The Toro Company
Gang mower with cutting units having suspensions incorporating tuned mass dampers

Abstract:

A mower includes a plurality of grass cutting units, either reel or rotary, arranged in a gang configuration. Each cutting unit is connected to the mower by a separate suspension that includes a lift and lower portion for lifting and lowering the cutting unit out of and into contact with the ground, respectively. The suspension includes a ground contour following portion permitting the cutting unit to have one or more degrees of freedom relative to the lift and lower portion to independently follow the ground contours the cutting unit encounters. A tuned mass damper is installed in the ground contour following portion of the suspension or is adjacent to a connection between the ground contour following portion and the lift and lower portion for damping undesired vertical bobbing of the cutting unit.