Textron Corporation

Deere + Company

John W Hopkins

Jack Edward Arfstrom

David James Pahl

Jaroslav J Olmr

Frank R Allen

Jeremy Douglas Leasure

Robert D Batting

Peter P Knoell

Mowing blades which include a one-piece member having a drive mechanism coupling section, a deformation section and a cutting section. When the mowing blades receive a particular load from an obstructing object, the deformation section deforms, dissipates energy and reduces damage to drive mechanisms of mowing machines.

Mowing blades having an impact energy absorbing structure

Blade

A bagger with a pair of doors at its opening is provided for a walk-behind lawn mower. The bagger opening is provided with a rectangular metal framework with one door being swingably attached to each spaced-apart vertical leg of the framework. The bagger includes a rear handle for supporting its rear portion from the mower push handle and a front handle integrally formed as part of the framework. The front handle is slidably and removably receivable on a hook secured to the mower discharge chute for quick and easy installation and removal. The dual doors, which swing away from one another, facilitate easy insertion of the bagger opening and doors into or out of a refuse can or bag to permit disposal of clippings.

Material collection bag

An internal combustion engine has a crankcase, an output crankshaft, and an input shaft assembly. The input shaft assembly has an input shaft and a crank plate press-fit connected to the input shaft. The crank plate comprises a single sheet metal member with slightly elongate radial slots adapted to receive the crankpin of the output crankshaft. The slots are open ended to allow for misalignment between the output crankshaft and the input shaft whereby the crankpin can longitudinally move in its crank plate slot.

Starter input shaft

A shredder attachment for use with lawn machines having vacuum or fan movement of shreddable material. The attachment comprises a frame suitably sized and shaped to be substantially mounted inside a conduit of a lawn machine. The attachment further comprises a cutter for cutting material passing through the conduit and a motor for driving the cutter. The attachment can be used in such lawn machines as a discharge conduit for a riding mower bagging system, an auxiliary cutter for a walk behind mower or a hand-held leaf vacuum.

Leaf shredder attachment for a mower bagging system

The invention is directed to a single stage snowthrower wherein a flat rear wall section of an impeller housing, a rear wall of a chute opening and the central axis of an external chute are all aligned to more efficiently remove snow. A gate is also provided to control the recirculation of snow through the impeller housing. The gate may comprise a sliding dam movable along a straight line into the housing. In a further embodiment of the present invention a pivotable dam is disposed between sidewalls of the impeller housing to vary the throat area into the chute opening in accordance with the wet or dry conditions of the snow.

Single stage snowthrower

The invention is directed to a lightweight debris collector for rotary mowers and the like. The debris collector includes a frame having two spaced apart arms which are adapted to suspend and transport a standard trash can. Means is also provided to transport debris from the mower to the trash can which together with the frame form a debris collector assembly.

Debris collector frame and assembly

The invention is directed to a debris collector bag for receiving grass clippings, leaves and debris which has a concave surface in which includes a concave slit opening from which the collected debris is removed.

Growing community of inventors

Charlotte, NC, United States of America

John W Hopkins