Bagging assembly for a riding lawn mower

Details Bagging assembly for a riding lawn mower Bagging assembly for a riding lawn mower

1999-12-10

2001-05-08

Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)

Harvesters

Cutting and catching

Catchers

C056S016600

Reexamination Certificate

active

06226970

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a grass catcher assembly or bagging assembly for use at the rear end of a riding lawn mower.
2. Description of the Related Art
Grass catchers or bagger assemblies have long been used in conjunction with riding lawn mowers. In many instances, blower assemblies are mounted on the discharge side of the mower decks for blowing the grass clippings, leaves, etc., rearwardly and upwardly from the mower deck to a grass catcher or bagging assembly mounted on the rear of the mower. The deck discharge air contains large quantities of dust and debris, which are detrimental to the longevity of the mower should the same come into contact with the engine of the mower. In many of the bagging assemblies which are mounted on the rearward ends of mowers, a pivotal hood or cover is positioned over one or more bags. In certain of the prior art bagging assemblies, the deck discharge air escapes into the atmosphere between the upper ends of the bags and the lower end of the hood, with that discharge air and the debris associated therewith being directed onto the mower. Further, in those bagging assemblies described above, when the hood is pivotally moved to its open position so that the filled bags may be removed from the assembly, grass clippings, leaves, etc., fall between the hinged portion of the hood and its supporting structure onto the mower.
Further, in many of the bagging assemblies described above, the bags are constructed of a loose weave material so that air may pass therethrough as grass clippings are deposited therein with the result being that debris is discharged through the walls of the bag onto the mower.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A bagging assembly is provided for a riding lawn mower including a mower deck having a grass discharge conduit extending rearwardly and upwardly therefrom. The bagging assembly is secured to the rearward end of the lawn mower and includes a support structure for supporting a pair of grass bags thereon together with a hood which is selectively movably disposed above the bags. The support structure includes an elongated, horizontally disposed cross-beam having a bag-supporting framework secured thereto which extends rearwardly therefrom. The hood includes a front wall, a top wall, opposite side walls, an upstanding rear wall, and an open bottom defined by the lower ends of the front wall, opposite side walls, and rear wall, with the front wall of the hood being hingedly secured to the cross-beam to enable the hood to be hingedly moved between open and closed positions. An elongated, generally rectangular flexible hinge seal is secured to and extends between the cross-beam and the lower end of the front wall of the hood to seal the gap between the cross-beam and the lower end of the front wall of the hood to prevent debris from passing therebetween onto the mower. When the hood is in its closed position, the flexible hinge seal engages and overlies the front portions of the bags to aid in maintaining the bags in position and to prevent debris from passing forwardly over the forward ends of the bags when the hood is in its closed position. When the hood is moved to its open position, the flexible hinge seal moves upwardly and forwardly with respect to the bags to enable the bags to be removed from the supporting framework.
It is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved bagging assembly for a riding lawn mower.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a bagging assembly including a pair of bags supported upon a framework and having a hood positioned thereabove with the gap between the lower forward end of the hood and the bags being sealed by means of a flexible hinge seal.
Still another object of the invention to provide a hinge seal for use on a bagging assembly which prevents debris from falling onto the mower.
Still another object of the invention to provide a hinge seal for a bagging assembly which also aids in maintaining the bags in position when the hood is in its closed position.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.


REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 32954 (1989-06-01), Lamusga
patent: 3257788 (1966-06-01), Pirie
patent: 3722192 (1973-03-01), Corbett
patent: 4015406 (1977-04-01), Witt et al.
patent: 4522019 (1985-06-01), Edwards et al.
patent: 4589251 (1986-05-01), Amano et al.
patent: 4637202 (1987-01-01), Lamusga
patent: 4738088 (1988-04-01), Klever et al.
patent: 4903469 (1990-02-01), Murakawa et al.
patent: 4926624 (1990-05-01), Murakawa et al.
patent: 4969320 (1990-11-01), Langford
patent: 4984419 (1991-01-01), Sampei et al.
patent: 4989400 (1991-02-01), Wark
patent: 5042241 (1991-08-01), Boylston et al.
patent: 5107661 (1992-04-01), Shimamura
patent: 5243809 (1993-09-01), Redding
patent: 5875620 (1999-03-01), Goeke et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Bagging assembly for a riding lawn mower does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Bagging assembly for a riding lawn mower, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Bagging assembly for a riding lawn mower will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2571765