GB2289203A

GB2289203A - Clippings collector for hedge trimmer

Info

Publication number: GB2289203A
Application number: GB9509508A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jerome Mcgarry
Original assignee: Black and Decker Inc
Current assignee: Black and Decker Inc
Priority date: 1994-05-12
Filing date: 1995-05-11
Publication date: 1995-11-15
Also published as: GB9409487D0; GB9509508D0

Abstract

A collection device used on a hedgetrimmer comprises two upright supports 5 which can be attached to cutter blades 3 of the hedgetrimmer. A clipping collection trough 8 is rotatably mounted between the supports and can be fixed in three positions. In a first position the trough is arranged laterally to the right hand side of the blades to collect clippings when the device is used in a left hand cutting direction. In a second position the trough is arranged laterally to the left hand side of the blades. A third control position is shown at Fig. 6. The trough 8 is telescopic so that it can be adjusted to fit different lengths of hedgetrimmer blades. The supports are slideably mounted on a bar (1, Fig. 1) which is fixed to the hedgetrimmer blades so that the supports can be moved to the correct separation to fit the telescopic trough. <IMAGE>

Description

COLLECTION DEVICE FOR HEDGE TRIMMERS Tiiis invention relates to a collection attachment for power driven hedge trimmers which can collect, retain and re-direct hedge cuttings whilst the cutting operation is in progress. In particular it is suitable for attachment to single and double cut trimmers and its collection basket, which fits any size of machine, is capable of being immediately flicked-over to a diametrically opposed direction therebv facilitating multi-directional cutting. The problem of hedge trimmings falling and scattering over borders and flowerbeds is a well known one and it is not surprising that many innovations concerning trimmings collection are to be found in the prior art. For example in US.4,071,951 a device is described which is permanently fixed to the trimmer blade frame and can therefore cut in one direction only and is also only suitable for attachment to one size of blade length; also in GB.1,406,800 another attachment is claimed which is also only suitable for single cut, single blade length machines. In US.3,990,145 one finds a description of a device which has no collection facility whatsoever and which is more of a rake than a collector and is only suitable for one length of blade whereas in GB.2,219,721 the collection device has to be removed and refitted to achieve trimming and collection in the opposite direction. A French innovation in FR.2,494,55 1 is limited to one direction of cut with collection of trimmings and can be accommodated on one length of blade only. A similar state of affairs is apparent in GB.2,236,937 where the collector must be removed and refitted in order to cut and collect trimmings in the opposite direction. There is a need therefore for a lightweight trimmings collection device for attachment to power driven hedge cutters which will not impede the cutting action in any direction but which will collect the cuttings under all circumstances including left and right horizontal directions as well as up and down vertical face collection.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a collection device for use on hedgetrimmers comprising two upright support units which are attachable to the cutter blades of a hedgetrimmer and a trimmings collection trough which is pivotally mounted between the said support units with the axis of pivot located above the plane of the cutting blades so that the trough can be pivoted between a first fixed position in which the trough is located laterally to the right hand side of the blades to collect trimmings when the device is used in a left hand cutting direction and a second fixed position in which the trough is arranged laterally to the left hand side of the blades to collect trimmings when the device is used in a right hand cutting direction.

Therefore, the device according to the present invention will collect cuttings when a hedgetrimmer is moved to the left or to the right.

The trough is pivotably mounted on the support units above the plane of the cutting blades with the point of pivot removed from the plane in which the blades lie. Thus, the trough can be pivoted from a first position in which a first side of the trough lies adjacent to a first side of the blades to a second position in which a second opposite side of the trough lies adjacent to a second opposite side of the blades.

Preferably the trough can be pivoted to a third fixed (horizontal) position with the trough positioned directly above the cutting blades with an opening into the trough located over said blades to facilitate the collection of trimmings when the blades are in a substantiallv vertical cutting position. This enables the device to collect trimmings when the hedgetrirniner is used to trim the side of the hedge.

Both of the support units may carry an inwardly facing hub on which the collection trough can be pivotably mounted. A number of holes or slots corresponding to the number of positions in which the trough can be fixed are located in at least one of the hubs and a rod which is slidably supported on the trough is engageable with a corresponding one of the holes or slots to fix the trough in a desired position.

Preferably, the rod is spring biased into engagement with the holes or slots.

MvThen the trough is rotated between a first position and a second position the rod is pulled out of engagement with a first hole or slot and the trough is rotated to the second position. The rod is then released into engagement with a second hole or slot, thus fixing the trough in the second position.

In order for the collection device according to the present invention to fit any length of hedgetrimmer blade preferably the trough is telescopic. This allows the length of the trough to be varied as desired. Preferably a clamping means is provided on the trough to hold the trough at the desired length.

To enable the trough to be mounted on the support units, the support units must be fixed on the cutting blades at a desired degree of separation. To enable this preferably the support units are arranged to move slideably along a bar which can be fixed to the cutting blades so that the support units can be moved along the bar to any desired degree of separation. Preferably, the bar is slotted so that it can be bolted onto the cutter blades of any hedgetrimmer using the existing bolts which are present in such hedgetrimmers. In order to fix the support units at the desired separation the support units preferably carry vice screws which can be used to clamp the support units to the bar in their desired position.

The present invention also provides a hedgetrimmer to which is attached a collection device as described above.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompansin drawing in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bar with t".o support units slideably mounted thereon which can be clamped in position in order to carry a trimmings collection trough.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bar and support units of Figure 1 attached to the blades of a hedge trimmer and cawing a telescopic trimmings collection trough.

Figure 3 is a perspective rear view of Figure 2 showing a clamping knob of the telescopic collection trough and a spring loaded handle for selecting the orientations of the collecting trough.

Figure 4 is a perspective view(s) of the front end of the collection trough on the hedge trimmer in its two chiral positions.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the back end(s) of the views of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective sectional view of the handle and knob clamping mechanisms of the telescopic collection trough.

Referring to the drawings the collection device for Hedge Trimmers comprises a slotted bar 1, of trapezoid cross section 9. 2 which can be bolted onto the top of the cutter blades 3 of a powered hedge trimmer using the machine's existing bolts 4 and which can carry in a slide-rail fashion a pair of upright support units 5 which can be set apart on the rail and locked to any desired degree of separation using the vice screws 6 which are at the base of each support unit and where the support units carry support hubs 7 in order to accommodate, in a semi-rotary manner, a clippings trough 8 which swings on the hubs 7 and which fits between the hubs, irrespective of their distance apart because of the incorporation of a telescopic end 9 in the collection trough 8. The hubs 7 carry three holes or slots 10 which determine the desired fixed positions of the collection trough and these holes or slots are engaged in any of the fixed positions by means of a rod 11 which is spring loaded along its length 12 and which is withdrawn, or changed, by means of the handle 13.

Designed along side of this handle 13 there is a screw-knob 14 which is the clamping device which fixes the telescopic end 9 of the trough to a position which tallies with the predetermined fixing of the support unit hubs 7.

When in use the device can be used to collect trimmings during left or right hand cutting directions and its trough can be flicked-over from one position to the other by simply pulling and rotating the handle 13, but in addition to this the trough can be fixed horizontally in the third hole or slot as shown in figure 6 to facilitate the collection of trimmings during vertical or hedge-face clipping. The whole device can be removed from the hedge cutters for storage in a matter of minutes by simply releasing the uprights 5 using the vice-screws 6.

The trough 8 is pivotably mounted on the support units above the plane of the cutting blades with the point of pivot removed from the plane of the blades. Thus, the trough can be pivoted from a first position (left drawing of figure 4) in which a first side of the trough lies adjacent to a first side of the blades to a second position (right drawing of figure 4) in which a second opposite side of the trough lies adjacent to a second opposite side of the blades.

Claims

1 A collection device for use on hedgetrimmers comprising tu-o upright support units which can be attached to cutter blades of a hedge trimmer and a trinllflings collection trough which is pivotably mounted between the said support units with the axis of pivot located above the plane of the cutting blades so that the trough can be pivoted between a first fixed position in which the trough is arranged laterally to the right hand side of the blades to collect trimmings when the device is used in a left hand cutting direction and a second fixed position in which the trough is arranged laterally to the left hand side of the blades to collect trimmings when the device is used in a right hand cutting direction.

2 A collection device according to claim 1 wherein the trough canbe pivoted to a third fixed position with the trough positioned directly above the cutting blades with an opening into the trough located over said blades.

3 A collection device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein both of the support units carry an inwardly facing hub on which the collection trough is pivotably mounted.

4 A collection device according to claim 3 wherein a number of holes or slots corresponding to a number of positions in which the trough can be fixed are provided in at least one of the hubs and a rod which is slide ably supported on the trough is engageable with a corresponding one of the holes or slots to fix the trough in a desired position.

S A collection device according to claim 4 wherein the rod is spring biased into engagement with the holes or slots.

6 A collection device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the trough is telescopic so that it can fit any length of cutting blade.

7 A collection device according to claim 6 wherein a clamping means is provided on the trough to fix the trough at a desired length.

8 A collection device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the support units are arranged to move slideably along a bar which can be fixed to the cutting blades so that the support units can be moved along the bar to any desired degree of separation.

9 A collection device according to claim 8 wherein the bar is slotted.

10 A collection device according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the support units carry vice screws which releasabln clamp the support units to the bar.

11 A collection device for use on hedgetrimmers substantially as herein before described with relation to figures 1 to 6.

12 A hedgetrimmer which includes a collection device according to any one ofclaims 1 to 11.