Mulching deck
AssigneesC. Robert Christy, Felipe Rodriguez
InventorsCarlos Rodriguez, C. Robert Christy, Felipe Rodriguez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mulching deck particularly designed to handle tall, thick grasses and weeds (dry or wet), and a kit for converting an existing mowing deck into such a mulching deck. The deck features the combination of a closed discharge chute in a multi-bladed rotary mower having a plurality of stationary cutting blades positioned within the rotary blade housing. Deflectors may be provided in the housing for helping to redirect the clippings back into the path of the rotary and stationary blades for further comminution.
Claims33
A mulching deck, comprising:
- housing means;
- cutting means in said housing means for cutting grass;
- guide means for directing said cut grass from an upstream one of said cutting means to a downstream one of said cutting means;
- wherein said cutting means includes a plurality of cutting blades and a drive means for driving at least some of said blades;
- and
- wherein said cutting means comprises a plurality of rotary cutting blades for cutting said grass into clippings and for further cutting said clippings and a plurality of stationary cutting blades for further cutting said clippings;
- wherein said stationary cutting blades includes a stationary cutting blade fixed to said housing downstream of the most downstream of said rotary cutting blades.
A mulching deck for cutting and mulching grass, said mulching deck comprising:
- (a) a housing comprising a top and a skirt peripherally connected to said top, said top and said skirt defining a downwardly opening chamber, said skirt including an imperforate side wall for confining the grass clippings thereto;
- (b) a plurality of rotary cutting blades interiorly mounted for rotation in said chamber, said rotary cutting blades being adapted to cut grass into clippings and to create an updraft for lifting said clippings above said rotary cutting blades within said chamber, said rotary cutting blades further tending to create swirling and linear air streams within said chamber;
- (c) drive means for rotating said rotary cutting blades;
- (d) deflector means between a pair of said rotary cutting blades for deflecting at least some of the clippings entrained in at least some of said air streams into the cutting path of an adjacent rotary cutting blade;
- and
- (e) stationary cutting blade means in said chamber for further comminuting at least some of the clippings entrained in at least some of said air streams.
A mulching deck for cutting and mulching grass, comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) a plurality of rotary cutting blades in said housing for cutting said grass into clippings;
- (c) means for driving at least some of said rotary cutting blades;
- and
- (d) a plurality of stationary cutting blades in said housing for further cutting said clippings, wherein said plurality of stationary cutting blades includes a stationary cutting blade fixed to said housing downstream of the most downstream of said rotary cutting blades.
A mulching deck for cutting and mulching grass, comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) a plurality of rotary cutting blades in said housing for cutting said grass into clippings;
- (c) means for driving at least some of said rotary cutting blades;
- and
- (d) a plurality of stationary cutting blades in said housing for further cutting said clippings;
- wherein said plurality of stationary cutting blades includes one stationary cutting blade positioned between adjacent ones of said plurality of rotary cutting blades.
A kit for converting a conventional multi-bladed mowing deck into a multi-bladed mulching deck, said mowing deck comprising a housing and a plurality of rotary cutting blades within said housing, said housing including a plurality of wall portions partially surrounding said rotary cutting blades, a tunnel, and a discharge chute, said kit comprising:
- (a) first plate means adapted to cover said tunnel;
- (b) second plate means adapted to close said discharge chute;
- and
- (c) stationary cutting blade means adapted to be affixed to said housing for further cutting grass confined to said housing.
A mulching deck for cutting and mulching grass, comprising:
- (a) a housing having an internal chamber opening downwardly;
- (b) a plurality of rotary cutting blades in said chamber for cutting said grass into clippings;
- (c) said housing including imperforate skit means surrounding said chamber for confining the grass clippings thereto;
- (d) means for driving at least some of said rotary cutting blades;
- and
- (e) stationary cutting blade means affixed to said housing in said chamber for further cutting said clippings confined to said housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.