US3908913A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Shredder attachment for rotary mowers
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-08-29
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Granted: 1975-09-30
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Expires: 1994-08-29
Abstract
Abstract A shredder attachment converts a rotary power mower into a shredder for chopping or shredding leaves, clippings, twigs, small limbs, and other lawn and garden waste. The attachment includes a material receiving apron, an intake duct, and a plate which tightly engages the bottom of the mower housing to form a shredder chamber. An intake opening extends through the plate for admitting material to be shredded from the intake duct to a region of the chamber in which the rotary blade does not advance in the direction of the intake duct opening. A folding leg may be extended to raise the apron and duct so that the shredder attachment may be fed from an elevated position. In first and second embodiments, the intake opening is at the rear side of the mower and the duct extends rearwardly of the mower; in a third embodiment, the intake opening is at the rear side of the mower and the duct extends forwardly of the mower from the intake opening.
Inventors
- 👤 Maurice E Cushman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:32
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D42/00; A01D42/005; B; B02; B02C; B02C18/00; B02C18/06; B02C18/16; B02C18/22; B02C18/2225; B02C18/2291; A01D2101/00; B02C2201/00; B02C2201/06; B02C2201/066
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A shredder attachment for a rotary mower, having a housing defining a chamber with an open bottom side and a side wall, a discharge opening through said side wall, and a rotary blade adapted to rotate within said chamber, comprising: a plate for covering said open bottom side of said chamber, said plate having an intake opening; an intake duct extending from said plate between said intake opening and a duct inlet end; and an apron for receiving material to be shredded, said intake duct being connected between said apron and said plate and communicating with said apron at its inlet end and with said intake opening at said plate to guide material to be shredded along a path from said apron through said intake opening into said chamber, said intake opening and duct being so shaped and positioned that said rotary blade will be inhibited from driving material fed into said chamber back towards the inlet end of said duct.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
A shredder attachment for a rotary mower, having a housing defining a chamber with an open bottom side and a side wall, a discharge opening through said side wall, and a rotary blade adapted to rotate within said chamber, comprising: a plate for covering said open bottom side of said chamber, said plate having an intake opening; an intake duct extending from said plate between said intake opening and a duct inlet end; and an apron for receiving material to be shredded, said intake duct being connected between said apron and said plate and communicating with said apron at its inlet end and with said intake opening at said plate to guide material to be shredded along a path from said apron through said intake opening into said chamber, said intake opening and duct being so shaped and positioned that said rotary blade will be inhibited from driving material fed into said chamber back towards the inlet end of said duct.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein said apron, intake duct, and intake opening are aligned to permit long objects to be inserted into said chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein said duct includes baffle means at the top of said duct shaped to maintain the cross-section of said duct substantially constant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein said duct includes reentry ramp means at the downstream side of said intake opening with respect to the direction of rotation of said rotary blade for deflecting air and particles deflected tangentially from said blade back into said chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 4, wherein said reentry ramp means comprises a curved wall of said duct extending substantially at an angle of 45* with respect to said plate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein said rotary blade, when it passes over said intake opening, has components of motion perpendicular to said path and in the direction of said path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 6, wherein said intake opening is wholly on the downstream side of the longitudinal axis of said chamber relative to the direction of rotation of said blade.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein said apron comprises a channel shaped section aligned with said duct, the top side of said section being open.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 8, wherein the upstream side of said apron with respect to the direction of rotation of said rotary blade diverges outwardly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1 wherein said intake opening is in the form of a portion of an annulus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 10, wherein said intake opening is on the opposite side of said chamber from said discharge opening.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 10, wherein said intake opening occuppies substantially one-fifth of said annulus.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 10, wherein said intake opening has a width approximately one-fifth the diameter of the blade.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 10, wherein said mower has an interior circular partition forming an annular volute and wherein the width of said intake opening is substantially equal to the width of said volute.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein said intake opening is at the rear side of said mower and said duct extends rearwardly of said mower.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein said intake opening is at the rear side of said mower and said duct extends forwardly of said mower from said intake opening.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, further comprising folding leg means for propping said mower with said apron in an elevated position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein said plate is flat.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein said plate is dished to provide clearance beneath said blade for objects to be shredded.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein said inlet end of said duct is rectangular in cross-section.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein at least one wall of said duct is curved and said duct includes baffle means to maintain a constant cross-section in said duct.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
A shredder attachment according to claim 1, wherein said mower has a pair of front wheels and a pair of back wheels, and wherein said duct and apron tilt one of said pairs of wheels off the ground, the other pair of wheels remaining on the ground so that said mower with the attachment secured thereto may be wheeled to a new position on said other pair of wheels.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-29 | 1979-03-31 | 1979-09-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-29 | 1983-03-31 | 1983-09-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-29 | 1987-03-31 | 1987-09-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |