Patent ID: 8561960

Claim:
A canopy mounting apparatus for use on a lawn tractor having a rear framework, said mounting apparatus comprising: a housing having a bottom wall and a plurality of walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall so as to define an interior area, said plurality of side walls having upper edges defining an open top; wherein said plurality of walls includes a housing front wall and an opposed housing rear wall with opposed side walls connecting said front and rear walls; wherein said housing rear wall is configured to be coupled to the lawn tractor rear framework; a support arm having a first end pivotally coupled to said housing front wall and a second end releasably coupled to said housing front wall, said support arm being movable between a stowed configuration when said support arm is coupled to said housing front wall and an extended configuration when said support arm is extended away from said housing front wall; a canopy holding member coupled to said support arm, wherein said canopy holding member includes a configuration complementary to a canopy shaft; a first bracket having a first portion configured to be mounted to the lawn tractor rear framework and a second portion releasably coupled to said housing rear wall; and a second bracket having a first section configured to be mounted to the lawn tractor rear framework and a second section configured to be mounted to said housing rear wall, said first section of said second bracket being pivotally coupled to said second section of said second bracket such that said housing is adapted to be selectively pivoted away from said lawn tractor rear framework when said second portion of said first bracket is released from said housing rear wall; wherein: said support arm includes a top wall having a fastener; and said housing front wall includes a recessed area and a ledge upwardly adjacent said recessed area, said ledge having a bottom surface defining a depression configured to selectively receive said fastener of said support arm, whereby to selectively secure said support arm in said stowed configuration.