Apparatus for cutting vegetation

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting vegetation with a rotatable head carrying a non-metallic cutting line (31) extended into a cutting plane. As the line extension decreases from an established preset length an actuator in the head permits additional line to be extended automatically from a supply source within the head. The actuator imposes a back pressure (F₃) against the line of magnitude correlated to the sensed pull tension wanting to extend the line outward of the head. After the cutting line length is extended to its restored original preset length, the actuator in response to the operational forces imposed thereon secures the cutting line against further extension until a subsequent decrease in line extension is incurred. In one embodiment an iner­ tial drag brake (68) is activated during the course of line feedout and is deactivated after the length of cutting line has been fully restored.

Description: The present invention relates to a method of automatically feeding line from a rotating head vegetation cutting device according to the pre-characterizing part of claim 1 and a vegetation cutting apparatus according to the pre-characterizing part of claim 15 (corresponding to US-A-4,366,622). Various types of devices have been proposed to facilitate the removal of vegetation by moving, trimming, edging and like cutting operations. In general, these devices have employed a metal blade to effect vegetation removal. Devices of this nature employ prime movers such as electric and gasoline motors. As a result, rotating metal blades can inflict serious and terrible injury upon the user. In about 1960, there was developed in Europe a trimmer/edger unit employing a flexible polymeric line extending from a rotating head for cutting vegetation. This unit did not work properly because of several defects in structure and operating parameters. In the United States of America, practical vegetation cutting devices using flexible, non-metallic lines carried upon a rotating head were developed. The devices are shown in U.S. patents 3,708,967, 3,826,068, 3,859,776, 4,035,912, 4,052,789, 4,054,992 and 4,067,108. These patented devices have met with outstanding success in that these American developments provide safe electrical or gasoline-powered tools for vegetation cutting, edging and trimming operations. The devices shown in the mentioned patents employ a flexible cutting line, such as manufactured from Nylon polymer. The cutting line is carried usually upon a spool internally of a rotating head. When desired to replenish the line or to extend an additional length of line, the rotation of the head was stopped and line manually extended from the spool. This line extension procedure in the patented devices has been found to be convenient, simple and reliable. In many of the more powerful devices, especially those powered by electric motors, a system to extend the cutting line from the head without interrupting cutting operations has long been sought. A most desirable system would be one capable of feeding cutting line from the head automatically as need was incurred independent of any operator involvement. Structures directed toward this purpose are shown in U.S. Patents 3,895,440, 4,020,550 and 4,035,915. These structures have, in common, a basket weave supply of cutting line carried on the periphery of a disc with the line feeding from behind special post members. These post members have a cutting-abrading edge so that cutting line from the weave supply is bent about such edge in the free traveling end portion extending into the cutting plane. The combination function of the edge, line, angular speed, etc. is arranged so that the line posts with such edge sever the free end of the cutting line when it is worn to an ineffective length. In practice, these structures are found to waste about 25 percent of the cutting line because of the excessive length of line severed at the posts' edge, e.g., 3 inches. According to FR-A-2,551,039, the spool member carrying a bobbin of the flexible line is rotatably supported by the rotating head and carries at its circumference a plurality of notches. A clamping member is carried by the head and is in the form of an intertia mass element pivotable around an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the head. A portion of said element which is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the element is forced by the flexible line into one of said notches of the spool member. When the outer line end portion of the flexible line shortens, a centrifugal force urges said portion of the inertia element radially out of the engaged notch such that the spool member is rotated thereby paying out a portion of the flexible line corresponding to the circumferential distance beetween two adjacent notches of the spool. According to the prior art apparatus, the amount of line payout corresponds to the circumferential distance of two adjacent notches of the spool member. This may or may not be the correct amount needed to reestablish the correct length of outer line end portion. US 4,366,622 disclosed a rotating head vegetation cutting device in which the flexible line is wound around a cam surface of a two-arm-lever between said cam portion and an inner wall portion of the rotating head, to thereby pinch the line against said wall. Feeding of the line depends not only on a camming action as mentioned above, but also on the vibration of the cutting line during vegetation cutting which modulates the gripping members constituted by the cam mechanism into a pulsing gripping of the line (column 2, lines 32-42 of US-A-4,366,622). The present invention provides a method according to claim 1 and an apparatus according to claim 15. The apparatus according to the invention comprises a rotating head with a mechanism that extends the cutting line to a suitable operating length whenever it is worn or severed to an undesirable lesser length without interrupting vegetation cutting or requiring independently imposed operator involvement. The apparatus for cutting vegetation has a head rotatable about an axis of rotation. The head includes a cavity containing a supply of a flexible cutting line (preferably of a non-metallic monofilament material) including an outer line end portion that extends outwardly from the head through an aperture therein and is rotated by the head in a cutting plane projecting outwardly therefrom. The pull on the line extending from the head into the cutting plane resulting from centrifugal force is balanced against the Centrifugal force acting on a fixed or reference counterweight and the payout of replacement line is controlled by a mechanism responding to the imbalanced centrifugal forces. When no centrifugal force is present, i.e., the head is not rotating, line payout is prevented. When the reference force exceeds the line pull force, i.e., the head is rotating and the line is shorter than the desired length, the line is released for further payout. When the line pull force exceeds the reference force, i.e., the line is at the desired length or greater, additional line payout is prevented. If the head is rotating and the pull on the line subsequently falls below the counterbalance or reference force, i.e., the line is shorter than the desired cutting length, the line is again payed out until the desired length is attained. Any event which artificially increases the line pull, such as snagging of the line on a fence or the like, further overbalances the reference force, ensuring that no line is paid out. Thus, the only condition which allows line to extend is a shortening of the line. Since line is released only in response to a centrifugally generated force produced by rotation, the line cannot be extended during start-up. Because the system relies only on counterbalancing centrifugal forces, not spring forces, it is independent of rotational speed or direction of the head, making it suitable for use on both gasoline engines, and electric motor driven devices. Of course, as the line shortens, due to wear, there is a tendency to increase the rotational speed of the head, which increases the centrifugal force of the line and the reference mass as a square function. In another embodiment, the imbalanced force is used to secure a spool upon which the line is wound against rotation, and thus prevent further payout. In one embodiment of the invention, the imbalanced force is used to directly frictionally engage the line through a lever arrangement to prevent further line payout. In accordance with a very important aspect of the invention, stability of operation is achieved by providing an enhanced, predictable drag force on the line as it is payed out to maintain full tension on the line at all times, thus ensuring that the centrifugal force on the line can be accurately sensed during all modes of operation. This may be considered as a controlled payout in which the rate of payout is limited so that at all stages during payout, a back tension or drag force substantially equal to the centrifugal force on the line is applied to the line as the line is payed out. Otherwise the line has no appreciable tension and the centrifugal force in the line cannot be accurately measured by sensing the tension in the line and using this measured force to terminate line payout. In first and second embodiments, a pivotally supported balancing element is imbalanced to form a reference mass which is responsive to the centrifugal forces of rotation. The arm effects engagement and disengagement of a drag mechanism which functions to impose a controlled back-tension on the line for resisting uncontrolled extension of the line to both ensure that the tension in the line can be sensed at all times and to slow the rate of payout until the mechanism can properly lock the line against further extension at the desired length. A still more specific aspect of the invention incorporated in the first and second embodiments thereof includes a spool within the head upon which the line is wound. A cam tooth arrangement forces the spool to reciprocate axially in response to centrifugal pull on the line. The force required to cause the spool to reverse directions provides a primarily inertial resistance to line payout which maintains full tension on the line during line payout. This allows the centrifugal force on the line to be sensed by the balance arm, and also slows the payout to enable the mechanism time to respond and stop the line at the appropriate length before excess line has payed out. In the first embodiment, the pivotally supported balancing element is a balance arm which looks axial reciprocation of the spool, and thus rotation of the spool, to prevent line payout. In the second embodiment, the pivotally supported balancing element is a balance beam which engages teeth formed on the periphery of the spool to directly prevent rotation of the spool. In a third embodiment of the invention, a highly leveraged imbalanced pivot arm is used to pinch or grip the line. In this embodiment, the line is passed around a friction surface prior to passing over the pivot arm to ensure a minimum, controlled back force which is sufficient to ensure that the highly leveraged pivot arm, which functions as a force amplifier, will exert a frictional, sliding force to control payout by maintaining a sufficient lock tension on the line to overbalance the reference force when the line has reached the desired length so that the line can be locked. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a pictorial view illustrating an electric motor driven embodiment of the apparatus for cutting vegetation arranged according to the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates, in enlargement and partially broken away, the lower portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through the cutting head of another embodiment of the present apparatus taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 4; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through the cutting head taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a right hand portion of Fig. 4 illustrating a changed relative orientation of the components; Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the axis of the spool structure of the head of Fig. 3; Figure 7 is a sectional view taken of a lower spool tooth cam of the device of Fig. 3 taken along line 7-7 thereof; Figure 8 is a bottom view of the balancing arm of Figs. 3 and 4; Figure 9 is a right side view of the balancing arm of Fig. 8; Figure 10 is an isometric elevation of the balancing arm of Fig. 8; Figures 11-14 are schematic representations of the sequential steps of operation of the tooth cams of the inertial brake of the present apparatus with the line spool being axially foreshortened for illustrative purposes; Figure 15 is a bottom view of another cutting head embodiment of the present invention, with its lower cover portion removed and a lower circumferential portion of the hub being broken away for illustrative purposes; Figure 16 is a sectional view taken along line 16-16 of Fig. 15 with the lower cutting head cover replaced; Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown an apparatus for cutting vegetation constructed in accordance with the present invention. For purposes of description the apparatus comprises a grass trimmer 21, but could be a lawnmower, edger or other device for vegetation cutting purposes. The trimmer 21 has a lower housing 22 interconnected by a tube 23 to a handle assembly 24. The assembly 24 provides a switch 26 for selectively applying electrical power received by a cord 27 to an electrical motor carried within the housing 22. For two-handed operation of the trimmer 21, an auxiliary handle 28 is provided upon the tube 23. The lower housing 22 carries a molded plastic head 29 rotatable about an axis passing through the housing 22 and the cutting line 31 extends into a cutting plane which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the head. In Fig. 2, there is shown an enlargement of the housing 22 carrying a plurality of air induction openings 32 for introducing a flow of cooling air over a motor 33 contained in the housing 22. The motor 33 has a downwardly-extending drive shaft 34 to which the head 29 is threadedly connected. The upper surface of the head 29 may be surrounded by a plurality of vanes 37 serving as a centrifugal blower for moving air radially outwardly from the head 29 during its rotation. As a result, the induced flow of air cools the motor 33 within the housing 22. Comprising head 29 is a hub 36 and a bottom cover 35, the former of which carries in its side peripheral surface an aperture 38 through which the cutting line 31 extends radially outward into the cutting plane. A smooth bearing surface at the aperture protects the line 31 against undue wear and breakages. The housing 22 includes a rearwardly-extending tail part 42 which serves as a protection to the user to prevent inadvertent contact with the rotating cutting line 31. Also, the tail part provides an automatic limit to the extension of the cutting line 31 from the head 29. More particularly, the tail part 42 has a downwardly-extending projection 43 in which is embedded a metal cutting blade 44. As a result, the cutting line 31 when rotated in a cutting plane by the head 29 can never have an operating length extending beyond the cutting blade 44. Any initially greater length of cutting line is automatically severed by the blade 44. Referring now to Figs. 3-5, the head 29 is threadedly secured to motor drive shaft 34 by means of a threaded lower stud portion 47 formed on the lower end of shaft 34. The hub 36 is adapted to interfit with the lower cover 35 by means of spring locking tabs 39 on the hub and complementary grooves (not illustrated) on the cover. An arbor 40 is axially threaded to receive stud 47 from the drive shaft 34 and is secured within the head between downwardly depending tubular cap post 56 in hub 36, and a shoulder formed on the arbor 40. The cover 35 has an annular lip 45 which receives the lower end of the arbor for stability. A line spool indicated generally by the reference numeral 65 contains a storage supply of cutting line 31 and is rotatably and reciprocably supported on arbor 40. The head 29 is provided with what may be termed an inertial angular velocity governor which constitutes an important aspect of this invention. In a manner subsequently described, the governor maintains tension in the line 31 as it passes over a balance arm 68 to ensure that the tension in the line can be sensed by the balance arm. The balance arm 68, as best seen in Figs. 8-10, may be comprised of stiff wire bent into a more or less U-shape configuration. The arm is formed into an upstanding straight leg 70 and an opposite, generally parallel leg 76. Leg 70 is pivotally received in a sleeve 72 (Fig. 3) which, in turn, is friction fit in a vertical pocket 74 of the molded plastic hub 36. The opposite leg 76 includes an intermediate offset or bow 78 over which line 31 is routed from spool 65 to a line aperture 38. An arcuate section 80 interconnects the two vertical legs at the upper ends and is used to prevent reciprocation of the spool as hereafter described by becoming interposed between the hub and spool. As the head is rotated, centrifugal force will tend to urge the arm counterclockwise from the position shown in dashed outline in Fig. 3 (see Fig. 5 also), hereafter referred to as the line locked position, to the position which is shown in Fig. 3 in solid outline, hereinafter referred to as the released position (see Fig. 4 also). Countering the centrifugal force will be the force F₃, which is a vector function of the tension imposed on line 31 that is transmitted to leg offset 78 and which tends to urge arm 68 from the unlocked position to the locked position. Spool 65, as will be described with specific reference to Figs. 3-7, is comprised of a tubular sleeve 73 having a central bore 75 adapted to be rotationally and reciprocably supported in a freely movable fit about arbor 40. The lower distal end of the sleeve 73 is enlarged to define a spool extraction knob 81 which permits a user to conveniently remove the spool from the head for servicing. Joined to the sleeve is a drum 60 that includes annular concentric flanges 69 and 71 between which is formed an intervening cavity 77 for containment of a wound supply of coiled line 31. Formed in the top surface of flange 69 is a plurality of uniformly spaced chamfered recesses 82 (see Figs. 4 and 11-14) which form intermediate each adjacent pair of recesses a slope sided tooth cam 84. Similarly formed in the underside of flange 71 are a plurality of similar recesses 86 defining intervening slope sided cam teeth 88 which are in a registered alignment with the upper cam teeth 84. Generally separating the sleeve 73 from the drum 60 (Figs. 3 and 6) are a plurality of arcuate axially extending recesses 79. Line 31 on drum 60 extends through peripheral hub cavity 89 for routing about the offset 78 of balancing arm 68 and their outwardly through aperture 38. Spaced apart chamfered recesses 82, 86 and intervening slope sided cam teeth 84, 88 respectively of spool 65 are positioned to cooperate with recesses 90 (see Figs. 11-14) between cam teeth 92 formed on the underface interior of hub 36 and recesses 94 between cam teeth 96 formed on the inside surface of cover 35. While cam teeth 84 and 88 of the spool are intended to be aligned as previously mentioned, cam teeth 92 and 96 of the cover and hub respectively are intended to be relatively misaligned to effect axial reciprocation of the spool as will presently be described. The alignment and misalignment arrangement of the cam teeth could in the alternative be reversed or utilized in a combination thereof. For understanding operation of the inertial angular velocity governor 66, it should be noticed in Fig. 7 that the profile of the cam teeth are symmetrically formed at a slope angle "A" so that lockup between cam teeth cannot occur in the course of engagement and disengagement. The angle "A" may for example be about 30 degrees which ensures a sliding condition between teeth in contact so that the opposing cam teeth will bias the spool axially alternatively upwardly and downwardly in sliding relationship. The sequence by which the opposing cam teeth engage and disengage can be best understood by following the repetitive sequence of operations schematically depicted in Figs. 11-14 as subsequently described. It will be presumed for purposes of discussion that cover 35 and hub 36 are rotating in the direction of arrow 98 and that the spool 65 is rotated by tension in the line 31 (during line payout) in a direction represented by arrow 100. As the spool 65 is urged by line tension resulting from centrifugal force to rotate in the direction 100, the upper and lower spool cam teeth 84 and 88 will alternatively operate between the opposing misaligned cam teeth 92 and 96 of hub and cover respectively, causing the spool to reciprocate axially. The balancing arm 68 (Fig. 3) forms an imbalanced reference mass which is subject to the centrifugal force F₂ due to rotation which tends to cause a pivotal movement of the arm counterclockwise from the locked position shown in dashed outline in Fig. 3 to the unlocked position shown in solid outline. The counter force vector F₃ resulting from tension in the line 31 acts on arm 68 in a direction tending to pivot the arm clockwise from the unlocked position to the locked position. When the balance arm is in the locked position, the portion 80 of the arm is between the upper flange 69 of spool 65 and the hub 36 as shown in Fig. 5 and the spool cannot move upwardly and is locked by the interacting lower cam teeth 88 on the spool and the cam teeth 96 in the cover 35. When line is to be payed out, the centrifugal reference force F₂ produced by the imbalance reference mass of the pivoted arm 68 overcomes the counter force F₃ of the line acting on the arm 68 and the arm is pivoted outwardly beyond the circumference of upper spool flange 69, enabling vertical reciprocation of the spool and thus rotation of the spool to permit it to precisely and inertially control and retard line payout. Beginning with the spool arrangement of Fig. 11, in which arm 68 is presumed to be in the unlocked position, the lower spool cam teeth 88 are bottomed out in cover recesses 94 for incremental rotation in the direction 100 until engagement with the next successive cam teeth 96 of the cover 35. As shown in Fig. 12, the cam teeth 88 will then slide upwardly along the mating sloping faces of cam teeth 96 until clear of cam teeth 96. As the spool reciprocates upwardly toward its position in Fig. 13, upper spool cam teeth 84 penetrate hub recesses 90 until cam teeth 88 have cleared cam teeth 96. By that time cam teeth 84 have rotationally advanced incrementally to the next succeeding cam teeth 92 on the hub 36 (Fig. 14). This sequence is repetitive as the cam teeth of spool 65 sequentially advance, engage and slide vertically. Consequently, as each spool cam tooth bottoms out and is arcuately displaced in the opposing hub or cover recess, the subsequent sliding displacement between mutually engaging cam teeth forces the spool in the opposite axially direction. The friction between the sliding cam teeth to some extent, but far more importantly, the energy required to accelerate the spool reciprocally along the axis ensures that a back or drag force is maintained on the line at all times, and the greater the line pull, the greater the force required to axially accelerate the spool, and the greater the back tension. This ensures that the tension in the line during payout is equal to that resulting from the centrifugal force on the line, at least on a high frequency, intermittent tension, so that this force producing tension in the line can be balanced against the centrifugal force action on the reference mass of the pivoted balanced arm. For an understanding of the forces involved by which the spool 65 is activated and deactivated in the aforesaid manner, attention is again directed to Fig. 3 from which it will be appreciated that the tension force F₁ is that resulting from centrifugal force on the line 31 which is maintained by the fact that the spool is either secured against rotation, or retarded during line payout by the inertial and frictional effects produced by the interacting cam teeth. The force F₁ may be termed a "centrifugal payout force" in the line which tends to pull additional line outwardly from the head. The force F₄ represents the net difference between the vector force F₃ of the tension in line 31 and the centrifugal reference force F₂ on the reference mass of arm 68. In the relationship illustrated in Fig. 3, line 31 outward of aperture 38 is assumed to be at the predetermined maintained length L₁ such that for purposes of discussion, the tension counter force F₃ of line 31 being imposed on arm 68 exceeds the centrifugal force F₂ on the arm so that the net force F₄ is leftwardly directed as viewed in Fig. 3. The arm 68 is therefore in locked position to prevent reciprocation and therefore a rotation of the spool so that the spool 64 is locked to prevent payout of the line. As the outwardly extended length of line 31 begins to wear, or should breakage of the line occur, the centrifugal payout force F₁ on the line 31 and therefore the counter force F₃ from the line will be reduced until the centrifugal reference force F₂ on the arm 68 overbalances the counter force F₃ of the line at which point the next force F₄ becomes rightwardly directed as viewed in Fig. 3 and the arm will pivot outwardly to release the spool. The spool is then accelerated axially first upwardly, then downwardly while maintaining a resistive drag or back tension force on the line. A particularly significant high back tension force is produced when successive cam teeth are engaged after short rotation and at the start of axial acceleration. This ensures that if the outwardly projecting line length is such as to cause the force F₃ to overbalance the centrifugal force F₂ on the arm, the arm will in fact be pivoted inwardly and again lock the spool to prevent further payout of the line. If not, the spool will continue to reciprocate, rotate and pay out line until the force F₃ of the line 31 moves the balance arm 68 to its inward locking position. It is significant to note that the payout of the line 31 is essentially independent of the rotational speed of the head because any increase in centrifugal payout force F₁ on the line 31 due to a speed increase is counterbalanced by a corresponding increase in centrifugal reference force F₂ acting on the reference mass of the balance arm 68. Thus the device functions well on a unit driven by a gasoline engine, which due to rich fuel, fouled spark plugs or the like, may vary over a significant r.p.m. range, yet which does not tend to change r.p.m. due to line loss. Yet the device also functions on an electric powered unit where r.p.m. may increase substantially as the line 31 shortens. It is also important to notice that line 31 cannot payout while the head is stationary, because only rotation of the head causes the balance arm 68 to unlock the spool 65. Further, should the line 31 snag on a chain link fence or the like, the excessive force will always overcome the centrifugal force on the balance arm 68 and insure that the spool is locked against rotation. Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16. This embodiment is substantially the same as the embodiment just described, except that a balance beam 104 engages locking teeth on the periphery of the spool to lock and unlock rotation of the spool. For ease of illustration, the spool 65 in Fig. 16 is split along the axis and shown on the left side of the rotational axis in the lower reciprocal position of the spool with cam teeth 84 disengaged from hub cam teeth 92 while lower cam teeth 88 are engaged with the cover cam teeth 96 of cover 35. In contrast, the device on the right side of the rotational axis is shown with the cam teeth 84 in mesh with the hub cam teeth 92 while the lower cam teeth 88 are disengaged from the cover 35 cam teeth 96. For this embodiment, the head 29 is similarly connected as before to the drive shaft 34 of the motor 33. Spool 65 likewise includes a drum 60 about which the line 31 is coiled between the flanges 69 and 71. The inertial drag brake 66 is produced by cam teeth 84 upstanding from the flange 69 and uniformly spaced thereabout with intervening arcuate spaces 82. The cam teeth 84 and 88 in this embodiment, rather than the recesses, are chamfered whereas the intervening recess as formed between adjacent cam teeth are unchamfered in contrast to the previous embodiment. Similarly, flange 69 includes the spacings 86 and cam teeth 88 aligned with cam teeth 84 for engaging the spacing 94 and cam teeth 96 in the cover 35. The sleeve 73 is connected to the drum 60 via a plurality of spokes 102. The actuator for activating and deactivating the material drag brake in this embodiment is a stamped metal balance beam 104 centrally bent at 106 at an obtuse angle and split at 108 (Fig. 15) for mounting on a pivot shaft 110. The shaft 110 is supported within aligned recessed pockets 112 and 114 of the hub and cover respectively. The balance beam 104 includes a lighter weight first section 116 and a relatively heavier weighted second section 118 so that a net reference mass imbalance tends to cause the balance beam 104 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction when referring to Fig. 15 when the head is rotated. The second section 118 includes an inwardly protruding end 130 which engages locking teeth (defined by radially outer end portions of the spool cam teeth) protruding from the periphery of the spool and serves to lock the spool against rotation. The line 31 extends from the spool 65 through an aperture 125 then over a smoothly curved section leading the line over the end of the balance beam 104 before emerging from aperture 38 as before so that the tension in line 31 due to centrifugal forces of rotation produces a vector force component tending to pivot the balancing beam 104 clockwise about the axis of shaft 110 counter to the centrifugal force on the reference mass imbalance of the balance beam 104. An elongated leaf spring 140 is offset oppositely at its ends 142 and 144 and is included herewith as an optional feature. The spring 140 is positioned on the opposite side of the head from the balance beam 104 to provide balance to the head. The leaf spring is secured via its end 144 in a pocket 146 of the hub 36 from where it extends past a post 152 in a cavity 148 before end 142 toes inwardly past the edge of a tooth 84. In this relation the leaf spring 140 serves to lock the spool at relatively low RPMS until centrifugal force overcomes the spring force and releases the spool. Low RPM can occur after partial entanglement of the line during operation or at startup until a minimum RPM is exceeded. The spring 140 provides a two-step startup operation thereby avoiding the possibility of any erratic line feed behavior during either line entanglement or startup. In operation, actuation of balance beam 104 is very much analogous to the balance arm 68 described above. Since the balance beam 104 is relatively weighted in the section 118 as compared to the section 116, it is pivoted between the inner locking position and the outer release position in response to the net balance force F₄. As above, the component forces comprising force F₄ are represented by the centrifugal force causing the balance beam 104 to pivot counterclockwise about pivot 110 which is opposed by the vector force component of the tension in line 31 resulting from centrifugal force F₁ urging clockwise rotation. During such time as line 31 is at the predetermined length, the balance beam 104 is in the locked position whereby the distal toed end 130 is in a position to engage a spool locking tooth 84 to prevent rotation of the spool. At such time as a line feedout is to be effected to restore the line length, the forces rotate the balance beam 104 counterclockwise and release spool 64. The inertial payout governor or drag brake then operates in the manner described in connection with Figs. 11-14 to effect a controlled payout of the line 31. As soon as line length restoration has been achieved, the forces acting on the balance beam 104 are such as to cause the balance beam 104 to pivot clockwise to the inward locking position where the toe 130 engages either upper or lower locking teeth 84 or 88 to arrest further rotation of the spool 65. Spring 140 which is subject to a bending moment about post 152 in response to the centrifugal forces F₅ imposed on the distal end 142 is utilized to prohibit rotation of the spool unless the head 29 is rotating above a minimum r.p.m. The properties of spring 140 are selected so as to enable a release of the spool 65 when the rotational velocity of the head 29 exceeds a predetermined magnitude so that payout under reduced speed conditions is positively precluded. As already noted, the use of spring 140 is optional and primarily provides a backup in the event of any shock force imposed on the exposed line 31 by which payout could begin before arrest of the spool could be properly effected by means of the balance beam 104. In this arrangement therefore, the distal spring end 142 in response to the rotational forces at F₅ will be in the position shown solid in Fig. 16 to intervene in the space 82 between locking teeth 84 and arrest operation of the spool 64 at predetermined reduced speeds thereof. When the set speed is exceeded the leaf spring 140 is bent outwardly to the position shown in phantom at which time the balance beam 104 governs activating and deactivating the inertially retarded rotation of the spool 64.

Claims: A method of automatically feeding line from a rotating head (29,200) vegetation cutting device carrying a stored quantity of flexible line (31,212) on a spool (65,214) in the head (29,200), said line (31,212) having an outer line end portion of predetermined length projecting outwardly from the head (29,200) and rotated thereby in a cutting plane to create in the outer end portion of the line (31,212) a centrifugal payout force (F1) urging line payout from said head (29,200); the method comprising the step of rotating the head (29,200) to create said centrifugal payout force (F1) in the line (31,212) and a counterforce (F3) created in the line by said centrifugal force (F1) and being proportional to the length of said outer line end portion; centrifugally generating a centrifugal reference force (F2) being counter-balanced against the counterforce (F3); permitting the centrifugal payout force (F1) in the line (31,212) to cause payout of the line when said centrifugal reference force (F2) exceeds said counterforce (F3) in response to a shortening of said outer line end portion to a length less than said predetermined length; and terminating line payout while said counterforce (F3) exceeds said reference force (F2) when said outer line portion is relengthened to said predetermined length, characterized in that during payout, a line drag force, which at least approximates said centrifugal payout force (F1) to controllably retard line payout is applied to the line in opposition to the centrifugal payout force (F1) by frictionally retarding unwinding of the spool (65,214). The method of claim 1 wherein the retarding is achieved by frictionally retarding a portion or the line (31,200) during line payout. The method of claim 1 wherein the retarding is achieved by inertially retarding the spool (65) within the head (29). The method of claim 3 wherein terminating line payout while said counterforce (F3) exceeds said centrifugal reference force (F2) includes locking the line holding spool (65) and unlocking said spool when said counterforce (F3) no longer exceeds said first force. The method of claim 1 wherein: said stored quantity of flexible line (31) is wound on said spool (65) defining a portion of the rotating head (29) and being rotatable and axially reciprocable relative to the balance of the head (29), and said step of applying a line drag force is performed by causing said spool (65) to simultaneously rotate and axially reciprocate relative to the balance of the rotating head (29) during line payout as line is pulled from the spool (65) by said centrifugal payout force (F1). The method of claim 5 wherein: causing said spool (65) to simultaneously rotate and axially reciprocate is performed by forming first cooperating cam means (84,92) on one end of said spool member and an opposed first surface of the balance of the head, forming second cooperating cam means (88,96) on the opposite end of said spool (65) and an opposed second surface of the balance of the head (29), and causing alternating operation of said first and second cooperating cam means (84,92;88,96) during rotation of the spool (65) relative to the balance of the head, caused by line payout. The method of claim 6 wherein said counterforce (F3) is created by mounting a control member (68) on the head for centrifugal movement relative thereto from a locking position toward an unlocking position to create the centrifugal reference force (F2); engaging a portion of the line (31) with said control member (68) to exert the counterforce (F3) thereon and urge it toward said locking position, whereby said control member (68) is moved to said locking position when said counterforce exceeds said reference force (F2), and is moved to said unlocking position when said reference force exceeds said counterforce (F3), and terminating line payout is performed by causing said control member (68) to prevent rotation and axial reciprocation of said spool (65) relative to the balance of the head (29) when said control member (68) is in said locking position. The method of claim 7 wherein causing said control member (68) to prevent rotation and axial reciprocation of said spool (65) is performed by interposing a portion (80) of said control member (68) between an end of the spool (65) and its opposing surface portion of the balance of the head (29) to prevent axial reciprocation of the spool (65). The method of claim 7 wherein: said steps of forming said first and second cooperating cam means include the step of forming spaced axially projecting cam teeth (84,88) on said ends of the spool (65), and said step of causing said control member (68) to prevent rotation and axial reciprocation of said spool (65) is performed by causing a control element (104) to engage one of said cam teeth in a manner preventing rotation or said spool (65) relative to the balance of the head (29). The method of claim 1 wherein: said counterforce is created by mounting a control member (230) on the head (200) for centrifugal pivotal movement relative thereto from a locking position toward an unlocking position to create said centrifugal reference force (F2), engaging a portion of the line (212) with said control member, (230) to exert said counterforce (F3) thereon and pivotally urge it toward said locking position, whereby said control member (230) is pivoted to said locking position when said counterforce (F3) exceeds said reference force, and is pivoted to said unlocking position when said reference force exceeds said counterforce (F3), wherein the line (212) is passed between a portion (222) of said head (200) and a port (238) of said control member (230), and terminating line payout is performed by causing the line (212) to be pinched between said portions of said head and control member with sufficient force to lock the line against payout when said control member is pivoted to said locking position, and said frictionally retarding is performed by causing the line (212) to be inched between said portions of said head and control member (230) with a lesser force which permits line payout but frictionally creates said line drag force. The method of claim 2 further including the steps of centrifugally moving a pivoted control member (230) toward a first position to generate said centrifugal reference force (F3) and opposing the movement of said control member by said counterforce (F3) in the line (212) tending to move said control member (230) to a second position to counterbalance said reference force (F2) by said counterforce (F3) and position the control member (230) in a second position when said counter force (F3) exceeds said reference force (F2) and terminating line payout by engaging a portion of said line (212) with said control member (230) in said second position to lock the line. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of frictionally retarding the line includes the step of pinching the line between portions (222,238) of said control member (230) and said head, when said control member is in said first position, to create a frictional drag force on the line which permits but controllably retards line payout. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of pinching the line (212) is performed in a manner such that frictional drag force is substantially equal to said centrifugal payout force (F1). The method of claim 12 wherein the step of locking the line (212) includes the step of pinching the line (212) between portions (222, 238) of said control member and said head, when said control member is in said second position, with sufficient force to lock the line against payout. A vegetation cutting apparatus comprising: a head means (29,200), rotatable about an axis, and enclosing a spool (65,214) holding a stored quantity of flexible line (31,212) including an outer line end portion of a predetermined length rotatable by said head means in a cutting plane projecting outwardly therefrom to create in the outer line end portion a centrifugal payout force (F1) tending to pull additional line outwardly from said head (29,200); drive means selectively operable to rotate said head means (29,200); automatic line feed means (68;104;230), carried by said head means (29,200) and responsive to rotation thereof, for sensing a shortening of said outer line end portion and responsively paying out line to relengthen said outer line end portion to said predetermined length, said automatic line feed means including means (68,104) for generating a centrifugal reference force (F2) in opposition to a counterforce (F3) in the line (31,212) created by said centrifugal payout force (F1) and permitting said centrifugal payout force (F1) to cause line payout from said head means (29,200) when said centrifugal reference force (F2) and said counterforce (F3) are related in a first predetermined manner indicative of said outer line end portion having a length less than said predetermined length, and for precluding said centrifugal payout force (F1) from causing line payout from said head (29,200) when said centrifugal reference force (F2) and said counterforce (F3) are related in a second predetermined manner indicative of said outer line end portion being at said predetermined length, characterized by means (82-92;222,226) which create a drag force on the line (31,212) during payout thereof by frictionally retarding the spool to controllably retard line payout and maintain said counterforce (F3) in opposition to said centrifugal reference force (F2) in a manner assuring that said centrifugal reference force (F2) and said counterforce (F3) are related in said second predetermined manner when said outer line end portion reaches said predetermined length during line payout, said drag force at least approximating said centrifugal payout force (F1). The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said automatic line feed means include: brake means (65;82-96,222) to be locked and unlocked, said brake means, when locked, functioning to preclude said centrifugal payout force (F1) from causing line payout and, when unlocked, functioning to permit said centrifugal payout force (F1) to cause line payout from said head means (29), but creating said drag force on the line (31) during payout thereof, and control means (68,104,230), carried by said head means (29) for generating said centrifugal reference force (F2) in opposition to said counter force (F3), said control means (68,104) being movable relative to said head means (29) to a first position when said centrifugal reference force (F2) and said counter force (F2) are related in said first predetermined manner, and being movable relative to said head means (29) to a second position when said centrifugal reference force (F3) and said counter force (F2) are related in said second predetermined manner, said control means (68,104) in said first position functioning to unlock said brake means (65;82-96) and, in said second position, functioning to lock said brake means (82-96). The apparatus of claim 16 wherein: said brake means (65;82-96), when unlocked, are operative to inertially create said drag force on the line (31). The apparatus of claim 17 wherein: said spool (65) is carried by the balance of the head means (29) for rotation and axial reciprocation relative thereto, and said brake means (82-96) include said spool (65) and means (82-96) for causing simultaneous rotation and axial reciprocation of said spool (65) during line payout. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein: said control means include a control member (68) carried by said head means (29) for movement relative thereto by said centrifugal reference force (F2) and said counter force (F3) between said fist and second positions, said control member having a portion (80) which, with said control member (68) in said second position, is interposed between an end of said spool (65) and an opposing surface of said head (29) in a manner preventing rotation and axial reciprocation of said spool member relative to the balance of said head means (29). The apparatus of claim 18 wherein: said control means include a control member (104) carried by said head means (29) for movement relative thereto by said centrifugal reference force (F2) and said counter force (F3) between said first and second positions, said control member (104) having a portion (130) which, with said control member, (104) in said second position, is interlockable with a portion of said spool (65) in a manner preventing its rotation relative to the balance of said head means (29). The apparatus of claims 18 and 19 whrein: said means for causing simultaneous rotation and axial reciprocation of said spool (65) include first cooperating cam means (84) on one end of said spool (65) and an opposing first surface portion (30,92) of the balance of said head means (29) and second cooperating cam means (88) on the opposite end of said spool (65) and an opposing second surface portion (94,96) of the balance of said head means (29), said first and second cooperating cam means (84,88) alternatively operating during rotation of said spool (65) relative to the balance of said head means (29) to cause vertical reciprocation of said spool (65) relative to the balance of said head means (29). The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said first and second cooperaing cam means comprise: a first set of circumferentially spaced cam teeth (84) formed on said one end of said spool (65), a second set of circumferentially spaced cam teeth (92) formed on said first surface portion, a third set of circumferentially spaced cam teeth (88) formed on said opposite end of said spool (65), and a fourth set of circumferentially spaced cam teeth (96) formed on said second surface portion, said first and third sets of cam teeth (84,86) being circumferentially aligned with one another, said second and fourth set of cam teeth (92,96) being circumferentially misaligned with one another. The apparatus of claim 16 whrein: said brake means (222,226,236), when unlocked, are operative to frictionally create said drag force on the line (212) and, when locked, are operative to frictionally preclude said centrifugal payout force (F1) from causing line payout. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein: said brake means include means (222,236) for pinching the line (212) between a portion of said control means (230) and a portion (222) of said head (200) when said control means (230) are in each of said first and second positions. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein: said control means comprise a control member (230) carried by said head means (200,220) for pivotal movement relative thereto between said first and second positions, said control member (230) having a cammed surface thereon which defines said portion of said control means and is configured to exert a variable pinching force on the line as said control member is pivoted between said first and second portions. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein: said pinching force with said control member (230) in said first position is less than said pinching force with said control member (230) in said second position. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein: said spool (65) is rotatable relative to the balance of said head means (29) during line payout, and said apparatus further comprises means (80,130) for locking said spool (65) against rotation relative to the balance of said head means (29) when the rotational speed of said head means (29) is below a predetermined rotational speed. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein: said means for locking said spool (65) comprise a locking member (68,104) centrifugally movable by rotation of said head means at said predetermined rotational speed from a first position in which said locking member (80,130) engages said spool (65) and prevents its rotation relative to the balance of said head (29), to a second position in which said locking member (80,130) is disengaged from said spool member. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein: said spool (65) is carried by the balance of said head means for axial removal therefrom, said spool (65) having an axially projecting radially central end portion which is radially enlarged at its outer end so that it may be easily grasped and pulled to facilitate axial removal of said spool (65) when desired.

Inventors: COLLINS IMACK L, STUART JERRY E, COLLINS, IMACK L., STUART, JERRY E.
Applicants: WHITE CONSOLIDATED IND INC, WHITE CONSOLIDATED INDUSTRIES, INC.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A01D34
IPC codes: A01D34