Power mower with hydraulic drive

• US 3,946,543 A
• Filed: 12/21/1972
• Issued: 03/30/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William E. Templeton
• Original Assignee: William E. Templeton
• Inventors: Templeton, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Louis G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eskovitz, J. N.
• Application Number:
  US05/317,103
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 56/10.6, 56/10.9, 56/11.9, 56/14.3, 56/14.4, 56/16.6, 56/16.9, 56/17.3, 56/17.5, 56/17.6, 56/158, 56/193, 56/317, 56/344, 56/364, 56/370 , 56/372, 56/400.02, 56/DIG. 12, 15/79
• US Class Current: 56/10.9
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 42/02 Raking

Abstract

A method and apparatus for positioning and cutting grasses. In one embodiment, a power mower is provided with a rotating rake structure positioned forwardly of the cutter to prevent foreign objects from being admitted to the region of operation of the cutter. The rake structure also serves to lift, straighten and align grasses for shearing. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, a power mower is provided with forward and rearward rake structures to pick up grass blades, pull out matted weeds such as crabgrass, position the upstanding grass blades in a reciprocating cutter, and sweep grass clippings away from the cutter and into a grass catcher. A hydraulic drive system varys the drive speed by controlling fluid flow rate to a hydraulic drive motor.

Claims

1. In a mower of the type having a frame structure supported on ground engaging wheels for movement along a forward path of motion over a ground surface, and a cutter carried by the frame structure for movement relative thereto to shear grasses as the mower is moved along the path, the wheels being rotatable about axes which extend generally parallel to the ground surface over which the mower is operated, the wheels being rotatable in a given direction of rotation when the mower moves forwardly along said path, the improvement comprising:

a. rake means including a first rotatable rake structure carried by the frame structure at a position forwardly of the cutter and being rotatable in a direction opposite such given direction about an axis generally parallel to the ground surface over which the mower is operated for combing grasses encountered ahead of the cutter, for leaning such grasses in a direction facing away from the cutter to lift, straighten and align the grasses, and for removing foreign objects from these grasses during combing;

b. said rake structure having a plurality of teeth operable to engage grasses encountered along the path ahead of the cutter; and

c. drive means coupled in driving relationship to said rake structure for rotating said rake strcture in a direction opposite such given direction to comb grasses encountered ahead of the cutter and lean these grasses forwardly in a direction facing away from the cutter to lift, straighten and align the grasses, such combing action being operative to remove foreign objects from these grasses during combing.

2. The mower of claim 1 wherein said first rake structure is generally cylindrical in shape and comprises a plurality of spaced, relatively rigid spring mounted teeth operative to engage, lift, and deflect foreign objects forwardly of the mower.

3. In a mower of the type having a frame structure supported on ground engaging wheels for movement along a forward path of motion over a ground surface, and a reciprocating cutter carried by the frame structure for movement relative thereto to shear grasses as the mower is moved along the path the improvement comprising:

a. a first rotatable rake structure carried by the frame structure at a position forwardly of the cutter and being rotatable about an axis generally parallel to the ground surface over which the mower is operated;

b. said rake structure having a plurality of teeth operable to engage grasses encountered along the path ahead of the cutter;

c. drive means coupled in driving relationship to said rake structure to rotate said rake structure to lift, straighten and align grasses encountered ahead of the cutter;

d. a second rake structure carried by said frame structure at a position to the rear of said first rake structure and over said cutter, said second rake structure being rotatable relative to said frame structure about an axis of rotation substantially paralleling the axis of rotation of said first rake structure; and

e. said drive means coupled in driving relationship to said second rake structure to rotate said second rake structure to position grasses which have been combed by said first rake structure in an erect attitude in said cutter.

4. The mower of claim 3 wherein said second rake structure comprises a generally cylindrical brush having a plurality of relatively closely spaced radially extending bristles.

5. A power lawn mower comprising:

a. a frame structure supported on at least a pair of ground engaging rotatably mounted wheels for movement along a forward path of travel, the wheels being rotatable about axes which extend generally parallel to the ground surface over which the mower is operated, the wheels being rotatable in a given direction of rotation when the mower moves forwardly along said path;

b. a cutter bar assembly carried by said frame structure and including a cutter mounted for reciprocation in directions generally parallel to the ground surface and generally perpendicular to the forward path of travel;

c. rake means including a generally cylindrical rake structure rotatably carried by said frame structure at a position forward of said cutter for rotation in a direction opposite such given direction about an axis generally parallel to the directions of reciprocation of said cutter for combing grasses in a direction away from said cutter to straighten and align such grasses for shearing and for removing foreign objects from such grasses during combing; and

,

d. drive means connected to said cutter and said rake structure for reciprocating said cutter and for rotating said rake structure in a direction opposite such given direction to comb grasses in a direction away from said cutter to straighten and align the grasses for shearing and to remove foreign objects from the grasses during combing.

6. A power lawn mower comprising:

a. a frame structure supported on at least a pair of ground engaging rotatably mounted wheels for movement along a forward path of travel;

b. a cutter bar assembly carried by said frame structure and including a cutter mounted for reciprocation in directions generally parallel to the ground surface and generally perpendicular to the forward path of travel;

c. a generally cylindrical rake structure rotatably carried by said frame structure at a position forward of said cutter for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the direction for reciprocation of said cutter;

d. drive means connected to said cutter and said rake structure to reciprocate said cutter and rotate said rake structure to comb grasses and foreign objects in directions away from said cutter;

e. a generally cylindrical brush rotatably carried by said frame structure at a position to the rear of said rake structure and above said cutter for rotation about an axis paralleling the directions of reciprocation of said cutter; and

f. said drive means also being connected to said brush to rotate said brush in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said rake structure to position the combed grasses in said cutter.

7. The power lawn mower of claim 6 additionally including a grass catcher positioned rearwardly of said cutter such that said brush serves to propel grass clippings from the region of said cutter and into said grass catcher.

8. A power lawn mower comprising:

a. a frame structure supported on at least a pair of ground engaging rotatably mounted wheels for movement along a forward path of travel;

b. cutter means carried by said frame structure and including a cutter mounted for movement relative to said frame structure for shearing grasses;

c. a rake structure comprising a plurality of spaced generally rigid teeth, said rake structure being rotatably mounted on said frame structure at a position forward of said cutter means for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the ground surface and generally perpendicular to the forward path of travel of the mower;

d. drive means connected to said cutter means and to said rake structure to move said cutter means to effect a shearing action and to rotate said rake structure whereby said rake structure serves to lift and align grasses encountered ahead of said cutter;

e. said cutter means comprising a reciprocating cutter; and

,

f. a generally cylindrical brush rotatably carried by said frame structure at a position to the rear of said rake structure and above said reciprocating cutter for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the axis or rotation of said rake structure, said drive means additionally serving to rotate said brush, whereby said brush serves to position the upstanding grass blades which have been combed and straightened by said rake structure in a substantially erect attitude in said cutter.

9. The power lawn mower of claim 8 wherein said drive means serves to rotate said rake structure in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the ground engaging wheels during forward movement of the mower, and to rotate said brush in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said rake structure.

10. A mower comprising:

a. a frame structure;

b. a pair of rotatable rake means carried by said frame structure for rotation relative thereto about spaced parallel axes, said axes being generally parallel to a ground surface over which the mower is to operate and being generally perpendicular to a path of forward movement of the mower, one of said rake means being positioned forwardly of the other rake means to engage grasses growing on said ground surface prior to said other rake means;

c. a cutter bar assembly carried by said frame structure and including a cutter mounted for reciprocation in directions parallel to said axes;

d. drive means connecting with said pair of rake means and said cutter to rotate said rake means and to reciprocate said cutter;

e. said cutter being positioned to receive and shear grasses as they are combed rearwardly by said other rake means whereby said one rake means serves to lift and straighten grasses to be sheared, and said other rake means serves to position said grasses within the path of reciprocation of said cutter;

f. said drive means being operable to rotate said one rake means in a direction which will comb grasses to pick up the grass blades and lean them in a direction away from the direction of forward movement of the mower, and to rotate said other rake means in the opposite direction to deflect the forward leaning grasses rearwardly into the cutter.

11. The mower of claim 10 wherein said one rake means comprises a generally cylindrical rake structure having relatively widely spaced teeth, and said other rake means comprises a generally cylindrical brush having a plurality of relatively closely spaced radially extending bristles.

12. The mower of claim 11 wherein said frame structure comprises a frame supported on a plurality of rotatably mounted ground engaging wheels, and said drive means connects with at least two of said wheels to drive the mower.

13. The mower of claim 12 wherein said drive means comprises a source of rotary motion, a hydraulic pump coupled to said source, a hydraulic motor, means hydraulically coupling said pump to said motor to rotate said motor in response to rotation of said pump, and means coupling said hydraulic motor to said pair of rake means, to said pair of wheels, and to said cutter.

14. The mower of claim 13 wherein said means hydraulically coupling said pump to said motor comprises a bypass valve means adapted to regulate the flow rate of hydraulic fluid to said motor.

15. A lawn mower comprising:

a. a frame structure supported on at least a pair of ground engaging rotatably mounted wheels for movement along a forward path of travel over the ground;

b. a pair of rotatable rake means carried by said frame structure for rotation relative thereto about spaced parallel axes, said axes being generally parallel to a ground surface over which the mower is to operate and being generally perpendicular to a path of forward movement of the mower, one of said rake means being positioned forwardly of the other rake means to engage grasses growing on said ground surface prior to said other rake means;

c. a cutter bar assembly carried by said frame structure and including a cutter mounted for reciprocation in directions parallel to said axes;

d. drive means connecting with said pair of rake means and said cutter to rotate said rake means and to reciprocate said cutter;

e. said cutter being positioned generally beneath said other rake means to receive and shear grasses as they are combed rearwardly by said other rake means;

f. said one rake means comprising a generally cylindrical rake structure having a plurality of relatively widely spaced teeth which serve to lift and straighten the grasses to be sheared;

g. said other rake means comprising a generally cylndrical brush having a plurality of relatively closely spaced radially extending bristles which serve to position grasses within the path of reciprocation of said cutter;

h. said drive means being operable to rotate said one rake means in a direction which will comb grasses away from said cutter bar to pick up and straighten the grass blades and lean them in a direction away from the direction of forward movement of the mower, and to rotate said other rake means in the opposite direction to deflect the forward leaning grasses rearwardly into the cutter.

16. A method of positioning and cutting grasses, with a mower including a frame supporting a reciprocating cutter on ground engaging wheels for movement in a forward direction over a ground surface, comprising the steps of:

a. raking the grass blades with a first rotatable rake structure carried by the mower frame to lift and straighten the grasses to be sheared;

b. raking the grasses which have been straightened by the first rake structure into the reciprocating cutter with a second rotatable rake structure carried by the mower frame to position grasses in an upright attitude within the path of reciprocation of the cutter;

c. said step of raking the grass blades with a first rake structure being carried out by rotating said first rake structure in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the ground engaging wheels during forward movement of the mower, whereby said first rake structure additionally serves to prevent the entry of foreign objects into the region of operation of the cutter.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first rake structure is provided with generally rigid teeth which additionally serve to pick up and pull out matted grass growths as the mower advances.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the second rake structure comprises a generally cylindrical brush having a plurality of closely spaced generally flexible bristles which additionally serve to sweep grass clippings away from the region of the cutter and into a grass catcher as the mower advances.