Flex wing mower

1. A mowing machine configured to be pulled by a tractor in a direction of travel along a longitudinal axis of the mowing machine, said mowing machine comprising:

a frame;

a main gearbox mounted to a forward portion of said frame, said main gearbox configured for coupling to a power takeoff of the tractor;

a central cutting deck mounted to a rear portion of said frame and spaced apart from said main gearbox, said central cutting deck being generally disposed in a neutral mowing plane;

a central gearbox mounted to said central cutting deck and coupled to said main gearbox with a central driveline, said central gearbox being operably coupled to a central cutting blade;

a wing cutting deck pivotally connected to said central cutting deck or said frame via a hinge;

a wing gearbox mounted to said wing cutting deck and coupled to said main gearbox with a wing driveline, said wing gearbox being operably coupled to a wing cutting blade;

at least one wheel supporting said central cutting deck; and

at least one wheel supporting said wing cutting deck;

wherein said main gearbox is disposed a sufficient distance forward of said central cutting deck and said wing cutting deck to permit said wing cutting deck to pivot about said hinge in a range of motion from a maximum downward angle with respect to said neutral mowing plane to a maximum upward angle with respect to said neutral mowing plane without disconnecting said wing driveline from either said main gearbox or said wing gearbox; and

wherein said central cutting deck comprises a planform shape that permits clearance of said wing driveline with respect to said central cutting deck during a downward portion of said range of motion wherein at least a portion of said wing driveline is disposed below said neutral mowing plane.

2. The mowing machine of claim 1 wherein said wing driveline and said wing gearbox are operable to drive said wing cutting blade throughout said range of motion.

3. The mowing machine of claim 2 wherein said maximum downward angle is between about 30 degrees and about 90 degrees.

4. The mowing machine of claim 2 wherein said maximum upward angle is about 90 degrees.

5. The mowing machine of claim 1 wherein said wing cutting deck is oriented at a non-orthogonal sweep angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

6. The mowing machine of claim 5 wherein said wing cutting deck comprises a swept forward orientation.

7. The mowing machine of claim 1 wherein said central cutting deck is disposed at about ⅔ to about ¾ of a distance from said main gearbox to said wing cutting deck.

8. The mowing machine of claim 1 wherein said wing cutting deck comprises a first wing cutting deck disposed on a first side of the longitudinal axis, and further comprising:

a second wing cutting deck disposed on an opposite side of the longitudinal axis from the first wing cutting deck, said second wing cutting deck pivotally connected to said central cutting deck or said frame about a second hinge;

a second wing gearbox mounted to said second wing cutting deck and coupled to said main gearbox with a second wing driveline, said second wing gearbox being operably coupled to a second wing cutting blade; and

at least one wheel supporting said second wing cutting deck;

wherein said main gearbox is disposed a sufficient distance forward of said central cutting deck and said second wing cutting deck to permit said second wing cutting deck to pivot about said second hinge in a second range of motion from said maximum downward angle with respect to said neutral mowing plane to said maximum upward angle with respect to said neutral mowing plane without disconnecting said second wing driveline from either said main gearbox or said second wing gearbox; and

wherein said central cutting deck comprises a planform shape that permits clearance of said second wing driveline with respect to said central cutting deck during a downward portion of said second range of motion wherein at least a portion of said second wing driveline is disposed below said neutral mowing plane.

9. A mowing machine configured to be pulled by a tractor in a direction of travel along a longitudinal axis of the mowing machine, said mowing machine comprising:

a frame;

a main gearbox mounted to a forward portion of said frame, said main gearbox configured for coupling to a power takeoff of the tractor;

a central cutting deck mounted to a rear portion of said frame and spaced apart from said main gearbox, said central cutting deck being generally disposed in a neutral mowing plane;

a central gearbox mounted to said central cutting deck and coupled to said main gearbox with a central driveline, said central gearbox being operably coupled to a central flail rotor having a plurality of flail cutters and being rotatable about a first axis;

a wing cutting deck pivotally connected to at least one of said central cutting deck and said frame via a hinge;

a wing gearbox mounted to said wing cutting deck and coupled to said main gearbox with a wing driveline, said wing gearbox being operably coupled to a wing flail rotor having a plurality of flail cutters and being rotatable about a second axis;

at least one wheel supporting said central cutting deck; and

at least one wheel supporting said wing cutting deck;

wherein said main gearbox is disposed a sufficient distance forward of said central cutting deck and said wing cutting deck to permit said wing cutting deck to pivot about said hinge in a range of motion from a maximum downward angle with respect to said neutral mowing plane to a maximum upward angle with respect to said neutral mowing plane without disconnecting said wing driveline from either said main gearbox or said wing gearbox; and

wherein said central cutting deck comprises a planform shape that permits clearance of said wing driveline with respect to said central cutting deck during a downward portion of said range of motion wherein at least a portion of said wing driveline is disposed below said neutral mowing plane.

10. The mowing machine of claim 9 wherein said wing driveline and said wing gearbox are operable to drive said wing flail rotor throughout said range of motion.

11. The mowing machine of claim 10 wherein said maximum downward angle is between about 30 degrees and about 90 degrees.

12. The mowing machine of claim 10 wherein said maximum upward angle is about 90 degrees.

13. The mowing machine of claim 9 wherein said first axis and said second axis are substantially parallel to each other.

14. The mowing machine of claim 13 wherein said first axis and said second axis are substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

15. The mowing machine of claim 9 wherein said second axis is not substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

16. A mowing machine configured to be pulled by a tractor in a direction of travel along a longitudinal axis of the mowing machine, said mowing machine comprising:

a frame;

a main gearbox mounted to a forward portion of said frame, said main gearbox configured for coupling to a power takeoff of the tractor;

a central cutting deck mounted to a rear portion of said frame and spaced apart from said main gearbox, said central cutting deck being generally disposed in a neutral mowing plane;

a central gearbox mounted to said central cutting deck and coupled to said main gearbox with a central driveline, said central gearbox being operably coupled to a central flail rotor having a plurality of flail cutters and being rotatable about a first axis;

a wing cutting deck pivotally connected to at least one of said central cutting deck and said frame via a hinge;

a wing gearbox mounted to said wing cutting deck and coupled to said main gearbox with a wing driveline, said wing gearbox being operably coupled to a wing flail rotor having a plurality of flail cutters and being rotatable about a second axis;

at least one wheel supporting said central cutting deck; and

at least one wheel supporting said wing cutting deck;

wherein said main gearbox is disposed a sufficient distance forward of said central cutting deck and said wing cutting deck to permit said wing cutting deck to pivot about said hinge in a range of motion from a maximum downward angle of about 90 degrees with respect to said neutral mowing plane to a maximum upward angle of about 90 degrees with respect to said neutral mowing plane without disconnecting said wing driveline from either said main gearbox or said wing gearbox.

17. The mowing machine of claim 16 further comprising a counterweight attached to said frame at a location substantially opposite said wing cutting deck.

18. The mowing machine of claim 16 wherein said wing gearbox is disposed proximate and inboard of said hinge.

19. The mowing machine of claim 18 wherein said main gearbox comprises a connection to said wing driveline that is substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis.

20. A mowing machine configured to be pulled by a tractor in a direction of travel along a longitudinal axis of the mowing machine, said mowing machine comprising:

a frame;

a main gearbox mounted to a forward portion of said frame, said main gearbox configured for coupling to a power takeoff of the tractor;

a central cutting deck mounted to a rear portion of said frame and spaced apart from said main gearbox, said central cutting deck being generally disposed in a neutral mowing plane;

a central gearbox mounted to said central cutting deck and coupled to said main gearbox with a central driveline, said central gearbox being operably coupled to a central cutting tool;

a wing cutting deck pivotally connected to said central cutting deck or said frame via a hinge;

a wing gearbox mounted to said wing cutting deck and coupled to said main gearbox with a wing driveline, said wing gearbox being operably coupled to a wing cutting tool;

at least one wheel supporting said central cutting deck; and

at least one wheel supporting said wing cutting deck;

wherein said main gearbox is disposed a sufficient distance forward of said central cutting deck and said wing cutting deck to permit said wing cutting deck to pivot about said hinge in a range of motion from a maximum downward angle with respect to said neutral mowing plane to a maximum upward angle with respect to said neutral mowing plane without disconnecting said wing driveline from either said main gearbox or said wing gearbox; and

wherein said central cutting deck comprises a planform shape that permits clearance of said wing driveline with respect to said central cutting deck during a downward portion of said range of motion wherein at least a portion of said wing driveline is disposed below said neutral mowing plane.

21. The mowing machine of claim 20 wherein said central cutting tool is selected from a rotary cutting blade and a flail rotor having a plurality of flail cutters.

22. The mowing machine of claim 20 wherein said wing cutting tool is selected from a rotary cutting blade and a flail rotor having a plurality of flail cutters.

23. The mowing machine of claim 20 wherein said wing driveline and said wing gearbox are operable to drive said wing cutting tool throughout said range of motion.

24. The mowing machine of claim 23 wherein said maximum downward angle is between about 30 degrees and about 90 degrees.

25. The mowing machine of claim 23 wherein said maximum upward angle is about 90 degrees.

26. The mowing machine of claim 20 wherein said wing cutting deck is oriented at a non-orthogonal sweep angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

27. The mowing machine of claim 26 wherein said wing cutting deck comprises a swept forward orientation.

28. The mowing machine of claim 20 wherein said central cutting deck is disposed at about ⅔ to about ¾ of a distance from said main gearbox to said wing cutting deck.

29. The mowing machine of claim 20 wherein said wing cutting deck comprises a first wing cutting deck disposed on a first side of the longitudinal axis, and further comprising:

a second wing cutting deck disposed on an opposite side of the longitudinal axis from the first wing cutting deck, said second wing cutting deck pivotally connected to said central cutting deck or said frame about a second hinge;

a second wing gearbox mounted to said second wing cutting deck and coupled to said main gearbox with a second wing driveline, said second wing gearbox being operably coupled to a second wing cutting tool; and

at least one wheel supporting said second wing cutting deck;

wherein said main gearbox is disposed a sufficient distance forward of said central cutting deck and said second wing cutting deck to permit said second wing cutting deck to pivot about said second hinge in a second range of motion from said maximum downward angle with respect to said neutral mowing plane to said maximum upward angle with respect to said neutral mowing plane without disconnecting said second wing driveline from either said main gearbox or said second wing gearbox; and

wherein said central cutting deck comprises a planform shape that permits clearance of said second wing driveline with respect to said central cutting deck during a downward portion of said second range of motion wherein at least a portion of said second wing driveline is disposed below said neutral mowing plane.

30. The mowing machine of claim 20 wherein:

said central cutting tool comprises a first flail rotor having a plurality of flail cutters and being rotatable about a first axis;

said wing cutting tool comprises a second flail rotor having a plurality of flail cutters and being rotatable about a second axis; and

said first axis and said second axis are substantially parallel to each other.

31. The mowing machine of claim 30 wherein said first axis and said second axis are substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

32. The mowing machine of claim 20 wherein:

said central cutting tool comprises a first flail rotor having a plurality of flail cutters and being rotatable about a first axis;

said wing cutting tool comprises a second flail rotor having a plurality of flail cutters and being rotatable about a second axis; and

said second axis is not substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

33. The mowing machine of claim 20 further comprising a counterweight attached to said frame at a location substantially opposite said wing cutting deck.

34. The mowing machine of claim 20 wherein said wing gearbox is disposed proximate and inboard of said hinge.

35. The mowing machine of claim 34 wherein said main gearbox comprises a connection to said wing driveline that is substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis.