Patent ID: 7823373
Filing Date: 2010-11-02
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A rotary cutting deck that is convertible between a discharge/collection mode of operation and a mulching mode of operation, which comprises: (a) a cutting deck having dual, side-by-side, downwardly facing cutting chambers that are open to another over a central portion of the cutting deck; (b) a cutting blade contained in each cutting chamber, wherein each cutting blade is rotatable about a substantially vertical axis in a horizontal cutting plane to cut grass and create grass clippings, wherein the cutting blades in the dual chambers rotate in opposite directions which are chosen such that the grass clippings created by the blades merge into a common stream of grass clippings in the central portion of the cutting deck between the rotational axes of the cutting blades with the common grass clippings stream being directed rearwardly in a substantially straight fore-and-aft direction relative to the cutting deck; (c) a rearwardly extending exit tunnel to discharge the grass clippings created by the cutting blades from the cutting deck in the discharge/collection mode of operation, the exit tunnel having a forwardly facing mouth; and (d) a plug insertable into the the exit tunnel for blocking the mouth of the exit tunnel to convert the deck to the mulching mode of operation, wherein the plug comprises: