Claims
- 1. A carriage device for a string trimmer comprising:
an axle frame supporting at least two wheels; and a main frame including an axle mounting section for adjustably securing the axle frame and a shaft receiving section shaped to receive a string trimmer shaft, wherein the axle mounting section comprises a plurality of connecting areas for selectively adjusting a height of the axle frame.
- 2. A carriage device according to claim 1, wherein the axle frame is laterally adjustable relative to the main frame.
- 3. A carriage device according to claim 2, wherein the axle mounting section comprises a plurality of holes aligned in at least one vertical column relative to ground, and wherein the axle frame comprises an internal slot for each vertical column of holes, each internal slot receiving an axle connector when aligned with a respective hole.
- 4. A carriage device according to claim 1, wherein the axle frame comprises at least two swivel wheels secured via respective wheel connectors, the swivel wheels being mounted to swivel about a substantially vertical axis relative to ground.
- 5. A carriage device according to claim 4, wherein the axle frame comprises a plurality of wheel mounting holes across the axle frame for each of the wheels, and wherein the wheels are selectively securable in any of the wheel mounting holes.
- 6. A carriage device according to claim 1, wherein the axle frame is bent at ends thereof into at least two L-shaped brackets, and wherein the wheels are rotatably secured to the L-shaped brackets.
- 7. A carriage device according to claim 1, wherein the shaft receiving section comprises a V-shaped groove for receiving the string trimmer shaft.
- 8. A carriage device according to claim 1, wherein the shaft receiving section comprises a control collar slot that is shaped to receive a control collar fixed to the string trimmer shaft and at least one trimmer clamp slot that receives a trimmer clamp for securing the string trimmer shaft to the main frame.
- 9. A carriage device according to claim 8, comprising two trimmer clamp slots disposed on opposite sides of the control collar slot, the trimmer clamp slots receiving a corresponding two trimmer clamps for securing the string trimmer shaft to the main frame.
- 10. A carriage device according to claim 8, wherein the trimmer clamp is a pipe clamp.
- 11. A carriage device according to claim 8, wherein each trimmer clamp slot comprises two openings in the shaft receiving section, and wherein the trimmer clamp is a spring-loaded J-clamp including a threaded connector shaft extendable through one of the openings and receiving a spring and a securing nut on an end thereof for holding and compressing the spring, and an engagement hook shaped to extend over the string trimmer shaft and insertable into the other of the openings.
- 12. A carriage device according to claim 11, wherein the engagement hook is V-shaped.
- 13. A carriage device according to claim 1, wherein the main frame is substantially triangular-shaped comprising the axle mounting section, the shaft receiving section, and a supporting bracket, wherein the axle mounting section and the supporting bracket are joined at an apex of the triangular shape, and wherein the shaft receiving section is connected between the axle mounting section and the supporting bracket.
- 14. A carriage device according to claim 13, wherein an angle between the axle mounting section and the supporting bracket is set to a shaft angle of the string trimmer.
- 15. A carriage device according to claim 1, wherein the main frame is configured such that the shaft receiving section is disposed at an angle matching a shaft angle of the string trimmer.
- 16. A carriage device according to claim 1, wherein the axle mounting section comprises a Z-frame disposed in a plane substantially parallel to ground, the Z-frame including a central aperture for receiving a first axle connector that secures the axle frame, and at least one arm member formed in an arc and including indexed apertures along the arc for selectively receiving a second axle connector that secures the axle frame such that the axle frame is rotatably adjustable relative to the main frame.
- 17. A carriage device according to claim 1, wherein the main frame further comprises a battery clamp adjustably sized to support a battery for the string trimmer.
- 18. A carriage device according to claim 1, wherein the axle frame supports a first wheel type, and wherein the axle frame is interchangeable with an alternative axle frame supporting a second wheel type.
- 19. A vegetation cutter comprising:
a string trimmer having a string trimmer shaft; and a carriage device supporting the string trimmer and including:
an axle frame supporting at least two wheels, and a main frame including an axle mounting section for adjustably securing the axle frame and a shaft receiving section adjustably securing the string trimmer shaft, wherein the axle mounting section comprises a plurality of connecting areas for selectively adjusting a height of the axle frame.
- 20. A vegetation cutter according to claim 19, wherein the shaft receiving section secures the string trimmer shaft for longitudinal adjustment and rotational adjustment.
- 21. A vegetation cutter according to claim 19, wherein the string trimmer comprises a trimmer head with updraft line blades, and wherein the vegetation cutter further comprises a mulcher tub disposed surrounding the trimmer head and updraft line blades.
- 22. A vegetation cutter according to claim 21, wherein the mulcher tub comprises a mounting slot on a front side that is shaped to fit over the string trimmer shaft and a wheel assembly including a wheel on a back side, wherein the mounting slot is sized such that the mulcher tub is substantially level when mounted on the string trimmer shaft with the wheel of the wheel assembly contacting the ground.
- 23. A vegetation cutter according to claim 21, wherein the mulcher tub comprises an outer tub including a tub lid and an open base, and an inner collecting tub disposed within the outer tub and radially spaced from an inside wall of the outer tub defining a channel therebetween.
- 24. A vegetation cutter according to claim 23, wherein the tub lid comprises a contoured portion for directing mulched material from the channel into the inner collecting tub and a screened discharge port for discharging air from the channel.
- 25. A vegetation cutter according to claim 19, wherein the string trimmer shaft comprises a universal joint.
- 26. A vegetation cutter according to claim 19, further comprising a control collar secured to the string trimmer shaft, the control collar being engageable with a slot in the shaft receiving section of the main frame.
- 27. A vegetation cutter according to claim 26, wherein the control collar comprises a two-piece unit surrounding the string trimmer shaft, wherein each of the control collar pieces is V-shaped.
- 28. A vegetation cutter according to claim 26, wherein the control collar comprises:
an indexed disc including a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures; and a spring pin having a shaft and being selectively engageable with the apertures to lock the string trimmer into a specific tilt angle, the spring pin being biased into engagement with the apertures via a spring mounted on the shaft.
- 29. A vegetation cutter according to claim 19, wherein the string trimmer comprises a rotatable head supporting a plurality of flexible line blades, wherein the line blades are selectively configurable in alternative configurations to generate an updraft or a downdraft during operation.
- 30. A vegetation cutter according to claim 29, wherein when the flexible line blades are configured to generate a downdraft during operation, the vegetation cutter functions as an open line paddle type blower.
- 31. A vegetation cutter according to claim 29, wherein the flexible line blades comprise an aerodynamically shaped cross-section including a sharp edge and a blunt edge, and wherein the line blades are selectively configurable in alternative configurations with the blunt edge leading or with the sharp edge leading.
- 32. A vegetation cutter according to claim 19, wherein the string trimmer comprises a plurality of line blades defining a cutting swath having a cutting swath diameter, and wherein the axle frame supports two wheels having a wheel base, a length of the wheel base being greater than or equal to the cutting swath diameter.
- 33. A vegetation cutter according to claim 32, wherein the axle frame is laterally adjustable relative to the main frame such that the cutting swath is extendable outside of the wheel base.
- 34. A kit comprising components for constructing the carriage device of claim 1.
- 35. A flexible line blade rotary mower without a mower deck or discharge chute comprising:
the carriage device of claim 1; and a string trimmer mounted on the carriage device.
- 36. A method of constructing a vegetation cutter including a string trimmer mounted on a carriage device, the method comprising:
affixing at least two wheels to an axle frame; providing an axle mounting section of a main frame, providing the axle mounting section with a plurality of connecting areas for selectively adjusting a height of the axle frame, and adjustably securing the axle frame to the axle mounting section, and adjustably securing the string trimmer to a shaft receiving section of the main frame.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/370,897, filed Aug. 10, 1999, and this application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/287,406, filed May 1, 2001, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60287406 |
May 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09370897 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Child |
10135828 |
May 2002 |
US |