WO1991017649A1

WO1991017649A1 - A garden tool

Info

Publication number: WO1991017649A1
Application number: PCT/AU1991/000213
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frank Rejman
Original assignee: Frank Rejman
Priority date: 1990-05-16
Filing date: 1991-05-16
Publication date: 1991-11-28

Abstract

The tool (1) has a frame (2) having ground engaging wheels (10). Mounted on the frame (2) is a motor (50) with a cutter blade (30) mounted on a rotating ouput shaft (29). The motor (50) or the output shaft (29) is adjustable in the frame (2) such that the blade (30) can cut in a vertical plane or a horizontal plane. The tool (1) can thus be used as both a lawn edger and a grass and weed cutter and alleviates the need for two separate tools.

Description

A GARDEN TOOL

This invention relates to garden tools and in particular to lawn edgers and grass and weed cutters.

Lawn edging machines and weed cutters are sold as separate devices, each with its own drive motor, either electric or internal combustion. This results in duplication of items, for instance the motor, even through such items are almost always used concurrently, and also an increase in storage volume for such machines.

The present invention aims to provide a single machine which can perform lawn edging, the cutting of grass and weeds and even small shrubs and trees, and thereby reduce storage requirements and total capital cost of such machines by reducing duplication.

To achieve the above objective, the invention, in one broad form, provides a wheeled carriage, cutter drive means mounted on the carriage having an output shaft movable between a substantially vertical orientation and a substantially horizontal transverse position.

Preferably said drive means is pivotable about a horizontal longitudinally extending axis.

Preferably the carriage has an adjustable handle for pushing the carriage.

Preferably the cutter and cutter drive means are an integral unit removable from the carriage for hand held use.

Preferably the output shaft may be positioned intermediate the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a perspective of an embodiment of the invention in a lawn edging mode.

Figure 2 shows the embodiment of figure 1 in a weed cutter mode.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the embodiment of figure 1 with the motor removed for clarity.

Figure 4 shows a front view of the embodiment of figure 1; again with the motor removed for clarity. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings there is shown the combined lawn edger/weed cutter 1 hereinafter referred to as the device. The device 1 has a frame 2 comprised of two arched beams 3, joined at adjacent ends 4 and 5 by tubes 6 and 7 respectively. Pivotably connected to the ends of the tubes 6 and 7 are trailing arms 8, the free ends of which have short stub axles 9 (not shown) extending perpendicularly therefrom upon which are mounted wheels 10. Trailing arms, at the front and rear of the frame are rigidly joined together by a rod (not shown) passing through respective tube 6 or 7, such that rotation of one arm about the tubular axis will cause rotation of the other.

The trailing arms 8 on one side of the frame each have a control arm 11 extending at about 90° from themselves. The free ends 12 of the control arms 11 have a bushing 13 and a link rod 14 connects with the bushing to join the two arms 11 together such that all four trailing arms 8 can be rotated equally about respective tubes. Rotation of the arms 8 raises or lowers the frame beams 3 relative to the wheels 10. A position handle 15 is connected to a rear control arm and engages a position segment 37 rigidly attached to the frame beam 3. The position segment 37 has a number of cutouts 16 such that one of a plurality of relative positions between wheels 10 and frame 2 may be set.

Intermediate the ends of the beams at the top of the arched section are two cross members 17 and 18. Cross member 17 is a simple plate welded to beams 3. Cross piece

18 is also a plate welded to beams 3 but its upper surface

19 describes an arc of a circle 22.

Cross members 17 and 18 have a hole 20 passing there¬ through, in which an axle 21 is rotatably received. The centre of the circle arc 22 and the centre of the holes 21 are the same. Rigidly attached to the axle 20 are two motor mounting plates 23, 24 which extend parallel to each other, transversely of the axle to one side of the device 1. The lower, outer portions of the two plates 23, 24 are joined by a further motor mounting plate 25. The plates 23, 24 and 25 are sized so as to receive an angle grinder but obviously in alternate forms of the invention the motor can pivot directly on axle 21, rather than requiring mounting plates 23, 24 and 25. The mounting plates 23 and 24 have two cut-outs 40 at their upper edge. The motor 50 has two threaded bores into each of which a lock bol 41 screws to sandwich the mounting plates 23 and 24 against the motor and bolt 41, thereby securing the motor. By loosening these bolts 41 the angle grinder may be removed from the plates and carriage and used as a hand held cutting device in places where it can not otherwise reach.

Also attached rigidly to either the' axle 21 or mounting plate 24 is a position handle 26 which is spring loaded against arcuate surface 22. The arcuate surface 22 has two slots 27, 28 into which the handle engages. The two slots 27, 28 are 90° apart such that the axle and hence motor may be secured at either of two positions, 90 degrees apart. These positions correspond to the cutter blade 30 being perpendicular and parallel to the ground. Furthermore the arcuate surface 22 may have further slots intermediate slots 27, 28 to provide a multitude of operating positions.

When handle 26 engages slot 28 the motor is positioned vertically, with its output shaft 29 horizontal as in figure 2. When the handle 26 engages slot 27, the motor is positioned horizontally with its output shaft 29 vertical.

An appropriate cutting blade 30 is attached to the output shaft 29 and thus can move from a position generally perpendicular to the ground, where lawn edging can be performed, to a horizontal position, where weed and/or grass cutting can be performed. It is best to change blades for the two different functions for best results, but not essential.

The device 1 is provided with a handle 31 attached to the device by means of a transverse bar 32. The handle 31 has an attachment bracket 35 having holes 33 through which the bar 32 passes. Rigidly attached to the bracket is a segment of a circle 34 having its centre on the axis of bar 32. A third spring loaded handle 36 is attached to rear cross tube and is sprung against the segment 34. The segment 34 has a plurality of slots in its outer edge into which the handle engages. By selecting an appropriate slot the angle of the handle to the frame may be adjusted to suit the user.

Although the device has been described with reference to an electrically powered tool, it will be appreciated that any power source, such as a small internal combustion engine, may be used instead.

Similarly, while the invention has been described with reference^' to an embodiment having the motor and drive shaft as one rigid unit, it will be appreciated that, through use of appropriate gears or belts, the motor can be rigidly fixed to the frame of the device, and only the output shaft would move to provide the two positions.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims

The claims :

1. A tool comprising : - a wheeled carriage having a longitudinal direction; cutter drive means mounted on the carriage and having an output shaft movable between a substantially vertical orientation and a substantially horizontal orientation.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein both the drive means and the output shaft move as one unit.

attached to the carriage and the output shaft moves relative t both drive means and the wheeled carriage.

4. The tool of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the drive means i rotatable about a longitudinal axis.

5. The tool of any one of claims 1, 2 or 4 wherein the driv means and cutter means are removable from the carriage for han held use.

6. The tool of any one of claims 1, 3, 4 or 5 wherein the carriage has two generally parallel longitudinally extending transversely spaced beams, at the ends of which a wheel is rotatably supported, and two transversely extending second pai of beams connecting said first pair of beams intermediate thei ends, the second pair of beams rotatably supporting the drive means, one of said second pair of beams having an arcuate surface having two indents therein, the drive means including a locating means biased against the arcuate surface, the locating means engaging said indents to locate the drive means and output shaft at one of said positions.

7. A tool, substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.