Patent ID: 7337601
Filing Date: 2008-03-04
Classification: A01D,A01G

Abstract:
1. A grass groomer for use on a reel cutting unit of a mower, the reel cutting unit having a cutting reel and a bedknife for cutting grass, the grass groomer being used on the reel cutting unit in advance of the cutting reel with reference to a forward direction of movement of the mower to groom turf having an upper layer of grass, which comprises: (a) a grooming reel having a plurality of laterally spaced, toothed blades, wherein the grooming reel is mountable on the reel cutting unit for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis thereon, wherein each blade has at least one tooth that ends in a tip with the tips of the respective blades defining a blade tip orbit as the grooming reel rotates, wherein the blade tips are exposed to the grass at and for at least an arc to either side of a lowermost point of the blade tip orbit to allow the blades to engage into the grassy layer of the turf and to groom the turf by cutting horizontal grass growth and by pulling up thatch during rotation of the grooming reel, and wherein the blade tips form at least one flight of laterally spaced blade tips extending laterally across the grooming reel; (b) at least one grass engaging brush that is fixed to the grooming reel to rotate with the grooming reel, wherein the brush comprises a flight of brush bristles extending laterally across the grooming reel; and (c) wherein the blade tip flight and the brush bristle flight wind helically around the grooming reel as the blade tip flight and the brush bristle flight extend laterally on the grooming reel.