Patent ID: 7415919

Claim:
A hydraulic system connecting first, second and third hydraulic motors in series, each motor rotating a separate mower blade under first, second and third mower decks, comprising: a first solenoid-operated directional control valve and a second solenoid-operated directional control valve, which are connected in parallel to an inlet line from the first hydraulic motor, a first pilot-operated directional control valve and a second pilot-operated directional control valve, which are connected in series to the inlet line from the first hydraulic motor; the first solenoid-operated directional control valve energized by lowering the second mower deck into an operating position to provide an electrical signal to the first solenoid-operated directional control valve which provides a first pilot signal to the first pilot-operated directional control valve that in response to the first pilot signal directs a flow of hydraulic fluid passing through the first hydraulic motor to pass through the second hydraulic motor without directing the flow through any other restrictive valves; the first solenoid-operated directional control valve being de-energized by raising the second mower deck into a non-operating position to cut the electrical signal to the first solenoid-operated directional control valve to end the pilot signal to the first pilot-operated directional control valve to direct the flow of hydraulic fluid passing through the first hydraulic motor to bypass the second hydraulic motor; and the second solenoid-operated directional control valve energized by lowering the third mower deck into an operating position to provide an electrical signal to the second solenoid-operated directional control valve which provides a second pilot signal to the second pilot-operated directional control valve that in response to the second pilot signal directs a flow of hydraulic fluid passing through the first hydraulic motor to pass through the third hydraulic motor without directing the flow through any other restrictive valves; the second solenoid-operated directional control valve being de-energized by raising the third mower deck into a non-operating position to cut the electrical signal to the second solenoid-operated directional control valve to end the pilot signal to the second pilot-operated directional control valve to direct the flow of hydraulic fluid passing through the first hydraulic motor to bypass the third hydraulic motor.