A discharge accessory for a lawnmower includes an inlet end and a hook disposed at the inlet end. The hook defines a channel. A lever arm extends from the hook in a direction transverse to the channel, and a protrusion is disposed in the channel. The protrusion extends in a first direction transverse to the channel and to the lever arm, and the protrusion extends in a second direction transverse to the channel.

A mulching insert for use with a lawn mower having a frame and a cutting deck supported by the frame, includes a molded, single-piece body configured to be received in the cutting deck. The body includes an attachment portion that is configured to be engaged by a portion of the lawn mower to removably mount the body to the cutting deck. The body defines a mulching chamber within the cutting deck that provides clearance for a cutting blade of the lawn mower.

A high-efficiency blade for a lawn maintenance tool includes a central axis and a mounting portion located on the central axis. The high-efficiency blade includes a cutting blade and a cutting blade sharpened leading edge. A cleaning blade is vertically offset from the cutting blade and is configured to mulch the associated clippings from vegetation and reduce an associated accumulation of clippings on an underside of an associated mower deck. The lawn maintenance tool can also include a deck having a separation distance between the cleaning blade and an underside of the deck. The deck can include an elevation change to vary the separation distance. The deck and high-efficiency blade can also include a forward or rearward tilt.

An electrically actuated mulch control lever includes an upper plate and a lower plate pivotably mounted together on a top surface of a mower deck. A compression spring is retained between the upper plate and the lower plate urging the upper plate and the lower plate to pivot together. An electric linear actuator is connected to one of the plates, and a mulch gate hinge is attached to the other plate.

A shutter assembly for a lawnmower includes a steel cutter housing, a shutter, and a lever. The cutter housing can include a cutter housing slot passing through the cutter housing. The shutter can be rotatably attached to the cutter housing so as to be movable between: a first shutter position in which a blocking panel of the shutter is positioned such that the blocking panel opens the discharge opening; and a second shutter position in which the blocking panel is positioned such that the blocking panel closes the discharge opening, and the second shutter position corresponds to a mulching position. The lever can be attached to the shutter and can extend through the cutter housing slot. The cutter housing slot can be configured to limit movement of the lever such that a range of motion of the blocking panel extends from the first shutter position to the second shutter position.

A mulch diverting apparatus includes a panel configured to be coupled with a lawnmower. The panel includes a body portion defining a first side, a second side, an upper side, and a lateral surface configured to face the lawnmower. A first projection extends from the lateral surface of the body portion. The first projection extends toward the first side of the panel. A second projection extends from the lateral surface of the body portion. The second projection extends toward the second side of the body portion. A third projection extends from the lateral surface of the body portion. The third projection defines an orifice. A fourth projection extends from the lateral surface of the body portion. The fourth projection includes an arm extending from the body portion.

A mower deck insert includes a first cutting chamber, a second cutting chamber, and a discharge passage extending adjacent to the first cutting chamber and the second cutting chamber. The first cutting chamber includes a first axial scroll extending about a first vertical axis. The first axial scroll includes a first upper surface having a first start region and a first end region. The second cutting chamber includes a second axial scroll extending about a second vertical axis. The second axial scroll includes a second upper surface having a second start region and a second end region. The first start region is vertically lower than the first end region, and the second start region is vertically lower than the second end region.

A mulch gate control lever includes a handle that moves a mulch gate on a vertical pivot axis between a first mulching position and a second side discharge position. A torsion spring biases the handle to move into a first position slot at a first end of a slotted bracket to retain the mulch gate at the first mulching position, and into a second position slot at a second end of the slotted bracket to retain the mulch gate at the second side discharge position.

A convertible lawnmower includes a housing and a mulching system. The housing includes a discharge opening. The mulching system includes a mounting ring and a shutter ring. The mounting ring is coupled substantially concentrically to the housing and includes an upper surface, a lower surface, and a sidewall that extends substantially axially therebetween. The sidewall is formed with a retaining groove and at least one installation groove. The retaining groove extends at least partially circumferentially within an inner surface of the sidewall and each installation groove extends axially from the lower surface to the retaining groove. The shutter ring is only coupled to mounting ring via the retaining groove such that the shutter ring is selectively shiftable between a mulching mode and a discharge mode.

A mower which may include: an engine for driving at least first and second cutting blades, wherein the first and second cutting blades are located in first and second cutting chambers of the cutter deck structure, wherein the cutter deck structure may include an inclined surface in the first cutting chamber so that at least part of the inclined surface is located closer to the trim side of the cutter deck structure than is any cutting blade rotational axis, the inclined surface extending downwardly from an upper surface of the cutter deck structure toward at least the trim side of the cutter deck structure, wherein the inclined surface slopes downwardly from the upper surface in a direction away from the side-discharge opening; wherein the inclined surface is configured to help provide a high pressure zone within a rear portion of the cutter deck structure and a low pressure zone proximate the trim side of the cutter deck structure for helping vegetation to be cut to be pulled into the first cutting chamber.