Brush cutting head

• US 7,810,531 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2006
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gyro-Trac Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ernst & Young (Ernst & Young LLP)
• Inventors: Labbe, Etienne
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross; Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIANG, JENNIFER C
• Application Number:
  US11/431,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20070261763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 144/172, 144/174, 144/218, 144230-237, 144/220, 241/101.762, 241/101.72, 241/242, 241/294, 241/295, 562/49, 562/94, 407/40, 407/48, 407/51, 407/58, 407/59
• US Class Current: 144/231
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 23/00 Forestry
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/184 with peripherally arranged demountable cutting tips or elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/1936 Apertured tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/1958 Plural teeth spaced about a helix

Abstract

The present invention relates to a brush cutting head for a brush cutter. The brush cutter head includes a cylindrical support body that has a first end, an opposed second end and an intermediate portion extending therebetween. The intermediate portion has a curved surface that defines the circular cross-section of the cylindrical support body. A plurality of collars is mounted to the cylindrical support body at spaced intervals along the intermediate portion. Each collar extends radially from the curved surface of the cylindrical support body. Additionally, each collar cooperates with an adjacent collar to define a mounting station between the adjacent collars. The brush cutter head further includes a plurality of cutting tooth assemblies carried on the outer surface of the cylindrical support body. Each cutting tooth assembly has a cutting tooth for placement within the mounting station and a mounting assembly engageable with the adjacent collars to secure the cutting tooth in the mounting station.

Claims

1. A brush cutting head comprising:

a support body having a first end, an opposed second end and an intermediate portion extending therebetween;

the intermediate portion having an outer surface;

a plurality of collars mounted to the support body at spaced intervals along the intermediate portion, each collar extending outwardly from the outer surface, each collar cooperating with an adjacent collar to define a mounting station between the adjacent collars; and

a plurality of cutting tooth assemblies carried on the outer surface of the support body, each cutting tooth assembly having a cutting tooth for placement within the mounting station and a mounting assembly engageable with the adjacent collars for securing the cutting tooth in the mounting station;

wherein;

the support body is a cylindrical support body;

the outer surface of the support body is a curved surface defining the circular cross-section of the support body; and

each collar extends radially from the curved surface;

wherein each collar includes a circumferentially extending sidewall defining a substantially penannular structure, the sidewall having a first end and a second end spaced part from the first end thereof, the space between the first and second ends of the sidewall defining a cutout in each collar, the cutout being sized to receive therein a portion of the cutting tooth assembly;

wherein the cutout defined in each collar is circumferentially spaced from the cutout defined in the adjacent collar;

wherein each mounting station extends between the cutout in each collar and the portion of the sidewall of the adjacent collar opposite the cutout;

wherein each cutting tooth has a base portion and a cutting portion supported on the base portion;

the base portion having a first side and a second side, the cutting portion extending longitudinally between the first side and the second side, the first side of the base portion being retained between the ends of the sidewall of each collar and the second side of the base portion abutting a portion of the sidewall of the adjacent collar when the cutting tooth is secured within the mounting station;

wherein each mounting assembly includes;

a mounting block and a plate member for holding therebetween the cutting tooth, and a fastener for attaching the cutting tooth to the mounting block and the plate member;

the mounting block and the plate member each being mountable between adjacent collars, the mounting block being disposed forwardly of the cutting tooth and the plate member being disposed rearwardly of the cutting tooth;

wherein the plate member is releasably mountable between the adjacent collars.

2. A brush cutting head comprising:

a support body having a first end, an opposed second end and an intermediate portion extending therebetween;

the intermediate portion having an outer surface;

a plurality of collars mounted to the support body at spaced intervals along the intermediate portion, each collar extending outwardly from the outer surface, each collar cooperating with an adjacent collar to define a mounting station between the adjacent collars; and

a plurality of cutting tooth assemblies carried on the outer surface of the support body, each cutting tooth assembly having a cutting tooth for placement within the mounting station and a mounting assembly engageable with the adjacent collars for securing the cutting tooth in the mounting station;

wherein;

the support body is a cylindrical support body;

the outer surface of the support body is a curved surface defining the circular cross-section of the support body; and

each collar extends radially from the curved surface;

wherein each collar includes a circumferentially extending sidewall defining a substantially penannular structure, the sidewall having a first end and a second end spaced part from the first end thereof, the space between the first and second ends of the sidewall defining a cutout in each collar, the cutout being sized to receive therein a portion of the cutting tooth assembly;

wherein the cutout defined in each collar is circumferentially spaced from the cutout defined in the adjacent collar;

wherein each mounting station extends between the cutout in each collar and the portion of the sidewall of the adjacent collar opposite the cutout;

wherein each cutting tooth has a base portion and a cutting portion supported on the base portion;

the base portion having a first side and a second side, the cutting portion extending longitudinally between the first side and the second side, the first side of the base portion being retained between the ends of the sidewall of each collar and the second side of the base portion abutting a portion of the sidewall of the adjacent collar when the cutting tooth is secured within the mounting station;

wherein each mounting assembly includes;

a mounting block and a plate member for holding therebetween the cutting tooth, and a fastener for attaching the cutting tooth to the mounting block and the plate member;

the mounting block and the plate member each being mountable between adjacent collars, the mounting block being disposed forwardly of the cutting tooth and the plate member being disposed rearwardly of the cutting tooth;

wherein each mounting assembly further includes an elongate support plate spanning the adjacent collars proximate the cutout defined in one of the collars, the support plate having a leading portion and a trailing portion, the leading portion of the support plate being configured to provide an abutment face for a portion of the cutting tooth.

3. The brush cutting head of claim 2 wherein:

the sidewall of each collar is bounded circumferentially by an outer edge and an inner edge;

the support plate having first and second opposed ends, the ends of the support plate being mounted on the outer sidewall edges of the adjacent collars.

4. The brush cutting head of claim 3 wherein the ends of the support plate are fixed to the outer sidewall edges of the adjacent collars.

5. The brush cutting head of claim 2 wherein:

the cutting tooth includes a base portion and a cutting portion supported on the base portion, the base and cutting portions each having a leading face and a trailing face; and

proximate the cutting portion, the trailing face of the base portion has protruding therefrom an abutment shoulder for bearing on the abutment face defined by the leading portion of the support plate.

6. A brush cutting head comprising:

a support body having a first end, an opposed second end and an intermediate portion extending therebetween;

the intermediate portion having an outer surface;

a plurality of collars mounted to the support body at spaced intervals along the intermediate portion, each collar extending outwardly from the outer surface, each collar cooperating with an adjacent collar to define a mounting station between the adjacent collars; and

a plurality of cutting tooth assemblies carried on the outer surface of the support body, each cutting tooth assembly having a cutting tooth for placement within the mounting station and a mounting assembly engageable with the adjacent collars for securing the cutting tooth in the mounting station;

wherein;

the support body is a cylindrical support body;

the outer surface of the support body is a curved surface defining the circular cross-section of the support body; and

each collar extends radially from the curved surface;

wherein each collar includes a circumferentially extending sidewall defining a substantially penannular structure, the sidewall having a first end and a second end spaced part from the first end thereof, the space between the first and second ends of the sidewall defining a cutout in each collar, the cutout being sized to receive therein a portion of the cutting tooth assembly;

wherein the cutout defined in each collar is circumferentially spaced from the cutout defined in the adjacent collar;

wherein each mounting station extends between the cutout in each collar and the portion of the sidewall of the adjacent collar opposite the cutout;

wherein each cutting tooth has a base portion and a cutting portion supported on the base portion;

the base portion having a first side and a second side, the cutting portion extending longitudinally between the first side and the second side, the first side of the base portion being retained between the ends of the sidewall of each collar and the second side of the base portion abutting a portion of the sidewall of the adjacent collar when the cutting tooth is secured within the mounting station;

wherein each mounting assembly includes;

a mounting block and a plate member for holding therebetween the cutting tooth, and a fastener for attaching the cutting tooth to the mounting block and the plate members;

the mounting block and the plate member each being mountable between adjacent collars, the mounting block being disposed forwardly of the cutting tooth and the plate member being disposed rearwardly of the cutting tooth;

wherein the cutting tooth and the plate member are configured for mating engagement with each other.

7. The brush cutting head of claim 6 wherein one of the cutting tooth and the plate member has a male portion and the other of the cutting tooth and the plate member has a female portion configured to receive the male portion therein.

8. The brush cutting head of claim 7 wherein:

the cutting tooth includes a base portion and a cutting portion supported on the base portion, the base portion having a leading face for abutting the mounting block and a trailing face for abutting the plate member, the trailing face of the base portion having a groove formed therein, the groove defining the female portion; and

the plate member has a leading face for abutting the trailing face of the base portion and a trailing face, the leading face of the plate member having formed therein a tongue, the tongue defining the male portion.