US3918240A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower
Assignee: Jacobsen Manufacturing Co
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Filing: 1974-09-16
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Granted: 1975-11-11
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Expires: 1994-09-16
Abstract
Abstract A hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower of the type including a tractor having a hydraulic pump and valve and motors for driving the tractor. A plurality of lawn mowers are mounted on the tractor and include cutters, and hydraulic motors drive the cutters. The pump and the valve have separate sections for operating the respective motors, and the valve has spools which can be placed in various positions for operating the motors, and there is a single control assembly for positioning the spools to achieve operational position of the motors, including traction drive of the tractor at different speeds. Hand levers and foot pedals are utilized for controlling the valve and the motors, and a lockout mechanism operates to preclude positioning of the valve in certain positions and thereby preclude placing the tractor in the transport mode when the mowers are operating, and vice versa. The mowers are pivotally mounted on the tractor and may be raised and lowered through lifting cylinders connected to respective ones of said mowers, and a hydraulic sequencing valve permits raising and lowering of the mowers in sequence to assure proper mowing action.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald G Haffner
- 👤 Dean A Meyer
- 👤 Franklin A Ecker
- 👤 Sahag C Akgulian
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 09:10
CPC Classifications
F; F15; F15B; F15B11/00; F15B11/16; F15B11/17; A; A01; A01D; A01D34/00; A01D34/01; A01D34/412; A01D34/42; A01D34/56; A01D34/60; A01D75/00; A01D75/30; A01D75/306; F15B2211/00; F15B2211/20; F15B2211/205; F15B2211/20576; F15B2211/30; F15B2211/31; F15B2211/3105; F15B2211/3116; F15B2211/3122; F15B2211/3127; F15B2211/50; F15B2211/505; F15B2211/50509; F15B2211/50518; F15B2211/50527; F15B2211/515; F15B2211/5153; F15B2211/5154; F15B2211/55; F15B2211/70; F15B2211/71; F15B2211/7114; F15B2211/7128; F15B2211/7142
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
350 words
In a hydraulic system for A gang lawn mower of the type including a tractor, a traction hydraulic motor on said tractor for traction powering said tractor, a plurality of lawn mowers attached to said tractor and with each of said mowers including a grass cutter, a mower hydraulic motor on each of said mowers and operatively connected with said grass cutters for powering said grass cutters, a hydraulic pump on said tractor and being drivenly connected with said tractor to be powered thereby, a hydraulic valve on said tractor, a plurality of hydraulic lines interconnecting all said hydraulic motors and said pump and said valve, the improvement comprising said pump having a separate hydraulic pumping section respectively fluid-flow connected with each of said mower hydraulic motors and with said traction hydraulic motor, said valve having a plurality of separate sections respectively related to all said pump sections and having a plurality of fluid ports fluid-flow communicating all said valve sections with each other, a valve closure means movably disposed in each of said valve sections for controlling the flow of fluid through said valve fluid ports to thereby selectively block and open the flow of fluid to and from all said valve sections and said hydraulic lines, the ones of said valve closure means in the ones of said valve sections which are fluid-flow interconnected with said traction hydraulic motor, and also only one of said mower hydraulic motors, having fluid passageways in said ones of said valve closure means and being fluid-flow communicable with said ports for fluidflow interconnecting those said ones of said valve sections for directing to said traction hydraulic motor all the fluid flow from the respective ones of said pump sections which are fluidflow connected with said ones of said valve sections, for transport drive of said tractor upon moving said ones of said valve closure means, and a single control assembly means operatively connected with said ones of said valve closure means for moving said ones of said valve closure means into the transport drive position by one movement of said control assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
350 words
In a hydraulic system for A gang lawn mower of the type including a tractor, a traction hydraulic motor on said tractor for traction powering said tractor, a plurality of lawn mowers attached to said tractor and with each of said mowers including a grass cutter, a mower hydraulic motor on each of said mowers and operatively connected with said grass cutters for powering said grass cutters, a hydraulic pump on said tractor and being drivenly connected with said tractor to be powered thereby, a hydraulic valve on said tractor, a plurality of hydraulic lines interconnecting all said hydraulic motors and said pump and said valve, the improvement comprising said pump having a separate hydraulic pumping section respectively fluid-flow connected with each of said mower hydraulic motors and with said traction hydraulic motor, said valve having a plurality of separate sections respectively related to all said pump sections and having a plurality of fluid ports fluid-flow communicating all said valve sections with each other, a valve closure means movably disposed in each of said valve sections for controlling the flow of fluid through said valve fluid ports to thereby selectively block and open the flow of fluid to and from all said valve sections and said hydraulic lines, the ones of said valve closure means in the ones of said valve sections which are fluid-flow interconnected with said traction hydraulic motor, and also only one of said mower hydraulic motors, having fluid passageways in said ones of said valve closure means and being fluid-flow communicable with said ports for fluidflow interconnecting those said ones of said valve sections for directing to said traction hydraulic motor all the fluid flow from the respective ones of said pump sections which are fluidflow connected with said ones of said valve sections, for transport drive of said tractor upon moving said ones of said valve closure means, and a single control assembly means operatively connected with said ones of said valve closure means for moving said ones of said valve closure means into the transport drive position by one movement of said control assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
123 words
The hydraulic system as claimed in claim 1, including another of said valve closure means in another of said valve sections which is fluid-flow interconnected with another of said mower hydraulic motors having a fluid passageway in said another valve closure means for fluid-flow interconnecting said another of said valve sections with said ones of said valve sections for directing to said traction hydraulic motor all the fluid flow from the respective one of said pump sections which are fluid-flow connected with said another and said ones of said valve sections, for transport drive of said tractor at a speed faster than that achieved through the subject matter of claim 1, and in response to moving said another of said valve closure means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
The hydraulic system as claimed in claim 1, including a hydraulic cylinder supported on said tractor and operatively connected to said lawn mowers for raising and lowering said lawn mowers upon extension and contraction of said hydraulic cylinder, said valve including a valve section and a valve closure for operating said hydraulic cylinder, a hydraulic line connected between said valve and said hydraulic cylinder, and an additional control connected with said valve closure means which is for operating said hydraulic cylinder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
91 words
The hydraulic system as claimed in claim 3, including an additional hydraulic cylinder supported on said tractor and operatively connected to one of said mowers, which is in addition to those said mowers operatively connected with the other said hydraulic cylinder, for raising and lowering said one of said mowers upon extension and contraction of said additional hydraulic cylinder, and a sequencing hydraulic valve operatively connected intermediate the two said hydraulic cylinders for sequentially directing the flow of fluid to said hydraulic cylinders for respectively sequentially raising and lowering said mowers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
The hydraulic system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said sequencing hydraulic valve includes a shiftable closure for controlling the flow of fluid between said hydraulic cylinders, an adjustable yieldable urging member operative on said shiftable closure for adjustably setting the hydraulic pressure at which said shiftable closure will shift for fluid flow therepast and to and from said hydraulic cylinders, and thereby adjustably set the timing of the sequential raising and lowering of said mowers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The hydraulic system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said valve section for operating said hydraulic cylinder is the one of said valve sections for operating said mower hydraulic motors and is hydraulically connected to one of said pump sections which is fluid-flow connected with one of said mower hydraulic motors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The hydraulic system as claim in claim 3, wherein said additional control is a foot pedal control mounted on said tractor for actuation of said hydraulic cylinder in the raising and lowering of said lawn mowers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The hydraulic system as claimed in claim 7, including additional controls respectively operatively connected with each of said valve sections which are hydraulically connected with each of said mower hydraulic motors, for selective powering of each of said mower hydraulic motors.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
183 words
The hydraulic system as claimed in claim 1, including additional controls respectively operatively connected with each of said valve sections which are hydraulically connected with each of said mower hydraulic motors, for selective powering of each of said mower hydraulic motors, a hydraulic cylinder supported on said tractor and operatively connected to said lawn mowers for raising and lowering said lawn moers upon extension and contraction of said hydraulic cylinder, said valve including an additional valve section and an additional valve closure means for operating said hydraulic cylinder, a hydraulic line connected between said valve and said hydraulic cylinder, an additional control connected with said additional valve closure means which is for operating said hydraulic cylinder, a lockout mechanism operatively interconnected between said single control assembly and all said additional controls for precluding actuation of all of said additional controls when said single control assembly is in the transport drive position, and for precluding actuation of said single control assembly into the transport drive position when said additional controls for said mower hydraulic motor are in positions for powering said mower hydraulic motor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The hydraulic system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said additional control for operating said hydraulic cylinder is a foot pedal, and all the other said controls are levers which are operable by the operator''s hand.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
187 words
In a hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower of the type including a tractor, a traction hydraulic motor on said tractor for traction powering said tractor, a plurality of lawn mowers attached to said tractor and with each of said mowers including a grass cutter, a mower hydraulic motor on each of said mowers and operatively connected with said grass cutters for powering said grass cutters, a hydraulic pump on said tractor and being drivenly connected with said tractor to be powered thereby, a hydraulic valve on said tractor, a plurality of hydraulic lines interconnecting all said hydraulic motors and said pump and said valve, the improvement comprising controls operatively connected with said valve with respect to said traction hydraulic motor and said mower hydraulic motors, a lockout means operatively interconnectable between said controls for precluding certain actuation of said controls for said traction hydraulic motor to effect a transport mode of operation of said traction hydraulic motor when said mower hydraulic motors are operating, and for precluding actuation of said mower hydraulic motors when said traction hydraulic motor is in said transport mode of operation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
187 words
In a hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower of the type including a tractor, a traction hydraulic motor on said tractor for traction powering said tractor, a plurality of lawn mowers attached to said tractor and with each of said mowers including a grass cutter, a mower hydraulic motor on each of said mowers and operatively connected with said grass cutters for powering said grass cutters, a hydraulic pump on said tractor and being drivenly connected with said tractor to be powered thereby, a hydraulic valve on said tractor, a plurality of hydraulic lines interconnecting all said hydraulic motors and said pump and said valve, the improvement comprising controls operatively connected with said valve with respect to said traction hydraulic motor and said mower hydraulic motors, a lockout means operatively interconnectable between said controls for precluding certain actuation of said controls for said traction hydraulic motor to effect a transport mode of operation of said traction hydraulic motor when said mower hydraulic motors are operating, and for precluding actuation of said mower hydraulic motors when said traction hydraulic motor is in said transport mode of operation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
69 words
The hydraulic system aS claimed in claim 11, wherein said controls and said lockout means include cams and cam followers operative on said valve, and including levers connected with said cams for positioning said cams in the actuation of said valve, and said cam followers being connected with said valve and positionable in the paths of said cams to preclude movement of said cams upon actuation of said levers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The hydraulic system as claimed in claim 11, wherein some of said controls are hand manipulatable and the remainder of said controls are foot manipulatable.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
203 words
In a hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower of the type including a tractor, a prime mover on said tractor, a plurality of lawn mowers pivotally supported on said tractor and with each of said mowers including a grass cutter, a mower hydraulic motor on each of said mowers and operatively connected with said grass cutters for powering said grass cutters, a hydraulic cylinder operatively associated with said mowers for pivoting said mowers between raised and lowered positions on said tractor, a hydraulic pump on said tractor and being drivenly connected with said prime mover to be powered thereby, a hydraulic valve on said tractor, a plurality of hydraulic lines interconnecting all said hydraulic motors and said cylinders and said pump and said valve, the improvement comprising a plurality of valve closure means included in said valve for respectively controlling the flow of fluid to said cylinders and said motors, two of said valve closure means being hydraulically interconnected and with one thereof controlling said cylinders and the other thereof controlling one of said mower motors, and an additional valve hydraulically connected intermediate said two valve closure means for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid to said cylinders and said one motor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
203 words
In a hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower of the type including a tractor, a prime mover on said tractor, a plurality of lawn mowers pivotally supported on said tractor and with each of said mowers including a grass cutter, a mower hydraulic motor on each of said mowers and operatively connected with said grass cutters for powering said grass cutters, a hydraulic cylinder operatively associated with said mowers for pivoting said mowers between raised and lowered positions on said tractor, a hydraulic pump on said tractor and being drivenly connected with said prime mover to be powered thereby, a hydraulic valve on said tractor, a plurality of hydraulic lines interconnecting all said hydraulic motors and said cylinders and said pump and said valve, the improvement comprising a plurality of valve closure means included in said valve for respectively controlling the flow of fluid to said cylinders and said motors, two of said valve closure means being hydraulically interconnected and with one thereof controlling said cylinders and the other thereof controlling one of said mower motors, and an additional valve hydraulically connected intermediate said two valve closure means for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid to said cylinders and said one motor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
the hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower as claimed in claim 14, wherein said additional valve is a pressure relief valve.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
The hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower as claimed in claim 14, wherein said additional valve is a sequencing valve arranged to actuate said cylinders for lowering said mowers prior to passing fluid to said one motor for driving said cutter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower as claimed in claim 14, including a restricted orifice in said hydraulic line which leads to said cylinders for lowering said mowers, to thereby automatically slowly lower said mowers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
96 words
The hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower as claimed in claim 14, including one manually operable control member operatively connected with one of said two valve closure means, and another manually operable control member operatively connected with the other of said two valve closures, and said additional valve being adapted for sequentially supplying fluid to said two valve closure means in accordance with the pressure of the fluid at said additional valve, and thereby at times influence operation of said cylinders and said one motor regardless of the manipulation of the two said control members.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
88 words
The hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower as claimed in claim 18, including a mower raising and lowering mechanism operatively connected with said cylinders, and a connector means operatively connected between said mechanism and said other valve closure means and being responsive to the raised and lowered positions of said mowers and thereby influence the hydraulically operative position of said other valve closure means for having said other valve closure means pass hydraulic fluid to said one motor only in accordance with the operation of said cylinders.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
70 words
The hydraulic system for a gang lawn mower as claimed in claim 19, wherein said one manually operable control member is connected with said connector means for positioning said other valve closure means, and a lost-motion connection interposed between said one manually operable control member and said other valve closure means for resulting in movement of said one manually operable control member without moveMent of said other valve closure means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3511034A
Cited
US3563011A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-10 | 1979-05-12 | 1979-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-10 | 1983-05-12 | 1983-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-10 | 1987-05-12 | 1987-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |