US3758967A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Yard maintenance apparatus
Assignee: RENTAL EQUIPMENT MANUF CO
•
Filing: 1971-05-14
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Granted: 1973-09-18
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Expires: 1991-05-14
Abstract
Abstract A self-propelled wheel mounted yard maintenance apparatus carrying an engine to drive the unit and a working element which may be a sweeper brush, a snowplow, a lawn mower or the like. The working element is direct-connected to the engine and is adapted to be rotated to function as the apparatus is moved across a yard. The apparatus includes a pair of drive wheels mounted upon a shaft to rotate to propel the unit. A differential is carried upon a driven shaft connected to the engine and a driving shaft connected to the drive wheel shaft. The differential is free to rotate upon these shafts and when rotating freely, it does not apply any driving torque to the driving shaft. A brake is provided to reduce the rate of rotation of this differential or to stop its rotation completely and in either case, the braking action will impart driving torque to the driving shaft. The driving shaft rotates in a direction opposite to the driven shaft when so restrained by the brake. The working element may rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the drive wheels or in the same direction of rotation by the addition of reversing gears in the mechanisms between the engine and the working element.
Inventors
- 👤 D Thompson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 00:20
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01H; E01H5/00; E01H5/04; A; A01; A01G; A01G20/00; A01G20/40; A01G20/43; E01H1/00; E01H1/02; E01H1/04; E01H1/045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
A wheel mounted yard maintenance apparatus or like device comprising, in combination with a body structure thereof: a. an engine moUnted upon the body having a drive shaft adapted to rotate at a selected, substantially uniform rate; b. a rotatable working element carried upon the body at a location which permits the element to be positioned for working engagement at it rotates; c. a supporting wheel means including a driving shaft adapted to rotate and drive the apparatus; d. a fixed speed transmission means connecting the engine shaft with the working element to rotate the working element at a fixed rate with respect to the uniform rotation of the engine shaft; e. a variable speed transmission means including a driven shaft connecting with the engine shaft to rotate at a fixed rate with respect to the uniform rotation of the engine shaft and a differential means connecting the driven shaft with the aforesaid driving shaft and adapted to be set to effect rotation of the driving shaft at a selected rate with respect to the rotation of the driven shaft; and f. a control means at the differential means adapted to set the differential means to rotate the driving shaft at selected variable rates with respect to the driven shaft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
210 words
A wheel mounted yard maintenance apparatus or like device comprising, in combination with a body structure thereof: a. an engine moUnted upon the body having a drive shaft adapted to rotate at a selected, substantially uniform rate; b. a rotatable working element carried upon the body at a location which permits the element to be positioned for working engagement at it rotates; c. a supporting wheel means including a driving shaft adapted to rotate and drive the apparatus; d. a fixed speed transmission means connecting the engine shaft with the working element to rotate the working element at a fixed rate with respect to the uniform rotation of the engine shaft; e. a variable speed transmission means including a driven shaft connecting with the engine shaft to rotate at a fixed rate with respect to the uniform rotation of the engine shaft and a differential means connecting the driven shaft with the aforesaid driving shaft and adapted to be set to effect rotation of the driving shaft at a selected rate with respect to the rotation of the driven shaft; and f. a control means at the differential means adapted to set the differential means to rotate the driving shaft at selected variable rates with respect to the driven shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
In the organization set forth in claim 1, wherein: the working element is a snowplow rotor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
In the organization defined in claim 1, wherein: the working element is a snowplow auger mounted transversely across the front of the body and wherein the supporting wheel means includes a transversely disposed wheel shaft extending through the rearward portion of the body and having drive wheels at each side of the body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
In the organization set forth in claim 1, wherein: the working element is a lawn cutter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
In the organization set forth in claim 1, wherein: the working element is a lawn mower reel mounted transversely across the front of the body; a cutter bar at the base of the reel; and wherein the supporting wheel means includes a transversely disposed wheel shaft extending through the rearward portion of the body and having drive wheels at each side of the body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
110 words
In the organization set forth in claim 1, wherein the driven shaft and the driving shaft are in axial alignment and the differential means is rotatably carried upon said shafts and includes a cylindrical portion having its axis congruent with the shaft axis, and including further: a brake means having a band embracing the cylindrical portion to restrain rotation of the differential means; said actuating means being adapted to tighten the brake means about the cylinder with selective pressure to permit the differential means to rotate at variable speeds and to remain stationary, whereby to vary the rate of rotation of the driving shaft with respect to the driven shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
In the organization set forth in claim 6, wherein: said brake actuating means includes a manually operated linkage adapted to tighten said brake band about the differential and a biased means adapted to release said brake band when the manually operated linkage is released by the operator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
In the organization set forth in claim 6, wherein: each shaft is connected to a gear within the differential means and each gear is interconnected to the other by an idler gear carried on the differential means, whereby the driving shaft rotates oppositely to the rotation of the driven shaft when the differential is prevented from rotating, but the driving shaft does not rotate when the differential is free to rotate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
130 words
In the organization set forth in claim 6, wherein: said engine shaft, said wheel shaft, said driven shaft and said driving shaft are arranged in spaced parallelism, with the driven shaft and the driving shaft being on a common axial alignment; gear means in the differential means adapted to cause the driving shaft to rotate in a direction opposite to the rotation of the driven shaft when the differential unit is held against rotation and to remain stationary when the differential unit is free to rotate; and chain connections dIrectly between the driving shaft and wheel shaft, the engine shaft and driven shaft and the engine shaft and aforesaid working element, whereby the wheel shaft will rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the working element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
147 words
In the organization set forth in claim 6, wherein: said engine shaft, said wheel shaft, said driven shaft and said driving shaft are arranged in spaced parallelism, with the driven shaft and the driving shaft being on a common axial alignment; gear means in the differential means adapted to cause the driving shaft to rotate in a direction opposite to the rotation of the driven shaft when the differential unit is held against rotation and to remain stationary when the differential unit is free to rotate; and chain connections directly between the driving shaft and wheel shaft, the engine shaft and driven shaft and the engine shaft and aforesaid working element, wherein said chain connections are interrupted by a gear connection between the engine shaft and the aforesaid working element, whereby the wheel shaft will rotate in the same direction as the rotation of the working element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
In the organization set forth in claim 9, wherein: said body structure is formed as a forward and rearward portion with the engine being mounted upon the forward portion thereof, with said working element being mounted at the rearward portion thereof, and with said drive shaft and transmission means being mounted within the forward portion of the unit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
In the organization set forth in claim 9, wherein: said body structure is formed as a forward and rearward portion with the engine being mounted upon the rearward portion thereof, with said working element being mounted at the forward portion thereof, and with said drive shaft and transmission means being mounted within the rearward portion of the unit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
130 words
A driving system having an engine adapted to operate with its output shaft rotating at a selected, substantially uniform rate; a. a rotatable working element connected to the engine shaft to rotate with rotation of the engine shaft; b. a rotatable drive element to drive the system and including a driving shaft; c. a variable speed transmission means including a driven shaft connecting with the engine shaft, a rotatable differential means between the driven shaft and the aforesaid driving shaft to effect rotation of the driving shaft at varying selected rates with respect to the rotation of the driven shaft; and d. a control means at the differential means adapted to set the differential means to rotate the driving shaft at selected variable rates with respect to the driven shaft.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
130 words
A driving system having an engine adapted to operate with its output shaft rotating at a selected, substantially uniform rate; a. a rotatable working element connected to the engine shaft to rotate with rotation of the engine shaft; b. a rotatable drive element to drive the system and including a driving shaft; c. a variable speed transmission means including a driven shaft connecting with the engine shaft, a rotatable differential means between the driven shaft and the aforesaid driving shaft to effect rotation of the driving shaft at varying selected rates with respect to the rotation of the driven shaft; and d. a control means at the differential means adapted to set the differential means to rotate the driving shaft at selected variable rates with respect to the driven shaft.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
In the organization set forth in claim 13, wherein: the control means includes a brake means to restrain the rotation of the differential means; and a means adapted to actuate the brake means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
67 words
In the organization defined in claim 13, wherein: said driven shaft and said driving shaft are on a common axial alignment; and gear means in the differential means adapted to cause the driving shaft to rotate in a direction opposite to the rotation of the driven shaft when the differential unit is held against rotation and to remain stationary when the differential unit is free to rotate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-17 | 1977-03-19 | 1977-09-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-17 | 1981-03-19 | 1981-09-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-17 | 1985-03-19 | 1985-09-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |