Lawn mower having independent drive wheel suspension
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A lawn mower, comprising:
- a chassis having a front end and a rear end;
a prime mover mounted on the chassis;
a cutter deck supported from the chassis;
front wheels attached to the front end of the chassis;
two drive wheel assemblies on opposing sides of the rear end of the chassis, each drive wheel assembly connected to the chassis by at least one link pivotable with respect to the chassis and the drive wheel assembly;
a spring associated with each drive wheel assembly and positioned to bias the drive wheel assemblies in a downward direction;
wherein the drive wheels and front wheels support the chassis for movement over a surface;
each drive wheel assembly comprising a drive wheel rotated by means of the prime mover; and
wherein each drive wheel assembly moves vertically up and down relative to the chassis, respectively against and with force exerted by the spring, independently of movement of the opposing drive wheel assembly.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A lawn mower has drive wheels which are independently spring-suspended from the chassis. In one embodiment two rear wheels are independently driven for directional control, two front wheels are mounted at opposing ends of a center pivoting front axle, and the cutter deck is suspended between the front and rear wheels. In another embodiment the front wheels are drive wheels, the rear wheels are steerable, and the cutter deck is cantilevered from the front of the chassis. Wheel assemblies are attached to the chassis by a suspension system comprised of upper and lower link assemblies and a coil spring, preferably one in which the link assemblies are parallel and of equal length.
99 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A lawn mower, comprising:
-
a chassis having a front end and a rear end;
a prime mover mounted on the chassis;
a cutter deck supported from the chassis;
front wheels attached to the front end of the chassis;
two drive wheel assemblies on opposing sides of the rear end of the chassis, each drive wheel assembly connected to the chassis by at least one link pivotable with respect to the chassis and the drive wheel assembly;
a spring associated with each drive wheel assembly and positioned to bias the drive wheel assemblies in a downward direction;
wherein the drive wheels and front wheels support the chassis for movement over a surface;
each drive wheel assembly comprising a drive wheel rotated by means of the prime mover; and
wherein each drive wheel assembly moves vertically up and down relative to the chassis, respectively against and with force exerted by the spring, independently of movement of the opposing drive wheel assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 8)
a transverse member attached to the front end of the chassis at a pivot point, the transverse member pivotable about a longitudinal centerline of the mower;
the front wheels mounted at opposing ends of the transverse member, wherein the transverse member is a subframe pivotably attached to the chassis at two spaced apart pivot points.
-
-
8. The lawn mower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring is adjustable to different pre-compressions.
-
5. A lawn mower, comprising:
-
a chassis having a front end and a rear end;
a prime mover mounted in the chassis;
a cutter deck supported from the chassis;
front wheels attached to the front end of the chassis;
two drive wheel assemblies on opposing sides of the rear end of the chassis, each drive wheel assembly connected to the chassis by an upper link and a lower link assembly vertically spaced apart therefrom;
each link assembly pivotably connected at an inner end to a pivot point on the chassis and pivotably connected at an outer end to a pivot point on the wheel assembly;
a spring coupled to each drive wheel assembly;
wherein the drive wheels and front wheels support the chassis for movement over a surface;
each drive wheel assembly comprising a drive wheel rotated by means of the prime mover; and
wherein each drive wheel assembly moves vertically up and down relative to the chassis, respectively against and with force exerted by the spring, independently of movement of the opposing drive wheel assembly. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
-
-
9. A lawn mower comprising;
-
a chassis having a front end, a rear end, and a longitudinal axis;
a subframe pivotably connected to the front end of the chassis for pivoting about the longitudinal axis and adapted to receive two front wheels;
a prime mover mounted on the chassis;
the two front wheels being attached to opposing sides of the subframe;
two drive wheel assemblies, one each on an opposing side of the rear end of the chassis and connected thereto by an upper link assembly and a lower link assembly, each link assembly comprising at least one link pivotably connected at an inner end to a pivot point on the, chassis and pivotably connected at an outer end to a pivot point on the wheel assembly, each drive wheel assembly comprising a wheel driven by the prime mover;
a cutter deck suspended beneath the chassis between the front and rear wheels by a deck hanger, the deck hanger holding the cutter deck beneath the chassis and limiting the downward movement of the deck to a predetermined distance while enabling the deck to move upwardly under the influence of an upward vertical force;
a spring pressing on each wheel assembly for urging the wheel assembly vertically down wherein each drive wheel assembly moves vertically up and down relative to the chassis, respectively against and with force exerted by the spring, independently of movement of the opposing wheel assembly. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
-
-
12. A lawn mower, comprising:
-
a chassis having a front end and a rear end;
a prime mover mounted on the chassis;
two drive wheel assemblies comprising drive wheels attached to the front end of the chassis on opposing sides thereof by respective springs, upper link assemblies, and lower link assemblies;
wherein each link assembly comprises at least one link pivotably connected to the chassis and to a respective wheel assembly;
wherein each drive wheel assembly moves vertically up and down relative to the chassis, respectively against and with force exerted by the spring, independently of movement of the opposing wheel assembly;
two steerable wheels attached to the rear end of the chassis on opposing sides thereof;
wherein the drive wheels and steerable wheels support the chassis for movement over a surface; and
a cutter deck cantilevered from the front end of the chassis. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
-
14. A lawn mower, comprising:
-
a chassis;
a prime mover mounted on the chassis;
a cutter deck supported from the chassis;
two pairs of wheels, one each attached to the chassis at opposing ends thereof;
wherein;
the wheels support the chassis for movement over a lawn surface, one of the pairs of wheels comprises drive wheels rotated by the prime mover; and
each of the one pair of drive wheels is attached to the chassis by upper and lower link assemblies pivotably connected to the chassis and the drive wheel; and
each drive wheel moves vertically up and down relative to the chassis, respectively against and with force transmitted to the wheel by a spring, independently of movement of the other wheel of the pair. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A lawn mower, comprising:
-
a chassis having a front end and a rear end;
a prime mover mounted on the chassis;
a cutter deck supported from the chassis;
front wheels attached to the front end of the chassis;
two drive wheel assemblies on opposing sides of the rear end of the chassis, each connected to the chassis by suspension means comprising a spring;
wherein the drive wheels and front wheels support the chassis for movement over a surface;
each drive wheel assembly comprising a drive wheel rotated by the prime mover; and
wherein each drive wheel assembly moves vertically up and down relative to the chassis, respectively against and with force exerted by the spring, independently of movement of the opposing drive wheel assembly; and
wherein a roll center of the lawn mower substantially coincides in elevation with a center of gravity of the lawn mower.
-
Specification