US3884020A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Leaf shredding means for rotary mowers
Assignee: Toro Co
•
Filing: 1973-10-11
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Granted: 1975-05-20
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Expires: 1993-10-11
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed herein is a rotary mower including a screen attachment which is detachably mounted inside the blade housing and extends transversely of the opening of the discharge outlet through which material is being discharged from the interior of the blade housing. Larger-sized material, such as leaves, being impelled by the cutter blade towards the discharge outlet is forced through the screen and is thereby shredded to a smaller particle size suitable for mulching purposes. If the mower includes both a top discharge outlet and a side discharge outlet, such a screen attachment is provided for each outlet, so that the shredded material can either be collected or dispersed over the lawn. The screen attachments are preferably supported from the margin of the opening of the respective discharge outlet so they can be conveniently installed and removed through the top discharge opening in the blade housing.
Inventors
- 👤 Einar S Dahl
- 👤 Earl H Kidd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:53
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D42/00; A01D42/005; A01D2101/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
A rotary mower including a blade housing having a top deck and an annular wall depending from said top deck, a horizontal, arcuately-extending discharge outlet located in said top deck, a cutter blade mounted for rotary movement inside said blade housing and in a direction to impell material toward said discharge outlet, and a screen mounted on said housing and located below and in transverse relation to said discharge outlet and including a horizontal portion extending horizontally above and in close proximity to the rotational path of said cutter blade.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
90 words
A rotary mower including a blade housing having a top deck and an annular wall depending from said top deck, a horizontal, arcuately-extending discharge outlet located in said top deck, a cutter blade mounted for rotary movement inside said blade housing and in a direction to impell material toward said discharge outlet, and a screen mounted on said housing and located below and in transverse relation to said discharge outlet and including a horizontal portion extending horizontally above and in close proximity to the rotational path of said cutter blade.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A rotary mower accordiNg to claim 1 wherein said screen comprises an expanded metal and has openings with sharp edges which cooperate said cutter blade to shred the material being impelled towards said discharge opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
A rotary mower according to claim 1 wherein said horizontal outlet includes a leading end margin, and said horizontal screen portion includes an end portion which extends in a direction counter to the direction of the cutter blade movement beyond the leading end margin of said horizontal outlet and terminates in an upturned skirt, said skirt having an upper margin located adjacent to the underside of said top deck.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
131 words
A rotary mower according to claim 3 wherein said horizontal outlet includes a trailing end margin and opposed side margins, said horizontal portion includes a trailing end opposite to the end having said skirt, and said screen includes a support arm which extends from the trailing end of said screen and is adapted to detachably support said screen from the trailing end margin of said horizontal outlet, a support bracket which extends vertically upwardly from the horizontal portion of said screen and is adapted to detachably support said screen from one of the side margins of said horizontal outlet, and a support bracket which extends vertical upwardly from the horizontal portion of said screen and is adapted to detachably support said screen from the leading end margin of said horizontal outlet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A rotary mower according to claim 3 wherein said blade housing includes a vertical discharge outlet in said annular wall, a shroud extending tangentially from said blade housing in communication with said vertical discharge outlet, screen means extending transversely of said vertical discharge outlet and including a support bracket, and means detachably fastening said support bracket to said shroud.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
167 words
A rotary mower including a blade housing having a top deck and an annular wall depending from said top deck, a first horizontal, arcuately extending discharge outlet in said top deck, a second vertically extending discharge outlet in said annular wall, a cutter blade mounted for rotary movement inside said blade housing, means for selectively detachably connecting to said housing a cover for closing said first discharge outlet, means for selectively detachably connecting to said housing a baffle for blocking said second discharge outlet, a first screen means extending transversely of said first discharge outlet and including a horizontal portion which extends above and in close proximity to the rotational path of said cutter blade, means detachably supporting said first screen means from the margin of said first discharge outlet, a second screen means extending transversely of said second discharge outlet and located in radially spaced relationship to the rotational path of said cutter blade, and means detachably mounting said second screen means on said blade housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
167 words
A rotary mower including a blade housing having a top deck and an annular wall depending from said top deck, a first horizontal, arcuately extending discharge outlet in said top deck, a second vertically extending discharge outlet in said annular wall, a cutter blade mounted for rotary movement inside said blade housing, means for selectively detachably connecting to said housing a cover for closing said first discharge outlet, means for selectively detachably connecting to said housing a baffle for blocking said second discharge outlet, a first screen means extending transversely of said first discharge outlet and including a horizontal portion which extends above and in close proximity to the rotational path of said cutter blade, means detachably supporting said first screen means from the margin of said first discharge outlet, a second screen means extending transversely of said second discharge outlet and located in radially spaced relationship to the rotational path of said cutter blade, and means detachably mounting said second screen means on said blade housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
A rotary mower according to claim 6 wherein said first discharge outlet includes a leading end margin, and the horizontal portion of said first screen means includes an end portion which extends in a direction counter to the direction of the cutter blade movement beyond the leading end margin of said first discharge outlet and terminates in an upturned skirt, said skirt having an upper margin located adjacent to the underside of said top deck.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A rotary mower according to claim 7 wherein said first and second screen means comprise an expanded metal and have openings with sharp edges which cooperate with said cutter blade to shred the material being impelled towards said discharge outlets.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
138 words
A rotary mower according to claim 8 wherein said first discharge outlet includes a trailing end margin and opposed side margins, the horizontal portion of said first screen means includes a trailing end opposite to the end having said skirt, and said means for supporting said first screen means includes a support arm which extends from the trailing end of said first screen means From the trailing end margin of said first discharge outlet, a support bracket which extends vertically upwardly from the horizontal portion of said first screem means from one of the side margins of said first discharge outlet, and a support bracket which extends vertical upwardly from the horizontal portion of said first screen means and is adapted to detachably support said first screen means from the leading end margin of said first discharge outlet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
79 words
A rotary mower according to claim 9 wherein said second discharge outlet communicates with a shroud extending tangentially from said blade housing, said shroud having a top wall and opposed side walls, said mounting means for said second screen including a support bracket adapted to support said second screen means from the inside of one of said shroud walls at a position spaced outwardly from said second discharge outlet, and means detachably fastening said support bracket to said shroud.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US2659191A
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US2791080A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-19 | 1978-11-18 | 1979-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-19 | 1982-11-18 | 1983-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-19 | 1986-11-18 | 1987-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |