Lawn mower and method

Claim 2

In a rotary-type lawn mower having a wheeled chassis adapted to travel over a greensward and carrying a motor having a rotatable shaft, the improvement comprising: a head member having at least one peripheral aperture and mounted on said shaft for rotation in a cutting path aligned substantially parallel with said greensward and intersecting vegetation thereon, at least one one non-metallic cord-like cutting member disposed partially in said head member and having a finger-like free traveling end portion extending from said aperture outwardly of said head member into said cutting path, and support means having an elongate passageway connecting with and extending with said head member from said aperture for restraining an adjacent portion of said cutting member along a length sufficient to support said free traveling end portion of said cutting member against deflection from said cutting path by said vegetation.

Claim 3

A lawn mower mechanism for mowing the vegetation growing on turf, said mechanism comprising: powered rotary means on a wheeled chassis, shaft means being rotated by said powered rotary means, a rotor element being non-rotatably connected to said shaft means and being rotated along with said shaft by said powered rotary means, at least one flexible cord-like member being supported by said rotor element and having a portion thereof extending substantially radially outwardly from said rotor element, said cordlike member being rotatable in a cutting plane, rotatable spool means being supported by said rotor element, support means having an elongate passageway connecting with and extending with said rotor element for restraining an adjacent portion of said cord-like member along a length sufficient to support a free traveling end portion of said cord-like member against deflection from said cutting plane by said vegetation, said cord-like member being wound about said rotatable spool means with the free extremity thereof engaging said support means and extending radially outwardly from said rotor element for cutting engagement with said vegetation, housing means at least partially surrounding said rotor means, and cord cutter projection means being supported by said housing means, said cord cutter projection means being struck by the free extremity of said cord-like element when said cord-like element is of excessive length, causing said cord-like element to be severed to a predetermined maximum length upon rotation of said rotor element.

Claim 4

A lawn mower mechanism for mowing the vegetation growing on turf, said mechanism comprising: powered rotary means on a wheeled chassis, shaft means being rotated by said powered rotary means, a rotor element being non-rotatably connected to said shaft means and being rotated along with said shaft by said powered rotary means, at least one flexible cord-like member being supported by said rotor element and having a portion thereof extending substantially radially outwardly from said rotor element, said cordlike member being rotatable in a cutting plane, rotatable spool means being supported by said rotor element, support means having an elongate passageway connecting with and extending with said rotor element for restraining an adjacent portion of said cord-like member along a length sufficient to support a free traveling end portion of said cord-like member against deflection from said cutting plane by said vegetation, said cord-like member being wound about said rotatable spool means with the free extremity thereof engaging said support means and extending radially outwardly from said rotor element for cutting engagement with said vegetation, housing means at least partially surrounding said rotor means, and cord cutter projection means being supported by said housing means, said cord cutter projection means being struck by the free extremity of said cord-like element when said cord-like element is of excessive length, causing said cord-like element to be severed to a predetermined maximum length upon rotation of said rotor element.

Claim 5

A lawn mower mechanism as recited in claim 2, wherein: said support means defines in said passageway of an elongated channel, and said cord-like member extends through said channel with a free portion thereof extending substantially radially beyond the other periphery of said rotor element.

Claim 6

A lawn mower mechanism as recited in claim 2, wherein: said support means defines in said passageway of an elongated channel, said cord-like member extending through said channel with a free portion thereof extending substantially radially beyond the outer periphery of said rotor element, and curvilinear surface means is defined by said support means and provides support for said cord-like member upon deflection of said cord-like member within said cutting plane.

Claim 7

A lawn mower mechanism as recited in claim 4, wherein: said curvilinear surface means is defined by opposed curvilinear surfaces flaring outwardly from said channel.

Claim 8

A lawn mower mechanism as recited in claim 3, wherein said rotor element includes: cord abutment means being formed to define at least one aperture, said aperture being disposed in registry with said channel, and said cord-like element being of elongated configuration having an enlargement formed at the radially inward extremity thereof, said enlargement engaging said cord abutment means and retaining said cord-like element in assembly with said rotor means against the effect of centrifugal force developed on said cord-like element during rotation of said rotor element.

Claim 9

A lawn mower mechanism as recited in claim 6, wherein said enlargement is a knot formed in said cord-like element.

Claim 10

A lawn mower mechanism as recited in claim 2, wherein said rotatable spool means includes: means preventing rotation of said spool means, and means releasing said rotation preventing means and allowing rotation of said spool means.

Claim 11

Lawn mower apparatus for mowing a greensward and the like, comprising: chassis means having a plurality of spaced-apart wheel members, driving means arranged on said chassis means and having a rotatable shaft downwardly directed toward said greensward, a generally circular support member fixedly attached to said shaft of said driving means between said wheel members for rotation in a cutting plane adjacent and generally aligned with the surface of said greensward and having a plurality of apertures in its perimeter, a plurality of separate flexible cord-like non-metallic and elongate cutting members each radially and slidably inserted in said apertures for radial projection from said perimeter of said support member generally in said cutting plane, and engaging means for securing each of said cutting members from slidable ejection from said support member during rotation of said shaft of said driving means, but permitting selective withdrawal of said cutting members from said apertures in a direction from said perimeter towards said shaft and providing supporting engagement for at least a portion of each of said cord-like member, and support means having an elongate passageway connecting with and extending with said support member from each said aperture for restraining an adjacent portion of each said cutting member along a length sufficient to support a free traveling end portion of said cutting member against deflection for said cutting plane by vegetation.

Claim 12

Lawn mower apparatus for mowing a greensward and the like, comprising: chassis means having a plurality of spaced-apart wheel members, driving means arranged on said chassis means and having a rotatable shaft downwardly directed toward said greensward, a generally circular support member fixedly attached to said shaft of said driving means between said wheel members for rotation in a cutting plane adjacent and generally aligned with the surface of said greensward and having a plurality of apertures in its perimeter, a plurality of separate flexible cord-like non-metallic and elongate cutting members each radially and slidably inserted in said apertures for radial projection from said perimeter of said support member generally in said cutting plane, and engaging means for securing each of said cutting members from slidable ejection from said support member during rotation of said shaft of said driving means, but permitting selective withdrawal of said cutting members from said apertures in a direction from said perimeter towards said shaft and providing supporting engagement for at least a portion of each of said cord-like member, and support means having an elongate passageway connecting with and extending with said support member from each said aperture for restraining an adjacent portion of each said cutting member along a length sufficient to support a free traveling end portion of said cutting member against deflection for said cutting plane by vegetation.

Claim 13

A lawn mower according to claim 9 wherein the engaging means is flared at the exit end of the apertures.

Claim 14

A lawn mower according to claim 10 wherein the flaring is greater in the direction of the cutting plane than in the vertical.

Claim 15

A lawn mower according to claim 11 wherein a predetermined length of the cord-like member is supported by said engaging means.

Claim 16

A lawn mower according to claim 12 wherein 30 - 70% of the length of said cord-like member is supported by said engaging means.

Claim 17

A lawn mower according to claim 9 wherein said support is of unitary construction and comprises a lower dish-like plate member, an upper ring-like member, and the engaging means being enclosed by the upper and lower members, said engaging means having said passageway provided by a channel extending therethrough, the cord-like member being located in said channel and having a portion extending outwardly of the periphery of the engaging means to a predetermined length.

Claim 18

A lawn mower according to claim 14 wherein the upper and lower members are located in a substantially horizontal plane.

Claim 19

A lawn mower according to claim 15 wherein said engaging means is flared at the exit end of the channel.

Claim 20

A lawn mower according to claim 9 including means for cutting the cord-like member to a preselected length.

Claim 21

A lawn mower according to claim 9 wherein the support member includes upper and lower surfaces, the lower surface thereof being free of protuberances.

Claim 22

In a rotary-type lawn mower having a wheeled chassis adapted to travel over vegetation-covered ground's surface and carrying a prime mover for rotating a downwardly-extending vertical driving shaft, the improvement comprising: a planar head member mounted on said driving shaft for rotation about a vertical axis relative to the ground's surface and said head member having a peripheral aperture, at least one non-metallic flexible elongated cutting member carried on said head member and extending in a finger-like free-traveling end portion radially outwardly from said aperture on said head member into a cutting plane residing substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis, mounting means for releasably securing each cutting member within an aperture adjacent the periphery of said head member, and support means having an elongate passageway connecting with and extending with said head member from said aperture for restraining an adjacent portion of said cutting member along a length sufficient to support said free traveling end portion of said cutting member against deflection from said cutting plane by said vegetation.

Claim 23

In a rotary-type lawn mower having a wheeled chassis adapted to travel over vegetation-covered ground's surface and carrying a prime mover for rotating a downwardly-extending vertical driving shaft, the improvement comprising: a planar head member mounted on said driving shaft for rotation about a vertical axis relative to the ground's surface and said head member having a peripheral aperture, at least one non-metallic flexible elongated cutting member carried on said head member and extending in a finger-like free-traveling end portion radially outwardly from said aperture on said head member into a cutting plane residing substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis, mounting means for releasably securing each cutting member within an aperture adjacent the periphery of said head member, and support means having an elongate passageway connecting with and extending with said head member from said aperture for restraining an adjacent portion of said cutting member along a length sufficient to support said free traveling end portion of said cutting member against deflection from said cutting plane by said vegetation.

Claim 24

The lawnmower of claim 19 wherein the cutting member has a length of at least twice its greatest width.

Claim 25

The lawnmower of claim 20 wherein the cutting member has a cross-sectional dimension of at least 0.100 inch at its free end in contact with the vegetation being cut.

Claim 26

The lawnmower of claim 19 wherein the cutting member extends radially beyond the head member by not greater than about 50 percent of its length.

Claim 27

The lawnmower of claim 19 wherein said cutting member is positioned in said head member by said mounting means with the free-traveling end portion inclined downwardly toward the ground's surface.

Claim 28

The lawnmower of claim 19 wherein the cutting member has between about 30 to 70 percent of its length held against vertical deflection by said support means on said head member.

Claim 29

The lawnmower of claim 19 wherein said cutting member extends radially beyond said head member about 11/2 inches.

Claim 30

The lawnmower of claim 19 wherein said head member is a disc having a diameter between about 15 and about 19 inches and each said cutting member defines a vegetation-cutting swath between about 18 and 22 inches in width, respectively.

Claim 31

In a rotary-type lawn mower having a wheeled chassis adapted to travel over the ground's surface and carrying a prime mover for rotating a downwardly-extending driving shaft, the improvement comprising: a disc-like head member mounted on said driving shaft for rotation about a vertical axis relative to the ground's surface, said head member having a peripheral circular rim and carrying aperture means at equal angular spacings about said head member, non-metallic flexible elongated cutting members carried on said head member and passing through said aperture means to extend in finger-like free-traveling end portions radially outwardly from said circular rim on said head member and into a cutting plane residing substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis, mounting means on said head member for releasably securing said cutting members against unintended radial displacement from said aperture means; and support means having an elongate passageway connecting with and extending with said head member from said aperture for restraining an adjacent portion of said cutting member along a length sufficient to support said free traveling end portion of said cutting member against deflection from said cutting plane by said vegetation.

Claim 32

In a rotary-type lawn mower having a wheeled chassis adapted to travel over the ground's surface and carrying a prime mover for rotating a downwardly-extending driving shaft, the improvement comprising: a disc-like head member mounted on said driving shaft for rotation about a vertical axis relative to the ground's surface, said head member having a peripheral circular rim and carrying aperture means at equal angular spacings about said head member, non-metallic flexible elongated cutting members carried on said head member and passing through said aperture means to extend in finger-like free-traveling end portions radially outwardly from said circular rim on said head member and into a cutting plane residing substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis, mounting means on said head member for releasably securing said cutting members against unintended radial displacement from said aperture means; and support means having an elongate passageway connecting with and extending with said head member from said aperture for restraining an adjacent portion of said cutting member along a length sufficient to support said free traveling end portion of said cutting member against deflection from said cutting plane by said vegetation.

Claim 33

The lawn mower of claim 19 wherein said cutting members have a length supported in said passageway against vertical deflection by said support means equal in length to said free-traveling end portion extending from said circular rim into the cutting plane.

Claim 34

The lawnmower of claim 28 wherein said cutting members have a dimension of at least 0.100 inch at the free-traveling end portions in contact with vegetation.

Claim 35

The lawnmower of claim 27 wherein said cutting members are circular in cross-section and are carried upon spool means on said head member with end portions of said cutting members extending through said aperture means into the cutting plane.

Claim 36

The lawnmower of claim 27 wherein said cutting members have free-traveling end portions extending about 11/4 inches beyond said circular rim into the cutting plane.

Claim 37

The lawnmower of claim 27 wherein said head member has a diameter between about 15 and 19 inches and said cutting members define a vegetation cutting swath about three inches greater in width than said head member.

Claim 38

The lawnmower of claim 27 wherein said cutting members are formed of a monofilament polymeric material with an enlargement at one end thereof forming an engagement means to secure said cutting members in said head member against radial outward displacement.

Claim 39

The lawnmower of claim 27 wherein said cutting members each extend about 21/4 inches beyond said circular rim with a cross-sectional dimension of at least 0.100 inches at their free end in contact with the vegetation being cut.