AU2004201923B2 - Ride-on mowers and grass catchers for ride-on mowers - Google Patents

Abstract

A grass catcher for a ride-on mower having a cutter deck with an outlet for cut grass, the grass catcher including: a housing defining an elongate collection chamber in which 5 grass clippings may be collected, the housing having a leading end and a trailing end, an inlet opening towards the leading end for receiving grass clippings into the collection chamber, the inlet opening being adapted for communication with the outlet opening of the cutter deck of the mower to which the grass 10 catcher is to be mounted, and an outlet opening at the trailing end through which grass clippings may be discharged from the collection chamber; an outlet door mounted to said housing for up and down sliding movement between a closed position in which said door 15 closes said outlet opening and an open position in which said outlet opening is open and for forward and reverse pivoting movement from the open position to a rest position in which said door is remote from said outlet opening, and vice versa; and first connection means for connecting said housing to the 20 mower towards the leading end and second connection means for connecting said housing to the mower towards the trailing end. Ab -- t3

Description

P/00/01I Regulation 3.2 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: BARTLEM PTY LTD Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: AHEARN FOX Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys GPO Box 1149 Brisbane Queensland 4001 Invention Title: "RIDE-ON MOWERS AND GRASS CATCHERS FOR RIDE-ON MOWERS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: RIDE-ON MOWERS AND GRASS CATCHERS FOR RIDE-ON MOWERS This invention relates to ride-on mowers and grass catchers for ride-on mowers. 5 One known form of grass catcher for ride-on mowers is described and illustrated in our Australian Patent No. 751405. While that grass catcher is satisfactory for large ride-on mowers, it does have some drawbacks for small ride-on mowers. For example, that catcher is more difficult to mount to the mower 10 than desired and once mounted it is also more difficult to empty than desired, particularly for a small man or a woman. Additionally, the rear door for emptying grass clippings is more difficult to open and close than desired. Further, the grass catcher shown in patent No. 751405 is undesirably expensive to 15 manufacture, especially for smaller ride-on mowers. The present invention is aimed at ameliorating the aforementioned drawbacks and providing grass catchers which can be manufactured at a lower cost than those previously mentioned. With the foregoing in view, the invention in one aspect 20 resides broadly in a grass catcher for a ride-on mower having a cutter deck with an outlet for cut grass, the grass catcher including: a housing defining an elongate collection chamber in which grass clippings may be collected, the housing having a leading 25 end and a trailing end, an inlet opening towards the leading end for receiving grass clippings into the collection chamber, the inlet opening being adapted for communication with the outlet opening of the cutter deck of the mower to which the grass catcher is to be mounted, and an outlet opening at the trailing 30 end through which grass clippings may be discharged from the collection chamber; an outlet door mounted to said housing for up and down sliding movement between a closed position in which said door closes said outlet opening and an open position in which said 35 outlet opening is open and forward and reverse pivoting movement from the open position to a rest position in which said door is remote from said.outlet opening and vice versa; and -2 first connection means for connecting said housing to the mower towards the leading end and second connection means for connecting said housing to the mower towards the trailing end. Preferably, said housing includes a track on which said 5 outlet door slides. In such form it is preferred that said outlet door includes an end panel and one or more carriages pivotally connected thereto and said carriages are adapted to slide on said track. It is also preferred that stop means be provided for preventing said carriages from sliding beyond the open position. 10 Preferably, said stop means include one or more protuberances adapted to engage with an upper wall of said housing when said outlet door is in the open position. In another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a grass catcher for a ride-on mower having a chassis and a cutter deck 15 suspended from the chassis, said cutter deck having an outlet for cut grass, the grass catcher including: a housing defining an elongate collection chamber in which grass clippings may be collected, the housing having a leading end and a trailing end, an inlet opening towards the leading end 20 for receiving grass clippings into the collection chamber, the inlet opening being adapted for communication with the outlet opening of the cutter deck of the mower to which the grass catcher is to be mounted, and an outlet opening at the trailing end through which grass clippings may be discharged from the 25 collection chamber; an outlet door mounted to said housing for opening and closing said outlet opening; and first connection means for connecting said housing to the mower towards the leading end and second connection means for 30 connecting said housing to the mower towards the trailing end, said second connection means being adapted to connect said housing to a support bar extending outwardly from the mower chassis transverse to the forward direction of travel and including one or more forwardly open hooks attached to said 35 housing and adapted to receive the support bar therein for supporting said housing towards the trailing end.

-3 In another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a grass catcher for a ride-on mower having a chassis and a cutter deck suspended from the chassis, said cutter deck having an outlet for cut grass, the grass catcher including: 5 a housing defining an elongate collection chamber in which grass clippings may be collected, the housing having a leading end and a trailing end, an inlet opening towards the leading end for receiving grass clippings into the collection chamber, the inlet opening being adapted for communication with the outlet 10 opening of the cutter deck of the mower to which the grass catcher is to be mounted, and an outlet opening at the trailing end through which grass clippings may be discharged from the collection chamber; an outlet door mounted to said housing for opening and 15 closing said outlet opening; and first connection means for connecting said housing to the cutter deck of the mower towards the leading end and second connection means for connecting said housing to the chassis of the mower towards the trailing end, said second connection means 20 being adapted to allow connection and disconnection of said housing to the mower chassis by forward and reverse movement of said housing relative to the chassis and said first connection means being adapted to allow connection and disconnection of said housing to the cutter deck by up and down movement of the leading 25 end of said housing and pivoting movement of said housing about said trailing end for discharging grass clippings from said collection chamber through said outlet opening while said outlet door is open. In another aspect, the invention resides broadly in the 30 combination of a grass catcher and a leading end mounting assembly and a trailing end mounting assembly for mounting the grass catcher to a ride-on mower having a chassis and a cutter deck suspended from the chassis with an outlet for cut grass, the grass catcher including a housing defining an elongate collection 35 chamber in which grass clippings may be collected, the housing having a leading end and a trailing end, an inlet opening towards -4 the leading end for receiving grass clippings into the collection chamber, the inlet opening being adapted for communication with the outlet opening of the cutter deck of the mower to which the grass catcher is to be mounted, and an outlet opening at the 5 trailing end through which grass clippings may be discharged from the collection chamber and an outlet door mounted to said housing for opening and closing said outlet opening, the leading end mounting assembly including a bracket adapted to be mounted to the cutter deck and having a pin extending upwardly therefrom and 10 adapted to slidably and releasably engage with a complementary aperture in said housing or said bracket having an aperture therein and said housing having a complementary pin extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to slidably and releasably engage with said aperture in said bracket, the trailing end 15 mounting assembly including a support bar adapted to be releasably connected to the mower chassis and to extend outwardly from the mower chassis transverse to the forward direction of travel and adapted to engage with one or more forwardly open hooks attached to said housing. 20 In another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a grass catcher for a ride-on mower having a chassis and a cutter deck suspended from the chassis, said cutter deck having an outlet for cut grass, the grass catcher including: a housing having a bottom wall, spaced apart first and 25 second side walls extending upwards from said bottom wall generally at right angles to said bottom wall and being joined by a top wall, said bottom wall and said top wall diverging towards the trailing end away from a front wall at the leading end to define a collection chamber in which grass clippings may 30 be collected and terminating in a rectangular outlet opening at the trailing end, an inlet opening in said first side wall adjacent the front end for receiving grass clippings into the collection chamber, said inlet opening being adapted for communication with the 35 outlet opening of the cutter deck of the mower to which the grass catcher is to be mounted, and a deflector panel in said chamber -5 opposite said inlet opening, one edge of said deflector panel engaging with said bottom wall, one edge with said end wall and one edge with said second side wall. Preferably, said side walls also diverge away from said front wall towards said trailing end. 5 It is also preferred that said deflector panel be generally triangular in shape. In another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a ride on mower having a chassis and a cutter deck suspended from the chassis with an outlet for cut grass and a grass catcher mounted 10 to the cutter deck at its leading end by a leading end mounting assembly and at its trailing end by a trailing end mounting assembly, the grass catcher including a housing defining an elongate collection chamber in which grass clippings may be collected, an inlet opening towards the leading end in 15 communication with the outlet in the cutter deck for receiving grass clippings into the collection chamber, and an outlet opening at the trailing end through which grass clippings may be discharged from the collection chamber and an outlet door mounted to said housing for opening and closing said outlet opening, the 20 leading end mounting assembly including a bracket adapted to be mounted to the cutter deck and having a pin extending upwardly therefrom and adapted to slidably and releasably engage with a complementary aperture in said housing or said bracket having an aperture therein and said housing having a complementary pin 25 extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to slidably and releasably engage with said aperture in said bracket, the trailing end mounting assembly including a support bar adapted to be releasably connected to the mower chassis and to extend outwardly from the mower chassis transverse to the forward 30 direction of travel and adapted to engage with one or more forwardly open hooks attached to said housing. Preferably, said hooks are formed from sheet metal as a single bracket which is welded, bolted or riveted to the bottom wall of the housing. 35 Terms such as "leading", "trailing", "forward", "rear", "up", "down", "top", "bottom" and the like used herein are with -6 reference to the ride-on mower in its normal in use attitude and are not intended to limit use of the invention to any particular orientation. In order that the invention may be more readily understood 5 and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of a ride-on mower and grass catcher according to the invention with the catcher 10 shown remote from the mower; FIG. 2a to 2c are side elevations of the grass catcher shown in Fig. 1 in three stages of connecting it to the ride on mower shown in Fig. 1; FIG. 3 is a detailed side elevation of the grass catcher 15 shown in Fig. 1 from the other side; FIG. 4 is a development plan for the grass catcher shown in Fig. 1 with orthographic views of the housing when folded; FIG. 5 is a trailing end elevation of the track on which the outlet door of the grass catcher shown in Fig. 1 is adapted 20 to slide with the catcher mounting hooks attached; FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the track shown in Fig. 5; FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the mounting hooks shown in Figs. 5 and 6; FIG. 8 is a trailing end elevation of the mounting hooks 25 shown in Fig. 7; FIG. 9 is a plan view of a blank of sheet metal from which the mounting hooks of Fig. 7 are formed; FIG. 10 is a pictorial representation of the discharge end part of the grass catcher shown in Fig. 1 with the outlet 30 door in line for assembly; FIG. 11 is a pictorial representation of the discharge end part of the grass catcher shown in Fig. 1 with the outlet door closed; FIG. 12 is a pictorial representation of the discharge end 35 part of the grass catcher shown in Fig. 1 with the outlet door in the open position ready for movement to the rest -7 position; FIG. 13 is a trailing end elevation of the outlet door of the catcher shown in Fig. 1; FIG. 14 is a side elevation of the door shown in Fig. 13; 5 FIG. 15 is a pictorial representation of the rear end of the ride-on mower shown in Fig. 1 with one part of the trailing mounting bracket bolted to the chassis and one part in line for assembly; FIG. 16 is a trailing end elevation of the trailing end 10 mounting assembly for the catcher shown in part in Fig. 1; FIG. 17 is a side elevation of the trailing end mounting assembly shown in Fig. 16; FIG. 18 is a plan view of the trailing end mounting assembly shown in Fig. 16; 15 FIG. 19 is a pictorial representation of the catcher and shown in Fig. 1 with the components of the catcher and related components in line for assembly. FIG. 20 is a side elevation of the carriage shown in Fig. 19; 20 FIG. 21 is an end elevation of the carriage of Fig. 20; and FIG. 22 is a development plan of the carriage of Fig. 20. The ride-on mower 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 has a chassis 11 and a cutter deck 12 suspended from the chassis with an outlet 13 provided in the cutter deck for discharging cut grass (or 25 grass clippings) into a catcher 16 which is adapted to be connected to the mower towards its leading end 17 and towards its trailing end 18 as will be described more fully later. The catcher includes a housing 21 having a bottom wall 21a, two spaced apart side walls 21b and 21c extending upwardly from 30 the bottom wall at right angles and being joined by a top wall 21d, the four walls diverging from the leading end 17 to the trailing end 18 from the front wall 21e to define a collection chamber 22 and terminating at the trailing end in a rectangular outlet opening 23. An inlet opening 24 is provided in the inner 35 side wall 21b adjacent the front wall while a venting panel 21f is provided in the outer side wall towards the trailing end. As -8 can be seen in Fig. 4, the top wall and the two side walls are folded from one sheet with a return on each edge and the bottom sheet is welded and/or riveted to the two returns. The edges of the two side walls and the top wall are supported by a piece of 5 round steel bar extending thereabout to form a generally U-shaped frame 27 to which the three walls are welded. The frame also provides a track for an outlet door which will be described later. A trailing end mounting bracket 28 is welded along its length to the bottom wall and also to the frame 27 at its ends 10 and includes two U-shaped hook portions 29 which open downwardly to provide an entry 25 for a support bar 35 which extends outwardly from the rear end of the mower chassis transverse to the direction of travel as will be described in more detail later. A blank for the bracket 28 is shown in Fig. 9. 15 Advantageously, the frame 27 provides a substantial connection for the bracket 28 to the two side walls of the housing. A generally triangular shaped deflector panel 21g is fitted in the collection chamber 22 at the leading end and engages along one edge with the outer side wall 21c, along another edge with the 20 leading end wall 21e and along the third edge with the bottom wall 21a to direct incoming air and entrained grass clippings towards the trailing end of the catcher. The deflector panel has a return on each edge for mounting purposes and reference to the edges of the deflector panel is reference to the "edge" defined 25 by the fold lines along which the returns are folded. Advantageously, the catcher housing is manufactured from a single sheet of sheet metal and the deflector panel is simply formed by cutting the blank to size and folding the returns thus reducing manufacturing costs. 30 The support bar 35 is part of a trailing end mounting assembly 30 shown in part in Fig. 15 and in more detail in Figs. 16 to 18. The assembly includes a first part 31 comprising a mounting bracket 32 which is bolted to the rear end of the mower chassis by bolts 34 and a sleeve portion 33 formed from SHS 35 (square hollow section) which is welded to the bracket and extends generally vertically therefrom, and a second part 36 -9 which has a pin 37 also of SHS adapted to engage in the sleeve 33. The support bar 35 is constructed of spring steel and extends outwardly from the square pin and is welded thereto. The support bar when mounted extends rearwardly and downwardly to avoid the 5 back tyre of the mower and then almost horizontally and transverse to the direction of travel for supporting the catcher on the horizontal portion. As can be seen in Fig. 16, the portion which is referred to as the horizontal portion is inclined upwardly away from the mower when the catcher is not fitted and 10 becomes generally horizontal in use under the weight of the catcher and the grass clippings therein. Advantageously, the second part can be easily disconnected from the first part by simply sliding the square pin out of the sleeve for use of the mower without a catcher. 15 The leading end of the catcher is supported by a pin 38 which engages in a complementary aperture 39 provided in a bracket 40 which is bolted to the cutter deck above the outlet 13 as can be seen more clearly in Fig. 19. As can be seen in Figs. 10 to 14 the grass catcher includes 20 an outlet door 41 which has a trailing end wall panel 41a and two opposed side panels 41b and 41c extending forwardly therefrom at right angles and a top panel 41d also extending forwardly from the end panel at right angles but having a return 41e extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to engaged about the top portion 25 of the frame 27. Two opposed lugs 42 and 43 are welded to the side walls 41b and 41c and extend forwardly therefrom and sliding carriages 44 and 46 (mirror images of each other) are to be mounted thereon by identical pivot pins 47. The carriages are generally U-shaped members having a channel portion adapted to 30 engage about the vertical portions of the frame 27 and to slide therealong and a lug extending from the channel portion for mounting on the pivot pins so as to allow the door to pivot relative to the carriages as can be more clearly understood from Fig. 19. In use, when the outlet door is closed, the carriages 35 are located on the frame 27 towards its lower end and hold the lower end of the door closed against the frame while the top wall -10 portion 41d engages with the top portion of the frame 27 thereby holding the top end of the door in the closed position. When the driver wishes to discharge the grass clippings in the collection chamber, he lifts the door upwardly by the handle 45 and as the 5 pivot pins 47 approach the top of the frame, the stop bolts 48 in holes 49 engage with the inner face of the top wall 21d thereby preventing further upward movement and he can pull the door forward whereupon it can be allowed to lie on the top wall 21d of the housing. The leading end of the catcher can then be 10 lifted to free the pin 38 from the bracket 40 and the driver can continue to lift the leading end of the catcher thereby pivoting the catcher about the support bar 35 whereupon the grass clippings will fall from the catcher through the outlet opening 23. Advantageously, emptying of the grass catcher can be 15 accomplished from the drivers seat. If desired, the outlet door can be left in the open position whereupon grass clippings will be discharged through the outlet opening 23 while mowing is in progress. Such form of discharge will create a spread of clippings there by mulching the lawn. 20 It will be appreciated that connection and disconnection of the grass catcher to the mower can be done without any heavy lifting as with other types of catchers. The driver can simply fit the trailing end mounting assembly to the mower then drive the mower into position adjacent the catcher, then lift the 25 trailing end and drag it into position to fit the hooks onto the support bar and then lift the leading end into position and engage the pin 38 in the aperture 39. While the forgoing description has been given by way of illustrated example of the invention, it will be understood that 30 the invention may be embodied in many other forms and all such forms are deemed to fall within the board scope and ambit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. A grass catcher for a ride-on mower having a cutter deck with an cutlet for cut grass, the grass catcher including: a housing defining an elongate collection chamber in which 5 grass clippings may be collected, the housing having a leading end and a trailing end, an inlet opening towards the leading end for receiving grass clippings into the collection chamber, the inlet opening being adapted for communication with the outlet opening of the cutter deck of the mower to which the grass catcher is to 10 be mounted, and an cutlet opening at the trailing end through which grass clippings may be discharged from the collection chamber; an outlet door mounted to said housing for up and down sliding movement between a closed position in which said door closes said outlet opening and an open position in which said outlet opening 15 is open and for forward and reverse pivoting movement from the open position to a rest position in which said door is remote from said outlet opening, and vice versa; and first connection means for connecting said housing to the mower towards the leading end and second connection means for 20 connecting said housing to the mower towards the trailing end.

2. A grass catcher according to Claim 1, including a track on which said outlet door slides. 25

3. A grass catcher according to Claim 2, wherein said outlet door includes an end panel and one or more carriages pivotally connected thereto and said carriages are adapted to slide on said track.

4. A grass catcher according to Claim 3, including stop means 30 for preventing said carriages from sliding beyond the open position.

5. A grass catcher according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said housing has a bottom wall, spaced apart first and second side walls cBAR1]37and21Junc201 I -12 extending upwards from said bottom wall and being joined by a top wall to define a collection chamber in which grass clippings may be collected and terminating in a rectangular outlet opening at the trailing end. 5

6. A grass catcher according to Claim 5, wherein said outlet door is substantially rectangular in shape and said carriages are pivotally mounted to said end panel towards its lower end. 10

7. A grass catcher according to Claim 5, wherein said track includes a piece of rod or bar stock or the like extending substantially along opposite sides of said outlet opening.

S. A grass catcher according to Claim 7, wherein said piece of 15 rod or bar stock or the like extends fully about said outlet opening.

9. A grass catcher according to Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein said stop means include one or more protuberances adapted to engage with 20 the upper wall of said housing when said outlet door is in the open position.

10. A grass catcher as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 25

11. A ride-on mower having a grass catcher as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. cBAR10137andZIJune201 1