#2008: StoneComb

Lots of lawnmowers have blades which flop out of the way when they encounter something like a stone or a twig. This means however that they can’t effectively cut thick grass, because the blades just yield much of the time.

Today’s invention is a ‘cowcatcher’ for mower-facing debris.

A v-shaped prow has a set of prongs (yellow), spring-loaded so they press gently and independently on the ground between the blades of grass.

As the mower moves through the grass, this comb will allow the herbage to pass through, but only stones etc of the order of a blade of grass in width.

Larger rubbish is deflected by the comb into the receptacles ahead of the front wheels, thus avoiding damaging the rotating blade.