Underwater weed cutting machine
OwnerAllan J. Albrechtinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aquatic weed cutter has a continuous cable strung along the horizontal and vertical members of an inverted T-shaped cable frame. The cable is moved by a motor drive in a circuit between opposed sheaves on the ends of the horizontal and vertical members. The drive comprises a pair of engaging belts which hold the cable therebetween and drive it about the circuit. Cutting clips are attached at spaced intervals to the cable for cutting the stems of underwater plants.
Claims23
An apparatus for cutting underwater plant growth, comprising:
- an elongate swath bar;
- an upright mast connected generally perpendicular to said swath bar, said mast movable longitudinally relative a mounting collar, said mounting collar hingedly adapted for mounting on a boat;
- a plurality of cable sheaves mounted on said swath bar and said mast in spaced-apart configuration;
- a cutting member comprising an endless multi-strand cable mounted in a circuit on said cable sheaves to be movable thereon, said cutting member including a plurality of spaced protrusions fixed to the cable;
- means for unidirectionally moving said cable in said circuit about said swath bar and mast;
- and
- means for submersibly suspending and moving said swath bar and cable mounted thereon in a water body to cut plant growth held against the cutting member by movement of the swath bar against water resistance.
An apparatus for cutting underwater plant growth, comprising:
- a cutter frame, comprising:
- an elongate swath bar configured for generally horizontal submersion in a water body, said swath bar having first and second ends, first and second outer cable sheaves mounted on said first and second ends, respectively, to rotate about parallel axes perpendicular to said swath bar;
- an elongate upright mast having a submersible lower end fixedly attached to said swath bar and extending upwardly therefrom to an upper end, first and second inner cable sheaves mounted on said lower end of the mast in a common vertical plane parallel to said swath bar, an upper cable sheave mounted on said upper end to rotate about a generally horizontal axis;
- a continuous cutting cable having a plurality of spaced cutting projections, said cable tensely stringable about said outer, lower and upper cable sheaves to move in a continuous circuit about said cutter frame for cutting proximate all submerged portions of said cutter frame;
- connecting means for variably mounting said cutter frame to an above-water platform for vertical movement of said cutter frame;
- drive means for controllable engagement with and movement of said cutting cable in said continuous circuit;
- motor means connected to said drive means for motivation thereof;
- and
- hinged mounting means for mounting said cutter frame, cable, connecting means, drive means and motor means permitting swingable upward movement of said cutter frame from a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position for following bottom terrain without stoppage of cable movement.
A cutting cable for cutting underwater aquatic plants, comprising an endless cable having a multifilament core, an outer flexible polymeric sheath, and a plurality of hard protrusions fixed thereto by crimping over the sheath, said cutting cable configured to be mounted in a circuit on a frame for movement thereabout, said frame suspendable into a water body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.