Pivotably adjustable fill indicator

• US 6,272,818 B1
• Filed: 10/26/1998
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Sebben, Daniel Angelo, Lux, Melvin Orville, Zellmer, Timothy Paul, Gueller, Matthew Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PETRAVICK, MEREDITH C
• Application Number:
  US09/179,041
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 562/02, 561/94, 56/102.R, 56D/IG.15, 340/612, 340/686, 200/47, 200/61.2, 200/61.21, 116/303, 732/90.R
• US Class Current: 56/10.20R
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/63 having cutters rotating about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/0631 Control devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/205 for discrete levels

Abstract

A fill indicator for a clippings collection container of a mower having a lever pivotable in response to grass clippings piling up on top of the lever. The lever and the electrical switch that the lever engages are pivotable about an axis as a unit to adjust the sensitivity of the fill indicator.

Claims

1. A fill indicator mechanism on a mower vehicle having a mower deck within which grass is cut, a chute through which grass clippings are directed from the mower deck, and a container into which the clippings from the chute are directed, said fill indicator mechanism further comprising:

a lever member positionable within said container, said lever being pivotable downwardly in response to contact with grass clippings accumulating within said container,

a switch to which the lever member is operatively coupled, said switch being actuatable as the lever member pivots in response to contact with grass clippings within said container to thereby indicate to an operator that the container is approaching a filled condition, and

at least a portion of said lever member contacts clippings within the container said portion being downwardly curved and having a relatively thin wide portion which contacts clippings within the container proximate the outer end of the lever and a narrow portion which also contacts clippings within the container positioned between the wide portion and the axis of pivot of the lever, said wide and narrow portions being swingably adjustable by an operator to a plurality of positions to alter an amount of downward force from clippings required to pivot the lever member.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said at least one portion of the lever is swingably adjustable about a generally horizontal and laterally extending axis.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said lever and switch are operatively mounted to each other and pivot together as a unit as the at least one portion of the lever member is swingably adjusted by the operator.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said lever member is pivotally adjustable about a generally horizontal and laterally extending axis.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein said switch is engaged by an upper end portion of the lever member.

6. The invention of claim 1, wherein said lever curves downwardly from the axis of pivot of the lever to the outer end of the lever, and grass clippings accumulating in the container contact the outer surface of the curved lever for pivoting the lever to actuate the switch.

7. A fill indicator mechanism on a mower vehicle having a mower deck within which grass is cut into grass clippings, a chute through which grass clippings are directed from the mower deck, and a container into which the grass clippings from the chute are directed, said fill indicator mechanism further comprising:

a curved lever member positionable within said container, said lever being pivotable in response to contact with grass clippings accumulating within said container,

a switch to which the lever member is pivotably coupled, said switch being actuatable as the lever member pivots in response to contact with grass clippings within said container to thereby indicate to an operator that the container is approaching a filled condition, and

said switch and said lever member which contacts grass clippings in said container are swingably adjustable about a generally horizontally extending axis to a plurality of positions to alter an amount of downward force from clippings required to pivot the lever member,

at least a portion of said lever member contacts clippings within the container, said portion being downwardly curved and having a relatively thin wide portion which contacts clippings within the container proximate the outer end of the lever and a narrow portion which contacts clippings within the container positioned between the wide portion and the axis of pivot of the lever, said wide and narrow portions being swingably adjustable by an operator to a plurality of positions to alter an amount of downward force from clippings required to pivot the lever member.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said lever member includes a paddle shaped surface having a wide portion proximate the outer end of the lever and a narrow portion positioned between the wide portion and the axis of pivot of the lever.

9. The invention of claim 8, wherein said lever curves downwardly from the axis of pivot of the lever to the outer end of the lever, and grass clippings accumulating in the container contacts the outer surface of the curved lever for pivoting the lever to actuate the switch.

10. A mower, comprising:

a mower deck within which grass is cut,

a chute through which grass clippings are directed from the mower deck,

a container into which the clippings from the chute are directed,

a lever member positioned within said container, said lever being pivotable in response to contact with grass clippings accumulating within said container,

a switch to which the lever member is pivotably coupled, said switch being actuated as the lever member pivots to an angular position in response to contact with grass clippings within said container to thereby indicate to an operator that the container is approaching a filled condition, and

at least a portion of said lever member contacts clippings within the container for pivoting the lever and actuating the switch and is swingably adjustable about a generally horizontally extending axis by the operator to a plurality of positions to alter an amount of downward force from clippings required to pivot the lever member,

said lever and switch are operatively mounted to each other and pivot together as a unit as the at least one portion of the lever member is swingably adjusted by the operator,

wherein said lever includes a downwardly curved, relatively thin wide portion proximate the outer end of the lever which contacts clippings within the container and a progressively narrower downwardly curved portion positioned between the wide portion and the axis of pivot of the lever and which also contacts clippings within the container.

11. A mower, comprising:

a mower deck within which grass is cut into grass clippings,

a chute through which grass clippings are directed from the mower deck,

a container into which the grass clippings from the chute are directed,

a lever member positioned within said container, said lever being pivotable in response to contact with grass clippings within said container,

a switch to which the lever member is pivotably coupled, said switch being actuated as the lever member pivots to an angular position in response to contact with grass clippings within said container to thereby indicate to an operator that the container is approaching a filled condition, and

said lever member and switch are swingably adjustable about a generally horizontally extending axis to a plurality of positions to alter an amount of downward force from clippings required to pivot the lever member

said lever includes a downwardly curved paddle shaped surface having a wide thin portion which contacts clippings within the container proximate the outer end of the lever and a progressively narrower portion which contacts clippings within the container positioned between the wide portion and the axis of pivot of the lever,

wherein the wide portion of the lever member is contacted by grass clippings within the container and pivots downwardly in response to said contact with the grass clippings.