초록 ▼

A rotary cutter deck unit that has an overall dual-deck configuration. Upper and lower deck plates do not engage each other at any location, but the deck unit includes front and rear end spacers, at least one of which has a plurality of bends, and two of which are secured to the upper deck plate to

A rotary cutter deck unit that has an overall dual-deck configuration. Upper and lower deck plates do not engage each other at any location, but the deck unit includes front and rear end spacers, at least one of which has a plurality of bends, and two of which are secured to the upper deck plate to form a box-like weldment. The lower deck plate is secured to this spacer at an intermediate location.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A rotary cutter comprising: a deck unit supported by ground engaging members for transport across an area having foliage to be cut by rotating cutting blades of the rotary cutter; a hitch assembly housing a tongue and clevis, said hitch assembly being for connecting the

The invention claimed is: 1. A rotary cutter comprising: a deck unit supported by ground engaging members for transport across an area having foliage to be cut by rotating cutting blades of the rotary cutter; a hitch assembly housing a tongue and clevis, said hitch assembly being for connecting the rotary cutter to a powered pulling vehicle; an upper deck plate and a lower deck plate of said deck unit, said upper and lower deck plates are positioned, sized and shaped to avoid engagement between said upper deck plate and said lower deck plate; said upper deck plate has an end portion that extends outwardly and downwardly to a location beyond the lower deck plate, and said lower deck plate has an end edge; a plurality of spacers between said upper and lower deck plates, at least one of said spacers being an end wall spacer having multiple bends generally parallel to each other to define multiple panels thereof; said end wall spacer has a first panel between one said bend and an end edge portion secured to said end portion of the upper deck plate at a first location, said end wall spacer having a second panel that engages the lower deck plate; said end wall spacer is secured to said end portion of the upper deck plate at a second location outside of said first location, and said end wall spacer and said end portion of the upper deck plate thereby form a box-like structure; and said lower deck plate end edge is secured to the second panel of the end wall spacer at a location between said first and second bend areas. 2. The rotary cutter according to claim 1, wherein said end wall spacer is a front end wall spacer, and said upper deck plate end portion is a front end portion, further including a rear end wall spacer having multiple bends generally parallel to each other; said rear end portion of the upper deck plate extends outwardly and downwardly to a location beyond a rear edge of the lower deck plate; and said rear end wall spacer is secured at upper end and lower end bend area thereof to said upper deck plate to thereby form a box-like structure at the rear portion of the deck unit. 3. The rotary cutter according to claim 2, further including a plurality of said deck units, one said deck unit being a main deck unit, and another said deck unit being a wing deck unit; and said main and wing deck units are pivotally engaged together. 4. The rotary cutter according to claim 1, wherein said end wall spacer includes a third panel that is a transition panel between the second panel and a fourth panel that overhangs said lower deck plate and that comprises said second location at which the upper deck place and end wall spacer are engaged to each other. 5. The rotary cutter according to claim 4, wherein said third panel itself includes at least one internal bend generally parallel to the other said bends. 6. The rotary cutters according to claim 4, wherein the bend between the first and second panels is in one direction and the bend between the second and third panels is in a generally opposite direction. 7. The rotary cutter according to claim 6, wherein the bend between the third and fourth panels is in the same general direction as the bend between the second and third panels. 8. A rotary cutter comprising: a deck unit supported by ground engaging members for transport across foliage ot be cut by the rotary cutters; an upper deck plate and a lower deck plate sized and shaped to define the deck unit, the lower deck plate having an end edge; said upper deck plate has an end portion that extends outwardly and downwardly to a location beyond the end edge of the lower deck plate; a plurality of spacers between said upper and lower deck plates, at least one of said spacers being an end wall spacer that has multiple bends to define multiple panels thereof; said end wall spacer has a first panel between points on the upper deck plate and secured to the upper deck plate at a first location that includes an end edge thereof, and said end wall spacer is secured to the lower deck plate at one of the bends that defines a second panel; a third panel that is a transition panel between the second panel and a second location of engagement to the end portion of the upper deck plate; and the lower deck plate is secured to the end wall spacer between said first and second locations of engagement of the end wall spacer with the upper deck plate. 9. The rotary cutter according to claim 8, wherein said end wall spacer is a front end wall spacer, and said upper deck plate end portion is a front end portion, further including a rear end wall spacer having multiple bends generally parallel to each other; said rear end portion of the upper deck plate extends outwardly and downwardly to a location beyond a rear edge of the lower deck plate; and said rear end wall spacer is secured at upper end and lower end bend area thereof to said upper deck plate to thereby form a box-like structure at the rear portion of the deck unit. 10. The rotary cutter according to claim 9, further including a plurality of said deck units, one said deck unit being a main deck unit, and another said deck unit being a wing deck unit; and said main and wing deck units are pivotally engaged together. 11. The rotary cutter according to claim 8, wherein said third panel itself includes at least one internal bend generally parallel to the other said bends. 12. The rotary cutter according to claim 8, wherein the bend between the first and second panels is in one direction and the bend between the second and third panels is in a generally opposite direction. 13. The rotary cutter according to claim 8, further including a fourth panel, and wherein the bend between the third and fourth panels is in the same general direction as the bend between the second and third panels. 14. A rotary cutter comprising: a deck unit supported by ground engaging members for transport across foliage ot be cut by the rotary cutters; an upper deck plate and a lower deck plate sized and shaped to define the deck unit, the lower deck plate having an end edge; said upper deck plate has an end portion that extends outwardly and downwardly to a location beyond the end edge of the lower deck plate; a plurality of spacers between said upper and lower deck plates, at least one of said spacers being an end wall spacer that has multiple bends to define multiple panels thereof; said end wall spacer has a first panel between points on the upper deck plate and secured to the upper deck plate at a first location that includes an end edge thereof, and said end wall spacer is secured to the lower deck plate at one of the bends that define a second panel; a third panel that is a transition panel between the second panel and a second location of engagement to the end portion of the upper deck plate; the lower deck plate is secured to the end wall spacer between said first and second locations of engagement of the end wall spacer with the upper deck plate; and the bend between the first and second panels is in one direction and the bend between the second and third panels and between the third panel and a fourth panel therebelow is in a direction generally opposite to the bend between the first and second panels. 15. The rotary cutter according to claim 14, wherein said end wall spacer is a front end wall spacer, and said upper deck plate end portion is a front end portion, further including a rear end wall spacer having multiple bends generally parallel to each other; said rear end portion of the upper deck plate extends outwardly and downwardly to a location beyond a rear edge of the lower deck plate; and said rear end wall spacer is secured at upper end and lower end bend area thereof to said upper deck plate to thereby form a box-like structure at the rear portion of the deck unit. 16. The rotary cutter according to claim 15, further including a plurality of said deck units, one said deck unit being a main deck unit, and another said deck unit being a wing deck unit; and said main and wing deck units are pivotally engaged together.