Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
A SYSTEM FOR GRINDING STUMPS AND CLEARING BRUSH, AND RELATED
METHODS AND DEVICES
BACKGROUND
[1] Systems for grinding away a tree stump, clearing thick brush, clearing
dirt, or
even digging a trench typically include teeth mounted to a wheel that is
coupled to a
motor. The motor rotates the wheel with enough torque and speed to cut through
the
wood or dirt. Because the system grinds away the wood or dirt, the teeth make
many
passes through the material to remove the stump, brush or dirt desired for
removal.
This, in turn, requires substantial power from the motor to keep the wheel
rotating with
enough speed to continue to grind away the material. The many passes through
the
material that a tooth makes also causes substantial wear to the teeth and the
wheel. As
the teeth wear, they become less effective at cutting through the material and
in turn
require more power from the motor. More power from the motor, in turn, can
cause the
teeth to experience substantial impact loads, such as when the teeth hit a
rock or a
particularly dense section of wood in a stump, which can damage the wheel
where the
teeth are mounted.
[2] Thus, there is a need for a cutting system that can effectively grind
away a tree
stump, clear thick brush, clear dirt or dig a trench while reducing the power
needed from
the motor and while reducing wear damage to the teeth and wheel.
SUMMARY
[3] In one aspect of the invention, a cutting system for grinding stumps
and cutting
brush includes a wheel, a tooth and a fastener. The wheel has a hub, a
periphery, a
side that extends from the hub to the periphery, and a receiver located on the
wheel's
side. The hub has a longitudinal axis about which the wheel may rotate, and
the
receiver includes a bearing surface. The tooth is mounted to the wheel's
receiver and
includes a blade and a mount. The blade cuts material when the wheel rotates
about
1
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
the hub's longitudinal axis and the blade contacts the material. The mount
couples the
blade to the wheel's receiver. The mount includes a first interface where the
blade
couples with the mount, and a second interface where the mount couples with
the
wheel's receiver. The mount's second interface is configured to mimic and nest
with the
wheel's receiver and includes a bearing surface that transmits to the bearing
surface of
the wheel's receiver loads that the material exerts on the blade while the
blade cuts the
material. The fastener secures the tooth to the wheel and holds the bearing
surface of
the mount's second interface against the bearing surface of the wheel's
receiver, and
specifically does not include the bearing surface of the tooth's mount.
[4] With the bearing surfaces of the mount and wheel's receiver configured
to mimic
and nest with each other, the loads that the blade of the tooth experiences
while
grinding through a tree stump, thick brush or dirt may be transmitted from the
mount to
the wheel via the bearing surfaces. This effectively separates the regions of
the mount
and wheel that experience the shear loads transmitted from the blade, from the
regions
of the mount, wheel and fastener that experience tensile loads from securing
the mount
to the wheel. Consequently, the fastener carries a shear load across its shank
that is
significantly reduced if not minimal, and much of the shear loads transmitted
from the
tooth's blade are converted into compressive loads and carried over the
bearing
surfaces' large area. This in turn reduces possible damage to the wheel and
the tooth's
mount, which may reduce the amount of horsepower required to effectively use
the
wheel and tooth to grind stumps, thick brush, or dirt.
[5] In another aspect of the invention, a tooth for grinding stumps and
cutting brush
includes a blade that cuts material when the blade is urged through the
material, a
mount that is operable to couple the blade to a wheel of a cutting system, and
a hole.
The mount includes a first interface where the blade couples with the mount, a
second
interface operable to couple the mount with the wheel. The second interface is
configured to mimic and nest with a receiver of the wheel and includes a
bearing
surface that transmits to the wheel's receiver loads that the material exerts
on the blade
while the blade cuts the material. The tooth's hole extends through the mount
and is
2
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
sized to receive and hold a fastener when the mount is secured to the cutting
system's
wheel.
[6] In yet another aspect of the invention, a wheel for grinding stumps and
cutting
brush includes a hub having a longitudinal axis about which the wheel rotates;
a
periphery; a side that extends from the hub to the periphery; and a receiver
located on
the side. The receiver is configured to mimic and nest with a second interface
of a
tooth's mount and includes a bearing surface that receives from the mount's
second
interface loads that the material exerts on the blade while the blade cuts the
material.
The wheel also includes a hole that extends into the wheel and is sized to
receive and
hold a fastener when the tooth's mount is secured to the cutting system's
wheel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[7] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cutting system, according to an
embodiment of the invention.
[8] FIG. 2 shows and exploded, perspective view of a portion of a wheel
shown in
FIG. 1 and a portion of a tooth's mount also shown in FIG. 1, according to an
embodiment of the invention.
[9] FIG. 3 shows an exploded, partial cross-sectional view of a tooth's
mount and a
portion of the wheel shown in FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the
invention.
[10] Each of FIGS. 4A ¨ 4D shows a view, that is different than the other
three views,
of a tooth's mount shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, according to an embodiment of the
invention.
[11] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a tooth's mount, according to another
embodiment of the invention.
[12] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a tooth's blade, according to yet
another
embodiment of the invention.
3
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
[13] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a wheel, according to another
embodiment of
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[14] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cutting system 20, according to an
embodiment of the invention. The system 20 includes a wheel 22 and teeth 24
(eighteen shown but only three labeled for clarity) mounted to the wheel 22.
When the
system 20 is coupled to a motor that rotates the wheel 22 about the
longitudinal axis 26
of the wheel's hub 28, the system may be used to grind away a stump, clear
brush
and/or dirt, and even dig a trench (not shown). The system 20 includes two
different
sets of teeth 24. The first set of teeth 24a (ten shown but only two labeled
for clarity)
are mounted to the side of the wheel 22. The second set of teeth 24b (eight
shown but
only one labeled for clarity) are mounted to the periphery of the wheel 22.
The teeth
24a are typically used to cut up and grind thick brush by moving the wheel 22
in a
direction along the longitudinal axis 26 while rotating the wheel 22. The
teeth 24b are
typically used to grind away a stump by moving the wheel against the stump
such that
the teeth 24b on the periphery contact the stump and then moving the wheel 22
back
and forth across the stump. In some uses the teeth 24a on the side of the
wheel 22
may also grind away a stump when the teeth 24b on the periphery of the wheel
22 cut
deep enough into the stump such that when the wheel 22 is moved in a direction
along
the longitudinal axis 26, the teeth 24a contact the stump.
[15] Other embodiments are possible. For example, the system 20 may include
more
or fewer teeth 24, and may include more or fewer teeth 24a, as well as more or
fewer
teeth 24b. For another example, teeth 24a may also be coupled to the other
side of the
wheel 22 ¨ the side of the wheel 22 not shown. For yet another example, the
system
20 may include a wheel 22 capable of having eight teeth 24b coupled at the
wheel's
periphery and ten teeth 24a coupled at the side 40 of the wheel 22, and yet
have fewer
teeth 24b coupled to the wheel's periphery and fewer teeth 24a coupled to
wheel's side
40.
4
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
[16] Still referring to FIG. 1, each of the teeth 24a includes a blade 28 to
cut material
when the wheel 22 rotates about the longitudinal axis 26 in the direction
indicated by the
arrow 30, a mount 32 to couple the blade 28 to the wheel 22, and a fastener 34
to
secure the tooth 24a to the wheel 22. The blade 28 may be similar to the
cutting
element shown and discussed in U.S. Patent Application Publication
2013/0306775 Al,
now U.S. Patent 9,686,922 issued 27 June 2017, which is incorporated in this
patent
application by this reference for all that it discloses, or the blade 28 may
be configured
as shown in FIG. 6 and discussed in conjunction with FIG. 6. As discussed in
greater
detail in conjunction with FIG. 2, both the mount 32 and the wheel 22 are
configured to
contact and hold the other so that shear loads experienced by the blade 28
while the
blade 28 cuts through material are not transmitted to the wheel 22 via the
fastener 34,
but rather are transmitted directly to the wheel 22. This effectively
separates the
regions of the mount 32 and wheel 22 that carry the shear loads transmitted
from the
blade 28, from the regions of the mount 32, wheel 22 and fastener 34 that
carry tensile
loads while securing the mount 32 to the wheel 22. Consequently, the fastener
34
carries a shear load across its shank that is significantly reduced if not
minimal, and
much of the shear loads transmitted from the tooth's blade 28 are converted
into
compressive loads and carried over a larger area of the mount 32 and wheel 22.
This in
turn reduces possible damage to the wheel 22 and the tooth's mount 34, which
may
reduce the amount of horsepower required to effectively use the wheel 22 and
tooth 24a
to grind stumps, thick brush, or dirt.
[17] The teeth 24a may be arranged on the wheel 22 as desired. For example, in
this
and other embodiments the wheel 22 includes a hub 36, a periphery 38, and a
side 40
that extends from the hub 36 to the periphery 38 and on which two sets of five
teeth 24a
are arranged in a spiral that extends 180 degrees around the hub 36. Each
spiral starts
near the hub 36 and 180 degrees away from the other, and each tooth 24a of
each
spiral is spaced apart from its adjacent tooth 24a in the same spiral, such
that the last
tooth 24a in each of the spirals lies, in a radial direction, next to the
first tooth 24a of the
other spiral. With the teeth 24a so arranged, the amount of horsepower
required to
effectively use the system 20 to grind stumps or other materials is much less
than the
amount of horsepower required for other, conventional stump-grinding wheels.
In
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
addition, the arrangement of the teeth 24a also enables one to direct the
direction that
the system 20 expels the chips of material.
[18] In other embodiments, the teeth 24a may be arranged on the wheel's side
40
such that together they form one or more "X" patterns whose centers are not
located
where the longitudinal axis 26 is located. As another example, the teeth 24a
may be
arranged on the wheel's side 40 such that they form one or more "V" patterns
with the
point of the "V" pointed in the direction that the disk 26 rotates while
grinding or cutting
material. As yet another example, the teeth 24a may be staggered in the
direction that
the wheel 22 rotates, relative to their respective, radially-adjacent teeth
24a.
[19] Still referring to FIG. 1, the teeth 24b mounted to the periphery of the
wheel 22
may be configured as desired and mounted as desired. For example, in this and
other
embodiments of the system 20, each of the teeth 24b are configured and mounted
to
the wheel 22 as shown and discussed in U.S. Patent Application Publication
2013/0306775 Al, now U.S. Patent 9,686,922 issued 27 June 2017.
[20] Still referring to FIG. 1, the wheel 22 may be configured as desired. For
example, in this and other embodiments the wheel 22 is substantially circular
and has a
diameter of about 18 inches. The wheel 22 is not completely circular because
the
section of the periphery 38 between each set of adjacent teeth 24b is not a
consistent
radial distance from the axis 26. The radial distance for the region of each
section that
is immediately in front of the tooth 24b as the wheel rotates in the direction
indicated by
the arrow 30, is less by about one inch than the radial distance of the region
of each
section that is immediately behind the tooth 24b. In other embodiments,
however, the
wheel 22 may be circular or any other shape.
[21] FIG. 2 shows an exploded, perspective, view of a portion of the wheel 22
shown
in FIG. 1 and a portion of a mount 32 also shown in FIG. 1, according to an
embodiment
of the invention. When the wheel 22 rotates about the axis 26 (FIG. 1) to
grind a stump
and/or clear brush, the wheel 22 rotates in the direction indicated by the
arrow 42. Both
the wheel 22 and the mount 32 are configured to contact and hold the other so
that
shear loads experienced by the blade 28 (FIG. 1) while the blade 28 cuts
through
6
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
material are not transmitted to the wheel 22 via the fastener 34 (FIG. 1), but
rather are
transmitted directly to the wheel 22.
[22] More specifically, the wheel 22 includes a receiver 44 that is located on
the
wheel's side 40, and the mount 32 includes a second interface 46 (the mount's
first
interface is shown and discussed in conjunction with FIGS. 3 ¨ 5). The
receiver 44 and
the second interface 46 mimic each other such that they nest with each other
when the
mount 32 is coupled to the wheel 22. The receiver 44 includes a bearing
surface 48,
and the second interface 46 includes a bearing surface 50. When the mount 32
is
coupled to the wheel 22 and the wheel 22 is used to grind a stump, clear brush
and/or
dirt, the mount's bearing surface 50 contacts the receiver's bearing surface
48 and
transmits loads that the stump, brush and/or dirt exert on the blade while the
blade cuts
through the stump, brush and/or dirt. By transmitting these loads directly
from the
mount's second interface 46 to the wheel's receiver 44, the fastener (here
two) that
extends into a respective one of the holes 52 in the mount 32 and through a
respective
one of the holes 54 in the wheel 22 do not carry these loads. Instead, the
fastener 34
carries a predominantly tensile load generated by securing the mount's second
interface
46 in the wheel's receiver 44, and thus the tooth 24a to the wheel 22.
[23] The receiver 44 and the mount's second interface 46 may be configured as
desired. For example, in this and other embodiments, the receiver 44 includes
a cavity
that is rectangular; and the mount's second interface 46 includes a land that
is
rectangular and nests in the cavity when the mount 32 is coupled to the wheel
22. Each
of the receiver's bearing surface 48 and the second interface's bearing
surface 50 is flat
and surrounds their respective holes 54 and 52. In addition, the bearing
surfaces 48
and 50 are oriented such that they lay parallel to the wheel's longitudinal
axis 46. In this
configuration, the region 56 of the mount's bearing surface 50 that transfers
much of the
shear load experienced by the blade 28 as the blade 28 cuts through material
is defined
by a vector that is normal (perpendicular) to the bearing surface 50 in the
region 56 and
that extends in the direction opposite the direction 42 that the wheel 22
rotates when in
use. This allows the region 56 of the mount's bearing surface 50 to exert a
substantially
normal (perpendicular) force on the region 58 of the receiver's bearing
surface 48. By
doing this, most if not all of the load transferred through these regions 56
and 58 do not
7
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
generate a tensile or a compressive load in the fastener 34. Instead, the load
generated in the wheel 22 adjacent the receiver 44 is predominantly
compression and
shear in the direction opposite the direction 42 that the wheel 22 rotates.
This
configuration also reduces a twisting deflection in the tooth 24a that can
force the
tooth's blade 28 (FIG. 1) out of its proper alignment with the rotation of the
wheel 22,
which in turn can adversely affect the cutting geometries of the tooth's blade
28.
[24] The receiver 44 and the second interface 46 may be sized as desired to
have the
bearing surfaces carry any desired stress while the blade 28 cuts through
material. For
example, in this and other embodiments the total area of each of the bearing
surfaces
48 and 50 is larger than the total cross-sectional area of the fastener's
shank. More
specifically, the perimeter of the second interface's land is 3.75 inches, and
the height of
the land is 0.25 inches. By increasing the area of each of the bearing
surfaces 48 and
50, one can reduce the stress experienced by each of the surfaces 48 and 50
while the
mount's bearing surface 50 transfers loads to the receiver's bearing surface
48. To
increase the total area of each of the bearing surfaces 48 and 50, the
perimeter of the
receiver's cavity and the perimeter of the second interface's land may be
increased, the
depth of the receiver's cavity and the depth of the second interface's land
may be
increased, or both may be increased. To increase the stress experienced by
each of
the bearing surfaces 48 and 50, the area of each may be decreased by
shortening the
perimeter of the second interface's land, shortening the height of the land,
or shortening
both.
[25] Other embodiments are possible. For example, the mount's second interface
46
may include a cavity and the receiver 44 may include a land that nests in the
cavity
when the mount 32 is coupled to the wheel 22. For another example, the
configuration
of the receiver 44 and the second interface 46 may be any shape other than
rectangular, such as oval, triangular, hexagonal, and star-shaped to allow one
to clock a
tooth 24a to accommodate a specific blade 28 coupled to the mount 32. For
another
example, the bearing surfaces 48 and 50 may be oriented so that they are not
parallel
with the wheel's longitudinal axis 26 but may instead be oriented so that they
would
intersect the longitudinal axis if they extended far enough. Such an
orientation may be
desirable to convert some of the shear load experienced by the blade 28 while
it cuts
8
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
through material into a tensile or compressive load generated adjacent the
receiver 44,
and in a direction other than the direction 42 that the wheel 22 rotates. This
in turn may
allow one to use some of the generated loads to offset or cancel other loads
generated
in the wheel 22 or tooth 24a.
[26] FIG. 3 shows an exploded, partial cross-sectional view of a mount 32 of a
tooth
24a and a wheel 22 shown in FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the
invention. In
this embodiment, two mounts 32, and thus two teeth 24a, are coupled to the
wheel 22
on opposite sides of the wheel 22. One of the mounts 32 is coupled to the
wheel's side
40, and the other mount 32 is coupled to the side 62 of the wheel. In
addition, each
mount includes a first interface 63 where the blade 28 (FIG. 1) couples with
the mount
32.
[27] Each of the mounts 32 may be secured to the wheel 22 in any desired
manner.
For example, in this and other embodiments each of two fasteners 34 extend
through a
respective hole 52 in both of the mounts 32 and through a respective hole 54
in the
wheel 22. More specifically, each of the holes 54 extend through the wheel 22
from the
side 40 to the other side 62; and a bolt 64 of each fastener 34 extends
through a
respective one of the two holes 52 in the mount 32 that is coupled to the
wheel's side
40, through a respective one of the two holes 54, and into a respective one of
the two
holes 52 in the mount 32 that is coupled to the wheel's side 62. Two nuts 66
then
threadingly engage the two bolts 64, each nut 66 threadingly engaging a
respective one
of the two bolts 64, to secure both mounts 32 to the wheel 22.
[28] The bolts 64 and the nuts 66 may be sized and configured as desired to
secure
both mounts 32 to wheel 22 while the mounts experience loads in operation. For
example, in this and other embodiments, each bolt and nut are made of 4140
alloy
steel. Each bolt 64 is two inches long, has a diameter of 0.5 inches, and
includes
thirteen course threads per inch; and each nut 66 is configured to threadingly
engage
the bolt 64.
[29] Other embodiments are possible. For example, the two mounts 32 may be
secured to each other with fasteners that do not require the nuts 66. Instead,
each of
9
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
the bolts 64 may threadingly engage internal threads of a respective one of
the holes 52
in the other mount 32. For another example, in embodiments in which all of
teeth 24a
are coupled to the same side of the wheel 22, the mounts 32 may be secured to
the
wheel 22 via fasteners 34 that do not extend through the wheel 22 and include
a nut 66,
but rather threadingly engage internal threads located inside the holes 54. In
these
embodiments the holes 54 may extend through the wheel 22 to both sides 40 and
62 of
the wheel 22, or they may remain blind (not extend to both sides 40 and 62 of
the wheel
22). For yet another example, the mounts may be secured to the wheel 22 with
fewer
than or more than two fasteners. For yet another example, one or more of the
mounts
32 may be coupled to the wheel 22 with other types of fasteners, such as
rivets; or they
may be welded to the wheel 22 to more permanently fix them to the wheel 22.
[30] Each of FIGS. 4A ¨ 40 shows a view, that is different than the other
three views,
of a tooth's mount 32 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, according to an embodiment of
the
invention.
[31] The mount 32 may be configured as desired. For example, in this and other
embodiments, the mount 32 includes a body 70, the second interface 46, the
holes 52,
and the first interface 63 to which a blade 28 (FIG. 1) is coupled. The
interface 63
includes a surface 72 that is substantially flat and oriented relative to the
second
interface 46, such that when the mount 32 is secured to the wheel 22, the
surface 72
lies substantially perpendicular to the wheel 22. In other embodiments, the
interface 72
lies at an angle other than ninety degrees relative to the wheel 22. In still
other
embodiments, the interface 72 lies at any angle about the axis 74.
[32] The mount 32 may be made of any desired material capable of withstanding
the
loads and environment that it will experience while grind a stump, clearing
brush and
dirt, and digging a trench. For example, in this and other embodiments the
mount 32
includes 1018 alloy steel. In other embodiments, the mount 32 may include 4140
alloy
steel. In addition, the blade 28 (FIG. 1) may be releasably coupled with the
mount at
the first interface 63 or more permanently fixed to the first interface 63.
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
[33] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a tooth's mount 80, according to
another
embodiment of the invention. The mount 80 is similar to the mount 32 shown in
FIGS.
1 ¨40 except that the surface 82 of the first interface 84 is curved, not
substantially flat.
The curve may be any desired curve that allows one to easily position a blade
28 (FIGS.
1 and 6) to have any desired rake angle with any desired blade geometry. That
is, a
blade having a variety of different cutting-edge configurations and/or
geometries can still
be positioned on the mount 80 to provide any desired rake angle or cutting
geometry.
In this and other embodiments, the curve of surface 82 is concave and
spherical to
allow a spherical contact area of the blade and/or the blade's mounting block.
In other
embodiments, the curve of the surface 82 is convex.
[34] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a blade 28, according to yet another
embodiment of the invention. The blade 28 may be configured as desired. For
example, in this and other embodiments the blade 28, unlike the cutting
element shown
in the attached U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0306775 Al, is not
symmetrical about the axis 88. Furthermore, the blade 28 may be asymmetrical
about
the axis 88 in any desired manner. For example, in this and other embodiments
the
asymmetry is as shown in FIG. 6. With the shallower angle 90 to the cutting
edge 92,
the steeper angle 94 to the cutting edge 92, and the region 95 through which
the
shallower angle 90 transitions into the steeper angle 94, the amount of
horsepower
needed to drive the blade 28 through the material and /or ground is less than
the
amount of horsepower needed for a conventional blade. Also, with this
asymmetry and
the curved surface 82 (FIG. 5) of the mount 80 (FIG. 5), one can control the
direction
(radial and axial) that the wheel 22 expels chip and debris, and can provide
extended,
even wear throughout the life of the blade 28 by having the cutting edge 92
beefed-up in
the regions of the blade 28 that are likely to experience more wear while in
use.
[35] As previously mentioned, the blade 28 may be fixed or releasably coupled
with
the first interface 63 of the mount 32 or the first interface 84 of the mount
80. For
example, in this and other embodiments, the blade 28 includes a curved surface
96 that
is welded onto the curved surface 82 (FIG. 5) of the mount 80 (FIG. 5). In
other
embodiments of the blade 28 may include a substantially flat region, in lieu
of the
11
CA 03101309 2020-11-23
WO 2018/217851 PCT/US2018/034062
curved surface 96, to facilitate mounting the blade 28 to the first interface
63 (FIGS. 1 ¨
40) of the mount 32 (FIGS. 1 ¨ 40). To releasably couple the blade 28 to the
mount 32
or 80, one or bolts may hold the blade 28 onto the first interface 63 or 84.
[36] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a wheel 100, according to another
embodiment of the invention. The wheel 100 is similar to the wheel 22 shown in
FIG. 1,
except the wheel 100 includes twenty-two receivers (not shown) on the side 102
of the
wheel 100, each of which has a respective one of twenty-two teeth 24a (only
four
labeled for clarity) coupled to it, not ten like the wheel 22. The wheel 100
has a
diameter of 30 inches, and another twenty-two receivers located on the side of
the
wheel 100 not shown. Another twenty-two teeth 24a (not shown), each of which
is
coupled to a respective one of the other twenty-two receivers not shown, and
each of
which is located directly opposite a respective one of the twenty-two teeth
24a that are
shown. Although the teeth 24a are arranged on each side of the wheel 100 in
two
spirals, each of which includes eleven teeth 24a, all forty-four teeth 24a
that are coupled
to the wheel 100 may be arranged as desired.
[37] The preceding discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the
art to
make and use the invention. Various modifications to the embodiments will be
readily
apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein may be
applied to
other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope
of the
present invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited
to the
embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the
principles and features disclosed herein.
12
