AU671789B2

AU671789B2 - Pruning apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU671789B2
Application number: AU25008/95A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Stephen John Field
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-08-15
Filing date: 1995-07-17
Publication date: 1996-09-05
Anticipated expiration: 2015-07-17
Also published as: AU2500895A

Description

I I -I-~I i i CC-~I~ P/00/0 1128/5/91 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 r \I rlllr 1 li I

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT I It i rr Invention Title PRUNING APPARATUS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- I I 1 7 2 i Tlhis invention relates to pruning apparatus which is designed primarily for pruning or trimming vegetation.

Pruning of vegetation is undertaken by a number of different tools including hand shears and bow saws. Ii many circumstances, however, difficulties are encountered due to access problems. For example, vegetation to be pruned may be too high to reach such as in the case of palm fronds.

Alternatively the vegetation may be obstructed by sharp thorns or other physical obstructions.

The present invention aims to overcome or alleviate the above disadvantages by providing severing or cutting apparatus which is particularly suited to pruning or trimming vegetation in areas where access is difficult. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fiom the following description.

a ~The present invention thus provides pruning apparatus for use with ooij 15 an elongated extension member, said apparatus including coupling means for coupling said apparatus to said extension member, a blade support fiame mounted to said coupling means for movement relative thereto, a cutting blade, means for mounting one end of said blade to said frame, means for mounting the i other end of said blade to said coupling means, and means for adjusting the position of said frame relative to said coupling means for tensioning said cutting blade.

The apparatus of the invention is most suitably designed for use with an extension member or pole of the type which is used with swimming pool equipment, for example for connection to a leaf scoop or a vacuum head. Most commonly such poles are telescopic. An extension pole of this type is normally provided with a spring clip at one end by which the pole can engage with various swimning pool cleaning components. The spring clip as incorporated in such an extension pole is adapted to couple the extension pole to the apparatus of the invention. For this purpose the coupling means may comprise a tubular socket to i receive an end of the pole, the socket having one or more apertures to receive a C Al 3 spring loaded button of the spring clip to positively retain the apparatus to the pole. For supporting the blade support frame, the coupling means may carry a slide or socket in which one end of the frame locates for sliding movement and the blade is coupled between the other end of:the frame and the coupling means.

Means may be provided for selectively adjusting the frame along the slide or socket to apply tension to the blade.

The means for adjusting the position of the frame and therefore the tension in the blade may comprise a threaded member such as a screw which may abut against one end of the frame to urge the frame along the slide.

The blade is preferably mounted to the coupling means through a bracing member. The frame may be any suitable size or configuration depending upon the size of the blade and the nature of the vegetation to be pruned or 0:00:trimmed.

:0 The components of the apparatus apart from the blade may be made 0*040 15 from any metals, alloys, plastics or glass reinforced fibre materials. The blade most preferably is in the form of a metal saw blade provided with a plurality of cutting teeth which may be hardened.

::intopracicalIn order that the invention may be more readily understood and put int prctialeffect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein: Fig. 1 illustrates a first formn of severing or cutting apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the coupling end of the apparatus of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 illustrates the apparatus of the invention coupled to a telescopic swimmuing pool pole.

Refering to the drawings and firstly to Figs. 1

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and 2 there is illustrated a severing or cutting apparatus according to a first form of the present invention including a blade support frame 11, a coupling member 12 of generally hollow tubular form and a blade 13 which extends between the coupling member 12 and free end of the frame 11. The frame 11 in this embodiment comprises a length of tubular steel which is bent to the required configuration to suit the application and the size of the blade being used. The free end 14 of the frame 11 is flattened and provided with a pin 15 for receipt of one end of the blade 13. The coupling member 12 includes one or more apertures 16 through its side wall to enable acceptance of the spring loaded pin of a spring clip at the end of an elongated extension member such as a swimming pool accessories pole.

Alternatively the coupling member 12 may be coupled to an extension member by means of a bolt or other fastener passed through the aperture 16 and a corresponding aperture in the end of the pole.

Secured to the coupling member 12 and extending parallel thereto is a tubular socket or slide 17 which is adapted to receive the end 18 of the frame 11, the socket or slide 17 having an internal diameter such as to enable it to slidably receive the end 18 of the frame 11. The end 18 of the frame 11 is blocked by a plug 19 for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. At the end of the socket 17, a nut 20 is provided and secured to the end of the socket 17 such as by welding. A tensioning screw 21 is engaged with the nut 20 to apply a tension to the blade as described further below.

The opposite side of the coupling member 12 is providing with a bracing member 22 for supporting the blade 13. The bracing member 22 for this purpose may be provided with a protruding pin 23 over which an end of the blade 13 may locate. The blade 13 of course may be secured to the frame end 14 and bracing member 22 by other means such as nuts and bolts. When the blade 13 is position between the end 14 of the frame 11 and brace 22, the screw 21 may be tightened to abut against the end plug 19 of the frame 11

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I I I C I I c and cause the end 18 of the frame 11 to move outwardly along the socket 17. This thereby applies a tension to the blade 13 between the end 14 of the frame 11 and brace 22. Loosening of the screw 21 allows the frame end 18 to be moved further into the socket 17 and thereby release tension on the blade 13 and allow for detachment thereof.

In use and as shown in Fig. 3 an elongated extension member 24 which may comprise a swimming pool pole may be engaged with the apparatus 10 by inserting the clip end 25 thereof into the coupling member 12 to enable engagement therewith. The spring loaded button 26 on the end of the member 24 will snap into the aperture 16 to retain the apparatus 10 to the member 24. The extension member 24 is grasped by hand and the extended length thereof permits the severing or cutting apparatus 10 to be.

located at positions not normally accessible for example at high branches of trees to enable those branches to be cut and severed by the blade 13 using a sawing action. At the end of the procedure the extension member 24 may be simply detached from the apparatus 10 by opening the button 26 to free it from the aperture 16 and to enable the member 24 to be removed from the coupling member 12.

Fig. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention in which in this case the frame 11 is rigidly secured to the coupling member 12 such as by welding. In this case however the free end 14 of the frame 11 is provided with a tensioning screw 27 associated with a nut 28 fixed to the end of the frame 11. When the screw 27 is tightened the blade 12 will be tensioned to a desired 30 amount.

Whilst the preferred method of tensioning the blade 13 is as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 many different tensioning arrangements may be provided to enable tension to be applied to the blade 12. Furthermore whilst in the embodiment illustrated the components of the apparatus are fabricated they may be where appropriate be formed by one moulded piece. For example the socket 17 and coupler 12 of the embodiment of Fig. 1 may be moulded in one piece I -C a Is I I- II r-sr 4 Is 6 of plastics.

SWhilst the above has been given by way of Sillustrative embodiment of the invention, all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein defined in the appended claims.

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Claims

1. Pruning apparatus for use with an elongated extension member, said apparatus including coupling means for coupling said apparatus to said extension member, a blade support frame mounted to said coupling means for movement relative thereto, a cutting blade, means for mounting one end of said blade to said frame, means for mounting the other end of said blade to said coupling means, and means for adjusting the position of said frame relative to said coupling means for tensioning said cutting blade.

2. Pruning apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said coupling means carries a socket for receiving one end of said frame and wherein means are provided for slidably moving said one end of said frame in said socket to apply tension to said blade.

3. Pruning apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein said adjusting means comprises an adjustment screw adapted to abut one end of said frame.

4. Pruning apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein said socket includes a threaded member at one end for threadably receiving said adjustment screw.

Pruning apparatus according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein said frame comprises a frame member of tubular cross-section and wherein said socket is of tubular cross- section of an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of said frame member.

6. Pruning apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said coupling means includes a bracing member for mounting of said other end of said blade.

Pruning apparatus according to any one of the 11 8 provided between said blade and a free end of said frame.

8. Pruning apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein said coupling means includes a bracing member for mounting of said one end of said blade.

9. Pruning apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this nineteenth day of September 1995 STEPHEN JOHN FIELD By My Patent Attorney John R. G. Gardner I; Itr 9.1. I, s, 7 13 ncS