US3710563A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotary edger for use with power driven lawn mower
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-11-09
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Granted: 1973-01-16
•
Expires: 1990-11-09
Abstract
Abstract A rotary lawn mower having a motor, a housing, four groundengaging wheels, a horizontal blade for lawn mowing and a vertical blade for edging. The edger blade is part of an edger assembly mounted on the housing inside a front wheel of the mower. The edger assembly includes a subassembly which is slidably mounted on the housing for vertical movement into and out of an operative position. The edger assembly also includes a vertically fixed subassembly including a drive pulley, a clutch member rotatably mounted on the housing and a camming means for moving the vertically movable part of the edger assembly downward into its operative position and upward out of its operative position. The movable subassembly includes a vertically extending drive shaft extending through the pulley and the first clutch member. A spring-loaded second clutch member is slidably mounted on the shaft above the first clutch member for engaging the first clutch member when the movable assembly is moved downward. The vertically movable subassembly also includes a gear box connecting the vertically extending drive shaft to a horizontally extending drive shaft, the edger blade, blade guards, and a guide blade extending ahead of the front mower wheel in substantially the same plane as the edger blade. The edger blade is in the form of a star having alternate skewed sharpened forward edges and straight blunt forward edges for respectively cutting sod and breaking it out.
Inventors
- 👤 M Polette
- 👤 G Newell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 06:15
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D43/00; A01D43/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
258 words
A combination rotary mower and rotary edger device comprising: a housing; four ground-engaging wheels rotatably mounted at four corners of the housing; a prime mover mounted on the housing, said prime mover having a vertically extending drive shaft extending through the housing; a horizontally extending mower blade carried by said prime mover shaft in the housing for rotation by the prime mover; a first pulley mounted on the prime mover drive shaft; an edger assembly mounted on the housing, said edger assembly including a vertically movable subassembly comprising a horizontally extending rotatable shaft, a vertically extending edger blade mounted on said horizontally extending shaft for rotation with said horizontally extending shaft, a rotatable vertically extending shaft, means forming a driving connection between said vertically extending shaft and said horizontally extending shaft, and a first clutch means carried by said vertically extending shaft for rotation with said vertically extending shaft, said vertically movable subassembly being movable to an edging position in which the edger blade extends below ground level, and to a non-edging position in which the edger blade is spaced above ground level, said edger blade being positioned adjacent one of said wheels, between said one wheel and said housing interior of said one wheel; a vertically fixed subassembly comprising a second pulley and second clutch means operatively connected to said first pulley for rotation therewith; and means for selectively moving said first clutch means and said second clutch means into engagement; and endless belt means forming a driving connection between said first pulley and said second pulley.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
258 words
A combination rotary mower and rotary edger device comprising: a housing; four ground-engaging wheels rotatably mounted at four corners of the housing; a prime mover mounted on the housing, said prime mover having a vertically extending drive shaft extending through the housing; a horizontally extending mower blade carried by said prime mover shaft in the housing for rotation by the prime mover; a first pulley mounted on the prime mover drive shaft; an edger assembly mounted on the housing, said edger assembly including a vertically movable subassembly comprising a horizontally extending rotatable shaft, a vertically extending edger blade mounted on said horizontally extending shaft for rotation with said horizontally extending shaft, a rotatable vertically extending shaft, means forming a driving connection between said vertically extending shaft and said horizontally extending shaft, and a first clutch means carried by said vertically extending shaft for rotation with said vertically extending shaft, said vertically movable subassembly being movable to an edging position in which the edger blade extends below ground level, and to a non-edging position in which the edger blade is spaced above ground level, said edger blade being positioned adjacent one of said wheels, between said one wheel and said housing interior of said one wheel; a vertically fixed subassembly comprising a second pulley and second clutch means operatively connected to said first pulley for rotation therewith; and means for selectively moving said first clutch means and said second clutch means into engagement; and endless belt means forming a driving connection between said first pulley and said second pulley.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said first pulley is positioned within said housing, between said housing and said mower blade.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
The device of claim 2 wherein the second pulley and second clutch means are both coaxial with said vertically extending shaft of said vertically movable subassembly, and said means for selectively moving said first clutch means and said second clutch means into engagement comprises means for simultaneously moving said vertically movable subassembly toward said edging position, said first clutch means and said second clutch means being positioned to engage before said vertically movable subassembly is wholly in said edging position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
114 words
A combination rotary mower and rotary edger device comprising a housing, four ground-engaging wheels rotatably mounted at four corners of the housing, a prime mover mounted on the housing, a horizontally extending mower blade rotatably mounted in the housing for rotation by the prime mover, and an edger assembly mounted on the housing, said edger assembly including a vertically extending edger blade rotatably mounted in said edger assembly and edger blade driving means operatively connecting said edger blade to said prime mover for rotation of said edger blade by said prime mover, said edger blade being mounted adjacent one of said wheels between said one wheel and said housing interior of said one wheel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
114 words
A combination rotary mower and rotary edger device comprising a housing, four ground-engaging wheels rotatably mounted at four corners of the housing, a prime mover mounted on the housing, a horizontally extending mower blade rotatably mounted in the housing for rotation by the prime mover, and an edger assembly mounted on the housing, said edger assembly including a vertically extending edger blade rotatably mounted in said edger assembly and edger blade driving means operatively connecting said edger blade to said prime mover for rotation of said edger blade by said prime mover, said edger blade being mounted adjacent one of said wheels between said one wheel and said housing interior of said one wheel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said one wheel and at least another of said wheels are adjustable vertically with respect to said housing, whereby the depth of cut of said edger blade may be determined by adjustment of said one wheel and stability of said device may be maintained by adjusting said other wheel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The improvement of claim 4 including a bracket secured to said housing, said bracket and said housing surrounding said edger blade, said one wheel being mounted on said bracket.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The improvement of claim 4 wherein Said one wheel is a front wheel of said device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The improvement of claim 7 including a freely rotatable guide blade positioned forward of the housing and of the ground-engaging wheels, said guide blade rotating in substantially the same plane as said edger blade and extending to substantially the same depth as said edger blade.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 4 wherein the axis of rotation of said one wheel lies within the ambit of said edger blade.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
190 words
A combination rotary mower and rotary edger device comprising a housing having four corners, at least three ground-engaging wheels rotatably mounted on the housing, a prime mover mounted on the housing, a horizontally extending mower blade rotatably mounted in the housing for rotation by the prime mover, and an edger assembly mounted at a forward corner of the housing, said edger assembly including a vertically extending edger blade, means operatively connecting said edger blade to said prime mover for rotation of said edger blade by said prime mover and a freely rotatable guide blade positioned forward of the edger blade, of the housing and of the three ground-engaging wheels, said guide blade rotating in substantially the same plane as said edger blade and extending to substantially the same depth as said edger blade, said edger assembly comprising a movable subassembly including said edger blade and said guide blade, said movable subassembly being movable vertically to an edging position in which the edger blade and the guide blade extend below ground level, and to a non-edging position in which the edger blade and the guide blade are spaced above ground level.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
190 words
A combination rotary mower and rotary edger device comprising a housing having four corners, at least three ground-engaging wheels rotatably mounted on the housing, a prime mover mounted on the housing, a horizontally extending mower blade rotatably mounted in the housing for rotation by the prime mover, and an edger assembly mounted at a forward corner of the housing, said edger assembly including a vertically extending edger blade, means operatively connecting said edger blade to said prime mover for rotation of said edger blade by said prime mover and a freely rotatable guide blade positioned forward of the edger blade, of the housing and of the three ground-engaging wheels, said guide blade rotating in substantially the same plane as said edger blade and extending to substantially the same depth as said edger blade, said edger assembly comprising a movable subassembly including said edger blade and said guide blade, said movable subassembly being movable vertically to an edging position in which the edger blade and the guide blade extend below ground level, and to a non-edging position in which the edger blade and the guide blade are spaced above ground level.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
The device of claim 10 wherein the guide blade is star-shaped.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
74 words
The device of claim 10 wherein the movable subassembly also comprises a vertically extending shaft and a first clutch part carried by the shaft for rotation with the shaft, and including a vertically fixed subassembly comprising drive means driven by said prime mover, said drive means comprising a second clutch part, said second clutch part being arranged to engage said first clutch part when said vertically movable assembly is moved to its edging position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
The device of claim 9 wherein the edger blade comprises a central hub and a plurality of broad flat arms extending from the hub and tapering toward their free ends, alternate arms of said blade lying in a common plane, the other of said arms being skewed from said plane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
The device of claim 13 wherein alternate of said arms skewed from said plane are skewed in opposite directions, and wherein the arms skewed from said plane are sharpened along their forward edges and the arms lying in the plane are dull on their forward edges.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
197 words
In a combination mower and rotary edger device comprising a housing, at least three ground-engaging wheels rotatably mounted on the housing, a prime mover mounted on the housing, and a mower blade rotatably mounted in the housing for rotation by the prime mover, the improvement comprising an edger assembly, said edger assembly comprising: a vertically movable subassembly comprising a horizontally extending rotatable shaft, a vertically extending edger blade mounted on said horizontally extending shaft for rotation with said horizontally extending shaft, a rotatable vertically extending shaft, means forming a driving connection between said vertically extending shaft and said horizontally extending shaft, and a first clutch part carried by said vertically extending shaft for rotation with said vertically extending shaft, said vertically movable subassembly being movable to an edging position in which the edger blade extends below ground level, and to a non-edging position in which the edger blade is spaced above ground level, and a vertically fixed subassembly comprising drive means driven by said prime mover, said drive means comprising a second clutch part, said second clutch part being arranged to engage said first clutch part when said vertically movable assembly is moved to its edging position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
197 words
In a combination mower and rotary edger device comprising a housing, at least three ground-engaging wheels rotatably mounted on the housing, a prime mover mounted on the housing, and a mower blade rotatably mounted in the housing for rotation by the prime mover, the improvement comprising an edger assembly, said edger assembly comprising: a vertically movable subassembly comprising a horizontally extending rotatable shaft, a vertically extending edger blade mounted on said horizontally extending shaft for rotation with said horizontally extending shaft, a rotatable vertically extending shaft, means forming a driving connection between said vertically extending shaft and said horizontally extending shaft, and a first clutch part carried by said vertically extending shaft for rotation with said vertically extending shaft, said vertically movable subassembly being movable to an edging position in which the edger blade extends below ground level, and to a non-edging position in which the edger blade is spaced above ground level, and a vertically fixed subassembly comprising drive means driven by said prime mover, said drive means comprising a second clutch part, said second clutch part being arranged to engage said first clutch part when said vertically movable assembly is moved to its edging position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improvement of claim 13 wherein said horizontally extending shaft is connected to said vertically extending shaft through a gear box.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
The improvement of claim 13 including a vertically extending trackway in said vertically fixed subassembly, said vertically movable subassembly being slidably mounted in said trackway, and including cam means for vertically positioning said vertically movable subassembly in said trackway.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
54 words
The improvement of claim 15 wherein said drive means of said vertically fixed subassembly includes a pulley concentric with said second clutch part and connected to said second clutch part for rotation with said second clutch part, and a drive belt on said pulley for transmitting power from said prime mover to said pulley.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The improvement of claim 15 wherein said edger blade is positioned adjacent a front wheel of the device, between said front wheel and said housing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
50 words
The improvement of claim 15 wherein said vertically movable assembly includes a freely rotatable guide blade positioned forward of the housing and of the ground-engaging wheels, said guide blade rotating in substantially the same plane as said edger blade and extending to substantially the same depth as said edger blade.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
51 words
The improvement of claim 15 wherein at least one of said clutch parts is movable away from the other said clutch part when said vertically movable subassembly is in its edging position, and including biasing means for biasing said one of said clutch parts into engagement with said other clutch part.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
88 words
The improvement of claim 15 wherein said second clutch part is concentric with said vertically extending shaft and is freely rotatable with respect to said vertically extending shaft, said first clutch part being vertically slidable on said vertically extending shaft, said first clutch part being slidable away from said second clutch part when said vertically movable subassembly is in its edging position, and including a spring biasing said first clutch part into engagement with said second clutch part when said vertically movable subassembly is in its edging position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-16 | 1976-07-17 | 1977-01-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-16 | 1980-07-17 | 1981-01-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-16 | 1984-07-17 | 1985-01-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |