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US 9,848,531 B2Granted
Vertical storage grounds maintenance apparatus
AssigneeThe Toro Company
InventorsChris A. Wadzinski, John O. Hurst, Khari S. Clarke, John T. Gill, Ryan M. Petersen, Mark C. Daly
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A grounds maintenance apparatus such as a lawn mower adapted for movement from a horizontal operating orientation to a vertical storage orientation. Embodiments of the apparatus provide supplemental storage wheels adapted to permit rolling of the apparatus over a ground surface while in the vertical storage orientation.
Claims9
A grounds maintenance apparatus comprising:
- a body supporting a ground-working tool, wherein the body comprises front and rear sides and left and right sides;
- a plurality of support wheels mounted to the body and adapted to support the body in rolling engagement with a ground surface while the body is in a horizontal operating orientation;
- a plurality of storage wheels connected to the body along one of the sides, wherein the plurality of storage wheels are adapted to move from a first or stowed position when the body is in the horizontal operating orientation, to a second or deployed position when the body is in a vertical storage orientation;
- and
- a storage wheel actuation mechanism coupled to the body and adapted to move the plurality of storage wheels between the first or stowed position and the second or deployed position.
2 more elements
A lawn mower comprising:
- a deck comprising an upper wall and downwardly extending sidewalls that together define a cutting chamber, wherein the deck comprises front and rear sides and left and right sides;
- a plurality of support wheels mounted to the deck and adapted to support the deck in rolling engagement with a ground surface when the mower is in a horizontal operating orientation;
- a plurality of storage wheels mounted to the deck along one of the front, rear, left, or right sides, wherein the plurality of storage wheels are elevated above the ground surface when the mower is in the horizontal operating orientation, and are in contact with the ground surface when the mower is in a vertical storage orientation, and wherein the plurality of storage wheels are adapted to move from a first or stowed position to a second or deployed position;
- an operator handle assembly pivotally connected to the deck and movable between:
- an operating position corresponding to the mower being in the horizontal operating orientation;
- and a collapsed position accommodating the mower being in the vertical storage orientation;
- and
- a storage wheel actuation mechanism coupled to the deck and adapted to move the plurality of storage wheels from the first or stowed position to the second or deployed position.
5 more elements
A method of storing a walk-behind lawn mower comprising:
- moving a handle assembly of the mower from an operating position to a collapsed position;
- moving a plurality of storage wheels from a first or stowed position to a second or deployed position;
- lifting a first side of the deck of the mower until ground support wheels at or near the first side of the deck are elevated above a ground surface;
- and
- supporting the mower, in a vertical storage position upon the ground surface, with the plurality of storage wheels located along a second side of the deck opposite the first side.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.