Abstract:
A support for mounting a grass or weed trimmer to a deck of a riding mower or tractor includes a bracket for releasably and rotatably receiving a post, a telescoping post, and a cradle for releasably receiving and nesting with a trimmer shaft supported by the post. The cradle is mounted to the post by a spring, allowing front to back pivoting of the trimmer during use. In another aspect, the invention provides a trimming system comprising a trimmer mounted to a mower deck by the support as described.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 60/386,857, filed Jun. 10, 2002, 60/402,594 filed Aug. 12, 2002, and 60/426,787, filed Nov. 18, 2002. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to accessories for yard and garden care, landscaping, and the like. In particular, the present invention provides a support for a portable grass or weed trimmer, whereby the trimmer may be supported during use from a conventional mower deck of a riding lawn mower or tractor. More specifically, the present invention provides a mower deck-mounted support for use with a portable grass or weed trimmer which allows use of the trimmer during operation of the mower, or independently from the mower as needed. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In the case where it is necessary to maintain large expanses of lawn or field, riding lawn mowers or tractors provide significant time savings. Similarly, it is known to use a portable grass or weed trimmer to trim weeds or grass from areas not accessible to a mower, such as for example near fence lines or trees. Both electric and gas powered trimmers are known in the art, which may cut grass or weeds using a nylon or other line, or alternatively a chain or blade arrangement when more heavy-duty cutting is required. 
   In the ordinary situation, the user will carry the portable grass trimmer to the worksite to complete the desired task, followed by the mowing operation using the riding mower or tractor. However, particularly in situations where significant use must be made of the trimmer, such as for example cutting along a lengthy fence line, using the conventional trimmer may become a back-breaking task. Walk-behind trimmers are known. However, significant physical exertion is still required of the user. There is accordingly identified a need in the art for devices allowing the use of the convenience of a riding mower or tractor in combination with the utility of a grass or weed trimmer. The device should be simple and easily retrofitted to a conventional riding mower or tractor, thereby obviating the need for purchasing additional expensive equipment to accomplish the desired tasks. 
   The present invention relates to a caddie or support for attaching a portable grass trimmer to the deck of a conventional riding mower or tractor. The apparatus allows use of the trimmer during operation of the riding mower, but also allows the trimmer to be used independently of the mower when desired. A grass or weed trimmer adapted for use with the caddie of the present invention is provided also. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, in one aspect a support for mounting a grass or weed trimmer having a cutting head, a shaft, and a handle to a mower deck is provided, comprising a post, a bracket for releasably and rotatably receiving a first end of the post to support the post in a substantially vertical orientation, pivoting means mounted to a second end of the post, a cradle for releasably supporting and nesting with the trimmer shaft, and at least one retainer for securing the trimmer shaft to the cradle. The post may be adapted for telescopically extending and retracting, and may comprise a first member and a second member with the second member being slidably receivable within the first member for telescoping. The post may further include locking means for preventing extension or retraction once a desired length thereof has been achieved. 
   The bracket for releasably and rotatably receiving the post may comprise a substantially U-shaped bracket having a horizontal top, at least two vertical side walls, and a platform oriented below and in parallel to the top. The top and platform include aligned apertures for receiving the post therethrough. It will be appreciated that when the post is inserted in the bracket whereby the post passes through the aligned apertures to rest on the mower deck, it will be rotatable within the bracket, allowing the trimmer to be concurrently rotated therewith. Accordingly, the apertures are sized in accordance with the diameter of the post, providing sufficient clearance between post and aperture wall to allow rotation without excessive play. Gravity and the weight of the support and trimmer maintain the post in the bracket during use. 
   Conveniently, the user need only lift the post to remove same from the mower deck to which the bracket is mounted. The bracket includes at least one flange extending in a horizontal orientation from a bottom end of a bracket side wall, each of said flanges including at least one aperture therethrough for receiving a bolt and thereby adapted for mounting the bracket to the mower deck. Accordingly, the bracket may be mounted to the mower deck by drilling apertures in the deck aligned with the apertures in the bracket flange, and securing the bracket to the mower deck using a bolt and cooperating screw. It will be appreciated, however, that any suitable means may be used for mounting the bracket to the mower deck, such as welding. 
   Typically, the pivoting means allows the trimmer attached to the support to be pivoted in a front to back manner. It will be appreciated that this feature desirably allows altering the trimmer orientation as desired, for example to clear an obstacle or to lengthen the trimming line on a “bump-feed” trimmer of a type well known in the art. The cradle is a surface adapted to releasably support and nest with the trimmer shaft. Thus, if the trimmer shaft is cylindrical, the cradle may be semi-circular in cross-section. If the trimmer shaft is square in cross-section, the cradle maybe correspondingly shaped in cross-section. The retainer may be separate from or integrally formed in the cradle material. The retainer may be a band of a type known in the art, such as for example a retainer having a worm-screw drive mechanism for tightening the band around the trimmer shaft and cradle to secure the trimmer to the cradle whereby free play between trimmer and cradle is substantially eliminated. It will be appreciated that as shown in  FIG. 1 , the cradle, post, and bracket are adapted to hold the trimmer shaft so that the shaft is not suspended from the support. The cradle may be secured to the pivoting means at any desired angle. In one embodiment, the cradle is supported at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to the post, providing an ergonomically correct positioning for the trimmer to a user seated on the mower or tractor. However, it will be appreciated that the cradle may be configured to support the trimmer at any desired angle, such that the cutting head of the trimmer is held at the desired orientation relative to the ground area which is to be trimmed. The user may therefore, by moving the trimmer handle in a desired direction move the cutting head from side to side or up and down. 
   In another aspect, a trimming system for attaching to a riding mower or tractor is provided, comprising a grass or weed trimmer having a cutting head, a motor for driving a cutting means contained in the cutting head, a shaft, and a handle, and a support as described above for mounting the trimmer to a mower deck of the mower or tractor. A power cord may be provided which is adapted for transferring an electrical current from the mower battery to the trimmer. However, it will be appreciated that other means for powering the trimmer are well suited to the present invention. For example, a trimmer having a rechargeable battery may be used. Alternatively, a gasoline engine powered trimmer may also be suitable. Similarly, a separate, dedicated battery may be supported by the mower for powering the trimmer. The trimmer of the present system may include a handle end having a substantially vertical terminus carrying a power switch. The switch allows transmission of an electrical current from the battery to the trimmer when biased in a first direction, and terminates transmission of electrical current from the battery to the trimmer when released. 
   As should be appreciated, a single embodiment is shown and described herein. That single embodiment is an illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. It will be realized that the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the present invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the trimming system of the present invention mounted to the mower deck of a riding mower; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the trimming system of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  shows the support of the present invention in isolation; and 
       FIG. 4  shows a second embodiment of the support of the present invention, demonstrating an alternative pivoting means for attaching the trimmer cradle to the post. 
   

   Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference is now made to  FIG. 1  showing the trimming system of the present invention mounted to the mower deck D of a mower M. The trimming system of the invention, shown in isolation in  FIG. 2 , is generally designated by reference numeral  10 . The system includes a trimmer  20  of a conventional design, having a cutting head  22  housing a motor (not shown), a shroud  24  for reducing the risk of incidental contact of the user with the cutting line or debris flung therefrom, a cutting line  25  of nylon or other suitable material, a shaft  26 , and a handle  28 . Of course, any suitable cutting means may be substituted for cutting line  25 , such as a chain or blade (not shown). The handle  28  includes a substantially vertical portion  30  carrying a switch  32  for activating the trimmer. Switch  32  may be a momentary toggle switch of a type known in the art, which activates the trimmer  20  when biased in a first direction, and disables the trimmer  20  when released. A power cord  34  extends from handle  28  to a power source such as a battery B carried by the mower M (see  FIG. 1 ). 
   The support  36  of the present invention comprises a cradle  38  for supporting the trimmer  20 , a post  40 , and a bracket  42 . Cradle  38  includes at least one retainer  44  for securing the trimmer  20  to the cradle  38 . In one embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , retainer  44  is a metal band of a type known in the art, having a worm screw drive and screw (not shown) for tightening the retainer  44  around the cradle  38  and trimmer shaft  26  such that free play between cradle  38  and shaft  26  is substantially eliminated. However, it will be appreciated that any retainer providing the desired reduction in free play can be utilized. The cradle  38  will typically be supported on the post  40  at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to the substantially vertical orientation of post  40 . It will be appreciated that this allows the trimmer  20  to be supported at an angle optimal for most conventional trimmer designs. However, any angle in accordance with the desired orientation of the cutting head  22  may be suitable. Retainer  44  may be integrally formed in cradle  38 , or may be separate therefrom. 
   Post  40  may include a first member  41  and a second member  43 , wherein second member  43  is telescopingly received in an interior of first member  41 . A locking mechanism  45  may be provided to prevent extension or retraction of post  40  as desired. Any of a number of locking mechanisms  45  known in the art may be used, such as a twist-lock mechanism which frictionally arrests movement of second member  43  within first member  41 , a series of slots at desired locations along first member  41  and a pin carried by second member  43  which rest in the slot at the desired height (not shown), and the like. Conveniently, this feature allows the user to adjust the height of post  40 , and correspondingly the cutting height of the trimmer  20 , as desired in accordance with the terrain encountered. 
   The post  40  is attached to the cradle  38  by a pivoting attachment  46 . Typically, pivoting attachment  46  will be a coiled spring  48  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , connected (for example by welding) at a first end to post  40  and at a second end to cradle  38 , which allows a trimmer secured to cradle  38  to be pivoted as desired to raise and lower cutting head  22 . However, other structures are encompassed by the present invention. For example, referring to  FIG. 3 , pivoting attachment  46  may comprise a rocker fin  50  adapted to be received in a slot  52  in a top end  54  of post  40 . A pin  56  passing through aligned apertures in top end  54  of post  40  and rocker fin  50  secures cradle  38  to post  40 . A first keeper spring  58  and a second keeper spring  60 , in accordance with the selected lengths thereof, preserve the desired angle of cradle  38  and thereby of trimmer  20 . 
   It will be appreciated that the pivoting attachment  46  allows the cradle  38 , and a trimmer  20  secured thereto, to be pivoted at least in a front to back manner. This feature allows the cutting head  22  to be raised or lowered by the user, for example to avoid an obstacle. Additionally, if trimmer  20  is of a type known in the art wherein the cutting line  25  is lengthened using a known “bump feed” mechanism, the need for the user to detach trimmer  20  from the support  36  is obviated. 
   Turning to  FIG. 4 , wherein the support  36  of the present invention is shown in isolation, bracket  42  comprises a top  62 , side walls  64 , 68 , a platform  70  in spaced relationship below and parallel to top  62 , and flanges  72  extending from a bottom edge of side walls  64 ,  68 . Aligned apertures  74 ,  76  are provided through top  62  and platform  70 , respectively for receiving post  40  therethrough. Flanges  72  include apertures  78  for receiving bolts (not shown) therethrough for bolting bracket  42  to a mower deck D as shown in  FIG. 1 . When bracket  42  is mounted to a mower deck D, a gap G remains between platform  70  and mower deck D. Aligned apertures  74 ,  76  provide sufficient clearance for post  40  such that post  40  is rotatable, without allowing excessive play. When post  40  is inserted through aligned apertures  74 ,  76 , post  40  is retained in a substantially vertical orientation simply by gravity, the weight of the trimming system  10  supported by post  40 , and frictional contact between post  40  and aligned apertures  74 ,  76  of bracket  42 . Aligned aperture  74  may be of a greater diameter relative to aperture  76 . In this embodiment, the bottom end of post  40  may include a narrowed terminus forming a surface which rests on platform  70 . Alternatively, aligned apertures  74 , 76  maybe of substantially equal diameters, and a bottom end of post  40  may simply rest on an upper surface of mower deck D. Accordingly, a simple, effective means is provided for mounting a trimmer  20  to a mower deck D, which does not required complicated attachment systems or the permanent mounting of the trimmer  20  to the deck D. Accordingly, a simple, effective means is provided for mounting a trimmer  20  to a mower deck D, which does not required complicated attachment systems or the permanent mounting of the trimmer  20  to the deck D. 
   In use, it will be appreciated that the user simply bolts bracket  42  to mower deck M, inserts post  40  through aligned apertures  74 ,  76  of bracket  42 , and secures the trimmer  20  to the cradle  38  using retainers  44 . Power cord  34  is attached to the terminals of mower battery B (see  FIG. 1 ) to provide power to the trimmer  20 . However, it will be appreciated that other configurations are possible. For example, a trimmer  20  having a gas-powered engine could be used, or a trimmer  20  having a self contained battery pack could be employed. Such devices are well known in the art. Alternatively, a second, independent battery (not shown) could be supported by mower M. In still yet another embodiment, mower M may carry a dedicated power socket (not shown) and power cord  34  may terminate in an adaptor configured to plug into the power socket. Such devices are known in the art. For example, in the automotive industry it is known to provide power cords having adaptors for powering various devices from an auto dashboard-mounted cigarette lighter or other supplemental power socket. 
   The user then may cause mower M to travel along the desired cutting path, and activate trimmer  20  using switch  32 . Pivoting attachment  46  allows the user to raise and lower the cutting head  22  of trimmer  20  as needed to clear obstacles. The pivoting feature provides further advantages. For example, in the case of a trimmer  20  having a bump feed mechanism for extending line  25 , the user may pivot the trimmer to tap the bump feed mechanism and extend line  25  without necessitating disconnection of trimmer  20  from mower deck D. 
   In the event an area to be cut is in a location inaccessible to the mower M, the user need only stop the mower M, detach trimmer  20 , for example by releasing retainers  44  or by simply disengaging post  40  from bracket  42 , and carry the trimmer  20  to the desired site. Power cord  34  provides sufficient play to allow the user to use trimmer  20  at a predetermined distance from the mower M. Once the inconvenient area has been trimmed, the user need only reattach trimmer  20  to mower M as described above, and resume normal operation. 
   Once the user has completed the trimming/mowing operation, the trimmer  20  may be rotated to a storage position and secured to the mower at a second point using a capture bracket depicted in  FIG. 1  as reference numeral  80 . The capture bracket  80  may include a sliding bracket  82  and a strap  84  for capturing shaft  26  of trimmer  20 . Strap  84  may include a tongue and buckle, hook and loop securing means, or any suitable means for capturing shaft  26 . 
   The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of this invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, while an electrically powered trimmer is described herein, a gas-powered trimmer could easily be substituted. The above-described embodiment discloses powering the trimmer from a mower battery. However, a dedicated battery could also be provided. Still further, other lawn care and landscaping accessories may be adapted to the caddie of the present invention, such as edgers and the like. 
   The embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.