Apparatus and method for cutting and treating vegetation
First Claim
1. An apparatus for cutting vegetation and treating the cut vegetation with a treatment fluid, said apparatus comprising:
- at least one cutting blade;
fluid container means for containing the treatment fluid, said fluid container means in fluid communication with said at least one cutting blade;
fluid conduit means defining a fluid passageway for delivering the treatment fluid in a continuous stream from said fluid container means to the underside of said at least one cutting blade so that the treatment fluid is continuously available to the cut vegetation at the time that the vegetation is cut.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and a method for cutting vegetation and simultaneously treating the remaining stems of the cut vegetation with a treatment fluid. The apparatus includes a mower, a cutting blade drive rotatably mounted on the mower, a blade carrier secured to the rotatable drive, and at least one cutting blade assembly rotatably mounted on the blade carrier. The apparatus further includes a fluid container for containing the treatment fluid in a plurality of interconnected, stackable and removable fluid container cells, a pumping device for pumping the treatment fluid to the at least one cutting blade assembly, a flow control device for metering the amount of treatment fluid that is pumped to the at least one cutting blade assembly, and a fluid conduit device for delivering the treatment fluid from the fluid container to the cutting and treating device. The method includes the steps of cutting vegetation with at least one cutting blade, and delivering a treatment fluid to the underside of the at least one cutting blade in a continuous stream so that the treatment fluid is continuously available to the remaining stems of the cut vegetation.
46 Citations
58 Claims
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1. An apparatus for cutting vegetation and treating the cut vegetation with a treatment fluid, said apparatus comprising:
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at least one cutting blade; fluid container means for containing the treatment fluid, said fluid container means in fluid communication with said at least one cutting blade; fluid conduit means defining a fluid passageway for delivering the treatment fluid in a continuous stream from said fluid container means to the underside of said at least one cutting blade so that the treatment fluid is continuously available to the cut vegetation at the time that the vegetation is cut. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A mower apparatus for cutting vegetation and treating the cut vegetation with a treatment fluid, said apparatus comprising:
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at least one cutting blade; fluid container means for containing the treatment fluid, said fluid container means in fluid communication with said at least one cutting blade; fluid conduit means defining a fluid passageway for delivering the treatment fluid in a continuous stream from said fluid container means to said at least one cutting blade so that the treatment fluid is continuously available to the cut vegetation at the time that the vegetation is cut; a generally planar mower deck; cutting blade drive means rotatably mounted to said mower deck; and a blade carrier secured to said cutting blade drive means wherein said at least one cutting blade is rotatably mounted to said blade carrier; pumping means for pumping the treatment fluid from said fluid container means to said at least one cutting blade; flow control means coupled to said pumping means for metering the amount of the treatment fluid delivered to said at least one cutting blade through said fluid conduit means; wherein said pumping means comprises a variable capacity pump for pumping variable amounts of the treatment fluid through said fluid conduit means depending on the speed of said mower over the ground. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A mower apparatus for cutting vegetation and treating the cut vegetation with a treatment fluid, said apparatus comprising
at least one cutting blade; -
fluid container means for containing the treatment fluid, said fluid container means in fluid communication with said at least one cutting blade; fluid conduit means defining a fluid passageway for delivering the treatment fluid in a continuous stream from said fluid container means to said at least one cutting blade so that the treatment fluid is continuously available to the cut vegetation at the time that the vegetation is cut; pumping means for pumping the treatment fluid from said fluid container means to said at least one cutting blade; flow control means coupled to said pumping means for metering the amount of the treatment fluid delivered to said at least one cutting blade through said fluid conduit means; wherein said fluid conduit means further comprises; a pulsing sealed hollow shaft fluid delivery apparatus having a center with a hollow stationary shaft at said center; said hollow shaft having an outlet port in communication with said fluid container means; an inner race having an outlet port, said inner race in contact with and surrounding said hollow shaft; a seal surrounding and in slidable contact with said inner race; ball bearings packed in said seal; an outer race surrounding the ball bearings; a hollow rotating shaft in sliding contact with said outer race; at least one hollow spoke in fluid communication with fluid within said hollow rotating shaft; and a fitting in communication with said hollow spoke having a nipple for engagement with piping; wherein said hollow spoke rotates about said hollow stationary shaft and upon alignment with said outlet port additional liquid is pulsed through the system resulting in placement of fluid on the lower cutting edge of the blade. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. A mower apparatus for cutting vegetation and treating the cut vegetation with a treatment fluid, said apparatus comprising
at least one cutting blade; -
fluid container means for containing the treatment fluid, said fluid container means in, fluid communication with said at least one cutting blade; fluid conduit means defining a fluid passageway for delivering the treatment fluid in a continuous stream from said fluid container means to said at least one cutting blade so that the treatment fluid is continuously available to the cut vegetation at the time that the vegetation is cut; pumping means for pumping the treatment fluid from said fluid container means to said at leapt one cutting blade; flow control means coupled to said pumping means for metering the amount of the treatment fluid delivered to said at least one cutting blade through said fluid conduit means; wherein said fluid conduit means further comprises; a pulsing hollow shaft fluid delivery system having a center with a hollow rotating shaft at said center; said hollow shaft having an outlet port; an inner race having a port, said inner race in contact with and surrounding said hollow shaft; a seal surrounding and in slidable contact with said inner race; ball bearings packed in said seal; an outer race surrounding the ball bearings; a hollow stationary shaft in sliding contact with said outer race; at least one hollow spoke in fluid communication with fluid within said hollow stationary shaft; and a fitting in communication with said hollow spoke having a nipple for engagement with piping; wherein said hollow shaft rotates within said hollow stationary shaft and when the hollow spoke aligns with the outlet port from said hollow rotating shaft additional liquid is pulsed through the system resulting in placement of fluid on the lower cutting edge of the blade. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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44. A mower apparatus for cutting vegetation and treating the cut vegetation with a treatment fluid, said apparatus comprising
at least one cutting blade; -
fluid container means for containing the treatment fluid, said fluid container means in fluid communication with said at least one cutting blade; fluid conduit means defining a fluid passageway for delivering the treatment fluid in a continuous stream from said fluid container means to said at least one cutting blade so that the treatment fluid is continuously available to the cut vegetation at the time that the vegetation is cut; pumping means for pumping the treatment fluid from said fluid container means to said at least one cutting blade; flow control means coupled to said pumping means for metering the amount of the treatment fluid delivered to said at least one cutting blade through said fluid conduit means; further comprising a reel mower comprising; a central axle; at least one blade support spoke fixed to said central axle; at least one rotating blade fixed to said blade support spoke; a stationary anvil spaced slightly from said rotating blade having a machined groove journaling a fluid delivery tube; said fluid delivery tube having continuous slot exit ports; and a roller spaced from said anvil; wherein interaction of said rotating blade and said anvil facilitates the cut of vegetation and said tubing supplies treatment fluid to said rotating blade.
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45. A mower apparatus for cutting vegetation and treating the cut vegetation with a treatment fluid, said apparatus comprising
at leapt one cutting blade; -
fluid container means for containing the treatment fluid, said fluid container means in fluid communication with said at least one cutting blade; fluid conduit means defining a fluid passageway for delivering the treatment fluid in a continuous stream from said fluid container means to said at least one cutting blade so that the treatment fluid is continuously available to the cut vegetation at the time that the vegetation is cut; a generally planar mower deck; cutting blade drive means rotatably mounted to said mower deck; and a blade carrier secured to said cutting blade drive means wherein said at least one cutting blade is rotatably mounted to said blade carrier; pumping means for pumping the treatment fluid from said fluid container means to said at least one cutting blade; flow control means coupled to said pumping means for metering the amount of the treatment fluid delivered to said at least one cutting blade through said fluid conduit means; wherein said flow control means further comprises ground speed detection means for detecting the ground speed of said mower. - View Dependent Claims (46, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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47. An apparatus according to claim wherein said ground speed detection means comprises
a cup-shaped flange carrier comprising a flange having a plurality of radial teeth thereon; - and
electrical sensor means for sensing the angular velocity of the teeth of said flange, said sensor means electrically coupled to said pumping means. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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Specification