Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present applic~tion is a divisional of appli~
cation Serial No. 385,342, filed September 8, 1981.
The invention relates to new and useful improvements
and structural refinements in devices in the nature of
pruners, and more particularly aims to provide a device
of the compound action type which exploits the hook and
blade ~eatures. It comprehends a pruning cutter intPnded
to be supported upon the end o a relatively telescoping
pole so as to be capable of pruning there~ith the branohes
of trees, bushes and the lik~, at substantial distances
from the operator.
The principal new and novel features of the invention
are 1) a lopping shear with a compound action; 2) a pruning
shear where the four chief componen~s in the cutting head,
namely the hook~ cutting blade, lever and link, are
each in confrontation with a common vertically-disposed
plane, and 3) a limit stop means allowing the hand of the
operator to be protected against unwanted telescoping
of the upper pole relative to the lower pole and a~so
permitting the ready adding of an extension member to the
lower pole.
The conventional pole pruner known in the art includes
an elongated handle, a cuttlng head assembly on one end of
the handle comprising a fixed member operable to be engaged
with a limb and a movable member operable to be swung through
a cutting stroke with relation to the limb engaged by the
fixed member. It normally includes a rope and pulley sub-
assembly operatively connected with the movable rnember
and extendable to the opposite end portion of the handle
for effec~ g movement of the movable member through its
cutting stroke in response to a manually effected pull on the
rope and a spring subassembly for effecting movement of
the movable member through its retu~n stroke.
Various devices have been made heretofore to provide
effective power means to cause movement of the cutting blade
to inoperative position in pruning cutters of the type
referred to but, in general, such arrangements have either
been ineffective or are of such substan~ial complexity as
to add materially to the cost o~ manuacture and to require
the generation of substantial operating forces.
Part o the dlfficul.ties experienced in the use of
known pru~ing cuttersJ especially at remote distances from
the operator, have arisen from the fact that a true shearing
type of cutter has been employed, such as in scissQrs,
whereby parts of trees or bushes can beoome wedged between
the relatively movable and sta~ionary blades and substantially
lock the same against ready opening or ~losing movement of
the movable ~ladeO
Another problem presented by known pole pruners has
been in the area of bulkiness, such pruners usually presenting
a relativ~ly large area of mass widthwise so as to make it
diffi ult to protrude the tool end into more confined areas
for successful operation. This problem has been ameliorated
by the arrangement of this invention which is more compact
than anything heretoore known so as to allow the tool end
to be readily projected into these more confined areas. The
hook is spaced forwardly of the longitudinal axis of the
handle ergo allowing easy access of the work into the
operating area of the hook.
At the same time, an operating S-shaped lever is
disposed in close adjacency to the plane of the hoo~ and to
the plane of the pole so that conjointly there is a minimum
of twisting of pole relative to cutting head or twisting of
cutting head relative to pole~ a tendency aggravated by the
fact that the usual cutting action normally ensues at the
upper end of the pole as much as 8 or 10 or 12 feet above the
operator~s head.
The invention, in broader aspects, is embodied in a
device offering: first, a significan~ stop feature which
delineates a positive final limit stop on any closure of
the telescDping poles; second~ an extension system incorpora-
ting a fiberglass pole; third9 an arrangement wherein all
generated forces are confined inasmuch as the principal
componen~s of the operating head each abut or are
con~iguous ~o a common ~ertical plane wherefor torque set
up is minimized, thereby leading to a more compact
construction which may be protruded into more conined ~reas;
fourth; a concealed spring return subassembly shielded against
unw~nted snagging; and fifth, a hook means spaced forwardly
of the longitudinal axis of the handle affording easier acce~s
to the work.
Another feature of the invention is an adjustable hand
grip for associating with the rope pull to effect;vely
improve an operator's grip on the rope and thereby to
facilitate his opera~ion of the shPar blade. The hand grip
is exemplified in a plurality of versions, by each of which a
rope pull arrangement for the operation of ~he pivotally
mounted cutting or shearing blade can be more effectively
controlled by allowing individual adjustments to attain a most
effective grip according to the selected adjustment of the
telescoping pole~ all to the end of achieving an optimum
tensile force in a line parallel to the line of pull and
consequently an optimum cutting or shear blade operation with
the application of a maximum of force.
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These foregoing objects and oth~r incidental ends and
advantages will be more fully pointed out as the nature o~ the
invention is better understood in the progress of the
disclosure below.
While all of these objects are attaillable in the
preferred and disclosed embodiments~ it is to be understood
that, by ut.ilizing the invention only in certain of .its
aspects~ certain o the objec~s may be attained individually
or in sub-groups without necessarily attaining all of the
10 obje~ts at once. That iS9 useful embodiments may be produced
involving less than the whole.
The features which we consider to be new and novel
with our invention will be better understood from a considera~
tion of the following detailed description, when read in
con~unction wi~h the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig~ 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the
upper portion of the pruning apparatus;
~- Fig. ~ is a fragmentary end elevational view of
the Fig. 1 portion as viewed from the right;
Figq 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the
coupling means for the upper and lower poles;
Fig, 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the
lower extremity of the lower po.le;
Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing the principal
components of the cutting head in phantom
and their contiguity to a common vertical plane;
Fig. 6 is a side elevational view in small scale of
the saw of the invention;
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are top plan, sectional and bottom plan
vi~s respectively of one form of operating handle
of the invention;
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Figs. 10~ 11 and 12 are views, similar to Figs~ 7 - 9
of a second form of operating handle; and
Figs~ 13, 14 and 15 are views, similar to Figs. 7 - 9,
of a third form of operating handle.
An elongated pole subassembly is shown as ~omprising a
lower pole 10 in the form of a tubing of fiberglass or
equivalent and an upper pole 12 which may be slidably
receivable wi~hin and relatlvP to lower pole 10 in a
telescoping mannex. A pin 14 is extendable transversely
through the l~wer pole offering a stop for the upper pole
as same is adjusted relative to the lower pole to the limit
of its lowermost position.
An end cap 16 may be sleeved over the lower extremity of
lower pole 10 or the usual enclosing function.
By removal of end cap 16, an extension pole can be
sleeved over the end of lower pole lQ for the purpose of
extending the length of the overall pole subassembly.
The two parts of a C clamp or coupling 20 are held
together by rivets 22. The clamp i~ cl~mped to the upper
extremity of lower pole 10 as by a clamp screw 24 and a
clamp nut (not sh~wn~. The clamp is clamped to a selected
position on upper pole 12 by a manually adjustable clamp
knob 28 wherefor the upper pole can be adjusted relative to
the lower pole to the end that an extended pole of any
practical length is achievable.
By way of illustration7 lo~er pole 10 may be of ~ome 6~
in length and upper pole 12 may be of some~hat similar length,
to allow a total reach of some 12l in the fully extendPd
attitude without the use of ~he extension.
C-clamp or coupling 20 offers the advantage that it is
fixed on lower pole 10 at all times and may be adjustably
secured to upper pole 12 by the loosening and tighting of
clamp knob 28.
With the clamp knob loosened~ the upper pole may be slid
relatively to the lower pole to any desired position but with
the pin providing the stop feature in the respect t~at the
upper pole is precluded from further re].ativ~ movement, By
this means, an operator's hand is insured against being caught
between the brackets (to be referred to~ on the upper pole
and the C~clamp as the upper pole is brought downwardly
relative to ~he lower pole.
The c~tting head assembly is carried at the upper
extremi~y of the pole assembly frequently wlth a pruning saw
carried by the cutting head~ and with a rope and pulley
assembly operatively connected with the cutting head and
extending toward the opposite lower portion of the pole
assembly for actuating the cutting head in response to a
manually-effected pull.
At the upper terminus of upper pole 12~ a pair of
opposed brackets, let hand 36 and right hand 38~ is provided,
same being brought into tightened circumscribing relationship
with he upper pole as by bracket screws 40 and bracket nuts
420 See Fig. 2.
Additionally~ the brackets also are held fast to the
lower extremity 50 of a fixed member 54 defined as a hook as
by bracket-to-hook rivets 52 with the hook element projecting
vertically upwardly therefrom advantageously in a plane
parallel to and offset from the longitudinally-extending
plane of the axially-aligned poles 10 and 12.
Hook 54 is in the form of a rigid ~etallic member~
the specifically preferred form shown being punched from
steel plate stock so as to include the aoresaid lower
elongated portion or extremity 50 being rigidly secured
to and be~ween bracke~s 36 and 38 as aforesaid, a irst
intermediate portion 53 extended upwardly therefrom
and generally longitudinally therewi~h~ a second
inte~nediate portion 56 extending transversely of first
intermediate portion 53 in a direction ~way from the
longi~udinally ex~ended plane of the poles, and a free end
portion 58 extending downwardly from second intermediate
portion 56 in spaced relation to first intermediate portion
54 in the definition of an inverted U-shaped operating area
60 by which a tree limb may be engaged.
A pivotal lever 70 is mounted on first intermediate
portion 54 of the hook as by a lever bolt 72 ~xten~able
through aligned openings in the lever and hook and outboard
thereof sufficiently to accommodate in sleeved rela~ionship a
lever bolt collar 73 and a spring collar 74 and a spring
washer 76, with a lever nut 78 threadedly engageable with
the lever bolt outboard thereof to facilitate the holding
of the spring collar securely relative to the hook.
A coil spring 80 is sleevPd around spring collar 74
with an upper terminus 82 having a bearing relationship with
a lever-to~link pin 84 extended through an opening in lever
7Q, the coil spring being extended through a suitable opening
in the pin. The lower terminus 86 of the coil spring has a
bearing relationship against the inside wall of right hand
bracket 38. See Fig~ 2~
Pivotally related to lever 70 by lever~to-link pin 84
is a link 88. The upper end of link 88 mounts, through
a link-to-blade rivet 90, a movable shearing or cutting
blade 94, which blade is also pivotally mounted on the second
intermediate portion 56 of the hook as by a blade bolt 96,
a blade nut 98, and a blade washer 100.
7~
The pi~o~al clltting or shearing blade, the movable member
in the cutting action9 is operable ~o be moved ~hrough a
manually actuated cutting stroke with relation to a limb
engaged between the fixed hook and movable blade and also to
be moved through a return stroke through the stored energy in
the coil spring.
The shearing or cutting blade is preferably in the form
of a rigid metallic member, the specific embodiment shown
again being p~mched from plate steel stock and suitably heat
treated to define a thin, s;ngle bend, curved cutting edge 95
and a lever arm portlon 97~
The blade offers a planar surface such that, when mounted
operatively with respect to the hook~ the ixed member, it
is disposed in an adjacent plane relative thereto for pivotal
movement between a pair of limiting positions about an axis
extending perpendicular to the planes of the hook and blade,
with cutting edge 95 intersecting planar edge 62 of the hook
within the operating area in a bypassing manner as ~he blade
is driven between its limits of movement in the cutting stroke.
If desired, the blade may be limited in its pivotal
movement about its axis between two limiting, fully-opened
and fully-closed, positions by suitable means7 such as stop pins.
The upper extremity of lever 70 mounts a depending pulley
strap 110 by means of a strap-to-lever rivet 112, the upper
pulley 114 being rotatably supported relative to the pulley
strap as by a pulley rivet 116.
One terminus of a rope 11~ is fixed to the pulley strap
below the upper pulley and is extended downwardly therefrom for
entrainment around a lower pulley 120 secured by rivet 122 to
and between the opposite ears 37 and 39 on the opposite
`brackets 36 and 38. The rope is then entrained upwardly and
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around upper pulLey llh, with its opposi~e free terminus being
passed downwardly t~ward the region of the lower pole
The location of the spring return mechanism offers the
advantage that it does not extend beyond the profile of the
cut~ing head so as not to be exposed to the ~ork area.
One additional feature resides in the fact that the pivot
of the blade is not on the handle center line; rather it is
forwardly thereof so as to minim:ize torquing.
I~ is stressed tha~ hook 549 cutting blade 94~ lever 70
ancl link 88 are each so disposed that they are each in confron-
tation with a oommon vertically-disposed plane P, schematically
sho~n in Figo 5. Friction and binding as well as lateral flex
ure of components are minimized by this arrangement.
That iS1 the cons truction o~fers the salient advantage
that all of the forces generated are in that plane so as to
prevent the generation o any unnecessary torque! hook 54 and
link 88 being disposed on one side of the plane alld lever 70
and blade 94 bein~ disposed on the opposite side of ~hat plane,
all allowing a more compact head enabled to be projected or
protruded into more confined areas~
The coil spring offers the further advantage that it is
located on ~he same pivot as the lever pivot so as not only to
represent a savings in parts but more significantly to allow
the disposition of the pivots in more of a vertical line.
With the usual pole pruner, the operator is called upon
to grip the actual rope or cord in order to apply the requisite
pulling force, dictating su~h a manual grasp as to preclude
hand slippage axially of the rope~ yet to exert a tensile force
sufficient to operate the shearing blade. Plastic pull ropes
h~vel in some cases, been used in lieu of the usual hemp or
cotton fiber ropes in the aim to ameliorate the problems of
discomfort so commonly experienced by users, particularly in
those cases where relatively thicker harder-to cut branches
are enco~mtered. But even with these substitutes, grasping
difficulties are experienced because of the srnooth exterior
surfaces of the plastic materials.
Accordingly, in this invention, several forms of hand
grips are envisioned which are easy to hold and to pull upon
when manually grasped by the operator, which grips are easily
repositionable along the rope leng~h so as to accommodate to
any particular length of the pole handle and allow him to
adjust the hand grip to that particular position where he feels
that he can achieve his best leverage.
The handle may be formed of wood or plastic or other
material to present a smooth exterior surface around which
an operator's clenched fist may comfortably conform9 finger
engaging depressions being provided in the pursuit of that
purpose.
A first form of hand grip 130 is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9
which is locatable at any desired position along the rope length
and is suitably sized and configured to allow comfortable
gripping.
The hand grip is provided at its upper surface with a
central opening 13~ leading vertically downwardly therefrom
and communicating with a horizontally-disposed longitudinally-
extending circular recess 134 extended inwardly from one end
136 of the hand grip, opening 132 and recess 134 being each of
a size slightly in excess of the rope diameter to allow easy
extension of the rope therethrough. Also extending inwardly
from end 136 is a vee notch 138 which is disposed longitudinally
in parallelism with and below recess 134 and in cornmunication
therewith through a portion of its length.
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~.L~8'77
The rope7 entra;nec~ through opening 132 and recess 134,
may be extended out~ardly thereof so as to allow a bight on
the rope to be taken7 at the proper desired position there-
along, by bringing the rope as far into the notch as is allowecl,
the thus snug engagement ach;eved being such as to prevent
relative slippage of hand grip to rope
I~ is a simple matter to readjust tne handle7 should a
repositioning be desired7 merely by the disengagement of
the rope from tne notch and the movement of the rope relatiYe
to the hand grip both in the desired direction and along the
necessa~y length~
A downward tension exerted throu~h the hand grip will
serve to pull the rope along the line of pull indicated by
arrow a in Fig. 1, with such pulling force being operatively
connected through the train to the shear blade.
Adjustments in the tautness of the rope with reference
to the hand grip may be easily and readily accornplished by
the disengagement of the rope from the notch and the
manipulation of the hand grip relative to the rope.
The notch serves to engage and impinge the rope so that
it may be pressed against the notch side walls so that
movement of the rope with respect to the handle is precluded~
Any strain at either side of the hand grip will only
cause the notch to more securely clench and bind the rope to
the end of insuring against disengagement.
The anguarlity of the slot relatîve to the direction of
pull of the line via the hand grip is such that the binding
and clenching action increases ac~ordingly as the pulling
forces on the rope increase.
A second hand grip 230 is shown in Figs. 10, 11 and
12, likewlse locatable along the rope length as desired,
and similarly sized and configured for comfortable gripping~
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The hand grip is providefl at its upper surface with a
central cpening 232 which leacls downwarclly therefrom and
communicates with a longitudinally-extending circular
opening 234 extending through khe hand grip from end-to~end.
Openlng 232 and recess ~34 are each of a size in excess
of the rope diameter to allow its easy passage therethro-ugh.
.~lso extending inwardly from end 236 of the hand grip
is a V-~shaped notch 238 extending longitudinally in parallelism
with and below opening 234 for a portion of its length and
in communication therewith.
The rope is extended into and through o~pening 232 and
through and outwardly of opening ~34 to allow a bight on the
rope to be taken, again by the bringing of the rope as far
into the notch as is allowed, the thus snug engagement
preventing relative slippage oE hand grip to rope.
A third form of hand grip 330 is shown in Figs. 13~ 14
and 15 which is locatable at any desired position along the
rope length and is suitably sized and configured so as to allow
comfortable gripping.
The hand grip is provided at one side of its upper
surface with a central groove 332 extending inwardly at one
end thereof and leading downwardly therefrom and communicating
with a sinuous groove 334 on one side of the gripO
Also extending inwardly from end 336 is a V-shaped
not~h 338 which oommunicates with the groove.
The rope extended through the groove may be ex-tended
out~ardly thereof so as to allow a bight on the rope to be
taken9 at the proper desired position therealong 9 by the
bringing of the rope as far into the region of the notch as is
allowed, the thus snug engagement preventing relative slippage
of hand grip to rope.
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7~
The rope ~ay advantageously be readily removed from the
groove by simply disengaging the rope from its notch and
separa~ing the rope and hand grip by moving the one
laterally from the other.
~ concavely curved prlming saw 140 having cutting teeth
142 may be detachably and fixedly secured to the hook as by a
bolt 144 extended through a suitable opening 146 in the hook
and a nut 145~ See Figo 1~
The claims are desired to include within the scope thereof
all of the said suitable variations, modifica~ions and
equivalen~s by which substantially the results of the invention
may be obt~ined through the use of substantially the same or
equivalent devices or means~ Accordingly9 limitation hereof
should only be made as determined by a proper interpretation
of the prior art and the scope o the subjoined claims,ln
which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent herein
as broadly as possible.
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