AU2010100623A4 - Apparatus, attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper for holding and operating circular saw blade - Google Patents

Description

SPECIFICATION DESCRIPTION APPARATUS, ATTACHMENT HEAD TO BENT SHAFT WHIPPER SNIPPER FOR HOLDING AND OPERATING CIRCULAR SAW BLADE The invention relates to an alternative replacement head unit for a flexible drive bent shaft whipper snipper, this has the advantage that a circular saw blade can now be used on this configuration of whipper snipper. Many property's have a bent shaft whipper snipper that is limited to the specific task of cutting normal light to medium grass. This invention utilizes the popular whipper snippers existing attachment mechanisms which means that the original head can be reinstalled in minutes. The primary objective of the invention is to permit the whipper snipper to be used for a wider range of work, as well as conventional normal grass cutting, the increased capabilities are as follows: e Heavy vegetation (rat tail grass) e Hard Wood e Soft Wood e Hedges There is also advantages over chainsaws in that the whipper snipper is lighter and can be operated in the standing position, which is less conducive to back complaints. Another advantage is the blade handles green vegetation for longer work periods with out going blunt, there is also no requirement for chain lubricating oil and blades are considerably less expensive than chainsaw blades. Another advantage over the chainsaw is that the cutting blade is considerably further away from the hands and face of the operator, the blade can be easily changed in the field and requires no skill to adjust. The invention primarily consists of an aluminum alloy body holding two bearing and a seal, it has 2 relief cuts opposite each other at the clamping end of the invention, there is also a threaded orifice for an oil plug and a threaded orifice for the fitment of the original locating securing screw. The end of the invention where the relief cuts are situated is stepped to facilitate the original attachment clamp, the inside is machined to facilitate the bearings and seal, also there is a space between the bearings to hold oil, which is specifically there to lubricate the bearings and provide a degree of cooling, there is also a machined internal recess for a circlip to secure the outer bearing and provide a depth stop for the oil seal. There are two shafts a primary drive shaft that has a square orifice in one end at a present depth and a secondary stainless steel driven shaft that is supported by the bearings, the seal operates on this shaft to prevent oil loss. - 1 - The primary drive shaft is inserted into the secondary shaft and pinned by a spring roll pin, these shaft then operate as a single shaft, there is also a circlip groove on the secondary shaft, with the circlip fitted to the shaft groove and the body internal circlip fitted, the bearings and shaft are secure in the alloy body. The seal can now be pressed into place. The Blade securing parts of the invention are now fitted to the shaft that is protruding past the oil seal, the shaft is stepped down to accommodate a steel support that centralizes and holds the cutting blade. The generic wood cutting blade of a specific size is now fitted over the positioning spigot on the steel blade support, then a concave/convex thick steel washer is positioned over the shaft up to the blade this is followed by a steel spacer and finally a nyloc nut is screwed onto the threaded end of the shaft, this compresses the blade and locks it to the shaft. To facilitate the locking of the blade by the nyloc nut, it is necessary to use a square key steel of a specified size bent at right angles and inserted into the primary drive orifice, with the key positioned and held by one hand, a ring spanner is fitted to the specified size nyloc nut, this spanner is held by the other hand and turned while the key steel is held stationary, the nyloc nut is tightened to lock the blade to the shaft. The key and spanner are then removed and the invention is fitted to the whipper snipper, by first ensuring the flexible drive square end of the cable is engaged in the primary drive square orifice, as the invention is adjusted into place so that the threaded screw hole of the invention and the whipper snipper locating hole line up, the original lock screw is fitted and secured in the invention. Now the original clamp is maneuvered onto the previously mentioned step of the invention and securely tightened, the two relief slots in the body of the invention are specific for tightening of the clamp, the fitment of the invention with blade attached on to the whipper snipper take less than five minutes. -2-

Claims (15)

1. An apparatus attachment head for bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade, which is capable of cutting heavy vegetation (rat tail grass), hard wood, soft and hedges. The apparatus comprises an aluminium alloy body, internal shaft and a seal, also consists of a blade attachment.

2. An apparatus attachment head for bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade of claim 1 wherein, the attachment head is machined inside the aluminium alloy to facilitate the bearings and seal and support a stainless steel driven shaft.

3. An apparatus attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade to claim 2, wherein the aluminium alloy body has two relief slots opposite each other at the clamping end of the invention.

4. An apparatus attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade to claim 2, wherein the space between the bearings to hold oil to lubricate the bearings and cool the apparatus, the oil to fill the space is via a threaded aperture in the body.

5. An apparatus attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade to claim 2, wherein a machined external recess on the stainless driven shaft for a circlip to secure the driven shaft from sliding out of the body.

6. An apparatus attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade to claim 2, wherein the primary drive shaft that has a square orifice in one end at a present depth and a secondary stainless steel driven shaft that is supported by the bearings. A machined recess in the head for a circlip to hold the front bearing and provide a depth stop for the oil seal.

7. An apparatus attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper for operate circular saw blade to claim 6, wherein primary drive shaft is inserted into the secondary shaft and pinned by a spring roll pin.

8. An apparatus attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade to claim 7, wherein the primary and secondary shafts then operate as a single shaft.

9. An apparatus attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade to claim 8, wherein the circlip groove on the secondary shaft, with the circlip fitted to the shaft groove and the body internal circlip fitted, the bearing and shaft are secure in the alloy body. -1 -

10. An attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade to claim 7, wherein the blade securing parts of the invention are now fitted to the shaft that is protruding past the oil seal, the shaft is stepped down to accommodate a steel support that centralizes and holds the cutting blade.

11. An attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular blade to claim 10, wherein the generic wood cutting blade of a specific size is now fitted over the positioning spigot on the steel blade support.

12. An attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade to claim 10, wherein a concave/convex thick steel washer is positioned over the shaft up to the blade, this is followed by a steel spacer and finally a nyloc nut screwed tightly onto the threaded end of the shaft.

13. An attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade to claim 1, wherein the flexible drive square end of the cable is engaged in the primary drive square orifice.

14. An attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade to claim 13, wherein the apparatus is adjusted into place onto whipper snipper drive end. The threaded screw hole of the attachment is lined up with the locating hole of the whipper snipper, the original lock screw is fitted and secured.

15. An attachment head to bent shaft whipper snipper to operate circular saw blade to claim 14, wherein the original clamp from the whipper snipper is manoeuvred onto the invention and securely tightened, the two relief slots in the body of the invention are specific for tightening of the clamp. -2-