Brush cutting head

Abstract

The present invention relates to a brush cutting head for a brush cutter. The brush cutter head includes a cylindrical support body that has a first end, an opposed second end and an intermediate portion extending therebetween. The intermediate portion has a curved surface that defines the circular cross-section of the cylindrical support body. A plurality of collars is mounted to the cylindrical support body at spaced intervals along the intermediate portion. Each collar extends radially from the curved surface of the cylindrical support body. Additionally, each collar cooperates with an adjacent collar to define a mounting station between the adjacent collars. The brush cutter head further includes a plurality of cutting tooth assemblies carried on the outer surface of the cylindrical support body. Each cutting tooth assembly has a cutting tooth for placement within the mounting station and a mounting assembly engageable with the adjacent collars to secure the cutting tooth in the mounting station.

1 . A brush cutting head comprising:
 a support body having a first end, an opposed second end and an intermediate portion extending therebetween; the intermediate portion having an outer surface;   a plurality of collars mounted to the support body at spaced intervals along the intermediate portion, each collar extending outwardly from the outer surface, each collar cooperating with an adjacent collar to define a mounting station between the adjacent collars; and   a plurality of cutting tooth assemblies carried on the outer surface of the support body, each cutting tooth assembly having a cutting tooth for placement within the mounting station and a mounting assembly engageable with the adjacent collars for securing the cutting tooth in the mounting station.   
     
     
         2 . The brush cutting head of  claim 1  wherein:
 the support body is a cylindrical support body; 
 the outer surface of the support body is a curved surface defining the circular cross-section of the support body; and 
 each collar extends radially from the curved surface. 
 
     
     
         3 . The brush cutting head of  claim 2  wherein each collar includes a circumferentially extending sidewall defining a substantially penannular structure, the sidewall having a first end and a second end spaced part from the first end thereof, the space between the first and second ends of the sidewall defining a cutout in each collar, the cutout being sized to receive therein a portion of the cutting tooth assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The brush cutting head of  claim 3  wherein the cutout defined in each collar is circumferentially spaced from the cutout defined in the adjacent collar. 
     
     
         5 . The brush cutting head of  claim 4  wherein each mounting station extends between the cutout in each collar and the portion of the sidewall of the adjacent collar opposite the cutout. 
     
     
         6 . The brush cutting head of  claim 5  wherein each cutting tooth has a base portion and a cutting portion supported on the base portion; the base portion having a first side and a second side, the cutting portion extending longitudinally between the first side and the second side, the first side of the base portion being retained between the ends of the sidewall of each collar and the second side of the base portion abutting a portion of the sidewall of the adjacent collar when the cutting tooth is secured within the mounting station. 
     
     
         7 . The brush cutting head of  claim 5  wherein each mounting assembly includes first and second plate members for holding therebetween the cutting tooth and a fastener for attaching the cutting tooth to the first and second plate members, the first and second plate members each being mountable to extend between adjacent collars, the first plate member being disposed forwardly of the cutting tooth and the second plate member being disposed rearwardly of the cutting tooth when the cutting tooth is secured within the mounting station. 
     
     
         8 . The brush cutting head of  claim 7  wherein:
 each cutting tooth has a base portion and a cutting portion supported on the base portion; and 
 each of the plate members and the base portion has an aperture defined therein, the apertures defined in the plate members and the base portion being alignable to permit the fastener to be inserted therethrough. 
 
     
     
         9 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The brush cutting head of  claim 2  wherein each mounting station is radially offset from the adjacent mounting station. 
     
     
         42 . The brush cutting head of  claim 2  wherein each mounting station is radially offset from the adjacent mounting station by an angle measuring about 180 degrees. 
     
     
         43 . The brush cutting head of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of cutting tooth assemblies is disposed along the support body in a double helix pattern. 
     
     
         44 . The brush cutting head of  claim 2  wherein each mounting assembly includes first and second plate members for holding therebetween the cutting tooth and a fastener for attaching the cutting tooth to the first and second plate members, the first and second plate members being mountable between adjacent collars, the first plate member being disposed forwardly of the cutting tooth and the second plate member being disposed rearwardly of the cutting tooth when the cutting tooth is secured within the station. 
     
     
         45 - 49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . The brush cutting head of  claim 6  wherein each mounting assembly includes:
 a mounting block and a plate member for holding therebetween the cutting tooth, and a fastener for attaching the cutting tooth to the first and second plate members; 
 the mounting block and the plate member each being mountable between adjacent collars, the mounting block being disposed forwardly of the cutting tooth and the plate member being disposed rearwardly of the cutting tooth. 
 
     
     
         51 . The brush cutting head of  claim 50  wherein:
 each cutting tooth has a base portion and a cutting portion supported on the base portion; and 
 each of the mounting block, the plate member and the base portion has an aperture defined therein, the apertures defined in the mounting block, the plate member and the base portion being alignable to permit the fastener to be inserted therethrough. 
 
     
     
         52 . The brush cutting head of  claim 51  wherein the fastener includes a threaded bolt and a nut. 
     
     
         53 . The brush cutting head of  claim 51  wherein the base portion has a leading face and an opposed trailing face, the leading face of the base portion abutting the mounting block and the trailing face of the base portion abutting the plate member when the cutting tooth is secured within the station. 
     
     
         54 . The brush cutting head of  claim 53  wherein:
 the mounting block is defined by a pair of first and second, spaced apart, lateral faces, opposed top and bottom faces, a leading face and an opposed trailing face, the leading and trailing faces of the mounting block extending between the top and bottom faces thereof; and 
 when the cutting tooth is secured within the mounting station, the mounting block is disposed between adjacent collars with the first and second lateral faces abutting the sidewalls of the adjacent collars, the bottom face abutting the curved surface of the support body and the trailing face of the mounting block abutting the leading face of the base portion. 
 
     
     
         55 . The brush cutting head of  claim 54  wherein the bottom face of the mounting block has an arcuate profile matching the curvature of the curved surface. 
     
     
         56 . The brush cutting head of  claim 54  wherein the leading face of the mounting block slopes downwardly from top face to the bottom face of the mounting block to encourage the deflection of debris away from the cutting tooth when the cutting tooth is secured within the mounting station. 
     
     
         57 . The brush cutting head of  claim 50  wherein the mounting block is fixed between the adjacent collars. 
     
     
         58 - 65 . (canceled)