GB2170390A

GB2170390A - A machine for use in cutting or caring for grass

Info

Publication number: GB2170390A
Application number: GB08602615A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arnold Walmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-02-05
Filing date: 1986-02-03
Publication date: 1986-08-06
Also published as: GB8502831D0; GB8602615D0; GB2170390B

Abstract

A machine (2) for use in cutting or caring for grass, comprises an operating head (8) which is able to perform a chosen function in the cutting or the caring of the grass and which is formed to the general shape of a cylinder, the operating head (8) being releasably mounted on the machine (2) whereby the operating head (8) can be removed to facilitate cleaning or maintenance. The operating head may comprise cutting, scarifying or sweeping members. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A machine for use in cutting or caring for grass This invention relates to a machine for cutting or caring for grass.

Grass cutting machines are well known and are very widely used. Grass scarifying and grass sweeping machines are also known but they are less widely used. Many of the known machines for cutting, scarifying or sweeping grass have a cutting, scarifying or sweeping head which is formed to the general shape of a cylinder. The head is substantially permanently fixed in the machine and considerable difficulty arises when maintenance of the head or parts of the machine adjacent the head are required. Since the head cannot be removed from the machine, at least without specialist equipment, it is necessary to try and effect the maintenance with the head in place. This can often be very difficult, for example in the case of trying to sharpen a cutting head.Apart from the fact that the cutting parts of the head may be substantially inaccessible, there is also the fact that the machine is usually too heavy to lift and may even be too heavy to turn over. Fuel may leak from the machine and working conditions are generally far from ideal.

Again, with cutting, scarifying and sweeping heads, long blades of grass can often twine around the ends of the centre spindle on which the head is mounted. With the existing machines, it is often almost impossible to remove these long blades of grass and they are usually left in position. This looks unsightly and can prevent appropriate machine parts from being properly oiled. With large machines, the inaccessibility of the head has often lead to the machines being hosed down in an attempt to clean them. Unfortunately, this hosing down leads to premature rusting of the machines.

Eventually, it invariably becomes necessary to send the machine back to the maker of the machine or to specialist repairers for the required maintenance.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, this invention provides a machine for use in cutting or caring for grass, which machine comprises an operating head which is able to perform a chosen function in the cutting or the caring of the grass and which formed to the general shape of a cylinder, the operating head being releasably mounted on the machine whereby the operating head can be removed for facilitating cleaning or maintenance of the operating head or parts of the machine adjacent the operating head.

The machine may be for cutting, scarifying, sweeping, spiking or fertilising grass.

When the operating head is a grass cutting head, then the grass cutting head may comprise elongate blades which extend in a spiral fashion to define the general shape of the cyliner. Generally, the grass cutting head may be of a known construction apart from the fact that it will be releasably mounted on the machine.

When the operating head is a scarifying head, then the scarifying head may comprise a plurality of tines which define the general shape of the cylinder.

The scarifying head may be of any known general type of scarifying head except that it will be releasably mounted on the machine.

When the head is a sweeping head, then the sweeping head may comprise brush means which define the general shape of the cylinder. The sweeping head may be any known type of sweeping head except that it will be releasably mounted on the machine. When the machine is used as a grass sweeping machine, the sweeping head may be effective to enable the machine to sweep up leaves, grass or snow. When sweeping snow, the snow may, if desired, be pushed to either side of the machine.

When the operating head is a spiking head, then the spiking head may have appropriately deployed spikes.

When the operating head is a fertilising head, then the fertilising head may have appropriate dispensing means for dispensing desired amounts of fertiliser.

Generally, the machine of the present invention may be of any desired shape and size and it may be a domestic or an industrial machine.

The operating head may be arranged to be releasably mounted so that it is removable from the front, a side or the back of the machine. Preferably, the operating head is releasably mounted so that it is removable upwardly from the front of the machine. Generally, the head may be inserted from any position and from any angle, depending for exaniple on the type of weight of the machine in question.

The operating head may be mounted on a centre spindle which forms the longitudinal axis of the operating head. Advantageously, the centre spindle is formed as an integral part of the operating head.

Preferably, the centre spindle is such that each of its ends are adapted to fit one in each of a pair of recesses formed in the machine housing, the operating head then being removable from the front or the back of the machine.

Usually, retainer means will be employed to retain the centre spindle in position in the recesses.

In an alternative construction, the centre spindle may be provided with a cog which is fixed to one end of the centre spindle and which is arranged for co-operation with a complementary cog mounted on a first housing part of the machine, the operating head then being removable from the side of the machine. The other end of the centre spindle may be adapted to fit in a recess in a second housing part of the machine, the second housing part of the machine having retainer means for retaining the plain end of the centre spindle in the recess.

The retainer means for both of the above mentioned constructions and also for any other desired constructions may be a hinged flap, a sprung clip, or a releasable screw or bolt. The screw or bolt may be released with an Allen key.

Advantageously, the retainer means is a pair of screw bolts positioned one at each end of the centre spindle. Each screw bolt may be provided with a hand-holdable knob for assisting in the easy rotation of the screw bolt.

The machine may be manually propelled or it may be propelled by a motor. The motor may be, for example, an electric, petrol, two stroke or diesel motor.

The operating head may be arranged at the front or the backofthe machine.

Advantageously, the machine includes a collecting box or a collecting bag.

The collecting box or the collecting bag may be positioned at the same end of the machine as the operating head. Alternatively, the collecting box or the collecting bag may be positioned at the end of the machine remote from the operating head.

The machine may have a roller instead of wheels so that more grip will be afforded when working on the edges of flower beds and the like.

The machine may be provided with a sprung base plate that is able to be sprung from its normal operative position to an inoperative position. When the base plate is sprung to its inoperative position, it may then facilitate the easy insertion of the scarifying head, and removal of the base plate to insert the scarifying head may be avoided.

Obviously, if desired the base plate can be removed to insertthe scarifying head.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows schematically a grass cutting machine and illustrates how the grass cutting head may be removed from the front and above or from the right side of the machine as used; Figure 2 shows a first method of engaging cogs; Figure 3 shows a second method of engaging cogs; Figure 4 shows a sprung centre spindle; Figure 5 shows schematically a grass scarifying machine; and Figure 6 shows how the grass scarifying tines are secured in position.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown part of a grass cutting machine 2 having a housing 4. The housing 4 has a part 6 which is fitted with an electric motor (not shown). The machine 2 has a cutting head 8 and this cutting head 8 comprises three elongate blades 10 which extend in a spiral fashion to define the general shape of a cylinder as shown.

The cutting head 8 also has a centre spindle 12.

Figure 1 shows two of the cutting heads 8. The arrow 14 illustrates the direction of movement of the lower cutting head 8 for insertion of the cutting head 8 into a recessed part 16 of the housing 4. The arrow 18 illustrates how the upper cutting head 8 needs to he moved to the left as shown in Figure 1 forthe cutting head 8 to fit in the recessed part 16 of the housing 4. In either case, the cutting head 8 fits such that the ends of the centre spindle 12 fit in the recesses 20 in the housing 4.

For a sideways removable head, reference is made to Figure 2 in which the centre spindle 12 is provided at one end with a cog 22 having teeth 24. A complementary cog 26 is mounted on a shaft 28 in the housing 4. The cog 26 has teeth 30 which mesh as illustrated with the teeth 24. Thus the cog 22 and therefore the centre spindle 12 and its cutting head 8 will be retained in position at one end of the centre spindle 12. The other end of the centre spindle 12 can fit in a slot such as one of the slots 20 and it can be retained in this slot by appropriate retainer means such for example as a hinged flap, a sprung clip or a screw or bolt.

Figure 3 shows alternative meshing cogs 22, 26 and, in Figure 3, it will be seen that the cog 22 fits inside the cog 26.

In Figure 4, there is shown a centre spindle 12 which cooperates at each end with a threaded adjuster bolt 32. A spring 34 is mounted on each threaded adjuster bolt 32. In the event that the cutting head 8 should strike a stone or other hard object, the centre spindle 12 can rise upwardly to absorb the shock, the movement of the centre spindle 12 being against the springs 34. The threaded adjuster bolts 32 can be rotated to adjust the force with which the springs 34 act on the centre spindle 12.

In the event that the blades 10 of the cutting head 8 need sharpening or parts of the machine 2 adjacent the cutting head 8 should need maintenance, it will be apparent that the cutting head 8 can easily be removed to facilitate the required sharpening of the blades 10 or other maintenance. In the event that the base plate (not shown) of the machine 4 should become damaged, this becomes easily accessible once the cutting head 8 is removed. The base plate can then be removed and, for example, hammered straight or otherwise repaired as may be required. In the event that the blades 10 of the cutting head 8 should need cleaning, then this can very easily be effected after the cutting head 8 has been removed from the machine 2.

The cogs 22,26 may be made from various materials. If they are made from plastics materials, they should be fairly wide to be able to absorb the appropriate pressure that will be transmitted along the centre spindle 12. One plastic material that may be used is a toughened nylon plastics material.

Metals may of course also be employed.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, there is shown a grass scarifying machine 36 having a handle 38 and a housing 40. The housing 40 has a part42for housing an electric motor and drive mechanism (not shown). The housing 40 also has a recessed part 44 for receiving a scarifying head 46. The scarifying head 46 comprises a plurality of scarifying segments 48 which are esch threaded over a centre spindle 50. Each scarifying segment 48 has a body part 52 and a pair of fixed arms 54, 56. Each arm 54, 56 terminates in a circular portion 58. As shown most clearly in Figure 6, a tine 60 extends from each end of the circular portion 58, only one end being visible in Figure 6. Generally, the tines 60 are formed by the two outwardly extending ends of a coil spring 62. In order to get the coil spring 62 inside the circular portion 58 as shown, the two ends or tines 60 of the coil spring 62 are rotated so that they are in the same axial line and then the coil spring 62 can be slid into the circular portion 58 from one of its open ends, with the tines 60 passing through the slot 64.

When the tines 60 are released, they spring past the slot 64 so that there is a tine at each end of the circular portion 58, and thus the coil spring 62 cannot fall out of its circular portion 58.

The grass cutting machine 2 shown in figure 1 will usually have wheels. In an alternative construction illustrated in Figure 5, the wheels are not present and the grass scarifying machine 36 is moved on a roller 66. Thus, if the machine 36 is used along the edge of a flower bed or the like, the roller 66 will give good support and there will be less tendency for the machine 36 to slip on one side into the flower bed (with resultant digging of the grass) than would be the case if wheels were employed.

Also illustrated in Figure 5 is a collecting box 68.

Further illustrated in Figure 5 is a substantially rectangular recess 70 which receives a similarly shaped end of the spindle 50. The other end of the spindle 50 is round as shown in Figure 5 and goes into a similar shaped recess in a part 72 formed on the housing 40. Once the spindle 50 is in position, a tightening bolt 74 having a knob 78 for ease of rotation can be tightened to lock the spindle 50 in position in the recessed part 44 of the housing 40.

The thread 80 on the bolt 74 is preferably a reverse thread so that, with any vibration of the machine 36, the bolt 74 will tend to tighten rather than loosen, and this is a good'safety feature.

Usually, and preferably, as will be appreciated from Figure 1, the operative head such as the cutting head 12 shown in Figure 1 will be complete unit having an integral centre spindle 12. Thus, once the centre spindle 12 is released from being locked in the housing 4, the entire operating head can very easily be removed from the machine 2.

Advantageously, the centre spindle will be solid to give extra weight where it is needed for good operation of the machines of the invention.

In Figure 5, the recess 70 will be in a rotatable bearing part 82 which will be driven by the drive arrangement in the housing part 42. Thus, as the recess 70 rotates, the spindle 50 will be caused to rotate which will then rotate the scarifying head 46.

The part 72 will then usually be a solid non-rotatable bearing part. This part 72 may conveniently be formed as part of the bolt 74 so that it will be appreciated that screwing and unscrewing of the bolt 74 can quickly tighten and release the spindle 50 and therefore the entire scarifying head 46. If desired, a safety spring clip (not shown) may be notched into the knob 78 in order to prevent any possibility of vibration releasing the bolt 74 and such a safety spring clip is desirable if the thread 80 is not above the mentioned preferred reverse thread.

In the event that one of the scarifying segments 48 should break, the separate scarifying segments 48 can be removed simply by being slid off the spindle 50 and a new scarifying segment 48 can be placed on the spindle 50. Usually, the scarifying segments 48 will be locked on the spindle 50 by means of a grub screw (not shown) or other appropriate fixing means.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the cutting head 8 shown if Figure 1 could be replaced by the scarifying head 46 shown in Figure 5 and vice versa.

Alternatively, the operative head could be a sweeping head with brushes, a spiking head, a fertilising head or any other desired type of head.

With a sweeping head that is for clearing snow, then the snow can be arranged to be thrown to either side of the machine. The machine may be an industrial or a domestic machine and the design of the machine and especially the design of the housing 4 may be obviously be different to that shown in Figures 1 and 5.

The machines of the present invention will save much fiddley and difficult work that has hitherto been necessary in cleaning and maintaining known machines. Time will be saved and maintenance will be much easier. Especially for elderly or incapacitated persons who find it difficult to bend down, the ability to remove the operating head will be greatly appreciated. There will be no need to endeavour to lift the machines onto a work bench or a table, or to bend or kneel because the machines are too heavy to lift.

Although not shown in the drawings, the machines 2,36 may be provided with the height adjustment facility which is standard on most existing machines. Thus, the height adjusting facility may give three height adjustments and these three height adjustments may be achieved by appropriately locating a lever in one of three height notches, there being a lever and the three height notches on both sides ofthe machines. If it is required to remove the base plate, for inserting or removing a scarifying head or other operating head, this may be effected by undoing both adjuster nuts or other devices at the top, whereupon T-bolts (not shown) will come away and the base plate can be removed.

Claims

1. A machine for use in cutting or caring for grass, which machine comprises an operating head which is able to perform a chosen function in the cutting or the caring of the grass and which is formed to the general shape of a cylinder, the operating head being relesably mounted on the machine whereby the operating head can be removed for facilitating cleaning or maintenance of the operating head or parts of the machine adjacent the operating head.

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which the operating head is a cutting head, a scarifying head, a sweeping head, a spiking head or a fertilising head.

3. A machine according to claim 2 in which the operating head is a grass cutting head, and in which the grass cutting head comprises elongate blades which extend in a spiral fashion to define the general shape of the cylinder.

4. A machine according to claim 2 in which the operating head is a scarifying head and in which the scarifying head comporises a plurality of tines which define the general shape of the cylinder.

5. A machine according to claim 2 in which the operating head is a sweeping head and in which the sweeping head comprises brush means which define the general shape of the cylinder.

6. A machine according to claim 2 in which the operating head is a spiking head and in which the spiking head has appropriately deployed spikes which define the general shape of the cylinder.

7. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which the operating head is releasably mounted so that it is removable from the front, a side or the back of the machine.

8. A machine according to claim 7 in which the operating head is releasahly mounted so that it is removable upwardly from the front of the machine.

9. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which the operating head is mounted on a centre spindle which forms the longitudinal axis ofthe operating head.

10. A machine according to claim 9 in which the centre spindle is formed as an integral part of the operating head.

11. A machine according to claim 9 or claim 10 in which the centre spindle is such that each of its ends are adapted to fit one in each of a pair of recesses formed in the machine housing.

12. A machine according to claim 11 and including retainer means for retaining the centre spindle in position in the recesses.

13. A machine according to claim 12 in which the retainer means are a hinged flap, a spring clip, or a releasable screw or bolt.

14. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which the operating head is arranged at the front or the back of the machine.

15. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims including a collecting box or a collecting bag.

16. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims and having wheels and/or a roller by means which the machine is moved over the grass.

17. A machine according to any one ofthe preceding claims and including a sprung base plate which is movable against pressure of springs from an operative position to an inoperative position in which a scarifying head can easily be inserted into and removed from the machine.

18. A machine for use in cutting or caring for grass, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.