Abstract

A power tiller operated rotovator was modified as a flail mower. The speed of rotovator shaft was increased from 255 to 1137 rev/min and the rotary blades were replaced with 6 mm size and 25 mm pitch mild steel chains of 280 mm length having a flat cutting element at the tip. The modified machine was evaluated for lawn mowing and parthenium cutting operations. The cost of conversion was Rs.1060/-. Maximum cutting efficiency of 97 per cent was achieved at 1100 rev/min rotor speed and 1.60 km/h forward speed. Average effective field capacity of the machine was 0.05 ha/h with average field efficiency of 56.3 per cent.

Keywords: Power Tiller, Rotovator, Flailmower, Lawn Mowing, Parthenium Cutting