Grass cutting unit having compression molded UHMW plastic roller

#This invention relates to a grass cutting unit of a mower. More particularly, this invention relates to a roller for at least partially supporting the grass cutting unit for rolling on the ground.

#Reel cutting units are well known for use on greensmowers, fairway mowers and other mowers. Such cutting units are designed for precision grass cutting at relatively low heights of cut. Each cutting unit has a frame that mounts a rotatable cutting reel which sweeps grass against a sharpened bedknife to cut the grass. Front and rear rollers carried on the frame allow the cutting unit to roll over the ground. The cutting unit is linked to the mower so as to be propelled by the motion of the mower.

#The front roller on a reel cutting unit is often grooved along its length from one end of the roller to the other. Such a grooved roller is often called a Wiehle roller in the mowing art. The rear roller on a reel cutting unit is usually a smooth cylindrical roller without any grooves. While both front and rear rollers are often used on a reel cutting unit to support the cutting unit for rolling, only one roller, i.e. either a front or rear roller, might be used with the other end of the cutting unit being suspended from the mower.

#This invention will be described more completely in the following Detailed Description, when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mower having a plurality of grass cutting units which carry the cutting unit roller of this invention;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cutting unit roller according to this invention, particularly illustrating a grooved Wiehle roller;

#FIG. 1 depicts a riding mower 4 having a plurality of grass cutting units 6. Three front grass cutting units 6 are shown at the front of mower 4 spaced apart from one another by small gaps. Two trailing grass cutting units 6, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1, are mounted to mower 4 beneath the front and rear wheels of mower 4. Trailing grass cutting units 6 are positioned to cover the gaps between front grass cutting units 6 so that all of the grass cutting units 6 collectively cut a single wide swath of grass as mower 4 moves over the ground.

#Each grass cutting unit 6 comprises a frame that includes spaced side plates and a transverse back plate. A rotatable reel 8 having helical blades is journalled between the side plates and in front of the back plate. A sharpened bedknife (not shown) cooperates with reel 8 such that rotation of reel 8 sweeps uncut grass against bedknife 8 to sever the grass. Reel 8 is rotated by a drive system which may comprise a mechanical drive taken from mower 4 or by a separate drive motor (not shown), either hydraulic or electric, connected to reel 8.

#Each grass cutting unit 6 is self-supporting for rolling over the ground by front and rear rollers 10. Only front roller 10 is shown. Front roller 10 may be grooved as shown and when so grooved is known in the art as a Wiehle roller. The unshown rear roller typically comprises a smooth cylindrical roller. Together, front and rear rollers 10 support grass cutting unit 6 for rolling over the ground.