ABSTRACT

Mechanical engineering department of the named institute has many non operational machines sequel to this fact maintenance which resulted to non development and non maintenance of the institute community at large.

          By this fact the project (mechanical lawn mower) was constructed and design to help in the development and maintenance of institution, community and the society at large in the area of grass cutting in our environment and the improvement in our food production and also the reduction of manpower.

          In other words, during the construction and design of this project many things were put into consideration such as our environmental condition, effectiveness of the machine and also maintenance were well observed and a minimized cost of maintenance and a highly successful repair was adopted and also the appropriate tools cost and quality of material were well consider.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

          In the past, cutting of grasses in the schools, sports track, or field, industries hotels, pubic center, etc was done by cutlass this method of manual cutting is time consuming a s it is human effort that is needed for cutting, there was also inaccuracy in cutting level using the manual cutting system.

          Apart from all these old method of cutting there is also risk of accident.

          The problems of the manual was meant to be overcome with the aid of this project (the construction of a mechanical lawn mower) which is used for cutting of grasses to equal height or level for speedy cutting.

          This project lawn mower, is also the accident free as well, it reduced labour and also reduced number personnel that is needed in a particular operation, it also reduced man power as it an internal combustion engineer that dose the actual cutting while the operator provides the efforts, great portion of land can easily be cut with lawn mower.

          Again to encourage beauty in our environment this project was embarked on to help in keeping our environment clean because most labourers are finding it difficult in handily tool for gasses cutting.  It is also used for cutting sports field, (like foot ball pitch as well as crowns in hotel and business premises so this project reduces human effort and should be encouraged in school, hotel, business area, etc although mowers can be of electric type too, but we decided to fabricate a mechanical type to overcome the problem of electricity and as such this our lawn mower can be used every where even were there is no electricity.

IDENTIFICATION OF NEED

          Early before now, West Africa as a whole, the peasant farmer depends on the hoe and cutlass for practically all farm operation.  There tools vary in shape and size from place to place in the high forest zone of Nigeria the small farmer must clear thick bush every three or four years.  All this job is being done either hoe or cutlass for weeding of farm land.  These farm operation depend entirely on the energy of the farmer using the tools which he has at this disposal.   This inability that facing the farmer, has triggered these project group to research into the lasting solution to the problem.

          Also, with meant development in the country, daily labour in farm operation is highly exorbitant for the farmer to afford but with these project (mechanical lawn mower) this problem of high payment of local labour can lead to reduction importation cost from Germany USA of this machine Nigerian with high profitability to the farmers.

1.2            LITERATURE REVIEW

1.3            HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT (SCOPE)

Based on the developing countries, technology in farm operation is highly increased.  It is clear that developments in farm machinery in West Africa started far back 1960.  This project must related to the social and ecological condition prevailing in different parts of this great region at the present time two trends a re apparent.

i.                   Increase in the use of tractors and large agricultural machinery of farms of large extent both in the high forest and savanna zones, but particularly in the latter.

ii.                 The increased use of animal power and small machines on peasant farms operation in West Africa will become increasingly mechanized, and that stage of mechanization mechanized, and that stage of mechanization which lies between the hoe and cutlass on one hand and the tractor combine harvester on the other is referred to as intermediate technology.

1.4     IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT TO SOCEITY  

          Generally this project (mechanical lawn mower) has a great effect towards development and maintenance of any community in the societies which one nominated below.

1.                 Cutting grass of secondary primary and tertiary field thereby reducing human effort needed.

2.                 Great portion of farmland can easily cut or brushed with lawn mower in one day.

3.                 This project reduced number of personnel that needed in a particular farm operation.

4.                 To reduce manpower

5.                 To improve the economy of the country

6.                 Provisions of foreign exchange in the country

7.                 t reduce importation cost t o our country (Nigeria)

8.                 It encourage pupils, and student to be regular and the school because no more cutting of grass with cutlass by pupils or students.

1.5     AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

In the past, several investigation w ere made in the lawn mower industry at USA, Germany etc. Nigerian market, from which this production is a development of already existing ones.  It was localized to smite our environments condition aim and objectives of the investigation on the project are nominated below.

1.5.1  REDUCTION OF LABOUR COST

In application of lawn mower machine in any government field and farm land causes seriously reduction in number of labour needed in the maintenance of the yard, brushing and clearing of the grass but with aid of lawn mower machine, the job is easily performed without much wasting of time.  This project IMT can get the yard well cutted and cleared.

1.5.2  IMPROVEMENT OF FOOD PRODUCTION

Local farmer can embark on maintenance of 100 hectares of farm land with aid of lawn mower machine.  This project will extract some lazy farmer to embark on farming operation, also many people will developed interest and rendering agricultural engineering or course related to farm.

1.5.3  TIME FACTOR

The production of this project (lawn mower machine) brings reduction in man hour consumed in cutting of grass which is being improved using lawn  mower machine which employed some minute of an how for  the job.

1.5.4                            IMPROVEMENT IN ECONOMY.

Having farmer embark on large farm land for production of food to the citizen birth aid of lawn mower machine but not hand tools is bound so produce supply enough quantities food to market which extract improvement of country and also ensure stability and the foreign exchange.  Also boosting of employment to the youth of the town.