Mower apparatus

• US 20080245044A1
• Filed: 06/10/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shivvers Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Shivvers Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Shick, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,596,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 56/14.9
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2034/645 Lifting means for the cutter of the lawnmower mounted at the front of the vehicle for inspection and maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/662 to the front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/74 Cutting-height adjustment

Abstract

An underbelly mower has a cutting deck suspended beneath a frame by a height adjustment mechanism. The deck is adjusted between different cutting heights by extendable mechanical advantage device such as an electric screw and hydraulic ram operating in cooperation with the height adjustment mechanism. The mechanical advantage device also operably moves the deck between a cutting configuration and a maintenance configuration. A deck quick release and attachment mechanism, including hook members, operably allows a user to quickly and easily disconnect and reconnect a rear of deck to the frame when moving between cutting and maintenance configurations.

Claims

1. A mower comprising:

a) a frame;

b) a mowing deck;

c) a height adjustment mechanism operably allowing a user to vary the cutting height of the deck relative to the frame;

d) a mechanical advantage device operably joined with the height adjustment mechanism in a first operating mode so as to operably adjust between different cutting heights of the deck in a cutting configuration;

said mechanical advantage in a second operating mode cooperating between the frame and the deck to rotate the deck about a front end of the deck between the cutting configuration and a maintenance configuration.

2. The mower according to claim 1 wherein:

a) said mechanical advantage device is an electrically driven extendable screw.

3. The mower according to claim 1 wherein:

a) said mechanical advantage device is a hydraulic cylinder.

4. The mower according to claim 1 wherein:

a) said height adjustment mechanism includes a pair of front bell cranks and a pair of rear bell cranks pivotally secured to said frame;

at least one front bell crank and one rear bell crank being joined by a connecting member;

said connecting member including an abutment receiver for selectively receiving an abutment end of said mechanical advantage device so as to move said connecting member as the device extends and contracts so as to adjust the deck cutting height; and

b) a second receiver cooperating with said deck and selectively receiving said device abutment end to move said deck between said cutting and maintenance configurations when said device extends and contracts while said device abutment end is against said second receiver.

5. The mower according to claim 1 wherein:

a) said height adjustment mechanism includes a connecting member that operably controls cutting height; and

b) said mechanical advantage device is selectively joinable to said connecting member.

6. The mower according to claim 4 wherein:

a) said connecting member includes a pair of spaced plates joined at one end by said first receiver and said device being swingable between said plates to engage said second receiver and so as to be prevented from side to side movement by said plates.

7. The mower according to claim 4 wherein:

a) said second receiver is positioned on an abutment plate pivotally joined at a lower end to said deck and swivelably joined at an upper end to said frame.

8. The mower according to claim 1 wherein:

a) said frame is supported in the front by caster wheels that include a circular wheel mounted in a yoke with an outwardly extending rigid rod;

b) said frame including a forward mounted sleeve for each caster wheel;

c) each rod being longer than a respective sleeve and held therein by a cap joined to a respective rod;

d) each cap having a positioned recess and each sleeve having a positioned abutment such that when a caster wheel is on the ground, the respective cap extends above the respective sleeve abutment and the wheel is free to rotate in a respective sleeve;

but when the wheel is raised above the ground, a respective sleeve slides down along a respective rod and a respective cap recess engages a respective sleeve abutment so as to hold the wheel forward and out of binding engagement with the deck.

9. The mower according to claim 1 wherein:

a) said height adjustment mechanism includes a connecting member that operably coordinates height adjustment of the front and rear of the deck;

said mechanical advantage device having a first mode of operation wherein said device selectively cooperatively joins with said height adjustment mechanism to adjust cutting height; and

b) said mechanical advantage device having a second mode of operation wherein said device is selectively positioned to engage ground beneath the mower so as to move the deck between the maintenance and cutting configurations when extended and contracted.

10. The mower according to claim 1 wherein:

a) said height adjustment mechanism includes front and rear bell cranks joined by a connecting member and pivotally mounted on said frame;

said rear A bell crank having an outwardly extending engagement arm;

b) said mechanical advantage device including an extendable shaft with a stop located therealong and being pivotally joined near a bottom thereof to a rear of said deck;

said device being pivotally mounted on said frame;

said shaft having a first range of extension motion wherein said stop engages said engagement arm and adjust cutting height;

said shaft having a second range of extension motion wherein said stop disengages from said arm and said device moves said deck between said cutting and maintenance configuration thereof.

11. The mower in accordance with claim 1 including wherein:

a) said deck includes rear connections between a rear of said deck and said height adjustment mechanism such that said rear connections are disconnected prior to said deck being moved from the cutting configuration to the maintenance configuration thereof.

12. In a mower having a frame and a mowing deck suspended beneath the frame by a height adjustment mechanism;

the improvement comprising;

a) an extendable mechanical advantage device having a first mode of operation cooperating with the height adjustment mechanism to adjust cutting height and a second mode of operation wherein said device operably moves said deck between cutting and maintenance configurations of the deck by swinging one end of the deck relative to the frame.

13. A mower comprising:

a) a frame supported by ground engaging wheels and having a main section and a front section pivotally joined to the main section;

b) a pair of front laterally spaced bell cranks pivotally attached to the front section;

a pair of rear laterally spaced bell cranks pivotally attached to the frame main section and connected to each other and the front bell cranks so as to rotate together;

c) a connecting member joining at least one of said front bell cranks to at least one of said rear bell cranks;

said connecting member including at least one side plate joined to a rearward abutment receiver;

d) an abutment plate swivelably joined at an upper end to said frame and pivotally joined to said deck;

said abutment plate having a second abutment receiver therealong located beneath said connecting member;

e) said front and rear bell cranks each having arms opposite said connecting member attached to said deck by hangers;

f) a support structure mounted on and extending upward from said frame;

g) an extendable mechanical advantage device mounted at one end to said support structure and having a shaft with an abutment end at the opposite end;

said shaft being receivable between said plates;

said abutment end being selectively positionable in said first receiver in a first operating mode so as to adjust the cutting height of said deck upon extension and retraction and in said second receiver in a second operating mode so as to swing the deck relative to the frame at the front end of the deck between cutting and maintenance configurations thereof.

14. A method of operating a mower having a mowing deck suspended beneath a frame by a height adjustment mechanism including the steps of:

a) providing an extendable mechanical advantage device;

b) using said device in a first mode to adjust cutting height of said deck; and

c) using said device in a second mode to swing said deck about one end thereof relative to the frame between cutting and maintenance configurations thereof.