Flexible mower deck

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11849669-B2
Application number	US-202016949231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2020
Priority date	Oct 21, 2020
Publication date	Dec 26, 2023
Grant date	Dec 26, 2023

Abstract

A flexible mower deck includes a center deck with a plurality of rotary cutting blades rotated by a belt engaging a driven pulley for each blade. A first wing deck and a second wing deck are pivotably attached to a first end and a second end of the center deck. Each of the wing decks are pivotable between a lowered mowing position and a raised transport position. A height of cut mechanism on each of the first and second wing decks raises and lowers the wing deck and includes a four bar caster wheel level mechanism holding a caster wheel sleeve in front of the wing deck in vertical alignment at any height of cut.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flexible mower deck, comprising:
a first wing deck and a second wing deck pivotably attached to a first end and a second end of a center deck, each of the wing decks pivotable between a lowered mowing position and a raised transport position;
an electric blade motor on each of the first and second wing decks, each motor having a rotational speed that is set based on a sensed rotational speed of a plurality of belt driven blades under the center deck for mowing if the first and second wing decks are in the lowered mowing position; and
a height of cut mechanism on each of the first and second wing decks that raises and lowers the wing deck independently of a center deck lift mechanism by pivoting a four bar caster wheel level mechanism holding a caster wheel sleeve in front of the wing deck and pivoting a rear arm behind the wing deck.

2. The flexible mower deck of claim 1 wherein each of the height of cut mechanisms includes a linear actuator.

3. The flexible mower deck of claim 2 further comprising a height of cut switch on each of a pair of operator controls to extend and retract each of the linear actuators.

4. The flexible mower deck of claim 1 wherein the height of cut mechanism includes a front caster wheel supported by the four bar caster wheel level mechanism and a rear trailing wheel supported by the rear arm; and a rear arm balancer linking the rear arm to the four bar caster wheel level mechanism.

5. A flexible mower deck, comprising:
a pair of electrical switches in an operator station of a zero turning radius mower, each switch connected to a linear actuator on a wing deck that extends or retracts in response to actuation of the switch; and
a four bar caster wheel level mechanism attached between the wing deck and a sleeve for a front caster wheel;
a rear arm attached between the wing deck and a rear trailing wheel;
wherein the extension or retraction of the linear actuator pivots the four bar caster wheel level mechanism and the rear arm relative to a center bracket on the wing deck to change a height of cut of the wing deck independently of a center deck lift mechanism; and
a rotary blade under each wing deck rotated by a motor having a rotational speed based on a sensed rotational speed of at least one rotary blade under a center deck between the pair of wing decks.

6. The flexible mower deck of claim 5 further comprising a link connecting between the four bar caster wheel level mechanism and the rear arm and that maintains a constant rake angle of the wing deck.

7. The flexible mower deck of claim 5 further comprising a front guide and a rear guide mounted to the wing deck adjacent the four bar caster wheel level mechanism and the rear arm respectively.

8. The flexible mower deck of claim 7 wherein the front guide includes a plurality of steps showing the wing deck height of cut position.

9. A flexible mower deck, comprising:
a center deck having a first end and a second end;
a wing deck pivotably attached to each of the first and second ends; and
a height of cut mechanism on each wing deck for independently adjusting the height of cut by actuating a switch in an operator station to pivot a front caster wheel and a rear trailing wheel relative to the wing deck independently of a center deck lift mechanism; and
a controller setting a rotational speed of a rotary blade under each wing deck based on a sensed rotational speed of a rotary blade under the center deck.

10. The flexible mower deck of claim 9 wherein the height of cut mechanism on each wing deck includes a linear actuator.

11. The flexible mower deck of claim 9 wherein the front caster wheel is connected to the wing deck by a four bar caster wheel level mechanism.

12. The flexible mower deck of claim 9 wherein each height of cut switch is on a control lever in the operator station of a zero turn mower.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Steen Chad C

Classifications

• A01D34/74 Primary

  Cutting-height adjustment · CPC title

• A01B73/00

  Means or arrangements to facilitate transportation of agricultural machines or implements, e.g. folding frames to reduce overall width (arrangements of lifting devices for soil working implements A01B63/00) · CPC title

• A01D34/66

  with two or more cutters · CPC title

• A01D69/06

  Gearings · CPC title

• A01D75/306

  for lawn mowers positioned one behind the other or side by side · CPC title