Hydraulic Side Mower Deck for Angled Terrain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional towed lawn mowers are limited to mowing flat areas and cannot efficiently handle severely declining or inclining terrain such as ditch banks and steep hills due to their design, which restricts their operational range.
Innovation Solution
A side mower attachment for tractors featuring a hydraulic system that allows the mower deck to adjust from 90 degrees above to 90 degrees below horizontal, powered by a PTO shaft, with a support arm and pulley system enabling extended reach and adjustable angle for efficient mowing on angled surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional towed mower is used, then the mower can operate on flat areas, but it cannot mow severely declining or inclining terrain such as ditch banks and steep hills
Solution Approach 1:
The mower deck is made dynamically adjustable through a hydraulic cylinder that allows the deck angle to be changed during operation. The support arm can be positioned at different angles and the mower deck can be tilted relative to the support arm, enabling the system to adapt to various terrain conditions including steep hills and ditch banks
Solution Approach 2:
The mower system is divided into separate functional segments: a tractor-mounted support arm structure and a detachable mower deck assembly. This segmentation allows the mower deck to be independently positioned and angled relative to the support arm, providing the versatility to handle different terrain types while maintaining operational simplicity through modular configuration
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mower deck angle is made adjustable to cover severe inclines and declines, then the operational range is extended, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic system serves multiple functions: it adjusts the mower deck angle for different terrain conditions, maintains cutting height consistency on varied surfaces, and can be integrated with the tractor's existing hydraulic system. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing comprehensive terrain adaptability through a single integrated mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The support arm acts as an intermediary element between the tractor and the mower deck. It provides a flexible connection that allows the mower deck to be positioned at various angles while being powered by the tractor's PTO shaft. This intermediary structure enables angle adjustment without requiring complex direct mounting mechanisms
3Area of stationary object
If the support arm extends further from the tractor to increase reach, then the mowing coverage area increases, but the stability of the attachment decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm is pre-positioned and secured to the tractor at predetermined attachment points before operation. This preliminary securing ensures proper alignment and stability are established before the extended reach is utilized for mowing, allowing increased coverage area while maintaining attachment stability through proper initial configuration
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient mowing on inclining and declining areas by allowing the mower deck to adjust its angle hydraulically, extending the operational range of tractors to include areas previously inaccessible to conventional mowers.
Implementation Method 1
an integral hydraulic system, comprising a hydraulic cylinder connected to the support arm and operatively connected to the mower deck, wherein the hydraulic system is configured to adjust an angle of the mower deck
Implementation Method 2
the main drive pulley is configured to drive the transfer pulley via a first belt
Implementation Method 3
the blade drive pulley is driven by the transfer pulley via a second belt, and the blade drive pulley is configured to rotate one or more blades
Implementation Method 4
The rotational power source may be a power take off (PTO) shaft, e.g., from a tractor
Data Source
AI summary
A hitch-mounted side mower attachment including an integral hydraulic system and adjustable angle mower deck for a tractor to facilitate mowing angled ground terrain, such as the side of hills, ditches, and/or other declining and/or inclining embankments not easily reached by conventional mowers.