Patent Application
20190059214
This invention relates to grass mowing machines, and specifically to stand on mowers with multiple cutting units for mowing golf courses and ball fields.
Triplex greensmowers with three cutting reels, and fairway mowers with five cutting reels, provide a high quality cut at a specified grass length on golf course greens, ball fields and other areas where a high quality cut is needed. Triplex greensmowers and fairway mowers typically weigh more than about 1000 pounds and have a length of 100 inches or more. There is a need for a mower with multiple cutting reels that is lighter, smaller, less costly and more maneuverable than conventional triplex greensmowers and fairway mowers.
Trim mowers used for mowing golf course rough, trim and surrounds may have three cutting units with cutting reels or rotary blades. Trim mowers may include mechanisms for shifting one or more cutting units closer to sensitive areas around hazards, so the weight of the mower does not compact the soil or damage the turf. There is a need for a trim mower that can mow a variety of different areas including sensitive areas around hazards without shifting any of the cutting units.
Riding mowers with a stand on operator station have been used for commercial mowing applications where an operator can easily step off the mower. These stand on mowers have a mowing deck with multiple cutting blades positioned in front of the operator station, but do not provide a high quality cut that is required for golf courses and ball fields. There is a need for a stand on mower that can produce a high quality cut, and that allows an operator to easily step off the mower to take care of items such as tee markers, bunker rakes, tools, branches, or debris.
A stand on mower with multiple cutting units including a front cutting unit behind a pair of front wheels, and left and right rear cutting units positioned behind the front cutting unit and forwardly of a pair of rear drive wheels. A stand on operator platform is provided between the rear drive wheels, with an internal combustion engine in front of the stand on operator platform.
In one embodiment shown in
In one embodiment, stand on mower 100 may have a lift/lower mechanism 118, 120, 122 for each of the multiple cutting units. Each lift/lower mechanism may be operated with controls 124 located in standing operator station 126 for moving each cutting unit between a lowered or mowing position shown in
In one embodiment, stand on mower 100 may include traction vehicle frame 146 having one or more stops 148, 150 for cutting unit 102, one or more stops 152, 154 for cutting unit 104, and one or more stops 158 for cutting unit 106. The stops may be used to hold the cutting unit still and prevent the cutting unit from swinging or contacting the turf when the cutting unit is in the raised or transport position. For example, each stop may include a pad that may be rubber or other resilient material attached to a laterally extending member 160, 162, 164 attached to the frame. When a cutting unit is raised to the transport position, front crossbar 166, 168, 170 on the cutting unit may come into contact with the pair of stops. For example, each front crossbar may be connected between a pair of yokes 172, 174, 176 of a reel cutting unit.
In one embodiment, stand on mower 100 may include a pair of front wheels 108, 110, which may be steerable, or may be a caster wheel that swivels on a vertical pivot axis 178, 180 attached to the left side or right side of front frame member or axle 163. The front frame member or axle may be pivotably mounted to the vehicle frame on a generally horizontal pivot axis 165. The front frame member or axle may extend laterally outwardly from vehicle frame 146 on each side of the stand on triplex mower. The vertical pivot axis for each front wheel may be positioned a sufficient distance away from the front cutting unit so that each front wheel may pivot completely without contacting the cutting unit or frame. As a result, the gap between front wheels 108, 110 may be wider than the gap between rear traction drive wheels 182, 184.
In one embodiment, stand on mower 100 may include internal combustion engine 186 mounted on the traction vehicle frame in front of standing operator station 126. As shown in
In one embodiment, the stand on mower may have an operator station 126 with hand levers 200, 202 operating independently of each other, so that one of the hand levers may be in a forward drive position and the other may be in a reverse drive position. The operator station also may have a platform 220 for the operator to stand on substantially between the rear traction drive wheels, at an elevation lower than vehicle frame 146 to provide stability. Additionally, one or more stationary bars may be positioned in front of the operator on the operator station positioned adjacent or forwardly of the rear drive wheels, so that an operator may grip the stationary bar with both hands while in a standing position. In an alternative embodiment, instead of a variable displacement dual hydraulic pump and hydraulic motors, the stand on triplex mower may include electric motors for each traction drive wheel, and each hand lever may be electrically connected to each motor and provide electronic signals to command the speed and direction of each electric motor.
In one embodiment, stand on mower 100 may include alternator 204 that is driven by second belt drive attached to clutch pulley 190. The alternator may be mounted to the frame forwardly of the engine and between the front cutting unit and pair of rear cutting units. The alternator may generate electric power to run the electric motor for each cutting unit. For example, each of the three cutting reels may be rotated by a brushless electric motor. Electronic motor controllers 210, 212, 214 may be provided for each of the electric cutting unit motors.
In a second embodiment, shown in
Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.
