted which allows mounting of the two-stroke cycle engine on the mower deck to also reinforce the lower region of the engine crankcase where the crankshaft extends from the crankcase a lighter weight, cheaper construction of the two-stroke cycle engine is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventor: Vernon R. Kaufman
  • Patent number: 4633658
    Abstract: A lawn mower formed by fitting an attachment to a conventional portable weeder. The attachment is fitted to the bearing part of the rotary shaft of the mowing blade of the portable weeder, covers the upper part of the mowing blade and is provided with vertically movable wheels on both sides of the tip part and with a discharging port in a proper position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: Oppama Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masato Nogawa
  • Patent number: 4589252
    Abstract: Ground penetrating discs for selective attachment to wheels of a lawn mower to increase safe operation of such lawn mowers on embankments in which the ground engaging discs are selectively secured in engagement over the hub and tread of one or more of the lawn mower wheels and which include a plurality of outwardly extending ground penetrating points which are spaced around the periphery of the discs and which penetrate the earth's surface during operation of the lawn mower and prevent lateral slippage of the lawn mower as a lawn mower traverses a sloped surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Inventor: Will T. Williams
  • Patent number: 4577455
    Abstract: A grass cutting height indicator in a combination of a lawn mower and a power-driven tractor having an operator's seat, including a lawn mower unit suspended from a tractor frame of the tractor, an adjusting lever disposed adjacent to the operator's seat, and a link mechanism operatively connected between the adjusting lever and the lawn mower unit for adjusting the height of the lawn mower unit above ground in response to operation of the adjusting lever. The indicator comprises an indicator member mounted on the link mechanism and having indicia for indicating grass cutting heights, and an indicator window defined in a tractor body adjacent to the operator's seat, the indicator member being positioned so that the indicia has at least a portion thereof facing the indicator window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1986
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Amano, Kazuhiko Sasaki
  • Patent number: 4573269
    Abstract: A powered trimmer is provided which cuts in the manner of a scissors rather than a saw. A plurality of cutting assemblies is arranged along the length of a generally horizontal support bar. Each cutting assembly includes a vertical shaft mounted with respect to the support bar and passing through the center of each of a pair of pulleys mounted for independent rotation about the shaft. A blade is affixed to each pulley. Drive means including an arrangement of endless belts and offset pulleys are provided to counter-rotate the upper and lower pulleys in each pair, and thus their corresponding blades, for the desired scissors-like cutting effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1986
    Inventor: Paul C. Hernandez
  • Patent number: 4541230
    Abstract: A dethatching attachment for a power lawnmower comprising a mounting frame which is removably mounted on the forward end of the lawnmower and which is positioned forwardly thereof. Spaced-apart first and second elongated supports are secured to the mounting frame and extend forwardly therefrom in a diverging fashion. A plurality of spaced-apart dethatching wheels are rotatably and pivotally mounted on each of the first and second supports so as to dwell in a plane which is angularly disposed with respect to the normal direction of travel of the lawnmower. The wheels may be selectively moved between operative and inoperative positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Inventor: Ambrose F. Huerter