Gang mower

A gang mower removably mountable on front of a rear wheel-steering tractor for mowing a turf surface, comprising:

• (a) at least one reel-type mower head;
• (b) at least one hydraulic motor, the mower head being driven independently by its own hydraulic motor;
• each mower head being held in contact with the turf surface by its own weight alone;
• (c) a support structure having at least one bearing block mounted thereon which extends downwardly therefrom;
• (d) an elongated support arm having a bearing member disposed perpendicularly to the centerline of the arm, the bearing member and the bearing block having a common shaft, so that the support arm can rotate about the shaft;
• (e) the elongated support arm including a small plate rigidly attached thereto distal from the bearing member, the plate having a hole formed therein which extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal centerline of the support arm;
• (f) a freely movable hollow swivel ball joint mounted on the mower unit, the swivel ball joint being disposed generally midway between distal ends of the mower unit;
• (g) an elongated spacer washer;
• (h) a mower mounting bolt with a head an a shank, the bolt shank being slidably fitted through the swivel ball joint, the elongated spacer washer, and said hole in the plate, the elongated spacer washer being juxtaposed between the plate and the ball joint and being of greater length than its through diameter;
• and
• (i) means for securing the bolt, the swivel ball joint, the spacer washer and the plate in assembled relation, so that the mower unit is not only supported by the arm but also has substantial freedom to undergo pitch, roll, and yaw movements even as the plate on the support arm moves up and down along an arc about the shaft, thereby allowing the gang mower to follow closely contours in the turf surface.