Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
207 words
Rotary cutting assembly for cutting vegetation with a rapidly whirling flail and comprising: A. an elongate lineal shaft extending along a vertical-axis, the shaft having a bottom-end and a top-end, said shaft being powerably rotatable about its vertical-axis; B. a base-plate co-rotatably associated with the shaft and located nearer the shaft bottom-end, said base-plate including a peripheral-edge lying within a horizontal plane and with the shaft vertical-axis at the substantial geometric center of the base-plate; and C. at least one retainer means attached to the base-plate for removably securing a flail to the base-plate, said at least one retainer being located nearer the base-plate peripheral-edge than to the shaft vertical axis; and D. an elongate horizontal flexible flail extending along a horizontal-axis extending radially outwardly from the shaft and continuing through the retainer means, said flail being wholly singularly constructed of tough resinous material and which comprises a central-core extending along the flail horizontal-axis, the flail also having an elongate external-contour surrounding the central-core and which flail external-contour is of regularly periodically varying cross-sectional size and shape along the entire flail length to provide numerous protuberances at regular intervals therealong, said multi-protuberances flail promoting efficaceous vegetation cutting action as said horizontal flail rotates about the shaft vertical-axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
207 words
Rotary cutting assembly for cutting vegetation with a rapidly whirling flail and comprising: A. an elongate lineal shaft extending along a vertical-axis, the shaft having a bottom-end and a top-end, said shaft being powerably rotatable about its vertical-axis; B. a base-plate co-rotatably associated with the shaft and located nearer the shaft bottom-end, said base-plate including a peripheral-edge lying within a horizontal plane and with the shaft vertical-axis at the substantial geometric center of the base-plate; and C. at least one retainer means attached to the base-plate for removably securing a flail to the base-plate, said at least one retainer being located nearer the base-plate peripheral-edge than to the shaft vertical axis; and D. an elongate horizontal flexible flail extending along a horizontal-axis extending radially outwardly from the shaft and continuing through the retainer means, said flail being wholly singularly constructed of tough resinous material and which comprises a central-core extending along the flail horizontal-axis, the flail also having an elongate external-contour surrounding the central-core and which flail external-contour is of regularly periodically varying cross-sectional size and shape along the entire flail length to provide numerous protuberances at regular intervals therealong, said multi-protuberances flail promoting efficaceous vegetation cutting action as said horizontal flail rotates about the shaft vertical-axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein the flail transverse cross-sectional dimensional size of the central-core to that of the intervening protuberances bears a ratio within the range of one-fourth to three-fourths.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The flail of claim 2 wherein the central-core is of uniform circular transverse cross-sectional shape and size along and having a diameter within the range of about 1/16 to 3/16 inch; and wherein the said ratio is within the range of one-third to two-thirds.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The flail of claim 3 wherein the protuberances are beads of substantially spherical shape.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The flail of claim 3 wherein the protuberances are beads, each bead having the shape of two identical end-to-end cones merging at their larger ends whereby each bead tapers in both directions to the central-core.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination of claim 3 in further combination with a portable operator-graspable powered drill chuck, the shaft top-end being removably secured by the chuck and located below the powering means therefor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein a portion of the lengthy multi-protuberances flail is coilably stored around the shaft, there being axial confinement means for maintaining the said stored flail portion longitudinally confined toward the rotatable base-plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination of claim 7 wherein the stored coiled portion of the multi-protuberances flail is located above the base-plate and surrounding a singly-flanged spool confinement means and which spool is co-rotatable with the shaft and base-plate.