Abstract: The present invention provides an arcuate ring guard for a conventional lawn trimmer having a string-type cutting blade, which rotates in a planar cutting circle, and an arcuate housing covering the rearward region of the cutting circle but having an open front potion. The ring guard is fastened at each end to opposite sides of the trimmer housing, forwardly of and outside the periphery of the blade's cutting circle, so that the trimmer housing and the ring guard together extend 360 degrees around the periphery of the cutting circle. In the preferred embodiment, the ring guard occupies a uniform arc about the cutting blade's axis of rotation, coplanar with the blade's cutting circle.

Abstract: A cooking device includes a cooking vessel, means for heating the contents of the cooking vessel, control means for controlling the temperature and viscosity of the contents of the cooking vessel, and an auger for stirring and dispensing the contents of the cooking vessel. The auger rotates in a first direction to mix the contents of the cooking vessel. When the food product is being dispensed, the auger reverses direction to push the food contents through the dispensing valve.