Patent ID: 6263580
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
A cutterhead for a portable handheld brushcutter having a drive shaft defining a drive axis about which the cutterhead is rotatably driven, the cutterhead being mounted on the free end of the drive shaft and comprising:a pot-shaped housing having an open end and having a housing hub formed inside said housing and extending to said open end of said pot-shaped housing;said pot-shaped housing being held on the end portion of said drive shaft with said housing hub so as to permit said housing to be driven by said drive shaft;a spool accommodated in said housing and having a spool hub held on said housing hub;said spool having a radial partition wall extending about the periphery of said spool to form first and second spool chambers;said spool chambers being adapted to contain first and second cutting filaments, respectively, and each of said cutting filaments having first and second ends;said pot-shaped housing having a peripheral wall axially surrounding said spool;said pot-shaped housing having two exit openings formed in said peripheral wall through which corresponding ones of said cutting filaments extend into free space with their first ends;said partition wall lying at the same axial elevation as said exit openings;said partition wall defining a plane transverse to said axis and having first and second lead-in channels formed in said partition wall corresponding to said first and second spool chambers, respectively;said first lead-in channel being provided for guiding in the second end of said first cutting filament into the interior of said first spool chamber;said second lead-in channel being provided for guiding in the second end of said second cutting filament into the interior of said second spool chamber;said first and second lead-in channels having respective entrances configured as first and second insert funnels, respectively, tapered in the direction in which the corresponding cutting filament is lead in;said plane having a first side facing toward said first spool chamber and a second side facing toward said second spool chamber;each of said insert funnels having a funnel wall defining the insert funnel and having a filament guide;the filament guide of said first insert funnel being defined by a radially shortened section of the wall of said first insert funnel disposed on said first side of said plane;the filament guide of said second insert funnel being defined by a radially shortened section of the wall of said second insert funnel disposed on said second side of said plane; and,said first and second lead-in channels extending nonlinearly in said spool.