Grass mower improvement

In combination with a lawn mower of the type which is designed to be moved over the ground and wherein clippings are propelled through an exit port, a disposable bag mounting apparatus coupled to receive the clippings propelled from the exit port and hold a disposable bag, comprising:

• means coupled to the exit port for guiding the clippings to an elevated position on the mower;
• a sling sized and shaped for receiving the disposable bag, said sling having an upper area defining an upward facing opening and a bottom portion and said sling being substantially open to one horizontal direction when in its operational position and in its unloading position so that a filled disposable bag may be moved out of said sling in that direction and through said open side;
• means for releasably securing the disposable bag with its open end positioned in an upwardly opening configuration at said upward facing opening of the upper area of said sling with the disposable bag's main closed body depending downward in said sling;
• means for mounting said sling and the disposable bag therein in an operational position to said mower wherein the open end of the bag is under said elevated position so as to receive clippings propelled by the mower during operation through the exit port to said elevated position into said disposable bag in said sling, wherein the clippings are collected and held, said means for mounting said sling also supporting said sling when in this operational position such that the bottom of said sling clears the ground in normal use, said mounting means further allowing the bottom of said sling to be selectively lowered to the ground to assume an unloading position such that the disposable bag may be unloaded therefrom by rolling it out of the substantially open horizontal direction of said sling, and wherein thereafter said sling may be returned to its operational position;
• wherein said bag mounting apparatus further includes a baffle housing having a front,
• said housing being mounted to the mower at said elevated position and receiving the clippings from said guiding means,
• said baffle housing being open to the bottom and to said sling and the open end of said bag when in said operational position,
• said housing being so constructed as to cause flow from said guide means down into the bag opening and upward from said bag opening to an exit from said housing at the front of said housing, said exit directing flow downward from the housing,
• whereby clippings tend to accumulate in the bag during operation of the mower, and the flow which does not so accumulate is directed forward of the housing, and
• wherein said sling is made of a flexible but strong and substantially inelastic material and encloses a bag mounted therein on all sides except for the substantially open horizontal direction side;
• wherein said frame pivotally mounted is slidable in a horizontal direction for a short distance, whereby the frame can be moved relative to said housing between a position wherein it is substantially under said housing to a position wherein it is substantially aside said housing and accessible for securing and removing a bag from said frame;
• wherein said mounting means includes a normally releasable latch for securing said frame under said housing;
• and
• wherein said frame is mechanically biased to pivot upward.

Apparatus for retrofitting to a lawn mower of the type which is designed to be moved over the ground and wherein clippings are propelled through an exit port, said apparatus serving to receive a disposable bag mounting, comprising:

• means couplable to the exit port area for guiding the clippings to an elevated position on the mower;
• a sling sized and shaped for receiving the disposable bag, said sling having an upper area defining an upward facing opening and a bottom portion and said sling being substantially open to one horizontal direction when in its operational position and in its unloading position so that a filled disposable bag may be moved out of said sling in that direction and through said open side;
• means for releasably securing the disposable bag with its open end positioned in an upwardly opening configuration at said upward facing opening of the upper area of said sling with the disposable bag's main closed body depending downward in said sling;
• means for mounting said sling and the disposable bag therein in an operational position to said mower wherein the open end of the bag is under said elevated position so as to receive clippings propelled by the mower during operation through the exit port to said elevated position into said disposable bag in said sling, wherein the clippings are collected and held, said means for mounting said sling also supporting said sling when in this operational position such that the bottom of said sling clears the ground in normal use, said mounting means further allowing the bottom of said sling to be selectively lowered to the ground to assume an unloading position such that the disposable bag may be unloaded therefore by rolling it out of the substantially open horizontal direction of said sling, and wherein thereafter said sling may be returned to its operational position.