Bagging lawn mower with selective mulch or discharge options

Abstract

A multi-use lawn mower capable of operating as a mulching, side-discharge, or a bagging mower. The lawn mower () includes; a mower deck () having an opening () therein forming a passageway through which grass clippings exit the cutting chamber during select modes of operation. The lawn mower also includes a grass-collecting hopper () removably mounted on the mower deck (), the grass-collecting hopper () having a basket portion () for receiving grass clippings cut by the cutting blade () and a multi-station mounting portion () configured to interface with the opening () in the mower deck in a plurality of orientations. The mounting portion includes a mulching station () that configures the lawn mower to function as a mulching mower, a bagging station () that configures the lawn mower to function as a bagging mower, and a side-discharge station () that configures the lawn mower to function as a side-discharge mower. When the multi-station mounting portion mounts the grass-collecting hopper on the mower deck, a single one of the stations interfaces with the opening in the mower deck to configure the lawn mower for desired mode of operation.