GB2032238A

GB2032238A - Improvements in or relating to machines for treating grass

Info

Publication number: GB2032238A
Application number: GB7840553A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SISIS EQUIPMENT Ltd; Sisis Equipment Macclesfield Ltd
Current assignee: SISIS EQUIPMENT Ltd; Sisis Equipment Macclesfield Ltd
Priority date: 1978-10-13
Filing date: 1978-10-13
Publication date: 1980-05-08
Also published as: GB2032238B

Abstract

A machine for treating grass or turf comprises an engine (11), ground wheels (12, 13), drive means for driving the ground wheels from the engine, means for engaging and disengaging the drive means, a device (24) for treating grass or turf, and a handle structure at one end of the machine comprising two handles (29, 30) spaced transversely of the machine, the means 32 for engaging and disengaging being disposed generally between the handles (29, 30). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECiFICATION Improvements in or relating to machines for treating grass This invention relates to machines for treating grass, for example grass cutters or mowers, scarifiers and aerators.

According to this invention a machine for treating grass or turf comprises an engine, ground wheels, drive means for driving the ground wheels from the engine, means for engaging and disengaging the drive means, a device for treating grass or turf, a handle structure at one end of the machine, the handle structure comprising two handles spaced transversely of the machine, the means for engaging and disengaging comprising control means disposed generally between said handles.

The control means is the rearward most part of the machine between the handles.

Preferably the control means is a bar extending transversely of the machine.

The handle structure may comprise a crossmem- ber and said control means bar is pivoted on said cross member and is located rearwardly thereof.

The control means may includes control lever carried on the cross member and movable to engage and disengage the drive.

The machine may include means for driving the grass orturftreating device from the engine, and means for engaging and disengaging this drive means.

The invention may be performed in various ways and one specific embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grass mower; Figure 2 is a plan view of the mower of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a somewhat schematic side elevation corresponding to Figure 1 but with some parts removed.

The mower has a sturdy frame 10 supporting an internal combustion engine 11 arranged to drive two ground wheels 12, 13 on opposite sides of the mower through a gear box (not shown) providing a plurality of forward gears, neutral and reverse. The gear lever is shown at 14. The engine output shaft carries a pulley 15 and a pulley 16 is arranged on the wheel axlefor rotation therewith. A V-belt 17 extends around pulleys 15,16. A bell crank lever 18 is pivoted at 19 to the frame 10. One arm 1 8b of the lever 18 carries a pulley 20. The other arm 18a is connected by rod 21 to a hand lever 22 pivoted about a transverse axis on an extension 23 of the frame 10.

In the solid line position shown in Figure 3 the pulley 20 engages belt 17 to tighten the belt on the pulleys 15, 16to establish a drive connection between the engine and the ground wheels. When the lever 22 is moved forwards to the dotted position the pulley 20 disengages from the belt 17 and the drive is disengaged.

At the front of the frame 10 is mounted a generally known cutter unit 24 having a helically bladed cutter rotatable about a horizontal transverse axis and including a trailing ground roller 25which is adjustable up and down to vary the height of cut. The drive to the cutter from the engine is a belt and pulley drive generally similar to the drive to the ground wheels 12, 13 and is engagable and disengageable by movement of a pivoted hand control lever 26 connected to rod 27 and arranged to tighten or slacken the belt as desired. At the rear of the machine is provided a handle structure 28 connected to the frame 10 and providing two handles 29,30 spaced transversely of the machine.The handle structure 28 includes a cross bar 31 to which a control bar 32 is pivoted at 33,34 about a horizontal transverse axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutter. Aforward extension 35 is pivoted at 36 to lever 22 so that downward movement of bar 32 moves the lever 22 forwards to the dotted position to disengagethe drive to the ground wheels 12, 13.

The bar 32 is disposed rearwards of the cross bar 31.

There is no clutch. When changing gear the drive to the ground wheels is disengaged, the gear lever operated to change gear, and the drive then reengaged.

It will be appreciated that the control bar 32 provides an emergency means for disengaging the drive to the ground wheels. Thus if the machine is being driven forwards and for some reason begins to move away from the operator, the operator can press bar 32 downwards to disengage the drive. The bar 32 is close to the operator, who generally is standing between handles 29,30, and is the nearest part of the machine to the operator so that if the operator stumbles he had a good change of grabbing the bar 32 (and thus moving it downwards) as hefalls.

Also, if the machine is being driven rearwards and the operator comes against an obstacle causing his rearward movement to be impeded with the consequent possibility of the machine trapping him against the obstacle, the bar 32 will engage the legs or torso of the operator and thus be moved downwards to disengage the drive. The bar 32 is thus an important safety feature.

The handle structure 28 may as shown carry a choke control 40 for the engine.

Instead of a cutter the machine may have a rotary scarifier or aerator or a cutter having a horizontal blade rotatable about a vertical axis.

1. A machine fortreating grass or turf compris- ing an engine, ground wheels, drive means for driving the ground wheels from the engine, means for engaging and disengaging the drive means, a device for treating grass or turf, and a handle structure at one end of the machine, the handle structure comprising two handles spaced transversely of the machine, and the means for engaging and disengaging comprising control means disposed generally between said handles.

2. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 in which the control means is the rearwardmost part of the machine between the handles.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECiFICATION Improvements in or relating to machines for treating grass This invention relates to machines for treating grass, for example grass cutters or mowers, scarifiers and aerators. According to this invention a machine for treating grass or turf comprises an engine, ground wheels, drive means for driving the ground wheels from the engine, means for engaging and disengaging the drive means, a device for treating grass or turf, a handle structure at one end of the machine, the handle structure comprising two handles spaced transversely of the machine, the means for engaging and disengaging comprising control means disposed generally between said handles. The control means is the rearward most part of the machine between the handles. Preferably the control means is a bar extending transversely of the machine. The handle structure may comprise a crossmem- ber and said control means bar is pivoted on said cross member and is located rearwardly thereof. The control means may includes control lever carried on the cross member and movable to engage and disengage the drive. The machine may include means for driving the grass orturftreating device from the engine, and means for engaging and disengaging this drive means. The invention may be performed in various ways and one specific embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grass mower; Figure 2 is a plan view of the mower of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a somewhat schematic side elevation corresponding to Figure 1 but with some parts removed. The mower has a sturdy frame 10 supporting an internal combustion engine 11 arranged to drive two ground wheels 12, 13 on opposite sides of the mower through a gear box (not shown) providing a plurality of forward gears, neutral and reverse. The gear lever is shown at 14. The engine output shaft carries a pulley 15 and a pulley 16 is arranged on the wheel axlefor rotation therewith. A V-belt 17 extends around pulleys 15,16. A bell crank lever 18 is pivoted at 19 to the frame 10. One arm 1 8b of the lever 18 carries a pulley 20. The other arm 18a is connected by rod 21 to a hand lever 22 pivoted about a transverse axis on an extension 23 of the frame 10. In the solid line position shown in Figure 3 the pulley 20 engages belt 17 to tighten the belt on the pulleys 15, 16to establish a drive connection between the engine and the ground wheels. When the lever 22 is moved forwards to the dotted position the pulley 20 disengages from the belt 17 and the drive is disengaged. At the front of the frame 10 is mounted a generally known cutter unit 24 having a helically bladed cutter rotatable about a horizontal transverse axis and including a trailing ground roller 25which is adjustable up and down to vary the height of cut. The drive to the cutter from the engine is a belt and pulley drive generally similar to the drive to the ground wheels 12, 13 and is engagable and disengageable by movement of a pivoted hand control lever 26 connected to rod 27 and arranged to tighten or slacken the belt as desired. At the rear of the machine is provided a handle structure 28 connected to the frame 10 and providing two handles 29,30 spaced transversely of the machine.The handle structure 28 includes a cross bar 31 to which a control bar 32 is pivoted at 33,34 about a horizontal transverse axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutter. Aforward extension 35 is pivoted at 36 to lever 22 so that downward movement of bar 32 moves the lever 22 forwards to the dotted position to disengagethe drive to the ground wheels 12, 13. The bar 32 is disposed rearwards of the cross bar 31. There is no clutch. When changing gear the drive to the ground wheels is disengaged, the gear lever operated to change gear, and the drive then reengaged. It will be appreciated that the control bar 32 provides an emergency means for disengaging the drive to the ground wheels. Thus if the machine is being driven forwards and for some reason begins to move away from the operator, the operator can press bar 32 downwards to disengage the drive. The bar 32 is close to the operator, who generally is standing between handles 29,30, and is the nearest part of the machine to the operator so that if the operator stumbles he had a good change of grabbing the bar 32 (and thus moving it downwards) as hefalls. Also, if the machine is being driven rearwards and the operator comes against an obstacle causing his rearward movement to be impeded with the consequent possibility of the machine trapping him against the obstacle, the bar 32 will engage the legs or torso of the operator and thus be moved downwards to disengage the drive. The bar 32 is thus an important safety feature. The handle structure 28 may as shown carry a choke control 40 for the engine. Instead of a cutter the machine may have a rotary scarifier or aerator or a cutter having a horizontal blade rotatable about a vertical axis. CLAIMS

3. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the control means is a bar extending transversely of the machine.

4. A machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the handle structure comprises a cross member and said control means is pivoted on said cross member and is located rearwardly thereof.

5. A machine as claimed in Claim 4 in which the control means includes a control lever carried on the cross member and movable to engage and disengage the drive.

6. A machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including means for driving the grass or turf treating device from the engine, and means for engaging and disengaging this drive means.

7. A machine for treating grass or turf substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.