AU2001100212A4

AU2001100212A4 - A pruning apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU2001100212A4
Application number: AU2001100212A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Robert Aramini; Laurence Salvestro
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-01-25
Filing date: 2001-07-30
Publication date: 2001-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 2008-01-18

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Applicant(s): ROBERT ARAMINI LAURENCE SALVESTRO Invention Title: A PRUNING APPARATUS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: -2 A PRUNING APPARATUS Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to a pair of circular cutting blades and a cutting apparatus and relates particularly, though not exclusively, to a cutting apparatus suitable for pruning vines.

Background of the Invention A conventional mechanical pruning apparatus, such that used to prune grape vines, including a series of high speed saws coupled to a frame which is mounted to a hydraulic motor. The frame is articulated whereby the vertical disposition of the saws can be adjusted whilst pruning the vines.

The pruning apparatus of Australian petty patent No.

717599 relates specifically to a pair of circular and toothed cutting blades arranged coaxial with one another wherein one only of the blades rotates to provide cutting of fines and the like in a scissor action. The rotatable blade is rotated via a hydraulic motor which is coupled directly to and immediately adjacent the cutting blades.

The pruning apparatus preferably includes two sets of the pairs of cutting blades which are axially spaced from one another but overlap and rotate in opposite directions so as to assist in cutting of vegetation. The sets of blades are mounted to a common support arm which is pivotally mounted to a mounting arm which is attachable to a tractor, harvester, or other supporting machinery.

The conventional pruning apparatus including that of AU717599 suffers from at least the following drawbacks: i) an operator's vision to the high speed saws is impaired by the hydraulic motor and articulated frame; and 42962 3ii) the apparatus includes a large number of moving parts and is susceptible to blockage from vine cuttings.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a cutting apparatus comprising: an elongate support member; a circular cutting blade being rotatable about its axis; a shaft axially fixed to the cutting blade and rotationally housed within a shaft housing which is mounted to the elongate support member, the shaft being operatively coupled to a drive motor whereby the blade is located remote from the motor which is designed to rotate the cutting blade via the shaft.

Preferably the shaft housing is slidably mounted to the elongate support member via a clamping element.

Typically the cutting blade is one of a pair of cutting blades each having their respective shaft, shaft housing and driving motor, and one of said blades being disposed vertical whilst the other is oriented horizontally. More typically the horizontal cutting blade is coupled to the elongate support member via a pivotal arm assembly.

Preferably the cutting apparatus includes a circular guide plate disposed coaxial with and designed to operatively cooperate with the horizontal cutting blade whereby said cutting blade is pivotally retracted on impact of the guide plate with an obstacle such as a post.

More preferably the pivotal arm assembly effects retraction of the horizontal cutting blade when the guide plate impacts with the obstacle.

42962 4 Generally the cutting apparatus is mounted to a vehicle such as a tractor. In this example the cutting blades and the cutting apparatus are suitable in the pruning of vines.

Brief Description of the Drawings In order to achieve a better understanding of the nature of the present invention a preferred embodiment of a pair of circular cutting blades and a cutting apparatus will now be described in some detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a "steel detailing" of a cutting apparatus; Figure 2 is a plan view of the fixed and rotating blades together with a guide plate taken from the cutting apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view of a vertical blade and bearing assembly together with its guard; and Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view of a horizontal blade and bearing assembly together with its guard.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment As shown in Figure 1 there is a cutting apparatus comprising two vertically oriented cutting blade assemblies 12 and 14 together with a horizontally oriented cutting blade assembly 16. In this example each of the cutting blade assemblies 12, 14 and 16 includes a pair of circular blades such as 12A and 12B, one of the blades 12A being fixed with the other blade 12B being rotatable. Each of the blades such as 12A and 12B is in this embodiment operatively coupled to a hydraulic motor 18 via a spindle or shaft which is housed within a shaft housing such as 42962

M

5 The spindle of shaft housing 50 of the vertically oriented blades 12 and 14 are mounted to an elongate support member or in this example hydraulic cylinder 24.

In this particular construction of the cutting apparatus 10 the spindle or shaft housings such as 50 are clamped to the hydraulic cylinder 24 which is designed to slidably move along a hydraulic rod 22. Thus, the position or height of either or both of the vertical blade assemblies 12 and 14 may be varied by moving and reclamping the spindle or shaft housing 50 along the hydraulic cylinder 24 or the support member. The shaft housing 50 may also be moved laterally and reclamped relative to the support member such as 22 and 24.

The horizontally oriented blades 16 together with its vertical spindle or shaft and shaft housing is coupled to the hydraulic cylinder 24 via a horizontal arm assembly 26. The horizontal arm assembly 26 at its outer end is pivotally adjustable so as to vary the position of the horizontal blade 16 relative to the vertical blades 12 and 14. The height of the horizontal cutting assembly 16 may be varied by repositioning and reclamping the respective spindle or shaft housing. Actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 24 effects movement of the vertical and horizontal blade assemblies 12, 14 and 16 so as to vary the height at which they cut.

The hydraulic rod and cylinder assembly 22 and 24 are generally mounted to a vehicle, such as a tractor, via a mounting assembly 28. In this example, the mounting assembly 28 includes an upright support 30 having a carriage way 32 which is designed to be engaged by a guiding member assembly 34 connected to the hydraulic cylinder 24. The guiding member assembly 34 includes a pair of rollers disposed on either side of the carriage 42962 way 32. Thus, the hydraulic cylinder 24 in conjunction with the vertical and horizontal blade assemblies 12, 14 and 16 together with their corresponding spindles or shafts such as 20 are prevented from pivoting about the hydraulic rod 22. The hydraulic rod 22 is at opposing ends fixed between upper and lower support legs 36 and 38, respectively. The mounting assembly 28 also includes an inclined arm 40 arranged so as to support hydraulic lines (not shown) coupled to the hydraulic motors such as 18 of the vertical and horizontal cutting blades 12, 14 and 16.

As illustrated in Figure 2 the vertically and horizontally oriented cutting blades 12, 14 and 16 each include a pair of fixed and rotating blades such as 12A/12B and 16A/16B. In this example the fixed blade 12A or 16A is relatively fine toothed having 22 teeth about its periphery whereas the rotating blade is relatively coarse toothed having 10 teeth. The teeth profile and disposition of the fixed and rotating blades such as 12A/12B are such that rotation of the coarse toothed blade 12B sequentially engages the fixed blade 12A to provide variable cutting at different circumferential locations about the fixed blade 12A. In this example the relatively coarse toothed rotating blade such as 12B is rotated at a relatively slow and safe speed of around 140 rpm.

Figure 2 also illustrates a circular-shaped post guide plate 42 connected to the horizontal arm assembly 26 in line with the vertical spindle or shaft assembly of the horizontal blade assembly 16. The post guide plate 42 is designed to pivotally retract the horizontal arm assembly 26 together with the horizontal blades and motor assembly 16 and 18 should a post or other obstacle be struck.

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view of a vertical blade assembly such as 12 incorporating a bearing assembly 42962

Claims

1. A cutting apparatus comprising: an elongate support member; a circular cutting blade being rotatable about its axis; and a shaft axially fixed to the cutting blade and rotationally housed within a shaft housing which is mounted to the elongate support member, the shaft being operatively coupled to a drive motor whereby the blade is located remote from the motor which is designed to rotate the cutting blade via the shaft.

2. A cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the shaft housing is slidably mounted to the elongate support member via a clamping element.

3. A cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein the cutting blade is one of a pair of cutting blades each having their respective shaft, shaft housing and driving motor, and one of said blades being disposed vertical whilst the other is oriented horizontally.

4. A cutting apparatus as defined in claim 3 including a circular guide plate disposed coaxial with and designed to operatively cooperate with the horizontal cutting blade whereby said cutting blade is pivotally retracted on impact of the guide plate with an obstacle such as a post. A cutting apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 3 0 Lh day of JULY 2001 ROBERT ARAMINI LAURENCE SALVESTRO By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK 42962