Monofilament line based cutter assembly

• US 5,713,191 A
• Filed: 08/23/1995
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gopher Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gopher Products, LLC
• Inventors: Welton, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): MELIUS, TERRY L
• Application Number:
  US08/518,271
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 56/12.1, 56/12.7, 56/16.7, 56/255, 56/295, 56/DIG. 17, 56/DIG. 20, 30/276
• US Class Current: 56/12.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/416 Flexible line cutters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 56/17 Cutter details

Abstract

A replacement cutting head for a bump head cutter of a string trimmer which replacement head can also be utilized as a blade assembly replacement for a power lawn mower. The cutting head is conventionally attached to the drive shaft of the tool, and it features a whirling disk having a plurality of heavy gauge flexible members attached thereto. These members extend outwardly due to centrifugal force upon actuation of the tool and which due to the high rotational speed of the cutting head, cut through plants of all kinds.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a powered device for cutting vegetation, which device comprises a housing having a motor mounted thereto, with a threaded drive shaft extending through said housing for attachment to a primary cutter assembly, which primary cutter assembly comprises:

a single flat cutting disk having a top surface and a bottom surface, and having a central bore for the receipt of a mounting bolt, a plurality of pairs of uniformly spaced apertures disposed at the same radius around the periphery of said cutting disk, said central bore and said apertures communicating between the top surface and the bottom surface of said disk, each of which pairs of apertures has a flexible cutting member secured there through, and directed away from said cutting disk, and a bolt securing said cutting disk to said drive shaft,

wherein the cutting disk of the primary cutter assembly is disposed substantially normal to the drive shaft when mounted thereto,

whereby upon actuation of the motor, centrifugal force causes the flexible member to extend outwardly from said cutting disk to an operative position substantially normal to the drive shaft for impact upon vegetation.

2. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein the powered device is a lawn mower, and further wherein both ends of each flexible cutting member extend outwardly to a cutting position during motor actuation.

3. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein the powered device is a trimmer, and further wherein at least one end of each flexible cutting member extends outwardly to a cutting position during motor actuation.

4. An apparatus comprising a powered device for cutting vegetation, which device comprises a housing having a motor mounted thereto, with a threaded drive shaft extending through said housing for attachment to a primary cutter assembly, which primary cutter assembly comprises:

a single flat cutting disk having a top surface and a bottom surface, and having a central bore for the receipt of a mounting bolt, at least two pairs of uniformly spaced apertures disposed at the same radius around the periphery of said cutting disk, said central bore and said apertures communicating between the top surface and the bottom surface of said disk, each of which pairs of apertures has a flexible polymeric cutting member secured there through, and directed away from said cutting disk, and a bolt securing said cutting disk to said drive shaft,

wherein the cutting disk of the primary cutter assembly is disposed substantially normal to the drive shaft when mounted thereto,

whereby upon actuation of the motor, centrifugal force causes the flexible member to extend outwardly from said cutting disk to an operative position substantially normal to the drive shaft for impact upon vegetation.

5. In the apparatus of claim 4 wherein the powered device is a lawn mower, and further wherein both ends of each flexible cutting member extend outwardly to a cutting position during motor actuation.

6. In the apparatus of claim 4 wherein the powered device is a trimmer, and further wherein at least one end of each flexible cutting member extends outwardly to a cutting position during motor actuation.