Rear discharge mower deck

A mower deck for attachment to the traction frame of a lawn mower, which comprises:

• (a) a plurality of walls forming a downwardly opening space;
• (b) at least a pair of cutting blades positioned within the space to rotate in substantially horizontal cutting planes within the space defined by the walls to cut grass, the blades disposed laterally adjacent to one another within the space and the blades counter-rotating in opposite directions relative to one another;
• and
• (c) a flow deflector located within the space and positioned generally between the blades, the flow deflector having a pair of side surfaces that join along an apex, wherein the side surfaces of the flow deflector are inclined relative to vertical and the apex of the flow deflector faces upwardly within the space such that one side surface of the flow deflector intercepts a first air flow and grass clipping stream generated by one blade to redirect the first air flow and grass clipping stream upwardly within the space and the other side surface of the flow deflector intercepts a second air flow and grass clipping stream generated by the other counter-rotating blade to also redirect the second air flow and grass clipping stream upwardly within the space, and wherein the flow deflector is located within a forward portion of the downwardly opening space taken with respect to a forward direction of motion of the deck.

A mower deck for attachment to a traction frame of a lawn mower, which comprises:

• (a) a plurality of walls including at least a top wall forming a downwardly opening space;
• (b) at least a pair of cutting blades positioned within the space to rotate in substantially horizontal cutting planes within the space defined by the walls to cut grass, the blades disposed laterally adjacent to one another within the space and the blades counter-rotating in opposite directions relative to one another;
• and
• (c) a flow deflector located within the space and positioned generally between the blades, the flow deflector having only a substantially inverted V-shape formed by a pair of side surfaces that join along an apex, wherein the side surfaces of the flow deflector are inclined relative to vertical and the apex of the flow deflector faces upwardly within the space such that one side surface of the flow deflector intercepts a first air flow and grass clipping stream generated by one blade to redirect the first air flow and grass clipping stream upwardly within the space and the other side surface of the flow deflector intercepts a second air flow and grass clipping stream generated by the other counter-rotating blade to also redirect the second air flow and grass clipping stream upwardly within the space, wherein all of the flow deflector is positioned entirely within a lower portion of the space with a vertical, substantially unobstructed gap being provided between the flow deflector and the top wall which gap is clear of any other flow deflecting structures, wherein all of the flow deflector is spaced below the top wall along an entire length of the apex, and wherein the apex lies along an uppermost elevation on the flow deflector in every cross-section of the flow deflector taken in a plane perpendicular to the apex of the flow deflector.