Happy Birthday, Lawnmower!

On May 18, 1830, Edwin Budding and John Ferrabee signed an agreement to develop Budding’s invention the lawnmower. Prior to this English gardens and sports grounds were primarily maintained with scythes. At a textile mill in his hometown of Stroud, England, Budding studied a cutting cylinder which removed nap to produce smooth woolen cloth. Budding took the concept of this bladed reel and aimed it toward the needs of a grass maintenance.

The engineer’s first design was a 19 inch wide cast iron frame pushed from behind. A roller, moving across the turf, drove gears to the cutting cylinder. At a 16:1 ratio, the knives on this cylinder moved rapidly to cut grass. A second land roller adjusted the height of the cutting cylinder. Grass clippings were collected in a tray and eventually, a second handle was attached to the front of the heavy machine. Ferrabee paid for the patent, manufacture, sales and licensing of the invention. The reel mower was patented on August 31, 1830. The pair produced mowers, but their licensees like Ransomes found greater success reinventing sports like golf, soccer, tennis and heralding future inventions like public parks, baseball, football and your lawn.
 
Budding later designed the first rotary mowers. And even if you hate mowing your lawn, you can thank him the next time you turn an adjustable wrench. That one belongs to him too.  

Image Citation: http://digitalstroud.co.uk/