mower types

• rotary mowers
• rollermowers
• flail mowers
• cylinder mowers
• sickle bar mowers
• hay/silage mowers
• zero turn mowers
• ride-on mowers

rotary mowers:

A rotary mower has at least one vertical spindle. A blade is attached to the bottom of the spindle shaft and the whole assembly covered with a body to contain the grass and provide a measure of safety. The spindle and blade are rotated rapidly so that the sharpened leading edge of the blade cuts the grass as it passes over it.

Trimax rotary mowers are all of the multi-spindled type, that is, they have two or more spindles and blades arranged in line so they work together to cut a wider area in one pass. Multiple spindles have several advantages. Most importantly, for a given cut width, the diameter of the blades on a mower with more spindles is smaller. To generate the same cutting action the blades must therefore turn faster, meaning that each blade travels less distance between cuts as the mower moves over the grass at a given ground speed.

Trimax rotary mowers are usually fitted with LazerBladez, Trimax’s own ‘fling-tip’ blades. These are attached to a blade carrier in such a way that allows them to swing freely. When the blade carrier spins the blades are thrown outwards by centrifugal force. The blades are thinner than one piece blades, so continue to cut reasonably well even after the cutting edge is well worn. They are also relatively cheap and easy to replace.

Larger versions of fling-tip blades are commonly fitted to rotary slashers or brush cutters and are often called “flails” by their operators. This leads to some confusion about the definition of a “flail mower”, but in fact rotary slashers and brush cutters are rotary mowers.

At Trimax, a lot of development work goes into optimising the spread of the cut material. All rotary mowers try to throw cut material out in a stream that leaves behind unsightly and damaging windrows. Trimax rotary mowers generally leave the grass evenly spread and, when run under identical conditions, will usually provide a finish that is at least as good as that of a cylinder mower (see below).

rollermowers:

This term is commonly applied to multi-spindle rotary mowers that have full width rollers fitted to the front and rear. The rollers replace the wheels or side skids used on other mowers. Many people perceive that a roller running in front of the cutting blades will prevent the blades from cutting properly. Thousands of happy Trimax customers will say this is not so.

Rollermowers have several advantages over other types:

They are very safe, as any debris is trapped within the cutting chamber by the rollers and their mounting plates They minimise “scalping” (where the blades contact the ground) because the rollers follow the ground contours and support the mower across its full width They can mow along concrete footpaths or overhang banks to minimise or eliminate trim mowing The rollers can produce an attractive striped finish They roll out boot marks in playing fields and hoof divots in polo fields They are unaffected by rabbit or gopher holes that can break castor wheel mountings, and tend to roll out the mounds of dirt.

All Trimax multi-spindled rotary park mowers use front-and-rear rollers as their standard configuration. In some cases there are rear-roller-only options or alternative ‘transport systems’ available to optimise the machine for a particular job.

flail mowers:

The basic working part of a flail mower consists of a long horizontal tube or ‘rotor’. Rows of individual cutting blades or ‘flails’ are attached along the rotor in such a way that they can swing freely. The rotor is mounted within a stationary housing (the mower body) and is spun at high speed so that centrifugal force holds the flails outwards. As the mower moves across the ground, the fast-moving flails cut the grass.

Trimax flail mowers not only cut grass superbly, but they are also able to shred ‘prunings’ (the branches and canes cut off fruit trees and vines in orchards and vineyards) into a mulch. The exclusive Gamma flails fitted to Trimax flail mowers have an aerodynamic shape and uniform cutting edge, which make an excellent job of mowing good quality turf, while being just as comfortable conquering the rank grass alongside a country road, or shredding fallen branches into the finest mulch. They do all this at a fast pace with minimal horsepower consumption.

Another advantage of flail mowers is that they spread the clippings perfectly evenly. This becomes very important when cutting a lot of material, particularly when the grass is growing rapidly in springtime.

cylinder mowers:

A cylinder or ‘reel’ mower is one that cuts with a scissor action. A stationary blade is held horizontally at the required cutting height, while a cylindrical reel is rotated above it. The reel consist of a horizontal axle with several blades spiralled around it. The spiral blades virtually touch the stationary blade. As the reel turns the spiralled blades guide the grass and cut it against the stationary blade. A group of cylinder mowers can be joined together in a ‘gang’, known as a ‘gang mower’. These are often used to maintain large grass areas.

Cylinder mowers do a very good job on high quality turf, generally cutting cleanly and spreading the clippings evenly. However, to keep them in peak condition requires constant maintenance. Even a single stone can break or damage a blade, necessitating an expensive repair. They also do not cope with stalky grass, often leaving it standing uncut or simply bending it over. Groundsmen know these stalks as ‘bents’.

Trimax does not manufacture cylinder mowers, however the leading edge technology used in Trimax multi-spindle rotary mowers enables them to achieve as good a finish for a fraction of the operating costs. Rotary mowers can run at much higher groundspeeds, cut bents cleanly and can handle bulky spring flush conditions even when the ground is soft.

sickle bar mowers:

Sickle bar mowers operate on the same principle as hair clippers or powered hedge trimmers. A long bar is made up of stationary and oscillating blades, each with cutting teeth along one edge. The cutting blades move back and forth against each other, cutting anything that moves between their teeth. Sickle bar mowers are ideal for pedestrian (walk-behind) equipment or for cutting under a fence line, but are prone to breakdowns and damage unless the ground is even and free of debris. They also cut the material at the base and leave it intact, which is not suitable in many applications. Trimax does not manufacture sickle bar mowers.

hay or silage mowers:

Trimax does not manufacture hay or silage equipment.

zero turn mowers:

‘Zero Turn’ is a term applied to any mower that can turn 180 degrees or more without leaving any uncut grass. The term is most often applied to ride-on machines that operate with individual drive to the left and right-hand wheels. The Trimax Pegasus, a trailed mower can often execute zero turns too eliminating most hand mowing or the need for the smaller machines often used in conjunction with tractor-mounted mowers.

ride-on mowers:

Trimax does not manufacture ride-on mowers, though a FlailDek fitted to an out-front tractor almost fits the description. However, this combination is aimed more at heavy-duty commercial mowing operations than home use.

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