SELF-STERILIZING PRUNING SHEARS

Abstract: A cutting implement with a liquid dispenser (14) for supplying sterilizing liquid to the cutter blades used to cut plants which includes a distributor (12) connected to a liquid supply unit (14) of the sterilizing liquid which has a flow regulator (45) to regulate the flow of the sterilizing liquid from the supply unit through the distributor (12) and onto the cutter blades to keep the cutter blades coated with the sterilizing liquid.

Description: SELF-STERILIZING PRUNING SHEARS I. TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates generally to pruning devices and more particularly to cutting implements for cutting 5. plants with a dispensing mechanism to sterilize the blades and plant during the pruning process. One of the problems associated with nursery opera¬ tions that grow plants which need periodic pruning is that plant diseases are frequently transmitted through 0 the pruning operation. Many times, the plant diseases are transmitted from plant to plant before it is appar¬ ent that one of the plants is diseased. II. BACKGROUND ART Various techniques have been used in the past in an 5 attempt to sterilize the pruning implement being used between cuts and/or apply sterilizing solutions to the pruning cut made on each plant. One technique is to simply carry a container in which the pruning implement is dunked after each cut is made. Another technique used 0 with pneumatic pruning shears is to spray a sterilizing solution onto the pruning, blades and plant after the cut is made. One of the problems with dunking the pruning implement after each cut is that it is cumbersome to use and tir ' ing on the operator. One of the problems 5 with the spraying device is that it is difficult to always ensure adequate coverage of both the blades and the plant being pruned since the remaining side of the cut on the plant may dramatically shift after the pruning cut is made. Also it is difficult to obtain a 0 sufficiently uniform spray pattern to ensure complete coverage within the spray itself. Sprays from the spray device are difficult to control and may result in over- spray getting onto some portions of the cutting implement and plant that might damage same. III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other problems and disadvantages associ¬ ated with the prior art are overcome by the invention disclosed herein by providing a pruning implement in which the sterilizing solution is applied to both the cutting blades and the cut in the plant by maintaining a thin coating of the sterilizing solution on the blades themselves. The sterilizing solution is uniformly distributed along the length of the cutting edges of the blades with a sufficient quantity of sterilizing solution maintained thereon to coat the sides of the cut on the plant. This results not only in a marked saving of sterilizing solution but also coats only those por¬ tions of the cutting implement and the plant which need to be sterilized after each cut. The invention is also fabricated as a single unit to facilitate handling. -The apparatus of the invention includes a distrib-' utor which extends along one of the cutting blades at a point that causes the liquid flowing therefrom to coat the surface of the cutting blade and maintain the coating thereon. A solution supply assembly is provided which supplies the sterilizing solution to the distrib¬ uting assembly at a controlled rate for distribution onto the cutting blades at a selected rate. The supply assembly may provide the sterilizing solution under the influence of gravity where the cutting implement is to be used at a level below the supply assembly or may be pressurized to supply the sterilizing solution to the distribution assembly if the cutting implement is to be used above the level of the supply assembly. A porous plug is used to regulate the flow of the sterilizing solution from the supply assembly. The supply assembly is removably connected to the distrib¬ utor for easy replacement when empty while the distributor remains mounted on the cutting implement. These and other features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly understood upon consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which: IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the invention in use; Fig. 2 is an exploded side view of the invention seen in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of the invention assembled; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the invention; Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of the supply assembly taken generally along line 5-5- in Fig. 4 ; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of the distributor of the invention taken along line 6-6 in Fig. 4. These figures and the following detailed descrip ¬ tion disclose specific embodiments of the invention, however, it is to be understood that the inventive concept is ' ot limited thereto since it may be embodied in other forms. V. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS The apparatus of the invention is designed for use with any cutting implement used in the pruning and cutting of plants to distribute a sterilizing solution onto the cutting blade or blades of the cutting imple¬ ment so that the sterilizing solution will coat those portions of the cutting blades coming in contact with a plant and also those portions of the plant being cut by the cutting implement. Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the invention is incorporated in a self-sterilizing pruning shear assembly 10. The assembly 10 includes a hand pruner HP which mounts thereon a liquid dispensing device 11 to dispense the sterilizing solution onto the pruner HP. The hand pruner HP has handles H pivoted together and adapted to be gripped in one of the user's hands and squeezed together. The pruner HP is provided with a con¬ cave anvil blade CAB and a convex cutting blade CVB mounted on the opposed handles H so that the blades CAB aι ιd. CVB close on each other as they are pivoted on pivot bolt PB about their pivot axis A p when the handles H are squeezed together. The hand pruners HP are designed to be used with the blades CAB and CVB generally vertically oriented with the concave blade CAB generally below the convex blade CVB. The handles H are urged apart by spring SP. The liquid dispensing device 11 includes a liquid distributor 12 for distributing the liquid onto the blades CAB and CVB and a liquid supply unit 14 connectable to the distributor 12 to supply liqui ' d .thereto. The liquid supply unit 14 can be replaced when empty or refilled in situ during use as will become more apparent. The liquid distributor 12 includes a cylindrical body 20 mounted on the upper handle H (the handle attached to the anvil blade CAB) adjacent the pivot bolt PB. The body axis Ag defines an offset angle A Q with respect to the longitudinal axis A, of the hand pruner HP so that the body axis A β is generally upright during a majority of normal usage. Angle A Q shown is about 100°. A cylin- drical bore 21 is defined in the body 20 and opens upwardly therefrom. The bore 21 is concentric about axis A_ and sized to receive the liquid supply unit 14 therein as will become more apparent. A handle receiving slot 22 is defined across the bottom of body 20 to re- ceive handle H therein. The slot 22 is appropriately angled to locate body 20 with respect to the axis A τ . The body 20 also defines a mounting hole 24 therethrough from bore 21 to slot 22 and offset from axis A„. A screw 21 extends through hole 24 and threadedly engages the handle H to hold body 20 in place. A discharge passage 26 extends from the center of the end surface 28 of bore 21 to the outside of the body 20. Passage 26 has an inner section 29 concentric of centerline A β which joins with an outer section 30 to the outside of the body 20. The outer section 30 is oriented at angle A- with respect to to axis A-,. A convenient angle A Q is about 100°. A discharge tube 31 is fixedly mounted in the outer section 30 of passage 26 and projects outwardly therefrom. The projecting end of the tube 31 curves downwardly as will become more apparent. The tube 31 has a discharge opening 32 of diameter d-, as will become more apparent. The opening 32 is located on the blade side of the pivot bolt PB and rides against the inside surface of blade CVD so that the liquid discharged therefrom will run down the inside surface of blade CVD and also " e blade CAB as will become more apparent. The liquid supply unit 14 includes a bottle 36 equipped with a screw-on cap 38, The cap 38 is provided with a flip-up spout 39 with a central opening 40 communi- eating with the interior of bottle 36 when raised. The bottom of bottle 36 has a discharge tube 41 projecting therefro and defining an opening 42 therethrough. When the bottom of bottle 36 is inserted into the bore 21 in the body 30, the tube 41 projects down into the inner section 29 of passage 26 in body 20. Thus, any liquid flowing out of bottle 36 will flow out passage 26. To control the flow of liquid out of the bottle 36, a flow regulator plug 45 is inserted in tube 41. When spout 39 is opened, the liquid will flow out of the bottle under the force of gravity with plug 45 regulating the flow rate. While various flow regulator plugs 45 may be used, porous plugs having an open cell pore structure have been found satisfactory. In particular, plastic porous plugs 45 with an open cell omnidirectional pore structure have been found satisfactory. The particular pore characteristics and size will depend on the liquid being us'ed. For liquids such as alcohol and the like, a plug 45 with a 90-150 micron pore size, a diameter of about 0.125 inch and a void fraction greater than about 35% has been found satisfactory. A good pore size is about 120 microns. This produces a flow rate of about 15-20 drops per minute. A check valve may be placed in the spout opening 40 to prevent flow out of cap 38 if the assembly 10 is tipped. Alternatively a porous plug 46 may also be used to limit the liquid flow in that direction. Closing spout 39 serves to stop the liquid flos out of the discharge tube 41.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A cutting implement for cutting plants and supplying a sterilizing liquid to the cut surface on the plant comprising: a pair of cutter blades pivotally connected together so that said blades close over each other in a shearing action to shear plants when closed; and dispensing means for distributing the sterilizing solution onto said cutter blades including a container for holding the sterilizing liquid, a distributor for distributing the liquid onto the cutter blades, and flow control means for regulating the liquid flow from said container to said distributor. 2. The cutting implement of Claim 1 wherein said flow control means includes a porous plug. 3. The cutting implement of Claim 2 wherein said porous plug has a pore size of about 90-150 microns. 4". The cutting implement of Claim 3 wherein said porous plug has a cross-sectional area of about 0.4 sq. inch (1.0 sq. cm). 5. The cutting implement of Claim 4 wherein said porous plug has a void fraction of at least 35%. 6. The cutting implement of Claim 1 wherein said container includes a cut-off valve to stop the flow of liquid.

Inventors: BLOOM WALTER L, VAUGHN HARRY L, BLOOM, WALTER, L., VAUGHN, HARRY, L.
Applicants: BLOOMLAND NURSERIES
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B25F3
IPC codes: A01G3