Abstract:
An assembly is provided for supporting a clippings collection container for collecting grass clippings cut by a cutting unit carried on a mowing vehicle. The assembly includes a laterally extending member operatively coupled to the cutting unit for movement therewith. The laterally extending member is supported on a lift arm of the vehicle for movement with respect thereto. A container such as a basket is positioned adjacent the cutting unit for receiving clippings cut by the cutting unit. First and second laterally spaced engagement members are coupled with the container for engaging the laterally extending member to couple the container to the cutting unit. The engagement members are secured to the laterally extending member for providing movement of the container with the cutting unit and independent from the lift arm.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to removable clippings collection baskets which are attached to reel mower cutting units for receiving grass clippings, and more specifically to support assemblies which couple such baskets to the cutting units. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     It is known to provide reel mower cutting units with baskets or containers which are positioned adjacent the cutting unit to receive grass clippings. When the basket becomes full of grass clippings the operator will remove or detach the basket from the cutting unit to empty it at a desired location. 
     Various mechanisms have been provided for attaching or coupling the basket to the cutting unit so that it collects clippings generated by the cutting unit and can be removed for emptying. One such mechanism provides a pair of laterally spaced rods or stingers which are fixed to respective left and right sides of the cutting unit. The basket includes mating openings or slots into which the stingers are received to hold the basket in position. The operator removes a full basket by lifting each side of the basket until the rods or stingers are no longer within the slots. Such baskets are often unsuitable for belly-mounted cutting units as such baskets typically require a great deal of effort for the operator to access the basket such that he can grasp each side of the basket to lift and remove it from the stingers. The stingers are attached to the cutting unit frame so that the weight is supported on the cutting unit. As the basket is filled, the additional weight tends to tip the cutting unit, changing the relationship between the cutting blades and the vegetation being cut so that the cutting height and cutting performance of the cutting unit may be adversely affected. 
     Another conventional mechanism uses a three piece design consisting of an upper hook, handle, and a lower bail which work together to support the grass catcher. A two-step process is needed to remove the grass catcher. First, the handle must be disconnected from the hook, then the catcher may be lifted out. In this design, the upper hook is bolted to a lift arm, while the lower bail is connected to the cutting unit. As the cutting unit steers, the lower bail moves independently of the upper hook causing them to slide and wear. Because the majority of the weight is transferred to the lift arm and not the cutting unit, the quality and height of cut is not greatly affected. However, mounting the basket to the lift arm allows for disparity in movement of the basket as compared to movement the cutting unit (e.g. when making a turn) creating a gap between them so that clippings are not efficiently collected. Also, the hook and bail protrude in front of the cutting unit, making it easy to catch the structure on other objects, which may damage the mounting structure or the other object. 
     Other conventional attaching mechanisms include hooks or brackets located at the sides of the basket, and therefore they too make it difficult for an operator to remove a full basket from cutting units positioned beneath a vehicle. These brackets also couple the basket to the cutting unit so that a full basket may affect the cutting height and quality of cut. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an attachment assembly for a clippings basket which allows the basket to follow a cutting unit for efficient collection of clippings. 
     It would also be desirable to provide such a clippings basket which can closely follow the cutting unit while supported on a support structure other than the cutting unit itself, so that the height and quality of cut of the cutting unit is substantially unaffected by additional weight as the basket fills with clippings. 
     Further, it would be desirable to provide such a basket which may be easily removed and reattached to the reel mower cutting unit, even where the cutting unit is positioned beneath a vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an assembly for attaching a clippings collection container to a reel mower cutting unit. A laterally extending member or yoke is fixed to the cutting unit. The yoke, in turn, is coupled at one end to the cutting unit and at another end to a lift arm of the vehicle by a connection which allows some independent movement of the yoke (and the cutting unit), such as the ball joint of the preferred embodiment. 
     The preferred embodiment new design has two upper support members that are attached to each side of the yoke. The ends of the upper support members also lie on the axis of the ball joint. Two lower support members are pivotably attached to the frame of the cutting unit and are received in slots formed into each side of the catcher. Two adjustable flexible links such as cables or chains extend between the upper and lower support members so that the lower support member will bear only a small percentage of the weight of the catcher. In the preferred embodiment, the upper support members may be attached anywhere on the yoke as long as the ends of the wireforms lie on the axis of the ball joint. The resultant force is then transferred through the axis of the ball joint to the lift arm. Therefore, there are not any resultant forces or moments on the yoke (and passed to the cutting unit) or on the cutting unit directly which would affect the height or quality of cut. The present invention assures that, as the vehicle is steered, the grass catcher moves with the cutting unit. Therefore, no significant gap will exist between the cutting unit and the catcher. 
     The assembly of the preferred embodiment does not protrude in front of the catcher, reducing the risk that it will be damaged by hitting another object. 
     In addition, the present invention provides a clean and simple design. To remove the catchers, the operator needs only to lift the catchers from the assembly. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an right-side elevational view of a representative mowing vehicle incorporating reel mower cutting units and the preferred embodiment of the grass catcher support assembly of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a right-side elevated perspective view of a left-hand, front-mounted cutting unit incorporating a grass catcher basket and the grass catcher support assembly of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a right-side elevated perspective view of the cutting unit of FIG. 2 wherein the basket has been removed; and 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged right-side elevated perspective view of the cutting unit of FIG. 3 showing an inboard portion of the grass catcher support assembly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a vehicle  10  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle  10  includes a frame  12  from which depend implement lift arms  14 . An operator&#39;s station  16  which includes a seat  18 , a steering wheel and foot controls  22 , is operatively positioned on the vehicle  10 , and references to left and right in the following description will refer to the operator&#39;s left and right when seated on the vehicle  10 . Each lift arm  14  carries a reel mower cutting unit  24  on a yoke  26  which is attached to the lift arm  14  at a ball joint  28 . A set of cutting units  24  are pulled ahead of the vehicle  10  (the right-side unit visible in FIG.  1 ), and at least one cutting unit  24  is positioned beneath the vehicle  10  between a front set of wheels  30  and a rear caster wheel  32 . Each cutting unit  24  is provided with a clippings collection container in the form of a basket  34  which is positioned in front of the cutting unit  24  and supported by a basket support assembly  36 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown the left-side cutting unit  24  which is pulled in front of the vehicle  10 . The cutting unit  24  includes a frame  38  comprising side frames  40  and laterally extending support bars  42 . The frame  38  which supports a cutting reel  44  driven by a motor  46  for rotation about a generally horizontal and laterally extending axis. Front and rear rollers  48  and  50  are coupled to the side frames  40  via attachment brackets  52 . The rollers  48  and  50  contact the ground during operation, and can be adjusted up or down to change the cutting height of the cutting unit  24 . During operation of the cutting unit  24 , grass is cut between rotating reel blades (not shown) of the cutting reel  44  and a bedknife (not shown) mounted between the side frames  40  in a manner known in the art. 
     The grass clippings collection system of the preferred embodiment includes the plastic container or basket  34  which is carried directly in front of and adjacent to the cutting unit  24  for receiving clippings that have been cut by the reel  44 . The rotation of the reel  44  propels the clippings against a plate  54  which deflects the clippings forwardly into the basket  34 . The support assembly  36  is provided for releasably coupling the basket  24  to the cutting unit  24 . End portions of a laterally extending member or yoke  26  are bolted or otherwise fixed to respective sides frames  40  of the cutting unit  24  between the roller attachment brackets  52 , as best seen in FIG.  3 . The yoke  26 , in turn, is connected to an end of the lift arm  14  at the ball joint  28 . The cutting unit  24  may therefore be lifted into a transport position and lowered into cutting position by the lift arm  14  while maintaining its ability to follow the contours of the ground and to cut vegetation at a height set by adjustment of the rollers  48 ,  50 . 
     FIGS. 2-4 show the support assembly  36  including a lower support member  56 , an upper support member  58  and a cable  60  at each side of the cutting unit  24  which cooperate with the yoke  26  and the lift arm  14  to support the basket  34  at a desired position. The components on the inboard side of the cutting unit  24  shown in FIGS. 2-4 will be discussed (their outboard counterparts are mirror images). A tubular end portion  62  of the lower support member  56  is bolted to the side frame  40 , and an upturned portion  64  of the lower support member  56  is adapted to be received in a complementary slot  66  formed in the basket  34  so that the lower support member  56  acts as a pivotable bracket for maintaining the basket  34  at a desired attitude with respect to the cutting unit  24 . The upper support member  58  is fixed to the yoke  26  (as by welding) and an end portion of the member  58  extends across an axis A of the ball joint  28 . The cable  60  is pivotably attached at one end to the end portion of the upper support member  58  and is attached at an opposite, threaded end to the lower support member  56  at an extension of its upturned portion  64 . The effective length of the cable  60  is adjustable by adjusting nuts  68  provided at the threaded end of the cable  60 . 
     Since the weight of the basket  34  and its contents are transferred to the lift arm  14  along the axis of the ball joint  28  (FIGS.  2 - 3 ), moments tending to tip the cutting unit  24  (and thereby change the effective cutting height) are effectively eliminated while, at the same time, the lower support member and the ball joint  28  allow the basket  34  to maintain a closely adjacent relationship to the cutting unit  24  so that clippings will be efficiently and reliably collected, even as the vehicle  10  is steered. The cable  60  is preferably flexible so that the basket  34  may follow the contour of the ground. 
     To achieve the advantages described herein, the upper support members  58  may be attached to the yoke  26  at any point so long as the ends of the upper support members  58  (to which force from the lower support members  56  are transferred through the cable  60 ) lie substantially on the axis A of the ball joint  28 . The resultant force is then transferred through the axis A of the ball joint  28  to the lift arm  14 . In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, more than ⅔ of the weight of the basket  34  will be carried by the lift arm  14  rather than the cutting unit  24 . Therefore, The resultant forces and moments are not borne by the yoke  26  or the cutting unit  24  to a degree that they would significantly affect cutting height or quality of cut. The assembly  36  of the preferred embodiment provides a clean design which does not protrude in front of the basket  34 , greatly reducing the chance that an operator will accidentally damage the assembly  36  by contacting an object during operation. 
     Next, the operation of the cutting units  16  will be discussed. During mowing operations grass clippings accumulate in the basket  34 . When a baskets  34  at the front of the vehicle  10  has become full the operator can walk to the front of the vehicle  10 , and must reach down to remove the basket  34 . To remove the basket  34 , he simply lifts the basket  34  so that the upturned portions  64  of the lower support member  56  are no longer engaged in the corresponding slots  66  in the basket  34 . The preferred embodiment thereby allows the operator of lift the full basket  34  in a single motion. 
     Once the basket  36  has been emptied, the operator must re-install the basket  36  on the cutting unit  24  before continuing mowing operations. To do so, he can simply slide the basket downward so that the upturned portions  64  of the lower support member  56  are once again engaged in the corresponding slots  66  in the basket  34 . When the tops of the upturned portions  64  abut the tops of the slots  66 . the baskets are again properly positioned for mowing operations. 
     In the case of a cutting unit mounted underneath the vehicle  10  and between the wheels  30 ,  32 , the preferred embodiment also allows the operator to stand at the side of the vehicle  10  both for removal of the basket  34  for emptying, and for re-attaching the basket  34 . Since the same parts are used in both the front mounted and mid-mounted collection systems, the number of parts is reduced and manufacturing costs are correspondingly reduced. 
     Although the invention is described with reference to an illustrative embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention may be advantageous in the form described as modified for use in other applications. For example, the support assembly  36  described above can also be utilized on cutting units that are arranged so that the basket trails the cutting unit during operation. The present invention should not be limited by the above-described embodiments, but should be limited solely by the claims that follow.