Mower suspension system and method

• US 7,107,746 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ferris Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ferris Corporation
• Inventors: Decker, William, Crossway, Brian, Marshall, Frank, Melone, Mark J., Marshall, James
• Primary Examiner(s): FABIAN-KOVACS, ARPAD
• Application Number:
  US10/903,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20050144923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 56/147, 56/158, 280/154, 280/124.179, 280/124.113, 280/781, 280/124.112, 280/124.106, 280/797, 280/104, 180/6.48, 180/311, 180/312
• US Class Current: 56/15.8
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/64 mounted on a vehicle, e.g. a tractor, or drawn by an animal or a vehicle A01D34/695 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/661 Mounting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0005 characterised by mounting method
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0021 in the form of a mounting pin
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0039 Single wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0049 the rolling axle being horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0057 the rolling axle being offset from swivel axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0068 the swivel axis being vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0073 the swivel axis being symmetrical to wheel or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/16 characterised by means specially adapted for attaching the spring to axle or sprung part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/144 with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/124 Mounting of coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/148 on the unsprung part of the vehicle, e.g. wheel knuckle or rigid axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4232 Sliding mounts
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/50 Constructional features of wheel supports or knuckles, e.g. steering knuckles, spindle attachments
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/084 Ridable lawn mowers
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/01 the wheel being mounted for sliding movement, e.g. in or on a vertical guide camber maintaining means B60G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/18 with two or more pivoted arms, e.g. parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49904 : Assembling a subassembly, then assembling with a second subassembly

Abstract

A mower including a frame having a front portion, a rear portion, and at least one central longitudinal beam. The at least one beam is parallel with a longitudinal axis passing from the front portion to the rear portion of the frame. First and second wheels are positioned on opposite sides of the front portion of the frame and are spaced to define a track width of the mower, with the track width being a distance between a center portion of each of the first and second wheels. The first and second wheels pivot about a first longitudinal pivot axis and a second longitudinal pivot axis, respectively. The first and second longitudinal pivot axes are laterally spaced from the longitudinal axis between about 0% and about 20% of the track width.

Claims

1. A mower, comprising:

a frame including

a front portion;

a rear portion; and

at least one central longitudinal beam at least partially forming the front portion of the frame, the beam being substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis passing from the front portion to the rear portion of the frame; and

first and second wheels positioned on opposite sides of the front portion of the frame and spaced to define a track width of the mower, the track width being a distance between a center portion of each of the first and second wheels, the first and second wheels being pivotably coupled to the at least one central longitudinal beam about a first longitudinal pivot axis and a second longitudinal pivot axis, respectively, for upward and downward movement independent of each other, the first and second longitudinal pivot axes being laterally spaced from the longitudinal axis between about 0% and about 20% of the track width.

2. The mower of claim 1, further comprising:

a first suspension arm pivotably coupling the first wheel to the at least one central longitudinal beam; and

a second suspension arm pivotably coupling the second wheel to the at least one central longitudinal beam.

3. The mower of claim 2, wherein each of the first and second suspension arms include first and second transverse portions disposed respectively at opposite ends of the suspension arm, and a longitudinal portion coupling the first and second transverse portions.

4. The mower of claim 3, wherein the first and second transverse portions of the suspension arms are pivotably coupled to the at least one central longitudinal beam.

5. The mower of claim 1, further comprising:

a first spring positioned to bias the first wheel in a downward direction; and

a second spring positioned to bias the second wheel in a downward direction.

6. The mower of claim 1, further comprising a cutter deck coupled to the frame.

7. The mower of claim 6, wherein the cutter deck is coupled to the first and second wheels for upward and downward movement with the first and second wheels.

8. The mower of claim 1, further comprising:

two drive wheels on substantially opposite sides of the rear portion of the frame, each drive wheel coupled to the frame by

a first link pivotably coupled at one end to the front portion of the frame and at an opposite end to the drive wheel; and

a second link pivotably coupled at one end to the rear portion of the frame and at an opposite end to the drive wheel; and

at least one spring positioned to bias the drive wheels in a downward direction, each of the drive wheels movable upward and downward relative to the frame.

9. The mower of claim 8, wherein each of the first wheel and the second wheel is longitudinally spaced from the two drive wheels to define a wheelbase length of the mower, and wherein the first link is pivotably coupled to the front portion of the frame at a location longitudinally spaced from the drive wheels between about 50% and about 90% of the wheelbase length.

10. A method of assembling a mower, the method including:

providing a frame having a front end, a rear end, and opposite sides, the frame defining a longitudinal axis from the front end to the rear end;

providing toward the front end of the frame at least one central longitudinal beam substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis;

positioning a first wheel and a second wheel on opposite sides of the frame, respectively, toward the front end of the frame to define a track width between the first and second wheels, the track width being a distance between a center portion of each of the first and second wheels; and

pivotably coupling the first and second wheels to the at least one central longitudinal beam about a first longitudinal pivot axis and a second longitudinal pivot axis, respectively, for upward and downward movement independent of each other, the first and second longitudinal pivot axes being laterally spaced from the longitudinal axis between about 0% and about 20% of the track width.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein pivotably coupling the first and second wheels includes pivotably coupling first and second suspension arms, respectively, to the at least one central longitudinal beam.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising biasing the first and second wheels in a downward direction by first and second springs, respectively.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

positioning a cutter deck beneath the frame; and

coupling the cutter deck to the first and second wheels, the cutter deck movable upward and downward responsive to upward and downward movement of the first and second wheels relative to the frame.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

positioning a third wheel and a fourth wheel on opposite sides of the frame, respectively, toward the rear end of the frame;

pivotably coupling each of the third and fourth wheels to a portion of the frame disposed closer to the front end of the frame than the rear end with a first link; and

pivotably coupling each of the third and fourth wheels to a portion of the frame disposed closer to the rear end of the frame than the front end with a second link.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second wheels are longitudinally spaced from the third and fourth wheels to define a wheelbase length, wherein pivotably coupling the first link includes pivotably coupling the first link to a portion of the frame toward the front end and longitudinally spaced from the third and fourth wheels between about 50% and about 90% of the wheelbase length.