How did people keep their lawns neat before the invention of mowers? In the 1700s, the French would let their cattle eat grass from their lawns. Alternatively, they would hand-cut the grass from their lawn by using scythes and shears. So, when we’re lawn mowers invented?
The Invention of the First Lawn Mower
Engineer Edwin Beard Budding invented the first lawnmower in 1830. He got inspired to invent the mower after seeing a cloth mill. The mill used a bladed reel and a cutting cylinder to trim the irregular naps from woolen and velvet cloths.
When Budding saw the mill, he thought he could apply the same technology to cut grass. His design was an early forerunner of the modern reel lawn mower that measures 19 inches wide. However, as the first mechanical lawn mower was heavy and not easy to push.
However, the lawn mower became so popular that other inventors worked hard to develop the idea. But the design was so good that only a few improvements have been made to the human-pushed lawnmowers.
However, it took roughly ten years after the first lawn mowers were marketed to develop one that could be tied to animals. Finally, a Scotsman, Alexander Shanks, designed a pony-drawn 27-inch reel mower in 1842. Soft brown leather shoes were fitted over the horse’s feet to avoid creating indentations and protect delicate grasses.
Thomas Green invented the first chain-driven mower in 1859. This was significant since a lighter chain drive machine required less work to mow your grass.
Rotary Push Mowers
Rotary lawnmowers were later developed in 1914 by Toto, which is when the Toto Motor Company started.
Their lawnmower had a unique enclosed deck design. They even became market leaders in the push mower sector.
Briggs & Stratton manufactured engines for military and agricultural equipment. They changed the lawn mower market in 1953 by producing a lightweight aluminum engine.
Zero-Turn Mowers
Max Booth Swisher of Missouri created the first commercial zero-turn mower in 1955. The Ride King had a front-wheel or drive wheel that rotated 360 degrees. A motor turned the wheel in the same way. To reverse it or use the zero-turn radius, one had to spin the steering wheel 180 degrees, and the mower would automatically reverse.
John Reiger, a Hesston Corporation employee, developed the zero-turn radius invention in 1963. He designed the swather, which cut hay with belts.
He was motivated to apply this concept’s counter-rotation technique to a lawnmower. So he sold the invention to Hesston, which began selling zero-turn technology. Currently, there are over 300zero-turn mower models available.
How About The Modern Mowers?
S. Lawrence Bellinger invented the first self-propelled lawn mower with remote control. This was in 1969, and the machine used a battery to propel it.
This is the first border-following robotic mower. It had sophisticated sensors that allowed it to maneuver around obstructions and return to its station when it began to rain. This Roomba lawnmower was a huge success.
However, it took 25 years for the robotic mowers to step up. Finally, Husqvarna introduced the solar mower in 1995, the world’s first fully robotic lawnmower. Solar energy allowed the wheels to be supported and the grass chopped easily.
Types of Lawn Mowers by Energy
a). Electric Mowers
The days of being bound by a heavy-duty extension line or changing batteries midway through your lawn mowing are long gone! Instead, you’ll be able to complete your weekend mowing with ease if you use our high-power, high-capacity rechargeable battery packs.
Modern rechargeable lawn mowers offer several advantages, including easy storage, quick startup, silent operation and affordability as you can find a good lawnmower for as low as $ 300 to $500. In addition, a cordless electric powered-lawn mower is easier and more convenient to use than a gas lawn mower for persons with small to medium-sized yards.
b). Gas-Powered Mowers
Gasoline-powered lawn mowers are the most powerful, and they cut through the grass without difficulty. Motor output in gas-powered lawnmowers is measured in horsepower and cubic centimeters.
The torque rating of your lawn mower’s engine, on the other hand, is the most important. Gas-powered motors produce about 4.50 and 8.75 ft-lbs of torque on average.
The runtime of a gasoline-powered mower is determined by the capacity of the fuel tank. Most gas-powered lawnmowers come with a 1-gallon gas tank. You can always refill the tank if you run out of gas while mowing.
c). Steam Lawn Mowers
A steam-powered lawn mower was first used in 1893 after James summer’s design. Steam lawnmowers were produced for a few years before the company started producing petrol-powered wagons.
Image: Youtube
Steam-powered lawn mowers were driven by a tiny single-cylinder steam engine with a large flywheel and gear transmission to the rear driving roller. They included a vertical boiler located above the mower chassis.
Conclusion
Since the invention of lawn mowers, maintaining neat and well-kept lawns has become easier and more enjoyable. With many inventors coming out, now you can choose from a variety of options available.
