Patent ID: 7328529

Claim:
A mower that converts into a tracked implement, which comprises: (a) a drive unit, which comprises: (i) a drive frame; (ii) a prime mover carried on the drive frame; (iii) an operator's station on the drive frame for carrying an operator; (iv) a pair of ground engaging drive wheels on the drive frame with one drive wheel located on each side of the drive frame for driven rotation about a common rotational drive axis; and (v) a control system on the drive frame adjacent the operator's station for operating the drive wheels; (b) a mower unit, which comprises: (i) a mower frame; (ii) at least one ground engaging support wheel carried on the mower frame; and (iii) a grass cutting unit carried on the mower frame; (c) a tracked unit, which, comprises: (i) a track frame; (ii) a plurality of rotatable support idlers carried on the track frame with at least one support idler located on each side of the track frame; (iii) a device carried on the track frame to perform a ground or turf grooming or working operation other than grass cutting; and (iv) a pair of endless ground engaging tracks with one track located adjacent each side of the track frame, wherein each track is entrained around and connects a rotatable drive member carried on the drive frame and located on the drive axis on one side of the drive frame to the at least one support idler on a corresponding side of the track frame; and (d) wherein either the mower unit or the tracked unit are alternatively usable with the drive unit to provide, respectively, either a mower for cutting grass or a tracked implement for performing the non-grass cutting ground or turf grooming or working operation.