Riding mower with swingout center mower head

• US 5,553,445 A
• Filed: 10/10/1995
• Issued: 09/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Ransomes America Corporation (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Merchant, David E., Lamb, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David J.
• Application Number:
  US08/541,922
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: 56/7, 56/15.9, 56/16.3
• US Class Current: 56/7
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/44 with two or more cutters
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/58 electric
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 75/30 Arrangements for trailing two or more mowers

Abstract

A gang mower, with a frame supported upon plurality of ground engaging wheels, a prime mover, and a plurality of reel-type lawn mowers. At least one of the reel-type mowers is secured to an arm member which is secured to and pivots about frame so that the reel-type mower may be moved from an operating position beneath the frame to a service position adjacent to the frame. An electric motor provides the driving torque for moving the mower over surfaces to be mowed. Individual electric motors provide driving torque for each of the reel lawn mowers. Further, electrically driven lift mechanisms move the reel-type lawn mowers between a lowered operating position in which the reel lawn mowers engage the turf being mowed and a raised non-operating or transport position. The pivot support includes a king pin secured to the frame. The king pin enables movement of a swing member. An arm secured to the swing member may be releasably secured in an operating position by a latch to the frame. The reel mower is secured to the reel arm member to enable movement thereof between any operating and service position.

Claims

1. A gang mower comprising:

a frame member supported upon a plurality of ground engaging wheels;

a prime mover adapted to provide driving torque to at least one of the ground engaging wheels; and

a plurality of reel-type lawn mowers supported from the frame, at least one of the reel type lawn mowers being secured to an arm member having first and second ends, the first end being secured to the reel-type mower, and the send end being pivotally secured to the frame member such that the one reel type lawn mower may be moved from an operative position below the frame member to a service position adjacent the frame member.

2. The gang mower of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of lift mechanisms, each lift mechanism having an electrical motor and each lift mechanism being associated with one of the reel-type mowers for moving the one reel-type mower between a raised non-operative position and a lowered operative position in which the reel-type lawn mower engages the ground and is ready to cut grass on a lawn therebelow.

3. The gang mower of claim 1 further comprising a second one of the plurality of reel-type lawn mowers supported from the frame and being secured to a second arm member having first and second ends, the first end being secured to the second reel-type mower, and the second end being pivotally secured to the frame member to enable movement of the second one of the plurality of reel-type lawn mower from an operative position below the frame member to a service position adjacent the frame member, the second mower being moveable on a side of the frame opposite the first one of the plurality.

4. A pivoting support for a mowing unit of a gang type mower comprising:

a king pin secured to a frame portion of the gang type mower;

a swivel member journally supported for movement about the king pin;

an arm member having first and second ends, the second end being secured to the swivel member;

a latch member for releasably securing the arm member in an operative position to the frame portion of the gang type lawn mower; and

mounting means for securing a mowing unit to the first end of the arm member, whereby the mowing unit may be pivoted about an axis defined by the king pin from the operative position to a service position.

5. The pivoting support of claim 4 wherein the mounting means further allows for rotation of the mowing unit about the first end of arm member.

6. An electrically-powered riding gang mower, comprising:

a generally open frame supported upon at least three ground engaging wheels, with at least two of the wheels being located toward a forward portion of the frame and a third ground engaging wheel being located toward a rearward portion of the frame;

a plurality of reel-type lawn mowers supported from the frame, with at least one of the plurality of reel-type lawn mowers being disposed beneath the frame and between the forward and rearward ground engaging wheels, the one mower being secured to an arm member having first and second ends, the first end being secured to the reel-type mower, and the second end being pivotally secured to the frame to enable movement of the one mower from an operative position beneath the frame to a service position generally adjacent to the frame; and

a prime mover adapted to provide driving torque to at least one of the ground engaging wheels.

7. A gang mower comprising:

a frame supported on a plurality of ground engaging wheels;

a plurality of reel-type lawn mowers, each supported from the frame and driven by an electric reel motor, at least one of the reel-type lawn mowers secured to the frame by an arm member having first and second ends, the first end being secured to the reel-type mower, and the second end being pivotally secured to the frame to enable movement of the one reel-type lawn mower from an operative position beneath the frame to a service position generally adjacent to the frame;

at least one electric drive motor to provide driving torque to at least one of the ground engaging wheels;

a plurality of electrically-powered lift mechanisms, each one having an electrical motor and each one being associated with a reel-type mower for moving the reel-type mower between a raised nono-perative position and a lowered operative position in which the reel-type mower engages the ground and is ready to cut grass on a lawn therebelow; and

a battery power source for supplying electrical energy to each of the electric reel motors, the electric drive motor, and the electric lift motors, with the battery power source supplying at least a first control voltage and second control voltage higher than the first control voltage.