GB2140265A - Grass cutting apparatus with great cut-width - Google Patents

Abstract

Two cutting blades (5, 6) are rotatably housed inside respective conveyance scrolls (7, 8) arranged adjacent and communicating with one another, so that the one conveys to the other the grass cut by its own blade. By employing scrolls of usual shape, the cutting area is thus increased, while there is arranged a single discharge (21) which can be connected to a single collecting sack. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Grass cutting apparatus with great cutwidth The present invention relates to a grass cutting apparatus provided with a great cut-width and with one (rear and lateral) conveyor for the cut grass.

There are already known some grass cutting machines in which a cutting blade is rotated inside a fixed scroll (or "plate") for the conveyance of the cut grass towards a lateral discharge or directly into a back collecting sack.

The known apparatus of such kind are rather limited as regards the cut width, which generally does not exceed 80 to 85 cms. To go beyond such limit, in fact, would be pos sible but also economically not very convenient, because it would impose an oversizing of the blade and of the scroll, from which the following main difficulties would derive: a) excessive noise caused by the rotation of a blade of great diameter; b) high inertia with consequent strength problems; c) excessive bulk, deriving from the necessity to provide centre-to-centre distances and wheel bases (gauges) large enough to contain a great diameter blade.

There are already known grass cutting machines in which two or morse equal blades are housed inside a single suitably shaped scroll.

These grass cutting machines, above all those with back discharge, have however the disadvantage to require the use of specific equipment for the manufacture of the scroll, with consequent cost and arrangement problems for the same equipment. Besides, in the abovementioned models with back discharge, there are provided two different discharges with consequent inability to provide the conveyance of the cut grass towards a single back conveyor.

In view of this, the object of the present invention is to provide a grass cutting apparatus, which is able to present a great cut width without having the abovementioned disadvantages.

The invention provides a grass cutting apparatus comprising a first cutting blade rotatably housed inside a first conveyor scroll for the cut grass, a second cutting blade, which is rotatably housed inside a second conveyance scroll situated adjacent said first scroll and communicating therewith so as to convey thereto the grass cut by said second blade.

Preferably said second cutting blade and scroll are of smaller diameter than said first cutting blade and scroll.

It is evident that the addition of the second blade with relative conveyance scroll allows to increase at will the width of the cutting area, avoiding the problems otherwise connected to the use of a single blade of great diameter and at the same time keeping for the two scrolls usual shapes which do not require the use of equipment different from that already employed in the building industries. With very contained economic charges the desired increase of the cut width can thus be obtained.

In addition, it is possible to provide a single discharge easily connectable to a single back collecting sack.

The features of the present invention will be made more evident by the following detailed description of an embodiment illustrated by way of non-limitative example in the enclosed drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective view a grass cutting apparatus, Figure 2 shows the cutting group of said grass cutting machine in bottom plan, and Figure 3 shows said cutting group in section along line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2.

With reference to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a tractor-type grass cutting apparatus, in which a self-moving tractor vehicle 1 provided with a motor 26 and wheels 2 operates as support for a cutting group 3 and for a back collecting sack 4.

The cutting group 3 is shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3 and comprises two cutting blades 5 and 6, one of greater diameter than the other, rotatably housed inside respective scrolls or "plates" 7 and 8 of corresponding size.

The blades 5 and 6 are fixed to respective shafts 9 and 10, which bear respective pulleys 11 and 1 2, with which there is engaged a conveyor belt 1 3 also engaged with an idler belt tightening pulley 14. On the shaft 9 there is also fixed a further pulley 15, which receives the drive from the tractor motor through a belt 16. The blade 5 has at each end a cutting blade 17, for cutting engagement with the grass when the blade is rotated in the sense of the arrow A of Fig. 2; as well as a folded tongue 18 for facilitating the conveyance of the cut grass. The blade 6, which is rotated in the sense of the arrow B of Fig. 2, is similarly provided with cutting edges 1 9 and conveyance tongues 20.

The scroll 7, in which the blade 5 is housed, is provided with a discharge mouth 21, to which there is coupled a connector 22 for the conveyance of the cut grass towards the collecting sack 4. The scroll 8, in which the blade 6 is housed, is in its turn placed adjacent the scroll 7 and communicates with it through an opening 23, which allows to introduce in the scroll 7 the grass cut by the blade 6 and conveyed by the scroll 8. A wheel 24 carried by a bracket 25 fixed to the scroll 8 is of assistance for the support of the latter.

From the described structure there derives the following operating manner of the cutting group 3 and, in general, of the grass cutting apparatus shown in the drawings. As a result of the rotation given in the senses of the arrows A and B of Fig. 2, the two blades 5 and 6 operate the grass cutting with respective cut widths (plus a little overlap so as to allow the sure cutting of all the grass-area).

The grass cut by the smaller blade 6 is conveyed by the respective scroll 8 inside the greater scroll 7; where, together with the grass cut by the greater blade 5, it is conveyed towards the discharge mouth 21, and from here, through the connector 22, into the collecting sack 4.

It thus results in a cut width substantially equal-to the sum of the lengths of the two blades 5 and 6, with a single discharge towards the back collecting sack 4. This latter, if desired, can be omitted.

Claims (9)

1. A grass cutting apparatus comprising a first cutting blade rotatably housed inside a first conveyance scroll for the cut grass, a second cutting blade which is rotatably housed inside a second conveyance scroll situated adjacent said first scroll and communicating therewith so as to convey thereto the grass cut by said second blade.

2. A grass cutting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second cutting blade and scroll are of smaller diameter than said first cutting bladeand scroll.

3. A grass cutting apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said first scroll is provided with a discharge mouth connected to a discharge means.

4. A grass cutting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said-discharge means comprises a connector and a cut grass collection device.

5. A grass cutting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said collection device comprises a collecting sack.

6 A grass cutting apparatus according fo any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein both of said cutting blades are drivingly connected by a common drive means to rotate together.

7. A grass cutting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said scrolls and said cutting blades are carried by a self-moving tractor vehicle.

8. A grass cuffing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said cutting blades are drivingly engaged with a motor of said tractor vehicle.

9. A grass cutting vehicle machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.