Storage box for mower clippings
AssigneeExcel Industries, Inc.
InventorsDavid L. Mullet, Raymond J. Rilling, Elmer D. Voth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A storage box for the clippings of a lawnmower consisting of a normally covered box adapted to be mounted on the mower vehicle and to receive grass cuttings and the like of the mower until it is full, and a power mechanism operable when actuated to first raise the box until its pouring lip is higher than the receiving box of a disposal vehicle, such as the bed of a pick-up truck, and transport it horizontally until its pouring lip is over the truck bed, and then to uncover the box and tilt it to pour its contents over its lip into the truck bed.
Claims6
In combination with a lawnmower vehicle comprising a mowing machine and means operable to deliver clippings cut by said mowing machine through a suitable conduit:
- a. a box for receiving said clippings carried by said vehicle for elevation from a horizontal base position relative to said vehicle, and for tilting movement on a horizontal axis to dump its contents,
- b. means interconnecting said conduit to said box whereby to deliver said clippings thereto, and
- c. operating means operable when actuated first to elevate said box relative to said vehicle, whereby to permit the contents of said box to be dumped into a higher disposal vehicle, and then to tilt said box on its horizontal axis, whereby to dump its contents into said disposal vehicle, said operating means comprising upwardly extensible slide members carried by said mower vehicle, said box being pivoted on a horizontal axis to the upper ends of said slides, means limiting the upward movement of said slides, support members carried by said box and normally engaging said slides to support said box in a horizontal position, a crank carried pivotally by said mower vehicle and operable when turned in one direction to apply upward pressure to said box in spaced relation from its pivotal connection to said slides, but with a lesser moment arm relative to the box pivots than the box itself has to its pivots, whereby initial movement of said crank functions to elevate said box by extending said slides, but without tilting said box, until said slides reach the upper limit of their movement, and only then functions to pivot said box to dump its contents, and power means operable to turn said crank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.