but one contradiction i find here is that the side chute has to be opposite to the carby side
Hello bigted and vccomm
My discussion really concerned the rear catcher machines.
The side discharge chute cover could be completely removed.
The danger with that is that an open chute could no longer
be on the carby priming and height adjusting side on rear-
catcher machines.
Note that within about a season, Victa ceased putting side chutes
on rear catcher machines altogether. A sensible and safer design.
The real danger in the earlier Corvette design was that the guard
was removable. And of course it was not really a discharge chute
but an
edging device that enabled close contact between blade and edge.
As I said, the real danger was the cover being removed and discarded.
Having said that, I would like to discuss the utility machines.
Here I include the Victa Utility and the Victa Special of the 1970s.
By 1972, Victa had created the 'skilled User range' and the Utes &
Specials were in this new category.
Clearly the safety requirements for utility type mowers required
some
compromise. The best place for a discharge chute on any
side discharge mower, with a clockwise rotating engine, will be the RH
side. But note that removable flaps were replaced with hinged flaps,
and ring guards were incorporated into the toe-cutter bases.
On rear-catcher machines, safety flip flaps would become the norm,
and deflector side-chutes were offered (as standard fitment) when
rear catchers were not used.
So, I guess no contradictions, but the move to safe lawnmowers has
been incremental - sometimes crazy, but mostly for the better.
Cheers
Jack