Patent ID: 8668154
Filing Date: 2014-03-11
Classification: A01C,A01D,E01C

Abstract:
1. A riding lawn mower mounted drop spreader combination for spreading a granular material while mowing, comprising: a hopper for holding a quantity of a granular material, the hopper having a generally vertical front wall and a slanted rear wall and opposing end walls which together with the front and rear walls define an initially open interior space for the hopper, the hopper front and rear walls meeting in a bottom region in which is located at least one opening through which granular material can be distributed; a control gate mounted adjacent the bottom region of the hopper for adjusting the relative size of the opening in the bottom region to thereby control the amount of granular material being distributed from the hopper interior space; an auger element supported for rotation within the interior space of the hopper in proximity to the opening in the bottom region of the hopper; a drive mechanism including a source of driving torque for causing rotation of the auger element when placed in an active operating mode upon demand by an operator to break up the granular material in the hopper, the drive mechanism also having an inactive mode in which the auger does not rotate; a drive actuator for selectively shifting the drive mechanism between the two modes of operation; a dispensing control for adjusting the position of the control gate relative to the opening located in the bottom region of the hopper to thereby control the amount of granular material being dispensed; and a mounting frame for mounting the hopper and agitator mechanism on a rear chassis region of the lawn mower; wherein the drive mechanism for the agitator includes a 12-Volt windshield washer motor with an output shaft connected to the auger shaft in operative fashion, the motor being electrically connected to a battery located on the lawn mower for powering the motor.