Abstract: The invention provides a lawn mower, which comprises a power assembly, a cutting blade driven by the power assembly, and a cover, wherein the cover comprises a main body, a rear cover pivotally connected to the rear of the main body, and a partition portion dividing the main body into a cutting cavity and a grass-collecting cavity, the partition portion comprising a baffle, the rear cover is selectively pivotal between an open position and a closed position. The baffle is driven by the rear cover.

Abstract: Apparatuses for and methods of moving the ends of windrows inward are disclosed. The apparatuses of the present invention include a front end, a rear end and two opposing sides, the front end configured to be wider than the rear end, two skids attached to the two opposing sides, a gate rotatably attached to the rear end and configured to cover an opening in the rear end, a gate cylinder operably attached to the gate and configured to close the gate to collect fruit and/or nuts within the apparatus, and open the gate to distribute the fruit and/or nuts outside of the apparatus, thus eliminating the need to hand rake the ends of the windrows inward or to blow the ends of the windrow inward with a hand blower.

Abstract: A grass collector adapted to be attached to a rear of a riding-type mower for receiving cut grass from a mower unit through a duct, the grass collector including a front container section having a rearwardly facing opening and adapted to be attached to the riding-type mower, the front container section carrying a first bottom plate having a substantially horizontal position. A rear container section is supported pivotably about a pivot point located in a rear upper region of the front container section and pivotable between a first position wherein the rear container section substantially covers the opening of the front container section and a second position pivoted from the first position to allow cut grass to fall, the rear container section having a second bottom plate having a substantially horizontal position.

Abstract: A vacuum system adapted for mounting to a riding lawn mower. The vacuum system includes a blower section removably mountable to the mower deck of the mower, a unit for delivering power from a drive system on the mower deck to a propeller within the blower section, a trailer section configured for towing behind the mower, a hitch system for connecting the trailer section to the rear of the mower, and a passage connecting the blower section to the trailer section and through which debris discharged by the mower deck is propelled into the hopper. The blower section has a housing that receives debris discharged from the mower deck and a device for propelling the debris through an outlet of the housing. The hitch system permits pivoting of the trailer section about lateral and fore-aft axes of the mower but not about a vertical axis, such that the trailer section remains aligned with the fore-aft axis of the mower when the mower is turning.

Abstract: A high-clearance dump system is described for use with a riding mower. A folding lift assembly lifts the catcher box up and away from the riding mower to allow dumping over and away from the walls of a truck or other receiving vehicle. The folding lift assembly interfolds into the dumping catcher assembly and the dump system mount assembly thus providing a low-profile when in the lowered position. A lift pivot arm, and lift control rods that are shorter than the lift pivot arm, cause the catcher frame to be tilted at an obtuse angle with respect to the lift pivot arm so that the back end of the catcher frame is higher than the front end of the catcher frame when the lift pivot arm is raised, thus providing high clearance. A power system provides power a switch box that switches power between a lift cylinder and a dump cylinder so that the catcher may be dumped in a raised, partially raised, or lowered position.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes a bearing frame, a grass cutting unit located beneath the bearing frame, a system for taking the grass clippings, a catcher for collecting the grass clippings located above the bearing frame, a duct for conveying the grass clippings from the system for taking the grass clippings to the catcher, a second frame arranged between the catcher and the bearing frame, wherein the second frame is hinged to the bearing frame so as to enable the catcher to assume a working configuration at which the catcher is lowered and an emptying configuration at which the catcher is raised with respect to the bearing frame.

Abstract: A lawn mower for transmitting grass clippings cut by a mower unit (4) to a grass catcher (32) through a grass collecting duct (31). The lawn mower includes a body frame (1), and a bracket unit (39) attached to a rear of the body frame (1). A gate frame (40) is provided for supporting the grass catcher (32) to be displaceable between a collecting posture with an opening of the grass catcher (32) opposed to the grass collecting duct (31), and a discharging posture with the opening directed downward. The gate frame (40) defines first connecting areas (50) for enabling connection to a lift link mechanism (47) for vertically moving the gate frame (40) relative to the body frame (1), and second connecting areas (60) for enabling direct connection to the bracket unit (39). The first connecting areas (50) have connecting pins (51) connectable to distal ends of swing arms (45) of the lift link mechanism (47) used according to circumstances.

Abstract: A dischargeable hopper system (10) for a vehicular apparatus is provided. The dischargeable hopper system (10) comprises a fixed assembly (100) including a front support portion (110) and a pair of opposing wing portions (120) extending transversely therefrom to delineate at least a portion of a storage compartment (150). The dischargeable hopper system (10) also comprises a movable assembly (200) releasably coupled to the fixed assembly (100) in pivotally displaceable manner. The movable assembly (200) is displaceable relative to the fixed assembly (100) between open and closed positions responsive to user manipulation of an actuation assembly (300) coupled thereto. The movable assembly (200) in its closed position encloses against the fixed assembly (100) at least a portion of the storage compartment (150), and in its open position opens the portion of the storage compartment (150) for autonomous content discharge therefrom.

Abstract: A grass catcher for receiving air and grass clippings from a mower cutter deck includes an inlet for admitting air and clippings into the grass catcher, an outlet port for exhausting air out of the grass catcher, and at least two cylindrical, perforate air filters interposed between the inlet and the outlet port. The filters separate grass clippings from the air and permit air to pass through the filters and on to the outlet port. The grass catcher also includes a wave form energy transmitter and a wave form energy receiver positioned in the grass catcher. The transmission of wave form energy between the transmitter and the receiver is interrupted when the level of accumulated grass clippings in the catcher exceeds a predetermined level. The interruption of the transmission triggers an alarm to alert an operator of the mower of the high clipping level within the catcher.

Abstract: A device for collecting and transporting organic material comprises a trailer chassis, collector frame, and collector bag. The trailer chassis has a double tongued hitch for connecting to a tractor and for preventing jackknifing. The collector frame can be folded so as to occupy minimum space when the device is not in use. The collector frame is hingedly connected to the trailer chassis so that the collector bag can be dumped by rotating the collector frame about the hinges. The collector frame is removable from the trailer chassis to make storage easy. The collector bag is constructed preferably from non-breathable fabric and has an exhaust vent in the top of the collector bag.

Abstract: A grass/lawn mower vehicle having a mower unit, and mechanism for transporting grass clippings cut by the mower unit through a suitable duct. The vehicle includes a grass catcher for collecting the grass clippings transported through the duct, a lid for opening and closing an opening of the grass catcher, a horizontal axis for connecting the grass catcher and the lid to be pivotable relative to each other, and a control mechanism for raising the grass catcher relative to the vehicle and swinging the grass catcher about the horizontal axis, thereby allowing the grass catcher to dump the grass clippings from an elevated position. The control mechanism includes a parallelogram link mechanism having one side thereof connected to the vehicle, and the other side connected to the lid, and an actuator for moving the link mechanism between a lower position and an upper position, and swinging the grass catcher when the link mechanism is in the upper position.

Abstract: A mower (100) has a collecting box (108,110;1) with the dual functions of collecting mown grass and distributing grass or other material over the ground. Thus the box has an outlet opening (12) which is closed or obstructed during grass collection. It may be an elongate opening which is obstructed by an elongate brush (2) or paddle (8) member which is rotatable when it is desired to discharge material. The box may have a mechanism such as a belt or other conveyor (10;11;12) for conveying material to the opening.

Abstract: A grass catcher is provided for mounting to a lawn mower. The grass catcher includes a generally frustum shaped side wall and opposed front and rear walls. An angularly inclined entrance chute is provided adjacent the front wall. The front wall includes an inclined portion which is angled relative to the axis of the grass catcher. The side wall is provided with a plurality of elongated slots extending circumferentially around the grass catcher. The rear wall of the grass catcher is hingedly attached to the side wall to facilitate emptying of the grass clippings therefrom.

Abstract: A mowed grass container for a mowing machine having a mower attached to a machine body through a hanging link mechanism for recovering mowed grass mowed by said mower to the mowed grass container attached to the machine body through conveying means comprising a shielding plate coupled to the machine body, an upper cover aligned in parallel above and below the side face of said shielding plate, and a lower mowed grass containing unit, said lower mowed grass containing unit being opened at the upper face thereof and at the face adjacent the shielding plate side. The grass container is detachably attached to said shielding plate through a pivot provided at position separated from said shielding plate so as to rotate about the pivot as a rotating center with the open face of the grass container being directed downwardly.

Abstract: An improved cart to be towed behind a riding lawn mower for collecting grass clippings, etc. therefrom and also which can be used for strict utility purposes. The cart has a tub-like open-top bed to which is secured a forward upward-extending wall having attached thereto a retractable canopy engagable with the rim of the bed to cover the same and which wall and canopy are readily detachable from the bed. The bed is pivotally mounted on a wheeled chassis for backward tilting for dumping its contents and return to normal position under the control of the operator of the mower while seated on the mower seat. The cart has a pair of ground engaging castor wheels and is detachably hitched to the mower by a construction which permits limited pivotal movement relative to the mower about a horizontal transverse axis and limited pivotal movement about a horizontal axis extending in the fore and aft direction but which prevents pivotal movement about a vertical axis.

Abstract: A collector cart includes a body having an open rear end, which is closed by a canopy pivotally mounted adjacent its front end on the body adjacent its front end. The body has a support pivotally connected to caster wheel supports and a tow bar attached to a riding lawn mower hitch bar. Telescoping chutes connect the mower outlet with a canopy port to fill the cart with debris. When the cart is to be dumped, a linkage mechanism is activated by an operator, who remains on the mower, raising a lift handle to initially cause rearward shifting of the canopy relative to the body to release a locking connection of the rear of the canopy to the rear of the body. The body is released from its tow bar at the same time so that continued raising of the lift handle by the operator causes the body to pivot to a dumping position while the canopy pivots away from the body due to a rope of a fixed length connecting the front of the canopy to the mower.

Abstract: A grass catcher assembly (2) for use on a lawn mower comprises a flexible bag (4). The bag (4) includes an open front side (14) and an open top side (16). A cover (40) is pivotally secured to bag (4) adjacent the rear wall (12). Cover (40) includes a chute (50) that has a frictional engagement with a bag frame (38) for securing cover (40) in place. When cover (40) is pivoted upwardly, grass can be dumped from bag (4) through both the open front and top sides (14) and (16) when bag (4) is tipped forwardly.

Abstract: A support for a rear mounted flexible grass catcher container is mounted directly to the mower body and is free to pivot back for clearing the container from the mower shroud, when necessary for service purposes, without disconnecting the support from the mower. The support pivot is disposed in a manner that the applied load from the grass catcher container causes a resulting moment which tends to hold the container rear support in operative position without the necessity of providing clamps or catches. In addition, the rear support serves as a barrier for the container preventing its engagement with the adjacent rear wheels of the mower.