Mulch gate control lever

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12250899-B2
Application number	US-202117447111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2021
Priority date	Sep 8, 2021
Publication date	Mar 18, 2025
Grant date	Mar 18, 2025

Abstract

A mulch gate control lever includes a handle that moves a mulch gate on a vertical pivot axis between a first mulching position and a second side discharge position. A torsion spring biases the handle to move into a first position slot at a first end of a slotted bracket to retain the mulch gate at the first mulching position, and into a second position slot at a second end of the slotted bracket to retain the mulch gate at the second side discharge position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mulch gate control lever, comprising:
a rod or threaded fastener extending through a mower deck and defining a vertical pivot axis;
a pivot bracket pivotably mounted on the vertical pivot axis on a top surface of the mower deck;
a handle attached to the pivot bracket;
a mulch gate mounted under the mower deck and pivotable on the vertical pivot axis between a first mulching position and a second side discharge position;
a slotted bracket mounted to the top surface of the mower deck;
a spring biasing the handle to engage a first end of the slotted bracket to hold the mulch gate at the first mulching position, or a second end of the slotted bracket to hold the mulch gate at the second side discharge position;
wherein the slotted bracket defines a first position slot at the first end of the slotted bracket, a second position slot at the second end of the slotted bracket, and a substantially straight horizontal slot connecting the first position slot to the second position slot;
wherein a first position slot direction is defined centrally along a length of the first position slot extending away from the substantially straight horizontal slot and defined to intersect a central distal end of the first position slot, wherein a second position slot direction is defined centrally along a length the second position slot extending away from the substantially straight horizontal slot and defined to intersect a central distal end of the second position slot; and
wherein the first position slot direction and the second position slot direction are each transverse to vertical.

2. The mulch gate control lever of claim 1 wherein each of the position slots has a sloped side wall.

3. The mulch gate control lever of claim 1 wherein the spring is a torsion spring connecting between the pivot bracket and the handle.

4. The mulch gate control lever of claim 1 wherein the handle pivots on a horizontal axis relative to the pivot bracket.

5. The mulch gate control lever of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second position slots forms an obtuse angle with respect to the substantially straight horizontal slot.

6. The mulch gate control lever of claim 1 wherein the first position slot direction is transverse to the second position slot direction.

7. The mulch gate control lever of claim 1 wherein the central distal end is centered on the distal end.

8. A mulch gate control lever, comprising:
a handle pivotably mounted on a horizontal pivot axis to a pivoting bracket and movable within a substantially straight horizontal slot;
a rod or threaded fastener defining a vertical axis;
the pivoting bracket and a mulch gate pivoting on the vertical axis between a first mulching position and a second side discharge position;
a spring urging the handle to pivot on the horizontal axis into engagement with a position slot at each of the first mulching position and the second side discharge position;
wherein each of the position slots defines a position axis centrally within the position slot, the position axis intersecting a central distal end of the position slot; and
wherein the position axis of each of the position slots is transverse to vertical.

9. The mulch gate control lever of claim 8 wherein the spring is a torsion spring connected between the handle and the pivoting bracket.

10. The mulch gate control lever of claim 8 wherein each of the position slots is in a slotted bracket on the mower deck.

11. The mulch gate control lever of claim 10 wherein each of the position slots has a sloped side wall.

12. The mulch gate control lever of claim 8 wherein each of the position slots forms an obtuse angle with respect to a substantially straight horizontal slot connecting the position slots.

13. The mulch gate control lever of claim 8 wherein the position axis of one of the position slots is transverse to the position axis of the other of the position slots.

14. A mulch gate control lever, comprising:
a handle that moves a mulch gate on a vertical pivot axis between a first mulching position and a second side discharge position; and
a torsion spring that biases the handle to move into a first position slot at a first end of a substantially straight horizontal slot of a slotted bracket to retain the mulch gate at the first mulching position, and into a second position slot at a second end of the substantially straight horizontal slot of the slotted bracket to retain the mulch gate at the second side discharge position;
wherein each of the position slots extends away from the substantially straight horizontal slot in a direction defined centrally within the respective position slot and intersecting a central distal end of the respective position slot, wherein each direction is transverse to vertical.

15. The mulch gate control lever of claim 14 , wherein each of the slots has at least one sloped side wall.

16. The mulch gate control lever of claim 14 wherein each of the position slots forms an obtuse angle with respect to the substantially straight horizontal slot.

17. The mulch gate control lever of claim 14 wherein the direction of the first position slot is transverse to the direction of the second position slot.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Warren Christopher C
• Johnson William P

Classifications

• A01D42/005

  Mulching (shredders or like cutting implements for comminuting plant waste per se A01G3/002) · CPC title

• A01D34/005 Primary

  Mulching means · CPC title

• A01D2101/00

  Lawn-mowers · CPC title

• A01D90/12

  with additional devices or implements (arrangements of coupling devices A01B59/00) · CPC title

• A01D34/667

  Means for directing the cut crop · CPC title