The invention relates to a grass cutter.

Lawn maintenance traditionally been effected using a lawn mower to cut the lawn and a lawn trimmer to trim the edges of the lawn, including areas of vegetation that border fences and buildings. Recently, hand held line trimmers have become popular for performing the trimming operations.

However, except on a small lawn, hand held trimmers are impractical to use ^' since they are too heavy to carry around for extended periods of time. Even on a small lawn there is difficulty controlling hand held trimmers. The lack of control results in unevenly cut vegetation and scalping of the ground at the roots of the vegetation. Also, the lack of control problem is often compounded by user fatigue associated with carrying around the hand held trimmer.

There have recently been developments aimed at making a hand held trimmer more suitable for the user and more compatible with the user's needs. Such efforts have included designing wheeled carriages and dollies to be used with trimmers but while these devices have done much to alleviate user fatigue, they have done little to aid the user in controlling and positioning the rotating cutting head. For example, H J Enbusk in US-A-4 442 659 discloses a dolly for a line trimmer that must be held in one hand while the trimmer, which is pivotally mounted to the dolly, is held in the other hand. With this device, each hand performs a separate positioning function resulting in an awkward combination for controlling the cutting head. Also, this device does not confront the problem of having to use two separate machines for maintaining the lawn. Prior art devices that combine mowing and trimming features in one machine have been previously proposed. Such an apparatus is disclosed by Watrouε in US- A- 2 669 826, wherein a two wheel lawn mower is disclosed having a forwardly mounted cutting head that is supported on a ground engaging shoe. In Watrous an axle and a housing are pivotally connected, thereby permitting the entire cutting head to swing from side to side with respect to rear wheels and a handle. The plane of cutting remains parallel

to the ground in each position of the cutting head. This limits the versatility of the machine, since the angle of the cutting plane cannot be changed.

In US-A-4 077 191 to Pittinger, a filament trimmer/mower is disclosed that includes a four wheel supported frame. Each of the front and rear wheel-and-axle assemblies are pivotally mounted with respect to the frame. Pittinger, however, suffers from the disadvantage that the rotating head is held in a fixed position between the wheels. Therefore, it is difficult to trim the vegetation growing alongside a building or other structure, since the filament line would not normally extend outside the path of travel of the wheels.

According to the invention there is provided a grass cutter comprising: a frame having front and rear portions and a longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear portions; a cutting head rotatably mounted on the frame at the front portion; means for rotating the cutting head about a first axis of rotation so that the cutting head has a cutting plane substantially perpendicular to the first axis; an axle supported on ground engaging wheels at opposite ends of the axle, and means for pivotally mounting the axle to the frame transversely of the longitudinal axis about a second axis of rotation; a handle connected to the frame whereby torque can be applied to the frame about the longitudinal axis; and means for pivoting the axle about the second axis of rotation to turn the wheels relative to the frame in response to a torque applied to the frame through the handle about the longitudinal axis whereby the grass cutter can be shifted between a mowing position wherein the cutting plane is positioned substantially parallel to the ground and any one of a plurality of trimming positions wherein the cutting plane is positioned non-parallel to the ground. Preferably the frame has a top wall extending substantially parallel with the cutting plane; and the second axis of rotation is so disposed that it intersects the plane that includes the top wall at an oblique angle.

Embodiments of the invention can overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art by providing a two wheeled mower and trimmer that allows an operator to mow a lawn in a usual manner with the cutting plane of the cutting head parallel to the ground and to trim

surrounding areas in an improved manner with the cutting plane non-parallel to the ground and with the cutting head shifted laterally or swung closer to one of the wheels.

Thus the cutting head can be positioned parallel to the ground and positioned equidistantly between the wheels so that the apparatus can be used as a mower. Also, in this position the apparatus can be used as a trimmer or the frame and cutting head can be moved with respect to the wheels and the cutting head shifted to a plurality of other trimming positions. An operator can trim a strip of vegetation growing against a building, fence or other structure at an angle downwardly by shifting the cutting head toward one side or the other while simultaneously changing the cutting plane angle so that the flexible cutting elements extend outside the path of travel of the wheels and cut the vegetation at a downward angle. To change from a mowing position to any of a plurality of trimming positions an operator can merely tilt the frame through the use of the handle, thereby to reposition the cutting head with respect to the axle and wheels and reposition the cutting plane with respect to the ground.

The axle and wheel assembly can be pivoted to the frame in a manner that allows the wheels to turn under the frame while simultaneously allowing the frame to tilt relative to the wheels in response to the tilting of a single handle attached to the frame.

In one embodiment of the invention, an axle having two wheels is pivotally mounted to a frame at an angle such that the pivot axis is oblique relative to the ground, when the apparatus is in the normal operating position. As a result of the angled pivot axis, the front of the frame swings from side to side as the frame is tilted about the longitudinal axis of the frame. In order to facilitate the relative movement between the frame and the wheels, the axle can extend through slots provided in the εidewalls of the frame. These slots preferably extend longitudinally in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis of the axle. As the frame is tilted by applying a torque through the handle, the wheel and axle assembly is caused to turn under the frame.

The degree to which the frame tilts is dependent upon the angle of the pivot axis and correspondingly perpendicular longitudinal direction of the slots. The length of the slots affects the distance which the front of the

frame will swing from side to side. Lengthening these slots increases the lateral shift distance, while shortening the slots decreases the distance. Only one handle is needed for an operator to push the apparatus, guide it through standard lawn mower manoeuvres, and position the apparatus in a plurality of trimming positions in which the cutting plane is tilted and the cutting head is swung or shifted. Further the tilting and shifting movement is achieved simultaneously as a result of the torque applied to the frame, about the frames longitudinal axis, through the handle.

The apparatus can include facing corrugated washers interposed between the axle and the frame on the pivot axis. The washers, each fixed to one of the frame and the axle, are urged together by the force of a spring. In order, then, to pivot the axle relative to the frame, a torque of sufficient magnitude is needed to be applied to overcome the force of the spring acting on the facing washers. For each corrugation in the washers a stable relative position is maintained between the frame and the axle. Mowing is usually performed in the position in which the cutting plane is parallel to the ground and the cutting head is spaced equidistantly between the wheels. Trimming can also be conducted in this position, but many additional trimming positions, which are relatively stably maintainable, are made available to the operator.

The invention is diagrammatϊcally illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front view of a grass cutter according to the invention partially sectioned to show a power take-off shaft and a cutting head assembly;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the grass cutter of Figure 1 in a trimming position;

Figure 3 is a front view of the grass cutter of Figure 1 showing the relationship of the cutting head to wheels in a trimming position; Figure 4 is a partial right side view of the grass cutter of Figure 1 with an engine omitted including a fragmentary sectional view showing one embodiment of an axle mount;

Figure 5 is a partial bottom perspective view of the grass cutter of Figure 1 with the engine omitted; Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the front of a frame of the grass cutter of Figure 1 showing a brake assembly; and

Figure 7 is a partial side view of the grass cutter of Figure 1 with the engine omitted included a fragmentary sectional view and showing a second embodiment of an axle mount.

Referring to the drawings and firstly to Figures 1 and 2, a frame 20 is supported by ground engaging wheels 21 and 22 interconnected by an axle

23. Suitable collars 24 and 25 are provided to retain the wheels 21, 22 on the axle 23 in a known manner. The wheels are provided with bearings of any conventional type, not shown, which allow the wheels freely to rotate about the axle. The axle 23 includes a mid-portion 26 which is pivotally mounted to a frame. In a first embodiment shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5, the axle is securely fastened, as by welding, to a washer 27. The washer 27 is allowed freely to rotate about a bolt 28. A nut 29 is threaded onto the bolt 28, but is not so tight as to prevent the washer 27 from turning. The washer 27 can include a collar extension 30, as seen in Figure 5, to which the axle can be further welded for additional support.

As can be seen in Figure 4, the bolt 28 provides an axis of rotation,

A2 about which the axle 23 can pivot. The bolt 28 is suitably secured in an end plate 31 of an axle supporting portion 32 of the frame 20. For example, the bolt 28, could be a stud bolt, wherein the end plate 31 would be provided with a threaded bore into which the bolt 28 would be threadedly received.

As an alternative construction, the bolt 28 may have a head welded to the end plate 31 or may be turned around so that it is threadedly received in a bore in the end plate so that a nut is not needed. As shown in Figure 1, in partial section, a cutting head 33 is provided which is rotatable about an axis Al. Suitably secured to the cutting head 33 are flexible cutting elements, such as nylon filaments 34. The particular way in which the filaments are attached to the cutting head does not constitute a part of this invention. As an alternative to fixed length cords, a suitable automatic cord feeding head could be used. The cutting head includes a ground engaging bumper 35 having rounded edges as shown in

Figure 1. To rotate the cutting head 33, a power take-off shaft 36 is provided to which the cutting head is drivingly connected. For connecting the cutting head to the power take-off shaft, a bolt 37 can be provided to be threadedly received in a blind bore 38 provided in the lower end of the shaft

36.

A bearing housing 39 is provided to support bearings 40 and 41 in a conventional manner, such as by a press-fit. The bearing housing 39 is secured to the frame 20 by bolts 42. The bearings 41 and 42 allow for free rotation of the shaft 36. Keyed to the shaft 36, or as an integral part thereof, is a pulley 43. The pulley 43 has a "V ^,r groove and can receive a V-type endless flexible transmission belt 48. Belt guides 44 (Figure 6) are provided adjacent the sides of the pulley 43.

As shown in Figure 2, a pulley 45 is provided that is fixed to the drive shaft 46 of a standard internal combustion engine 47. The endless flexible transmission belt 48 transmits the torque of the engine to the power take-off shaft 36. A clutch and brake mechanism is provided that includes an idler arm 49 that is pivotally mounted to the frame 20 at one end and has at its other end an idler pulley 50. A brake actuator 51 is also pivotally mounted to the frame 20 and resiliently connected to the idler arm 49 through a spring 52.

The operation of the brake and clutch mechanism can be better understood with reference to Figures 2 and 6. In Figure 2, it can be seen that a brake arm 53 is connected to the brake actuator 51. In Figure 6 it can be seen that the brake arm 53 is connected to a brake pad 54 engageable with the pulley 43. Offset with respect to the brake pad 54 is a brake pad arm 55 which is pivotally mounted to the frame 20. The arm 55 is spring biased toward the position shown in Figure 6 by a spring 56.

When it is desired to cause rotational movement of the cutting head 33, a bail 57 (Figure 1) mounted on a handle 60 of the grass cutter is pulled in to pivot the brake actuator 51 by way of a brake cable 58. By this action, the brake pad 54 is disengaged from the groove in the pulley 43 and the idler arm 49 is pivoted toward the brake actuator 51 so that the idler pulley 50 engages and tensions the belt 48. The tension applied to the belt 48 is then sufficient to rotate the pulley 43 in the conventional manner. A suitable brake adjustment device 59 is provided on the handle 60.

In Figure 5, a bottom perspective view of the grass cutter, with the engine omitted is shown. The frame 20 comprises an enclosure with a top wall 61 and side walls 62 and 63, the bottom being open. A slot 64 is provided in each of the side walls. As shown in Figure 4, each of the slots 64 has a longitudinal axis which is generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation A2 about which the

axle 23 pivots. The axis A2 intersects the top wall 61 at a leading acute angle and intersects the ground surface at a trailing acute angle which is preferably 65 degrees. The complementary angle, _ue. 25 degrees, defines the preferred acute trailing angle of the longitudinal axis X and the top wall 61. By the relationship of the longitudinal axes of the slots 64 and the axis of rotation of the axle, the frame 20 acts to turn the axle 23 about the axis of rotation in response to a torque applied to the frame 20 about a longitudinal axis L of the frame. The resultant motion, in terms of positioning the cutting head 33 is to shift the cutting head to a position

10 closer to one of the wheels 21 and to tilt the plane of cutting of the cutting head 33. In Figure 3, a front view of the machine is shown in which the frame 20 has been tilted and the cutting head 33 has been shifted.

The shifting of the cutting head is desired since the nylon cord is thus enabled to extend outside the path of travel of the respective wheel. The

1 tilting of the frame is also a desired objective, since the cutting location will then be closer to the ground. In the position shown in Figure 3, it is possible to trim along the edge of a building or fence while travelling parallel therewith. It is also desirable to have the cutting plane tilt so that it is not parallel with the ground for the situation in which a cutting blade is

20 used instead of a flexible cutting element. In this situation the angle of cut is advantageous since this prevents binding of the blade. The angle of intersection between the axis of rotation A2 and the top wall or ground can be changed with the result that the tilting of the frame with respect to the wheels will be decreased or increased accordingly. The ends of the slots 64

25 determine the extent to which the frame will swing from side to side.

Increasing the length of the slots increases the distance that the cutting head can shift laterally. The extent to which the cutting head can be shifted, shown in Figure 2 as between a solid line position and a dashed line position, is intended to be illustrative of the positions which can be achieved

3 by the frame and axle construction and not limitations of the extent to which the cutting head can swing left or right.

It is thus possible to position the cutting plane of the cutting head 33 parallel to the ground and mow a lawn as one would with a standard lawn mower. In addition, by tilting the handle 60, the cutting head 33 can be

^5 repositioned with respect to the wheels 21 and vegetation to be trimmed can be cut very close to the ground without scalping. As can be seen in Figure 1

the bumper 35 is provided with rounded edges so that tilting of the cutting head does not dig the cutting head into the ground.

To provide for tilting of the frame, the handle 60 is mounted to the frame 20 by handle clamp 65 positioned on either side of the axis of rotation A2. This allows an operator easily to tilt the frame from the mowing position to the plurality of trimming positions.

In use, it is intended that the weight of the engine and the frame be balanced over the wheels so that it is easy for the operator suitably to manoeuvre the forward end of the frame, - where the cutting head 33 is located. It is advantageous, therefore, to provide the axle 23 with forwardly extended portions 66 so that the wheels are shifted more toward the front of the frame. Additionally, for the operator's safety a mud flap 67 is provided to prevent debris from being scattered back toward the operator. The mud flap 67 is attached to mud flap brackets 68, which are bolted to the frame 20.

In a second embodiment of the axle mount, shown in Figure 7, the axle mid-portion 26 is fixed, as by welding, to a flat washer 75, and the washer 75 is in turn fixed to rotate with a corrugated washer 71 that is in facing engagement with a second corrugated washer 70. The corrugated washers 70, 71 are urged together under the action of a spring 74, coaxially mounted on a bolt 72 and held in compression by a nut 73 and a flat washer 76. The corrugated washers 70 and 71 tend to nest together when angularly aligned thereby to provide a relatively stable position of adjustment between the frame and axle. For each corrugation a different position is provided, and in order to change the apparatus from one position to another position, the force of the spring acting on the facing washers must be overcome. This spring force is overcome by supplying a sufficient torque about the longitudinal axis L through the use of the handle 60. As the handle 60 is tilted the corrugations alternately nest and slide over one another to provide a series of incremented positions of adjustment between the frame and the axle.