Patent ID: 6886317

Claim:
A low energy sickle mower using a controlled gap thin blade shear process to cut grass, said low energy sickle mower comprising: A cutting deck (D) comprising a cutting blade (V) and a stator (S); said cutting blade and said stator each so sized, shaped, formed and finished, and said cutting blade so drivingly positioned, such that said cutting blade is guidingly supported by said stator and shearingly passes by said stator with a total controlled gap (Z) between said cutting blade and said stator; said stator comprising at least one stator element (SE) so formed and sized as to provide a shear failure site for said grass; said stator comprising an upper stator ( 6 ) and a lower stator ( 9 ); wherein said blade (V) is guidingly supported by means of sliding contact of said cutting blade with said upper stator such that said a controlled gap of between 1 and 10 mils (0.0254-0.254 mm) is forceably maintained between said cutting blade and said lower stator; said lower stator comprising said stator element and whereby grass is cut via a shear process as said cutting blade passes by said stator element of said lower stator.