Patent ID: 8407976

Claim:
A grass mowing machine comprising: a traction unit having a frame and a drive system moving the frame forward over a ground surface during mowing operations; a reel mower cutting unit pivotably connected to a ball joint attached to a portion of the frame extending forwardly of the reel mower cutting unit and which pulls the reel mower cutting unit so that the reel mower cutting unit follows the ground surface independently of the frame; a grass catcher having an upper wall pivotably engaged to a central support pivotably attached to and extending forwardly of the ball joint such that the grass catcher pivots independently of the reel mower cutting unit and the frame supports substantially all of the weight of the grass catcher; the center support can swing forward until reaching a stop, and can swing backward with the grass catcher during mowing on slopes, or backward without the grass catcher to a storage or transport position behind the ball joint; a rod adjacent a lower surface of the grass catcher and engaging a pair of slots in the reel mower cutting unit.