CA2181075A1 - Reel mower crank and method of use - Google Patents

Reel mower crank and method of use

Info

Publication number
CA2181075A1
CA2181075A1 CA 2181075 CA2181075A CA2181075A1 CA 2181075 A1 CA2181075 A1 CA 2181075A1 CA 2181075 CA2181075 CA 2181075 CA 2181075 A CA2181075 A CA 2181075A CA 2181075 A1 CA2181075 A1 CA 2181075A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
reel
bedknife
cutting
crank
operator
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA 2181075
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Robert Frederick Hartwig
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Deere and Co
Original Assignee
Deere and Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Deere and Co filed Critical Deere and Co
Publication of CA2181075A1 publication Critical patent/CA2181075A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01DHARVESTING; MOWING
    • A01D34/00Mowers; Mowing apparatus of harvesters
    • A01D34/01Mowers; Mowing apparatus of harvesters characterised by features relating to the type of cutting apparatus
    • A01D34/412Mowers; Mowing apparatus of harvesters characterised by features relating to the type of cutting apparatus having rotating cutters
    • A01D34/42Mowers; Mowing apparatus of harvesters characterised by features relating to the type of cutting apparatus having rotating cutters having cutters rotating about a horizontal axis, e.g. cutting-cylinders
    • A01D34/62Other details
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01DHARVESTING; MOWING
    • A01D2101/00Lawn-mowers

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Harvester Elements (AREA)

Abstract

A method of making reel to bedknife adjustments on a reel mower cutting unit, including the steps of removing the motor from the cutting unit frame, adjusting the relative position of the cutting reel with respect to the bedknife while the cutting unit remains mounted to the vehicle, coupling a crank to the cuttingreel at the location where the motor was operatively coupled with the cutting reel, turning the crank while the cutting unit remains mounted to the vehicle, wherebyturning the crank and cutting reel allows the operator to ascertain whether the reel is properly adjusted with respect to the bedknife, readjusting the relative position of the cutting reel with respect to the bedknife and turning the crank until proper reel to bedknife adjustment has been achieved, and re-attaching the hydraulic motor to the cutting unit.

Description

. . 2181~7~
.
REEL MOWER CRANK AND METHOD OF USE
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to methods for d~h,.~ whether the 5 positions of a reel and bedknife of a reel mower cutting unit have been properly adjusted.
2. Backqround of the invention Conventional reel mower cutting units are mounted to a driven vehicle and include a frame for supporting a rotatable reel and stationary bedknife. The 10 cylindrical reel includes a plurality of reel blades which pass in close proximity to the bedknife as the reel rotates. The reel interacts with the bedknife for accurately cutting grass with a shearing action. The position of the reel and bedknife can be adjusted so that the reel rotates close enough to the bedknife to provide a goodscissoring or shearing cutting adion.
An operator of a conventional reel mower cutting unit will test whether he has adjusted the cutting reel properly with respect to the bedknife. He will do this by placing a small sheet of paper between the reel blade and the bedknife, and then place his hand on the reel to turn the reel. If the reel and bedknife cut the sheet of paper cleanly, then the relative position of the reel and bedknife has been 20 adjusted properly. If the paper is not cut cleanly and precisely, then the operator must again adjust the position of the reel with respect to the bedknife. When the operator places his hand on the blades of the reel to turn the reel, he risks cutting his hand on the sharp blades. Furthermore, as he turns the reels with his hand, he risks pinching his hand between the reel blades and the bedknife as he turns 25 the reel. Therefore, there is a high risk that he will cut himself as he turns the reel with his hand.
It is known to detach the reel or the entire cutting unit from the vehicle and place it in a machine for slld",~l,i"g the blades or the bedknife. This requires the operator to detach the cutting unit from the vehicle and carry the heavy reel or30 cutting unit to the machine. These sl,d"~l,i"g machines can be relatively costly, and may still require the operator to place his hand on the reel blades to turn the reel in order to see if the reel is properly positioned with respect to the bedknife.

218107~
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a ",ecl1a"is", and method for allowing an operator to determine whether the relative position of the cutting reel has been adjusted properly with respect to the bedknife without requiring the operator to place his hand on the cutting reel blades and without requiring the 5 operator to remove the cutting unit or reel from the vehicle. It would be desirable for such a Ille~:lldllialll and method to reduce the risk of an operator cutting himself on the reel mower blades or bedknife during the reel to bedknife adjustment process.
10 Summarv of the Invention According to the method of the present invention, an operator will stop and dismount the vehicle and walk to the cutting unit. He will then adjust the reel to bedknife adjustment ",e~l,d";s", such that the cutting reel will shift up or down with respect to the bedknife. After making an initial adjustment, the operator can 15 then remove the hydraulic motor from the plate member. The operator will thencouple a crank member according to the present invention to the shaft of the reel where the hydraulic motor was previously oper "~ coupled. The crank according to the present invention includes a female splined mating portion which mates with the male splines of the central shaft of the cutting reel. vVhen the 20 operator turns the crank the mating splines formed between the central shaft of the wheel and the crank will interact to cause the cuffing reel to rotate. Vvhile turning the crank, the operator can place a small sheet of paper between the blades of the cutting reel and the bedknife to determine whether the reel and bedknife have been properly adjusted. If the sheet of paper has been cut cleanly, 25 then the reel has been adjusted properly with respect to the bedknife. If the paper is not cut cleanly, then the operator must again adjust the adjustment ",ecl~d";~",.
After the second adjustment, the operator will then again turn the handle of thecrank and place a small sheet of paper between the reel and the bedknife to ascertain whether the proper adjustment has been made. The operator will repeat 30 this procedure until the sheet of paper is cut cleanly. Use of the crank eli.llilldlt:s the need for the operator to place his hand directly on the cutting reel blades to . . 218107~
turn the reel for cuffing the paper. The operator can then re-attach the hydraulic motor to the cutting unit and begin mowing op~,dliuns.
Brief DescriPtion of the Drawin~s Figure 1 is an exploded view of a reel mower cutting unit and the crank ",eul,a~ ", according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of a reel mower cutting unit having a hydraulic motor Il ,e, t:alld. l ,ed.
Figure 3 is an exploded view of a conventional coupler positioned between 1û the shaft of the reel and the output shaft of the hydraulic motor.
Detailçd Descri~tion of the Preferred Cl"bo~i",~"l Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a conventional reel mower cuffing unit 10. The cutting unit 10 includes a frame 12 which generally supports the cutting reel 14 and bedknife 16. Ground engaging rollers 18 are also mounted to the cutting unit frame 12. The bedknife 16 is generally rigidly fixed to the cutting unit frame 12. The reel 14 is mounted to the cutting unit frame 12 so that it can be adjusted up and down with respect to the position of the bedknife 16. The reel 14 is rotatably mounted with a plate member 20 which is mounted to the cuffing 2û unit frame 12. An adjustment l"ecl~a"i~", 22 allows the operator to selectively adjust the position of the plate member 2û thereby also adjusting the position of the cutting reel 14 with respect to the bedknife 16. As the operator manipulatesthe adjustment ",eul,d";~", 22, the front portion 24 of the plate member 20 willpivot up and down about a rear pivot structure 26. An arcuate slot 28 is formed in the cutting unit frame 12 for allowing the front portion 24 of the plate member 20 to pivot up or down. The adjustment ",aul,al,;~", 22 also rigidly fixes the plate member 2û and reel 14 in the desired or selected position. A hydraulic motor 3û
is coupled to the plate member during mowing ù~Jel~ llS. The motor is hydraulically driven by the power source of the vehicle and includes a male splined output shaft 32. A coupling ",e"l,d"i~", 34 is positioned between the motors output shaff 32 and the cçntral shaft 36 of the reel 14. The coupling ",e.l,d"i~", 34 as best seen in Fig. 3 includes a female splined opening 38 which mates with the output shaft 32 of the hydraulic motor 30, and a female splined opening 40 which mates with the central shaft 36 of the reel 14. As seen in Fig.2, the hydraulic motor 30 is bolted to the plate member 20, but other ",e~,l,a,lia",:.
for fixing the hydraulic motor 30 to the plate 20 could alâo be provided, such as a 5 quick release device.
The cutting unit 14 shown in Fig. 2 illustrates one type of conventional ",~..I,a,~ib", for allowing the cutting reel 14 to be adjusted with respect to the bedknife 16. Other ",ecl1d"i~",s could also be provided for allowing the operator to acc~,l,lJI;~.I~ reel to bedknife adjustment.
Next, the operation of the preferred ~Illb~di~ of the present invention will be described in greater detail. When the operator wishes to make reel to bedknife adjustments, he will stop and dismount the vehicle and walk to the cutting unit 14. He will then adjust the adjustment ,,lecl,~,,ia,,l 22 such that the cutting reel 14 will shift up or down with respect to the bedknife 16. Affer making an initial adjustment, the operator can then remove the hydraulic motor 30 from the plate member 20. At this point, the operator must ascertain whether he has properly adjusted the reel 14 with respect to the bedknife 16. According to the present invention, the operator will then couple a crank member 42 to the shaff 36 of the reel where the hydraulic motor 30 was previously operatively coupled. Thecentral shaff 36 of the cutting reel 14 includes male splines 44 which mate withthe female splines 46 of the coupling r"ecl,a,~ia", 34 during mowing operation.
The crank 42 according to the present invention includes a female splined matingportion 48 which mates with the male splines 44 of the central shaff 36 of the cutting reel 14. When the operator turns the crank 42 the mating splines formed between the central shaff 36 of the reel 14 and the crank 42 will interact to cause the cutting reel 14 to rotate. While turning the crank 42, the operator can place a small sheet of paper between the blades 50 of the cutting reel 14 and the bedknife 16 to determine whether the reel 14 and bedknife 16 have been properly adjusted.If the sheet of paper has been cut cleanly, then the reel 14 has been adjusted properly with respect to the bedknife 16. If the paper is not cut or is not cut cleanly, or if the reel 14 will not rotate because it abuts against the bedknife 16 too much, then the operator must again adjust the adjustment l"e~ i "" 22.

2181~75 After the second adjustment, the operator will then again turn the handle 52 of the crank 42 and place a small sheet of paper between the reel 14 and the bedknife 16 to ascertain whether the proper adjustment has been made. The operator will repeat this procedure until the sheet of paper is cut cleanly. The operator can 5 then re-attach the hydraulic motor 30 to the cutting unit frame 12 and begin mowing operation.
The present invention therefore allows an operator to adjust the position of the reel 14 with respect to the bedknife 16 and ascertain whether the proper adjustment has been made without requiring the operator to place his hand directly on the reel 14 or reel blades 50. The crank 42 according the present invention allows the operator to turn the reel 14 about its axis without p ' ,;"9 his hands in locations where he risks cutting his hand.
The crank ",e~;l)a~ ,", 42 according to the present invention is described above as used while the cutting unit 10 remains coupled with the vehicle. For 15 example, the crank 42 may be utilized when the cutting unit 10 remains coupled with the vehicle when reel to bedknife adjustments are made, or when the reel tobedknife adjustments are made after the operator has slld".clled the blades 50 while the cutting unit 10 remain coupled to the vehicle. Some conventional vehicles provide ",ecl,d"is",:. that allow the operator to sharpen the blades 50 by 20 operating the reels 14 slowly in reverse while the operator applies a bachla~,i"~
compound to the reel blades 50. The compound acts to sharpen the blades as they rotate in reverse past the bedknife 16. However, the crank ll l~,l Idl lislll 42 could also be used when the cutting unit 10 is removed from the vehicle for sl~dl,~lcllillg the blades 50 on a w~rhL.e~ l,. When the cutting unit 10 is removed 25 from the vehicle and placed on a v~lhbcllcl, for slld" c"i"g, a motor is typically coupled with the reel 14 for slowly turning the reel 14 in reverse. The operatorcan then apply a ba.:hlap~,i"g compound to the reel blades 50. The compound sharpens the blades 50 as they pass by the bedknife 16. The crank 42 can also be used to turn the reel 14 during reel to bedknife adjustments on a v~"hbe 30 after ba-,hldp,.i"g opcr r,s are complete.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A method of adjusting the relative position of a cutting reel with respect to a bedknife of a reel mower cutting unit, said method comprising:
removing a motor from a reel mower cutting unit frame;
adjusting the relative position of the cutting reel with respect to the bedknife while the cutting unit remains mounted to the vehicle;
coupling a crank to the cutting reel at the location where the motor was operatively coupled with the cutting reel;
turning said crank while said cutting unit remains mounted to the vehicle, the turning of the crank and cutting reel allowing the operator to ascertain whether the reel is properly adjusted with respect to the bedknife; and readjusting the relative position of the cutting reel with respect to the bedknife and turning the crank until proper reel to bedknife adjustment has beenachieved.
CA 2181075 1996-01-04 1996-07-11 Reel mower crank and method of use Abandoned CA2181075A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US58282996A 1996-01-04 1996-01-04
US08/582,829 1996-01-04

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2181075A1 true CA2181075A1 (en) 1997-07-05

Family

ID=24330656

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2181075 Abandoned CA2181075A1 (en) 1996-01-04 1996-07-11 Reel mower crank and method of use

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0782819A1 (en)
CA (1) CA2181075A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7805918B2 (en) 2006-04-11 2010-10-05 Deere & Company Manual or self-adjusting reel mower

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2190005A (en) * 1939-06-26 1940-02-13 Basham Clement Honing crank for mowers
US2872222A (en) * 1953-03-09 1959-02-03 Rudolph A Gohlke Mower reel sharpening and actuating means
US5228277A (en) * 1992-01-23 1993-07-20 Deere & Company Rear discharge reel mower having multi-purpose rotary brush
US5241810A (en) * 1992-06-05 1993-09-07 Deere & Company Height of cot adjustment mechanism for reel mowers
US5412932A (en) * 1994-08-10 1995-05-09 Textron Inc. Motor-powered lawn mower

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0782819A1 (en) 1997-07-09

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request
FZDE Dead