An improved tilting bearing assembly (100) is provided that includes a support bracket and a tilting bearing; the support bracket and the tilting bearing, along with methods of replacing the same are also provided. The support bracket generally comprises a substantially planar upper portion lying in a first plane and having two opposing ends and a pair of elongated openings, each elongated opening extending in a first direction entirely through the upper portion of the support and having a closed end and an opposing open end, the closed end of each elongated opening being equidistant from respective ones of the two opposing ends; and two opposing leg portions, each leg portion projecting at an angle relative to the first plane, extending at respective upper ends of each leg portion from one of the two opposing ends of the upper portion and terminating at respective lower ends of each leg portion.

An improved tilting bearing assembly (100) is provided that includes a support bracket and a tilting bearing; the support bracket and the tilting bearing, along with methods of replacing the same are also provided. The support bracket generally comprises a substantially planar upper portion lying in a first plane and having two opposing ends and a pair of elongated openings, each elongated opening extending in a first direction entirely through the upper portion of the support and having a closed end and an opposing open end, the closed end of each elongated opening being equidistant from respective ones of the two opposing ends; and two opposing leg portions, each leg portion projecting at an angle relative to the first plane, extending at respective upper ends of each leg portion from one of the two opposing ends of the upper portion and terminating at respective lower ends of each leg portion.

An improved tilting bearing assembly (100) is provided that includes a support bracket and a tilting bearing; the support bracket and the tilting bearing, along with methods of replacing the same are also provided. The support bracket generally comprises a substantially planar upper portion lying in a first plane and having two opposing ends and a pair of elongated openings, each elongated opening extending in a first direction entirely through the upper portion of the support and having a closed end and an opposing open end, the closed end of each elongated opening being equidistant from respective ones of the two opposing ends; and two opposing leg portions, each leg portion projecting at an angle relative to the first plane, extending at respective upper ends of each leg portion from one of the two opposing ends of the upper portion and terminating at respective lower ends of each leg portion.

A configuration of a direct drive lawnmower spindle assembly to protect sensitive electric motor components is provided. A spindle shaft of the spindle assembly is supported by upper and lower bearings. An upper end of the spindle shaft is mounted to a rotor of the electric motor and a lower end of the spindle shaft extends through the clearance opening. The lower bearing is supported by a lower bearing carrier that is mounted to the bottom of the spindle housing. The lower bearing can be serviced by removing the lower bearing carrier. A clearance gap between the spindle shaft and the clearance opening is sufficiently small to limit spindle shaft tipping to a degree that will not damage the motor. The invention also provides a friction coupling system for coupling a blade with the rotating spindle shaft.

A hub bearing assembly includes a housing with a vertical bore, a bearing outer ring disposed within the bore and coupled with the housing and a bearing inner ring disposed within the bearing outer ring and having a central bore configured to receive a portion of the shaft. A set of rolling elements are disposed between the bearing outer and inner rings. An upper seal is disposed within the housing bore externally of the outer ring and includes an annular elastomeric seal body and a garter spring biasing a seal lip radially inwardly. A lower seal is disposed between the bearing outer and inner rings. Either the bearing inner ring is sized such that upper seal is disposed about the bearing inner ring or the hub bearing assembly further comprises an annular spacer disposed within the upper seal and adjacent to the upper axial end of the bearing inner ring.

The present invention relates to a roller for use in an agricultural or mowing machine, the roller comprising a pair of tapered roller bearings and a pair of roller bearings, wherein the tapered roller bearings are closer to the midpoint of the roller than the roller bearings. An agricultural or mowing machine comprising the roller is also described.

A rotary milking platform 1 has a deck 2, a circular upper beam 4 connected to and supporting the deck, a circular lower beam 6 and a series of carriages 5 connected end to end to form a ring between the beams. The platform is formed such that the upper beam 4 is arranged to rest and rotate on the ring of carriages 5 to rotate the deck 2. Each carriage has at least one carriage roller 10, and each roller 10 arranged to rotate on the lower beam 4. Each roller 10 also has a retention flange 11 at only one side. The flanges 11 of some of the rollers 10 are at or adjacent an inner side of the ring, and the flanges 11 of others of the rollers are at or adjacent an outer side of the ring. The rollers 10 of the ring are arranged such that at least one roller is oriented with its flange 11 on an opposite side to another of the flanged rollers immediately adjacent to it. The flanges prevent the carriages from moving off the lower beam 4 when the platform 1 is in use. Further, at least some of the carriages can be disconnected from the ring and swung laterally to be moved free of the beams 4, 6 for maintenance, repair or replacement.

Aspects hereof relate to a lever-actuated operator protection apparatus. In some aspects, the lever-actuated operator protection apparatus can be raised and lowered by an operator from a seated position, for example, on a terrain working vehicle.

A forage harvester that includes a cutterhead assembly and two frame parts between which the cutterhead assembly is rotatably suspended. The forage harvester assembly is held on both frame parts by a clamp bearing that defines a rotary axis. Contact points between an element on the frame part side and an element on the assembly side of the clamp bearing lie on a spherical surface centered on the rotary axis.

A wing flex assembly for a frame system of an agricultural implement that includes inner and outer tubes. The outer tube, to which tools of the implement are attached, is slidingly displaceable along the inner tube as the inner tube is downwardly pivotally displaced with a downward flex of a wing frame. A first tool of a center frame can be separated from an adjacent second tool of the wing frame that is attached to the outer tube by a first distance when the outer tube is at a retracted position, and a second distance when the outer tube is slidingly displaced in response to the downward pivotal displacement of the inner tube, the first distance being about equal to the second distance. The wing flex assembly can also prevent contact between the first and second tools when the inner tube is pivotally displaced in an upward direction.