Abstract: A vegetation trimmer having a head, a handle and an intermediate portion interconnecting the head to the handle. The intermediate portion is configured to include a first portion, a second portion and a third portion that are each arranged about a respective axis. The first portion is coupled to the primary handle at a first end and to the second portion at a second end. The second portion is coupled to the third portion at an end of the second portion opposite its connection to the first portion and an opposite end of the third portion is coupled to the head. The axis of the second portion is skewed to the axes of the first and third portions.

Abstract: A vegetation trimmer having a head, a handle and an intermediate portion interconnecting the head to the handle. The intermediate portion is configured to include a first portion, a second portion and a third portion that are each arranged about a respective axis. The first portion is coupled to the primary handle at a first end and to the second portion at a second end. The second portion is coupled to the third portion at an end of the second portion opposite its connection to the first portion and an opposite end of the third portion is coupled to the head. The axis of the second portion is skewed to the axes of the first and third portions.

Abstract: A cordless electric mower having an energy management system that allows a user to operate the cutting blade motor of the mower at a wide range of user selected speeds. The mower is provided with a user adjustable throttle control which, when in the wide-open position allows the cutting blade motor to be rotated at a maximum, predetermined speed. When the throttle is set to some lesser speed, the system automatically implements a speed foldback routine whenever the mower encounters heavy loading which would result in an undesirably high current draw on the battery. When the speed foldback routine is implemented, the system limits the maximum amount of current that can be drawn by the motor until the excessive loading condition has been removed. Once the excessive loading condition has been removed, the speed foldback routine automatically increases the speed of the blade motor back up to almost the originally selected speed.

Abstract: A lawn mower having a deck height adjustment mechanism for simultaneously adjusting a height of a deck of a lawn mower at all four wheels of the lawn mower by the use of a single hand of the operator. The mechanism includes an index plate having a plurality of teeth thereon defining a plurality of deck height positions, and therefore a plurality of height positions of a cutting blade supported by the deck. The index plate is fixedly secured to an offset rear axle. An engaging plate having a pawl is coupled to an actuating member which is slidably, vertically moveable relative to the deck when the operator grips the actuating member and pulls upwardly away from the deck, while resting a palm of the same hand on a palm rest portion of the mechanism. A linkage member couples the index plate to a bracket of an offset front axle positioned at a front end of the deck.

Abstract: An improved handle-to-deck coupling arrangement for a lawn mower. The coupling arrangement is provided in part by a lawn mower handle having a pair of curved distal end portions. The distal ends portions fit within a pair of channels integrally formed in a deck of the lawn mower. The end-most portions of each distal portion of the handle fit within sockets formed in a lower-most portion of the deck. This coupling arrangement serves to spread out stresses experienced by the deck over a larger area of the deck when pushing or lifting forces are exerted on the handle member by an operator. In a preferred embodiment, an anchor-type fastening assembly is included. The anchor-type fastening assembly is associated with at least one of the sockets and provides a plurality of arm portions which fit within an interior area of the end-most portion of the handle member once the end-most portion is inserted in the socket.

Abstract: A metal/air battery is described having gas bubbled through the electrolyte. It includes: (a) a tank defining a reservoir for liquid electrolyte; (b) one or more metal-air cells disposed for immersion in electrolyte, each cell including at least one air cathode having a first surface disposed for contact with electrolyte and a second surface exposed to air and a metal anode disposed for immersion in electrolyte in facing spaced relation to the first cathode surface to constitute therewith an anode-cathode pair electrically coupled by electrolyte, (c) a bubbler tube extending horizontally in the electrolyte reservoir beneath each cell and serving to inject gas bubbles into electrolyte between the anode and cathode of each cell, and (d) means for providing a pulsating flow of gas to the bubbler tube(s).

Abstract: A multi-cell metal/air battery is described having series-connected cells, including a tank for holding a body of liquid electrolyte, and an electrically non-conductive frame carrying a plurality of air cathode assemblies, each cathode assembly having a common air pocket and a pair of cathodes, and a like plurality of anodes respectively juxtaposed to the cathodes outside the air chamber, the air cathode assemblies being removably insertable in the tank and engaging the tank wall, when inserted, so as to divide the tank into a plurality of separate and substantially electrically isolated electrolyte-holding zones each containing one anode-cathode pair. The air cathode assembly may include an air circulation system to keep the air in the pocket fresh. The tank may also include an electrolyte distribution system and a flushing system for flushing the battery without the need to remove the cathodes and anodes from the tank.