Abstract: A walk reel mower includes a pair of inclined rigid links for mounting the reel cutting unit to the reel mower frame for rolling about a longitudinal axis, and a pair of vertical support arms for mounting the reel cutting unit to the reel mower frame for pitching about a transverse axis. An integrated gearbox houses both the traction and reel drives, including the differential that is part of the traction drive, as well as a parking brake. A flexible drive shaft powers the cutting reel from the gearbox and is made from materials that do not require petroleum based lubricants to avoid the possibility of damage to the turf or grass. A single control handle located on the handle of the mower actuates both the reel and traction drives. The reel cutting unit includes a back plate which has a portion formed as a hollow beam for strength.

Abstract: A trailer for a walk greensmower comprises a trailer frame supported by a pair of ground engaging trailer wheels. The trailer frame includes a pair of spaced, parallel wheel ramps. A tongue is provided for connecting to a tow vehicle. The trailer frame is pivotal relative to the tongue and to the trailer wheels to tilt into an inclined loading position for loading the walk greensmower by driving the walk greensmower up the wheel ramps using the powered transport wheels of the walk greensmower. Once the walk greensmower is loaded onto the wheel ramps, the trailer frame is pivoted into a transport position in which the wheel ramps no longer engage the ground and the walk greensmower is carried on the wheel ramps. In one embodiment of this trailer, the wheel ramps comprise cylindrical rails and the transport wheels are grooved to ride on the top sides of the rails.

Abstract: A walk reel mower includes a pair of inclined rigid links for mounting the reel cutting unit to the reel mower frame for rolling about a longitudinal axis, and a pair of vertical support arms for mounting the reel cutting unit to the reel mower frame for pitching about a transverse axis. An integrated gearbox houses both the traction and reel drives, including the differential that is part of the traction drive, as well as a parking brake. A flexible drive shaft powers the cutting reel from the gearbox and is made from materials that do not require petroleum based lubricants to avoid the possibility of damage to the turf or grass. A single control handle located on the handle of the mower actuates both the reel and traction drives. The reel cutting unit includes a back plate which has a portion formed as a hollow beam for strength.

Abstract: A mass damper is carried on the frame of an reel mower by a pair of elastomeric couplers, one at each end of the mass damper. Each coupler is threadedly secured to one end of the mass damper with the coupler received in a cavity at that end of the mass damper. Each coupler is also clamped to a bracket on the frame of the reel mower. The mass damper can move relative to the frame of the reel mower by shearing the elastomeric material forming the couplers. The weight of the mass damper and the stiffness of the couplers is chosen to damp or lessen the vibration induced in the frame of the reel mower by an internal combustion engine carried on the frame of the reel mower.

Abstract: A trailer for carrying a walk greensmower from place to place comprises a trailer frame supported by a pair of ground engaging trailer wheels. The trailer frame includes a pair of spaced, parallel wheel ramps. A tongue is provided for connecting to a tow vehicle. The trailer frame is pivotal relative to the tongue and to the trailer wheels to tilt into an inclined loading position for loading the walk greensmower by driving the walk greensmower up the wheel ramps using the powered transport wheels of the walk greensmower. Once the walk greensmower is loaded onto the wheel ramps, the trailer frame is pivoted into a transport position in which the wheel ramps no longer engage the ground and the walk greensmower is carried on the wheel ramps. In one embodiment of this trailer, the wheel ramps comprise cylindrical rails and the transport wheels are grooved to ride on the top sides of the rails.

Abstract: A mass damper is carried on the frame of an reel mower by a pair of elastomeric couplers, one at each end of the mass damper. Each coupler is threadedly secured to one end of the mass damper with the coupler received in a cavity at that end of the mass damper. Each coupler is also clamped to a bracket on the frame of the reel mower. The mass damper can move relative to the frame of the reel mower by shearing the elastomeric material forming the couplers. The weight of the mass damper and the stiffness of the couplers is chosen to damp or lessen the vibration induced in the frame of the reel mower by an internal combustion engine carried on the frame of the reel mower.

Abstract: A walk reel mower includes a pair of inclined rigid links for mounting the reel cutting unit to the reel mower frame for rolling about a longitudinal axis, and a pair of vertical support arms for mounting the reel cutting unit to the reel mower frame for pitching about a transverse axis. An integrated gearbox houses both the traction and reel drives, including the differential that is part of the traction drive, as well as a parking brake. A flexible drive shaft powers the cutting reel from the gearbox and is made from materials that do not require petroleum based lubricants. A single control handle located on the handle of the mower actuates both the reel and traction drives. The reel cutting unit includes a back plate which has a portion formed as a hollow beam for strength.

Abstract: A walk reel mower includes a pair of inclined rigid links for mounting the reel cutting unit to the reel mower frame for rolling about a longitudinal axis, and a pair of vertical support arms for mounting the reel cutting unit to the reel mower frame for pitching about a transverse axis. An integrated gearbox houses both the traction and reel drives, including the differential that is part of the traction drive, as well as a parking brake. A flexible drive shaft powers the cutting reel from the gearbox and is made from materials that do not require petroleum based lubricants to avoid the possibility of damage to the turf or grass. A single control handle located on the handle of the mower actuates both the reel and traction drives. The reel cutting unit includes a back plate which has a portion formed as a hollow beam for strength.

Abstract: An improved hydraulic drive system is provided for a vehicle having a plurality of ground engaging wheels which are each individually driven by a hydraulic motor to provide all wheel drive. The ground engaging wheels include a first pair of such wheels at or adjacent a first end of the vehicle and at least one other such wheel at or adjacent a second end of the vehicle. The hydraulic drive system includes a hydraulic flow circuit that connects the hydraulic motors for the wheel(s) at the second end of the vehicle in series to each other, to the fluid source, and to the drive motors for the wheels at the first end of the frame, which latter drive motors are connected in parallel to each other. Such a vehicle will provide superior traction ability as at least one wheel on each end of the vehicle must slip to bring the vehicle to a halt.

Abstract: An improved hydraulic drive system is provided for a vehicle having a plurality of ground engaging wheels which are each individually driven by a hydraulic motor to provide all wheel drive. The ground engaging wheels include a first pair of such wheels at or adjacent a first end of the vehicle and at least one other such wheel at or adjacent a second end of the vehicle. The hydraulic drive system includes a hydraulic flow circuit that connects the hydraulic motors for the wheel(s) at the second end of the vehicle in series to each other, to the fluid source, and to the drive motors for the wheels at the first end of the frame, which latter drive motors are connected in parallel to each other. Such a vehicle will provide superior traction ability as at least one wheel on each end of the vehicle must slip to bring the vehicle to a halt.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention includes a traction vehicle (12); one or more reel-type cutting unit(s) (20), each supported by one or more rollers (34, 35); and a cutting unit suspension system (22) associated with each cutting unit, preferably including a ball joint (90) located generally at the same height as the cutting unit roller(s) (34, 35) and proximate the lateral mid-point of the cutting unit (20). Another aspect of the present invention relates to the use of a flexible seal member (110) which bears against a reel-type cutting unit and the lower edge of the mouth of a grass catcher (46). The flexible seal member (110) flexes to accommodate yawing of the cutting unit to minimize dribbling of grass clippings. In a preferred embodiment, when the cutting unit (20) is raised off of the turf, the cutting unit (20) initially rises independent of the grass catcher (46), and the flexible seal member (110) accommodates this relative motion by sliding along a front shield (40) of the cutting unit (20).