# US 11,076,528 B2 · Mulching apparatus and related components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,076,528 B2 - Document ID: US11076528B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/898,497 - Filed: 2018-02-17 - Published: 2018-08-23 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-17 - Assignees: Tigercat International Inc. - Applicants: Tigercat International Inc. - Inventors: Robert Anthony Pentesco; Jacob Wheatley Fisher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076528B2 ## CPC - A01D 34/005: {Mulching means} - A01D 34/435: {Flail harvesters or mowers (cutting flails A01D34/535)} - A01G 3/002: {for comminuting plant waste} - B02C 13/2804: {the beater elements being rigidly connected to the rotor} - B02C 13/282: Shape or inner surface of mill-housings - B02C 13/30: Driving mechanisms - A01D 34/56: Driving mechanisms for the cutters - B02C 2013/2825: {with fastening means for fixing lining members to the inner surface of mill-housings} - B02C 2021/023: {for disintegrating material on the surface of the ground} - B02C 2201/066: for garden waste - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING - A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12) - B02C: CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING IN GENERAL; MILLING GRAIN ({household tools and machines for pulverising foodstuffs, e.g. coffee and spice mills A47J42/00; pharmaceutical mortars A61J3/02; mechanical processing of refuse and garbage B03B9/06; dressing mould materials by grinding B22C5/04}; obtaining metallic powder by crushing, grinding or milling B22F9/04; {recovery of plastics by disintegrating B29B17/00; crushing raw materials in starch making C08B30/02; beaters for papermaking D21D1/02; crushing devices specially for transport in mines E21F13/002; slag crushing devices F23J1/00; fuel milling devices in combustion apparatus F23K1/00; household devices for crushing coal F24B15/02; ice disintegrating devices F25C5/02}) ## Abstract A mulching apparatus including: a housing including a front opening and an inner wall; a rotor mounted in the front opening of the housing adjacent to the inner wall; and a liner mounting system for mounting a replaceable wear liner between the rotor and the inner wall, the liner mounting system including: an upper mounting provided at an upper edge of the inner wall, the upper mounting configured to releasably connect with the wear liner; and a lower mounting provided at a lower edge of the inner wall, the lower mounting configured to support the wear liner against the upper mounting and secure the wear liner to the inner wall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mulching apparatus comprising: a housing comprising a front opening and an inner wall; a rotor mounted in the front opening of the housing adjacent to the inner wall; a replaceable wear liner configured to be installed to and removed from the mulching apparatus while the rotor remains mounted in the front housing; and a liner mounting system for mounting the replaceable wear liner between the rotor and the inner wall, the liner mounting system comprising: an upper mounting provided at an upper edge of the inner wall, the upper mounting configured to releasably connect with the wear liner, the upper mounting comprising a top plate and an upper attachment mechanism securing the top plate to the upper edge of the inner wall; and a lower mounting provided at a lower edge of the inner wall, the lower mounting configured to support the wear liner against the upper mounting and secure the wear liner to the inner wall; wherein the top plate and the upper attachment mechanism are configured such that the wear liner can be slid between the top plate and the inner wall and held in place when the attachment mechanism is engaged. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A mulching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper attachment mechanism comprises a plurality of upper bolts that are arranged to match with slots cut into a liner top edge of the wear liner such that the slots of the wear liner can be slid against the bolts. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A mulching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower mounting comprises a bottom plate and a lower attachment mechanism configured such that the lower attachment mechanism removably secures the bottom plate and the wear liner to the inner wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A mulching apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lower attachment mechanism comprises a plurality of lower bolts that pass through the bottom plate, the wear liner, and the inner wall. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A mulching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper mounting and the lower mounting are configured to also act as a shearing or cutting element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A mulching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper mounting and the lower mounting comprises a plurality of sections wherein each section is separately removable from the inner wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A mulching apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each section is configured to be reversible such that an unworn side can be turned to be situated where a worn side was previously. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A mulching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wear liner comprises: a body configured to fit around the rotor of the mulching apparatus; a plurality of slots at an upper end of the body; and a flange provided at a lower end of the body and extending rearward from the body, the flange provided with a plurality of fastening holes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A mulching apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a chain assembly provided rearward from the rotor, the chain assembly comprising: a plurality of chains; a chain mounting plate comprising a plurality of chain holders, each of the plurality of chain holders configured to support an individual chain; and a chain support plate removably attached to the chain mounting plate to hold the plurality of chains on the chain holders of the chain mounting plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A mulching apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of chain holders comprise a plurality of holes configured to receive one or more links of each of the plurality of chains and support the plurality of chains in place.