Patent ID: 9192100
Filing Date: 2015-11-24
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. An apparatus that removes matted clumps of wet grass from a lawnmower discharge port formed in a blade housing of said lawnmower, comprising: a hinge having a first flap adapted to be fixedly secured to said blade housing, said first flap fixedly secured to said blade housing adjacent a trailing edge of said discharge port; a rigid flat plate having a predetermined length and height; a second flap of said hinge being fixedly secured to said rigid flat plate about mid-length of said rigid flat plate; said rigid flat plate having a position of repose where said rigid flat plate is normal to said blade housing and to a longitudinal axis of symmetry of said lawnmower, an inboard end of said rigid flat plate being positioned inside a hollow interior of said blade housing and an outboard end of said rigid flat plate being positioned externally to said blade housing; said position of repose of said rigid flat plate allowing grass clippings that are propelled by a rotating blade of said lawnmower to travel without obstruction toward said discharge port; an elongate cord secured to an outboard edge of said rigid flat plate, said outboard edge being positioned externally to said blade housing; a torsion spring secured to said rigid flat plate that applies no bias to said rigid flat plate when said rigid flat plate is in said position of repose; said elongate cord adapted to be manually pulled in a leading-to-trailing direction during lawnmower operation by an operator disposed in trailing relation to said discharge port; said pulling of said cord causing pivoting about said hinge of said rigid flat plate relative to said position of repose, said pivoting creating a bias supplied by said torsion spring, and said pivoting causing said inboard end of said rigid flat plate to drive matted grass out of said discharge port; said rigid flat plate having a fully rotated position when said cord is fully retracted and said rigid flat plate is parallel to said longitudinal axis of symmetry; and said bias returning the rigid flat plate to its position of repose when said cord is released by said lawnmower operator.