I'm pretty sure it didn't have anything to do with the money, but his desire to improve production rather than destruction. Here's an article with the lawn-mowe

I'm pretty sure it didn't have anything to do with the money, but his desire to improve production rather than destruction. Here's an article with the lawn-mower comment you're thinking of: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jul/30/russia.kateconnolly http://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jul/30/russia.kateconn... Another comment of his (quoted in the thestar.com article above) suggests that he didn't think much of making money from inventions: "At that time in our country patenting inventions wasn't an issue. We worked for Socialist society, for the good of the people, which I never regret".