US4047299A — Apparatus for trimming vegetation

Claim 1

Independent Claim 242 words

An apparatus for trimming vegetation compising: a. drive means connected to a drive shaft and capable of rotating same at a speed of up to ten thousand (10,000) RPM; b. an open bottom housing member mounted at its central point on said driven shaft and rotatable thereby, said member having a peripheral wall portion spaced from said driven shaft with a radial passage therethrough; c. a relatively stiff non-metallic cutting line with suitable flexibility and a portion in a coil substantially coaxial of said driven shaft and an uncoiled portion extending initially tangentially from said coiled portion and through said radial passage and continuing radially outwardly in a cutting plane; d. spool means coaxially supported on said driven shaft and supporting said coil of cutting line, said spool means being movable longitudinally of said driven shaft and rotatable relative to said member for adjusting the length of cutting line extending outwardly of said radial passage; e. resilient means engaging said housing member and spool means to urge the spool means outwardly relative to said open bottom of the housing member; and f. means on said driven shaft and said spool means engageable to limit said outward movement of said spool means and to key same to said shaft for rotation therewith, said means on the driven shaft and spool means being released in response to predetermined inward movement of said spool means relative to said housing means to permit relative rotation thereof.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 242 words

An apparatus for trimming vegetation compising: a. drive means connected to a drive shaft and capable of rotating same at a speed of up to ten thousand (10,000) RPM; b. an open bottom housing member mounted at its central point on said driven shaft and rotatable thereby, said member having a peripheral wall portion spaced from said driven shaft with a radial passage therethrough; c. a relatively stiff non-metallic cutting line with suitable flexibility and a portion in a coil substantially coaxial of said driven shaft and an uncoiled portion extending initially tangentially from said coiled portion and through said radial passage and continuing radially outwardly in a cutting plane; d. spool means coaxially supported on said driven shaft and supporting said coil of cutting line, said spool means being movable longitudinally of said driven shaft and rotatable relative to said member for adjusting the length of cutting line extending outwardly of said radial passage; e. resilient means engaging said housing member and spool means to urge the spool means outwardly relative to said open bottom of the housing member; and f. means on said driven shaft and said spool means engageable to limit said outward movement of said spool means and to key same to said shaft for rotation therewith, said means on the driven shaft and spool means being released in response to predetermined inward movement of said spool means relative to said housing means to permit relative rotation thereof.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 79 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. said non-metallic cutting line is a linearly oriented nylon that is non-circular with longitudinally extending ribs and having an outer transverse dimension of not greater than 0.150 inches; b. the free line portion radially outwardly of said radial passage is less than four inches; and c. said cutting line has a stiffness that said free portion extends substantially in said cutting plane at all speeds including low operating speeds.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 223 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including: a. a motor housing enclosing said drive means, said housing being centered on the axis of said driven shaft and having said open bottom housing member adjacent one end of the motor housing, said one end normally being a lower end of the motor housing in cutting operations; b. an elongated handle having offset upper and lower portions and an intermediate portion connecting said upper and lower portions; c. means fixing said lower handle portion to said housing whereby said lower handle portion is inclined upwardly and outwardly relative to said axis and said intermediate handle portion is inclined outwardly at a greater angle to position said upper handle portion at a greater spacing outwardly than said lower handle portion; d. a grip member fixed on the upper handle portion and extending outwardly therefrom and generally normal to said axis for holding by one had of an operator, said grip member and said upper and intermediate and lower handle portions all being in a single plane which intersects the axis of said driven shaft; and e. a second grip member above said intermediate handle portion and secured thereto by a swivel connection, said second grip member being held by the other hand of an operator in maneuvering and supporting the apparatus in cutting operations.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 119 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said drive means includes an electric motor and an electric cord extending therefrom and adapted to be connected to a source of electrical power by means of electrical extension cord means; b. said electrical cord has a free end portion extending from said first named grip member; and c. said first named grip member has a free end portion with an aperture therein and adapted to receive therein a loop of the extension cord means whereby a free end portion of the extension cord means may be positioned extending through the loop and connected to the free end of said electrical cord thereby resisting being disconnected when in use.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 78 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said drive means includes an electric motor and an electrical cord extending therefrom and adapted to be connected to a source of electrical power by means of electrical extension cord means; and b. opposed hook means on said housing enclosing said drive means and on said first named grip member for receiving an electrical extension cord extending therebetween and wound therearound for storage of the electrical extension cord.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 165 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. said open bottom housing member has an upper wall and a tubular portion extending downwardly therefrom and a shoulder on a free end thereof; b. said driven shaft extends through said tubular portion of said member and has an end portion extending beyond said shoulder on the free end of said tubular portion; c. said means to key said spool means to said driven shaft for rotation therewith includes a retaining member having a tubular socket portion thereof secured on the end portion of said driven shaft and seated on the free end of said tubular portion of said housing member; d. said spool member having a body portion; e. said means on said driven shaft and said spool means include: 1. a non-round head portion on said retaining member; and 2. a non-round recess in an exterior surface of said spool member and adapted to receive therein said head portion of said retaining member.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 442 words

An apparatus for trimming vegetation comprising: a. a relatively stiff non-metallic cutting line having suitable flexibility; b. means for storing said cutting line in a coil with an end portion xtending outwardly from the coil; c. a line locating means having a portion spaced outwardly of said storage means and engaging said line extending therefrom, said line extending radially outwardly from said line locating means and forming a free traveling cutting end portion; d. means normally engaging portions of said storage means and said line locating means for effecting rotation thereof together, said portions of said storage means and said line locating means being selectively disengageable for relative rotation between said line locating means and said storage means to pay out additonal cutting line; e. electrically activated drive means for rotating said storage means and said line locating means with said free traveling cutting line being in a cutting plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation; f. said line locating means including a trimmer housing having walls defining an internal compartment therein and surrounding the axis of rotation with one of said compartment defining walls having an aperture therein extending substantially radially from the axis of rotation and substantially in a plane with the line storage means; g. said trimmer housing having a tubular portion extending into said compartment and having a shoulder on a free end thereof; h. said drive means includes a driven shaft extending through said tubular portion of said trimmer housing and having an end portion thereof extending beyond said shoulder on the free end of said tubular portion; i. said means for effecting rotation of said storage means and said line locating means together includes a retaining member having a tubular socket portion thereof secured on the end portion of said driven shaft and seated on the free end of said tubular portion of said trimmer housing, said storage means including a spool member positioned in said compartment, coaxially supported on said driven shaft and movably mounted on said tubular portions of the trimmer housing and retainer member; j. said retaining member and said spool member having cooperating portions in engagement one with the other whereby rotation of said driven shaft and said retaining member effects rotation of said spool member; and k. resilient means extending between the other of said compartment defining walls of said trimmer housing and said spool member whereby said spool member may be moved toward the other of said compartment defining walls of said trimmer housing and turned relative to said retaining member to adjust the amount of said cutting line extending through said aperture in said one trimmer housing wall.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 442 words

An apparatus for trimming vegetation comprising: a. a relatively stiff non-metallic cutting line having suitable flexibility; b. means for storing said cutting line in a coil with an end portion xtending outwardly from the coil; c. a line locating means having a portion spaced outwardly of said storage means and engaging said line extending therefrom, said line extending radially outwardly from said line locating means and forming a free traveling cutting end portion; d. means normally engaging portions of said storage means and said line locating means for effecting rotation thereof together, said portions of said storage means and said line locating means being selectively disengageable for relative rotation between said line locating means and said storage means to pay out additonal cutting line; e. electrically activated drive means for rotating said storage means and said line locating means with said free traveling cutting line being in a cutting plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation; f. said line locating means including a trimmer housing having walls defining an internal compartment therein and surrounding the axis of rotation with one of said compartment defining walls having an aperture therein extending substantially radially from the axis of rotation and substantially in a plane with the line storage means; g. said trimmer housing having a tubular portion extending into said compartment and having a shoulder on a free end thereof; h. said drive means includes a driven shaft extending through said tubular portion of said trimmer housing and having an end portion thereof extending beyond said shoulder on the free end of said tubular portion; i. said means for effecting rotation of said storage means and said line locating means together includes a retaining member having a tubular socket portion thereof secured on the end portion of said driven shaft and seated on the free end of said tubular portion of said trimmer housing, said storage means including a spool member positioned in said compartment, coaxially supported on said driven shaft and movably mounted on said tubular portions of the trimmer housing and retainer member; j. said retaining member and said spool member having cooperating portions in engagement one with the other whereby rotation of said driven shaft and said retaining member effects rotation of said spool member; and k. resilient means extending between the other of said compartment defining walls of said trimmer housing and said spool member whereby said spool member may be moved toward the other of said compartment defining walls of said trimmer housing and turned relative to said retaining member to adjust the amount of said cutting line extending through said aperture in said one trimmer housing wall.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1980-09-12	1981-03-14	1981-09-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1984-09-12	1985-03-14	1985-09-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1988-09-12	1989-03-14	1989-09-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for trimming vegetation

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