Excel Industries, Inc.

Ekoeg Industries, Inc.

Raymond J Rilling

Elmer D Voth

David L Mullet

A lawn mower in conjunction with a small tractor, and including a main mower deck disposed forwardly of the tractor and a pair of laterally extending wing mower decks disposed at respectively opposite sides of the tractor, all of the decks carrying mower blades, and a single power source operable to drive all of the blades of all of the decks. The wing decks may each be raised to an inoperative position closely adjacent the sides of the tractor, and in so doing the power drive to the blades of that wing is disconnected, so that the mower may be used with only the main deck in operation if so desired.

Mower with lateral extension wings

A storage box for the clippings of a lawnmower consisting of a normally covered box adapted to be mounted on the mower vehicle and to receive grass cuttings and the like of the mower until it is full, and a power mechanism operable when actuated to first raise the box until its pouring lip is higher than the receiving box of a disposal vehicle, such as the bed of a pick-up truck, and transport it horizontally until its pouring lip is over the truck bed, and then to uncover the box and tilt it to pour its contents over its lip into the truck bed.

Storage box for mower clippings

A gang reel mower consisting of a pair of mower heads of the ordinary reel type laterally spaced apart in a forward row, and another mower head disposed behind and laterally intermediate the mower heads in the forward row. Each mower head is castered about a vertical axis disposed forwardly thereof, in order that it may operate directly forwardly even when the mower as a whole is negotiating a turn, and the caster axis of the rear mower head is shifted laterally of the mower frame in order that it will always be aligned to cut the strip of grass left uncut by the front mower heads. Mechanism is provided for elevating the mower heads to a transport position well above ground level, and in so doing to cancel and lock any castering motion thereof.

Gang reel mower

A tractor having a frame supported by ground-engaging drive wheels, a tool bar carried by the tractor and on which various implements may be mounted, the tool bar being universally mounted on the frame whereby the implement may be raised above or lowered to the ground, and can follow the contour of the ground, a power unit also mounted on the tool bar so as to have a direct driving connection to the implement not affected by the universal 'floating' movement of the implement and tool bar, and a driving connection between the power unit and the drive wheels, of a type not affected by the relative movability of the tool bar and tractor frame, in order that both the implement and the tractor may be driven by a single power unit. Mechanism is also provided for pivoting the tool bar to elevate the implement above the ground when desired, for supporting the tool bar while implements are changed, and for holding the implement firmly against the ground when required.

Tractor with full-floating tool bar

A lawnmower deck of inverted dish shape having three generally circular, laterally spaced but interconnected open-bottomed compartments in each of which is mounted a horizontally extending blade rotatable on a vertical axis and operable to impel cuttings from one compartment to the next toward one side of the deck, the deck having an outlet opening at that side and at the rearward portion of at least certain of the compartments, there being controllable gates at each of the outlet openings and between each successive pair of compartments, to the end that by opening or closing the gates in the proper combinations, the cuttings may be selectively discharged to the side or to a grass collector, or discharged to the rear, or finely mulched for rapid decomposition to enrich the soil.

Lawnmower deck

A soil aerating device consisting of a spindle inclined from vertical but power driven to rotate about a vertical axis, and an arm rotatably mounted at its midpoint on the spindle, having a downwardly projecting tubular tine mounted at each end thereof, and being disposed just above ground level, the gyrating movement of the spindle as it rotates about a vertical axis imparting to the arm a movement having a vertical rocking component in a plane longitudinal thereto, so that said tines are alternately inserted into and withdrawn from the ground to form holes therein, and an axial rocking component around the axis of the arm, so that the arm is caused to 'walk' rotatively around the vertical axis of rotation.

Soil aerating device

A lawn edger attachment for power driven vehicles consisting of a rolling coulter blade carried for rotation on a horizontal axis transverse to the line of travel of the vehicle at one end of an arm pivoted at its opposite end to the vehicle on a parallel axis. Power means are provided for pivoting the arm. The blade is cup-shaped in order that earth pressure thereagainst will force it to follow the edge of a paved surface. The blade may be reversed so that the vehicle may operate either on the grass or on the pavement. The arm may be extended either forwardly or rearwardly from its pivot, for convenience in various situations. The arm is a horizontal parallelogram linkage, so that the blade can follow the pavement edge even if the vehicle is not steered precisely parallel to this edge.

Lawn edger attachment

A grass and leaf collector and compactor attachment for lawn mowers consisting of a chute adapted to be mounted at the side of a mower hood to receive mower cuttings ejected from the hood in the lower end thereof, the chute angling upwardly into a hopper also adapted to be mounted on the mower, and a paddle bar extending generally longitudinally through the chute and having paddles secured transversely thereto at intervals along its length. The paddle bar is driven in a vertical orbital path by a special driving connection to a ground-engaging wheel of the mower, so as to impel cuttings received in the lower end of the chute upwardly through the chute into the hopper. The driving connection includes a special safety clutch operable to be disengaged automatically in the event of any substantial obstruction to movement of the paddle bar, so as to prevent damage. The hopper is at a sufficient elevation above ground level that its contents may be dumped by dropping the floor thereof.

Grass and leaf collector and compactor attachment for mowers

A grass and leaf collector and compactor attachment for lawn mowers consisting of a chute adapted to be mounted at the side of a mower hood to receive mower cuttings ejected from the hood in the lower end thereof, and chute angling upwardly into a hopper also adapted to be mounted on the mower, and one or more paddle bars extending generally longitudinally through the chute and having paddles secured transversely thereto at intervals along their lengths. The paddle bars are driven in vertical orbital paths by suitable connection to a ground-engaging drive wheel of the mower, so as to impel cuttings received in the lower end of the chute upwardly through the chute into the hopper. The hopper is at a sufficient elevation above ground level that its contents may be dumped by dropping the floor thereof.

A lawn edger attachment for moving vehicles consisting of a rolling coulter blade carried for rotation on a horizontal axis at the rearward end of a trailing arm pivoted at its forward end to the vehicle on a generally vertical axis. Mechanism is provided for pivoting the arm vertically to raise or lower the blade, and also to cause the arm to trail normally at different lateral spacings from the vehicle, although said arm may also be pivoted laterally by manual force. A broom or scraper is also provided, in trailing relation to the blade, for sweeping the cuttings of the blade either to the pavement, or to the grass, adjacent the juncture line between the pavement and the grass.

Growing community of inventors

Moundridge, KS, United States of America

Raymond J Rilling