Proulx Manufacturing, Inc.

Richard A Proulx

William Patrick Conley

Rodger Dale Thomason

James R Pfaltzgraff

Sasha Johnson

Paul T Conlon

An aerodynamic trimmer head assembly for use in flexible line rotary trimmers including a trimmer head having a curvilinear upper head surface and a shroud having a curvilinear portion extending over the head surface. A plurality of ribs extend downwardly and forwardly in the direction of rotation between the head surface and shroud defining a plurality of channels extending between portions of the upper head surface and shroud along curvilinear paths defined by the ribs. The channels define inlet openings in an upper portion of the shroud and outlet openings about the lower end portion thereof. During rotation of the head and shroud, air is drawn downwardly about the drive mechanism, through the channel inlets, into and through the channels and outwardly therefrom at a forward inclination about the line projecting from the housing thereby cooling the drive mechanism of the rotary trimmer and reducing aerodynamic drag on the line.

Aerodynamic trimmer head for use in flexible line rotary trimmers

A trimmer head for use with a plurality of lengths of flexible cutting line in a flexible line rotary trimmer having a plurality of line holders rotatably mounted thereon. Each line holder defines a pair of laterally spaced apertures in an upper surface thereof, a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough, terminating in an extended end thereof and communicating with the laterally spaced apertures. An interior guide surface extends along a curvilinear path from the spaced apertures to the passageway and a web extends between the apertures whereby end portions of lengths of cutting line can be extended into and through the spaced openings, along the guide surfaces into and through the passageway and outwardly therefrom, whereupon lengths of line extend about and are held against the web with portions of the line projecting from the passageways in the line holders for the cutting of vegetation.

Fixed line head for flexible line rotary trimmers

An aerodynamic trimmer head for use in flexible line rotary trimmers having a plurality of aerodynamic elements defined by the upper and lower head surfaces that during rotation of the head, draw air downwardly about the trimmer drive mechanism onto the upper head surface and move the air outwardly from the head into the plane of the extended cutting line and at forward inclination in the direction of rotation. The downwardly moving air cools the trimmer drive mechanism and the outwardly and forwardly moving air reduces the drag on the head and the extended cutting line. The aerodynamic elements preferably include a plurality of troughs extending downwardly and forwardly along the upper head surface, a perimeter surface for deflecting air moved by the troughs into a generally horizontally extended zone of moving air about the extended cutting line and a plurality of dimples formed in a lower surface of the head.

A trimmer head for a rotary line trimmer including a housing operatively connected to the trimmer and a spool for carrying cutting line thereon. The spool is operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith and defines a pair of opposed line receptor channels having opposed open ends, traversing opposed portions of the spool and defining opposed outlet openings above a lowermost end of the spool. The channels can be aligned with the eyelets in the housing skirt such that lengths of cutting line can be inserted therethrough and wrapped about the spool upon relative rotation of the spool and housing without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween. The channel outlet openings provide access to the inner ends of the line so that the line also can be pulled from the head without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween.

Trimmer head for use in flexible line rotary trimmers having improved line loading mechanism

An aerodynamic trimmer head for use in flexible line rotary trimmers having an aerodynamic, generally ellipsoidal profile and a plurality of aerodynamic elements defined by the upper and lower head surfaces for directing air, during rotation of the head, off of and over the upper and lower head surfaces and preferably away from the line extending from the housing, thereby reducing the drag on the head and the line projecting from the housing. The aerodynamic elements on the upper head surface preferably are defined by a plurality of equidistantly spaced inclined troughs extending downwardly and forwardly along curvilinear paths on the upper head surface and the aerodynamic elements on the lower head surface preferably are defined by a plurality of dimples formed in an annular surface extending about the lowermost end of the spool and a plurality of rearwardly inclined troughs formed about and above the dimples.

An improved spool construction for carrying a length of cutting line in a trimmer head housing on a flexible line rotary trimmer wherein the spool comprises separately molded upper and lower sections of single piece construction that are pressed together in a snap fitment to define a cylindrical body portion, at least one flange projecting radially therefrom and a line receptor channel having a smooth interior surface that traverses the spool and communicates opposed open outer channel ends in the flange that are radially alignable with opposed line openings in a housing skirt, with an open channel portion in a lower spool surface to provide access to the channel intermediary of the open channel ends with the spool operatively connected to the housing for line loading and replacement without having to interrupt the operative connection between the spool and the housing.

Trimmer head spool for use in flexible line rotary trimmer heads having improved line loading mechanism

Trimmer head for use in flexible line rotary trimmers

A process for forming flexible noise attenuating cutting line for use in rotary vegetation trimmers formed of at least two monofilament polymer strands bonded together in a twisted disposition or a single strand twisted about its central axis in which the strand or strands are extruded in a molten disposition through a single die that is rotated during the extruding step either to twist the two strands together about a central longitudinal axis or a single strand about its own longitudinal axis such that upon cooling, stretching and heating, a flexible noise attenuating line is created in a continuous online process.

Method of manufacturing noise attenuating flexible cutting line for use in rotary vegetation trimmers

A trimmer head for use with a length of flexible cutting line in a rotary trimmer comprising a housing operatively connected to the trimmer to effect rotation of the head and a spool for carrying the cutting line thereon. The spool is operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith and defines a line receptor channel having opposed open ends and traversing the spool. The channel can be aligned with the eyelets in the housing skirt such that cutting line can be inserted therethrough and wrapped about the spool upon relative rotation of the spool and housing without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween. A central portion of the channel intermediary its open ends is exposed to provide access to the portion of line therein so that line wound about the spool can be pulled from the head without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween.

A trimmer head for a rotary line trimmer including a housing operatively connected to the trimmer and a spool for carrying cutting line thereon. The spool is operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith and defines a line receptor channel having opposed open ends and traversing the spool. The channel is formed by line guide inserts held within the spool body preferably utilizing the shrinkage of the molded spool material about the inserts. The channel can be aligned with the eyelets in the housing skirt such that cutting line can be inserted therethrough and wrapped about the spool upon relative rotation of the spool and housing without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween. A central portion of the channel is exposed to provide access to the line so that the line can be pulled from the head without having to interrupt the operative connection therebetween.

A trimmer head for use in a flexible line rotary trimmer including a housing adapted to be operatively connected to the trimmer to effect rotation of the head and a spool operatively connected to the housing for rotation therewith. The spool defines at least one inwardly extending line receptor channel, preferably formed by a plurality of inwardly tapered walls so as to be polygonal in cross-section. So configured, the channel walls will securely grip the cutting line upon the line being inserted in the channel and wound about the spool. To provide uniform winding of the line, a plurality of cam, cam abutment and sliding surfaces are operatively connected to the housing and spool such that when the spool is manually rotated relative to the housing in the drive direction, the spool is caused to reciprocate axially within the housing evenly distributing the line about the body of the spool.

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Alta Loma, CA, United States of America

Richard A Proulx