Flip-up arrangement for a mower deck
First Claim
1. A mower comprising:
- a vehicle having a front and a rear;
a mower deck for selective attachment to the front of the vehicle, wherein the deck is selectively movable between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical storage/servicing position when attached to the vehicle; and
means for selectively permitting and prohibiting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position, said means including a mowing height adjustment lever, wherein movement of the deck from the use position toward the storage/servicing position is permitted when the mowing height adjustment lever is in a collapsed position,wherein movement of the deck from the use position toward the storage/servicing position is prevented when the mowing height adjustment lever is in an upright position and wherein movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position is permitted when the mowing height adjustment lever is in a collapsed position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mower deck is selectively coupled to the front of a propelling vehicle. The deck includes a mowing height adjustment assembly to permit the user to vary the cutting height of the mower deck. The deck is movable about a lift shaft from a generally horizontal use position to an upright storage/servicing position while the deck is coupled with the vehicle. A mowing height adjustment lever of the mowing height adjustment assembly not only provides the user with a way to adjust the cutting height but also cooperates with the remainder of the mowing height adjustment assembly to prevent movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position. Movement of the mowing height adjustment lever from an upright use position to a collapsed position permits the deck to be moved from the use position to the upright storage/servicing position. A latch plate and a catch cooperate to automatically lock the deck in the storage/servicing position when the deck is rotated thereto.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A mower comprising:
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a vehicle having a front and a rear; a mower deck for selective attachment to the front of the vehicle, wherein the deck is selectively movable between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical storage/servicing position when attached to the vehicle; and means for selectively permitting and prohibiting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position, said means including a mowing height adjustment lever, wherein movement of the deck from the use position toward the storage/servicing position is permitted when the mowing height adjustment lever is in a collapsed position, wherein movement of the deck from the use position toward the storage/servicing position is prevented when the mowing height adjustment lever is in an upright position and wherein movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position is permitted when the mowing height adjustment lever is in a collapsed position.
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2. A mower comprising:
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a vehicle having a front and a rear; a mower deck for selective attachment to the front of the vehicle, wherein the deck is selectively movable between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical storage/servicing position when attached to the vehicle; and means for selectively permitting and prohibiting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position, said means including a mowing height adjustment lever, wherein movement of the deck from the use position toward the storage/servicing position is permitted when the mowing height adjustment lever is in a collapsed position, wherein said means for selectively permitting and prohibiting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position further includes a first latching member, wherein the mowing height adjustment lever is movable between an upright use position and the collapsed position, wherein the first latching member cooperates with the mowing height adjustment lever when the mowing height adjustment lever is in the upright position to prevent movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A mower comprising:
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a vehicle having a front and a rear; a mower deck for selective attachment to the front of the vehicle, wherein the deck is selectively movable between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical storage/servicing position when attached to the vehicle; and means for selectively permitting and prohibiting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position, wherein said means permits switching between prohibiting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position to permitting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position in less than four steps.
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11. A mower comprising:
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a vehicle having a front and a rear; a mower deck for selective attachment to the front of the vehicle, wherein the deck is selectively movable between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical storage/servicing position when attached to the vehicle; and means for selectively permitting and prohibiting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position, said means permitting switching between prohibiting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position to permitting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position in one step. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A mower comprising:
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a vehicle having a front and a rear; a mower deck for selective attachment to the front of the vehicle, wherein the deck is selectively movable between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical storage/servicing position when attached to the vehicle; means for selectively permitting and prohibiting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position; and means for selectively permitting and prohibiting movement of the deck from the storage/servicing position to the use position, wherein the means for selectively permitting and prohibiting movement of the deck from the storage/servicing position to the use position automatically locks the deck in the storage/servicing position and selectively prohibits movement therefrom when the deck is raised from the use position to the storage/servicing position. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A mower comprising:
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a vehicle having a front and a rear; a mower deck for selective attachment to the front of the vehicle, wherein the deck is selectively movable between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical storage/servicing position when attached to the vehicle; and means for selectively permitting and prohibiting movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position, wherein the mower deck further includes a wheel for supporting the deck during use and a wheel height adjustment arm coupled with the wheel to permit a user to adjust a relationship between the wheel and the deck to thereby alter a cutting height of the mower, wherein the wheel height adjustment arm automatically alters in length as the deck is moved between the use position and the storage/servicing position. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A mower deck for selective attachment to a front of a mowing vehicle, the mower deck comprising:
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at least one blade for cutting vegetation; a housing containing the cutting blade, the housing having a front, a rear, a top and a bottom; a coupler positioned at the rear of the housing for selectively coupling the deck to the front of the vehicle; and a mowing height adjustment lever coupled with the housing for adjusting the cutting height of the deck, wherein the mowing height adjustment lever is movable between an upright position and a collapsed position, wherein the deck is selectively movable between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical storage/servicing position when attached to the vehicle via the coupler, wherein movement of the deck from the use position is prevented when the mowing height adjustment lever is in the upright position and wherein movement of the deck from the use position toward the storage/servicing position is permitted when the mowing height adjustment lever is in a collapsed position. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A mower having a front mount deck comprising:
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a vehicle; and a mower deck for selective coupling to a front of the vehicle, the deck having a mowing height adjustment lever, wherein the deck is movable between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical storage/servicing position while connected to the vehicle, wherein movement of the deck from the use position toward the storage/servicing position is prevented when the mowing height adjustment lever is in an upright position and wherein movement of the deck from the use position toward the storage/servicing position is permitted when the mowing height adjustment lever is in an collapsed position. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A method of moving a mower deck of a mowing vehicle between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical storage/servicing position, wherein the mower deck includes a mowing height adjustment lever, the method comprising:
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moving the mowing height adjustment lever from a generally upright use position to a rest position; and lifting on a forward portion of the deck, thereby moving the mower deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position; wherein moving the mowing height adjustment lever from a generally upright use position to a rest position is the only step necessary to permit movement of the deck from the use position to the storage/servicing position.
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Specification