J. I. Case Company

Ingersoll Equipment Co., Inc.

Mark R Fralish

An apparatus for sweeping and thatching turf including a rotatable sweeper brush assembly having spring type thatching members. The spring thatching members may be easily secured to or removed from the sweeper brush assembly which permits the operator considerable flexibility in installing and removing them without dismantling the brush assembly. The number of spring thatching members used may be conveniently varied for providing the desired thatching action. The construction provides for cooperation between the spring members and the brush assembly for preventing rotation of the spring members without complicated mounting structure for the spring members. Further, the combination of spring thatching members and sweeper brushes provides an improved cleaning action for the turf.

Sweeper and turf thatcher

A detachable hinge assembly consisting of a generally L-shaped member secured to a movable structure and a second generally z-shaped member secured to a frame, the L-shaped member having openings in each of its leg portions through which leg portions the Z-shaped members extend. The relationship between the openings and leg portions is designed so that the upward and sideward member of the L-shaped member relative to the z-shaped member is restricted, while permitting the L-shaped member to be pivoted relative to the z-shaped member, so that the movable structure to which the L-shaped member is attached can be disengaged from the z-shaped member without the use of tools.

Detachable hinge assembly

A power lawn mower including a plastic endless chain type cutter assembly having a plurality of plastic whip sticks which produce aeration and suction within the mower casing for improving grass cutting and dispensing. Each whip stick includes an elongated generally flat portion which extends horizontally and merges with a main lift or curved wing portion with the wing portion including a leading impact edge and a trailing lift edge. In operation, the cutter assembly is moved continuously with the lift portions of the whip sticks acting to create an aerating effect for causing a vacuum or suction within the mower casing. This action causes a continuous flow of air to be drawn between the ground and casing for discharging cut grass outwardly through an opening in the casing. The whip sticks are permitted limited pivotal movement upon striking obstacles during rotation. The cutter assembly is supported during powered rotational movement on elongated horizontal portions of a chain guide and support member. A guard is mounted to the chain guide and support member, and the guard includes a slot along which the flat horizontal portions of the whip sticks move as they are being rotated. The guard and a portion of the mower casing form an enclosure or tunnel which permits efficient transferring of cut grass from the casing.

Endless chain type lawn mower

A snow caster for use as a snow blower is disclosed having auger units which rotate and propel snow toward a fan rotating at a higher speed to propel the snow out of the snow caster. The fan is fixed on a drive shaft which extends within the auger units and is operably connected to the auger units by a speed reduction means.

Snow caster

An adjustment mechanism for snow deflectors is disclosed which is connected between a discharge chute and pivotal deflector to permit an operator to orient and secure the deflector at a desired angular position without leaving his station. The angular adjustment of the deflector is controlled by the operator pulling on a flexible cable which is connected at one end to the deflector. The adjustment mechanism includes a ratchet block which is pivotally secured at one of its ends to the chute and a shouldered pin which is fixed to the deflector. The shouldered pin extends into the ratchet block for locking engagement therewith. The deflector and ratchet block pivot in response to the operator pulling the flexible cable which permits the shouldered pin to engage a selected one of several locking teeth along a toothed slot in the ratchet block thereby securing the deflector at various selected angular deflecting positions. The shouldered pin and attached deflector are selectively movable along the toothed slot until the maximum angular deflecting position of the deflector is reached, at which point the ratchet block may be automatically disengaged from the shouldered pin and the deflector returned to its minimum angular deflecting position by a coil spring connected between the chute and deflector.

Growing community of inventors

Berlin, WI, United States of America

Mark R Fralish