Mulcher attachment for rotary power mower

• US 4,083,166 A
• Filed: 10/20/1976
• Issued: 04/11/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jr.; Walter Russel Betenbaugh
• Original Assignee: Jr.; Walter Russel Betenbaugh
• Inventors: Haas, Phil
• Primary Examiner(s): Kinsey, Russell R.
• Application Number:
  US05/734,252
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 56/295, 56/255, 56/13.7, 56/13.4, 56/12.8, 56/501, 56/503
• US Class Current: 56/13.7
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/005 Mulching means
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/73 Cutting apparatus

Abstract

A mulcher attachment for use with a rotary mower for shredding and mulching the clippings produced during operation of the mower. The mulcher attachment comprises a circular disc mounted on the drive shaft of the rotary mower for rotation alongside the mower blade. A plurality of relatively large openings are provided at spaced locations around the disc with an upwardly extending impeller blade adjacent each of the openings and serving for inducing a flow of air upwardly through the openings as the disc rotates while drawing clippings, leaves and other waste therewith. A series of shredder blades are integrally formed along the peripheral edge of the disc and have cutting edges extending above the upper surface of the disc adapted for shredding and mulching the clippings, leaves and other waste as these materials are cast centrifugally outwardly during rotation of the disc. A cutting edge may also be provided along the uppermost edge of each impeller blade for cutting and shredding the materials drawn upwardly through the openings during rotation of the disc.

Claims

1. A mulcher attachment for use with a rotary mower for shredding and mulching clippings and leaves during operation of the mower, said mulcher attachment comprising

a circular disc having a centrally located mounting hole for securement of the disc to the drive shaft of a rotary mower for rotation alongside the mower cutting blade,

a plurality of relatively large openings at spaced locations around the disc,

a plurality of impeller blades extending upwardly from the disc and adapted for inducing a flow of air upwardly through said openings as the disc rotates while drawing clippings and leaves therewith, and

a series of shredder blades integrally formed along the peripheral edge of the disc and having cutting edges extending above the upper surface of the disc adapted for shredding and mulching the clippings and leaves cast centrifugally outwardly during rotation of the disc.

2. The mulcher attachment according to claim 1 wherein said impeller blades are integrally formed from the material of said disc along one edge of each respective opening.

3. The mulcher attachment according to claim 2 wherein said impeller blades are located along the rotationally trailing edge of each respective opening and extend angularly upwardly in a rotationally rearward direction.

4. The mulcher attachment according to claim 3 wherein uppermost portions of said impeller blades have portions thereof which extend in the forward rotational direction and define a cutting edge for cutting and shredding the clippings and leaves drawn upwardly through the openings.

5. The mulcher attachment according to claim 2 wherein the rotationally trailing edge of each of said openings extends along a line parallel to a radius of the disc and rotationally rearwardly offset therefrom, and wherein said impeller blades are formed of material of the disc struck out from said openings and bent angularly upwardly along said line.

6. The mulcher attachment according to claim 1 wherein said disc has a series of slots therein extending from the peripheral edge of the disc and angularly inwardly therefrom in the rearward rotational direction, and wherein said shredder blades comprise upstanding generally triangular segments defined by upturned portions of the disc located adjacent said slots.

7. A mulcher attachment for use with a rotary mower for shredding and mulching clippings and leaves during operation of the mower, said mulcher attachment comprising

a circular disc having a centrally located mounting hole for securement of the disc to the drive shaft of a rotary mower for rotation alongside the mower cutting blade,

a plurality of relatively large openings at spaced locations around the disc,

an elongate impeller blade integrally formed with said disc from the material struck out from each of said openings, each said blade extending angularly upwardly in a rotationally rearward direction from a bend along the rotationally trailing edge of the respective opening, and each said blade being adapted for inducing a flow of air upwardly through the respective opening as the disc rotates while drawing clippings and leaves therewith, and

a bend formed in each said impeller blade adjacent the upper extremity thereof with portions of the blade extending therefrom in a rotationally forward direction, the uppermost edge of said blade being positioned rotationally forwardly of said bend and defining a cutting edge for cutting and shredding the clippings and leaves drawn upwardly through the openings during rotation of the disc.

8. A mulcher attachment for use with a rotary mower for shredding and mulching clippings and leaves during operation of the mower, said mulcher attachment comprising

a circular disc having a centrally located mounting hole to permit securing the disc to the drive shaft of a rotary mower for rotation alongside the mower cutting blade,

a plurality of relatively large openings of substantially equal size provided at uniformly spaced locations around the disc,

an upturned elongate impeller blade integrally formed from said disc along the rotationally trailing edge of each of said openings and adapted for inducing a flow of air upwardly through the openings as the disc rotates while drawing clippings and leaves therewith,

a series of slots extending from the peripheral edge of the disc and angularly inwardly therefrom in the rearward rotational direction, and

respective peripheral shredder blades defined by angularly upturned peripheral portions of the disc located adjacent said slots, said blades having cutting edges located above the upper surface of the disc adapted for shredding and mulching the clippings and leaves cast centrifugally outwardly during the rotation of the disc.

9. The mulcher attachment according to claim 8 wherein the rotationally trailing edge of each of said openings is offset rotationally rearwardly from a radius of the disc drawn parallel to said edge, and said upturned impeller blades are formed of material of the disc struck out from said openings and bent angularly upwardly and rearwardly along said rotationally trailing edge of the opening, uppermost portions of said impeller blades having a bend therein and extending in the forward rotational direction and defining a cutting edge for cutting and shredding the clippings and leaves drawn upwardly through the openings.

10. In a rotary mower of the type having an enclosed blade housing, a vertically disposed rotatable drive shaft extending into said blade housing, and an elongate mower blade carried by said drive shaft for rotation in said blade housing, the combination therewith of a mulcher attachment for shredding and mulching clippings and leaves during operation of the mower, said mulcher attachment comprising

a circular disc mounted on said drive shaft for rotation in the blade housing alongside the mower blade, said disc having a diameter less than the length of said mower blade so that the end portions of the mower blade protrude beyond the periphery of the disc,

a plurality of relatively large openings at spaced locations around the disc,

an upwardly extending impeller blade adjacent each of said relatively large openings an adapted for inducing a flow of air upwardly through the opening as the disc rotates while drawing clippings and leaves therewith into an area between the disc and the blade housing, and

a series of shredder blades integrally formed along the peripheral edge of the disc and having cutting edges extending above the upper surface of the disc adapted for shredding and mulching the clippings and leaves cast centrifugally outwardly during the rotation of the disc.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein said disc is mounted above said mower blade with the lower surface of the disc engaging the upper surface of the mower blade.

12. In a rotary mower of the type having an enclosed blade housing, a vertically disposed rotatable drive shaft extending into said blade housing, and an elongate mower blade carried by said blade shaft for rotation in said blade housing, the combination therewith of a mulcher attachment for shredding and mulching clippings and leaves during operation of the mower, said attachment comprising

a circular disc mounted on said dirve shaft for rotation in the blade housing alongside the mower blade, said disc having a diameter less than the length of said mower blade so that end portions of the mower blade protrude beyond the periphery of the disc,

a plurality of relatively large openings at spaced locations around the disc,

an elongate impeller blade integrally formed with said disc from the material struck out from each of said openings, each said impeller blade extending angularly upwardly in a rotationally rearward direction from a bend along the rotationally trailing edge of the respective opening, and each said blade being adapted for inducing a flow of air upwardly through the respective opening as the disc rotates while drawing clippings and leaves therewith, and

a bend formed in each said impeller blade adjacent the upper extremity thereof with portions of the blade extending therefrom in a rotationally forward direction, the uppermost edge of said blade being positioned rotationally forwardly of said bend and defining a cutting edge for cutting and shredding the clippings and leaves drawn upwardly through the openings during rotation of the disc.