Patent ID: 6952876
Filing Date: 2005-10-11
Classification: A01G

Abstract:
1. A plant clipper with integral chemical dispenser that dispenses treatment chemicals directly on the stem of a plant after it is cut, comprising: a blade assembly including relatively pivotally attached first and second opposed blades, the first blade having a thin cutting edge adapted to slice through a plant stem, the first blade having a chemical outlet opening therein positioned so as to be opposite the end of a plant stem after it has been cut, the second blade having an edge that faces the cutting edge of the first blade and abuts and engages the plant stem adjacent the cut caused by the first blade; a pair of handles operably connected to the blade assembly so as to close and open the blades when the handles are moved between closed and open positions; and a chemical dispenser connected to the clipper that is actuated by the movement of the handles to squirt chemical on the cut end of the plant stem from a chemical dispenser outlet through the first blade chemical outlet opening after the plant stem has been cut, the chemical dispenser being positioned to squirt chemical from an outlet on an inner side of the first blade, through the opening in the first blade, and out of an outer side of the first blade, such that a cut stem on the outer side of the first blade receives chemical after the stem has been cut through by the clipper, the chemical dispenser outlet including an outlet nozzle movably mounted adjacent the inner surface of the first blade for movement between a dispensing position, wherein the nozzle is aligned with the opening in the first blade, and a retracted position wherein the nozzle is moved away from the opening in the first blade, the nozzle being resiliently biased toward its dispensing position, such that a stem being cut away deflects the nozzle to its retracted position while it is being cut, and the nozzle returns to its dispensing Position when the stem has been cut and falls away from the plant, the chemical dispenser being actuated by the clipper movement to discharge chemical through the outlet nozzle when the nozzle is in its dispensing position.