The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 01, 2009
Filed:
Aug. 02, 2007
Jeffrey B. Kallevig, Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Jerrod N. Winter, Cottage Grove, MN (US);
Jeffrey B. Kallevig, Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Jerrod N. Winter, Cottage Grove, MN (US);
The Toro Company, Bloomington, MN (US);
Abstract
A mower has a rotary cutting deck with a discharge opening covered by a discharge chute. A pivotal gate is placed beneath the discharge chute to pivot relative to the discharge opening between a closed position in which the gate blocks the discharge opening and an open position in which the gate opens the discharge opening, thereby providing discharge and non-discharge modes of operation respectively. A pivotal handle can be pivoted between first and second positions to thereby pivot the gate between the open and closed positions thereof. The handle and gate are arranged so that at least some portion of the handle extends in directions relative to the mower that are the same as the directions the gate extends relative to the discharge opening so that an operator can simply position the handle by observation of the handle portion to position the handle portion in an orientation corresponding to a desired orientation of the gate.