Caster wheel suspension and shaft tensioning system for turf maintenance equipment

A system of preventing scuffing of turf by castering wheels affixed to cutting units of rotary lawn mowers, comprising:

• (a) a castering wheel fork, the castering wheel rotating about an axle supported by the castering wheel fork;
• (b) a castering wheel shaft, the castering wheel shaft being affixed to the castering wheel fork, the castering wheel shaft being rotatable about a first longitudinal axis defined by the castering wheel shaft, the castering wheel shaft being movable in any direction;
• and
• (c) a rotation resistance mechanism, the rotation resistance mechanism being rigidly affixed to the cutting unit, the rotation resistance mechanism being adapted to receive the castering wheel shaft, thereby resisting movement of the castering wheel shaft relative to the cutting unit.

A device for suppressing noise and resisting free rotation of a castering wheel about a support shaft cooperatively connected to a Lawn mower deck by at least one height of cut washer, comprising:

• (a) a threaded stud, the threaded stud being inserted by rotation of the stud into a drilled and tapped axial bore residing in an upper end of the support shaft adjacent to the height of cut washer;
• (b) a cap, the threaded stud being rigidly affixed to a first interior surface of the cap;
• (c) a bearing plate, the bearing plate being retained within an interior region of the cap;
• and
• (d) a biasing member, the biasing member being retained within the cap, the biasing member urging the bearing plate away from the first interior surface of the cap, such that rotation of the cap controls a frictional force between the bearing plate and the height of cut washer.

A method of resisting free movement of a castering wheel affixed to a mower cutting unit, comprising the steps of:

• (a) affixing a castering wheel mounting strut to the mower cutting unit;
• (b) forming a motion resisting mechanism so as to have a central bore and capable of limiting a shaft to one degree of freedom;
• (c) rigidly affixing the motion resisting mechanism to the mounting strut;
• and
• (d) inserting a castering wheel support shaft into the central bore, thereby resisting all movement of the castering wheel support shaft.