A green area maintenance system includes an autonomous mobile green area maintenance robot having a treatment tool and a cutting tool differing from the treatment tool. The robot and the cutting tool are configured to allow fixing of the cutting tool to the robot. The system includes a user control device, and has an autonomous operation mode and a cutting operation mode. In the autonomous operation mode the autonomous mobile green area maintenance robot with its treatment tool operates autonomously and the cutting tool is set out of operation, and in the cutting operation mode the cutting tool is fixed to the green area maintenance robot and operable. The robot with its treatment tool and cutting tool are controlled by a user via the user control device, and an operation mode switching device for switching between the autonomous operation mode and the cutting operation mode.

A material application system includes a hopper assembly and a conveyor assembly. The hopper assembly includes an upper portion and a downcomer portion. Bulk material is loaded into the upper portion and passes through the downcomer portion. The downcomer portion may include a sail plate for agitating the bulk material to inhibit the formation of clogs in the bulk material.

Various types of lawnmowers are disclosed that include at least one cutter housing having a chamber wall with a discharge opening therein. The mowers can include a rolling shutter formed of multiple steel sheets held together by pins. In discharge mode, the rolling shutter can be wrapped around a roller cylinder. In mulching mode the rolling shutter can extend to close off the discharge opening of the mower.

The disclosed subject matter is directed to a lawnmower that can include a cutter housing with a first chamber wall defining a first cutting chamber. A first discharge opening can be located in the chamber wall, and the cutter housing can include a slot arrangement. A conversion assembly can include an adjustable wall slidably attached to the cutter housing so as to be selectively movable within the slot arrangement between an opened position and a closed position to place the lawnmower in either a discharge mode or a mulch mode (or somewhere in between).

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.

Various types of lawnmowers are disclosed that include a cutter housing having a cutting chamber and a discharge opening therein. A driving mechanism can be mounted on the cutter housing, and a radius arm can be mounted on or near the blade spindle such that the radius arm is rotatable about the blade spindle. A shutter gate that is arcuate in shape can be mounted on the radius arm so as to rotate with the radius arm between a discharge arrangement and a mulch arrangement. The shutter gate can include a driven element that is driven by the driving mechanism to cause the shutter gate to rotate between the discharge arrangement where the shutter gate allows for discharge of vegetation through the discharge opening, and the mulch arrangement where the shutter gate blocks the discharge opening.

Various types of lawnmowers are disclosed that include at least one cutter housing having a chamber wall with a discharge opening therein. The mowers can include a rolling shutter formed of multiple steel sheets held together by pins. In discharge mode, the rolling shutter can be wrapped around a roller cylinder. In mulching mode the rolling shutter can extend to close off the discharge opening of the mower.

A cutter housing for a lawnmower can include first and second cutting chambers with first and second chamber walls and first/second discharge openings. First and second ring gates that have openings and blocking segments can be concentrically placed within respective first and second chamber walls, and rotatably attached to the cutter housing. The first and second ring gates can be rotated between: (a) an opened position in which the first/second ring gate is positioned with the first/second ring opening having a first overlap with a first/second discharge opening to provide a discharge mode, and (b) a closed position in which the first/second ring gate is positioned with the first/second ring opening having a decreased overlap, relative to the first overlap, with the first/second discharge opening to provide a mulch mode. The ring gates can be stopped at intermediate positions to provide a partial mulch mode or partial discharge mode.

A mulching and chipping attachment includes a deck having a top plate. A cutting disk is attached to the deck. The top plate includes an opening that exposes a portion of the cutting disk. A guide chute is attached to the deck, and is disposed over the opening. The guide chute includes a feed system. The feed system includes a first roller, and a reactionary member operable to react against the first roller to secure a log therebetween. The first roller and the reactionary member cooperate together to grasp and controllably feed the log through the opening. The first roller or the reactionary member may be moveable relative to the other, to adjust a throat distance therebetween. An anvil may be disposed at a rearward edge of the opening, and extend downward to define a chip cutting height between the anvil and the cutting disk.

A rotary lawn mower has one or more grass cutting blades that are rotatable in opposite directions about a vertical axis or axes. Each blade is double edged having front and rear cutting edges on each end of the blade. Each blade end has a front sloped face inboard of the front cutting edge and a rear sloped face inboard of the rear cutting edge. These faces create air flow within the cutting chamber when cutting grass regardless of the direction of rotation of the blade. The direction of rotation of each blade is reversed to switch between discharge and mulching modes of operation. A flow director has a curved vertical guide wall that guides the grass clippings through a discharge opening in the discharge mode and that guides the flow of grass clippings away from the discharge opening in the mulching mode.