Cord take-up reel for electric powered lawn mower

• US 6,779,749 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gilbert Laporta
• Original Assignee: Gilbert Laporta
• Inventors: Laporta, Gilbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Jillions, John M.
• Application Number:
  US10/310,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20040099760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 242/395, 242/395.1, 242/403, 242/404, 242/404.2, 56/167, 191/12.2 R, 191/12.4
• US Class Current: 242/395
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/822 Devices for guiding or supporting cables
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/40 mobile or transportable
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/42 attached to, or forming part of, mobile tools, machines or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum

Abstract

An electric-powered lawnmower having a manoeuvering planar handle, a reel member having a hollow shaft and a pair of integral spaced apart spokes for winding an electrical extension cord therebetween. A reel support polygonal panel having a transverse socket engages the hollow shaft, wherein the shaft is freely rotatable within the socket. The panel defines two opposite side edge portions forming registering concave cavities. An anchor bar member has attachment members anchoring the anchor member to the lawnmower planar handle generally coplanar thereto. The anchor bar member includes a dovetail cavity, frictionally wedgingly yet releasably receiving the panel concave cavities. The reel member socket defines a rotational axis generally orthogonal to the plane of the planar handle.

Claims

1. A reel support for use in releasably supporting a reel member against a lawnmower planar handle, said reel support comprising:

a rigid support main frame, for rotatable engagement with the reel member;

a generally planar anchor bar member having attachment members, for anchoring said anchor member to the lawnmower handle substantially coplanar thereto; and

wedge meals, frictionally yet releasably interlocking said support main frame and said anchor bar member for rotation of the reel member along a plane generally parallel to the plane of said anchor bar member;

wherein said support main frame consists of a polygonal panel, said wedge means includes a bevelled cavity made into said anchor bar member and a pair of invaginated concavities made along opposite edge portions of said polygonal panel, said concavities complementarily shaped to said bevelled cavity for releasable frictional wedge interaction therewith.

2. A reel support us in claim 1, further including an aperture, made into an upper edge portion of said panel for hand engagement of said aperture for facilitating handling of said panel.

3. In combination, a reel member for winding an electrical extension cord, a reel support for releasably supporting said reel member against a lawnmower planar handle, mounting means rotatively mounting said reel member to said reel support.

a generally planar anchor bar member having attachment members, for anchoring said anchor member to the lawnmower handle substantially coplanar thereto;

and

wedge means, frictionally yet releasably interlocking said support main frame and said anchor bar member,

wherein said reel member rotates along an axis generally orthogonal to the plane along which extends said anchor bar member;

wherein said support main frame consists of a polygonal panel, said wedge means includes a bevelled cavity made into said anchor bar member and a pair of invaginated concavities made along opposite edge portions of said polygonal panel, said concavities complementarily shaped to said bevelled cavity for releasable frictional wedge interaction therewith.

4. The combination of claim 3,

wherein said a tubular hollow shaft, integral to said reel member, and a tubular socket integral to said panel, said socket releasably engaged into said hollow shaft, each of said socket and hollow shaft defining a first outer end and a second outer end respectively, both said first outer end and said second outer end coming in register with one another; and further including a closure cap, rotatably releasably interengaging said first outer end and said second outer end to prevent accidental release of said reel member from said socket.

5. The combination as in claim 3, further including at least one electrical cord guide member, transversely projecting freely from said panel.

6. The combination as in claim 3,

wherein each of said socket and of said hollow shaft is cylindrical.

7. The combination as in claim 3, with said reel member including a pair of inner wheel member and outer wheel member laterally ,spaced from one another, radially projecting from opposite ends of said hollow shaft integrally thereof, at least one cord retaining hook member transversely projecting from said outer wheel member, said hook member for releasably retaining a portion of the electrical extension cord.

8. An electric-powered lawnmower having a manoeuvering planar handle, a reel member having a hollow shaft and a pair of integral spaced apart spokes for winding an electrical extension cord therebetween, a reel support polygonal panel having a transverse socket engaging said hollow shaft wherein said shaft is freely rotatable on said socket, said panel defining two opposite side edge portions forming registering coneave cavities:

a generally planar anchor bar member having attachment members, anchoring said anchor member to said lawnmower planar handle generally coplanar thereto, and a dovetail cavity frictionally wedgingly yet releasably receiving said panel concave cavities;

wherein said reel member hollow shaft defines a rotational axis generally orthogonal to the plane of said planar handle.

9. A lawnmower as in claim 8, wherein said panel is generally quadrangular.

10. A lawnmower as in claim 8,

wherein said panel further includes an hand aperture, made into an upper edge portion of said panel for hand engagement of said aperture for facilitating handling of said panel.

11. A lawnmower as in claim 8, wherein said hollow shaft and said socket are each tubular and define a first outer end and a second outer end respectively, both said first outer end and said second outer end coming in register with one another;

and further including a closure cap, rotatably releasably interengaging said first outer end and said second outer end to prevent accidental release of said reel member from said socket.

12. A lawnmower as in claim 8, further including at least one electrical cord guide member, transversely projecting freely from said support panel.

13. A lawnmower as in claim 11,

wherein each of said socket and of said hollow shaft is cylindrical.

14. A lawnmower as in claim 8, further including at least one cord retaining hook member, transversely projecting freely from an outer one of said reel member spokes, said hook member for releasably retaining an end portion of the electrical extension cord.

15. A lawnmower as in claim 10, further including a hook cavity made into said panel, said hook cavity for frictionally receiving the end portion of the electrical extension cord when the latter is wound fully inside the reel member and not in use.