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US 2016/0014962 A1Published application
Mower with attachment having a hopper and conveyor assembly
AssigneeGreen Industry Innovators, L.L.C.
InventorSteffon L. Hoppel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a mower having a removable mower deck, and a removable attachment which includes a hopper and conveyor assembly for discharging particulate material from the hopper. The attachment and mower deck may be mounted on the frame of the unit together or separately. The attachment may be configured for rapid mounting and dismounting on the frame of the mower.
Claims21
An outdoor power equipment unit comprising:
- a frame including a front end and a rear end defining a longitudinal direction therebetween, a left side and a right side defining an axial direction therebetween;
- a mower deck mounted to the frame in a mounting space, the mower deck including a discharge chute for discharging yard clippings carried by air currents generated by the mower deck;
- a hopper mounted on the frame above the mounting space;
- and
- a discharge pipe coupling the mower deck to the hopper, the discharge pipe connected to the discharge chute at a pipe intake end and connected to the hopper at a pipe outlet end;
- wherein the discharge pipe defines a discharge pathway extending from the pipe intake end to the pipe outlet end, wherein yard clippings move along the discharge pathway into the hopper.
3 more elements
A method for moving yard clippings comprising the steps of:
- generating yard clippings carried by air current from a mower deck mounted on an outdoor power equipment unit;
- wherein air current carries the yard clippings out from a discharge chute on the mower deck;
- wherein air current carries the yard clippings along a discharge pathway defined by a discharge pipe from a pipe intake end to a pipe outlet end, the pipe intake end connected to the discharge chute;
- wherein air current carries the yard clippings from the pipe outlet end into an interior chamber defined by a hopper mounted to the outdoor power equipment unit above the mower deck;
- wherein air current carrying the yard clippings passes through a screen atop the hopper, wherein the screen prevents yard clippings from passing therethrough such that the yard clippings remain in the interior chamber of the hopper;
- and
- discharging the yard clippings from the hopper with a conveyor assembly.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.