Abstract:
A self-propelled mower and vacuum has a front-mounted flail blade mower assembly. After being cut, the grass clippings are propelled through a discharge chute into a cuttings basket by air pressure created by the flail blades and vanes attached to the blade rotor. Additional suction may be provided by a blower system which blows air into the discharge chute. The width of the flale blade mower assembly and the large volume of cuttings which may be held in the cuttings basket make the disclosed device particularly beneficial for mowing large areas of grass and turf, including athletic fields, belt ways and airstrips.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to devices used for mowing lawns and turf. The invention more particularly relates to devices which are capable of mowing large areas of turf, such as athletic fields, air strips, beltways, etc., and which are also capable of picking up cuttings while mowing. 
     A number of different devices are known for mowing lawns and turf. These devices fall into various general categories, including a category according to the type of blade used by the device. There are three general types of blade, those types being reel, rotary and flail. Each of these blade types has a variety of advantages and disadvantages according to the particular application. Large areas of turf, generally used for athletic fields, turf farms, air strips, beltways, parks, etc., are mowed most efficiently if the mowing device has a large cutting width which reduces the amount of time and/or manpower required for mowing. Many of the devices used for mowing large areas of turf are towed behind a tractor with a three-point hitch. Other cutting devices used for large turf areas have blade assemblies, usually rotary blades, which are an integral part of a self-propelled vehicle. 
     Included among the towed types of mowing devices are flail blade machines, including those manufactured or distributed by Verismo, Tri-Corp and Alamo. Flail blade machines utilize a large number of individual knives which are mounted in overlapping rows to a cutter shaft or rotor. Flail blade machines may be constructed to have a large cutting width, making the devices appropriate for large turfed areas. 
     The grass clippings, cuttings and other debris produced by mowing must be removed if the lawn or turf is to be both visually pleasing and healthy. If cut grass is not removed, a heavy thatch will accumulate on the lawn, which will smother new grass growth, provide a nesting place for destructive insects, and can provide an environment which encourages the rapid growth of mold, fungus and other lawn diseases. For large areas of lawn or turf, which are usually mowed with tractor-type lawnmowers, manually raking the lawn after it has been mowed is obviously not a satisfactory method for removing grass cuttings. Although rake attachments are available for tractor-type lawnmowers, this method requires additional manpower and equipment usage because it requires the tractor to make another pass after mowing. Therefore, a device is desirable which is capable of efficiently mowing large areas of grass and turf while simultaneously removing the cuttings. 
     Devices which continuously remove grass cuttings while the turf is being mowed with a tractor-type lawnmower are well known, including vacuuming devices, such as the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,398 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,852. The vacuuming components of the devices disclosed within these patents consist primarily of a container mounted on the rear of the tractor-type lawnmower, a blower powered by the engine of the lawnmower, and a duct system for conveying cut grass from a side discharge opening in the cutting deck of the lawnmower to the refuse container. The lawnmowers of these patents are rotary blade-type machines. 
     The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,876 is a tractor-type lawnmower used in combination with an apparatus for continuously removing cut grass while the lawn is being mowed. A duct system conveys cut grass from a rearwardly projecting discharge opening in one side of the cutting deck to a refuse container mounted on the rear of the lawnmower. This device does not have a blower or other air pressure source to assist in conveying the cut grass through the duct system. The only source of air pressure for transporting grass cuttings through the duct system is the air movement created by the rotation of the rotary blade in the housing of the cutting deck. 
     The mower-vacuum devices discussed above, being rotary blade machines, have a limited cutting width which limits the efficiency of the machines for use in mowing large areas of turf. A flail blade machine does not have the same width limitations as a rotary machine and may be designed to have a larger cutting width. However, cuttings from a flail blade machine are not usually collected by the machine, but are either left on the ground or must be collected by a vacuuming device or by raking. 
     Another limitation of the rotary blade machines described above, and for most of the known flail blade machines, is that the cutting blades are located behind the front wheels of the tractor or drive vehicle. There are several advantages of having the blades of the mower mounted in front of the drive vehicle. Having the blades in front of the front wheels of the vehicle allows greater visibility for the operator to observe the mowing operation. A front-mounted blade allows provides a better cut because the blade encounters the turf before the wheels or other part of the drive vehicle which will otherwise flatten the turf. A flail mower having the mowing assembly mounted in front of the drive vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,794. However, the device disclosed in that patent does not have any mechanism for vacuuming or otherwise removing the clippings. 
     A device is desirable which provides a front-mounted flail blade assembly combined with a system which simultaneously removes the grass or turf cuttings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a self-propelled flail mower and vacuum which meets the needs identified above. The self-propelled flail mower and vacuum comprises a drive vehicle having a frame, an operator compartment supported by the frame, an engine, a flail mower housing, a flail rotor assembly, coupling means connecting the engine to the flail rotor assembly, and a discharge chute for transferring cuttings from the flail mower housing to a cuttings basket attached to the drive vehicle. The self-propelled drive vehicle has a front and a back and wheels operably attached to the vehicle. The flail mower housing is pivotally attached to the front of the drive vehicle. The flail rotor assembly is mounted within the flail mower housing, supported by bearings. The flail rotor assembly comprises a rotor, a plurality of vanes attached to the rotor, and a plurality of flail blades pivotally attached to the rotor. The discharge chute has an intake end and a discharge end, with the intake end connected to the flail mower housing and the discharge end connected to the cuttings basket. The vanes provide positive pressure into the discharge chute, propelling cuttings from the flail mower housing into the discharge chute and out the discharge end into the cuttings basket. 
     A blower may be connected with duct works to the discharge chute, with the duct works terminating with a nozzle. The discharge chute may an air boost inlet located between the intake end and the discharge end adapted to receive the nozzle. A venturi is formed within the nozzle creating a vacuum for assisting cuttings through the discharge chute into the cuttings basket. Power means, such as belt drive off the engine, provide the means for powering the blower. 
     The cuttings basket may be pivotally attached to the frame of the drive vehicle. A hydraulic ram may be attached at one end to the frame and the other end attached to the cuttings basket, so that the cutting basket may be pivoted and emptied by operation of the hydraulic ram. Likewise, a hydraulic ram may extend from the flail mower housing to the drive vehicle, so that the flail mower housing may be raised or lowered by operation of the hydraulic ram. 
     The engine may be used to drive hydraulic pumps, the hydraulic pumps providing power fluid for operating the wheels. The hydraulic pumps may also provide power fluid for the hydraulic rams used for pivoting the cuttings basket and the flail mower housing. 
    
    
     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the disclosed self-propelled flail mower and vacuum from the right front. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the disclosed device. 
     FIG. 3 is a front cut-away view of the flail blades mounted on the rotor, and the flail mower housing. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic showing the drive train of the disclosed device. 
     FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the air ducting, venturi and drive mechanism for the flail rotor. 
     FIG. 6 is a detailed view showing the air ducting and venturi. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view along line  6 — 6 . 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic showing the direction of rotation of the rotor, blades, and vanes with respect to the direction of motion of the drive vehicle. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now specifically to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the disclosed self-propelled flail mower and vacuum  10 , the major components comprising a drive vehicle  12  having a frame  14 , an engine  16 , a front  18 , driver compartment  19 , a back  20 , drive wheels  22 , rear wheels  24  a cuttings basket  26  attached to the drive vehicle  12 , and a flail mower housing  28  pivotally attached to the front  18  of the drive vehicle  12 . A flail rotor assembly  30  is mounted within the flail mower housing  28 . Bearing means such as rotor bearings  32  support the rotor assembly  30  within the housing  28 . The flail rotor assembly  30  comprises a rotor  34 , a plurality of vanes  36  and a plurality of flail blades  38 . The vanes  36  and blades  38  are attached to the rotor  34 . Coupling means, such as a plurality of transfer cases, connect the engine  16  to the flail rotor assembly  30 , providing a drive mechanism for the rotor assembly. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a number of different drive train assemblies may be used for driving the rotor assembly and supplying power to the different components of the invention. FIG. 4 provides a schematic of one such drive train. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the coupling means connecting the flail rotor assembly  30  to the engine  16  comprises a first transfer case  40 , a second transfer case  42 , a centrifugal clutch  44 , a right angle drive  46 , drive pulley  48 , and drive belts  50 . Acceptable transfer cases are available through NEW PROCESS. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, in addition to the mechanical linkage connecting the engine  16  to the rotor assembly  30 , for this embodiment of the drive train, the engine also drives two hydraulic pumps, a first hydraulic pump  51  and a second hydraulic pump  53  which respectively provide power fluid for: (1) the hydraulic rams which rotate or pivot the cuttings basket  26  and which pivot, i.e., raise and lower, the flail mower housing  28 ; and (2) power fluid for hydraulic motors on the drive wheels  22 . 
     The self-propelled flail mower and vacuum  10  further comprises discharge chutes  52  having an intake end  54  and a discharge end  56 . The intake end  54  is connected to the flail mower housing  28  and the discharge end  56  is connected to the cuttings basket  26 . When the rotor  34  is rotated at high rpm, the vanes  36  and the blades  38  provide positive pressure into the intake end  54  of the discharge chute  52 , propelling cuttings from the flail mower housing  28  into the discharge chute  52  and out the discharge end  56  into the cuttings basket  26 . 
     A blower  60  may be connected to the discharge chutes  52  to provide additional energy for propelling the cuttings through the discharge chutes  52  into the cuttings basket  26 . An air boost inlet  58  is fabricated into the discharge chutes  52  to allow attachment of duct works  61 , which connect blower  60  to the discharge chutes  52 . Duct works  61  may terminate in nozzle  74 , which is inserted through air boost inlet  58 . Air boost inlet  58  is simply an opening fabricated in discharge chute  52  adapted to receive and seal around nozzle  74 . The blower  60  may be run as an auxiliary unit off power means such as engine  16 , as shown schematically in FIG. 4, or other power means known in the art. 
     A suitable drive vehicle  12  may be obtained by modifying a JOHN DEERE cotton picker, Model No. 9900 or similar picking machine. The drive vehicle  12  of the present device may use substantially the same frame  14 , engine  16 , operator compartment  19 , cuttings basket  26  and blower  60  as the Model No. 9900. The discharge chutes  52  of the present device may be fabricated from cotton ducts existing on the Model No. 9900 or similar machine. The cuttings basket  26  of the present invention is pivotally attached to the drive vehicle  12 , or, more specifically, to the frame  14  of the drive vehicle  12 , allowing the cuttings basket  26  to be emptied by lifting and pivoting the basket  26  with hydraulic rams or other actuating means. 
     The present drive vehicle  12  also has a number of distinctions from the Model No. 9900. As described above, the drive train of the present device  10  is substantially different from the drive train of the Model No. 9900 or similar machine. In addition, the drive wheels  22  are wider to provide a large footprint, i.e. better floatation, on the grass to minimize crushing or other damage to the turf as it is being mowed. The drive wheels  22  have been extended outward from those of the Model No. 9900 to accommodate the increased width. A pair of rear wheels  24  of the disclosed device provide steering for the unit, as compared to a single rear wheel used on the Model No. 9900. The flail mower housing  28  and its components are also novel additions to the Model No. 9900. 
     The flail mower housing  28  comprises, among other components, the flail rotor assembly  30 . The flail mower housing  28  further comprises a left side plate  62  bounding the left side of the housing  28 , a right side plate  64  bounding the right side of the housing  28 , a left plenum chamber  66 , a right plenum chamber  68 , roller  70 , roller bearings  72 , and a scavenger plate, not shown, which is installed above, to the rear and parallel to the axis of the rotor  34 . The flail blades  38 , when new, should have at least ⅛ inch clearance below the scavenger plate. As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, the left plenum chamber  66  and the right plenum chamber  68  are funnel-shaped for gathering the cuttings into the intake end  54  of discharge chute  52 , where intake end  54  is connected to the top of each plenum chamber. Alternatively, it is easily appreciated that a single funnel-shaped plenum chamber (or a plurality of plenum chambers) might be used instead of the left plenum chamber  66  and the right plenum chambers  68  depicted in the figures herein. 
     The flail rotor assembly  30  may incorporate certain components of flail mowers manufactured by VERISMO, TRI-CORP or ALAMO. The flail rotor assembly  30  of the present invention  10  comprises a rotor  34 , a plurality of vanes  36  and a plurality of flail blades  38 , the vanes  36  and blades  38  attached to the rotor  34 . Rotor bearings  32  mounted to the left side plate  62  and right side plate  64  support the rotor assembly  30  within the housing  28 . Similarly, roller  70  is supported by roller bearings  72 , the roller bearings mounted to the left side plate  62  and the right side plate  64  of the housing  28 . The rotor  34 , rotor bearings  32 , flail blades  38 , left side plate  62 , right side plate  64 , roller  70  and roller bearings  72  of the present device may be obtained from a VERISMO flail blade mower. However, the vanes  36 , the left plenum chamber  66 , the right plenum chamber  68 , and scavenger plate are additional components which are not present in the VERISMO or similar flail mower. 
     The blades  38 , also referred to as flailing blades, scoop blades or cup knives, are pivotally attached with links  39  to the rotor  34 . Acceptable blades are manufactured by VANDL MANUFACTURING. The vanes  36 , which radiate outwardly from the rotor  34 , and the blades  38  create a vacuum effect which allows the present device to collect grass cuttings as they are being mowed. The vacuuming is assisted by the Venturi effect created by nozzle  74  at the air boost inlet  58  when blower  60  is activated. FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of nozzle throat  74  inserted through air boost inlet  58 . It has been found that rotor  34  should spin at approximately 1600 to 1700 rpm to prevent leaving cuttings on the turf. As shown in FIG. 8, the direction of rotation of rotor  34  is clockwise with respect to the normal direction of travel of the drive vehicle  12 . 
     While the above is a description of various embodiments of the present invention, further modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the size, shape, position and/or material of the various components may be changed as desired. Thus the scope of the invention should not be limited by the specific structures disclosed. Instead the true scope of the invention should be determined by the following claims.