Mower discharge chute deflector and bagging attachment

Claim 2

In a rotary mower of the type including a rotary cutting blade means for traversing a planar cutting zone having a predetermined width considered relative to a normal direction of travel of the mower, a housing supporting said blade means and including a top overlying the cutting zone and integral with a depending skirt bordering the periphery of the zone, and an inner discharge chute portion which is inverted U-shaped in transverse cross section and is defined by top and opposite side walls oF the housing for guiding clippings upwardly from the cutting zone through one side of the housing, an improved deflector for directing hard objects, impelled upwardly at a high trajectory through the discharge chute, toward the ground adjacent the exterior of the housing, comprising: an outer discharge chute portion having a top and opposite side walls conforming generally to the transverse cross section of the inner discharge chute portion and being mounted on the housing so as to form a general continuation of the inner discharge chute portion; the outer discharge chute portion having a top inclined downwardly away from the housing, and said top having an outer peripheral edge inclined downwardly from the front to the rear of the mower, the inclination of the top being related to the normal flow of material from the inner discharge chute portion such that grass clippings will be dispersed substantially evenly over a deposit zone extending transversely from and having a width approximately the same as that of said cutting zone; said top and opposite side walls of the outer discharge chute portion including inner end portions, considered relative to the cutting zone, embracing outer end portions of the inner discharge chute portion; said side walls of the outer discharge chute portion having upper inner corner portions defining inwardly extending ears having axially aligned apertures therein; a pair of pins being fixed to and extending transversely to and oppositely from upper outer corner portions of the inner discharge chute portion and being respectively received in the apertures in said ears; at least one of said pins defining a generally horizontal pivot axis about which the outer discharge chute portion is vertically pivotable between a lowered operative position and a raised inoperative position; and spring means biasing said outer discharge chute portion toward said operative position.

Claim 3

The mower defined in claim 1 wherein one of said ears is offset transversely outwardly from the inner discharge chute portion at the location whereat the pin extends through the aperture in the ear so as to define a clearance space; and said spring means being a coil torsion spring received on the last-mentioned pin and having one end located in an aperture in said outer deflector portion and having a second end bearing on the mower housing.

Claim 4

A lawn mower including an optionally attachable clipping collecting spout, comprising: a rotary cutting blade means for traversing a planar cutting zone; an open bottom blade housing overlying the blade and including a skirt portion surrounding a major portion of said cutting zone; said housing defining a discharge chute portion having top and opposite side walls terminating at a discharge outlet; said collecting spout including a main tubular portion having a top and at least one side wall which, when the spout is installed, are positioned in embracing relationship respectively with the inside surface of the top and one side wall of said discharge chute portion; fastening means for releasably retaining the spout in its installed position including a downwardly biased first latching member means fixed to the top of the discharge chute portion and being biased toward engagement therewith and a cooperating second latching member means being fixed to the top of the tubular portion of said spout and being located beneath the first latching member means; said first and second latching member means respectively having first and second latching surface portions which are interengaged when the spout is installed and said first latching member means being movable away from the second latching means to release the latter.

Claim 5

A lawn mower including an optionally attachable clipping collecting spout, comprising: a rotary cutting blade means for traversing a planar cutting zone; an open bottom blade housing overlying the blade and including a skirt portion surrounding a major portion of said cutting zone; said housing defining a discharge chute portion having top and opposite side walls terminating at a discharge outlet; said collecting spout including a main tubular portion having a top and at least one side wall which, when the spout is installed, are positioned in embracing relationship respectively with the inside surface of the top and one side wall of said discharge chute portion; fastening means for releasably retaining the spout in its installed position including a downwardly biased first latching member means fixed to the top of the discharge chute portion and being biased toward engagement therewith and a cooperating second latching member means being fixed to the top of the tubular portion of said spout and being located beneath the first latching member means; said first and second latching member means respectively having first and second latching surface portions which are interengaged when the spout is installed and said first latching member means being movable away from the second latching means to release the latter.

Claim 6

The lawn mower defined in claim 3 wherein the securing means further includes a pair of tabs fixed to the top of the tubular portion of the collecting spout at opposite sides of the second latching member means, said tabs being engaged with the outer top surface of the discharge chute portion when the spout is installed.

Claim 7

THe lawn mower defined in claim 3 wherein said main tubular portion of the spout includes a second side wall which is spaced opposite said one side wall a distance less than the distance between the side walls of said discharge chute portions; said latter side walls having relatively straight portions diverging from each other in the direction of the discharge outlet; and a baffle section being secured to and forming an inwardly extending extension of said second side wall and extending generally parallel to said one side wall of said discharge chute portion and intersecting the other of said side walls of the discharge chute section.

Claim 8

The lawn mower defined in claim 5 wherein the fastening means includes a tab fixed to and projecting towards the discharge outlet from the other of said side walls of the discharge chute section at the location whereat the baffle section intersects the other of said side walls, and said baffle section having an inner end defining a slot which receives said tab when the spout is installed.

Claim 9

The mower defined in claim 3 wherein said first latching member includes a channel-shaped spring metal bracket having a web and opposite sides, the bracket being mounted with the sides in engagement with the top of the discharge chute portion and extending generally parallel to the one side thereof to thereby provide a passage extending between the web and the last-named top; said web including a tab-like portion having an outward secured end and an inner free end, the tab being bent downwardly and having a U-shaped portion defining a latching surface normally biasingly engaging the top of the discharge chute portion in line with said passage when the spout is disengaged, said second latching member means including a strap fixed to the top of the spout tubular portion and having an inner end projecting forwardly of the spout and having a latching surface positionable beneath and releasably engageable with the latching surface of the first latching member means.

Claim 10

The mower defined in claim 7 wherein said strap includes an intermediate portion forming a handle.

Claim 11

The mower defined in claim 8 wherein said spout includes flange means at the outward end of the tubular section over which the open end of a collecting bag is adapted to be received; and said strap including an outer end forming a portion of said flange means.

Claim 12

A lawn mower of the type optionally changeable between bagging and non-bagging modes, comprising: a mower blade means for traversing a generally planar cutting zone having a predetermined width as considered in the normal direction of travel; a mower blade housing defining an inner discharge chute portion having a discharge outlet through which cut material is discharged; an outer discharge chute portion having an inner end shaped to conform to the inner discharge chute portion at said outlet, said outer discharge chute portion being vertically pivotally mounted on said inner discharge chute portion for movement between a lower operative position wherein it forms a general continuation of the inner discharge chute portion and a raised inoperative position wherein it is clear of the discharge outlet; said outer discharge chute portion including surface means which is contoured such that, when the outer discharge chute portion is in its operative position, the surface means directs clippings emanating from the discharge outlet in substantially even dispersement over a discharge zone extending transversely to the normal direction at distance no greater than the predetermined width of the cutting zone from the latter, and intercepts hard objects, emanating from the discharge outlet at a steep trajectory, and deflects the objects toward the ground; a bagging attachment optionally installable to receive clippings from said discharge outlet when the outer discharge chute portion is in its inoperative position; said bagging attachment including a collecting spout comprising a main tubular portion including an end to an installEd position within the inner discharge chute portion through said discharge outlet, the spout being configured relative to the inner discharge chute portion for directing the cuttings normally exiting through said outlet to exit through said tubular portion; said outer discharge chute portion being mounted and configured such that when it is in its inoperative position the top thereof is spaced above the top of the inner discharge chute portion; a releasable latch means for securing the spout in place and including a first latching member means fixed to the top of the inner discharge chute portion adjacent the discharge opening of the latter and including a first latching portion biased toward bearing engagement with the top of the inner discharge chute portion, and a second latching member means fixed to the top of the outer discharge chute portion and including a second latching portion extending beyond said tubular section and which is insertable into the discharge outlet; said second latching position including a seating surface positionable below and engageable by said first latching portion when said spout is in an installed position.

Claim 13

A lawn mower of the type optionally changeable between bagging and non-bagging modes, comprising: a mower blade means for traversing a generally planar cutting zone having a predetermined width as considered in the normal direction of travel; a mower blade housing defining an inner discharge chute portion having a discharge outlet through which cut material is discharged; an outer discharge chute portion having an inner end shaped to conform to the inner discharge chute portion at said outlet, said outer discharge chute portion being vertically pivotally mounted on said inner discharge chute portion for movement between a lower operative position wherein it forms a general continuation of the inner discharge chute portion and a raised inoperative position wherein it is clear of the discharge outlet; said outer discharge chute portion including surface means which is contoured such that, when the outer discharge chute portion is in its operative position, the surface means directs clippings emanating from the discharge outlet in substantially even dispersement over a discharge zone extending transversely to the normal direction at distance no greater than the predetermined width of the cutting zone from the latter, and intercepts hard objects, emanating from the discharge outlet at a steep trajectory, and deflects the objects toward the ground; a bagging attachment optionally installable to receive clippings from said discharge outlet when the outer discharge chute portion is in its inoperative position; said bagging attachment including a collecting spout comprising a main tubular portion including an end to an installEd position within the inner discharge chute portion through said discharge outlet, the spout being configured relative to the inner discharge chute portion for directing the cuttings normally exiting through said outlet to exit through said tubular portion; said outer discharge chute portion being mounted and configured such that when it is in its inoperative position the top thereof is spaced above the top of the inner discharge chute portion; a releasable latch means for securing the spout in place and including a first latching member means fixed to the top of the inner discharge chute portion adjacent the discharge opening of the latter and including a first latching portion biased toward bearing engagement with the top of the inner discharge chute portion, and a second latching member means fixed to the top of the outer discharge chute portion and including a second latching portion extending beyond said tubular section and which is insertable into the discharge outlet; said second latching position including a seating surface positionable below and engageable by said first latching portion when said spout is in an installed position.

Claim 14

The mower defined in claim 10 wherein said second latching member means is a strap fixed along the length of said tubular portion of said spout; and said strap forming a handle which engages and props up the outer discharge chute portion to hold the latter in its inoperative position when the spout is in its installed position.

Claim 15

The mower defined in claim 10 wherein said spout is further supported, when in its operative position, from said inner discharge chute portion by means of a pair of tabs fixed to the top of the tubular portion at opposite sides of the second latching member means and project upwardly therefrom toward the inner discharge chute portion; and said tabs engaging the exterior of the inner discharge chute portion.