Zero turning radius mower sprayer attachment

A zero turning radius (“ZTR”) mower sprayer attachment behind a rear engine of a zero turning radius mower. The sprayer attachment may include a frame supporting a tank on a platform, and a hose from the tank to a plurality of nozzles mounted on a folding boom that is extendable outwardly from the sprayer attachment frame. A lower support bar on a lower forward end of the sprayer attachment frame may be supported by a pair of rearwardly facing hooks on a pair of side brackets on the ZTR mower. An upper tube extends laterally between the pair of side brackets and is engaged by a hook shaped latch on the sprayer attachment frame.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to mowing machines for cutting grass and other vegetation, and more specifically to a sprayer attachment on a zero turning radius (“ZTR”) mower.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Zero turning radius (“ZTR”) mowers have at least one independently powered drive wheel on each side of a frame. Hydrostatic transmissions transmit power to each of the left and right drive wheels, either in forward or reverse. The pair of hydrostatic transmissions, or dual hydrostatic transmission, may be driven by an internal combustion engine. The independent drive wheels allow the ZTR mower to turn on a vertical turning axis. The vertical turning axis may be centrally located between the pair of hydrostatic transmissions. A mower deck may be suspended between the front and rear wheels. A seated operator may use left and right control levers or other steering controls to control the pair of hydrostatic transmission driving the left and right rear drive wheels at ground speeds as fast as 7 mph-8 mph or more while mowing.

For high productivity, property owners and landscapers may seek to use a ZTR mower for other work. For example, some operators have used their ZTR mower for spraying herbicide or insecticide by mounting a sprayer attachment onto the front of the ZTR mower above the mower deck. However, this can result in a problem of spray getting on the operator. There is a need for a sprayer attachment on a ZTR mower behind the rear engine. There is a need for a rear mounted sprayer attachment on a ZTR mower that may be quickly and easily mounted or removed from the ZTR mower and stored.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A zero turning radius mower sprayer attachment may be mounted to a pair of side brackets extending behind a rear mounted engine on a zero turning radius mower. The same side brackets may interchangeably support a material collection system or the sprayer attachment. The sprayer attachment may include a lower support bar that engages a pair of rear facing hooks on the side brackets, and a latch engaging an upper tube between the pair of side brackets. The lower support bar may pivot on the rear facing hooks to move the latch into or out from engagement position with the upper tube.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1-3show a first embodiment of zero turning radius (“ZTR”) mower sprayer attachment100. The ZTR mower sprayer attachment may be installed on the rear of ZTR mower102behind rear engine107in place of, or interchangeably with, a material collection system (“MCS”) which must be removed before installing the sprayer attachment. The ZTR mower sprayer attachment also may mounted on hand cart140by a single person upon removal from the ZTR mower and moved to storage.

In one embodiment, ZTR mower sprayer attachment100may be mounted to side brackets104on the rear of a ZTR mower. The side brackets may be the same brackets used for mounting an MCS on the rear of the ZTR mower. Each side bracket may be a metal plate attached to the roll over protection system (“ROPS”) behind the operator seat and extending rearwardly and downwardly along one side of rear engine107. For example, the top or upper end of each side bracket104may be fastened and secured to an upright leg of ROPS108with a plate and pair of bolts. The bottom or lower end of each side bracket104may be fastened and secured to rear guard106or a similar frame member behind the rear engine. Upper tube114may extend laterally between the upper ends of the side brackets and may be attached and secured to the side brackets with bolts. Each side bracket also may have a rearwardly facing hook122adjacent the bottom or lower end of the side bracket.

In one embodiment, ZTR mower sprayer attachment100may include tank110having a capacity such as 25 gallons, hoses132connecting the tank to a plurality of nozzles117, and foldable spray boom118where the nozzles are mounted. The ZTR mower sprayer attachment also may include tank platform120under the tank, sprayer attachment frame115supporting the tank platform, lower support bar123extending laterally across the sprayer attachment frame to pivotably support the frame on side brackets104, one or more latches116that may engage and be secured to upper tube114, and one or more L-pins127to lock the latches in engagement.

In one embodiment, an operator may install ZTR mower sprayer attachment100by positioning the sprayer attachment behind the ZTR mower, and lifting the sprayer attachment so that lower support bar123can slide onto rearwardly facing hooks122in side brackets104. The rearwardly facing hooks may support sprayer attachment frame115. The operator then may tilt or pivot the sprayer attachment frame on the lower support bar axis, pushing the sprayer attachment frame forward and securing one or more hook-shaped latches116around upper tube114, and moving each L-pin127fully inward to lock the latches in place.

In one embodiment, an operator may remove the ZTR mower sprayer attachment by pulling each L-pin127outward, then rotating the top of sprayer attachment frame115rearward to release each hook-shaped latch116from upper tube114. The operator then may lift the sprayer attachment frame up and slide lower support bar123up from rear facing hooks122on the side brackets. The operator may tilt or pivot the sprayer attachment down to the ground or, as shown inFIG. 3, position the sprayer attachment on hand cart140having a pair of U-shaped supports142. Lower support bar123may rest on the pair of U-shaped supports142to support the sprayer attachment for handling and storage by a single person.