U.S. patent application number 09/998071 was filed with the patent office on 2003-06-05 for mower deck cleaner.
Invention is credited to Hall, Kenneth E..
Application Number | 20030101702 09/998071 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25544707 |
Filed Date | 2003-06-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030101702 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hall, Kenneth E. |
June 5, 2003 |
MOWER DECK CLEANER
Abstract
A mower deck cleaning device for a rotary mower for removing
clippings from the inside of the mower blade housing. A tubular
conduit is mounted on the mower so as to extend through the deck of
the mower. A garden hose may be attached to the conduit to flow
water through the conduit. A rotor mounted on the conduit receives
the water from the hose and projects a rotating pattern of
pressurized fluid for cleaning the inside of the housing.
Inventors: |
Hall, Kenneth E.; (Kokomo,
IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
C. David Emhardt
Woodard, Emhardt, Naughton, Moriarty and McNett
Bank One Center/Tower
111 Monument Circle, Suite 3700
Indianapolis
IN
46204-5137
US
|
Family ID: |
25544707 |
Appl. No.: |
09/998071 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
56/16.8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01D 2101/00 20130101;
A01D 34/003 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
56/16.8 |
International
Class: |
A01D 034/40 |
Claims
In the claims:
1. A cleaning device for mounting on a lawnmower having a housing
about a cutting blade, said cleaning device comprising: a tubular
conduit mounted on said lawnmower and extending through the housing
for conducting a cleaning fluid under pressure into the housing; a
rotor rotatably mounted on said conduit for rotation inside of said
housing about an axis; and said rotor having a series of fluid
channels communicating with said conduit and which are arranged to
discharge fluid in the same rotary direction about said axis
whereby pressurized fluid from said conduit entering into the
channels of said rotor causes said rotor to rotate and spray
pressurized fluid in rotary streams against the inside surfaces of
said housing.
2. The cleaning device of claim 1 wherein said tubular conduit
comprises an elbow having an elbow fluid passage therethrough; a
reducer member threadedly secured to said elbow and having a fluid
passage therethrough communicating with said elbow fluid passage;
and a plug having threads for threaded attachment to sad reducer
member for closing off said elbow fluid passage.
3. The cleaning device of claim 2 additionally comprising a nipple
which is externally threaded and has a fluid passage therethrough;
said tubular conduit further comprising a cylindrical member which
has said rotor rotatably mounted thereon; and said nipple extending
through said housing and threadedly fixing said elbow to said
housing and also threadedly fixing said cylindrical member to said
housing within said housing.
4. The cleaning device of claim 1 wherein said tubular conduit has
five equally spaced discharge conduits which are adjacent said
series of fluid channels of said rotor, the fluid channels of said
rotor being four in number, said discharge conduits being
sufficiently large so that there is always communication between at
least one discharge conduit and one fluid channel.
5. A cleaning device for mounting on a lawnmower having a housing
about a rotary cutting blade, said mower having a horizontal deck
forming a part of said housing and located above said rotary
cutting blade, said cleaning device comprising: an elbow having an
elbow fluid passage therethrough, said elbow being fixedly mounted
to and above said deck; a cylindrical member having a first fluid
passage therein, said cylindrical member fixedly mounted to and
below said deck with said first fluid passage in communication with
said elbow fluid passage; and a cylindrical rotor rotatably mounted
within said cylindrical member for rotation about a vertical axis,
said cylindrical member having a group of second fluid passages
extending from said first fluid passage to an area just above and
adjacent to said rotor, said cylindrical rotor having a series of
fluid channels communicating with said second fluid passage, said
fluid channels having exit portions which are directed horizontally
and in the same rotary direction about said axis whereby
pressurized fluid exiting from said exit portions causes said rotor
to rotate and spray pressurized fluid horizontally in rotating
streams against the inside surfaces of said housing.
6. The cleaning device of claim 5 additionally comprising a reducer
member threadedly secured to said elbow and having a fluid passage
therethrough communicating with said elbow fluid passage; and a
plug having threads for threaded attachment to said reducer member
for closing off said elbow fluid passage.
7. The cleaning device of claim 6 additionally comprising a nipple
which is externally threaded and has a fluid passage therethrough
said nipple extending through said deck and threadedly fixing said
elbow to said deck and also threadedly fixing said cylindrical
member to said deck.
8. The cleaning device of claim 5 wherein said cylindrical member
has five equally spaced discharge conduits which are adjacent said
series of fluid channels of said rotor, the fluid channels of said
rotor being four in number, said discharge conduits being
sufficiently large so that there is always communication between at
least one discharge conduit and one fluid channel.
9. The cleaning device of claim 8 additionally comprising a reducer
member threadedly secured to said elbow and having a fluid passage
therethrough communicating with said elbow fluid passage, and a
plug having threads for threaded attachment to said reducer member
for closing off said elbow fluid passage.
10. the cleaning device of claim 9 additionally comprising a nipple
which is externally threaded and has a fluid passage therethrough,
said nipple extending through said deck and threadedly fixing said
elbow to said deck and also threadedly fixing said cylindrical
member to said deck.
11. The cleaning device of claim 10 wherein said cylindrical member
has five equally spaced discharge conduits which are adjacent said
series of fluid channels of said rotor, the fluid channels of said
rotor being four in number, said discharge conduits being
sufficiently large so that there is always communication between at
least one discharge conduit and one fluid channel of said series of
fluid channels.
12. A method for cleaning a lawn mower having a cutting blade which
deposits grass cuttings on the lawn mower comprising: mounting a
spray nozzle on said lawn mower for repeated motion through a path
forcing pressurized liquid through said spray nozzle to repeatedly
strike deposited grass cuttings on said lawn mower and wash them
from the mower.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the spray nozzle is a rotor.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein said rotor is caused to rotate
by said forcing of pressurized liquid out of the spray nozzle which
also moves the striking of the fluid through a rotating path
against the lawn mower.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a mower deck cleaning
device for the type of mower having a rotating blade and to an
improved method for cleaning a lawn mower.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] One of the problems involved in the operation and
maintenance of rotary type lawn mowers is the buildup of grass
clippings under the deck and within the housing of the mower. The
clippings may be removed by hand or with a broom or by scraping.
Such a procedure has drawbacks in that lifting and tilting the
mower can cause gas and oil to drain out of the engine of the
mower. Also, in the situation of a large mower, the weight of the
mower may be so great that it cannot be lifted conveniently.
[0003] Various devices have been proposed in the prior art to deal
with the cleaning of clippings from the mower. One of these
solutions involves providing a system for directing a stream of
water against the inside wall of the housing and/or onto the
rotating blade. Examples of this solution are the Meuth U.S. Pat.
Nos. 5,444,967, Wittwer 3,535,862 and Griffin 3,214,893. The blade
then functions to fling the water against the inside surfaces of
the housing to remove the grass clippings from those surfaces. The
present invention is intended to improve the effectiveness and
convenience of a water stream or other fluid stream in cleaning the
mower.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] One embodiment of the present invention involves a cleaning
device for mounting on a lawnmower which lawnmower has a housing
about a cutting blade. The cleaning device includes a tubular
conduit mounted on the lawnmower and extending through the housing
for conducting a cleaning fluid under pressure into the housing. A
rotor is rotatably mounted on the conduit for rotation inside of
the housing about an axis. The rotor has a series of fluid channels
communicating with the conduit which are arranged to discharge
fluid in the same rotary direction about the axis whereby
pressurized fluid from the conduit entering into the channels of
the rotor causes the rotor to rotate and spray pressurized fluid in
rotating streams against the inside surfaces of the housing.
[0005] Another embodiment of the invention might include a cleaning
device for mounting on the lawnmower having a housing about a
rotary cutting blade. The lawnmower has a horizontal deck forming a
part of the housing and located above the rotary cutting blade. The
cleaning device includes an elbow having a elbow fluid passage
therethrough. The elbow is fixedly mounted to and above the deck of
the lawnmower. A cylindrical member having a first fluid passage
therein is fixedly mounted to and below the deck with the first
fluid passage in communication with the elbow fluid passage. There
is also provided a cylindrical rotor rotatably mounted within the
cylindrical member for rotation about a vertical axis. The
cylindrical member has a group of second fluid passages extending
from the first fluid passage to an area just above and adjacent to
the rotor. The cylindrical rotor has a series of fluid channels
communicating with the second fluid passages. The fluid channels
have exit portions which are directed horizontally and in the same
rotary direction about the axis whereby pressurized fluid exiting
from the exit portions causes the rotor to rotate and spray
pressurized fluid horizontally in rotating streams against the
inside surfaces of the housing.
[0006] Still another embodiment of the invention is a method of
cleaning a lawn mower. A spray nozzle is mounted on the mower for
repeated motion through a path. The method also includes forcing
pressurized fluid through the spray nozzle to repeatedly strike
deposited grass clippings on the mower to wash them from the
mower.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the cleaning device of the
present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rotor forming a part of
the structure of FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the rotor of FIG. 2
[0010] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a rotary mower housing showing
the cleaning device of the present invention mounted thereon.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the mower housing of FIG.
4.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a view of a portion of the cleaning device of FIG.
1 taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the
arrows.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the
principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the
embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will
be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood
that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby
intended, and alterations and modifications in the illustrated
device, and further applications of the principles of the invention
as illustrated therein are herein contemplated as would normally
occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
[0014] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is illustrated a rotary
lawnmower 20 having a housing 21. FIG. 5 shows the bottom of the
housing 21 and shows that there are three rotary blades 22 mounted
on the housing for rotation and cutting the grass. The cleaning
device 25 of the present invention is mounted so as to extend
through the horizontal deck 26 of the housing 21. The cleaning
device is useful not only with rotary lawnmowers having three
blades as shown but is also useful with rotary lawnmowers having
other numbers of blades such as only one. In the illustrated
embodiment the cleaning device 25 is mounted in such a way that it
does not extend sufficiently downwardly so as to interfere with the
rotation of the center most blade 22.
[0015] Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 6 the details of the
cleaning device are illustrated. In FIG. 1 the deck 26 is
illustrated as having a suitable sized bore 27 drilled through the
deck so as to receive a nipple 30. The nipple 30 has a fluid
passageway 31 therethrough and is adapted to be mounted so as to
extend through the deck 26 and be threadedly attached to an elbow
35 and a cylindrical member 36. Also shown in FIG. 1 are lock nuts
37 and 40 which function to mount the nipple 30 in place through
the deck 26. Also shown in FIG. 1 is reducer member 41 and plug
42.
[0016] The various parts 41, 35, 30 and 36 function as a tubular
conduit for conducting water or other fluid placed under pressure
into the reducer member 41 by threadedly attaching the source of
pressurized water or other fluid to the internally threaded
entrance 46 of the internal passage 47 through the reducer member
41. The source of pressurized fluid may be a garden hose. The plug
42 functions to shut off the reducer member fluid passage 47 when
the present device is not being used to clean out the clippings
from the inside of the housing of the lawnmower. As can be seen
from FIG. 1 the cylindrical member 36 is internally threaded at 50
for mounting on the nipple 30. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 there are
five equally spaced discharge conduits 51 formed in the cylindrical
member 36. The discharge conduits extend from the hollow interior
53 of the cylindrical member 36 to the cylindrical recess 54 in the
lower portion of the cylindrical member 36.
[0017] An externally cylindrical rotor 52 is rotatably mounted upon
the cylindrical member 36 by means of a pin 55 and is received
within cylindrical recess 54. The rotor 52 has a series of fluid
channels 56. Each of the fluid channels has a vertical portion 57
and a horizontal exit portion 60. When water under pressure is
conducted through the cleaning device by attaching a hose to the
device at the threads 46 the rotor 52 is caused to rotate by reason
of the fact that each of the discharge conduits' horizontal portion
60 extends and opens in the same rotary direction about the axis of
the pin 55. As a result the water exiting from the fluid channels
56 is caused to project against the inside surface of the housing
at high pressure and also is caused to rotate or move with the
rotor as it rotates causing the pressurized fluid from the rotor to
hit the inside of the housing at a continuously changing angle
thereby effectively cleaning the inside of the housing.
[0018] The cleaning device 25 can be used with the engine of the
mower turned off. Because the rotor 52 projects streams of water in
a continuously rotating pattern, the inside of the housing 21 is
effectively cleaned. There are, however, certain portions of the
housing that may not be directly reached by the rotating streams
from the rotor. In order to reach all portions of the housing with
washing fluid, the engine of the mower can be operated to rotate
the blades 22. A certain amount of the pressurized water streams
will deflect off of the inside surfaces of the housing in effect
bouncing back into the path of the rotating blades 22. The water
then moves by centrifugal force back against all of the inside
surfaces of the housing thus cleaning the portions not reached when
the blades are not rotating.
[0019] It can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 6 that there are five
discharge conduits 51 in the cylindrical member 36 but only four
fluid channels 56 in the rotor 52. Also the conduits 51 and
channels 56 are sufficiently great in cross sectional area so that
there is always communication between at least one conduit 51 and
one channel 56. By constructing the device in this fashion, there
is always an open path for pressurized fluid through the cleaning
device which insures that a rotating force will be exerted on the
rotor 52 when fluid is flowing out of the channel portions 60.
[0020] While the invention has been illustrated and described in
detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be
considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it
being understood that only preferred embodiments have been shown
and described and that all changes and modifications that come
within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
[0021] As an example of such a modification, an apparatus similar
to a lawn sprinkler could be mounted on the lawn mower for cleaning
the grass clippings from the mower. Such a lawn sprinkler type
device would include a rotating spray nozzle that operates
similarly to the above-described device to move a strong rapidly
moving spray against the deposited grass cuttings. The pressure of
the water causes the rotating spray nozzle to project a strong
stream of water against the deposited grass clippings on the mower
washing them from the mower. The movement of the water also causes
the spray nozzle to rotate so that the stream of water moves
through a rotating path.
* * * * *