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History of Lawn Mowers Timeline

(1830 - Present)

The history of lawn mowers traces the development of grass-cutting tools from early hand-powered reel machines to gasoline, electric, robotic, and smart mowers. Less

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Origins and patents

Lawn mower invented by Edwin Beard Budding

1830

Edwin Beard Budding of Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, invented the lawn mower in 1830.

Budding mower designed for sports grounds and gardens

1830

Budding's mower was designed primarily to cut grass on sports grounds and extensive gardens, offering a superior alternative to the scythe.

Licensed copies of the mower begin production

1830

Although protected by a patent, Budding and Ferrabee allowed other companies to build copies of their mower under licence.

Budding and Ferrabee manufacturing agreement

May 18, 1830

In an agreement dated 18 May 1830, John Ferrabee paid the costs of enlarging the mower's small blades, obtained the letters of patent, and acquired rights to manufacture, sell, and license other manufacturers.

British patent granted for Budding's mower

Aug 31, 1830

Budding's lawn mower was granted a British patent on 31 August 1830.

Ransomes begins making lawn mowers

1832

Ransomes of Ipswich became the most successful licensed maker and began producing lawn mowers as early as 1832.

First United States reel mower patent

Jan 12, 1868

Amariah Hills received the first United States patent for a reel lawn mower on 12 January 1868.

Elwood McGuire designs a lightweight push mower

1870

Elwood McGuire of Richmond, Indiana, designed a human-pushed lawn mower in 1870. Its very light weight helped make it a commercial success.

Image source: Lawn mower

Elwood McGuire designs a lightweight push mower

Archimedean Lawn Mower Company founded

1871

Amariah Hills went on to found the Archimedean Lawn Mower Co. in 1871.

John Burr patents an improved rotary mower

1899

John Burr patented an improved rotary-blade lawn mower in 1899, altering the wheel placement to improve performance.

Mechanization and manufacturing

Ferrabee's company offers eight mower models

1862

By 1862, Ferrabee's company was making eight lawn mower models in various roller sizes.

Ferrabee production ends after thousands of machines

1863

Ferrabee manufactured more than 5,000 machines before production ceased in 1863.

First steam-powered lawn mower patented

1893

James Sumner of Lancashire patented the first steam-powered lawn mower in 1893.

Ransomes' Automaton becomes a leading English mower

1900

Around 1900, Ransomes' Automaton was one of the best-known English machines, available in both chain-driven and gear-driven models.

Petrol-powered mowers enter the market

1901

After the start of the 20th century, numerous manufacturers entered the lawn mower field with petrol, or gasoline, engine-powered machines.

Ransomes produces its first petrol mower

1902

Ransomes produced the first petrol-powered lawn mower in 1902.

Ideal introduces gasoline lawn mowers in the United States

1914

Gasoline-powered lawn mowers were first manufactured in the United States in 1914 by Ideal Power Mower Co. of Lansing, Michigan, based on a patent by Ransom E. Olds.

Worthington builds gang mowers

1919

The Worthington Mower Company built gang mowers in the United States in 1919. These machines used multiple sets of blades to cut a wider swath.

Atco makes 900 22-inch Standard mowers

1921

Only 900 of the 22-inch-cut Atco Standard machines were made in 1921, and each cost £75.

Atco launches the Standard motor mower

1921

The Atco 'Standard' motor mower was launched in 1921 and became an immediate success.

Roller-drive mower design stabilizes

1930

The roller-drive lawn mower changed very little from around 1930 onward.

Rotary and riding mowers

Ideal introduces the Triplex riding lawn tractor

1922

In 1922, Ideal Power Mower introduced the world's first self-propelled riding lawn tractor, known as the Triplex.

Victa begins commercial rotary mower production

1952

The Australian Victa company began producing rotary mowers commercially in 1952.

First Victa mowers go on sale

Sep 20, 1952

The first Victa mowers were manufactured and went on sale on 20 September 1952.

Victa Mowers Pty Ltd incorporated

Feb 13, 1953

The new company, Victa Mowers Pty Ltd, was incorporated on 13 February 1953.

Victa develops a purpose-built mower engine

1958

By the time of its later expansion, the Victa mower incorporated an engine designed and manufactured by Victa specifically for mowing rather than a general-purpose engine bought from outside suppliers.

Victa moves to larger premises

1958

The Victa venture was so successful that by 1958 it moved to much larger premises on Parramatta Road in Concord, and later to Milperra.

Flymo introduces the hover mower

1964

Flymo introduced the hover mower in 1964. It is a form of rotary mower that uses an air cushion based on the hovercraft principle.

Victa mowers enter the National Museum of Australia collection

1968

Two Victa mowers, from 1958 and 1968 respectively, are held in the collection of the National Museum of Australia.

Victa mower appears at Sydney Olympic Games opening

2000

The Victa mower is regarded as an Australian icon and appeared en masse in simulated form at the opening of the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

Safety and environmental regulation

Study compares mower and automobile pollution

2001

A 2001 study found that some mowers produced the same amount of pollution, excluding carbon dioxide emissions, in one hour as driving a 1992-model vehicle for 650 miles, or 1,050 kilometers.

EPA begins lawn equipment emissions standards

2011

Beginning in 2011, the United States Environmental Protection Agency set standards for lawn equipment emissions and expected a reduction of at least 35 percent.

Image source: United States Environmental Protection Agency

EPA begins lawn equipment emissions standards

Lawn mower injuries lead to emergency admissions

2016

In 2016, 86,000 adults and 4,500 children were admitted to emergency rooms for lawnmower injuries.

California passes gasoline equipment pollution law

Oct 9, 2021

California passed Assembly Bill 1356, an air pollution control law, on 9 October 2021.

California bans sales of small gasoline engines

Jan 1, 2024

The California bill barred sales of spark-ignited, gasoline-fueled internal combustion engines under 25 horsepower used for farm or construction machines beginning 1 January 2024.

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Key Facts

  1. English engineer Edwin Budding patented the first practical lawn mower in 1830, adapting a cylindrical cutting mechanism used in textile machinery.
  2. Early reel mowers were pushed by hand and became increasingly popular as public parks, sports grounds, and ornamental lawns expanded during the nineteenth century.
  3. Steam-powered lawn mowers appeared in the nineteenth century, but their size, cost, and complexity limited widespread use.
  4. Gasoline-powered mowers became more practical in the early twentieth century, making lawn maintenance faster and suitable for larger properties.
  5. Modern lawn mowers include electric, battery-powered, riding, zero-turn, and robotic models, with newer designs emphasizing lower emissions, automation, and quieter operation.

Source

This History of Lawn Mowers timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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