| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 6883726 |
Fluid sprayer system using modulated control valve and a positive displacement pump |
April 26, 2005 |
| A fluid sprayer system using a modulated hydraulic control valve and a positive displacement pump to control the amount of fluid sprayed by the system. The modulated hydraulic control valve may be controlled using pulse width modulation and may be provided with a substantially constant |
| 6877714 |
Flow control valve having differently configured labyrinths to select closing speed |
April 12, 2005 |
| A flow control valve having a valve member engageable with a valve seat. The valve opens when the valve member disengages the valve seat as fluid pressure is bled from a pressure chamber on one side of the valve member. The valve closes after the pressure bleed ends when fluid pressure i |
| 6869026 |
Rotary sprinkler with arc adjustment guide and flow-through shaft |
March 22, 2005 |
| A rotary sprinkler having an adjustable arc segment whose angular extent and absolute direction relative to the ground are represented by an arc indicator, which arc indicator may comprise a band whose visible length represents the angular extent and whose position on the sprinkler point |
| 6851916 |
Coupling assembly |
February 8, 2005 |
| An improved coupling assembly and method of use are disclosed herein to include a tool carrier attached to a utility loader or other work vehicle and supporting a pin guide. A pin is supported upon the carrier by the pin guide and interacts with one or more cam surfaces supported by the |
| 6851253 |
On-board vehicle jacking apparatus and methods of using same |
February 8, 2005 |
| Jacking apparatus for use with ground maintenance vehicles and methods of using such apparatus are provided. In general, the jacking apparatus includes a jacking member which may pivotally couple to the frame of the vehicle. The jacking member is preferably positionable in a stored p |
| 6772050 |
Irrigation controller with removable station modules |
August 3, 2004 |
| An irrigation controller includes a housing for enclosing a microprocessor that stores and executes at least one watering program. The microprocessor has a parallel output bus with a plurality of pin sets for controlling a plurality of irrigation stations. The connection between the cont |
| 6739116 |
Powered actuator system for mower parking brake system |
May 25, 2004 |
| An electrically powered actuator system is provided for engaging and disengaging the parking brake system of an outdoor power equipment unit, such as a riding lawn mower. The actuator system includes a solenoid that is coupled to the parking brake(s) of the unit by one or more link arms. |
| 6736337 |
Pressure compensating drip irrigation hose |
May 18, 2004 |
| A pressure compensated drip irrigation hose (20) includes a hose having a wall (21) with an inner surface (21a). A continuous elastomeric strip member (30) is connected to the inner surface (21a). The continuous elastomeric strip member (30) and inner surface (21a) form a plurality of |
| 6709223 |
Tracked compact utility loader |
March 23, 2004 |
| This invention relates to an outdoor equipment unit such as a walk-behind skid steer loader. The loader has a tracked traction system in which endless tracks are entrained around a rear drive support member and a front support member. The front support member is spring biased forwardly, |
| 6708430 |
Trencher chain bar and safety guide |
March 23, 2004 |
| A trencher includes a trencher frame mounting a chain bar in a cantilever manner with a safety guide overlying the chain bar. Both the chain bar and the safety guide are adjustable on the trencher frame between various laterally spaced positions with the safety guide being able to overli |
| 6701699 |
On-board vehicle jacking apparatus and methods of using same |
March 9, 2004 |
| Jacking apparatus for use with ground maintenance vehicles and methods of using such apparatus. In general, the jacking apparatus includes a jacking member which may pivotally couple to the frame of the vehicle. The jacking member is preferably positionable in a stored position, a jackin |
| 6694223 |
Irrigation controller |
February 17, 2004 |
| A simple single- or multi-station sprinkler controller is set to various run times and watering intervals by the repetitive operation of pushbuttons or combinations of pushbuttons. The chosen settings are communicated to the operator by illumination patterns of LEDs. The patterns may |
| 6688095 |
Blade coupler assembly for use with a self-propelled, walk-behind rotary lawn mower |
February 10, 2004 |
| A blade coupler assembly operable to couple a cutting blade and a drive belt to a lawn mower engine crankshaft. The blade coupler assembly may include a blade/belt driver assembly having a tube portion with a first bore defined by a first diameter, wherein the first bore spans between a |
| 6688094 |
Belt driven roller brush assembly |
February 10, 2004 |
| A rotatable brush is located adjacent to and in contact with a ground engaging roller of a cutting unit of a mower to clean debris from the roller surface. The brush includes a brush shaft having at least one flight of brush bristles releasably secured to the brush shaft by a pair of |
| 6647319 |
Irrigation controller |
November 11, 2003 |
| A simple, inexpensive multi-station sprinkler controller has three pushbuttons: the first selects one of a plurality of predetermined combinations of watering cycle durations and repetition rates; the second selects a starting time, and the third initiates a manual cycle. On power-up |
| 6629818 |
Impeller for use with portable blower/vacuums |
October 7, 2003 |
| An impeller for generating an air flow, for use in a device such as a blower/vacuum, the impeller having a hub structure for mounting the impeller on a rotatable shaft of the blower/vac and a plurality of air-flow generating vanes coupled to the hub structure in a non-uniform manner |
| 6622464 |
Walk reel mower with single control handle for operating both traction and reel drives |
September 23, 2003 |
| A walk reel mower includes a pair of inclined rigid links for mounting the reel cutting unit to the reel mower frame for rolling about a longitudinal axis, and a pair of vertical support arms for mounting the reel cutting unit to the reel mower frame for pitching about a transverse axis. |
| 6622336 |
Connecting apparatus for attaching a sweeping implement to a traction vehicle |
September 23, 2003 |
| A rotary brush assembly that is mounted to a traction vehicle, such as a skid steer type vehicle. The brush assembly is allowed to move relative to the traction vehicle within three degrees of freedom including yaw, roll, and up and down linear motion. The degrees of freedom reduce brush |
| 6618234 |
Lightning protection for irrigation controls |
September 9, 2003 |
| Damage to electronic golf course sprinkler valve controls from lightning current surges is prevented by electrically isolating the actual valve control circuit from the logic circuitry that controls it, using in the valve control circuit only components and printed traces that can wi |
| 6588191 |
Method for providing grooved roller with variable shoulders |
July 8, 2003 |
| A plurality of annular collars are provided formed from collar halves. The collar halves are at least partially separable from one another to allow the collar halves to be slipped into and around a groove in a grooved roller for a reel-type cutting unit. The collar halves can then be abu |
| 6568607 |
Emitter |
May 27, 2003 |
| An emitter (30) has a body section (40) and an outlet chamber member (50). The outlet chamber member (50) has wings (52, 53) that have free ends. The free ends are deformable to form a number of varying sized diameters so that the emitter (30) may be used in various diameter conduits (10 |
| 6561282 |
Aeration machine |
May 13, 2003 |
| An aeration machine 10 comprising a drive mechanism 16 connected to sets of tines 18 by a vibration absorbing linkage arrangement 34. The arrangement 34 enables the tines 18 to remain vertical when extending into the ground thereby avoiding elongation of the holes formed thereby. The aer |
| 6557580 |
Self cleaning irrigation valve with offset manual on actuator, body/bonnet alignment, and captur |
May 6, 2003 |
| An irrigation valve comprises a valve housing made from a valve body joined to a valve bonnet by a plurality of attachment screws. The valve body and valve bonnet have an alignment rib received in an alignment notch when the body and bonnet are joined together such that the holes that re |
| 6540859 |
Method for splicing hose |
April 1, 2003 |
| A method for splicing hose comprises applying a non-toxic anti-bonding agent (117) to an inside surface (102) of a first end (104) of a first hose segment (101). The first end (104) of the first hose segment (104) is then inserted into a second end (101) of a second hose segment (107) so |
| 6533198 |
Top dresser |
March 18, 2003 |
| A top dresser for distributing particulate matter on a variety of terrain. The top dresser may includes a towable frame which is operatively connected to a pair of wheel assemblies. Each wheel assembly is rotatingly attached to the frame of the top dresser in such a fashion as to enable |
| 6530198 |
Rotary side cutting unit for mower with bi-directional shock absorber for cutting unit |
March 11, 2003 |
| A mower, such as a riding mower, has two side cutting units and a front cutting unit operatively connected to a traction frame. Each side cutting unit can pivot about a substantially vertical axis relative to the traction frame when impact shocks occur on the outer sides of the cutting |
| 6497086 |
Rotary cutting desk corner suspension |
December 24, 2002 |
| A rotary cutting deck for a mower includes a cutting deck supported by wheels at three of the four corners of the deck. The other corner of the cutting deck, namely a corner of the deck that is close to the mower, is supported by a corner suspension that lifts upwardly with a biasing for |
| 6485036 |
Sulky for outdoor power equipment unit |
November 26, 2002 |
| A sulky for a self propelled, outdoor power equipment unit, such as a wide area mower or WAM, comprises independent left and right foot platforms to support a standing operator. A ground engaging caster wheel is carried on each foot platform to allow the foot platforms to roll over the g |
| 6484481 |
Rotary cutting unit with ovate rollers and front corner cut-outs |
November 26, 2002 |
| A mower includes a plurality of cutting units carried on a traction vehicle in a staggered and overlapped orientation to provide a cutting swath. The cutting units are rotary type cutting units having cut-outs at each front corner thereof to eliminate or reduce streaking between adjacent |
| 6470663 |
Rear discharge rotary cutting deck for mower |
October 29, 2002 |
| A rotary cutting deck has a rear grass discharge outlet formed by a cut-away portion of the peripheral wall of the cutting chamber located in one or more rear quadrants of the cutting chamber. An annular grass discharge channel is formed between an inner concentric shroud and the per |
| 6470602 |
Snowthrower having impeller assist propulsion |
October 29, 2002 |
| An improved single-stage snow thrower including a wheeled frame assembly for supporting the snow thrower upon a ground surface and a driven impeller capable of being placed in ground contact to forwardly propel the snow thrower across the ground surface. A handle assembly including a use |
| 6460640 |
Control system for compact utility loader |
October 8, 2002 |
| This invention relates to an outdoor equipment unit such as a walk-behind utility loader. The loader has a tracked traction system in which endless tracks are entrained around a rear drive support member and a front support member. The front support member is spring biased forwardly, but |
| 6459959 |
Irrigation controller with removable station modules |
October 1, 2002 |
| An irrigation controller includes a housing for enclosing a microprocessor that stores and executes at least one watering program. The microprocessor has a parallel output bus with a plurality of pin sets for controlling a plurality of irrigation stations. The connection between the cont |
| 6446297 |
Connecting apparatus for attaching a sweeping implement to a traction vehicle |
September 10, 2002 |
| A rotary brush assembly that is mounted to a traction vehicle, such as a skid steer type vehicle. The brush assembly is allowed to move relative to the traction vehicle within three degrees of freedom including yaw, roll, and up and down linear motion. The degrees of freedom reduce brush |
| 6442790 |
Portable blower/vacuum having air inlet cover attachable to blower tube |
September 3, 2002 |
| A blower/vacuum having an air inlet cover and a blower tube, both of which attach to a blower housing for operation in a blower mode. The air inlet cover is preferably able to removably attach to the blower housing and the blower tube. Blower/vacuums of the present invention may generall |
| 6439088 |
Reconfigurable vegetation trimmer and method of use |
August 27, 2002 |
| Vegetation trimmers and methods for reconfiguring a trimmer are provided. A coupling mechanism permits reconfiguration of the trimmer between a first, e.g., trimming, configuration and a second, e.g., edging, configuration. The coupling mechanism may, in one embodiment, be used to couple |
| 6415532 |
Drive sprocket for a roller chain for material removal implement |
July 9, 2002 |
| A sprocket is disclosed for driving a chain with a plurality of chain rollers. The sprocket may be used to drive a material removal chain of a trencher. The sprocket has various cut-aways or reliefs on each face thereof to more effectively clear particulate debris from beneath chain |
| 6405514 |
Hydraulic drive system for turf maintenance equipment unit |
June 18, 2002 |
| A turf maintenance equipment unit, such as a riding mower having two side cutting units and a front cutting unit operatively connected to a traction frame. A hydraulic traction system is provided for propelling the traction frame in forward and reverse. This traction system includes a pa |
| 6394413 |
Self cleaning irrigation valve with offset manual on actuator, body/bonnet alignment, and captur |
May 28, 2002 |
| An irrigation valve comprises a valve housing made from a valve body joined to a valve bonnet by a plurality of attachment screws. The valve body and valve bonnet have an alignment rib received in an alignment notch when the body and bonnet are joined together such that the holes that re |
| 6394126 |
Self cleaning irrigation valve with offset manual on actuator, body/bonnet alignment and capture |
May 28, 2002 |
| An irrigation valve comprises a valve housing made from a valve body joined to a valve bonnet by a plurality of attachment screws. The valve body and valve bonnet have an alignment rib received in an alignment notch when the body and bonnet are joined together such that the holes that re |
| 6393815 |
Plenum for tiltable cutting deck |
May 28, 2002 |
| A mower comprises a frame having a cutting deck which is tiltable relative to the frame. The cutting deck has a substantially horizontal operating position and a generally upright transport or service position, the cutting deck tilting to move between the horizontal and upright positions |
| 6389786 |
Belt drive system having a single drive motor for multi-bladed rotary cutting unit for mower |
May 21, 2002 |
| A riding mower having two side cutting units and a front cutting unit operatively connected to a traction frame. Each side cutting unit can pivot about a substantially vertical axis relative to the traction frame when impact shocks occur on the outer sides of the cutting units. A shock |
| 6364041 |
Mid-axle suspension |
April 2, 2002 |
| A 6.times.4 utility vehicle utilizes a middle axle (21) which is suspended to the frame of the vehicle by means of a suspension assembly (22). The suspension assembly (22) allows the vehicle (10) to have a better ride quality, ride predictability, increased traction and better maneuv |
| 6354615 |
Vehicle having a torsional suspension and torsional joint |
March 12, 2002 |
| An articulating vehicle (10) includes a front axle (21) operatively connected to a front frame (40) and a rear axle (21) is operatively connected to the rear frame (30). A torsional joint (50) has an inner shaft member (51) operatively connected one of the frames and an outer hollow |
| 6351929 |
Triplex trim mower with laterally adjustable cutting units |
March 5, 2002 |
| A triplex trim mower (100) including a vehicle (102) having two front drive wheels (104) and one rear steerable wheel (106). Mounted generally forward of the front wheels (104) are two reel-type cutting units (108a) laterally offset about the longitudinal axis (110) of the vehicle (102). |
| 6347671 |
Multi-purpose operating unit attachment system |
February 19, 2002 |
| A multi-purpose turf machine (100) used primarily as a triplex turf mower includes a system for attaching an "operating unit" (e.g., a turf cutting unit) to a traction vehicle (102); and for moving the operating units, e.g., a pair of front cutting units (108a), between a working positio |
| 6341478 |
Steerable cutting unit with steerable and level lift grass catcher |
January 29, 2002 |
| A mower includes a traction frame that supports at least one cutting unit and a grass catcher associated with each cutting unit. The cutting unit and grass catcher are both operatively coupled to the traction frame such that they both jointly are able to steer or yaw together during turn |
| 6332581 |
Rotary sprinkler nozzle |
December 25, 2001 |
| A sprinkler nozzle for a rotary sprinkler comprises two water flow passages extending therethrough, namely an upper passage and a parallel lower passage. The upper passage includes a straight, substantially cylindrical bore having stream straightening vanes, the upper passage watering |
| 6324720 |
Portable blower tube noise reduction |
December 4, 2001 |
| The present invention provides for noise reduction during operation of a portable blower by reducing the noise or acoustic energy escaping from the housing outlet and blower tube. The noise reduction is achieved by placing sound absorbing material in the blower tube. The sound absorbing |
| 6263901 |
Self cleaning irrigation valve with offset manual on actuator, body/bonnet alignment, and captur |
July 24, 2001 |
| An irrigation valve comprises a valve housing made from a valve body joined to a valve bonnet by a plurality of attachment screws. The valve body and valve bonnet have an alignment rib received in an alignment notch when the body and bonnet are joined together such that the holes that re |
