Riding Attendant Patents (Class 172/257)
  • Patent number: 10114404
    Abstract: A hydraulic control for an attachment on a work vehicle. Power is provided to the attachment by manually actuating a control lever that is biased toward a first position. This first position corresponds to a deactuated mode of the attachment. By unlocking a lock mechanism, the lever may be maintained in a second position under hand pressure. This second position corresponds to an actuated mode of the attachment. The lock mechanism may be actuated by an operator platform-actuated release mechanism. While an operator is on a platform on the vehicle, the loch mechanism remains unlocked, and the lever may be maintained, without hand pressure, in its second position. The release mechanism actuates the lock mechanism when an operator is not on the platform. As a result, the bias of the control lever returns it to its first position, and the attachment is deactuated. A filter may be utilized to prevent premature actuation of the release mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: The Charles Machine Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Brant Douglas Kukuk, Cody L. Sewell
  • Patent number: 9986672
    Abstract: A land roller is provided with an over-center locking linkage arrangement to help lock a roller frame of the land roller into a raised transport configuration to reduce the likelihood that a failure of the actuator system could cause the roller frame to inadvertently fall and injure a person or cause damage to property. The land roller may be further provided with actuators that are controlled in temporal series from a single controller to simplify and increase the safety of both converting the land roller between the transport configuration and a working configuration and converting side frame sections of the land roller between folded and unfolded positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Inventors: Barry W. Smyth, Matthew D. Thomson
  • Patent number: 9918423
    Abstract: An apparatus to move in-tow at least one farm implement. The apparatus is an elongated rectangular member that has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. A movement transfer mechanism is connected between the elongated rectangular member's first end and the farm implement. The apparatus has a first wheel mounted on one side of the elongated rectangular member's first end and a second wheel mounted on the other side of the elongated rectangular member's first end. A third rotatable wheel is mounted adjacent to the second end of the elongated rectangular member. The wheels may, if desired, be ground engaging wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventor: Walter Dean
  • Patent number: 7980569
    Abstract: Operator platform assemblies for use with the working vehicles, e.g., skid steer loaders, and vehicles incorporating the same. The platform assemblies may, in some embodiments, include an arm assembly that attaches to a rear portion of the vehicle and extends rearwardly therefrom as a cantilever member. The platform assembly may pivot from this deployed position to a storage position by pivoting upwardly about a pivot axis proximate the vehicle. A platform is, in some embodiments, pivotally attached to the arm assembly so that the platform may pivot relative to the arm assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: John P. Azure, Tanner L. Erickson, Barry L. Hentges, David A. Murray, Greg L. Lawrence
  • Patent number: 7712751
    Abstract: An improved lawn mower sulky comprises platform 10, hitch support arm 20, first stub axle 40, first axle A-frame 41, first damper assembly 60, second stub axle 70, second axle A-frame 71, and second damper assembly 80.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Inventor: Renn Allen Beal
  • Patent number: 5909887
    Abstract: A sulky for a self propelled lawn mower, the sulky being interconnected by a pivot frame and a horizontal pivot to the mower frame, and a vertical pivot between the sulky frame and wheels in order to retain the operator in a constant position in respect to the mower under all operator conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1999
    Assignee: MTD Products Inc
    Inventor: Gerald Hobrath
  • Patent number: 5033564
    Abstract: A vehicle having a length, a front end and a substantially opposing rear end useful for propelling an implement pivotably coupled thereto at or near the front end. The vehicle comprises two driven wheels located at or near the rear end and positioned to rotate in a direction generally parallel to the length of the vehicle; a power system acting to provide power to rotate the two driven wheels; at least one non-steered wheel located at or near the front end, the non-steered wheel being rotatable about an axis which axis is at least partially rotatable; and a seat acting to provide a location at which a human being can sit on the vehicle and control the vehicle. The vehicle is sized so that the human being sitting in the seat is capable of directly steering the pivotably coupled implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Floor Style Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan Mattson
  • Patent number: 4844175
    Abstract: A hitch for connecting the rear of a garden tractor to the rear of a garden tiller of the type having one or more tines which rotate in the direction of normal travel of said tiller comprising a beam, a bracket and an arm aligned in an adjustable triangular shape being in a substantially vertical plane for the controlled pulling of the tiller by the tractor in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the tiller tines thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Inventor: Richard E. Nations
  • Patent number: 4424868
    Abstract: A powered mobile unit for turf-care apparatus comprises a chassis, driven and steerable front wheels, rear wheels supporting the chassis, a seat carried at least mainly by the rear wheels, a linkage behind the rear wheels for the attachment of turf-treating implements; and a powered hydraulic unit capable of activating the linkage to lift an attached implement clear of the ground and of applying such downward pressure to the implement as to cause the rear wheels to be raised clear of the ground with an operator in the seat, while the unit is mobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1984
    Assignee: Sisis Equipment (Macclesfield) Ltd.
    Inventors: Eric Staniforth, Douglas A. Everett
  • Patent number: 4155408
    Abstract: Apparatus of a dual wheel, engine driven garden plow for breaking up soil, then distributing the soil in rows and plowing out between the rows during the growth of a crop. Such apparatus includes an engine powered tractor, dual wheel front frame construction and a counter weight stabilizer bar in the rear for permitting riding of the apparatus. A lever system provides the adjustment structure for the plow itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1979
    Inventor: Woodrow W. Welborn