Abstract: An underbelly mower has a cutting deck suspended beneath a frame by a height adjustment mechanism. The deck is adjusted between different cutting heights by extendable mechanical advantage device such as an electric screw and hydraulic ram operating in cooperation with the height adjustment mechanism. The mechanical advantage device also operably moves the deck between a cutting configuration and a maintenance configuration. A deck quick release and attachment mechanism, including hook members, operably allows a user to quickly and easily disconnect and reconnect a rear of deck to the frame when moving between cutting and maintenance configurations.

Abstract: A drier apparatus for removing water or other liquids from various materials includes a mixer, drying chamber, separator and regenerator and a method for use of the apparatus. The material to be dried is mixed with a heated media to form a mixture which then passes through the chamber. While passing through the chamber, a comparatively cool fluid is passed counter current through the mixture so that the mixture becomes cooler and drier and the fluid becomes hotter and more saturated with moisture. The mixture is then separated into drier material and media. The media is transferred to the regenerator and heated therein by the hot fluid from the chamber and supplemental heat is supplied to bring the media to a preselected temperature for mixing with the incoming material to be dried. In a closed loop embodiment of the apparatus, the fluid is also recycled from the regenerator to the chamber and a chiller is utilized to reduce the temperature of the fluid to a preselected temperature and dew point temperature.

Abstract: A mower deck assembly which essentially “flips up” or raises from a mowing configuration to an access configuration with minimal manipulation of controls and manual lifting. A deck is connected to a frame by a parallelogram suspension which includes front and rear support arms. A rear of the deck removably connects through a height adjustment mechanism that includes the hook and capture device selectively allows the rear of the deck to swing freely so that when the mower is in a non mowing configuration. The deck has mounted thereon a plurality of pulleys, including blade pulleys connected by a single drive belt and driven by a single motor. One of the pulleys is a tension pulley that can be manipulated to disengage the pulley system. The front of the suspension includes a fine height adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: A self-propelled mower includes a frame and a mower housing mounted underbelly relative to the frame by a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly allows the mower housing to be disconnected from the frame and swung near the front of the housing from a mowing configuration to an access configuration as a front end of the mower is raised. In one embodiment the frame includes a yoke that receives a nose of the housing, as the front of the mower is raised. A mechanized drive is utilized in certain embodiments to swing the mower deck to the access configuration.

Abstract: A grain spreader includes a vertical shaft, a receiver for receiving the grain and distributing the grain to a diverter that is rotatably mounted on the shaft with an outlet that is eccentrically positioned relative to the shaft, and a spreader pan that receives the grain form the distributer. The spreader pan is mounted to rotate on the shaft beneath the diverter. The diverter and the spreader pan are rotated by controllable motors so that the diverter can be stopped and the rotational speed of the spreader pan can be varied. The spreader pan has a bottom base and a series of varying length vanes that are vertically and radially aligned on the base to operably engage the grain and spread the grain within a bin or the like. The lengths of the vanes are preferably determined by a formula. In certain embodiments the spreader pan may have an opening to allow grain to pass through the pan without engaging the base so as to fill the center of a bin more evenly.

Abstract: A self-propelled mower includes a frame and a mower housing mounted underbelly relative to the frame by a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly allows the mower housing to be disconnected from the frame and swung near the front of the housing from a mowing configuration to an access configuration as a front end of the mower is raised. In one embodiment the frame includes a yoke that receives a nose of the housing, as the front of the mower is raised. A mechanized drive is utilized in certain embodiments to swing the mower deck to the access configuration.