Automatic mower reel grinder
AssigneeFoley-Belsaw Company
InventorsJames H. Dieck, Roger Rosenquist
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A grinding system (10) for sharpening the blades in cutting reels of mowing units incorporates an articulated grinding head (90) mounted for movement on a carriage (92). A unique index/guide assembly (160) is mounted on the grinding head (90). The index/guide assembly (160) includes a fixed guide finger (178) and associated, movable index finger (180) for automatic sequential grinding of the blades in the spin grind mode.
Claims20
A method of automatically indexing from blade to blade in a reel assembly for sequential processing of a plurality of reel blades, comprising:
- (a) operably engaging with a guide a first reel blade to be processed;
- (b) moving the guide relative to the first reel blade to a position where the guide operably disengages from the first reel blade;
- and
- (c) catching the next reel blade with a stop for steering the reel to the guide.
A method of grinding a rotatable cutting reel having a plurality of reel blades, comprising:
- (a) positioning a stop in a predetermined relationship with a grinding wheel;
- (b) rotating the rotatable cutting reel, whereby the stop engages and guides a first reel blade into operable engagement with the grinding wheel;
- and
- (c) moving the stop relative to the second reel blade, whereby the stop disengages from the first reel blade.
An automatic indexing apparatus for a mower reel grinder, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a guide operably connected to a first carriage;
- and
- (b) a movable stop operably connected to a second carriage and biased away from the guide to sequentially engage and guide a reel blade into engagement with the guide.
An automatic indexing mower reel grinder, comprising:
- (a) a stop adapted for movement between a first position and a second position;
- (b) a first drive that rotates the mower reel to cause a reel blade to operably engage the stop and urge the stop into the first position;
- (c) a second drive that translates the stop along a length of the reel blade to a position where the stop operably disengages from the reel blade;
- and
- (d) a bias element that biases the stop from the first position into the second position.
An automatic indexing mower reel grinder, comprising:
- (a) a stop adapted for movement between a first position and a second position;
- (b) a first drive that rotates the mower reel to a position where a reel blade operably engages the stop while the stop is in the first position and urges the stop into the second position;
- (c) a second drive that moves the stop relative to the reel blade to a position where the stop operably disengages from the reel blade;
- and
- (d) a bias element that biases the stop from the second position back to the first position.
An apparatus for grinding blades in a rotatable cutting reel of a mowing unit, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a grinding head including a rotatable grinding wheel;
- (b) a first drive adapted to rotate the grinding wheel on said grinding head;
- (c) an index/guide assembly positioned in predetermined spaced apart relationship with said grinding head, said index/guide assembly including a guide, a stop, and a support that moveably supports the stop in a spaced apart relationship with the guide;
- and
- (d) a bias element adapted to bias the stop away from the guide of said index/guide assembly;
- and
- (e) a control means for causing the stop to sequentially engage and then guide each blade in the rotatable cutting reel into slideable engagement with the guide during relative longitudinal movement between said grinding head and the cutting reel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.