Rotary mower with safety discharge

Claim 2

A turf cutting rotary mower having a rotatable cutting blade, said mower including a housing having a discharge opening therein for discharging clippings therefrom, said opening providing for generally lateral discharge of clippings from said housing, first means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings and changing the direction thereof, second means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings after they leave said first means and again changing the direction thereof, said first means including a generally vertical baffle member disposed in the cutting plane of the rotary cutter blade and interposed in the normal path of travel of the discharged material, said baffle member closing off a portion of the discharge opening while leaving a substantial portion thereof remaining above said baffle member for the discharge of clippings over said baffle member through said opening, said second means including a deflector extending generally laterally from said housing and above said discharge opening and in the path of travel of the material discharged from said opening over said baffle whereby said material after passing over said baffle must strike the underside of said deflector and be deflected downwardly onto the ground, said deflector including an opening formed therein for the reception of a bag chute, a bag chute insertable into said opening and adapted to intercept the material discharged through said opening over said baffle and convey same to a collection receptacle, an engine supported by said housing an electrical switch adapted to be movable between two positions, in one of said positions said switch being adapted to prevent further operation of said engine, and in the other position being adapted to permit said engine to run, cover means for said opening in said deflector, said cover means and said bag chute being adapted to engage and actuate said switch, said cover being adapted to engage said switch and move same to engine stopping position when said cover is open and said chute is not installed in said opening, said bag chute being adapted to move said switch to engine running position when properly seated in said opening.

Claim 3

A turf cutting rotary mower having a rotatable cutting blade, said mower including a housing having a discharge opening therein for discharging clippings therefrom, said opening providing for generally lateral discharge of clippings from said housing, first means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings and changing the direction thereof, second means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings after they leave said first means and again changing the direction thereof, said first means including a generally vertical baffle member disposed in the cutting plane of the rotary cutter blade and interposed in the normal path of travel of the discharged material, said baffle member closing off a portion of the discharge opening while leaving a substantial portion thereof remaining above said baffle member for the discharge of clippings over said baffle member through said opening, a bag chute supported by said Housing and having one end portion thereof positioned to receive material ejected from said housing over said baffle member, the other end portion of said chute being adapted to have a receptacle attached thereto and adapted to discharge material passing therethrough into said receptacle, an electrical switch being actuable by said chute means, said switch being adapted for movement between two positions, in one of said positions it stops the motor of the mower and in the other of said positions it permits said motor to run, said bag chute being adapted to cause said switch to move to the motor running position when said chute is installed on said mower in material receiving position, said chute being further adapted to cause said switch to move to motor stopping position when removed from its normal operative position on said mower.

Claim 4

A turf cutting rotary mower having a rotatable cutting blade, said mower including a housing having a discharge opening therein for discharging clippings therefrom, said opening providing for generally lateral discharge of clippings from said housing, first means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings and changing the direction thereof, second means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings after they leave said first means and again changing the direction thereof, said first means including a generally vertical baffle member disposed in the cutting plane of the rotary cutter blade and interposed in the normal path of travel of the discharged material, said baffle member closing off a portion of the discharge opening while leaving a substantial portion thereof remaining above said baffle member for the discharge of clippings over said baffle member through said opening, a bag chute supported by said Housing and having one end portion thereof positioned to receive material ejected from said housing over said baffle member, the other end portion of said chute being adapted to have a receptacle attached thereto and adapted to discharge material passing therethrough into said receptacle, an electrical switch being actuable by said chute means, said switch being adapted for movement between two positions, in one of said positions it stops the motor of the mower and in the other of said positions it permits said motor to run, said bag chute being adapted to cause said switch to move to the motor running position when said chute is installed on said mower in material receiving position, said chute being further adapted to cause said switch to move to motor stopping position when removed from its normal operative position on said mower.

Claim 5

A turf cutting rotary mower having a rotatable cutting blade, said mower including a housing for enclosing the cutter blade, said housing having a discharge opening therein for discharging clippings therefrom, said opening providing for generally lateral discharge of clippings from said housing, first means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings and changing the direction thereof, second means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings after they leave said first means and again changing the direction thereof, said first means including a generally vertical baffle member disposed in the cutting plane of the rotary cutter blade and interposed in the normal path of travel of the discharged material, said baffle member closing off a portion of the discharge opening while leaving a substantial portion thereof remaining above said baffle member for the discharge of clippings over said baffle member through said opening, said second means including a deflector extending generally laterally from said housing and above said discharge opening and in the path of travel of the material discharged from said opening over said baffle whereby said material after passing over said baffle must strike the underside of said deflector and be deflected downwardly onto the ground, said deflector including an opening formed therein for the reception of a bag chute, a bag chute insertable into said opening and adapted to intercept the material discharged through said opening over said baffle and convey same to a collection receptacle, an engine supported by said housing, an electrical switch adapted to be movable between two positions, in one of said positions said switch being adapted to prevent further operation of said engine, and in the other position being adapted to permit said engine to run, cover means for said opening in said deflector, said cover means and said bag chute being adapted to engage and actuate said switch, said cover being adapted to engage said switch and move same to engine stopping position when said cover is open and said chute is not installed in said opening, said bag chute being adapted to move said switch to engine running position when properly seated in said opening, and said chute including a laterally extending tab with said switch for actuating same.

Claim 6

A turf cutting rotary mower having a rotatable cutting blade, said mower including a housing for enclosing the cutter blade, said housing having a discharge opening therein for discharging clippings therefrom, said opening providing for generally lateral discharge of clippings from said housing, first means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings and changing the direction thereof, second means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings after they leave said first means and again changing the direction thereof, said first means including a generally vertical baffle member disposed in the cutting plane of the rotary cutter blade and interposed in the normal path of travel of the discharged material, said baffle member closing off a portion of the discharge opening while leaving a substantial portion thereof remaining above said baffle member for the discharge of clippings over said baffle member through said opening, said second means including a deflector extending generally laterally from said housing and above said discharge opening and in the path of travel of the material discharged from said opening over said baffle whereby said material after passing over said baffle must strike the underside of said deflector and be deflected downwardly onto the ground, said deflector including an opening formed therein for the reception of a bag chute, a bag chute insertable into said opening and adapted to intercept the material discharged through said opening over said baffle and convey same to a collection receptacle, an engine supported by said housing, an electrical switch adapted to be movable between two positions, in one of said positions said switch being adapted to prevent further operation of said engine, and in the other position being adapted to permit said engine to run, cover means for said opening in said deflector, said cover means and said bag chute being adapted to engage and actuate said switch, said cover being adapted to engage said switch and move same to engine stopping position when said cover is open and said chute is not installed in said opening, said bag chute being adapted to move said switch to engine running position when properly seated in said opening, and said chute including a laterally extending tab with said switch for actuating same.

Claim 7

A turf cutting rotary mower having a rotatable cutting blade, said mower including a housing for enclosing the cutter blade, said housing having a discharge opening therein for discharging clippings therefrom, said opening providing for generally lateral discharge of clippings from said housing, first means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings and changing the direction thereof, second means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings after they leave said first means and again changing the direction thereof, said first means including a generally vertical baffle member disposed in the cutting plane of the rotary cutter blade and interposed in the normal path of travel of the discHarged material, said baffle member closing off a portion of the discharge opening while leaving a substantial portion thereof remaining above said baffle member for the discharge of clippings over said baffle member through said opening, said second means including a deflector extending generally laterally from said housing and above said discharge opening and in the path of travel of the material discharged from said opening over said baffle whereby said material after passing over said baffle must strike the underside of said deflector and be deflected downwardly onto the ground, said deflector including an opening formed therein for the reception of a bag chute, a bag chute insertable into said opening and adapted to intercept the material discharged through said opening over said baffle and convey same to a collection receptacle, said chute including a resilient locking portion, said portion defining with other portions of said chute a locking slot, said slot being adapted to receive at least a portion of said deflector when said chute is seated in said opening in operative position, said locking portion engaging said deflector when said deflector is seated in said slot and resiliently holding said chute in engagement with said deflector.

Claim 8

A turf cutting rotary mower having a rotatable cutting blade, said mower including a housing for enclosing the cutter blade, said housing having a discharge opening therein for discharging clippings therefrom, said opening providing for generally lateral discharge of clippings from said housing, first means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings and changing the direction thereof, second means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings after they leave said first means and again changing the direction thereof, said first means including a generally vertical baffle member disposed in the cutting plane of the rotary cutter blade and interposed in the normal path of travel of the discHarged material, said baffle member closing off a portion of the discharge opening while leaving a substantial portion thereof remaining above said baffle member for the discharge of clippings over said baffle member through said opening, said second means including a deflector extending generally laterally from said housing and above said discharge opening and in the path of travel of the material discharged from said opening over said baffle whereby said material after passing over said baffle must strike the underside of said deflector and be deflected downwardly onto the ground, said deflector including an opening formed therein for the reception of a bag chute, a bag chute insertable into said opening and adapted to intercept the material discharged through said opening over said baffle and convey same to a collection receptacle, said chute including a resilient locking portion, said portion defining with other portions of said chute a locking slot, said slot being adapted to receive at least a portion of said deflector when said chute is seated in said opening in operative position, said locking portion engaging said deflector when said deflector is seated in said slot and resiliently holding said chute in engagement with said deflector.

Claim 9

A turf cutting rotary mower having a rotatable cutting blade, said mower including a housing for enclosing the cutter blade, said housing having a discharge opening therein for discharging clippings therefrom, said opening providing for generally lateral discharge of clippings from said housing, first means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings and changing the direction thereof, second means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings after they leave said first means and again changing the direction thereof, said first means including a generally vertical baffle member disposed in the cutting plane of the rotary cutter blade and interposed in the normal path of travel of the discharged material, said baffle member closing off a portion of the discharge opening while leaving a substantial portion thereof remaining above said baffle member for the discharge of clippings over said baffle member through said opening, said second means including a deflector extending generally laterally from said housing and above said discharge opening and in the path of travel of the material discharged from said opening over said baffle whereby said material after passing over said baffle must strike the underside of said deflector and be deflected downwardly onto the ground, said deflector including an opening formed therein for the reception of a bag chute, a bag chute insertable into said opening and adapted to intercept the material discharged through said opening over said baffle and convey same to a collection receptacle, said mower housing and said deflector defining a chamber, said chute having a retaining portion insertable in said chamber when said chute is seated in said opening to hold said chute in operating position on said deflector.

Claim 10

A turf cutting rotary mower having a rotatable cutting blade, said mower including a housing for enclosing the cutter blade, said housing having a discharge opening therein for discharging clippings therefrom, said opening providing for generally lateral discharge of clippings from said housing, first means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings and changing the direction thereof, second means supported by said housing for intercepting said clippings after they leave said first means and again changing the direction thereof, said first means including a generally vertical baffle member disposed in the cutting plane of the rotary cutter blade and interposed in the normal path of travel of the discharged material, said baffle member closing off a portion of the discharge opening while leaving a substantial portion thereof remaining above said baffle member for the discharge of clippings over said baffle member through said opening, said second means including a deflector extending generally laterally from said housing and above said discharge opening and in the path of travel of the material discharged from said opening over said baffle whereby said material after passing over said baffle must strike the underside of said deflector and be deflected downwardly onto the ground, said deflector including an opening formed therein for the reception of a bag chute, a bag chute insertable into said opening and adapted to intercept the material discharged through said opening over said baffle and convey same to a collection receptacle, said mower housing and said deflector defining a chamber, said chute having a retaining portion insertable in said chamber when said chute is seated in said opening to hold said chute in operating position on said deflector.