A header for a combine harvester is provided. The header includes a frame mountable to a forward end of the combine harvester, at least one row unit mounted to the frame to receive and process stalks of corn, a stomping shoe mounted to the frame behind the row unit to flatten stalks of corn, and a stalk splitter mounted to frame behind the row unit to split stalks of corn. The face of the stomping shoe is provided with a plurality of structures to guide each stalk of corn along a predefined path on the face while the stalks of corn are flattened. The stalk splitter includes a disk blade biased against the ground for splitting stalks of corn after they are processed by row units of the corn header.

A header for a combine harvester is provided. The header includes a frame mountable to a forward end of the combine harvester, at least one row unit mounted to the frame to receive and process stalks of corn, a stomping shoe mounted to the frame behind the row unit to flatten stalks of corn, and a stalk splitter mounted to frame behind the row unit to split stalks of corn. The face of the stomping shoe is provided with a plurality of structures to guide each stalk of corn along a predefined path on the face while the stalks of corn are flattened. The stalk splitter includes a disk blade biased against the ground for splitting stalks of corn after they are processed by row units of the corn header.

A reel mower has a traction frame which carries one or more reel cutting units. Each cutting unit has a grass basket associated therewith for receiving and collecting grass clippings generated by operation of the cutting unit. Each grass basket has a forward portion of a bottom wall thereof formed by a piece of flexible material. An actuator is operatively engaged with the flexible material piece for lifting a front end of the flexible material piece upwardly relative to a rear end of the flexible material piece in response to changes in orientation between the cutting unit and the grass basket during operation of the mower to incline the flexible material piece and thereby promote the flow of grass clippings down the so inclined flexible material piece to more fully fill the grass basket.

A lawnmower with a plurality of blade holding elements in a horizontally rotating blade assembly holds a plurality of blades in a blade channel. The blade assembly is covered by a blade assembly guard that is only open underneath at a point where blades in the blade assembly would cut grass during normal operation. A blade assembly access panel in the upper portion of the blade assembly guard allows blades or a blade assembly to be easily replaced.

A lawnmower with a plurality of blade holding elements in a horizontally rotating blade assembly holds a plurality of blades in a blade channel. The blade assembly is covered by a blade assembly guard that is only open underneath at a point where blades in the blade assembly would cut grass during normal operation. A blade assembly access panel in the upper portion of the blade assembly guard allows blades or a blade assembly to be easily replaced.

Provided is a floating base-cutter assembly (16) for use on sugar-cane harvesters, the assembly being formed by two base-cutters. Each of the base-cutters (16) comprises a set of cutting knives (9). The base-cutter assembly (16) comprises an adjustable set of cutting knives (9) that may be selectively adjustable with respect to the ground. The base-cutter assembly (16) is also mounted on the harvester body via a set of articulated rods (2, 5). The base-cutter assembly (16) also includes an electric switch (7) and an inverted-shell-shaped component (8) that collectively control a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder (4) to articulate the rods (2,5) and maintain the set of cutting knives (9) at a redetermined distance relative to the ground surface, regardless of variations in the ground surface.

Provided is a floating base-cutter assembly (16) for use on sugar-cane harvesters, the assembly being formed by two base-cutters. Each of the base-cutters (16) comprises a set of cutting knives (9). The base-cutter assembly (16) comprises an adjustable set of cutting knives (9) that may be selectively adjustable with respect to the ground. The base-cutter assembly (16) is also mounted on the harvester body via a set of articulated rods (2, 5). The base-cutter assembly (16) also includes an electric switch (7) and an inverted-shell-shaped component (8) that collectively control a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder (4) to articulate the rods (2,5) and maintain the set of cutting knives (9) at a redetermined distance relative to the ground surface, regardless of variations in the ground surface.

A lawnmower with a plurality of blade holding elements in a horizontally rotating blade assembly holds a plurality of multi-ductility blades with a maximum thickness of 0.075 inches in a blade channel and in a substantially tangential orientation. The multi-ductility blades include a hardened cutting edge of Rockwell hardness greater than 50 and ductile portion with Rockwell hardness less than 50.

A lawnmower with a plurality of blade holding elements in a horizontally rotating blade assembly holds a plurality of multi-ductility blades with a maximum thickness of 0.075 inches in a blade channel and in a substantially tangential orientation. The multi-ductility blades include a hardened cutting edge of Rockwell hardness greater than 50 and ductile portion with Rockwell hardness less than 50.

A stalk roll having twelve flutes extending radially from the main cylinder along the length of the main cylinder. Within the row unit opposing stalk rolls cooperate to engage and capture the corn stalk, thereafter, controlling and processing the corn stalk. The flutes may be configured with differing edges to facilitate control and movement of the stalk to the point of ear separation within the row unit. The flutes may be configured such that opposing compressive forces acting on the exterior of the stalk at approximately 180 of separation operate to implode the stalk while sharp edges on the flutes operate to cut the stalk into small segments which are deposited on the ground for decomposition.