Abstract:
A mower blade generally comprised of a rotor which connects to the mower at an attachment point and at least one outer end of the rotor, wherein the outer end or ends of the rotor are heavier than the rotor proximate the attachment point. The added weight to the outer end can be by way of an extension or an end section.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation in part of prior pending application U.S. Ser. No. 13/346,559 filed on Jan. 9, 2012, which was a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 12/660,005 filed on Feb. 19, 2010. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    This invention relates to the field of mower blades. More specifically, to the weigh or mass distribution of the blades center compared to the blades outermost end. 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0007]    When mower blades are new, they provide a clean and quick cut. After repeated uses and wear, the blade starts to loose mass or weight on the outer end. Additionally, repeated sharpening of the blade contributes to the loss of mass on the cutting edge, which is the outermost end of the blade. As the blade end loses mass or weight, it becomes less efficient at cutting and eventually has to be replaced with a new, unworn, blade. 
         [0008]    Therefore what is needed is a mower blade that does not lose its cutting efficiency after wear from use and sharpening. And such remedy would also increase the cutting power of the blade. The present invention achieves this objective, as well as others that are explained in the following description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    A complete, understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent, detailed description in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1A  is a top plan view of a prior part standard mower blade; 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  is a top plan view of prior art standard mower blade with a worn down prior art cutting edge; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the present invention: 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the present invention with a worn down cutting edge worn; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention an extended outer cutting edge; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a prior art standard mower blade; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing to present invention from underneath the blade; 
           [0000]    
         
           
                 
               
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
             
                 
                     
                 
                 
                   REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
               
                 
                     
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   10 
                   present blade 
                   12 
                   prior art rotor 
                 
                 
                   14 
                   prior art center 
                   16 
                   extension 
                 
                 
                   20 
                   prior art outer cutting edge 
                   28 
                   prior art outer end 
                 
                 
                   30 
                   outer cutting edge 
                   32 
                   rotor 
                 
                 
                   34 
                   attachment point 
                   36 
                   rotor 
                 
                 
                   38 
                   first outer end 
                   44 
                   second outer end 
                 
                 
                   46 
                   upper surface 
                   48 
                   lower surface 
                 
                 
                   50 
                   section 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
            
           
         
       
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 1A  is a top plan view, showing a prior art standard mower blade.  FIG. 1B  is also a top plan view showing a prior art standard mower blade with a worn away outer cutting edge.  FIGS. 1A and 1B  are prior art mower blades showing prior art attachment point  14 , prior art rotor  12  and prior art outer cutting edge  20  on prior art outer end  28 . In the prior art standard mower blade the prior art rotor  12  has basically the same size throughout. This includes the same thickness and width from prior art attachment point  14  to prior art outer end  28  at prior art outer cutting edge  20 . Some blades do have minor shape changes but not enough to be relevant to a substantial increase in mass on prior all outer end  28 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1B , prior art outer cutting edge  20  is worn down. The wearing away of the prior art cutting edge  20  has reduced the mass on the outer cutting edge  20 , causing a significant decrease in cutting potential. Due to the decrease in mass, the energy delivered is now less, which equals less damage to the object being cut. This kind of wear on a standard blade  12  could greatly reduce its cutting efficiency. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows the present invention. The blade  10  consists of a rotor  32  with added or increased weight or mass, shown as extension  16  on outer end  38  of rotor  32 . The added or increased weight provided by extension  16  generates more energy to the object(s) being cut even where the speed at which the rotor spins remains constant. Rotor  32  comprises a section  50  and at least one outer end  38 . In  FIG. 2 , a first outer end  38  and a second outer end  44  are integrated with section  50  on either end. As will be further explained herein, each outer end  38 ,  44  has substantially more mass than section  50 . The illustrative arrows show the direction of rotation for the blade  10 . The mower blade  10  is such that blade  10  attaches at attachment point  34  to a blade mounting system on a mower for use. As the blade  10  rotates, outer cutting edges  30  slice through grass at the specific set distance above the ground. 
         [0023]    Rotor  32  has an upper surface  46  and a lower surface  48 , which is shown in  FIG. 10 . Returning to  FIG. 2 , upper surface  46  and lower surface  48  of rotor  32  lie within the same horizontal planar surface (visible as to lower surface  FIG. 10 ). The reader will appreciate that extension  16  shares a lower surface and upper surface with section  50  and therefore first outer end  38  and second outer end  44  do not generate unnecessary drag as it spins through the air. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows the present invention with a worn down outer cutting edge  30 . Outer end  38  with cutting edge  30  has substantial added or increased weight or mass, shown here as extension  16 , that the loss from wear is insignificant. Even with the worn away outer cutting edge  30 , the present blade will still do damage and will not have to be replaced. Again, the arrows at the outer end  38  show the direction of rotation. Extension  16  extends off of outer end  38  of present blade  10  and remains on the same plane as rotor  32 . It is important that the blade remains streamlined such that it does not produce additional drag as it travels through the air. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates the present blade  10  in a slightly different shape which, by design, includes greater weight or mass to first outer end  38  of rotor  32  and second outer end  44  as opposed to section  50  of rotor  32 . Again, the blade  10  is designed such that first outer end  38  is substantially more mass than section  50  and second outer end  44  is substantially more mass than section  50 . As such, the blades  30  can cut effectively even when worn away. As described above, upper surface and lower surface of the blade are within the same horizontal planar surface (as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). While all of the blades shown are designed as a particular shape, the present invention should not be limited to the shapes shown. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show a top plan view of blades for “bush-hog” type mowers. In  FIGS. 5 and 6  extensions  16  are located on a first outer end  38  for the purpose of adding weight to the outer end  38  of rotor  36 . The weight distribution on rotor  36  is such that first outer end  38  has a significantly greater weight than section  50 . Rotor  36  has an upper surface and a lower surface. Outer end  38  and section  50  share the upper surface and lower surface of rotor  36 . Therefore, upper surface and lower surface of rotor resides in the same horizontal plane as outer end  38  and section  50 . No additional drag is created by the rotation of the blades  10  when the rotor surfaces lie within the same plane. 
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a prior art standard blade  12 . Standard blade  12  is uniform in weight distribution from prior of attachment point  14  to prior art outer end  28 . The present invention, shown in  FIG. 8 . creates more mass on outer end  38  by increasing blade width with the addition of extension  16  which lies in the same plane as rotor  36 . The additional weight increases the energy to be delivered by outer cutting edge  30  upon an external object, such as grass. As illustrated, the outer third section of rotor  36  (or the first outer end  38 ) is a greater weight than inner two-thirds of the rotor  36 . 
         [0028]    An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 9 . Again, the first outer end  38  is heavier than the remainder of the rotor  36  due to the design of the blade. All sections of the rotor  36  lie in the same horizontal plane. 
         [0029]    The lower surface  48  of rotor  32  is illustrated in  FIG. 10 . Each section of rotor  32  lies in the same horizontal plane as the lower surface  48  of rotor  32 . Thus, the blade maintains a consistent lower surface  48  which does not create drag or opposing forces. Section  50  is less weight than first outer end  38  and second outer end  44 . 
         [0030]    Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chose for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the scope of this invention.