Variable offset rotary mower apparatus

A rotary mower apparatus adapted for attachment to a tractor for towing along the pound in an operating travel direction, the apparatus comprising:

• a central mower deck and right and left wing mower decks pivotally attached to respective right and left sides of the central mower deck;
• a plurality of rear wheels mounted behind the mower decks and at least one from wheel mounted to a front end of the central mower deck such that the mower decks ride along the ground on the wheels;
• a cutting blade element rotatably mounted under each mower deck so as to rotate about right, left, and central substantially vertical blade axes;
• a floating bitch member pivotally attached at a mower end thereof to a top portion of the central mower deck so as to pivot about a substantially vertical mower axis and about a substantially horizontal mower axis oriented transversely to the floating hitch member wherein the horizontal mower axis intersects the vertical mower axis at a point above the mower deck, and adapted for pivotal attachment at a tow end thereof to the tractor about a substantially vertical tow axis, the attachment at the ends of the floating hitch member further allowing the floating hitch member and mower decks to float with respect to the tractor to follow contours of the ground;
• a drive adapted for connection to the tractor and operative to transfer power from the tractor to rotate the cutting blade elements;
• a mower angle control operative to selectively pivot the floating hitch member about the vertical mower axis with respect to the central mower deck;
• wherein the drive comprises a lower vertical drive shaft having a rotational axis coincidental with the vertical mower axis and operatively connected at a bottom end thereof to the cutting blade elements, and an upper vertical drive shaft connected at a bottom end thereof to a top end of the lower vertical drive shaft by a double universal joint, and wherein the horizontal mower axis is located substantially in the center of the double universal joint.

A rotary mower apparatus adapted for attachment to a tractor for towing along the ground in an operating travel direction, the apparatus comprising:

• a central mower deck and right and left wing mower decks pivotally attached to respective right and left sides of the central mower deck;
• a plurality of rear wheels mounted behind the mower decks and at least one front wheel mounted to a front end of the central mower deck such that the mower decks ride along the ground on the wheels;
• a cutting blade element rotatably mounted under each mower deck so as to rotate about right, left, and central substantially vertical blade axes;
• a floating hitch member pivotally attached at a mower end thereof to a top portion of the central mower deck so as to pivot about a substantially vertical mower axis, and adapted for pivotal attachment at a tow end thereof to the tractor about a substantially vertical tow axis, the attachment at the ends of the floating hitch member further allowing the floating hitch member and mower decks to float with respect to the tractor to follow contours of the ground;
• a drive adapted for connection to the tractor and operative to transfer power from the tractor to rotate the cutting blade elements:
• a mower angle control operative to selectively pivot the floating bitch member about the vertical mower axis with respect to the central mower deck;
• wherein the central mower deck is supported at a front end thereof by first and second front wheels attached to first and second ends of a walking beam, and wherein the walking beam is pivotally attached to the front end of the central mower deck about a substantially horizontal walking axis oriented substantiality parallel to the operating travel direction.

A rotary mower apparatus adapted for attachment to a tractor for towing along the ground in an operating travel direction, the apparatus comprising:

• a central mower deck and right and left wing mower decks pivotally attached to respective right and left sides of the central mower deck;
• a plurality of rear wheels mounted behind the mower decks and at least one front wheel mounted to a front end of the central mower deck such that the mower decks ride along the ground on the wheels;
• a cutting blade element rotatably mounted under each mower deck so as to rotate about right, left, and central substantially vertical blade axes;
• a floating hitch member pivotally attached at a mower end thereof to a top portion of the central mower so as to pivot about a substantially vertical mower axis, and adapted for pivotal attachment at a tow end thereof to the tractor about a substantially vertical tow axis, the attachment at the ends of the floating hitch member further allowing the floating hitch member and mower decks to float with respect to the tractor to follow contours of the ground;
• a drive adapted for connection to the tractor and operative to transfer power from the tractor to rotate the cutting blade elements;
• a mower angle control operative to selectively pivot the floating hitch member about the vertical mower axis with respect to the central mower deck;
• wherein the central mower deck is supported at the front end thereof by castering first and second front wheels attached to first and second ends of a substantially horizontal cross member, and wherein the cross member is attached to the front end of the central mower deck by a front parallel linkage attached to each side of the front end of the central mower deck.

A rotary mower apparatus adapted for attachment to a tractor for towing along the ground in an operating travel direction, the apparatus comprising:

• a central mower deck and right and left wing mower decks pivotally attached to respective right and left sides of the central mower deck;
• a plurality of rear wheels mounted behind the mower decks and at least one front wheel mounted to a front end of the central mower deck such that the mower decks ride along the ground on the wheels;
• a cutting blade element rotatably mounted under each mower deck so as to rotate about right, left, and central substantially vertical blade axes;
• a floating hitch member pivotally attached at a mower end thereof to a top portion of the central mower deck so as to pivot about a substantially vertical mower axis located substantially on a center-line of the central mower deck, and adapted for pivotal attachment at a tow end thereof to the tractor about a substantially vertical tow axis, the attachment at the ends of the floating hitch member further allowing the floating hitch member and mower decks to float with respect to the tractor to follow contours of the ground;
• a drive adapted for connection to the tractor and operative to transfer power from the tractor to rotate the cutting blade elements;
• and
• a mower angle control operative to selectively pivot the floating hitch member about the vertical mower axis with respect to the central mower deck;
• wherein the mower end of the floating hitch member is pivotally attached to the mower deck about a substantially horizontal mower axis oriented transversely to the floating hitch member.

A rotary mower apparatus adapted for attachment to a tractor for towing along the ground in an operating travel direction, the apparatus comprising:

• a central mower deck and right and left wing mower decks pivotally attached to respective right and left sides of the central mower deck;
• a plurality of rear wheels mounted behind the mower decks and at least one front wheel mounted to a front end of the central mower deck such that the mower decks ride along the ground on the wheels;
• a cutting blade element rotatably mounted under each mower deck so as to rotate about right, left, and central substantially vertical blade axes;
• a floating hitch member pivotally attached at a mower end thereof to a top portion of the central mower deck so as to pivot about a substantially vertical mower axis located substantially on a center-line of the central mower deck, and adapted for pivotal attachment at a tow end thereof to the tractor about a substantially vertical low axis, the attachment at the ends of the floating hitch member further allowing the floating hitch member and mower decks to float with respect to the tractor to follow contours of the ground;
• a drive adapted for connection to the tractor and operative to transfer power from the tractor to rotate the cutting blade elements, wherein the drive comprises a lower vertical drive shaft having a rotational axis coincidental with the vertical mower axis and operatively connected at a bottom end thereof to the cutting blade element, and an upper vertical drive shaft connected at a bottom cud thereof to a top end of the lower vertical drive shaft by a double universal joint, and wherein the horizontal mower axis is located substantially in the center of the double universal joint;
• and
• a mower angle control operative to selectively pivot the floating hitch member about the vertical mower axis with respect to the central mower deck.

A rotary mower apparatus adapted for attachment to a tractor for towing along the ground in an operating travel direction, the apparatus comprising:

• a central mower deck and right and left wing mower decks pivotally attached to respective right and left sides of the central mower deck;
• a plurality of rear wheels mounted behind the mower decks and at least one front wheel mounted to a front end of the central mower deck such that the mower decks ride along the ground on the wheels;
• a cutting blade element rotatably mounted under each mower deck so as to rotate about right, left, and central substantially vertical blade axes;
• a floating hitch member pivotally attached at a mower end thereof to a top portion of the central mower deck so as to pivot about a substantially vertical mower axis located substantially on a center-line of the central mower deck, and adapted for pivotal attachment at a tow end thereof to the tractor about a substantially vertical tow axis, the attachment at the ends of the floating hitch member further allowing the floating hitch member and mower decks to float with respect to the tractor to follow contours of the ground wherein the tow end of the floating hitch is further adapted for pivotal attachment to the tractor about a substantially horizontal longitudinal tow axis oriented substantially parallel to the operating travel direction, and about a substantially horizontal transverse tow axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the operating travel direction;
• a drive adapted for connection to the tractor and operative to transfer power from the tractor to rotate the cutting blade elements;
• and
• a mower angle control operative to selectively pivot the floating hitch member about the vertical mower axis with respect to the central mower deck.