US3601960A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Lawn mower of the rotary blade type
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-04-13
•
Granted: 1971-08-31
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Expires: 1990-04-13
Abstract
Abstract A lawn mower of the type wherein a blade, which is located in an annular outwardly open blade chamber of a casing having an inwardly open scroll around the blade chamber, is operative, when rotated, to create a main stream of air flowing from a bottom inlet outwardly through the annular chamber and rotationally through the volute chamber. It also creates a similarly flowing supplementary stream, which enters the casing through a top inlet opening concentric to the axis of rotation. The supplementary stream enables the lawn mower to cut wet grass satisfactorily because it sweeps across the ceiling of the blade chamber and thereby prevents the creation and growth on that ceiling of wet grass deposits which lead to clogging and unsatisfactory operation. Freedom from clogging is also promoted by grass-intercepting gutters on the blade and the use of smooth obstruction-free cornerless surfaces on the blade and on the casing walls.
Inventors
- 👤 Ralph L Buechler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 09:56
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D34/00; A01D34/01; A01D34/412; A01D34/63; A01D34/73
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
226 words
A lawn mower of tHe type wherein a high speed blade rotates horizontally about a vertical axis, comprising: A. a wheeled casing having 1. a pair of horizontal bottom and top casing walls vertically spaced to provide therebetween an annularly extending outwardly open blade chamber concentric to said axis, and 2. a horizontal peripheral wall, having a circumferential contour of volute shape and a semicircular curvature in vertical cross section, bridging the space between the peripheries of the bottom and top walls and cooperating therewith to provide the bottom, top and peripheral walls of an inwardly open volute chamber having a. a radial communication with said outwardly open blade chamber, b. a substantially uniform vertical width between said top and bottom wall portions of said volute chamber, c. a progressively increasing radial depth, and d. a tangential discharge, and 3. means forming casing inlet openings concentric to said vertical axis, including a. one opening in said bottom wall, and b. a supplementary opening in said top wall; and B. a blade located in said annular chamber, mounted to said casing for rotation about said axis, and operative, when rotated, to create two streams of air flowing outwardly through said annular chamber and rotationally through said volute chamber, and including 1. a main stream from said bottom inlet, and 2. a ceiling stream from said top inlet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
226 words
A lawn mower of tHe type wherein a high speed blade rotates horizontally about a vertical axis, comprising: A. a wheeled casing having 1. a pair of horizontal bottom and top casing walls vertically spaced to provide therebetween an annularly extending outwardly open blade chamber concentric to said axis, and 2. a horizontal peripheral wall, having a circumferential contour of volute shape and a semicircular curvature in vertical cross section, bridging the space between the peripheries of the bottom and top walls and cooperating therewith to provide the bottom, top and peripheral walls of an inwardly open volute chamber having a. a radial communication with said outwardly open blade chamber, b. a substantially uniform vertical width between said top and bottom wall portions of said volute chamber, c. a progressively increasing radial depth, and d. a tangential discharge, and 3. means forming casing inlet openings concentric to said vertical axis, including a. one opening in said bottom wall, and b. a supplementary opening in said top wall; and B. a blade located in said annular chamber, mounted to said casing for rotation about said axis, and operative, when rotated, to create two streams of air flowing outwardly through said annular chamber and rotationally through said volute chamber, and including 1. a main stream from said bottom inlet, and 2. a ceiling stream from said top inlet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
an outer portion of each lag edge being bent upwardly and forwardly, in the direction of rotation, to provide a grass-intercepting gutter on the top side of the blade, a. the cross-sectional area of said gutter increasing progressively outward.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
an outer portion of each lag edge being bent upwardly and forwardly, in the direction of rotation, to provide a grass-intercepting gutter on the top side of the blade, a. the cross-sectional area of said gutter increasing progressively outward.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
each outer lag edge portion being bent to curve upwardly and forwardly, in the direction of rotation, to provide a grass-intercepting gutter on the upper side of the blade.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
each outer lag edge portion being bent to curve upwardly and forwardly, in the direction of rotation, to provide a grass-intercepting gutter on the upper side of the blade.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
7 words
said fan is mounted on said coupler.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
7 words
said fan is mounted on said coupler.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The mower of claim 1 wherein: A. said top wall provides said annular blade chamber with a substantially smooth obstruction-free ceiling, across which said ceiling stream flows annularly outward.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
7 words
a ceiling stream from said top inlet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
7 words
a ceiling stream from said top inlet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
88 words
a horizontal peripheral wall, having a circumferential contour of volute shape and a semicircular curvature in vertical cross section, bridging the space between the peripheries of the bottom and top walls and cooperating therewith to provide the bottom, top and peripheral walls of an inwardly open volute chamber having a. a radial communication with said outwardly open blade chamber, b. a substantially uniform vertical width between said top and bottom wall portions of said volute chamber, c. a progressively increasing radial depth, and d. a tangential discharge, and
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
88 words
a horizontal peripheral wall, having a circumferential contour of volute shape and a semicircular curvature in vertical cross section, bridging the space between the peripheries of the bottom and top walls and cooperating therewith to provide the bottom, top and peripheral walls of an inwardly open volute chamber having a. a radial communication with said outwardly open blade chamber, b. a substantially uniform vertical width between said top and bottom wall portions of said volute chamber, c. a progressively increasing radial depth, and d. a tangential discharge, and
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The mower of claim 2 wherein: A. the surface of said ceiling is substantially flat.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
means forming casing inlet openings concentric to said vertical axis, including a. one opening in said bottom wall, and b. a supplementary opening in said top wall; and B. a blade located in said annular chamber, mounted to said casing for rotation about said axis, and operative, when rotated, to create two streams of air flowing outwardly through said annular chamber and rotationally through said volute chamber, and including
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
69 words
means forming casing inlet openings concentric to said vertical axis, including a. one opening in said bottom wall, and b. a supplementary opening in said top wall; and B. a blade located in said annular chamber, mounted to said casing for rotation about said axis, and operative, when rotated, to create two streams of air flowing outwardly through said annular chamber and rotationally through said volute chamber, and including
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The mower of claim 1 including: A. means carried by the casing and cooperating with said top wall to provide an inlet air space over the top wall,
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
59 words
The lawn mower of claim 1 wherein: A. said supplementary opening is concentric to said vertical rotational axis; B. a drive shaft extends downwardly through said supplementary opening and rotates on said axis to drive said blade; and C. a fan, located above said blade, is mounted on said drive shaft to facilitate the flow of said ceiling stream.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The lawn mower of claim 5 wherein: A. said blade mounting means includes
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The lawn mower of claim 1 wherein: A. said blade has a pair of radially extending lead and lag edges on each side of its center,
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The lawn mower of claim 7 wherein: A. the cross-sectional area of said gutter progressively increases in a direction proceeding radially outward.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The lawn mower of claim 7 wherein: A. the inner end portion of each gutter is chamfered to extend obliquely outward.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The lawn mower of claim 7 wherein: A. the radially extending lead edge of each gutter is sharpened for grass cutting purposes.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
41 words
An improved blade, for lawn mowers of the type wherein a high speed rotates horizontally about a vertical axis, comprising: A. a blade-forming body having a rotational center and radially extending lead and lag edges on each side of said center,
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
An improved blade, for lawn mowers of the type wherein a high speed rotates horizontally about a vertical axis, comprising: A. a blade-forming body having a rotational center and radially extending lead and lag edges on each side of said center,
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
The blade of claim 11 wherein: A. the inner end portion of each gutter is chamfered to extend obliquely outward from center; and B. the radially extending lead edge of each gutter is sharpened for grass cutting purposes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-30 | 1975-03-01 | 1975-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-30 | 1979-03-01 | 1979-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-30 | 1983-03-01 | 1983-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |