Mower having separately replaceable bearing subassembly

Abstract

In a mower having a frame and a plurality of rotatable disks supported by the frame, a driving device is operable to rotate each disk, and includes a driving wheel associated with each disk, and a shaft in driven connection with a corresponding driving wheel. A coupling in driven connection with a corresponding shaft for coupling a corresponding disk to the corresponding shaft is provided, and an antifriction bearing guides the corresponding shaft. Each driving wheel and its corresponding shaft, coupling and anti-friction bearing constitutes a separately replaceable subassembly in the mower.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a mower having a frame and a plurality of subassemblies supported by said frame, each subassembly including a rotatable disk, in combination   at least one of said subassemblies forming a unit comprising driving means, including a driving gear member operable to rotate the disk of said unit, a shaft member in driven connection with said driving gear member,   a coupling member in driven connection with said shaft member for coupling said disk to said shaft member, and   antifriction bearing means for guiding said shaft member,   said unit being removable from said mower free from damage to any of its members only if removed as a whole.     
     
     
       2. The mower as claimed in claim 1, wherein said antifriction bearing means are disposed between said coupling means and said driving wheel member in each subassembly. 
     
     
       3. The mower as claimed in claim 2, wherein said frame has a plurality of openings, and further comprising a plurality of covers covering said openings, respectively, and wherein each driving gear member has a diameter smaller than the largest width of a corresponding opening, so that the driving gear member of the corresponding subassembly can pass through the corresponding opening, a corresponding cover protecting the corresponding driving gear member, the external dimensions of the corresponding cover being greater than the size of a corresponding opening. 
     
     
       4. The mower as claimed in claim 1, wherein said disks are operatively disposed in a generally horizontal plane, and wherein the shaft member of each subassembly is operatively disposed below a corresponding disk, and a corresponding driving gear member is operatively disposed below the corresponding shaft member. 
     
     
       5. The mower as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the coupling member of each subassembly comprises a sleeve member having a central bore, wherein the driving gear member thereof has a coaxial bore, and wherein at least one of the sleeve and driving gear members of said unit has an interior bore formed with teeth, said unit, being assembled by passing said shaft through said one of said sleeve and driving gear members, whereby the circumference of at least a portion of said shaft is deformed by said teeth of said bore so as to be firmly connected to said one of said sleeve and driving gear members. 
     
     
       6. In a mower having a frame and a plurality of subassemblies supported by said frame, each subassembly including a rotatable disk, in combination   at least one of said subassemblies forming a unit comprising driving means, including a driving gear member operable to rotate the disk of said unit, a shaft member in driven connection with said driving gear member,   a coupling member in driven connection with said shaft member for coupling said disk to said shaft member, and   bearing means for guiding said shaft member including antifriction means and a bearing block externally supporting said antifriction bearing means,   said unit being removable from said mower free from damage to any of its members only if removed as a whole.     
     
     
       7. The mower as claimed in claim 6, wherein said antifriction bearing means are disposed between said coupling member and said driving gear member. 
     
     
       8. The mower as claimed in claim 6, wherein said frame has a plurality of openings, and further comprising a plurality of covers covering said openings, respectively, and wherein each driving gear member has a diameter smaller than the largest width of a corresponding opening, so that the driving gear member of the corresponding subassembly can pass through the corresponding opening, a corresponding cover protecting the corresponding driving gear member, the external dimensions of the corresponding cover being greater than the size of a corresponding opening. 
     
     
       9. The mower as claimed in claim 6, wherein said disks are operatively disposed in a generally horizontal plane, and wherein the shaft member of each unit is operatively disposed below a corresponding disk, and a corresponding driving gear member is operatively disposed below the corresponding shaft member. 
     
     
       10. The mower as claimed in claims 6, 7, 8, or 9, wherein the coupling member of each unit comprises a sleeve member having a central bore, wherein the driving gear member thereof has a coaxial bore, and wherein at least one of said sleeve and driving gear members of said unit has an interior bore formed with teeth, said unit being assembled by passing said shaft through said one of said sleeve and driving gear members, whereby the circumference of at least a portion of said shaft is deformed by said teeth of said bore so as to be firmly connected to said one of said sleeve and driving gear members. 
     
     
       11. In a mower having a frame and a plurality of subassemblies supported by said frame, each subassembly including a rotatable disk, in combination   at least one of said subassemblies forming a unit comprising driving means, including a driving gear member operable to rotate the disk of said unit,   a shaft member in driven connection with said driving gear member,   coupling means in driven connection with said shaft member for coupling said disk to said shaft member, and   bearing means for guiding said shaft member including antifriction bearing means and a bearing block externally supporting said antifriction bearing means,   said .[.means and said members.]. .Iadd.driving means, said shaft member, said coupling means, and said bearing means .Iaddend.constituting a unit which is replaceable without disassembly .Iadd.of the unit .Iaddend.and free from any need to disassemble at least a portion of the frame of the mower.   
     
     
       12. In a mower having a frame and a plurality of individual subassemblies supported by said frame, each individual subassembly including a rotatable disk in combination   at least one of said subassemblies comprising driving means, including a driving gear member operable to rotate the disk of said one of said subassemblies,   a shaft in driven connection with said driving .[.ger.]. .Iadd.gear .Iaddend.member,   a sleeve member in driven connection with said shaft for coupling said disk to said shaft,   bearing means for guiding said shaft, and including antifriction bearing means and a bearing block externally supporting said antifriction bearing means,   at least one member having an interior bore formed with teeth and being assembled with said shaft by passing said shaft therethrough, whereby the circumference of at least a portion of said shaft is deformed by the teeth of said bore so as to be firmly connected to said one member. .Iadd.     
     
     
       13.  In a mower having a frame and a plurality of subassemblies supported by said frame, each subassembly including a rotatable disk, in combination   at least one of said subassemblies forming a unit comprising driving means, including a driving gear member operable to rotate the disk of said unit,   a shaft member in driven connection with said driving gear member,   a coupling member in driven connection with said shaft member for coupling said disk to said shaft member, and   bearing means for guiding said shaft, and including antifriction bearing means and a bearing block externally supporting said antifriction bearing means,   said driving means, said shaft member, said coupling means, and said bearing means constituting a unit which is replaceable without disassembly of the unit and free from any need to disassemble at least a portion of the frame of the mower,   said rotatable disk being replaceable without disassembly of said unit. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       14.  In a mower having a frame and a plurality of subassemblies supported by said frame, each subassembly including a rotatable disk, in combination   at least one of said subassemblies forming a unit comprising driving means, including a driving gear member operable to rotate the disk of said unit,   a shaft member in driven connection with said driving gear member,   coupling means in driven connection with said shaft member for coupling said disk to said shaft member, and   bearing means for guiding said shaft, and including antifriction bearing means and a bearing block externally supporting said antifriction bearing means,   said driving means, said shaft member, said coupling means, and said bearing means constituting a unit which is replaceable without disassembly of the unit and free from any need to disassemble at least a portion of the frame of the mower,   wherein said rotatable disk is operatively disposed in a generally horizontal plane, and   wherein said coupling means is operatively disposed below said rotatable disk. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       15.  In a mower having a frame and a plurality of subassemblies supported by said frame, each subassembly including a rotatable disk, in combination   at least one of said subassemblies forming a unit comprising driving means, including a driving gear member operable to rotate the disk of said unit,   a shaft member in driven connection with said driving gear member,   coupling means in driven connection with said shaft member for coupling said disk to said shaft member, and   bearing means for guiding said shaft, and including antifriction bearing means and a bearing block externally supporting said antifriction bearing means,   said driving means, said shaft member, said coupling means, and said bearing means constituting a unit which is replaceable without disassembly of the unit and free from any need to disassemble at least a portion of the frame of the mower,   wherein said coupling means is disposed between said rotatable disk and said bearing means. .Iaddend.