Patents by Inventor Nicholas J. Sirek

Nicholas J. Sirek has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20210321562
    Abstract: A walk reel mower has a traction frame that carries a telescopic handle assembly to accommodate users of different heights. A pivotal bail on the handle assembly allows the user to slip a traction clutch to temporarily slow the mower down when turning the mower around. The handle assembly has a resilient isolator that acts in shear to permit the traction frame of the mower to maintain the quality and the height of cut when operated by users having a heavy downpressure touch on the handle assembly. A fixed head reel cutting unit or a flex head reel cutting unit can be interchangeably carried on the traction frame using a common mount therefor. Backlapping can be accomplished in situ by using an idler wheel between a driven transport wheel and the reel of the cutting unit to reverse the direction of the reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas F. Langworthy, Robert D. Patton, Nicholas J. Sirek, Joseph W. Pfankuch, Gerald E. Goman
  • Patent number: 11051450
    Abstract: A walk reel mower has a traction frame that carries a rotatable cutting reel that pushes grass against a bedknife for cutting the grass. A handle assembly extends rearwardly and upwardly from the traction frame. The handle assembly carries a handle that is gripped by a user to operate the mower as the user walks on the ground behind the traction frame. The handle assembly has upper and lower portions that have a telescopic connection to one another to adjust the height of the handle above the ground to accommodate users of different heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Gerald E. Goman, Nicholas J. Sirek
  • Publication number: 20200146213
    Abstract: A walk reel mower has a traction frame that carries a telescopic handle assembly to accommodate users of different heights. A pivotal bail on the handle assembly allows the user to slip a traction clutch to temporarily slow the mower down when turning the mower around. The handle assembly has a resilient isolator that acts in shear to permit the traction frame of the mower to maintain the quality and the height of cut when operated by users having a heavy downpressure touch on the handle assembly. A fixed head reel cutting unit or a flex head reel cutting unit can be interchangeably carried on the traction frame using a common mount therefor. Backlapping can be accomplished in situ by using an idler wheel between a driven transport wheel and the reel of the cutting unit to reverse the direction of the reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Gerald E. Goman, Robert D. Patton, Nicholas J. Sirek, Thomas F. Langworthy, Gerald J. Pomerening, Joseph W. Pfankuch
  • Publication number: 20180279548
    Abstract: A walk reel mower has a pivotal rear traction drum that can be selectively disposed in two different mowing positions that allow a single mower to cut grass on golf course greens as well as tee boxes with no degradation in cutting or power performance. The reel cutting unit has a pivotal rear shield to allow the rear shield to be pivotally adjusted to maintain its radial spacing relative to the orbit of the reel at a desired amount as the reel diameter decreases due to wear. The ground speed of the walk reel mower is automatically slowed during turns of the mower by a mechanical cable assembly that links a user operable throttle control and throttle reducing control to a prime mover throttle. Finally, the leverage provided by the mower handle assembly when placed in a lowered position is used by the user to more easily deploy a kickstand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Gerald E. Goman, Robert D. Patton, Casey L. Adkins, Nicholas J. Sirek, Jeffrey A. Sorenson, Larry W. Schmidt