Leaf shredder attachment for a mower bagging system

A discharge tube for use with a mower, the mower having a primary cutting area and being capable of exiting cut material from the primary cutting area through the discharge tube, the discharge tube comprising:

• frame means forming a substantially rigid conduit with a first open end and a second open end;
• means for connecting said first end to the mower for receiving cut material from the primary cutting area;
• and
• means for cutting material passing through said frame means conduit including an electric motor mounted in said conduit having at least one string-type member mounted to said motor for rotation in said conduit such that material passing through said conduit can be cut into relatively small pieces by said cutting means.

A leaf collector comprising:

• frame means having means for storing collected leaves and means for conduiting leaves to said storing means, said conduiting means having a second end connected to said storing means and a first end;
• means for transporting leaves through said conduiting means from said first end out said second end;
• and
• means for substantially shredding leaves passing through said conduiting means comprising a leaf cutter mounted in said conduiting means and drive means comprising an electric motor mounted inside said conduiting means for moving said leaf cutter, said leaf cutter including at least one string-type member movably mounted in said conduiting means to shred leaves as they pass therethrough such that leaves entering said conduiting means first end are cut while passing through said conduiting means to exit said conduiting means second end in relatively small pieces whereby a relatively large amount of leaves can be collected in said storing means.

A method of manufacturing a leaf cutting attachment for use with a leaf collecting device, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an electric motor with a shaft;
• connecting a string-type cutter to the shaft;
• connecting the electric motor to a frame member, the shaft being rotatably movable relative to the frame member;
• and
• connecting the frame member to a conduit tube for conduiting leaves, the frame member being fixedly connected to the tube such that the motor and cutter are positioned inside the tube and the shaft can rotate therein such that the leaf cutting attachment can be connected to a mower for channeling leaves through the cutting attachment and, the shaft can be rotated to thereby revolve

A shredder tube for use in conduiting leaves in a leaf collector, the shredder tube comprising:

• a conduit tube with a conduit therethrough;
• a support frame at least partially mounted inside said conduit;
• a motor with a drive shaft, said motor being fixedly connected to said frame with said drive shaft fixedly but rotatably connected to said support frame, said motor being located inside said conduit;
• and
• a string-type cutter connected to said drive shaft for cutting shreddable material passing through said conduit.

A shredder for use in a conduit of a leaf collector, the shredder comprising:

• a frame suitably sized and shaped to be mounted inside the conduit and adapted to allow shreddable material to pass therethrough;
• an electric motor fixedly connected to said frame and having a rotatable drive shaft, said motor being located on one side of said frame and said shaft extending from said motor through a portion of said frame to an opposite side thereof;
• and
• a cutter connected to said drive shaft such that rotation of said drive shaft by said motor can rotate said cutter to substantially shred shreddable material passing through the conduit.