J. I. Case Company

Ingersoll Equipment Co., Inc.

William J Schlapman

James L Wirsbinski

Dale A Manteufel

Alan G Klug

Roger T Gault

An articulate tow bar for use with a ride-on for pulling an independent mower unit. The tow bar has first and second members pivotally attached at adjacent ends by a lockable coupling that permits the members to be positioned alternately in a transport position or working position. The first member is pivotally attached to the tractor by a horizontal hinge and the second member is pivotally attached to the independent unit by a universal joint, the pivotal connections permit the tractor and independent unit to operate on hilly uneven terrain. Controls are located on the articulate tow bar adjacent the mower for operating the independent unit which allows the tow bar and the mower unit to be readily adaptable to conventional mowers.

Trailing mower and drawbar articulation

A clutching mechanism for a suspended belt driven mower assembly that automatically removes the mower drive belt from the pulley system when the mower assembly is raised. A brake contacts the endless drive belt when the mower is in the raised position to prevent movement of the belt. A belt retainer is positioned about one of the pulleys of the pulley system to retain the belt adjacent the pulleys when the belt tension is released. An electrical interlock system is provided to prevent the motor from being started in any position other than the mower assembly raised position.

Trailing mower, belt, clutch and brake assembly

A rotary cultivator is disclosed which is adapted to be supported upon a rear-mounted tractor hitch. The cultivator includes a tined cultivation shaft and a hydraulic motor and drive mechanism for driving one end of the shaft. The cultivator includes an arrangement for selectively varying the speed ratio of the hydraulic motor and cultivation shaft, as well as for selectively changing the length of the cultivation shaft so that the width of the path of soil cultivation may be changed as desired. A pair of spaced, negatively angled ground-engaging surfaces are provided on the cultivator housing for urging the cultivator downwardly during forward movement thus providing a more uniform depth of penetration during soil cultivation.

End drive rotary cultivator

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 from 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. The positions of the auger units are maintained by idler rollers included with the speed reduction means.

Snow caster having ring gear and spur gear drive means

An improved welding fume and spark trap includes a cannister and an inlet and outlet plenum for connection with an air filtration suction system designed to remove soot, fumes, and other particles from a welding area. The trap includes an internal baffle for reducing the velocity of the air stream passing through the trap, in this way promoting settling of particles suspended within the air stream into water contained within a water chamber defined by the bottom portion of the cannister.

Welding fume and spark trap

A differential unit provides for relative movement between two drive wheels on a lawn sweeper or other implement powered by movement along the ground and includes a shaft and a pair of gears positioned transversely with respect to the shaft. A ratchet crown wheel is provided on one of the major faces of each gear and has camming surfaces for producing axial movement of the gears on the shaft, with each camming surface terminating in an axial surface. Axial movement is accommodated by a resilient member such as a coil spring. A roll pin projects outwardly from the shaft and engages an axial surface to drive the shaft, and is adapted to engage the camming surfaces to move the gear axially. The shaft is driven by the faster rotating gear, and difference in speeds of rotation of the gears produces a relative rotation of the shaft with respect to the slower rotating gear and produces axial movement of the slower gear with respect to the shaft.

Differential unit

The disclosed chute assembly is particularly adapted to collect the discharge from a rotary lawn or garden tractor, particularly a mower having a vertically adjustable rotary blade housing. In the disclosed embodiment, the chute between the blade housing and the hopper has two telescopically adjustable sections, including a discharge chute which is pivotally supported on the hopper opening lip and a spiral receiving chute which is fixed to and communicates with the blade housing. The mower blade may thus be adjusted vertically without affecting the chute assembly and the chute sections may be easily removed for cleaning, storage or repair.

Growing community of inventors

Winneconne, WI, United States of America

William J Schlapman