Deere + Company

Other

Randy Edward Benway

Benjamin J Swart

Michael P Schemelin

Russell R Jerome

Benjamin Jerry Swart

A top adjusting linkage for leveling a mower deck includes a generally vertically aligned lift rod connecting a pair of pivotable arms supporting the mower deck. One of the lift arms may be pivotably connected to a deck lift pedal. The lift rod has an effective length between the pivotable arms, and an engageable upper end to change the effective length. A fender deck with an access hole is provided directly above the upper end of the lift rod, so that an operator can engage the upper end of the lift rod.

Cleanout mechanism for grass discharge and collection chute

A grass collection container for a grass mowing machine includes a bag or hopper attached to a support frame under the plastic top cover with air permeable panels, and a flexible sound barrier curtain attached to the support frame over the air permeable panels. The flexible sound barrier curtain has a thickness of between about 1 mm and about 5 mm. An air passage is provided between the bag or hopper and the flexible sound barrier curtain.

Flexible sound barrier curtain for grass collection container

A convertible mower deck having a mulching mode and a discharge mode. The deck is convertible from the mulching mode to the discharge mode by removal of an insert that extends along the rear of the cutting chamber walls of the deck.

Interchangeable mulching/discharge mowing deck

A material collecting fill indicator and pressure gauge is mounted on a conduit extending from a grass mower housing to a clipping container, with the conduit passing by an operator's seat on the mower. The fill indicator has a visible air pressure gauge to visibly show the operator the changes in the static air pressure within the conduit which reflected the degree to which the clipping container is filled.

Apparatus and method for a material collection fill indicator

A system for mounting material collector containers to lawn and garden tractors includes mounting arms pivotally attachable to the tractor frame and spring biased latching device connected to the arms for releasably and automatically latching the arms to the frame in a given pivotal position. The mounting bracket system is arranged so as to be latched to and receive vertical support from a location or locations remote from the hitch plate and hitch hole. Thus, the mounting bracket system does not interfere with the normal intended uses of the hitch plate and hitch hole.

Material collector mounting system

The present invention includes the apparatus and method to create an improved loose tenon joint with multiple arculate mortise surfaces and similarly configured loose tenon member for woodworking applications. A drilling jig is provided to axially guide a drill bit for boring a series of adjoining holes forming a mortise, and a router bit is provided to form a cooperating tenon. A first jig embodiment manipulates a slidable drilling guide bar maintaining longitudinally spaced thru-bores and a plurality of index holes. A second embodiment includes a stationary jig body having an opening that supports at least two drilling guides each having at least one thru-bore. A third embodiment provides a drilling guide bar slidably attached to a stationary support member by at least one indexing pin inserted through an elongated indexing aperture in the stationary support member and into an indexing hole in the guide bar. Preferably, the indexing pin and indexing hole are threaded. Each embodiment provides multiple guide holes for fast drilling with full drill bit contact area and preset hole spacing to produce a uniform and accurate mortise for a strong loose tenon joint system.

Drilling jig

A support member mounted with a clippings conduit that channels grass clippings from a mower deck to a clippings collection container. The support member operatively supports a side discharge chute in its raised position across a significant portion of the chute such that the chute is hindered from deforming or warping when held in its upwardly pivoted position by abutment with the support member during operation in the clippings collection mode.

Discharge chute support member

A locking mechanism for a lid which covers an opening in a mower deck directly above blades which rotate within the deck, the locking mechanism locks the lid in a position generally covering the opening and is releasable by an operator for allowing the operator to shift the lid to a position whereat the opening is generally uncovered. A chute extends laterally outwardly from the opening, is pivotable as the chute abuts obstructions during mowing operations. The locking mechanism remains locked as the chute pivots. The locking mechanism includes a rod member about which the lid is pivotable between open and closed positions. A torsion spring biases the lid to pivot to the closed position and biases the lid to shift laterally. A cam member fixed with the lid includes a finger portion which abuts a blocking member for blocking the cam member and lid from pivoting from the closed to the open position. The lid is shiftable by the operator for shifting the finger portion clear of the blocking member to allow the lid to be pivoted by the operator to its open position.

Mower deck lid locking mechanism

A deflector cup coupled with a mower blade spindle for preventing material from accumulating around the spindle during operation, the deflector cup including a bottom wall having an opening within which the spindle is positioned, and a side wall extending upwardly from a radially outer edge of the bottom wall. A plurality of slots formed in the bottom wall extend radially outwardly from the opening and define finger portions between adjacent slots. The finger portions extend from the opening to the radially outer edge of the bottom wall and are of a size and shape strong enough to prevent the finger portions from deforming when the spindle is positioned within the opening. The finger portions and slots cause the side wall to deform elastically when the spindle is inserted into the opening.

Mower blade spindle deflector cup

The present invention is an improved loose tenon joint with multiple arculate mortise surfaces and similarly configured loose tenon member for woodworking applications. A jig is provided arranged to be secured to a workpiece where the jig axially guides a drill bit for boring a series of adjoining holes forming a mortise. The first jig embodiment manipulates a slidable guide bar maintaining longitudinally spaced drill guide holes and two index holes. A hand held drill is used to bore a series of holes (fixtured by the drill guide holes) into the workpiece. A second series of holes are bored (completing the mortise) after the drill guide is translated and secured to the second index hole. A second embodiment is provided including a stationary jig body arranged to be secured to a workpiece. An elongated opening in the jig body supports a drill guide with longitudinally spaced drill guide holes. A hand held drill is used to bore a series of holes (fixtured by the drill guide holes) into the workpiece. The first drill guide is replaced by a second drill guide with preset hole spacing where a second series of holes are bored, completing the mortise. Both embodiments provide multiple guide holes for fast drilling with full drill bit contact area and preset hole spacing to produce a uniform and accurate mortise for a strong loose tenon joint system.

An adjustable dado having the adjustment ease of a wobble type dado with the cut quality of a stacking type dado. The outer cutting blade is bored and threaded, and a threaded adjusting collar is threaded into the outer blade. An adjustment washer has pins to engage openings in the adjusting collar, so that rotation of the adjustment washer adjusts the position of the outer blade. The invention allows quick and easy adjustment of a stacking dado without removal of the dado blades.

Growing community of inventors

Horicon, WI, United States of America

Randy Edward Benway