Vegetation cutter/catcher

• US 6,751,871 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2001
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Allen R. Furnish
• Original Assignee: Allen R. Furnish
• Inventors: Furnish, Allen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Application Number:
  US09/957,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 302/76, 56/127, D 8/8
• US Class Current: 30/276
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/63 having cutters rotating about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/90 for carrying by the operator
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/063 in or into a container carried by the mower; Containers therefor A01D43/077 takes precedence

Abstract

A cutting blade (58) is secured to the lower end of a flexible drive shaft (18). Drive shaft (18) extends from the blade (58) upwardly through a tubular handle (12).The upper end of the drive shaft (18) is connected to the output of a drive motor (14). The cutting blade (58) is within a housing (10) having a bottom opening (64) and three lower side openings (72, 74, 76). A cutting blade (58) includes a pair of section vanes (104) which when the cutting blade 58) is rotating serve to pull air into the housing (10) through the lower sidewall openings (72, 74, 76). The moving air picks up the cuttings and moves them rearwardly into a cuttings bag (92) which is connected to and supported from a rear portion of the housing (10).

Claims

1. A vegetation cutter/catcher, comprising:

a housing having a top portion that includes a top opening, a side portion that includes a discharge opening, a bottom opening, and a base flange that borders said bottom opening;

a handle having a lower end portion that includes a lower end and an upper end portion that includes an upper end, said lower end portion extending downwardly through the top opening in the top portion of the housing and said upper end portion extending upwardly from the top opening in the top portion of the housing away from the housing;

a drive motor mounted on the upper end portion of the handle remote from said housing, said drive motor including a rotary output;

a flexible drive shaft extending downwardly through the handle from the rotary output of the drive motor to a lower end that is adjacent the lower end of the handle;

a cutting blade in said housing attached to the lower end of the flexible drive shaft; and

a cuttings bag having an enclosure wall that includes an inlet opening, said cuttings bag being connectable to the housing below the upper end portion of the handle, with the inlet opening of the cuttings bag in registry with the discharge opening in the side portion of the housing,

whereby the bottom opening of the housing may be moved towards vegetation that is to be cut, and the motor may be operated to rotate the drive shaft and the cutting blade so that the blade will cut vegetation that it encounters, and cuttings will move into and through the housing and into the cuttings bag; and

wherein the lower end portion of the handle is vertically adjustable in position in the top opening, and an adjustable lock is provided for locking it into a selected position relative to the housing for the purpose of establishing the cutting position of the cutting blade relative to the bottom opening and the base flange.

2. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 1, comprising at least one lower side opening in the side portion of the housing and a corresponding void in the base flange.

3. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 2, wherein the lower side opening is diametrically opposite the discharge opening in the side portion of the housing.

4. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 2, comprising a plurality of said lower side openings in the side portion of the housing spaced circumferentially around the housing, with said base flange including a said void for each said side opening.

5. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 4, comprising three lower side openings, wherein one of said lower side openings is generally diametrically opposite the discharge opening in the side portion of the housing and the other two lower side openings are generally diametrically opposite each other and each is circumferentially between the first lower side opening and the discharge opening.

6. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 1, comprising at least one lower side opening in the side portion of the housing and a corresponding void in the base flange.

7. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 6, wherein the lower side opening is diametrically opposite the discharge opening in the side portion of the housing.

8. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 6, comprising a plurality of said lower side openings in the side portion of the housing spaced circumferentially around the housing, with said base flange including a said void for each said side opening.

9. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 8, comprising three lower side openings, wherein one of said lower side openings is generally diametrically opposite the discharge opening in the side portion of the housing and the other two lower side openings are generally diametrically opposite each other and each is circumferentially between the first lower side opening and the discharge opening.

10. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 1, further comprising at least one suction vane on the cutting blade that is configured to create a suction within the housing between the bottom opening and the discharge opening, for assisting movement of cuttings into and through the housing and into the cuttings bag.

11. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 10, comprising at least one lower side opening in the side portion of the housing and a corresponding void in the base flange.

12. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 11, wherein the lower side opening is diametrically opposite the discharge opening in the side portion of the housing.

13. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 11, comprising a plurality of said lower side openings in the side portion of the housing spaced circumferentially around the housing, with said base flange including a said void for each said side opening.

14. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 13, comprising three lower side openings, wherein one of said lower side openings is generally diametrically opposite the discharge opening in the side portion of the housing and the other two lower side openings are generally diametrically opposite each other and each is circumferentially between the first lower side opening and the discharge opening.

15. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 1, wherein the base flange includes a lower surface positioned to be brought into contact with the vegetation that is being cut and serving as a support surface for the cutter/catcher.

16. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 15, comprising at least one lower side opening in the side portion of the housing and a corresponding void in the base flange.

17. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 16, wherein the lower side opening is diametrically opposite the discharge opening in the side portion of the housing.

18. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 16, comprising a plurality of said lower side openings in the side portion of the housing spaced circumferentially around the housing, with said base flange including a said void for side opening.

19. The vegetation cutter/catcher of claim 18, comprising three lower side openings, wherein one of said lower side openings is generally diametrically opposite the discharge opening in the side portion of the housing and the other two lower side openings are generally diametrically opposite each other and each is circumferentially between the first lower side opening and the discharge opening.