Patent 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.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation in part of prior pending application 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 weight 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 art standard mower blade; 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  is a top plan view of a prior art standard mower blade with a worn down prior art cutting edge; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2A  is a top plan view showing the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2B  is a top plan view showing the present invention with a worn down cutting edge worn; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3A  is a top plan view showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3B  is a top plan view showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4A  is a top plan view showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention with an extended outer cutting edge; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5A  is a top plan view showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5B  is a top plan view showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention with an extended outer cutting edge; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of a prior art standard mower blade; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective view showing the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6C  is a perspective view showing the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the present invention with added mass to the end section; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a cross section view showing the end section attached to the outer cutting edge of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9A  is a perspective view showing the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9B  is a cross section view showing the end section attached to the outer cutting edge of the present invention; 
           [0000]    
         
           
                 
               
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
             
                 
                     
                 
                 
                   REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
               
                 
                     
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   10 
                   present blade 
                   12 
                   prior art rotor 
                 
                 
                   14 
                   prior art center 
                   16 
                   extension 
                 
                 
                   18 
                   end section 
                   20 
                   prior art outer cutting edge 
                 
                 
                   26 
                   inner blade portion 
                   28 
                   prior art outer end 
                 
                 
                   30 
                   outer cutting edge 
                   32 
                   rotor 
                 
                 
                   34 
                   center 
                   36 
                   rotor 
                 
                 
                   38 
                   outer end 
                   42 
                   bolts 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
            
           
         
       
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]      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 art 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. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2A  shows the present invention. The blade  10  generally consists of a rotor 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. Extension  16  lies in the same plane as outer end  38 , thereby preventing outer end  38  to generate unnecessary drag as it travels through the air.  FIG. 2B  shows the present invention with a worn down outer cutting edge  30 . Outer end  38  with cutting edge  30  has so much more 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. Note: 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. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are top plan views of different embodiments of the present invention. In the alternate embodiments there is more mass on the outer end  38  where outer cutting edge  30  is located, and less mass at the “non cutting” attachment point  34 . End section  18  is shown on either side of the present blade  10  in both  FIG. 3A and 3B . As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9A , end section  18  adds or increases weight further to outer end  38  by either sitting on top of outer end  38  or being integrated fully with outer end  38 . A perspective view of end section  18  is shown in  FIG. 7  and a cross section view of end section  18  is shown in  FIG. 8 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , end section  18  sits on outer end  38  while extension  16  extends off of outer end  38  opposite outer cutting edge  30  and direction of blade (shown by arrows). In  FIG. 8  end section  18  is shown bolted to outer end  38  by passing bolts  42  through outer end  38  and into end section  18 . While outer end  38  is shown attached in this manner any known method of attaching outer end  38  to the present blade  10  could be used. Additionally, end section  18  could be fully integrated with the present blade  10 .  FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate end section  18  set on top outer end  38  while extension  16  does not extend beyond end section  18 . Outer cutting edge  30  wraps around outer end  38  to provide an additional cutting edge. In the cross section view shown in  FIG. 9B , end section  18  is flush with outer end  38  and can be attached by any known method, including, but not limited to, a glue or weld or end section  18  could be fully integrated with the present blade  10 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 4A  illustrates the present blade  10  in a slightly different shape which, by design, includes greater weight or mass to the outer end  38  of rotor  32  as opposed to at attachment point  34  of rotor  32 . While all of the blades shown are designed as a particular shape, the present invention should not be limited to the shapes shown. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show a top plan view of blades for “bush-hog” type mowers. In  FIGS. 5A and 5B  extensions  16  are located on outer end  38  for the purpose of adding weight to the outer end  38  of rotor  36 .  FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of a prior art standard blade  12 . Standard blade  12  is uniform in weight distribution from prior art attachment point  14  to prior art outer end  28 . The present invention, shown in  FIG. 6B , 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 present invention is also shown in  6 C, wherein the desired result is achieved by increasing the width of outer end  38  in comparison to the smaller blade portion  26  as it nears, attachment point  34 . The additional weight, shown by extension  16  or by increasing the width of rotor  36  at outer end  38 , increases the energy to be delivered by outer cutting edge  30  upon an external object, such as grass. 
         [0031]    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.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0