Caster wheel suspension for a zero-turn mower
AssigneeGreat Plains Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorAlan F. Piontek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A zero-turn mower comprising a zero-turn mower frame, a front axle coupled to the zero-turn mower frame, first and second caster wheel assemblies, and first and second front shock assemblies. The front shock assemblies rotatably and telescopically couple the caster wheel assemblies to the front axle, thereby providing vertical shock absorption. The front axle may be a floating axle that is pivotably coupled to the mower frame and/or the shock assemblies may define an internal spring-receiving chamber that is substantially isolated from the external environment. Such a zero-turn mower may provide a smoother ride and may require less maintenance and repair than conventional zero-turn mowers.
Claims26
A zero-turn mower comprising:
- a zero-turn mower frame;
- a floating front axle having a first end and a second end, wherein the floating front axle is pivotally coupled to the zero-turn mower frame at a point between the first and second ends of the floating front axle;
- a first caster wheel assembly;
- a second caster wheel assembly;
- a first shock assembly rotatably coupling the first caster wheel assembly to the first end of the floating front axle, wherein the first shock assembly is configured for vertical shock absorption;
- and
- a second shock assembly rotatably coupling the second caster wheel assembly to the second end of the floating front axle, wherein the second shock assembly is configured for vertical shock absorption.
A zero-turn mower comprising:
- a zero-turn mower frame;
- a pair of front caster wheels;
- and
- a front suspension system coupling the caster wheels to the mower frame,
- wherein the front suspension system comprises a pair of shock assemblies each coupled to a respective caster wheel,
- wherein each shock assembly comprises an outer member, an inner member, and a compression spring,
- wherein the inner and outer members are telescopically and rotatably intercoupled,
- wherein the inner and outer members cooperatively define an internal spring-receiving chamber within which the spring is received for biasing the inner and outer members away from one another,
- wherein the spring-receiving chamber is substantially isolated from the environment external to the shock assemblies.
A method for operating a zero-turn mower, said method comprising:
- (a) driving said zero-turn mower over a surface comprising a bump;
- and
- (b) passing a first front wheel of the zero-turn mower over the bump without passing a second front wheel of the zero-turn mower over the bump, thereby causing substantially equal compressive force on a first shock absorber associated with the first front caster wheel and a second shock absorber associated with the second front caster wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.