Dean W Benter DeceasedW6108 E Walleye Ln, Pearson, WI 54462

4930300, Jun 5, 1990

Jun 2, 1989

7/361017

Dean W. Benter - Horicon WI
James T. Dowe - Beaver Dam WI

Deere & Company - Moline IL

A01D 3468
A01D 6700
A01D 7300

56 167

A battery mounting is provided for a walk-behind lawn mower. An enclosable compartment houses a battery bracket to suspend the battery within the compartment and protect it from sunlight and moisture. The bracket is composed of resilient rod-like material to clampingly hold the battery in place and avoid friction wear on the battery case.

5836144, Nov 17, 1998

Jan 24, 1997

8/788972

Gary David Hohnl - Slinger WI
Dean William Benter - Horicon WI

Deere & Company - Moline IL

A01D 3482

563201

A multiple spindle mower deck within which a plurality of mower blades rotate for mowing grass and having spindle housings which rotatively support respective mower blades, the spindle housings being operatively rigidly fixed with the mower deck. A belt drive mechanism drives the spindles, and includes pulleys mounted to respective spindles and a belt which operatively engages the pulleys. At least one idler pulley engages the belt. A mounting plate is provided to which said at least one idler pulley is mounted. The mounting plate is operatively fixed with the spindle housings, position above and press into abutement with the upper surface of the top wall of the mower deck by way of the same bolts which fix the spindle housing to the mower deck. The spindle housings are fixed to the mower deck by the spindle housing bolts which operatively press the spindle housings deck and mounting plate together. One of the idler pulleys is a tensioning idler which engages the belt for placing tension in the belt, and a tensioning mechanism operatively engages the tensioning pulley for applying a force to the idler pulley.

5765346, Jun 16, 1998

Mar 24, 1997

8/823768

Dean William Benter - Horicon WI
Gary David Hohnl - Slinger WI

Deere & Company - Moline IL

A01D 6700

56 2

A composite insert is provided for converting a rotary mower deck from side discharge to mulching usage. The insert can be detatchably mounted in the mower deck and provides a cutting chamber wherein grass can be cut, mulched and redistributed onto the ground beneath the mower deck. The insert forms with the mower housing a cutting chamber which includes a reduced cross-sectional area at the front portion that provides for confining and accelerating the movement of air and clippings there through to minimize build-up of clippings adjacent the chamber surfaces. At the rear portions of the chamber, a larger cross-sectional area is provided to permit the clippings to slow down and disperse, allowing the clippings to be distributed and/or redirected into the blade for mulching. It is preferred that the insert is adapted for use with a two-bladed mower deck.

4735037, Apr 5, 1988

Jul 14, 1986

6/885366

Dean W. Benter - Horicon WI

Deere & Company - Moline IL

A01D 3470
A01D 8710

56 133

In a mower deck and auxiliary blower combination in which the mower deck has a side discharge and the blower has a housing with an inlet in communication with the discharge, an elongated horizontal socket is provided on the deck and a matching rod dimensioned closely to mate with the socket is fixed on the blower so that when the rod is inserted in the socket, the housing will be supported in cantilever fashion on the mower deck. Offset from the socket and matching rod joint is a shoulder on the mower deck that underlies a shoulder on the housing and a verticle pin extends through the portion of the housing and the portion of the deck at said shoulders and detachably connects the housing end to the deck. Removal of the pin makes removal of the entire blower a mere sliding action as the rod is moved outwardly from its socket.

4897988, Feb 6, 1990

Feb 10, 1989

7/310807

Kenneth D. Schweitz - Oconomowoc WI
Dean W. Benter - Horicon WI

Deere & Company - Moline IL

A01D 3463
A01D 3470

56202

A material deflector is provided for a lawn mower. The deflector is swingably carried by the mower housing and need not be removed when a bagger attachment is used. The deflector is shiftable between a first position above and biased against the mower grass bagger and a second position in registry with the mower discharge outlet. When the deflector is in registry with the rear discharge outlet, it deflects the cut material to the side of the mower. The deflector includes two adjoining material deflector surfaces, the first surface sloping downwardly and to the side and the second surface sloping rearwardly and to the side. The two surfaces meet to form a generally right angle or L-shape material deflector rather than a traditional tubular channel for conveying of the cut material.

5267429, Dec 7, 1993

Jul 21, 1992

7/917542

Daniel J. Kettler - Beaver Dam WI
John B. Kuhn - Rubicon WI
Dean W. Benter - Horicon WI

Deere & Company - Moline IL

A01D 3466
A01D 34/73

56295

A mechanism including a plurality of baffles positioned within a mower housing between the mower blades and a rear discharge outlet, including a first wall adjacent the edge of a respective blade and which acts to define the chamber within which the blade rotates, a second wall extending rearwardly from the first wall and defining chutes which extend between the chambers and the rear discharge outlet, and third surfaces which act to enclose the space between the first and second walls to thereby prevent air and clippings from accumulating there. The chutes generally converge at the rear outlet. Ramps are positionable within the chutes for changing the mower to a mulching mode, and include a fourth wall or surface positioned in the entrance to the chute for partially blocking air and clippings from entering the chute. A fifth surface extends rearwardly from the edge of the fourth surface to the discharge outlet. A deflector is positionable within the housing and acts to channel clippings downwardly into the blade for re-cutting at a first portion, reduce the effective volume within the chamber at a second portion, and increase the vacuuming effect at a third portion.

D317165, May 28, 1991

Oct 26, 1988

7/261820

Kenneth D. Schweitz - Oconomowoc WI
Dean W. Benter - Horicon WI
Kevin F. Thompson - Brooklyn NY

Deere & Company - Moline IL

D15 14

6189307, Feb 20, 2001

Feb 16, 1999

9/250712

Steven Henry Buss - Horicon WI
Ronald Paul Holland - Fox Lake WI
Dean William Benter - Horicon WI

Deere & Company - Moline IL

A01D 6700
A01D 3400

563201

A fastening assembly is adapted for attaching a composite insert to a mower deck. The insert has an opening extending therethrough and a recessed portion adjacent the opening. The recessed portion has a shoulder and a first abutment surface. The assembly includes a spacer receivable in the recessed portion adjacent the shoulder. The spacer has a passage therethrough alignable with the opening in the insert, the passage having a second abutment surface. The spacer also has an outer periphery, a portion of which forms a third abutment surface alignable with the first abutment surface for non-rotatable engagement therewith. The assembly also includes a fastening member which has a head and a shank. The shank includes a threaded portion and a further portion adjacent to the head. The further portion has a fourth abutment surface engagable with the second abutment surface whereby the fastening member is non-rotatably receivable within the spacer passage and the insert opening.