Patent ID: 7287364
Filing Date: 2007-10-30
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A fence mower attached to an agricultural tractor for cutting vegetation and removing dirt under a lowermost rail of a fence line, the fence line including a plurality of spaced apart vertical posts secured in the ground and having a plurality of horizontal rails connecting between the vertical posts, the fence mower comprising in combination: a. a base frame connected to the tractor by a 3-point hitch assembly and chains so as to be free floating and supported by the tractor; b. a swing arm assembly mounted on top of the base frame and attached to the base frame by a pivot pin, the swing arm assembly being supported on the base frame by means of rollers, the swing arm assembly extending to one side of the tractor parallel to the ground, thus allowing the swing arm assembly to be positioned under the lowermost rail of the fence; c. a spring system for urging the swing arm assembly in a given rotary direction with respect to the base frame; d. the swing arm assembly having a wedged nose of tapered design, whereby, when the fence mower moves forward against a fence post, the wedged nose will engage the fence post and pivot the swing arm assembly in a rotary direction opposite to the given rotary direction and against the action of the spring system, so that the tractor can move past the fence post; e. a dirt removal and cutting blade rotatably mounted within the swing arm assembly and powered by a power take off from the agricultural tractor for cutting grass and removing dirt under the lowermost rail as the tractor moves forward, the power take off connecting to the dirt removal and cutting blade by means of a horizontal belt so that there is no vertical obstruction between the swing arm assembly and the lowermost rail.