Abstract:
A rotary mower with a plurality of cutting blades is provided. The deck comprises two longitudinal baffles that direct grass clippings to the rear of the mower. The longitudinal baffles, in conjunction with right and left side blade guards, form three channels. A cutting blade is disposed within each channel. A lift frame assembly comprises swiveling linkages that allow rotation of the deck with respect to the trailer hitch.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/184,494 filed on Jun. 5, 2009, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of tractor-based, rotary-driven power equipment, and more particularly relates to a finish mower. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Most rotary mowers include shrouds that partially surround the cutting blades. The shrouds comprise extensions extending generally perpendicularly from the deck. Some of these shrouds are rounded and closely follow the outline of the cutting blades, spaced apart from the cutting blades by a small gap. 
     A mower according to the present invention comprises longitudinal channels between the multiple blades of the mower. The channels prevent grass clippings from one blade from interfering with the cutting action of the other blades. In one embodiment, the mower deck comprises three blades with longitudinal baffles between the blades that direct grass clippings to the rear of the mower. 
     For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Furthermore, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of an exemplary mower in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of the mower of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a partial bottom view of the mower of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a baffle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of the mower of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a right side view of the mower of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a rear plan view of the mower of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  depicts a rear perspective view of a mower  10  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The mower  10  comprises a cutting deck  22 , which is fabricated from stainless steel in one embodiment. In other embodiments, the deck  22  is fabricated from other suitable strong and rigid materials. 
     Two side blade guards  21   a  and  21   b  are disposed on the sides  15  and  14  of the deck  22 , respectively. In one embodiment, the side blade guards  21   a  and  21   b  are comprised of a generally vertically-oriented strip of metal welded along the sides  15  and  14  of the deck  22 . 
     A gearbox  40  operates the cutting blades (not shown) on the underside (not shown) of the deck  22 . A shaft (not shown) connects the gearbox  40  to a tractor (not shown) to transfer rotation from the tractor to the blades through the gearbox  40 . 
     The mower  10  further comprises a lift frame  28  rotatably affixed to the deck  22 . The lift frame  28  connects the mower  10  to the tractor (not shown). The lift frame  28  is generally A-shaped and provides a standard three-point hitch connection to the tractor, as further discussed herein. 
     A pivot bar assembly  44  and a pivot brace assembly  45  connect a top end  46  of the lift frame  28  to the deck  22 . In this regard, the pivot bar assembly  44  is rotatably connected between the top end  46  of the lift frame  28  and the pivot brace assembly  45 . The pivot brace assembly  45  is rotatably connected to the deck  22 . A pivot shield  49  covers the pivot bar assembly  44 . 
     The pivot brace assembly  45  is comprised of two angled legs  66  and  67  rotatably affixed to two pivot brace brackets  50  and  51  at their lower ends. In one embodiment, the pivot brace brackets  50  and  51  comprise a short angle iron welded to the deck  22 . 
     At their top ends, the angled legs  66  and  67  are affixed to the pivot bar assembly  44 . The pivot bar assembly  44  is comprised of two pivot bars (not shown) rotatably affixed to the angled legs  66  and  67 . The pivot shield  49  partially covers the pivot bars. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a bottom view of the deck  22 . In this embodiment, the mower  10  has three blades  11 ,  12 , and  13 . Other embodiments may have a different number of blades. The outer blades  11  and  13  are located near the outer right side  14  and outer left side  15  of the deck  22 , respectively. The middle blade  12  is located generally in the central portion of the deck  22 , as illustrated. 
     The outer blades  11  and  13  are disposed frontwardly (i.e., towards a front side  9  of the deck  22 ) with respect to the middle blade  12 . The middle blade  12  is thus offset from, and not aligned with, the outer blades  11  and  13 , in the transverse direction. This offset configuration permits the three blades to  11 ,  12  and  13  to cut a wide swath of grass (not shown) between the outermost edges of the outermost blades  11  and  13  without leaving any uncut areas, as further discussed herein. 
     Baffles  16  and  17  extend longitudinally down the deck  22  from the front side  9  of the deck  22  to a rear side  8  of the deck  22 . The right baffle  16  is disposed between the outer blade  11  and the middle blade  12 . The left baffle  17  is disposed between the outer blade  13  and the middle blade  12 . 
     The baffles  16  and  17  comprise thin projections that extend generally perpendicularly from an underside  18  of the deck  22  and define three channels, outer channels  5  and  7  and inner channel  6 , as illustrated. In this regard, channel  5  is bounded by the right side blade guard  21   b , the underside  18  of the deck  22 , and the baffle  16 . Channel  6  is bounded by the baffles  16  and  17  and the underside  18  of the deck  22 . Channel  7  is bounded by the baffle  17 , the underside  18  of the deck  22 , and the left side blade guard  21   a.    
     The channels  5 ,  6 , and  7  are generally longitudinally directed and are generally aligned with the direction of motion of the mower  10  during operation. In operation of the mower  10 , the three channels  5 ,  6 , and  7  direct grass clippings (not shown) to the rear side  8  of the mower  10 . 
     The baffles  16  and  17  are generally mirror-images of each other, and each of the baffles  16  and  17  is a unitary piece bent into three “segments,” a front segment  130 , a middle segment  131 , and a rear segment  132 . The front segments  130  of the baffles  16  and  17  are generally parallel to the sides  14  and  15  of the deck  22  and are spaced apart at a width “W 1 ” that is less than the width “Wb” of the blade  12 . The rear segments  132  of the baffles  16  and  17  are generally parallel to the sides  14  and  15  of the deck  22  and are spaced apart at a width “W 2 ” that is greater than the width Wb of the blade  12 . The distance between the baffles  16  and  17  thus is larger at the rear side  8  of the mower  10 . 
     The baffles  16  and  17  are generally welded to the underside  18  of the deck  22 . In one embodiment, the baffles  16  and  17  are formed from 12 gauge stainless steel. 
     A deflector  160  extends inwardly from the inner side of the left blade guard  21   a . The deflector  160  is angled as shown and deflects grass (not shown) from accumulating at the right edge  15  of the mower  10 . 
       FIG. 3  is a partial view of the underside of the mower  10  further illustrating the channels  5 ,  6 , and  7  that direct grass clippings (not shown). As was discussed above, the baffle  16  is bent into three “segments,” a front segment  130 , a middle segment  131 , and a rear segment  132 . The front segment  130  is bent at an angle θ 1  with respect to the middle segment  131 . Likewise, the rear segment  132  is bent at an angle θ 2  with respect to the middle segment  131 . In the illustrated embodiment, θ 1  and θ 2  are twenty (20) degrees. The front segment  130  and the rear segment  132  are parallel to one another in this embodiment. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of exemplary right baffle  16  in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The baffle  16  has a top edge  141  that is generally straight, for welding to the underside  18  of the deck  22  ( FIG. 2 ). The baffle  16  is bent into three segments  130 ,  131 , and  132 , as discussed above. The baffle  16  has a bottom edge  140  that recesses at a recessed edge  142  at the middle segment  131  to create an open space  133 . The baffle  16  is fabricated from stainless steel in one embodiment, but may be fabricated from other materials in other embodiments. 
     The height h b  of the baffle  16  is 4 and ⅜ inches in one embodiment, and the height h r  of the open space  133  between the bottom edge  140  and the recessed edge  142  is 1 and ⅜ inches in one embodiment. 
       FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of the deck  22 . The middle segments  131  of the baffles  16  and  17  are shorter (in the vertical direction) than the front segments  130  and the rear segments  132 , such that there is an open space  133  defined, as illustrated and as further discussed herein. The open spaces  133  prevent the blades  11 - 13  from contacting the baffles  16  and  17  during rotation of the blades  11 ,  12  and  13 . In the illustrated embodiment, the position of the blades  11 ,  12  and  13  allows for a gap of about ½ inch between any two adjacent blades. 
     A rear edge  135  of the deck  22  angles downwardly to help direct the grass clippings (not shown) downwardly. A flexible plastic or rubber guard (not shown) connects to the rear edge  135  and angles further toward the ground (not shown). 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the rear ends  134  of the baffles  16  and  17  comprise separate segments that are welded to the unitary baffles  16  and  17 . The rear ends  134  further abut and are welded to the angled rear edge  135  of the deck  22 . 
       FIG. 6  is a right side view of the mower  10  of  FIG. 1 . The rear edge  135  is shown angled downwardly, as discussed above. The angle of the rear edge  135  with respect to the deck  22  surface is 11 degrees in one embodiment. 
     In operation of the mower  10 , the angled leg  67  of the pivot brace assembly  45  is rotatable around point “A” (i.e., the joint between the leg  67  and the bracket  51 ), in the direction indicated by direction arrow  120 . The angled leg  67  is rotatably affixed to a pivot bar  88  such that the leg  67  and bar  88  may rotate around a point “B” (i.e., the joint between the leg  67  and the bar  88 ) in the direction indicated by direction arrow  121 . Though not pictured, another angled leg is mirror imaged to leg  67  and rotates in the same manner. The pivot bar  88  and the lift frame  28  are rotatable around a point “C” (i.e., the joint between the bar  88  and the frame  28 ) in the direction indicated by direction arrow  122 . 
     A swivel linkage  70  rotatably connects the deck  22  to the lift frame  28 . The swivel linkage  70  and the lift frame  28  are rotatable around a point “D” (i.e., the joint between the swivel linkage  70  and the lift frame  28 ) in the direction indicated by direction arrow  123 . 
     The swivel linkage  70  also rotates with respect to a box  52  that connects the deck  22  to the swivel linkage  70 . In this regard, the swivel linkage  70  and the bracket  52  are rotatable around point “E” (i.e., the joint between the swivel linkage  70  and the bracket  52 ) in the direction indicated by direction arrow  124 . 
       FIG. 7  is a rear plan view of the mower  10  of  FIG. 1 . A gap  161  between the rear side  8  of the deck  22  and the ground (not shown) allows grass clippings (not shown) to exit the rear of the mower. The baffles  16  and  17  extend down toward, but do not contact, the ground.