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US 6,581,292 B2Granted
Vegetation trimmer apparatus
OwnerGeorge E. Allisinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A motorized vegetation trimmer apparatus comprising an elongate main handle to which is connected a motor that rotatably drives a trimmer head located at a distal end of the handle. The trimmer head carries one or more radially outwardly projecting cutting members which cut vegetation as the trimmer head rotates. Each cutting member comprises a finite length of flexible strand. The cutting member is releasably gripped by a one-way gripping mechanism including a reciprocating gripping member and a compression spring that biases the gripping member into gripping contact with the strand.
Claims18
A vegetation trimmer head adapted to be rotatably driven by a drive shaft of a motorized vegetation trimmer apparatus, said vegetation trimmer head comprising:
- a body including means for enabling releasable attachment of said body to a drive shaft of a motorized vegetation trimmer apparatus;
- at least one passageway in said body for receiving a vegetation cutting member of finite length;
- at least one chamber in said body in communication with said at least one passageway;
- and
- gripping means disposed in said at least one chamber, said gripping means comprising a cleat member and a compression spring for biasing said cleat member into gripping engagement with a vegetation cutting member, said cleat member being reciprocally movable in said chamber at an acute angle with respect to said at least one passageway, wherein said at least one chamber comprises a fore portion and an aft portion, wherein said cleat member is disposed in said fore portion, and wherein said compression spring is disposed between and in contact with said cleat member and a rear wall of said aft portion.
2 more elements
A vegetation trimmer apparatus comprising:
- an elongate handle;
- a motor connected to said handle;
- and
- a rotatable trimmer head connected to said handle and rotatably driven by said motor, said trimmer head comprising:
- a body including means for enabling releasable attachment of said body to a drive shaft of a motorized vegetation trimmer apparatus;
- at least one passageway in said body for receiving a vegetation cutting member of finite length;
- at least one chamber in said body in communication with said at least one passageway;
- and
- gripping means disposed in said at least one chamber, said gripping means comprising a cleat member and a compression spring for biasing said cleat member into gripping engagement with a vegetation cutting member, said cleat member being reciprocally movable in said chamber at an acute angle with respect to said at least one passageway, wherein said at least one chamber comprises a fore portion and an aft portion, wherein said cleat member is disposed in said fore portion, and wherein said compression spring is disposed between and in contact with said cleat member and a rear wall of said aft portion.
6 more elements
A vegetation trimmer head adapted to be rotatably driven by a drive shaft of a motorized vegetation trimmer apparatus, said vegetation trimmer head comprising:
- a body including means for enabling releasable attachment of said body to a drive shaft of a motorized vegetation trimmer apparatus;
- at least one passageway in said body for receiving a vegetation cutting member of finite length;
- at least one chamber in said body in communication with said at least one passageway;
- gripping means disposed in said at least one chamber, said gripping means comprising a cleat member and a compression spring for biasing said cleat member into gripping engagement with a vegetation cutting member, said cleat member being reciprocally movable in said chamber at an acute angle with respect to said at least one passageway;
- and
- protrusion means provided at a face of said cleat member adapted for contacting a vegetation cutting member for enhancing gripping of the vegetation cutting member, said protrusion means comprising a plurality of protrusions wherein the last of said protrusions in the direction of insertion of a vegetation cutting member into said body is the most salient of said protrusions.
3 more elements
A vegetation trimmer apparatus comprising:
- an elongate handle;
- a motor connected to said handle;
- and
- a rotatable trimmer head connected to said handle and rotatably driven by said motor, said trimmer head comprising:
- a body including means for enabling releasable attachment of said body to a drive shaft of a motorized vegetation trimmer apparatus;
- at least one passageway in said body for receiving a vegetation cutting member of finite length;
- at least one chamber in said body in communication with said at least one passageway;
- gripping means disposed in said at least one chamber, said gripping means comprising a cleat member and a compression spring for biasing said cleat member into gripping engagement with a vegetation cutting member, said cleat member being reciprocally movable in said chamber at an acute angle with respect to said at least one passageway;
- and
- protrusion means provided at a face of said cleat member adapted for contacting a vegetation cutting member for enhancing gripping of the vegetation cutting member, said protrusion means comprising a plurality of protrusions wherein the last of said protrusions in the direction of insertion of a vegetation cutting member into said body is the most salient of said protrusions.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.