Elastic cover holding mechanism for grass mower

Abstract

To provide an elastic cover holding mechanism for a grass mower that secures safety in grass mowing work and can readily perform a maintenance work with a relatively simple configuration.SOLUTION: Disclosed is an elastic cover holding mechanism for a grass mower that includes a reaping device 6 in which a reaping cover 4 covers an outer periphery of a reaping part 3 including a reaping blade 1 and a reaping shaft 2 and an elastic cover 5 is disposed while being hung on a front part of the reaping cover 4. The elastic cover holding mechanism for a grass mower is provided with a holding member 7 having a clearance G to the reaping cover 4 on a front side or an upper side of the reaping cover 4 so as to be capable of holding the elastic cover 5 while being inserted into the clearance G when the elastic cover is pulled up forward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a retaining mechanism for an elastic cover in a grass cutter for cutting grass, weeds, etc., which prevents foreign objects from scattering outside the cutter during grass cutting work. [Background technology]

[0002] Walk-behind grass cutters, which are equipped with a cutting device at the front of the vehicle body and perform grass cutting work while driving forward by operating a handlebar, have been in widespread use for some time. A known configuration is to suspend a rectangular elastic cover that is long in the left-right width direction at the front of the cutting device to prevent pebbles and cut grass from flying around.

[0003] On the other hand, when performing maintenance work such as replacing the cutting blade or inspecting the cutting unit, the inside of the cutting cover needs to be checked, but the elastic cover suspended from the cutting device hinders the checking and work. Therefore, it is necessary to flip up the elastic cover, but this must be done with one or both hands, so the hands are occupied and checking the inside of the cutting cover is time-consuming and cumbersome.

[0004] Therefore, for example, according to the walk-behind cultivator disclosed in Patent Document 1, the walk-behind cultivator comprises a rotary tillage device, a sheet member having an upper end fixed to the rear end of a tillage cover, a left locking hole formed at its lower left end and a right locking hole formed at its lower right end, and hanging downward from the rear end of the tillage cover, a left fixing screw that is inserted into a left through hole formed at the upper left end of the sheet member and screwed into the rear left end of the tillage cover, thereby removably fixing the upper left end of the sheet member to the rear left end of the tillage cover, and a right fixing screw that is inserted into a right through hole formed at the upper right end of the sheet member and screwed into the rear right end of the tillage cover, thereby removably fixing the upper right end of the sheet member to the rear right end of the tillage cover, and by engaging the left locking hole of the sheet member with the left fixing screw and the right locking hole of the sheet member with the right fixing screw, it is said that it is possible to perform maintenance work without removing the sheet member from the rear end of the rotary tillage device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-62179 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, during maintenance work, when the elastic cover is flipped up, it is necessary to lock it in place with fixing screws on both sides, which still requires time and effort.

[0007] Furthermore, when the sheet member of the walk-behind cultivator disclosed in Patent Document 1 is attached to a lawnmower, external forces are applied to the sheet member during grass cutting work, causing cracks and enlargement of the fastening holes formed through the sheet member, and stones, gravel, and other hard foreign objects from inside the cutting device pass through this part and are scattered to the outside, increasing the risk of accidents to the surrounding area.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide an elastic cover holding mechanism for a grass cutter that ensures safety during grass cutting work and has a relatively simple structure that allows easy maintenance work. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The invention described in claim 1 relates to an elastic cover holding mechanism for a grass cutter equipped with a cutting device 6 having a cutting part 3 with a cutting blade 1 and a cutting shaft 2, the outer periphery of which is covered with a cutting cover 4, and an elastic cover 5 suspended in front of the cutting cover 4, in which a holding member 7 having a gap G with the cutting cover 4 is provided in front of or above the cutting cover 4, and the elastic cover 5 is configured to be held in a state inserted into the gap G when it is flipped up towards the front.

[0010] In addition, a pressure plate 8 is provided to hold down the upper part of the elastic cover 5 in the width direction, and a holding member 7 is joined to a holder 9 that is erected on the pressure plate 8, thereby forming an elastic cover holding mechanism for a grass cutter in which the pressure plate 8, the holder 9 and the holding member 7 are integrally formed.

[0011] Further, the holding member 7 is supported by a holder 9 provided on the side plate 4a or the top plate 4b of the cutting cover 4, forming an elastic cover holding mechanism for the grass cutter.

[0012] Further, a slit 10 is provided in the elastic cover 5 in the vertical direction, and a holder 9 is provided above the slit 10 to form an elastic cover holding mechanism for a grass cutter. Effect of the Invention

[0013] The invention described in claim 1 is a form in which a gap G is provided between the cutting cover 4 and the holding member 7, allowing the elastic cover 5 to be held in a flipped-up state during maintenance work such as replacing the cutting blade 1 or inspecting the cutting unit 3, and the state inside the cutting cover 4 can be checked and maintenance work can be easily performed simply by inserting the elastic cover 5. In addition, the elastic cover 5 can be easily inserted and removed from the gap G, reducing the burden on the worker. Furthermore, since the elastic cover 5 does not have a locking hole, damage such as cracks from the locking hole or hole enlargement can be prevented. This prevents stones and gravel, hard foreign objects, etc. from scattering from inside the cutting device to the outside during grass cutting work, ensuring safety.

[0014] The invention described in claim 2 is an integrated structure having a gap G in which a holder 9 is erected on a pressing plate 8 that holds down the elastic cover 5, and a holding member 7 is erected on the holder 9. In other words, since it is an independent component separate from the cutting cover 4, if the integrally configured member is deformed or damaged during grass cutting work, for example, and the gap G cannot be secured, the gap G can be secured again by replacing the base pressing plate 8. This makes it possible to maintain the gap G and hold the elastic cover 5 in the flipped-up state simply by inserting it. Also, this can be done at a relatively low cost compared to replacing the cutting cover 4.

[0015] The invention described in claim 3 is configured such that the holding member 7 is attached across the left and right width of the cutting cover 4, which has the effect of suppressing deformation and damage of the cutting cover 4 when the cutting cover 4 collides with a hard object such as a stone or tree. In other words, the durability of the cutting cover 4 is improved. This makes it possible to maintain the gap G and hold the cutting cover in a flipped-up state simply by inserting the elastic cover 5.

[0016] The invention described in claim 4 is configured in such a way that a holder 9 is provided on the same line as the slit 10 of the elastic cover 5, and the retaining member 7 is arranged in a manner that it is supported by the holder 9. When the elastic cover 5 is turned up and inserted into the gap G, both ends of the slit 10 of the elastic cover 5 are held, and the elastic cover 5 does not fall out naturally, making it possible to smoothly check the condition inside the cutting cover 4 and perform maintenance work. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the grass cutter according to the present invention. [Diagram 3] 3A is a front view showing the holding state of the elastic cover in FIGS. 1 and 2, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged cross-sectional view. [Figure 4] 13C is a front view showing a holding state of an elastic cover configured in another embodiment, and FIG. [Diagram 5] 5(e) and 5(f) are a front view and an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a holding state of an elastic cover configured in an embodiment different from that shown in FIGS. [Figure 6] 13(g) is a front view and FIG. 13(h) is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the holding state of the elastic cover configured in a manner in which the elastic cover having a slit is attached. [Figure 7] 7(j) is a front view and FIG. 7(k) is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a holding state of an elastic cover configured in an embodiment different from that shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Fig. 1 is a left side view of a grass cutter according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. The basic structure of the grass cutter will be described using these figures. The symbols associated with the arrows in the figures indicate directions, with "FR" meaning the front of the vehicle, "RE" meaning the rear of the vehicle, "LH" meaning the left side of the vehicle, "RH" meaning the right side of the vehicle, "UP" meaning the upper side of the vehicle, and "DN" meaning the lower side of the vehicle.

[0019] The vehicle body 11 includes a vehicle body frame 11a, a traveling section 12, a power unit 13, the harvesting device 6, and an operating section 14.

[0020] The vehicle body 11 is supported on the ground by a pair of left and right track-type running parts 12, and the running parts 12 are composed of tracks 12c that surround and run around the drive wheels 12a and the rollers 12b. In this embodiment, the vehicle is not limited to a track-type running structure, and may be a wheeled running structure.

[0021] The drive wheel 12 a is connected to a transmission 15 secured below the vehicle body frame 11 a and is driven by power transmitted from a power unit 13 .

[0022] The prime mover 13a used in the power unit 13 is positioned rearward and above the body frame 11a, with a drive pulley 13b attached to the right side, and has the function of transmitting power to a transmission 15 provided below the body frame 11a via a traveling transmission belt 15a and a traveling transmission pulley 15b to make the machine run, and the function of transmitting power from the drive pulley 13b via a relay belt 13c and an integral relay pulley 13d to the cutting blade transmission belt 2a and the cutting blade pulley 2b to rotate the cutting shaft 2 and the cutting blade 1.

[0023] The reaping device 6 is disposed at the front of the vehicle body 11 and supported by the vehicle body frame 11a, and is configured to be raised to a predetermined height from the ground so that the mowing height during mowing work can be adjusted. In addition, a pair of left and right ground contact bodies 16 are provided so that the device can travel smoothly on the ground. The equipment of the ground contact bodies 16 in this embodiment is not limited, and a configuration in which ground contact wheels are provided that extend across the left and right sides of the reaping device 6 and protrude forward may also be used.

[0024] A cylindrical cutting shaft 2 is mounted in the left-right width direction of the cutting device 6, and the cutting shaft 2 is provided with multiple rows of cutting blades 1 arranged at a predetermined angle so that the rotation radius R is the same when viewed from the side. A cutting blade pulley 2b is attached to the right side of the cutting shaft 2, and the cutting blade pulley 2b rotates due to the above-mentioned power transmission, causing the cutting shaft 2 to rotate in an upper cutting direction A relative to the grass. In this embodiment, the rotation is in the upper cutting direction A, but it may also be configured to rotate in a down cutting direction B.

[0025] The operating unit 14 has a base 14a attached to the body frame 11a, and is in the form of a handle to be held with both hands at a distance from the base 14a, with gripping parts 14b disposed facing upward toward the rear of the body 11. The left and right gripping parts 14b are each provided with a side clutch lever 14c, and by pulling the side clutch lever 14c on the gripping side, the body 11 turns in the corresponding direction (left or right).

[0026] 1 and 2, in the elastic cover holding mechanism of this embodiment, an elastic cover 5 that is rectangular in shape and elongated in the left-right width direction approximately equal to the left-right width and the top-bottom width of the cutting cover 4 and has no slit 10 or has a slit 10 in the vertical direction is suspended from the front of the cutting cover 4 constituting the cutting device 6, and the upper part of the elastic cover 5 is held down by a presser plate 8 that is screwed across the width direction, and is arranged so as to be able to swing back and forth. Then, as shown in Fig. 3, holders 9 are erected at both ends of the presser plate 8, and a holding member 7 of approximately the same width as the presser plate 8 is installed between the holders 9 to form an integrated structure, and a gap G is provided between the cutting cover 4 and the holding member 7, and when the elastic cover 5 is turned up toward the front, it can be held in a state inserted into the gap G.

[0027] [Action and Effect] With the above configuration, when performing maintenance work such as replacing the cutting blade 1 or inspecting the cutting unit 3, by flipping up and holding the elastic cover 5, checking and working inside the cutting cover 4 not only becomes easier, but also allows the work to be done with both hands.

[0028] Furthermore, since the configuration is relatively simple, it can be provided at low cost.

[0029] [Another embodiment 1] Convex portions 4c protruding upward may be formed on the left and right side plates 4a on the front side of the cutting cover 4, and the holding member 7 may be installed on the convex portions 4c to form an integrated structure, with a gap G between the cutting cover 4 and the holding member 7 (see FIG. 4). Alternatively, holders 9 may be erected on both left and right ends above the top plate 4b on the front side of the cutting cover 4 (outside the cutting device 6), with the holding member 7 installed between the holders 9, with a gap G between the cutting cover 4 and the holding member 7 (see FIG. 5). In the first alternative embodiment, the holding member 7 is not limited to being disposed above the cutting cover 4, and may be disposed in front of it (not shown).

[0030] [Another embodiment 2] In a configuration in which the elastic cover 5 having the vertical slits 10 is attached, the holders 9 may be erected at positions on the same line as the slits 10 of both ends of the pressing plate 8 and the elastic cover 5, and the holding members 7 having approximately the same width as the pressing plate 8 may be erected across each holder 9, forming an integrated configuration. Also, the holders 9 may not be erected at positions on the same line as all the slits 10 of the elastic cover 5 (see FIG. 6). Alternatively, in addition to the same configuration as the above-mentioned alternative embodiment 1, the holders 9 may be erected at positions on the same line as the slits 10 of the elastic cover 5 on the top plate 4b of the mowing cover 4, and the holding members 7 may be erected (not shown). In a configuration in which the holders 9 are erected on the top plate 4b, there is an effect of suppressing deformation and damage of the mowing cover 4 when stones and hard foreign objects scattered from the mowing part 3 hit the mowing cover 4 from inside during grass cutting work. In other words, the durability of the mowing cover 4 is improved.

[0031] [Alternative embodiment 3] In the above-mentioned alternative embodiment 2, the holding members 7 are configured to be installed across the left and right width, but the holders 9 are not limited to being installed upright at both ends of the pressure plate 8, and may be installed upright at positions aligned with the cuts 10 of the elastic cover 5, and the holding members 7 may be configured to be separated in the width direction and arranged in a row (see Figure 7). [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1 cutting blade 2 Reaping shaft 3 Reaping section 4. Harvesting cover 4a side plate 4b Top plate 5 Elastic cover 6 Reaping device 7 Retaining member 8 Retaining plate 9 Holder 10 Cuts G Gap

Claims

1. The elastic cover holding mechanism of a grass cutter is provided with a cutting device (6) in which a cutting cover (4) covers the outer periphery of a cutting section (3) equipped with a cutting blade (1) and a cutting shaft (2) and an elastic cover (5) is suspended in front of the cutting cover (4). The elastic cover holding mechanism of the grass cutter is characterized in that a holding member (7) having a gap (G) with the cutting cover (4) is provided in front of or above the cutting cover (4), and when the elastic cover (5) is turned up toward the front, it can be held in a state inserted into the gap (G).

2. The elastic cover holding mechanism of a grass cutter as described in claim 1, characterized in that a pressing plate (8) is provided to press the upper part of the elastic cover (5) in the width direction, a holding member (7) is attached to a holder (9) that stands on the pressing plate (8), and the pressing plate (8), the holder (9) and the holding member (7) are integrally formed.

3. 2. The elastic cover holding mechanism for a grass cutter according to claim 1, wherein the holding member (7) is supported by a holder (9) provided on a side plate (4a) or a top plate (4b) of the cutting cover (4).

4. 4. The elastic cover holding mechanism for a grass cutter according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a slit (10) is provided in the elastic cover (5) in a vertical direction, and a holder (9) is provided above said slit (10).

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