A lawn mower is a machine that uses a revolving blade or blades to cut a lawn at an even height.
Lawn mowers employing a blade that rotates about a vertical axis are known as rotary mowers, while those employing a blade assembly that rotates about a horizontal axis are known as cylinder or reel mowers.
Many designs have been made, each suited to a particular purpose. The smallest types, pushed by a human, are suitable for small residential lawns and gardens, while larger, self-contained, ride-on mowers are suitable for large lawns, and the largest, multi-gang mowers pulled behind a tractor, are designed for large expanses of grass such as golf courses and municipal parks.
A transition from traditional hand guided or ride on mowers to automatic electric mowers is beginning to take place, with the growth inrobotic lawn mower sales of 2012 being 15 times that of the traditional styles. At current rates of growth automated lawn mowers are set to soon reach the point of outselling traditional mowers in some regions.
A typical lawn mowing bot.
Safety issues
Rotary mowers can throw out debris with extreme force. In addition, the blades of self-powered push mowers (gasoline or electric) can injure a careless or inattentive operator; as such, many come equipped with a dead man's switch to immediately stop the blade rotation when it is not being operated. In the US, over 12,000 people per year are hospitalized due to mower accidents. The vast majority of these injuries can be prevented by wearing protective footwear when mowing. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children be at least 11 years old before they are allowed to mow.
Environmental impact
A 2001 study showed that some mowers produce the same amount of pollution (emissions other than carbon dioxide) in one hour as driving a 1992 model vehicle for 650 miles (1,050 km). Another estimate puts the amount of pollution from a lawn mower at four times the amount from a car, per hour, although this report is no longer available. Beginning in 2011, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has set standards for lawn equipment emissions and expects a reduction of at least 35 percent.
Mowers also create significant noise pollution, and could cause hearing loss if used without hearing protection.
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