Abstract: The rear wheels of a rotary mower are driven off the blade shaft by a compact and cylindrical speed reducer mounted directly on the rear wheels drive axle. The speed reducer is drive connected to the blade shaft by a variable pulley-belt system to provide an adjustment in the speed of the mower along the ground, whereas start and stop of the mower is controlled by a wrap-around spring type clutch on the speed reducer.

Abstract: A walk-behind rotary lawn mower having a sliding drawer type grass catcher box mounted directly on the rear part of the deck behind the engine and between the U-shaped handle and rear wheels. A cover fixedly mounted on the handle closes the top of the box. A vertical tube carries the cut grass-air mix from below the mower deck up to against the cover. The cover is provided with an integral arcuate chute for causing the cut grass-air mix to swirl around in the box so the grass can fall by gravity into the box. The tube, cover and box are a closed air system and the air is exhausted to the atmosphere through vents in the cover which face in directions away from a user positioned behind the mower. The tube, cover and box are constructed from air impermeable plastic, and the box can be lined with a conventional store-bought throwaway type plastic garbage or leaf collecting bag.