GB2440393A

GB2440393A - A clamping system for detachably attaching individual spiral blades from a conventional cylinder mower.

Info

Publication number: GB2440393A
Application number: GB0614605A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Cartwright; Sean Whelan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-07-24
Filing date: 2006-07-24
Publication date: 2008-01-30
Also published as: GB0614605D0

Abstract

A clamping system for detachably attaching individual spiral blades 4 from a conventional cylinder mower, thereby allowing damaged blades to be removed and either sharpened or replaced for example. The clamping system comprises seating bodies, tapered clamps and anti-vibration bolts. The seating body 1 may be integral to, welded, or fixed by other means to a number of radial discs (16, Fig 6) that support the spiral blades, and has a flat surface 12 and an opposing tapered surface 5. The spiral blade is clamped to the seating body, by a tapered clamp that is detachably secured to the seating clamp via the anti-vibration bolt 3, which when tightened, forces the tapered clamp downwards and sideways forcing the spiral blade into the flat surface of the seating body. The tapered clamps and seating body are angled to accommodate the angle produced by the twist in the spiral blades. The tapered clamp may have a locating pin 6 which rests in a hole/slot 9 in the spiral body thereby aiding the location of the blade in the clamping system. The anti-vibration bolt may have cross holes for the insertion of a split pin, to prevent the bolt from loosening.

Description

!nterblade cylinder for lawn mowers.

This invention relates to the improvement of cylinder mowers.

Cylinder mowers are used privately and commercially for cutting grass and other vegetation.

The cylinder is the integral component of various types of grass and other vegetation cutting machines. The cylinder comprises of a shaft which is propelled by a motor or hydraulics, upon the shaft are the radial discs with slots set at specific locations to accept the spiral cutting blades. Traditionally these blades are welded into the slots which limit the material that can be used and also by the nature of manufacture and heat treatment means that the blades do not sit in the slots properly for welding resulting in extensive grinding for them to run true, to cut against the ledger blade.

When the cylinders at present become blunt or get damaged by hitting a stone or other hard object there is a significant amount of down time and high cost involved when a whole cylinder has to be replaced or re-sharpened.

To overcome this the present invention proposes a clamping system that allows the removal and replacement of the spiral blades of a mowers cutting cylinder, which incorporates a number of seating bodies, tapered clamps, spiral blades and anti-vibration bolts.

This clamping system reduces the costs and down time of machines by the ease of blade replacement which in turn allows the operator to easily unclamp and replace one or more damaged spiral blades with new ones or change a full set of blunt or worn out ones. The blunt ones can then be re-sharpened and used again at a later date resulting in more operational time.

There are various ways of making and fitting this clamping system such as the seating body can be welded or fixed by other means to or is an integral part of the radial discs however the concept and the application of the clamping system which forces the spiral blade down and across into its seat is ideal for the use with spiral blade cylinder mower blades.

Due to the nature of clamping the spiral blades into the cylinder there are far more choices of materials that can be used which in turn can be beneficial in damage and wear reduction. Also re-grinding of blunt and replacing damaged blades becomes more economical.

An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows the complete clamping system in which the seating body would be welded or fixed by other means to or be an integral part of each and every radial disc in the desired locations.

Figure 2 shows the top view of the tapered clamp.

Figure 3 shows the top view of the seating body.

Figure 4 shows a section of a spiral blade with a different hole and slot in it.

Figure 5 shows the anti-vibration bolt.

Figure 6 shows a shalt and radial discs configuration.

Figure 7 shows an example of a radial disc with the desired locations where the spiral blades are welded in. (There are a varying amount of blades used in different cylinders; this is just an example, same applies in figure 8) Figure 8 show an example of where the seating body would be welded or fixed by other means, or alternatively be an integral part of the radial disc.

Figure 9 shows alternative seating bodies and tapered clamps.

Figure 1 shows a complete spiral blade clamping system. The seating body 1 is welded or fixed by other means to or is an integral part of the radial discs 16 in specific locations to accept the spiral blades 4. The tapered clamp 2 has a locating pin 6 at one end which rest on the bottom of the slot/hole 9 in spiral blade 4 and a taper 5 at the other end which rests against the taper 10 of the seating body 1. The tapered clamp 2 has a slot 7 in it to allow movement of the tapered clamp 2 which in turn allows easy removal and replacement of the spiral blades 4. When the anti-vibration bolt 3 is tightened through the slot in the tapered clamp into the threaded hole 8 the locating pin 6 of the tapered clamp 2 forces down on the bottom the slot/hole 9 which in turn forces the spiral blade into the seat 14 of the seating body giving accurate radial location and also the front face 13 of the tapered clamp 2 presses up against the spiral blade 4 thus ensuring the spiral blade 4 is pushed up to the back 12 of the seating body I for a highly secure and tight fit. The anti-vibration bolt 3 has cross holes II so that after it is tightened a split pin or some thing alike can be inserted into a hole 11 so that it hits the radial disc 16 thus preventing the anti-vibration bolt 3 from loosening.

Figure 2 shows the top view of the tapered clamp 2 to illustrate the angle on the taper and the angle on the front face 13 and the angle on the locating pin 6 this is to accommodate the angle produced by the twist in the spiral blades 4. By being able to clamp and unclamp the spiral blades 4 this eliminates the need to weld the spiral blades 4 into the radial discs 16 therefore the spiral blades 4 can be removed and replaced easily for re-grinding or replacement of damaged or worn out spiral blades 4.

Figure 3 shows the angle on the taper 10 and angle on the back 12 of the seating body I that is required to accommodate the angle produced by the twist in the spiral blades 4. Theseatingbodyl canbeweldedorfixedbyothermeanstoorisanintegralpart of the radial discs 16 positioned so that the seat 14 of the seating body 1 runs true to the shaft 15. When the spiral blades 4 are clamped into place this gives an accurate radial location, which reduces initial grinding to a minimum and also allows the benefit of changing damaged spiral blades 4 and or worn spiral blades 4 for re-grinding.

Figure 4 shows a section of a spiral blade 4 with examples of what can be used for the locating pin 6 of the tapered clamp 2 to go into for clamping down onto the seat 14 of the seating body I or the seat of the radial discs 16. As a result of this the spiral blades 4 can be made of better and more suitable materials available and can be beneficial in damage and wear reduction.

Figure 5 shows the anti-vibration bolt 3 with cross holes 11 to put a split pin or something alike in to stop it from coming loose.

Figure 6 shows a shaft 15 and radial discs 16 of a spiral blade cylinder Figure 7 shows a radial disc 16 with four slots 17 where the spiral blades 4 are located. (There are a varying amount of blades used in different cylinders; this is just an example, same applies in figure 8) Figure 8 shows a radial disc 16 with a seating body 1 in the position where it would be welded or fixed by other means or be an integral part of the radial disc 16.

Figure 9 shows examples of other seating bodies I and tapered clamps 2.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A clamping system that allows the removal and replacement of the spiral blades of a mower cutting cylinder, in which is incorporated a number of seating bodies, tapered clamps, spiral blades and antivibration bolts.

2. A clamping system as claimed in claim I, in which the clamping of spiral blades is achieved by the tapered clamps, seating bodies and anti-vibration bolts.

3. A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, in which the spiral blade is forced into the seat of the seating body by the tapered clamps locating pin for accurate radial location.

4. A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, in which the spiral blade is forced into the back of the seating body by the tapered clamps taper and front face ensuring high pressure and accuracy to eliminate any vibration and prevent loosening.

5. A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, in which there are, tapered clamps.

6. A clamping system as claimed in claim 5, in which the tapered clamp has a locating pin for means of engagement into the slotlhole of the spiral blade.

7. A clamping system as claimed in claim 5, in which the tapered clamp has a taper.

8. A clamping system as claimed in claim 5, in which the tapered clamp has a front face.

9. A clamping system as claimed in claim 6, in which the tapered clamp has a locating pin which is angled to accommodate the angle of the spiral blade.

10. A clamping system as claimed in claim 7, in which the tapered clamp has a taper which is angled to accommodate the angle on the taper of the seating body.

11. A clamping system as claimed in claim 8, in which the tapered clamp has a front face which is angled to accommodate the angle of the spiral blade.

12. A clamping system as claimed in claim 5, in which the tapered clamp has a slot which allows easy removal and replacement of spiral blades.

13. A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, in which there are seating bodies that are welded or fixed by other means to or is an integral part of the radial discs.

14. A clamping system as claimed in claim 13, in which the seating body has a back.

15. A clamping system as claimed in claim 13, in which the seating body has a taper.

16. A clamping system as claimed in claim 14, in which the seating body has a back which is angled to accommodate the angle of the spiral blade.

17. A clamping system as claimed in claim 15, in which the seating body has a taper which is angled to accommodate the angle on the taper of the tapered clamp.

18. A clamping system as claimed in claim 13, in which the seating body has a threaded hole.

19. A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, which has an anti-vibration bolt whereby tightening it through the slot of the tapered clamp into the threaded hole in the seating body forces down onto the tapered clamp.

20. A clamping system as claimed in claim 19, in which there are bolts with cross holes to insert a split pin or something alike which in turn stops the bolts from vibrating loose.

21. A clamping system as claimed in claim I, which has spiral blades within them are slots/holes to accommodate the locating pin of the tapered clamps.

22. A clamping system as claimed in claim 21, which has spiral blades within them are slots/holes to accommodate the pin of the tapered clamps. This allows the blades to be made from various different types of material.

23 A clamping system as claimed in claim I, in which the taper of the tapered clamp and the taper of the seating body can be varied to give different clamping forces.

24 A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, in which the tapered clamp has a serrated front face to bite into the spiral blade thus replacing the locating pin and the slot/holes in the spiral blade.

A clamping system here in described as claimed in any proceeding claim to be mounted on a, or is an integral part of, a spiral blade mowers cylinder.

26 A clamping system substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

CLAIMS

1. A clamping system that allows the removal and replacement of the spiral blades of a mower cutting cylinder, in which damaged or worn out spiral blades can be taken out and replaced. A new or reground spiral blade or a full set of spiral blades can then be inserted into the cylinders seating bodies with the slots/holes of the spiral blades in place to accept the tapered clamps locating pin. Whereby the tightening of the anti vibration bolts forces the tapered clamps down the tapered face of the seating bodies, the resultant clamping force is thus transferred through the tapered clamps forcing the spiral blades across and at the same time the tapered clamps locating pin forces the spiral blades downwards, thus holding the spiral blades securely and accurately into the seat and also into the back of the seating bodies.

2. A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, in which the clamping of spiral blades is achieved by the tapered clamps, seating bodies and anti-vibration bolts.

3. A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, in which the spiral blade is forced into the seat of the seating body by the tapered clamps locating pin for accurate radial location.

4. A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, in which the spiral blade is forced into the back of the seating body by the tapered clamps taper and front face ensuring high pressure and accuracy to eliminate any vibration and prevent loosening.

5. A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, in which there are, tapered clamps.

6. A clamping system as claimed in claim 5, in which the tapered clamp has a locating pin for means of engagement into the slot/hole of the spiral blade.

7. A clamping system as claimed in claim 5, in which the tapered clamp has a taper.

8. A clamping system as claimed in claim 5, in which the tapered clamp has a :. front face. S...

9. A clamping system as claimed in claim 6, in which the tapered clamp has a locating pin which is angled to accommodate the angle of the spiral blade.

S.....

* 10. A clamping system as claimed in claim 7, in which the tapered clamp has a *: taper which is angled to accommodate the angle on the taper of the seating body. * S.. * S.

11. A clamping system as claimed in claim 8, in which the tapered clamp has a * ** front face which is angled to accommodate the angle of the spiral blade.

12. A clamping system as claimed in claim 5, in which the tapered clamp has a slot which allows easy removal and replacement of spiral blades. Th

13. A clamping system as claimed in claim I, in which there are seating bodies that are welded or fixed by other means to or is an integral part of the radial discs.

14. A clamping system as claimed in claim 13, in which the seating body has a back.

15. A clamping system as claimed in claim 13, in which the seating body has a taper.

16. A clamping system as claimed in claim 14, in which the seating body has a back which is angled to accommodate the angle of the spiral blade.

17. A clamping system as claimed in claim 15, in which the seating body has a taper which is angled to accommodate the angle on the taper of the tapered clamp.

18. A clamping system as claimed in claim 13, in which the seating body has a threaded hole.

19. A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, which has an anti-vibration bolt whereby tightening it through the slot of the tapered clamp into the threaded hole in the seating body forces down onto the tapered clamp.

20. A clamping system as claimed in claim 19, in which there are bolts with cross holes to insert a split pin or something alike which in turn stops the bolts from vibrating loose.

21. A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, which has spiral blades within them are slots/holes to accommodate the locating pin of the tapered clamps.

22. A clamping system as claimed in claim 21, which has spiral blades within them are slots/holes to accommodate the pin of the tapered clamps. This allows the blades to be made from various different types of material.

23 A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, in which the taper of the tapered clamp and the taper of the seating body can be varied to give different clamping forces.

24 A clamping system as claimed in claim 1, in which the tapered clamp has a serrated front face to bite into the spiral blade thus replacing the locating pin * and the slot/holes in the spiral blade.

: 25 A clamping system here in described as claimed in any proceeding claim to be mounted on a, or is an integral part of, a spiral blade mowers cylinder.

26 A clamping system substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.