Mower with tilting mower deck
First Claim
1. A mower deck assembly for mounting on a drive unit outboard of the drive unit having a fore-and-aft axis along which it is adapted to be advanced comprising:
- a deck having a generally planar major body portion adapted to be generally parallel to the terrain to be mowed when in the mowing position;
a rotary mower blade mounted for rotation in planes parallel to the major body portion of said deck on the mowing side of the deck most proximate the terrain when in the mowing position;
a linkage for supporting the deck from the drive unit outboard of the drive unit;
a first pivotal connection between said linkage and the drive unit having a first pivot axi parallel to the terrain to be mowed;
a second pivotal connection between said linkage and said deck having a second pivot axis parallel to said first pivot axis;
means to raise said deck and said linkage while mounted on the drive unit whereby a radius from said second pivot axis perpendicular to the drive unit supporting terrain is at least the distance between said second pivot axis and a plane normal to the major body portion of said deck, parallel to sid second pivot axis, and passing through the portion of said deck assembly most proximate said drive unit when said deck is parallel to the terrain in supporting said drive unit;
means to rotate said deck, while mounted on said drive unit and raised, around said pivot axes through an arc to position said major body portion of said deck at or beyond a perpendicular to the terrain to a servicing position to expose said blade and the major body portion of said deck on the mowing side for servicing from above; and
means to maintain said deck in the servicing position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mower deck assembly which inverts to enable servicing of the mower blade and underside of the deck from above without removal of the assembly from the power unit. Deck support arms are pivotally connected to the power unit and deck and can be elevated to permit tilting of the deck beyond a perpendicular to the terrain. Terrain engaging deck support outboard of the deck pivot connections develop a gravity moment retaining the tilted position when they are engaged with terrain outboard of the pivot connections. Drive coupling is maintained by a continuous loop link between drive shafts coaxial with the pivot connections at the drive unit and at the deck.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A mower deck assembly for mounting on a drive unit outboard of the drive unit having a fore-and-aft axis along which it is adapted to be advanced comprising:
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a deck having a generally planar major body portion adapted to be generally parallel to the terrain to be mowed when in the mowing position; a rotary mower blade mounted for rotation in planes parallel to the major body portion of said deck on the mowing side of the deck most proximate the terrain when in the mowing position; a linkage for supporting the deck from the drive unit outboard of the drive unit; a first pivotal connection between said linkage and the drive unit having a first pivot axi parallel to the terrain to be mowed; a second pivotal connection between said linkage and said deck having a second pivot axis parallel to said first pivot axis; means to raise said deck and said linkage while mounted on the drive unit whereby a radius from said second pivot axis perpendicular to the drive unit supporting terrain is at least the distance between said second pivot axis and a plane normal to the major body portion of said deck, parallel to sid second pivot axis, and passing through the portion of said deck assembly most proximate said drive unit when said deck is parallel to the terrain in supporting said drive unit; means to rotate said deck, while mounted on said drive unit and raised, around said pivot axes through an arc to position said major body portion of said deck at or beyond a perpendicular to the terrain to a servicing position to expose said blade and the major body portion of said deck on the mowing side for servicing from above; and means to maintain said deck in the servicing position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A mower comprising:
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a drive unit; a mower deck supported outboard from said drive unit; a link between said drive unit and said deck; pivotal connections having pivot axes parallel to each other and parallel to the supporting terrain surface for said drive unit between said link and said drive unit and between said link and said deck; a mower blade rotatably mounted on said deck; a terrain engaging support for said mower deck secured to said deck between said pivotal connections to said deck and said drive unit while the general plane of said deck is parallel to the supporting terrain surface for said drive unit; said deck being arranged with respect to said drive unit for rotation about said pivotal connection to said deck from the position in which the general plane of said deck is parallel to the supporting terrain surface for said drive unit to a position in which said support for said deck engages the supporting terrain surface for said drive unit outboard of a vertical plane through said pivotal connection to said deck to expose said mower blade and underside of said deck for servicing from above from a position outboard of said drive unit and deck.
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16. A mower comprising:
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a drive unit; a mower deck supported ahead of said drive unit; a link between said drive unit and said deck; pivotal connections having pivot axes perpendicular to a plane defined by the axis along which the mower is advanced and perpendicular to the mower supporting terrain between said link and said drive unit and between said link and said deck; said pivotal connection to said deck being located on said deck to suspend the general plane of said deck generally parallel to the terrain; a mower blade mounted for rotation generally parallel to said deck on the underside of said deck; said link and said pivotal connections permitting the transfer of said deck between a mowing position adjacent the terrain and a position raised from said terrain; lift mechanism to transfer said deck between a mowing position adjacent the terrain and a position raised from said terrain while secured to said drive unit; said deck and said drive unit having clearance with respect to each other when said deck is raised to permit the rotation of said deck through an arc around said pivotal connection to said deck sufficient to expose said mower blade and underside of said deck for servicing from a position above and in front of said drive unit and deck. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification