The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 09, 1996
Filed:
Feb. 24, 1995
Gerald E Goman, Bloomington, MN (US);
Malachy Fay, Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Joel M Dunlap, Eden Prairie, MN (US);
The Toro Company, Bloomington, MN (US);
Abstract
One aspect of the present invention includes a traction vehicle (12); one or more reel-type cutting unit(s) (20), each supported by one or more rollers (34, 35); and a cutting unit suspension system (22) associated with each cutting unit, preferably including a ball joint (90) located generally at the same height as the cutting unit roller(s) (34, 35) and proximate the lateral mid-point of the cutting unit (20). Another aspect of the present invention relates to the use of a flexible seal member (110) which bears against a reel-type cutting unit and the lower edge of the mouth of a grass catcher (46). The flexible seal member (110) flexes to accommodate yawing of the cutting unit to minimize dribbling of grass clippings. In a preferred embodiment, when the cutting unit (20) is raised off of the turf, the cutting unit (20) initially rises independent of the grass catcher (46), and the flexible seal member (110) accommodates this relative motion by sliding along a front shield (40) of the cutting unit (20).