- Regulation 3.2 - Revised 2/98 AUSTRALIA Patents Act, 1990 COMPLETE INNOVATION SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT Saliba Agricultural Equipment Pty Ltd ACN 003 411 747 ACTUAL INVENTOR Victor Saliba ADDRESS FOR SERVICE Peter Maxwell and Associates Level 6 60 Pitt Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 INVENTION TITLE: TURF MOWER DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED APPLICATION NO(S) Nil The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me: m:\docs\20101049\202887.doc 2 TURF MOWER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to agricultural mowers and particularly but not exclusively to tractor driven turf mowers used on farms. 5 BACKGROUND ART As is well known in the art, turf mowers are often used over varying terrain and for different purposes. Lawn mowing, field mowing, and golf course maintenance are some such examples. Where the mower is towed behind a tractor or other driving unit, the cuttings are normally left on the ground. This 10 may be problematic if the quantity of cuttings is very large and interferes with new growth of turf, or if it is desired to collect the cuttings for use elsewhere. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a tractor driven turf mower that can immediately collect and divert the cuttings to a desired location. 15 According to the present invention, there is provided a turf mower for towing behind a tractor, the turf mower comprising a deck, wheel means for allowing movement of the deck, cutting means positioned below the deck, enclosed fan means positioned above the deck, suction duct means from below the deck to the fan means, and blower duct means from the fan means, 20 wherein, in use, the suction duct means collects turf cut by the cutting means and transfers it to the fan means, and the blower duct means diverts the so transferred turf to a desired location. Preferably, the suction duct means includes a pair of suction inlets, each suction inlet being located between a respective pair of rotatable cutting blades. 25 It is preferred that the fan means comprises a hydraulically driven suction and blower fan. 19/10/10 3 In a preferred form, the blower duct means is orientated so as to divert cut turf to a location at the rear of the deck. The turf mower preferably includes a linkage for connecting a trailer at its rear and onto which the cut turf is blown. 5 SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect by way of example, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a top isometric view from the front of a turf mower according to 10 a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a top isometric view from the rear of the turf mower shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the turf mower of Fig. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 15 In the accompanying drawings there is depicted a turf mower 10. The turf mower 10 is adapted for use on a farm and to be towed behind a tractor. The turf mower has a deck 12, and front and rear roller wheels 14, 16. Cutting means in the form of four rotatable cutting blades 18, 20, 22, 24 are positioned below the deck 12. Culling blades 18, 22 rotate in a clockwise 20 direction (as shown by arrows A) and cutting blades 20, 24 rotate in an anticlockwise direction (as shown by arrows B). The blades are caused to rotate by a power take off drive shaft 26 from the tractor and a gear box drive assembly 28 mounted on the deck 12 which is operably connected to the drive shaft 26. 25 Enclosed fan means, in the form of a suction and blower fan enclosed within a housing 30, is positioned above the deck 12. The fan housing 30 is connected by suction ducts 32, 34, 36 to suction chutes 38, 40 that open below 19/10/10 4 the deck 12 to suction inlets 42, 44. Each suction inlet 42, 44 is located between a respective pair of cutting blades 18, 20 and 22, 24. The fan housing 30 is also connected to a blower duct 46 that has a blower outlet 48 orientated so as to divert cut turf which has been transferred to 5 the fan to a location at the rear of the deck 12. There is a hydraulic motor 50 for driving the suction and blower fan. Alternatively, the fan may be mechanically driven, such as with a belt. Adjustment of the height of the deck 12 from the ground may be achieved by a hand lever controlled cam arrangement at opposite sides of the 10 deck 12. A trailer (not shown) may be connected to the rear of the turf mower 10 via a linkage 52 so that cut turf can be blown onto it for use elsewhere. In operation of the above described turf mower 10, the turf cut by the cutting blades 18, 20, 22, 24 is collected through the suction inlets 42, 44 and 15 transferred via the suction ducts 32, 34, 36 to the suction side of the suction and blower fan, from where it is then blown from the blower side of the suction and blower fan through the blower duct 46 and diverted out from the blower outlet 48 to fall onto the trailer located at the rear of the turf mower. It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art that various 20 modifications may be made in details of design and construction without departing from the scope or ambit of the present invention. 25 1Q/1 0110