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:
Feb. 19, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 24, 1999
Daniel G. Stiller, Savage, MN (US);
Kris Lindstrom, Cottage Grove, MN (US);
Wolfgang Oehler, Wipperfurth, DE;
Eckhard Hauer, Gummersbach, DE;
Pedro Dutsch, Engelskirchen, DE;
The Toro Company, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A multi-purpose turf machine ( ) used primarily as a triplex turf mower includes a system for attaching an “operating unit” (e.g., a turf cutting unit) to a traction vehicle ( ); and for moving the operating units, e.g., a pair of front cutting units ( ), between a working position and a transport position, the system utilizing a single actuator ( ) to provide both vertical lifting as well as “wing-like” pivoting motion. The attachment system includes a female A-frame member ( ) attached to the front cutting units ( ) and a mating male A-frame member ( ) movably connected to the frame ( ) of the vehicle ( ). The machine ( ) additionally includes a belt drive system to power the cutting units ( ). The belt drive system provides correct belt tension between a driving pulley ( ) located on the vehicle ( ) and a driven pulley ( ) located on the end of each cutting unit ( ) when the cutting units are in the working position. The drive system can additionally accommodate the wing-like pivoting motion of the front cutting units ( ) as they are moved from the working position to the transport position and back again. Finally, a preferred attachment system is highly versatile and easily permits removal and installation of a wide variety of operating units, e.g., cutting units, brooms, blowers, dump carts and dozer blades.