GB1584337A

GB1584337A - Interchangeable roller assembly

Info

Publication number: GB1584337A
Application number: GB2276178A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Qualcast Lawn Mowers Ltd
Current assignee: Qualcast Lawn Mowers Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-25
Filing date: 1978-05-25
Publication date: 1981-02-11

Description

(54) INTERCHANGEABLE ROLLER ASSEMBLY (71) We, QUALCAST (LAWN MOWERS) LIMITED, a British Company, of Sunnyhill Avenue, Sunnyhill, Derby, DE3 7JT, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- A lawnmower is often provided with a front roller which helps to improve the lay of the swathes and which allows the mower to overhang the edge of a border being cut. On the other hand, it is sometimes desirable to allow the grass to pass unim peded to the cutter and, in this case, a pair of small rollers or wheels is provided, one on each side of the cutter. This leaves a space between the two rollers or wheels through which the grass can pass to the cutter without first being flattened.

It has previously been proposed to pro vide a mower with a front roller assembly convertible from a single roller extending the full width of the cutter to an alterna tive arrangement in which a pair of rollers or wheels are spaced apart on either side of the cutter, but such arrangements have not been widely used because of the difficulty of converting from one form of mounting to the other.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a roller assembly for a land vehicle, such as a lawnmower, the assembly comprising a pair of brackets for securing to the framework of the vehicle, each bracket having a stub axle extending inwardly therefrom for receiving the hub of a roller or wheel, and means co-operating with the axle for releasably retaining a rol ler or wheel hub on the axle in one of two alternative predetermined positions along the length of the axle whereby either a roller assembly having a hub at each end end may be fitted between the two brackets with the respective hubs in the outer of the said alternative positions along the respective axles, or each axle may carry an independent roller or wheel in the inner of the said alter native positions.

One particular example of a roller assembly embodying the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic front elevational view of a front roller/wheel assembly for a lawnmower and showing a single roller assembly mounted on the two axles, and Fig. 2 is a view of the mounting at the left-hand side of Fig. 1 and showing an independent wheel or roller mounted on the axle.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a roller 10 is simply supported at each end on respective stub axles 1 la, 1 ib. The single roller 10 might alternatively consist of a multiple roller or wheel assembly mounted on a tubular spindle.

The hubs 12a, 1 2b of the roller 10 are located on the respective axles lia, lib by means of respective washers 13a, 13b and split pins 14a, 14b. To remove the roller, the split pins are removed and the roller is slid along either axle 1 la or llb to the left or right respectively (as viewed in the drawing) until the hub at the other end of the roller drops off its associated axle. Each of the axles is supported on a respective bracket 15a, 15b secured to a side plate 16a, 16b of the mower.

With the roller 10 removed, it is a simple matter to fit an independent roller or wheel on each of the axles lla, 1 ib. For example, Fig. 2 illustrates the fitting of a roller/ wheel 17 to the axle 1 la by means of the same split pin 14 and a washer 19. In this case, the split pin 14 passes through a second hole in the stub axle located outwardly of the first hole through which it is passed in the Fig 1 arrangement. The hub 20 of the wheel 17 is thus located at an inner position on the axle lla relative to the outer position occupied by the hub 12a of the roller 10 in Fig. 1.

In one alternative embodiment (not illustrated) the split pins 14 are replaced by spring clips and the axles are provided with inner and outer grooves instead of holes for locating the clips.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A roller assembly for a land vehicle

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. (54) INTERCHANGEABLE ROLLER ASSEMBLY (71) We, QUALCAST (LAWN MOWERS) LIMITED, a British Company, of Sunnyhill Avenue, Sunnyhill, Derby, DE3 7JT, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- A lawnmower is often provided with a front roller which helps to improve the lay of the swathes and which allows the mower to overhang the edge of a border being cut. On the other hand, it is sometimes desirable to allow the grass to pass unim peded to the cutter and, in this case, a pair of small rollers or wheels is provided, one on each side of the cutter. This leaves a space between the two rollers or wheels through which the grass can pass to the cutter without first being flattened. It has previously been proposed to pro vide a mower with a front roller assembly convertible from a single roller extending the full width of the cutter to an alterna tive arrangement in which a pair of rollers or wheels are spaced apart on either side of the cutter, but such arrangements have not been widely used because of the difficulty of converting from one form of mounting to the other. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a roller assembly for a land vehicle, such as a lawnmower, the assembly comprising a pair of brackets for securing to the framework of the vehicle, each bracket having a stub axle extending inwardly therefrom for receiving the hub of a roller or wheel, and means co-operating with the axle for releasably retaining a rol ler or wheel hub on the axle in one of two alternative predetermined positions along the length of the axle whereby either a roller assembly having a hub at each end end may be fitted between the two brackets with the respective hubs in the outer of the said alternative positions along the respective axles, or each axle may carry an independent roller or wheel in the inner of the said alter native positions. One particular example of a roller assembly embodying the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic front elevational view of a front roller/wheel assembly for a lawnmower and showing a single roller assembly mounted on the two axles, and Fig. 2 is a view of the mounting at the left-hand side of Fig. 1 and showing an independent wheel or roller mounted on the axle. Referring first to Fig. 1, a roller 10 is simply supported at each end on respective stub axles 1 la, 1 ib. The single roller 10 might alternatively consist of a multiple roller or wheel assembly mounted on a tubular spindle. The hubs 12a, 1 2b of the roller 10 are located on the respective axles lia, lib by means of respective washers 13a, 13b and split pins 14a, 14b. To remove the roller, the split pins are removed and the roller is slid along either axle 1 la or llb to the left or right respectively (as viewed in the drawing) until the hub at the other end of the roller drops off its associated axle. Each of the axles is supported on a respective bracket 15a, 15b secured to a side plate 16a, 16b of the mower. With the roller 10 removed, it is a simple matter to fit an independent roller or wheel on each of the axles lla, 1 ib. For example, Fig. 2 illustrates the fitting of a roller/ wheel 17 to the axle 1 la by means of the same split pin 14 and a washer 19. In this case, the split pin 14 passes through a second hole in the stub axle located outwardly of the first hole through which it is passed in the Fig 1 arrangement. The hub 20 of the wheel 17 is thus located at an inner position on the axle lla relative to the outer position occupied by the hub 12a of the roller 10 in Fig. 1. In one alternative embodiment (not illustrated) the split pins 14 are replaced by spring clips and the axles are provided with inner and outer grooves instead of holes for locating the clips. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A roller assembly for a land vehicle such as a lawnmower, the assembly comprising a pair of brackets for securing to the framework of the vehicle, each bracket having a stub axle extending inwardly there- from for receiving the hub of a roller or wheel, and means co-operating with the axle for releasably retaining a roller or wheel hub on the axle in one of two alternative predetermined positions along the length of the axle whereby either a roller assembly having a hub at each end may be fitted between the two brackets with the respective hubs in the outer of the said alternative positions along the respective axles or each axle may carry an independent roller or wheel in the inner of the said alternative positions.

2. An assembly according to Claim I in which the releasable retaining means includes a split pin for each axle, the pin being insertable through either a first outer hole in the axle to locate an independent wheel or roller inwardly of the said outer hole or through a second inner hole through the axle to locate a roller hub on the axle outwardly of the inner hole.

3. An assembly according to Claim 1 in which the releasable retaining means includes a spring clip for each axle, the clip being located either in a first outer groove in the axle to locate an independent wheel or roller inwardly of the said outer groove or in a second inner groove in the axle to locate a roller hub on the axle outwardly of the inner groove.

4. A lawnmower comprising a chassis supported on respective front and rear roller/wheel assemblies, the front assembly being supported on a pair of stub axles extending from opposing sides of the chassis, each stub axle being provided with means for releasably retaining a hub of the front assembly in one of two alternative predetermined positions along the length of the axle whereby the front assembly may consist either of a roller assembly having a hub at each end with the respective hubs located in the outer of the said alternative positions or an independent roller or wheel mounted on each axle in the inner of the said alternative positions.

5. A roller assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accmpanying drawings.