초록 ▼

A clipper and herbicide or other chemical dispenser comprises a pair of pivotal handle members that are squeezed together to operate a shear mechanism and a chemical dispenser that dispenses chemical directly on the end of the cut stem after the stem has been cut. Preferably, a clamping mechanism cl

A clipper and herbicide or other chemical dispenser comprises a pair of pivotal handle members that are squeezed together to operate a shear mechanism and a chemical dispenser that dispenses chemical directly on the end of the cut stem after the stem has been cut. Preferably, a clamping mechanism clamps a plant stem in place below the shears while the shears cut the stem. The chemical dispenser includes a liquid pump actuated by the handles that pumps a discreet amount of chemical through an opening in a cutting blade at a time when the opening is aligned with the cut end of the plant stem. The dispenser has an outlet mounted on a dispenser arm that is moved away from the opening in the cutting blade by the upper plant stem as the stem is being cut. When the upper stem falls away, the dispenser arm pivots back to align the outlet with the opening in the cutting blade for chemical dispensation on the lower cut stem.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A plant clipper with integral chemical dispenser that dispenses treatment chemicals directly on the stem of a plant after it is cut, comprising:a blade assembly including relatively pivotally attached first and second opposed blades, the first blade having a thin cutting edge adapted to slice thr

1. A plant clipper with integral chemical dispenser that dispenses treatment chemicals directly on the stem of a plant after it is cut, comprising:a blade assembly including relatively pivotally attached first and second opposed blades, the first blade having a thin cutting edge adapted to slice through a plant stem, the first blade having a chemical outlet opening therein positioned so as to be opposite the end of a plant stem after it has been cut, the second blade having an edge that faces the cutting edge of the first blade and abuts and engages the plant stem adjacent the cut caused by the first blade; a pair of handles operably connected to the blade assembly so as to close and open the blades when the handles are moved between closed and open positions; and a chemical dispenser connected to the clipper that is actuated by the movement of the handles to squirt chemical on the cut end of the plant stem from a chemical dispenser outlet through the first blade chemical outlet opening after the plant stem has been cut, the chemical dispenser being positioned to squirt chemical from an outlet on an inner side of the first blade, through the opening in the first blade, and out of an outer side of the first blade, such that a cut stem on the outer side of the first blade receives chemical after the stem has been cut through by the clipper, the chemical dispenser outlet including an outlet nozzle movably mounted adjacent the inner surface of the first blade for movement between a dispensing position, wherein the nozzle is aligned with the opening in the first blade, and a retracted position wherein the nozzle is moved away from the opening in the first blade, the nozzle being resiliently biased toward its dispensing position, such that a stem being cut away deflects the nozzle to its retracted position while it is being cut, and the nozzle returns to its dispensing Position when the stem has been cut and falls away from the plant, the chemical dispenser being actuated by the clipper movement to discharge chemical through the outlet nozzle when the nozzle is in its dispensing position. 2. A plant clipper according to claim 1 and further comprising a clamping member pivotally mounted in the clipper adjacent the blades for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to the blades, the clamping member being positioned opposite the second blade such that when a plant stem is inserted between the blades for cutting, the clamping member is on the opposite side of the stem from the second blade, the clamping member being resiliently biased toward the second blade, the clamping member resiliently clamping the stem of the plant against the second blade alter the stem has been cut, the second blade having a clamping surface opposed to the clamping member, the chemical dispenser being positioned so as to direct liquid chemical from an outer side of the first blade through the blade and toward the end of a stem being clamped by the second blade and clamping member on an inner side of the first blade.3. A plant clipper according to claim 1 wherein the clipper is a powered clipper wherein a powered drive mechanism for closing the clipper blades is actuated by closing a switch or valve.4. A plant clipper according to claim 3 wherein the chemical is stored under pressure and is released by a shutoff valve that is opened by the closing of the clipper blades with the handles, the valve remaining open for continuous discharge of chemical through the outlet as long as the blades remain closed, thus permitting release of chemical for an extended period of time.5. A plant clipper according to claim 1 wherein the plant clipper is a hand clipper wherein the handles and blades move in parallel planes.6. A plant clipper according to claim 1 wherein the plant clipper is a lopper.7. A plant clipper according to claim 1 wherein the plant clipper is a powered clipper.8. A plant clipper with integral liquid chemical dispenser that dispenses chemical directly on a cut end of the plant stem after it has been cut, comprising:a pair of handles connected together for relative movement between deactuated and actuated positions; a clamping mechanism operably connected to the handles so as to move between released and clamping positions in response to movement of the handles between their deactuated and actuated positions, the clamping mechanism having opposed gripping surfaces that move together in a plane to grip a plant stem positioned in a predetermined generally perpendicular location between the gripping surfaces when the handles are moved to their actuated positions, the clamping mechanism moving to its released position, wherein the plant stem is released, when the handles are moved back to their deactuated positions; a cutting mechanism positioned adjacent the clamping mechanism and operatively connected to the handles so as to cut the plant stem off adjacent the place where the stem is gripped by the clamping mechanism when the handles are moved to their actuated positions, the cutting mechanism comprising a cutting blade that moves in a plane parallel to the plane of movement of the gripping surfaces of the clamping mechanism; and a chemical dispenser operatively connected to the handle mechanism and cutting mechanism that dispenses a quantity of liquid chemical through an outlet directly on the end of the cut plant stem after the stem has been cut and before the stem is released by the clamping mechanism, the chemical dispenser dispensing liquid chemical through an opening in the cutting blade in a direction transverse to the plane of movement of the cutting blade, the opening being positioned so as to be aligned with the end of the gripped stem after it has been cut by the blade, the chemical dispenser including a chemical container for liquid chemical, a liquid dispensing nozzle mounted to the clipper at the dispenser outlet so as to direct liquid through the opening in the cutting blade when the cutting blade has cut through the plant stem, a liquid delivery mechanism comprising a conduit interconnecting the chemical container and the nozzle and a pump that pumps liquid chemical from the container to the nozzle and discharges liquid from the nozzle, the pump being actuated by moving the handles to their actuated position, wherein a predetermined amount of liquid is dispensed from the dispensing nozzle directly on the end of the cut stem, the liquid dispensing nozzle being mounted on a dispensing arm movably mounted adjacent the cutting blade, the dispensing arm having a first position wherein the nozzle is aligned with and directed through the opening in the cutting blade, the dispensing arm being resiliently biased by a spring to its first position, the dispensing arm being movable away from the first position to the second position upon contact with an upper portion of a stem when it is cut, the spring returning the dispensing arm to its first position after a stem has been cut and before liquid is dispensed from the liquid nozzle. 9. A plant clipper according to claim 8 wherein the handles are pivotally connected together for movement in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the gripping surfaces and cutting blade.10. A plant clipper according to claim 8 wherein:the container for liquid chemical includes an open outlet; a cap is removably mounted on the outlet, the cap having an air inlet into the container through a one way valve positioned so as to admit air into the container, the cap having an outlet for dispensing liquid from the container; a liquid feed conduit having an outlet end connected to the cap outlet and having an inlet end positioned in the container in position to receive chemical from the container, the feed conduit being flexible and having a weighted inlet end that is urged to gravitate to the lowest point in the container, such that the liquid is received through the inlet when the container is placed in different positions, the liquid delivery conduit being positioned outside the container and having an inlet in fluid communication with the cap outlet. 11. A plant clipper according to claim 8 wherein the handles are mounted at one end of an elongated handle and the clamping and cutting mechanisms are mounted at an opposite end of the elongated handle, at least one clipper handle being operably connected to the cutting mechanism by an elongated drive member that actuates the cutting mechanism in response to actuation of the clipper handle mechanism.12. A plant clipper according to claim 11wherein the drive member is a cable drive.13. A plant clipper according to claim 11 wherein the blade assembly is mounted in a housing, an end of the elongated handle being attached to an upper portion of the housing, a foot extending downwardly from a lower end of the housing, the blade assembly being mounted in the housing at a position above the foot such that the foot supports the blade assembly at a position above the ground when the foot rests on the ground during operation of the clipper, thus protecting the blade assembly from contact with the ground during clipper operation.14. A plant clipper according to claim 8 wherein the container of the chemical dispenser is mounted to the clipper adjacent the cutting mechanism, the container having an outlet that fastens into an inlet in the clipper, the container outlet communicating with the clipper inlet and the clipper inlet being in fluid communication with the liquid delivery mechanism, the pump being a bulb pump positioned between the container outlet and the nozzle, the clipper including an actuator that engages and actuates the bulb to pump chemical to the nozzle when the handles are actuated.