Grass and leaf catching apparatus
First Claim
1. Grass catching apparatus for use with a mower towed by an implement having an operator'"'"'s station, said apparatus comprising:
- a container for receiving and holding grass clippings and the like, said container having a front end and an open back end for dumping of the container contents;
a wheel assembly supporting said container for movement along the ground;
means for mounting said container on said wheel assembly in a manner permitting the container to move about a generally horizontal pivot axis between a running position and a dumping position for dumping of the contents of said container through the back end thereof;
yieldable means for urging said container toward the dumping position;
releasable latch means for holding said container in the running position, said latch means automatically engaging upon movement of said container to the running position and being releasable to permit movement to the dumping position under the influence of said yieldable means;
means for connecting said container to the mower to be towed therewith by the implement;
a fan housing adapted for connection to the mower to receive grass clippings and the like therefrom;
a flexible conduit extending from said fan housing to said container to deliver grass clippings and the like therebetween;
fan means for drawing grass clippings and the like into said fan housing and forcing same through said conduit and into said container;
a dumping linkage coupled with said latch means and operable from the operator'"'"'s station to effect release of said latch means, whereby said container moves to the dumping position under the influence of said yieldable means;
a door on said container mounted thereon for hinged movement between open and closed positions wherein said back end of the container is opened and closed, respectively;
means for moving said door to the open position when said container is moved to the dumping position and to the closed position when said container is moved to the running position; and
a container raising linkage operable from the operator'"'"'s station to effect movement of said container from the dumping position to the running position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A grass catcher for receiving grass clippings and leaves from a rotary deck mower towed by a tractor. A fan driven by the mower forces the clippings through a flexible hose leading to a large capacity hopper. The hopper is mounted on a carriage having a single wheel. A parallel arm linkage permits the hopper to float up and down independently of the mower. When the rope is pulled from the tractor seat, the hopper is dumped to unload its contents. A rear door on the hopper is automatically opened when the hopper is dumped and is closed when the hopper is returned to its running position by pulling on another rope from the tractor seat.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. Grass catching apparatus for use with a mower towed by an implement having an operator'"'"'s station, said apparatus comprising:
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a container for receiving and holding grass clippings and the like, said container having a front end and an open back end for dumping of the container contents; a wheel assembly supporting said container for movement along the ground; means for mounting said container on said wheel assembly in a manner permitting the container to move about a generally horizontal pivot axis between a running position and a dumping position for dumping of the contents of said container through the back end thereof; yieldable means for urging said container toward the dumping position; releasable latch means for holding said container in the running position, said latch means automatically engaging upon movement of said container to the running position and being releasable to permit movement to the dumping position under the influence of said yieldable means; means for connecting said container to the mower to be towed therewith by the implement; a fan housing adapted for connection to the mower to receive grass clippings and the like therefrom; a flexible conduit extending from said fan housing to said container to deliver grass clippings and the like therebetween; fan means for drawing grass clippings and the like into said fan housing and forcing same through said conduit and into said container; a dumping linkage coupled with said latch means and operable from the operator'"'"'s station to effect release of said latch means, whereby said container moves to the dumping position under the influence of said yieldable means; a door on said container mounted thereon for hinged movement between open and closed positions wherein said back end of the container is opened and closed, respectively; means for moving said door to the open position when said container is moved to the dumping position and to the closed position when said container is moved to the running position; and a container raising linkage operable from the operator'"'"'s station to effect movement of said container from the dumping position to the running position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Grass catching apparatus for attachment to a wheel mounted mower towed by an implement, said apparatus comprising:
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a container for receiving and holding grass clippings and the like; a carriage having ground engaging wheel means supporting said container for movement along the ground; means for mounting said container on said carriage for movement of the container about a generally horizontal pivot axis between a running position and a dumping position for dumping of the container contents; door means on said container for opening same to permit dumping of the container contents in the dumping position; an upper tow arm having opposite ends, one end being pivoted to the mower and the other end being pivoted to said carriage; a lower tow arm having opposite ends, one end being pivoted to the mower and the other end being pivoted to said carriage; said upper and lower tow arms being substantially parallel to one another and connecting said carriage to the mower to be towed therewith by the implement in a manner permitting said container to move up and down relative to and independently of the mower when uneven terrain is traversed without impeding movement of the container on the carriage between the running and dumping positions; means for effecting movement of said container between the running and dumping positions; a fan housing connected to the mower at a location to receive grass clippings and the like therefrom; a conduit extending from said fan housing to said container to transfer grass clippings and the like therebetween; and fan means in said fan housing for drawing grass clippings and the like into said fan housing and transferring the clippings through said conduit into said container. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. Grass catching apparatus for use with a mower towed by an implement having an operator'"'"'s station, said apparatus comprising:
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a container for receiving and holding grass clippings and the like, said container having a front end and an open back end for dumping of the container contents; a wheel assembly supporting said container for movement along the ground; means for mounting said container on said wheel assembly in a manner permitting the container to move about a generally horizontal pivot axis between a running position and a dumping position for dumping of the contents of said container through the back end thereof; yieldable means for urging said container toward the dumping position; releasable container latch means for holding said container in the running position, said container latch means automatically engaging upon movement of said container to the running position and being releasable to permit movement to the dumping position under the influence of said yieldable means; means for connecting said container to the mower to be towed therewith by the implement; a fan housing adapted for connection to the mower to receive grass clippings and the like therefrom; a flexible conduit extending from said fan housing to said container to deliver grass clippings and the like therebetween; fan means for drawing grass clippings and the like into said fan housing and forcing same through said conduit and into said container; latch release means operable from the operator'"'"'s station to effect release of said latch means, whereby said container moves to the dumping position; a door on said container mounted thereon for hinged movement between open and closed positions wherein said back end of the container is opened and closed, respectively; releasable door latch means for holding said door in the closed position; linkage means connecting said container latch means and said door latch means in a manner to effect release of said container latch means and said door latch means in unison; means for moving said door to the open position when said container is moved to the dumping position and to the closed position when said container is moved to the running position; and spring means for applying a spring force on said container latch means and said door latch means to hold the container latch means and door latch means in the release conditions thereof when said container is in the dumping position, said spring means being arranged to gradually reduce said spring force as the container moves from the dumping position toward the running position, whereby each of said container latch means and said door latch means gradually moves from its release condition to its latching condition as said container moves from the dumping position to the running position.
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18. Grass catching apparatus for use with a mower towed by an implement having an operator'"'"'s station, said apparatus comprising:
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a container for receiving and holding grass clippings and the like, said container having a front end and an open back end for dumping of the container contents; a wheel assembly supporting said container for movement along the ground; means for mounting said container on said wheel assembly in a manner permitting the container to move about a generally horizontal pivot axis between a running position and a dumping position for dumping of the contents of said container through the back end thereof; yieldable means for urging said container toward the dumping position; releasable latch means for holding said container in the running position, said latch means automatically engaging upon movement of said container to the running position and being releasable to permit movement to the dumping position under the influence of said yieldable means; means for connecting said container to the mower to be towed therewith by the implement; a fan housing adapted for connection to the mower to receive grass clippings and the like therefrom; a flexible conduit extending from said fan housing to said container to deliver grass clippings and the like therebetween; fan means for drawing grass clippings and the like into said fan housing and forcing same through said conduit and into said container; latch release means operable from the operator'"'"'s station to effect release of said latch means, whereby said container moves to the dumping position; a door on said container mounted thereon for hinged movement between open and closed positions wherein said back end of the container is opened and closed, respectively; an expandable and collapsible linkage connected at one end with said container and at another end with the door, said linkage having an expanded condition wherein the door is in the open position and a collapsed condition wherein the door is in the closed condition; a flexible line having one end connected with said linkage; pulley means on said container receiving said line; and a flexible member having one end fixed to the mower and an opposite end fixed to said line at a location offet from said one end thereof, said flexible member and line being tensed as said container moves from the running position to the dumping position with the tension effecting the expanded condition of said linkage.
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Specification