Claims
- 1. A self-propelled mower comprising:
a) a tractor adapted to traverse ground; said tractor having a frame and at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel mounted on said frame with said frame extending between said front and rear wheels; b) a mower assembly independent of said front and rear wheels and having a mower housing underbelly mounted relative to said frame such that from front to rear said mower assembly is mainly located between and is independent of said front and rear wheels during operation; and c) a mounting assembly connecting said housing to said frame; said mounting assembly including a forward pivot and a rearward hanger that connects a rear of said housing to said frame; said rearward hanger allowing said mower housing to move vertically to adjust cutting height of said mower housing while securing said housing in a mowing configuration during normal mowing operation; said rear hanger being selectively manipulative to enable a rear of said housing to swing on said forward pivot downward and forward compared to a front of said housing so as to be moveable from said mowing configuration to a generally upright access configuration wherein an underside of said housing is available to a user, subsequent to said rear hanger being manipulated.
- 2. The mower according to claim 1 wherein:
a) said front wheel is a first front wheel and including a second front wheel; and including b) a cross member connected near opposite ends thereof to said first and second front wheels; said cross member being centrally pivotally connected to said frame so as to allow side to side pivoting of said front wheels about an axis extending from front to rear of the mower; said cross member being sized and positioned to allow said housing to move to the access configuration thereof.
- 3. In a self-propelled mower having an underbelly mower housing wherein the mower housing is located mainly between main front and rear wheels of said mower, said main front and rear wheels being joined by a frame and being independent from said mower housing, the improvement comprising:
a) a housing mounting assembly mounted so as to extend beneath said frame and support said mower housing; said mounting assembly having at least one rearward disconnectible hanger and at least one forward pivot; said rear hanger being attached during normal mowing so as to secure said mower housing in a mowing configuration wherein said mower housing is aligned in a horizontal attitude and said rear hanger is manipulative so as to enable a rear end of said housing to swing on said forward pivot downward and forward compared to a front of said housing from the mowing configuration to an access configuration thereof wherein said mower housing is aligned in a generally upright attitude wherein an underside of said housing is available to a user, when the front of said housing is raised.
- 4. The mower according to claim 3 including:
a) said mounting assembly includes a height adjustment mechanism that allows free vertical movement of the mower housing under control of said height adjustment mechanism with said rear hanger being connected to said height adjustment mechanism.
- 5. A self-propelled mower comprising:
a) a tractor adapted to traverse ground; said tractor having a frame and at least one front wheel and one rear wheel mounted on said frame; b) a mower assembly having a mower housing independent of said front and rear wheels with at least one blade that rotates in a generally horizontal plane during usage; said housing being underbelly mounted relative to said frame such that from front to rear said mower assembly is mainly located between said front and rear wheels during operation; and c) a mounting assembly connecting said housing to said frame; said mounting assembly including a forward pivot connection between said housing and said frame and a rearward connection that connects a rear of said housing to said frame; said rearward connection including a power extendable drive located between said frame and said mower housing; said extendable drive being selectively activated to urge said mower housing rear away from said frame such that said rear of said mower housing swings downward and forward compared to a front of said housing and such that said blade is in a generally vertical plane so as to be moveable from a mowing configuration to an access configuration, when said drive is extended.
- 6. The mower according to claim 5 wherein:
a) said mounting assembly includes a mower height adjustment mechanism that operably allows a user to select the cutting height of said mower housing by moving said mower housing in a vertical plane relative to said frame.
- 7. The mower according to claim 5 wherein:
a) said drive is an electrically operated screw.
- 8. The mower according to claim 5 wherein:
a) said drive is a hydraulically operated cylinder with an extendable shaft.
- 9. In a self-propelled mower having an underbelly mower housing with a blade that rotates in a generally horizontal plane wherein the mower housing is located mainly between and is independent of main front and rear wheels of said mower, said main front and rear wheels being joined by a frame, the improvement comprising:
a) a housing mounting assembly mounted so as to extend beneath said frame and pivotally securing said housing to said frame near a forward end thereof and securing a rearward end of said housing to said frame so as to enable the rear end of said housing to swing downward and forward compared to a front of said housing when the rear end is manipulated to allow movement from a mowing configuration to an access configuration thereof wherein said blade is in a non-horizontal plane, when the front of said housing is raised; and b) a linear drive mechanism secured near opposite ends thereof to a rear of said housing and to said frame; said drive mechanism operably allowing a user to reversibly urge said housing rear downward and forward relative to the connection of said drive mechanism with said frame.
- 10. A mower according to claim 9 wherein:
a) said drive mechanism is an electrically operated extendable screw.
- 11. A mower according to claim 9 wherein:
a) said drive mechanism is a hydraulic cylinder with an extendable shaft.
- 12. A self propelled mower including:
a) a frame mounted on front and rear ground traversing wheels; b) an underbelly mower housing located substantially between and being independent of said front and rear wheel and operably positioned during mowing beneath said frame; c) a mounting assembly mounting said mower housing on said frame; and d) a mechanized drive connected to said frame and to near a rear of said mower housing to operably rotate said mower housing between a mowing configuration and a raised accessible configuration thereof.
- 13. The mower according to claim 12 wherein:
a) said frame includes a frontward portion and a rearward portion with at least part of said mower housing being supported by said frame frontward portion; b) said frame frontward portion being joined to said frame rearward portion at a pivot allowing a front of said frontward portion to be pivoted upwardly so as to raise said mower housing to the accessible configuration thereof.
- 14. The mower according to claim 12 wherein:
a) said mechanized drive is an electrically driven extendable screw.
- 15. The mower according to claim 12 wherein:
a) said mechanized drive is a hydraulic driven hydraulic cylinder having an extendable shaft.
- 16. The mower according to claim 12 wherein:
a) said mechanized drive is a manually operated screw.
- 17. The mower according to claim 12 wherein:
a) said mower is operably driven by a drive belt by a motor of said mower; b) said frame being medially selectively pivotal between a front portion and a rear portion thereof; c) a tensioning and retention rod secured to said frame and positioned so as to engage said drive belt when said mower housing is moved from said mowing configuration to said accessible configuration so as to retain said belt on said mower during conversion between configurations.
- 18. The mower according to claim 12 including:
a) a pusher attached to said frame; b) said pusher being positioned behind said mower housing; said pusher abutting said mower housing during use so as to urge the mower housing forward with said frame during use; and c) said pusher allowing said mower housing to move freely vertically.
- 19. The mower according to claim 12 wherein:
a) said mounting assembly includes a height control mechanism for operably adjusting the height of said mower housing relative to said frame.
- 20. A self propelled mower including:
a) a frame mounted on front and rear ground traversing wheels; b) an underbelly mower housing operably positioned during mowing on an underside of said frame; c) a mounting assembly mounting said mower housing on said frame; and d) a mechanized drive connected to said frame and to near a rear of said mower housing to operably rotate said mower housing between a mowing configuration and a raised accessible configuration; said drive being an electrically operated screw.
- 21. A self propelled mower including:
a) a frame mounted on front and rear ground traversing wheels; b) an underbelly mower housing operably positioned during mowing on an underside of said frame; c) a mounting assembly mounting said mower housing on said frame; and d) a mechanized drive connected to said frame and to near a rear of said mower housing to operably rotate said mower housing between a mowing configuration and a raised accessible configuration; said drive being a hydraulic cylinder with an extendable shaft.
- 22. A self propelled mower including:
a) a frame mounted on front and rear ground traversing wheels; b) an underbelly mower housing located substantially between and being independent of said front and rear wheel and operably positioned during mowing beneath said frame; c) a mounting assembly mounting said mower housing on said frame; d) said frame includes a frontward portion and a rearward portion with at least part of said mower housing being supported by said frame frontward portion; and e) said frame frontward portion being joined to said frame rearward portion at a pivot located between said front and rear wheels and allowing a front of said frontward portion to be pivoted so as to raise said mower housing from a mowing configuration to a blade accessible configuration thereof.
- 23. The mower according to claim 22 including:
a) an over center spring type mechanism joined at opposite ends to said frame frontward and rearward portions; and b) said spring type device applying continuous tension and being sized and positioned such that said spring type mechanism is located above said pivot when in said accessible configuration and below said pivot when in said mowing configuration so as to urge the mower housing into the respective configuration thereof at least partly during movement between configurations.
- 24. The mower according to claim 22 including:
a) A mechanized drive connected to said frame and to near a rear of said mower housing to operably rotate said mower housing between the mowing configuration and the accessible configuration thereof.
- 25. A self propelled mower including:
a) a frame mounted on front and rear ground traversing wheels; b) an underbelly mower housing operably positioned during mowing on an underside of said frame; c) a mounting assembly mounting said mower housing on said frame; and d) a pusher mounted on said frame; said pusher operably engaging said mower housing and urging said mower housing forward form behind as said frame moves forward; said pusher abutting said mower housing during usage but not being connected to said mower housing so as to allow free vertical movement of the mower housing for cutting height adjustment when in a mowing configuration thereof.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The following application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/192,025, filed Nov. 13, 1998 and entitled RAISEABLE MOWER DECK, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,919.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09192025 |
Nov 1998 |
US |
Child |
10223391 |
Aug 2002 |
US |