Stand on mower with pedestal handle deck height control

Abstract

A stand on mower including a pedestal with a deck height adjustment lever positioned adjacent the pedestal for operator use while standing behind the pedestal. A cross yoke, height position lock, and floating height mechanisms are also taught for mounting the deck off of the mower frame.

Claims

1. A stand on mower apparatus operated by a user, the apparatus comprising: a mower frame; a control pedestal mounted above the mower frame; a mower deck moveably connected below the mower fame; a deck height adjustment handle positioned adjacent the pedestal, the deck height adjustment handle pivotally supported by the mower frame; a yoke operably connected to the handle; a connection arm operably connecting the yoke to the mower deck; a left front suspension arm pivotally connected to the mower frame and also pivotally connected to the mower deck; a right front suspension arm pivotally connected to the mower frame and also pivotally connected to the mower deck; a left back suspension arm pivotally connected to the mower frame and also pivotally connected to the mower deck; a right back suspension arm pivotally connected to the mower frame and also pivotally connected to the mower deck; and the left back suspension arm including a Y shaped configuration.

2. A stand on mower apparatus operated by a user, the apparatus comprising: a mower frame; a control pedestal mounted above the mower frame; a mower deck moveably connected below the mower fame; a deck height adjustment handle positioned adjacent the pedestal, the deck height adjustment handle pivotally supported by the mower frame; a yoke operably connected to the handle; a connection arm operably connecting the yoke to the mower deck; a left front suspension arm pivotally connected to the mower frame and also pivotally connected to the mower deck; a right front suspension arm pivotally connected to the mower frame and also pivotally connected to the mower deck; a left back suspension arm pivotally connected to the mower frame and also pivotally connected to the mower deck; a right back suspension arm pivotally connected to the mower frame and also pivotally connected to the mower deck; and the right back suspension arm including a Y shaped configuration.

3. A stand on mower apparatus operated by a user, the apparatus comprising: a mower frame; a control pedestal mounted above the mower frame; a mower deck moveably connected below the mower fame; a deck height adjustment handle positioned adjacent the pedestal, the deck height adjustment handle pivotally supported by the mower frame; a yoke operably connected to the handle; a connection arm operably connecting the yoke to the mower deck a handle rod connected to the deck height adjustment handle; a lock extension including a catch finger; a deck lift extension defining extension height apertures; a height adjustment plate defining plate height apertures; the mower frame including an upper handle support body; the upper handle support body defining body height apertures; and a height lever pin inserted into the extension height apertures, the body height apertures, and the plate height apertures.

4. A stand on mower apparatus operated by a user, the apparatus comprising: a mower frame; a control pedestal mounted above the mower frame; a mower deck moveably connected below the mower fame; a deck height adjustment handle positioned adjacent the pedestal, the deck height adjustment handle pivotally supported by the mower frame; a yoke operably connected to the handle; a connection arm operably connecting the yoke to the mower deck a handle rod connected to the deck height adjustment handle; a lock extension including a catch finger; a deck lift extension defining extension height apertures; a lever lock arm pivotally mounted off of the mower frame, the lever lock arm including a retention finger positioned to selectively engage the catch finger; and the lever lock arm including a gravity ball end for gravity biasing the retention finger into engagement with the catch finger.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following drawings, which form a part of the specification and which are to be construed in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals have been employed throughout wherever possible to indicate like parts in the various views:

(2) FIG. 1 of the drawings shows a stand on mower with a control pedestal.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a mower frame and components for supporting the deck height adjustment handle.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a mower deck with hanging arms and deck height adjustment bars.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a magnified view o f the side of the mower pedestal with the deck height adjustment handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the present invention is directed to a lever controlled suspension deck 300 on a stand on mower 100 that can be manipulated while the mower operator is standing behind the control pedestal 150. The stand on mower is built off of a mower main frame 200.

(7) As shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the mower main frame 200 supports four top deck pivot mounts 202 for mounting the mower deck 300, an upper handle support body 204 for mounting of the deck lift lever assembly 800 and a stand on platform 210. A front wheel frame 250 is secured with frame bolts 252 and frame nuts 254 to the main frame 200. Grease fittings 256 are mounted where appropriate to lubricate the moving parts.

(8) As best understood in FIG. 1 and partially shown in both FIGS. 2 and 3, the suspension mower deck 300 includes two back slot pivot mounts 301 and two front bottom pivot mounts 302. The four bottom pivot mounts 301, 302 are used to pivotally connect to the bottom ends of the left front suspension arm 310, right front suspension arm 312, left back suspension arm 314, and right back suspension arm 316. The top ends of the arms 310, 312, 314, 316 are pivotally connected to the top deck pivot mounts 202 on the main frame 200. In this manner, the deck 300 is moveably hung from the main frame 200.

(9) As best understood from FIGS. 1 and 3, the height of the mower deck 300 is controlled by the left deck connection bar 318 and right deck connection bar 320. Each bar 318, 320 has a bar deck end 322 connected into the elongated aperture 304 in the bottom height mount 303. The elongated aperture 304 allows for slight adjustments to the deck height range.

(10) Each bar 318, 320 also has a bar yoke end 324 slideably and pivotally connected into the elongated floating bar aperture 325 in the lower arm linkage pivot end 404 on the lower yoke arm 402 of the cross yoke 400. Because the deck is secured by the suspension arms 310, 312, 314, 316 the suspension deck 300 can now float freely due to the sliding engagement of the lower arm linkage pivot end 404 to the elongated floating bar aperture 325. The floating deck allows for the avoidance of lawn scalping problems that occur with rigidly mounted cutting decks.

(11) Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cross yoke 400 allows both sides of the mower deck 300 to be lifted equally. The cross yoke 400 has a yoke rod 410 that support left and right lower yoke arms 402 with each arm 402 including a lower arm linkage pivot end 404 pivotally connected to the bar yoke ends 324 and a lower arm rod end 406 welded to the yoke rod 410. The yoke rod 410 is pivotally mounted in the rod pivot 412. The yoke rod 410 also has an upper yoke arm 420 fixed to the central body of the yoke rod 410 at the upper arm rod end 422. The upper yoke arm 420 also defines a central cylinder aperture 424 and has an upper arm handle pivot end 426.

(12) A two hundred pound operating force or appropriately sized gas spring 500 is used to assist in lifting the deck 300. The gas spring 500 includes a spring arm end 502 mounted to the central cylinder aperture 424 and a spring frame end 504 mounted with a spring ball stud 506 and spring stud nut 508 to the upper handle support body 204.

(13) The upper yoke arm 420 is pivotally connected at the upper arm handle pivot end 426 to the bar yoke end 602 of the height linkage bar 600. The height linkage bar 600 is connected at the upper bar handle end 604 to the inner lift aperture 844 on the deck lift extension 840 of the deck lift lever assembly 800. The height linkage bar 600 is connected with a linkage shoulder bolt 606, linkage washer 608, linkage bushing 610, and linkage nut 612.

(14) An arm mount block 700 is used to mount the deck lift lever assembly 800 off of the upper handle support body 204. The arm mount block 700 uses male pillow blocks 702 and female pillow block 704 held together with block straps 706 secured with block bolts 708 and block nuts 710 to the upper handle support body 204. The arm mount block 700 includes a central aperture 701 to pivotally mount the rotating handle rod 802 of the deck lift lever assembly 800.

(15) The deck lift lever assembly 800 is built off of a rotating handle rod 802 to mount a handle arm 810, arm extension 820, a lock extension 830, and a deck lift extension 840.

(16) The handle arm extension 820 is mounted to the handle arm 810 with a connection bolt 852. A rubber handle grip 854 is mounted to the upper end for operator comfort. The handle arm extension 820 should be long enough to overcome the weight of the deck 300 as supplemented by the lifting force of the gas spring 500.

(17) The lock extension 830 is constructed with a catch finger 832 for engaging the lever lock arm 902 at the retention finger 906 on the curved body 904 to secure the deck 300 in an upper position. The curved body 904 extends to a gravity ball end 908 to keep the catch finger 832 engaged until force is applied to the handle 820 to release the fingers 832, 906.

(18) A height lever pin 920 can be used to engage the lock extension 830 by way of height apertures 842 in the height adjustment plate 900, and height apertures 842 in the handle support body 204 to lock the deck 300 in position. The height adjustment plate 900 is mounted with plate bolts 922 and spacers 924 to the handle support body 204.

(19) Reference numerals used throughout the detailed description and the drawings correspond to the following elements:

(20) Stand on mower 100

(21) Control pedestal 150

(22) Mower main frame 200

(23) Top deck pivot mount 202

(24) Upper handle support body 204

(25) Stand on platform 210

(26) Front wheel frame 250

(27) Frame bolt 252

(28) Frame nut 254

(29) Grease fitting 256

(30) Suspension deck 300

(31) Bottom front pivot mount 302

(32) Bottom back slot pivot mount 301

(33) bottom height mount 303

(34) elongated aperture 304

(35) Left front suspension arm 310

(36) Right front suspension arm 312

(37) Left back Y suspension arm 314

(38) Right back Y suspension arm 316

(39) Left deck connection bar 318 Right deck connection bar 320

(40) Bar deck end 322

(41) Bar yoke end 324

(42) Elongated floating bar aperture 325

(43) Cross yoke 400

(44) Lower yoke arm 402

(45) Lower arm linkage pivot end 404

(46) Lower arm rod end 406

(47) Yoke rod 410

(48) Rod pivot 412

(49) Upper yoke arm 420

(50) Upper arm rod end 422

(51) Upper arm cylinder aperture 424

(52) Upper arm handle pivot end 426

(53) Gas spring 500

(54) Spring arm end 502

(55) Spring frame end 504

(56) Spring ball stud 506

(57) Spring stud nut 508

(58) Height linkage bar 600

(59) Bar yoke end 602

(60) Bar handle end 604

(61) Linkage Shoulder bolt 606

(62) Linkage Washer 608

(63) Linkage Bushing 610

(64) Linkage nut 612

(65) Arm mount block 700

(66) Male pillow block 702

(67) Female pillow block 704

(68) Block strap 706

(69) Block bolt 708

(70) Block nut 710

(71) Deck lift lever assembly 800

(72) a rotating handle rod 802

(73) handle rod 810

(74) Handle arm extension 820

(75) Lock extension 830

(76) Catch finger 832

(77) Deck lift extension 840

(78) Height apertures 842

(79) Inner lift aperture 844

(80) Connection bolt 852

(81) Handle grip 854

(82) Height adjustment plate 900

(83) Lever lock arm 902

(84) Curved body 904

(85) Retention finger 906

(86) Gravity ball end 908

(87) Height lever pin 920

(88) Plate bolt 922

(89) Spacer 924

(90) From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention well adapted to obtain all the ends and objects herein set forth, together with other advantages which are inherent to the structure. It will also be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

(91) When interpreting the claims of this application, method claims may be recognized by the explicit use of the word ‘method’ in the preamble of the claims and the use of the ‘ing’ tense of the active word. Method claims should not be interpreted to have particular steps in a particular order unless the claim element specifically refers to a previous element, a previous action, or the result of a previous action. Apparatus claims may be recognized by the use of the word ‘apparatus’ in the preamble of the claim and should not be interpreted to have ‘means plus function language’ unless the word ‘means’ is specifically used in the claim element. The words ‘defining,’ ‘having,’ or ‘including’ should be interpreted as open ended claim language that allows additional elements or structures. Finally, where the claims recite “a” or “a first” element of the equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.