Tilting deck lawn mower

1. A lawn mower which tilts its cutting deck from a horizontal position to a vertical transport position comprising:

a tractor frame including a power source, drive wheels driven by the power source and steering means;

a carrier frame pivotally mounted to the tractor frame on a horizontal axis parallel to the path of movement of the mower;

a single cutting deck including multiple cutting blades positioned under the carrier frame and supported therefrom;

a pair of castered wheels mounted on the carrier frame, one on each side for ground support;

a horizontal leg supporting one of said wheels pivotally journaled to the carrier frame;

a fixed offset link rigidly attached to said leg;

a parallel link, one end pivotally attaching to the offset link with the opposite end pivotally attached to the stationary tractor frame providing a parallelogram linkage with the carrier frame and said leg whereby rotation of the carrier frame about its pivot through the parallel linkage retains the caster wheel on said leg from rotating relative to the ground as the carrier frame and deck are rotated upwards towards a vertical position; and, adjustable means supporting the cutting deck to the carrier frame which means lifts the cutting deck up towards the carrier frame as the carrier frame and cutting deck begin to rotate.

2. A lawnmower set forth in claim 1 wherein the adjustable means supporting the cutting deck comprises a stationary cam surface on the tractor frame, a crank pivotally mounted on the carrier frame supporting a cam follower which engages said cam surface, said crank having two arms, each of which when the crank is rotated lifts the cutting deck towards the carrier frame as the carrier frame is rotated from its horizontal position.

3. A lawn mower which tilts its cutting deck from a horizontal position to a vertical transport position comprising:

a tractor frame including a power source, drive wheels driven by the power source and steering means;

a carrier frame pivotally mounted to the tractor frame on a horizontal axis parallel to the path of movement of the mower;

a single cutting deck including multiple cutting blades positioned under the carrier frame and supported therefrom;

a pair of castered wheels mounted on the carrier frame, one on each side for ground support;

a horizontal leg supporting one of said wheels pivotally journaled to the carrier frame;

a parallelogram linkage connecting the rotation of the supporting leg to the tractor frame whereby the supporting leg does not rotate relative to the ground when the carrier frame rotates on its axis.

4. A lawn mower as set forth in claim 3 wherein the supporting means supporting the cutting deck under the carrier comprises an adjustable length hanger supporting the cutting deck which lifts the cutting deck up towards the carrier frame as the carrier frame and cutting deck begin to rotate from the horizontal position.

5. A lawn mower as set forth in claim 4 wherein the adjustable hanger comprises a stationary cam surface on the tractor frame, a crank pivotally mounted on the carrier frame supporting a cam follower which engages said cam surface, said crank having two arms, each of which when the crank is rotated lifts the cutting deck towards the carrier frame as the carrier frame is rotated from its horizontal position.

6. A lawn mower as set forth in claim 3 including at least one rigid shaft normally mounted on the cutting deck and at least one mating bushing mounted on the carrier frame for receipt of said shafts to maintain parallel alignment between the cutting deck and the carrier frame as they move relative to each other.