Bag-full indicator mechanism
AssigneeMTD Products Inc
InventorAxel Schaedler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bag-full indicator mechanism is provided for use on a mower that has a mower deck with cutting blades, a bag for collecting cut vegetation, and a chute communicating the mower deck with the bag. The bag-full indicator mechanism includes a vacuum actuator, a vacuum for providing a vacuum to the vacuum actuator, and a sensor for sensing that the bag is full. Preferably the vacuum is the intake manifold of the mower engine. The bag-full indicator mechanism also includes activator for activating the vacuum actuator and includes a switch and a pivotable lever. Finally, an indicator is used for indicating that the bag is full and preferably includes a shutoff for stopping the rotation of the cutting blades.
Claims11
A method of indicating that a bag is full, comprising the steps of:
- providing a mower having a mower deck with cutting blades for cutting associated vegetation, a bag for collecting cut vegetation, and a chute communicating the mower deck with the bag;
- providing a bag-full indicator mechanism including a vacuum actuator having a first side, a vacuum means, sensing means, activating means, indicating means having a connector link with first and second ends, a first vacuum line that communicates air between the activating means and the vacuum means, and a second vacuum line that communicates air between the activating means and the vacuum actuator;
- connecting the first end of the connector link to the first side of the vacuum actuator;
- filling the bag with cut vegetation;
- sensing that the bag is full with the sensing means;
- activating the vacuum actuator with the activating means;
- moving the first side of the vacuum actuator in a first direction;
- moving the connector link in the first direction;
- and,
- indicating that the bag is full with the indicating means.
A method of indicating that a bag is full, comprising the steps of:
- providing a mower having a mower deck with cutting blades for cutting associated vegetation, a bag for collecting cut vegetation, and a chute communicating the mower deck with the bag;
- providing a membrane that covers an aperture in the chute and is selectively moveable inward and outward with respect to the chute;
- providing a lever having a first end pivotably connected to biasing means that biases the lever toward the membrane when the lever is in a first position, a second end pivotably connected to a pivot member fixedly connected to the chute, and a lever extension positioned between the first and second ends of the lever;
- providing switching means positioned into operative condition with respect to the second end of the lever;
- providing a vacuum actuator with a first side that moves inwardly as a vacuum is established inside the vacuum actuator and that moves outwardly as a vacuum is removed from the vacuum actuator;
- providing shut-off means for stopping the cutting blades from cutting;
- providing a connector link having a first end operatively connected to the first side of the vacuum actuator and a second end operatively connected to the shut-off means;
- filling the bag with cut vegetation;
- forcing the membrane outward with respect to the chute from a de-activated position to an activated position and into contact with the lever extension;
- pivoting the lever about the pivot member from the first position to a second position;
- switching the switching means;
- communicating the vacuum actuator with the atmosphere;
- removing vacuum from within the vacuum actuator;
- moving the first side of the vacuum actuator in a first direction;
- moving the connector link in the first direction;
- and,
- stopping the cutting blades from cutting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.