Patent ID: 7640719
Filing Date: 2010-01-05
Classification: A01B,A01D

Abstract:
1. A rotary mower apparatus adapted for attachment to a tractor for towing along the ground in an operating travel direction, the apparatus comprising: a central mower deck and a right and left wing mower decks pivotally attached to the respective right and left sides of the central mower deck; a plurality of rear wheels mounted behind the mower decks such that the mower decks ride along the ground on the wheels; a cutting blade element rotatably mounted under each mower deck so as to rotate about right, left, and central substantially vertical blade axes; two hydraulic powered over-center self-locking wing lift mechanisms pivotally attached to the left and right of the central mower deck and to the left wing mower deck and right wing mower deck to effect movement of the wings from a working position through to a center position and continuing on to the over-center locked transport position; where the hydraulic powered over-center self-locking wing lift mechanism comprises; a double acting hydraulic cylinder, a bell crank, a pair of slotted lift links, and a stop seat; where the double acting hydraulic cylinder is pivotally connected at one end to an upper center fixed pivot point E on the central mower deck and at the other end is pivotally connected to the center most point D on the bell crank; the bell crank is pivotally connected to the double acting hydraulic cylinder at its center most point D, and pivotally connected to the pair of slotted lift links at the upper most point C, and pivotally connected to the central mower deck at its lowest most point B; the pair of lift links are pivotally connected to the bell crank at its upper most point C in a slot at the top of the lift link and the pair of lift links are pivotally connected at their bottom most point to a fixed pivot point A on the win mower deck; where the pivotal connections on the hydraulic powered over-center self-locking wing lift mechanism between the hydraulic cylinder, bell crank, lift links, wing deck, and center deck results in an arranged path of movement when the hydraulic cylinder is retracted or extended to effect movement of the wings; where the mass of the wing mower deck creates a force vector when the wing lift mechanism is activated between two pivot points; the fixed pivotal connection A at the slotted lift links and the wing mower deck and the pivotal connection C between the bell crank and the pair of slotted lift links; and causes a rotational force about the fixed central pivot point B on the central mower deck and bell crank.