DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMERICAN POWER MOWER

Information from Service Bulletin Reference ( No other information available)

1890 — This popular “one-horsepower” Henderson mower was similar to the first patented mowers.

The following information on the history of the development of power mowing in America has been collected from the most reliable sources available.

The first mechanical mower of which there is any record was patented in England in 1830 by a Mr. Edwin Budding of Stroud, Gloucestershire. This mower, which moved on a massive iron roller, featured a reel blade that worked against a parallel bedplate. The Budding mower introduced the still-popular principle of the reel-cutting blade. 1,500 of these were produced between 1833 and 1859. Successors to this company are still in business, under the name of Lawn Mower Works.

The first power was added in 1842, when a Mr. Shanks of “Shanks’ Mare” fame patented a Budding-type horse-drawn mower, In 1859, the Silens Messer mower, which used chain drive instead of the Budding gear drive, was patented.

In 1869, Follows and Bates, of Manchester, England, patented a side-wheel lawn mower, driven by internal teeth in the wheel that engaged pinions on the reel spindle.  This machine was considerable lighter than previous roller types.

1855 — Model of the English roller-type Budding mower, first patented in 1830.

1890 — A refinement of the original Budding design — the ”Easy” produced by Blair Mfg. Co., Springfield, Mass.

The first line of reasonably moderate-priced mowers was brought out by the firm of Ransome, Sims and Jeffries, Ltd, in the 1860s. These mowers, which were of light construction, were produced in a number of sizes with varying features.

In, 1878, the Pennsylvania Mower Company patented a side-wheel machine that was driven by a train of gearing instead of internal gear ring and pinion.

1900 — one-and-one-half-ton steam-driven lawn mower patented in 1893 by Mr. Summer of Ipswitch, England

The first gasoline-powered lawn mower was patented by Mr. Edward Ransome in 1902, while the first successful attempt to market a gasoline-powered mower was made by the Thomas Green firm in 1904.

1917 — Power mowers of this type were becoming popular. This one came equipped complete with toolbox.