Abstract: An improved powered lawn care implement which can accomplish both reducing of debris and removal of lawn thatch. The implement includes a generally horizontally mounted elongated processing element which carries a plurality of generally radially extending resilient filaments. The implement can be made so that the height of the processing element above the ground surface which is to be worked by the implement can be varied. Free ends of the filaments can thereby be made to engage either debris at the lawn surface or dead vegetative matter located near the base of grass filaments growing in a lawn.

Abstract: An adjustable axle support system for a lawn mower for supporting the whe and blade housing at a preselectable elevation in accordance with a desired cutting height of the grass cutting blade which is rotatable in a horizontal plane within the blade housing of the mower. The system includes brackets fixed to the opposite ends of the front and rear sections of the blade housing with the axles received in vertical slots formed in the brackets. Axle bearings are slidable on the axles for receipt in enlarged openings formed along the slots in the brackets. The axle bearings are biased into the selected enlarged openings by coil compression springs received about the axles. Adjustment of the height of the blade housing and in turn the cutting blade is achieved simply by retracting the bearings along the axles against the bias of the springs and moving the axles along the slots in the brackets into the desired elevation and then placing the bearings into the appropriate enlarged openings along the bracket slots.

Abstract: A mowing machine connectable by its frame to a three-point lift device of a tractor and powered by the power take-off of the tractor via belts and a gear train, the mowing machine being disposed laterally at one side relative to the tractor. An outboard portion of the frame forms a housing for the gear train whereby crop displacing members thereunder are rotated about shafts having a gear supported at each lower end thereof, the gear engaging pinions on parallel offset shafts for mowing elements. Supporting members under each mowing element which are offset to the rear support the machine. A screening member extends above the mowing elements and to the rear where it is bent downwardly to be spaced a distance less than the height of the mowing element above the ground. Forward the screening member is crenated as seen from above so that cutters pivotly mounted from each mowing element describe a cutting arc of about 60.degree. parallel to the adjacent arcuate portion of the screening member.

Abstract: The rear wheels of a walk-behind, self-propelled lawn mower are fixed to the opposite ends of a drive axle that is rotatably mounted in an axle support frame. The axle support frame is vertically pivotally mounted at the rear of a main frame of the mower and an adjustment mechanism is provided for holding the support frame in selected positions according to the cutting height desired. A cross-shaft is coupled to be driven from the mower engine and is mounted in the support frame, so as to extend along the axis about which the latter is pivotable, and is connected to the drive axle by gearing. A normally disengaged clutch is carried by the cross-shaft for selective engagement to complete a drive connection to the gearing. The drive axle support frame defines a protective guard or shield which extends over the clutch and gearing.

Abstract: An apparatus employing a self propelling chassis for the harvesting of sugar cane employing copying wheels for following the microrelief of the ground responsive to movement in a harvesting section of the apparatus. A crosscutting assembly employing two differently dimensioned drums with off-set blades is used to cut the cane; and an associated pneumatically operated cleaning chamber employing dispersing drums, vanes, and shutters in conjuction with specifically placed blowers, act upon foreign matter during the harvesting operation and eject same to the outside of the chamber where it is deflected to a desired location.

Abstract: A lawn mower has a plurality of wheels each having a shaft, and housing means carrying a cutting element and drive means for driving the latter. The housing means are connected to the shafts movably relative to the same so as to change the distance between the housing means and the shafts to thereby correspondingly change the cutting height of the cutting element. Energy storing means are provided between the housing means and at least one of the shafts and adapted to counteract the weight of the housing means, the drive means and the cutting element so as to aid a user in upwardly adjusting the cutting element. The energy storing means may be formed as a spring, one end portion of which is connected to the housing means and another end portion is connected to a bracket provided on at least one shaft.

Abstract: A working vehicle, for example, a lawn mower, floor brush, or snowblower, is disclosed wherein a steerable ground-engaging wheel is located within the sweep of a rotary mechanism. A spindle portion of the wheel is journaled in a sleeve portion of the rotating mechanism and the mechanism is operatively connected to a power source by a power transfer system. The wheel and the rotary mechanism are independently rotatable. Apparatus is provided in both the single cutter and multiple cutter embodiments to adjust the height of the rotary mechanism as a unit. An alternate drive mechanism is disclosed for use with such devices in which a ground-engaging wheel interior of the rotating mechanism is individually powered. In another embodiment, the wheel is castered. Each of the rotating mechanisms includes a rotatable member rotatably supported within a receiving portion of a body which includes a plurality of support wheels.

Abstract: A filament-trimmer/mower having a wheel mechanism supported frame articulated to provide semi-universal adjustment of the filament-to-work aspect through independent but co-acting side-by-side and fore-and-aft tip mechanisms, shielding being carried by the wheel support mechanism permitting the frame to move relative to the shielding for better access for trimming when the frame is tipped; a lever-actuated dynamic feed for the filament as needed for replacement of expended portions while operating is provided.

Abstract: A towable, wheel-mounted yard maintenance apparatus which may be a lawn comber having impact arms, a lawn mower having a cutting reel, or a sweeper having a cylindrical brush. The working elements, for example the impact arms, are carried upon a shaft within a transverse housing. This housing and the wheels are carried within the embrace of a structural frame. The frame extends in front of, and a short distance beyond each side of the housing to serve as a bumper which prevents the housing from coming too close to an obstruction such as a post or a tree. The frame also protects the wheels from such obstructions. The rear end of the housing is pivoted to the frame and the front end is attached to the frame by a height-adjustment linkage actuated by an adjusting screw which is locked in place whenever the height of the unit is proper for operation.

Abstract: A precision grass mower of the triplex reel type operating from a common tractor-type power source, each mower unit having an adjustable ground engaging roller for cutting golf greens at a precisely predetermined height. Each of the reels of the mower is provided with manually actuated, automatically operated shifting means for moving the height adjusting roller to either of two positions for cutting the grass of the green and of the collar surrounding the green at different but precisely determined heights. The shifting means of all of the mower reels are instantly and simultaneously actuated and operated by fluid pressure.

Abstract: A mower is provided having an engine, handle bar assembly, and handle height adjustment braces connected to the mobile housing of the mower through resilient shock mounts for reducing engine noise and vibration; and for isolating the operator from the engine vibrations, as well as from ground induced vibrations and shocks while at the same time utilizing certain of the shock mounts for resiliently urging the handle height adjustment braces against the handle bar assembly to aid in retaining the braces coupled to the handle bar assembly.

Abstract: Cutting height adjustment device for lawn mower blades: adjustment is obtained by adjusting the height of the mower wheel axle with respect to the mower chassis; the wheel axle is carried on a crank arm which pivots about a shaft fixedly positioned with respect to the chassis; the shaft is pivotable to a plurality of angular positions; a detent disc is secured to the shaft; a latch, non-shiftable with respect to the chassis, is operable to selectively engage in and disengage from the detents, thereby to position the blades at various heights; a pointer associated with and movable with the shaft indicates blade height on a scale on the chassis.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a power rake comprising a housing having a top wall and side walls depending from the top wall, a front wheel support and guide comprising a threaded, vertically extending aperture located in the housing closer to one of the side walls than to the other of the side walls, a shaft threaded through the aperture and including, at the upper end thereof, a manually grippable head, a hanger connected to the lower end of the shaft for relative rotary movement therebetween about the axis of the shaft in response to shaft rotation, a nut for releasably preventing rotation of the shaft, an axle connected to the hanger for swinging movement in a vertical plane about a fore and aft axis and extending to the side walls, structure on the side walls and on the axle for guiding vertical movement of the axle, and spaced wheels mounted on the axle on each side of the hanger.

Abstract: A height-of-cut adjustment mechanism for use with a lawn mowing machine in which the cutting mechanism is supported by a pair of ground engaging rollers. The mechanism provides rapid and repeatable two position adjustment by means of a spring biased trigger mechanism controlling the position of pivot arms connected to one of the ground engaging rollers.

Abstract: A rotary-blade type mower having a blade which is power-driven and mounted in a housing, the housing having an open-bottomed rearwardly-opening grass-discharge chute; rear wheels on the housing being pivotally fixed to opposite sides of the mower by rear wheel mounting and an interconnecting rod extending between the rear wheel mountings and having an intermediate bend along its length so that part of the interconnecting rod passes above the rearwardly-opening grass-discharge chute and another part of the rod being disposed at a lower level; a control handle engaged with the rod so that by operating control handle the rod is moved to cause the wheel mounting members to rotate about their pivotal mountings and vary the height of the housing and the blade rotating therein.

Abstract: A lawn trimmer in which a trimming blade is disposed laterally from the trimmer body and is adjustable vertically by adjusting the main frame of the trimmer relative to the front and rear axles. Four wheels are preferably provided on the trimmer and the two front wheels are of the caster type. A motor is mounted on the main frame and a power transmission means interconnects the rotary blade with the motor, and a shield encloses the rotary blade. The lateral positioning of the blade in combination with the caster front wheels gives the trimmer good mobility and maneuverability for trimming in close places.