Hawaiian Motor Company

Jon A Rahe

John Motruk

A self-coupling split-shaft drive assembly for a tool provides for assembly by a user and start-up without concern over the proper or improper orientation of the two shafts. The drive assembly includes components to secure the two shafts for start-up and use independently of whether an orientation condition exists for their rotational coupling to one another. A shaft coupling mechanism then accomplishes the coupling where an improper condition exists after the securing, in response to the initiation of the rotation of the driver shaft by the motor. The coupling mechanism employs a driver shaft which, with a shaft socket, for receiving the driven shaft, slides back and forth, against a spring and then under the recoil force of the spring, in providing for the securing under an improper orientation condition and the subsequent coupling upon start-up. A split clamp, which is used on a driver shaft tube and driven shaft tube is particularly adapted for rapid, easily accomplished and, at the same time, extremely sturdy clamping of elongated members such as the shaft tubes. The clamp employs a pair of clamp member which are formed, with respect to the elongated members, to a designed clamp face separation of less than or equal to about 3.4 percent and greater than or equal to about 0.5 percent of the diameter for the elongated members, among other significant features. Manually tightened and loosened connectors for one end of the clamp members and tool-operated tightening and loosening at the other end signifcantly contribute to the indicated goals.

Tool drive assembly and clamp

Cutting head of a weed cutter of the type using a rotating cutting string

A housing and cutting line assembly for a vegetation cutting apparatus of the type which cuts with rapidly moving lines extending from a rotating housing includes metallic line guides taking a configuration which addresses the effective guiding of the extending of the lines exteriorly of the housing and the dissipation of heat from the lines. The line guides each have a trailing side wall bearing surface for the associated line, which includes two linear surface portions angularly disposed with respect to one another, and a leading side wall bearing surface which includes a linear surface portion and a curvilinear surface portion. The linear leading side wall surface portion is substantially uniformly spaced from an inner, linear trailing side wall bearing surface portion, and the curvilinear surface portion of the leading side wall bearing surface curves away from this inner surface portion. In addition, the lines guides each in part define an air channel for moving air on the leading side of the associated line relative to the line guide to cool the line, and each further define an air cavity therein, located to trail the associated line, for conducting heat generated in the line away from the line.

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Mission Viejo, CA, United States of America

Jon A Rahe