Brush cutting head with internally housed drive and bearing assembly

Abstract

The brush cutting head for a brush cutter can have internally housed drive and bearing assemblies. The brush cutting head can includes a hollow support body having a first end, an opposed second end, an outer surface and an inner surface. Also provided is a drive and bearing assembly housed at least partially within the hollow of the support body. The drive and bearing assembly can include a drive block mounted to extend within the hollow of the support body at the first end thereof.

1 . A brush cutting head comprising:
 a hollow support body having a first end, an opposed second end, an outer surface and an inner surface;   the inner surface of the support body defining a hollow which extends between the first and second ends of the support body; and   a drive and bearing assembly housed at least partially within the hollow of the support body;   the drive and bearing assembly including: a drive block mounted to extend within the hollow of the support body at the first end thereof;   the drive block including a motor provided with a torque transmitting driveshaft; a first coupling assembly connected to the driveshaft of the motor and the support body;   the first coupling assembly being operable to transmit the torque produced by the motor to the support body to thereby urge rotation of the brush cutting head; a second coupling assembly mounted to extend within the hollow of the support body at the second end thereof;   the second coupling assembly having a first end and a second end, the second end of the coupling assembly being fixedly attached to the support body;   the second coupling assembly including a bearing support member, a bearing assembly housed within the bearing support member and a coupling member;   the bearing assembly being mounted in surrounding relation with a portion of the coupling member to thereby allow free rotation of the coupling member relative to the bearing support member.   
     
     
         2 . The brush cutting head of  claim 1  wherein the motor is hydraulically-actuated. 
     
     
         3 . The brush cutting head of  claim 1  wherein the first coupling assembly includes a coupling member, the coupling member of the first coupling assembly includes a hub portion; the hub portion has a first end and a second end, the second end of the hub portion has a bore defined therein, the bore receiving the driveshaft in mating engagement therewith. 
     
     
         4 . The brush cutting head of  claim 3  wherein: the drive block further includes a motor support member for retaining the motor within the hollow of the support body; the motor support member includes a body provided with a first end, a second end, a generally cylindrical sidewall extending between the first and second ends of the body; the sidewall defining a hollow sized to receive therein a portion of the motor; and the hub portion of the coupling member is mounted to extend into the hollow defined by the sidewall of the body. 
     
     
         5 . The brush cutting head of  claim 4  wherein the first coupling assembly includes a bearing assembly, the bearing assembly of the first coupling assembly being mounted in surrounding relation with the hub portion; the bearing assembly of the first coupling assembly being housed within the body of the motor support member. 
     
     
         6 . The brush cutting head of  claim 5  wherein the first coupling assembly includes an annular plate mounted to the second end of the body; the annular plate having a central opening defined therein, the central aperture receiving therethrough a portion of the hub portion; the annular plate cooperating with the sidewall of the body to at least partially enclose the bearing assembly of the first coupling assembly within the body. 
     
     
         7 . The brush cutting head of  claim 6  wherein the first coupling assembly includes first means for retaining the bearing assembly of the first coupling assembly onto the hub portion. 
     
     
         8 . The brush cutting head of  claim 3  wherein the coupling member of the first coupling assembly includes a disc-shaped portion having a first face and an opposed second face, the hub portion extending outwardly from the second face of the disc-shaped portion. 
     
     
         9 . The brush cutting head of  claim 8  wherein the first coupling member includes a mounting plate fixed to the support body; the mounting plate being releasably fastened to the disc-shaped portion of the first coupling member. 
     
     
         10 . The brush cutting head of  claim 1  wherein: at a location adjacent the first end of the support body, the support body has a first shoulder projecting from the inner surface thereof into the hollow; a portion of the first coupling assembly being fixed to the first shoulder; and at a location adjacent the second end of the support body, the support body has a second shoulder projecting from the inner surface thereof into the hollow; the second end of the second coupling assembly being fixedly attached to the second shoulder. 
     
     
         11 . The brush cutting head of  claim 10  wherein the first coupling assembly includes a coupling member matingly engaged with the driveshaft and a first mounting plate fixed to the first shoulder defined in the support body; the coupling member of the first coupling assembly being releasably fastened to first mounting plate. 
     
     
         12 . A brush cutter comprising:
 an open-bottom brush cutter housing having a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels including a first side panel and a second side panel;   a hollow support body rotatably mounted between the first and second side panels of the brush cutter housing;   the support body having a first end, an opposed second end, an outer surface and an inner surface;   the inner surface of the support body defining a hollow which extends between the first and second ends of the support body; and   a drive and bearing assembly housed at least partially within the hollow of the support body;   the drive and bearing assembly including: a drive block mounted to extend within the hollow of the support body at the first end thereof;   the drive block including a motor provided with a torque transmitting driveshaft; a first coupling assembly connected to the driveshaft of the motor and the support body;   the first coupling assembly being operable to transmit the torque produced by the motor to the support body to thereby urge rotation of the brush cutting head; a second coupling assembly mounted to extend within the hollow of the support body at the second end thereof;   the second coupling assembly having a first end and a second end, the second end of the coupling assembly being fixedly attached to the support body;   the second coupling assembly including a bearing support member, a bearing assembly housed within the bearing support member and a coupling member;   the bearing assembly being mounted in surrounding relation with a portion of the coupling member to thereby allow free rotation of the coupling member relative to the bearing support member.   
     
     
         13 . A drive and bearing assembly for a brush cutting head;
 the brush cutting head having a support body, the support body having a first end, an opposed second end, an outer surface and an inner surface;   the inner surface of the support body defining a hollow which extends between the first and second ends of the support body;   the drive and bearing assembly comprising: a drive block configured for placement within the hollow of the support body at the first end thereof;   the drive block including a motor provided with a torque transmitting driveshaft; a first coupling assembly connectable to the driveshaft of the motor and the support body;   the first coupling assembly being operable to transmit the torque produced by the motor to the support body to thereby urge rotation of the brush cutting head; a second coupling assembly configured for placement within the hollow of the support body at the second end thereof;   the second coupling assembly having a first end and a second end, the second end of the coupling assembly being fixedly attachable to the support body;   the second coupling assembly including a bearing support member, a bearing assembly housed within the bearing support member and a coupling member;   the bearing assembly being mounted in surrounding relation with a portion of the coupling member to thereby allow free rotation of the coupling member relative to the bearing support member.   
     
     
         14 . A brush cutting head comprising:
 a hollow support body having a first end, an opposed second end, an outer surface and an inner surface;   the inner surface of the support body defining a hollow which extends between the first and second ends of the support body; and   a drive and bearing assembly housed at least partially within the hollow of the support body, the drive and bearing assembly including: a first drive block mounted to extend within the hollow of the support body at the first end thereof, the first drive block including a first motor provided with a first torque transmitting driveshaft; a first coupling assembly connected to the first driveshaft and the support body, the first coupling assembly being operable to transmit the torque produced by the first motor to the support body to thereby urge rotation of the brush cutting head; a second drive block mounted to extend within the hollow of the support body at the second end thereof, the second drive block including a second motor provided with a second torque transmitting driveshaft; and   a second coupling assembly connected to the second driveshaft and the support body, the second coupling assembly being operable to transmit the torque produced by the second motor to the support body to thereby urge rotation of the brush cutting head.   
     
     
         15 . A brush cutter comprising:
 an open-bottom brush cutter housing having a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels including a first side panel and a second side panel;   a hollow support body rotatably mounted between the first and second side panels of the brush cutter housing;   the support body having a first end, an opposed second end, an outer surface and an inner surface;   the inner surface of the support body defining a hollow which extends between the first and second ends of the support body; and   a drive and bearing assembly housed at least partially within the hollow of the support body, the drive and bearing assembly including: a first drive block mounted to extend within the hollow of the support body at the first end thereof, the first drive block including a first motor provided with a first torque transmitting driveshaft; a first coupling assembly connected to the first driveshaft and the support body;   the first coupling assembly being operable to transmit the torque produced by the first motor to the support body to thereby urge rotation of the brush cutting head; a second drive block mounted to extend within the hollow of the support body at the second end thereof;   the second drive block including a second motor provided with a second torque transmitting driveshaft; and   a second coupling assembly connected to the second driveshaft and the support body;   the second coupling assembly being operable to transmit the torque produced by the second motor to the support body to thereby urge rotation of the brush cutting head.   
     
     
         16 . The brush cutter of  claim 15  wherein: the first drive block is releasably connected to the first side panel of the brush cutter housing; and the second drive block is releasably connected to the second side panel of the brush cutter housing. 
     
     
         17 . The brush cutter of  claim 16  wherein: the first drive block includes a first motor support member for retaining the first motor within the hollow of the support body, the first motor support member having a first flange member, the first flange member being detachably fastened to the first side panel; and the second drive block includes a second motor support member for retaining the second motor within the hollow of the support body, the second motor support member having a second flange member, the second flange member being detachably fastened to the second side panel. 
     
     
         18 . A drive and bearing assembly for a brush cutting head;
 the brush cutting head having a support body, the support body having a first end, an opposed second end, an outer surface and an inner surface;   the inner surface of the support body defining a hollow which extends between the first and second ends of the support body;   the drive and bearing assembly comprising: a first drive block mounted to extend within the hollow of the support body at the first end thereof, the drive block including a first motor provided with a first torque transmitting driveshaft; a first coupling assembly connected to the first driveshaft and the support body, the first coupling assembly being operable to transmit the torque produced by the first motor to the support body to thereby urge rotation of the brush cutting head; a second drive block mounted to extend within the hollow of the support body at the second end thereof, the drive block including a second motor provided with a second torque transmitting driveshaft; and   a second coupling assembly connected to the second driveshaft and the support body, the second coupling assembly being operable to transmit the torque produced by the second motor to the support body to thereby urge rotation of the brush cutting head.