Patent ID: 7313902
Filing Date: 2008-01-01
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A mower deck for a lawn mowing machine, said mower deck comprising: a main deck housing; at least one side wing section pivotally attached to a side of said main deck housing, said mower deck defining a lowered position when said side wing section is positioned substantially coplanar to said main deck housing, and a raised position when said side wing section is positioned substantially perpendicular to said main deck housing; pivoting means for effecting pivotal movement of said side wing section between said lowered position and said raised position, wherein said pivoting means is operable remotely from an operator station of said lawn mowing machine; wing section latching structure comprising a pivot plate fixedly mounted to said side wing section and pivotally mounted to the main deck housing and a latching plate pivotally mounted on said pivot plate, said pivot plate being movable by said pivoting means between a lowered position and a raised position thereby providing a hinge axis for pivoting said side wing section, wherein when the pivot plate is in the lowered position, said latching plate prevents the side wing section from pivoting to the raised position; a switch sensing the position of the wing section latching structure; and a plurality of blade spindles mounted to said main deck housing, each said blade spindle being adapted to receive at least one cutting blade for rotation about a spindle axis underneath said main deck housing, said blade spindles being operable for rotation when said switch senses that the wing section latching structure is in its lowered position, and said blade spindles being inoperable for rotation when said switch senses that the wing section latching structure is not in the lowered position.