Abstract:
An Improved Ground Cover Cutter is disclosed. Also disclosed is a device that permits the user to cut normal home garden green waste and other plant material into plugs that can then be used as a highly efficient and decorative ground cover. The disclosed cutter may be configured to be portable and further may include a collapsible platform that is configured to permit the cutter to rest atop a receptacle, such as a standard trash can, while in use. The preferred device and method provide the ability to cooperatively use a standard off-the-shelf hand circular saw to cut the plugs. The device preferably also includes a saw chamber for reducing the emission of environmental noise and dust. It is a further feature of the device to include a feed stabilizer means for restrain materials being fed down the device&#39;s feed tunnel and into the cutting chamber. Finally, the device includes a clearing bar for easily and safely clearing jammed plant material from the cutting chamber without the need for stopping the saw motor.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to cutting devices and, more specifically, to an Improved Ground Cover Cutter. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Bark and wood chips have long been used by landscapers and home gardeners as decorative textured cover for bare soil and for mulch for plants. Such ground cover is desirable for soil conservation, water retention, weed suppression, and protection from the heat of the sun and from extreme cold. The common commercial ground covers in use today are made from redwood bark or wood chips. While these materials are attractive and perform the various functions reasonably well, they are also expensive and therefore not very economical. Further, and particularly in the case of wood chips, they are not necessarily environmentally friendly because they deplete the soil of nitrogen and generate acetic acid. What would be as attractive, more economical, and more beneficial from an environmental standpoint would be using ground cover material made from the home garden green waste, if such plant material could be efficiently cut to a size suitable for such purposes. What is needed, therefore, is a cutter that is specifically configured to provide this ground cover. 
     Other cutters known as chippers or shredders have been available for processing green waste, however, they don&#39;t really fill the aforementioned need, since the main idea behind the chipper or shredder is to significantly reduce the volume of the material being processed as an aid in disposal. The main problem with the end product of the shredder or chipper is that such finely chopped, highly condensed material does not make a desirable ground cover material because it mats down and smothers the soil. What is needed, therefore, is a cutter that will cut otherwise undesirable plant waste matter into pieces that are large enough to be suitable for use as ground cover. 
     Another common problem with the shredder or chipper is that fibery, wet, and hard gummy waste materials are difficult, if not impossible, for these machines to process. Most shredders and chippers employ a perforated screen to keep the work material in a chopping or processing chamber until it is small enough to pass through. A common problem is the clogging of the screen and the chopping chamber when processing such materials. Another common problem is that there is no clearing mechanism for removing the clogged material. What is needed, therefore, is a cutter that can process fibery, wet, and hard gummy material without employing a screen and further that has a mechanism for clearing clogged material. 
     Another common problem with the shredder or chipper is that these devices discharge the product onto the ground, resulting in the need to collect the product for disposal. What is needed, therefore, is a cutter designed to be used over a receptacle so that there is no need to collect the product off the ground upon completion of the cutting step. 
     Another common problem with the chipper or shredder is that it is usually a large, heavy, gasoline-powered machine that exposes the user to loud noise, exhaust, dust and grit and harsh vibration. What is needed, therefore, is a compact, highly portable, cutter that does not expose the user to excessively loud noise, exhaust, harsh vibration or excessive dust and grit. 
     The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for a compact, highly portable, non-polluting cutter for producing suitable ground cover material from home garden green waste having the desirable features of a noise- and dust-reducing case, ability to cut fibery and hard, wet, gummy material without exposing the user to harsh vibration, a clearing mechanism, and the ability to be used over a receptacle, is now fulfilled by the invention disclosed hereinafter and summarized as follows. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior devices, it is an object of the present invention to provide an Improved Ground Cover Cutter. The preferred device will permit the user to cut normal home garden green waste and other plant material into plugs that can then be used as a highly efficient and decorative ground cover. It is an object that the cutter be configured to be portable and further include a collapsible platform that is configured to permit the cutter to rest atop a receptacle, such as a standard trash can, while in use. It is a further object that the device and method provide the ability to cooperatively use a standard off-the-shelf hand circular saw to cut the plugs. It is a still further object that the device includes a saw chamber for reducing the emission of environmental noise and dust. It is also an object that the device include a feed stabilizer means for restrain materials being fed down the device&#39;s feed tunnel and into the cutting chamber. It is a final object that the device include a clearing bar for easily and safely clearing jammed plant material from the cutting chamber without the need for stopping the saw motor. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the improved ground cover cutter of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cutter of FIG. 1 depicting the discharge process; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the cutter of FIGS. 1 and 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the base assembly of the cutter of FIGS. 1 through 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the saw device and related assembly of the cutter of FIGS. 1 through 4; 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective views of a preferred feed stabilizer means of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 7 is a top view of a preferred platform of the cutter of FIGS. 1 through 6. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide an Improved Ground Cover Cutter. 
     The present invention can best be understood by initial consideration of FIG.  1 . FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the improved ground cover cutter  10  of the present invention. The improved ground cover cutter  10  is configured such that it can be securely placed on a conventional barrel  12  or similar receptacle, plugged into an electric power source and then used. 
     As can be seen, the cutter  10  comprises a base assembly  14 , within which is formed a feed tunnel  16  into which plant material, hereinafter referred to as “work material”, is fed via feed tray  18 , which assists in the feeding process. Above the base assembly  14  is a saw chamber case  20 . The saw chamber case  20  is essentially a box within which the saw mechanism resides. The case  20  provides for safety, cleanliness, and furthermore to reduce the noise emitted by the cutter  10 . The base assembly  14 , in addition to providing a mounting means for the case  20 , also may provide hand grip recesses (not depicted) to enable the user to easily carry the cutter  10 . 
     Atop the case  20  is found a lid  22 , which can be opened for cleaning and other maintenance. The cutter  10  rests on a barrel  12  by virtue of a lower base  24  (which is located below the base assembly  14 ). The lower base  24  is attached to the base assembly  14  and provides an interface to the platform  26 . The platform  26 , which is described in more detail below in connection with FIG. 7, is configured to rest atop a variety of sizes of barrels, trash cans or other receptacles. 
     Extending out the side of the cutter  10 , in its preferred form, is a cutting lever  28 , which is permitted to travel up and down in a slot  30 . Also provided (in this case on the same side as the cutting lever  28 ) is a clearing lever  32 . The operation of both the cutting lever  28  and the clearing lever  32  will be discussed in more depth below. 
     As for materials of construction, the improved ground cover cutter  10  might be constructed from wood, metal, plastic or other materials that will provide strength, wear resistance and noise reduction. Certainly, since an object of the invention is portability, the lighter the materials the better. In this embodiment it is shaped like a box, however, the box shape is not fundamental to the novelty of this invention. Other shapes might be desirable depending on the specific application and location for the cutter&#39;s use. If we now turn to FIG. 2 we can discuss how the cutter  10  actually works. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cutter  10  of FIG. 1 depicting the product discharge process. As can be seen in FIG. 2, work material  34 , such as tree branches and plant stalks, are bunched together on the feed tray  18  and then fed into the feed tunnel  16 . The work material  34  is fed through the feed tunnel  16  and into the cutting chamber  46  described in detail below in connection with FIG.  4 . Once the work material  34  reaches a stop formed by the cutting chamber rear wall  48  in FIG. 4, the user cycles down the cutting lever  28  in the slot  30 , which results in the product, hereinafter referred to as “plugs”  36 , being cut from the work material. These plugs  36  drop out through the bottom of the cutter  10  and into the barrel  12  upon which the cutter  10  is resting. There is virtually no restriction on the type of plant materials that can be fed into the cutter  10 , so long as they fit into the tunnel  16 . 
     Once the work material is cut into these approximately three-inch long plugs  36  (or other length as discussed below), the cutter  10  can be lifted off the barrel  12  containing the plugs, and the barrel  12  can then be transported to the area where the plugs  36  are to be spread. In such a manner, what was once refuse is now providing a valuable role in beautifying and protecting the soil and landscaping at the site. If we now turn to FIG. 3, we can examine yet another aspect of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the cutter  10  of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 3 depicts the rear of the cutter  10  to display the sawdust exhaust door  38 . The exhaust door  38  is attached to the saw chamber case (see FIG. 1) preferably by a pair of hinges  40  and is further provided with a handle  42 , such that the door  38  can be opened and closed as desired. As such, the sawdust and other discharge from the saw will be contained within the saw case  20  or will only be permitted to exit through the relatively small exhaust path created when the door  38  is left open. This creates a cleaner and quieter environment surrounding the cutter  10 . If we now turn to FIG. 4, we can examine additional features of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the base assembly  14  of the cutter  10  of FIGS. 1 through 3. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the base assembly  14  defines a feed tunnel  16  as described earlier. At the end of the feed tunnel  16  is a cutting blade path  44  through which the saw blade (see later Figures) travels down to cut the work material  34 . The work material  34  is inserted through the feed tunnel  16  and into the cutting chamber  46 , which is directly adjacent to the cutting blade path  44 . When the work material  34  reaches the rear wall  48  of the cutting chamber  46 , the work material  34  can no longer be pushed in any farther. It is at this time that the cutting lever (see FIG. 1) is lowered, causing the saw blade to travel down through the cutting blade path  44 , whereby the plugs will be cut from the work material. Once cut, the plugs  36  will drop through the aperture  50  formed at the bottom of the cutting chamber  46 , thereby dropping out into the barrel  12 . The cutting lever  28  is then raised to its original position. It should be understood that the position of the rear wall  48  may be adjustable such that plugs of differing length might be cut. Furthermore, one additional safety aspect of the present invention involves the ability to clear jammed plugs from the chamber  46 . 
     As we discussed earlier, the unit is preferably provided with a clearing lever  32 . The clearing lever  32  preferably attaches to a clearing axle  52 , which then attaches to a clearing bar  54  residing within the cutting chamber  46 . As can be seen, when the clearing lever  32  is (in this case) forced in a clockwise direction, the clearing bar  54  will also be forced clockwise, thereby forcing jammed plugs out of the cutting chamber  46 , allowing them to drop out into the receptacle  12 . The significant advancement of this design is that the saw need not be turned off and the mechanism disassembled in order to clear jammed product. In fact, plugs can be cleared from the cutting chamber  46  safely and quietly while the blade is still turning. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the saw device  56  and related assembly of the cutter  10  of FIGS. 1 through 4. As can be seen in FIG. 5, on the inside of the case  20  is found a saw device  56 . In the present design, the saw device  56  is depicted as comprising simply a cutting blade  58  and a motor  60 . It should be understood that in other preferred forms, the device  10  will be configured to accept virtually any off-the-shelf hand-held circular saw, however, in certain designs it may be provided (as shown here) with a specific blade  58  and motor  60  combination for a particular application. It should be understood, however, that the improvement of the present invention is not restricted to any particular saw device  56  design. 
     Referring again to FIG. 5, as can be seen, the saw device  56  is caused to go up and down along the blade path  44  by the cutting lever  28  as the saw device  56  pivots at a hinge means  62 . While other designs might be provided, this preferred form provides a lowcost, light, safe solution. As such, when the lever  28  is lowered, a proportional travel will result for the cutting blade  58 , and in fact the entire saw device  56 , such that work materials inserted into the cutting chamber will be cut. As can further be seen, the exhaust door  38  is preferably directly adjacent to the saw motor  60  such that exhausted sawdust and other materials can be cleaned out periodically or in fact be directed out and into the barrel  12 . It should be further understood that for ease of transport the feed tray  18  might be hingably attached to the base assembly  14  such that it might be folded up prior to transporting the cutter  10 . If we now turn to FIGS. 6A and 6B we can examine yet another improvement of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective views of a preferred feed stabilizer means  64  of the present invention. Since the cutter  10  is designed to accept a variety of types and diameters of work materials, it can occur that the work material  34  may not occupy the entire volume of the feed tunnel  16 . In these instances, the work material  34 , particularly if dry and hard, might be permitted to rattle around and otherwise cause an unsafe or uncomfortable situation for the user. As such, the feed stabilizer means  64  is provided to prevent or reduce this rattling. As can be seen, its preferred form includes a biasing member  66  within the feed tunnel  16  which is adjacent to the cutting blade path  44 . Attached to and extending from the biasing member  66  is a flexible sheet  68  which is further attached to the bottom of the feed tunnel  16  at its opening. The biasing member  66  is essentially an elongate flexible tube that can be compressed downward and in response will bias upwardly. The flexible sheet acts as a ramp. The result of feeding work material  34  into the feed tunnel  16  can be seen in FIG.  6 B. As shown, the flexible sheet  68  will direct the work material  34  to the top of the feed tunnel  16  until it reaches the biasing member  66 . The biasing member  66  will of course be compressed, but will bias upwardly and thereby hold the work material  34  to the top of the feed tunnel  16 . As a result, the work material  34  will be held firmly within the feed tunnel  16  and be prevented from being deflected when the moving saw blade comes in contact with it. Finally, if we turn to FIG. 7 we can see yet another improvement of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a top view of a preferred platform  26  of the cutter  10  of FIGS. 1 through 6. As was discussed above, one object and substantial benefit of the present invention is its portability. As such, the platform  26  is designed to be collapsible and to support the invention over a variety of receptacles. In its preferred form, the platform  26  comprises a pair of parallel rails, which can be folded, connected by a pair of parallel cross members. Specifically, a first rail section  70 A is attachable to a third rail section  70 B, and a second rail section  72 A is attachable to a fourth rail section  72 B. The rail members  70  and  72  are separated from and attached to each other by a first cross member  74  and a second cross member  76 . In the case of the first rail section  70 A and third rail section  70 B, for example, they interface and attach to one another by a pair of pins  78 . In order to collapse the platform  26 , then, the pins  78  need simply be removed, after which the platform is in two pieces, thus allowing for easy transport and stowage. Furthermore, since this is a four-pin arrangement with cross members fitting the lower base  24 , substantial rigidity is provided such that the cutter will be securely attached to the platform  26  during use. The length of the rails  70  and  72  should be adequate to reach across a wide variety of barrels or other receptacles  12 . 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.