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Lawn mower

technology Maturity 7-9

A lawn mower cuts grass.

Pushmower1.JPG
Pushmower1.JPG
It keeps the grass even. Some mowers use small engines. Others use a battery. This helps make a nice yard.
Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg
Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg
Do you like green grass?

35 words

A lawn mower cuts grass.

Pushmower1.JPG
Pushmower1.JPG

It keeps the grass at an even height. You can change how short the grass is. You do this with a lever or the wheels.

Some mowers use a small engine. Others use a battery or a plug.

Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg
Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg

Some mowers are very big. You can sit on them to drive. These are called ride-on mowers.

John Deere lawn mower.JPG
John Deere lawn mower.JPG

A man named Edwin invented the first one. He lived a long time ago in 1830. It was a big machine made of iron.

93 words

A lawn mower is a tool used to cut grass.

Pushmower1.JPG
Pushmower1.JPG
It keeps the grass at an even height. You can change the height of the cut. You do this with a lever or the wheels.

There are two main ways mowers cut grass. One type is a rotary mower. It uses a single blade that spins around. Another type is a cylinder mower, or reel mower.

ReelMower.png
ReelMower.png
This type uses a spinning reel of blades. It works like a pair of scissors. This makes a very clean cut. A clean cut helps the grass stay healthy.
Walzenmäher 002.jpg
Walzenmäher 002.jpg

People use different mowers for different jobs. Small push mowers are good for tiny gardens. Larger mowers have engines. Some use gas or a battery.

Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg
Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg
Some mowers are big enough to sit on. We call these ride-on mowers.
John Deere lawn mower.JPG
John Deere lawn mower.JPG
There are even robotic mowers. These can work all by themselves!

Edwin Beard Budding invented the first mower in 1830. His machine was made of iron. It was used for big gardens and sports grounds.

180 words

A lawn mower is a special tool used to keep grass at an even height.

Pushmower1.JPG
Pushmower1.JPG
People use these machines to care for gardens, parks, and big sports fields. You can often change how short the grass is by using a lever or adjusting the wheels. There are many different ways these machines work. Some are small enough to push by hand in a tiny garden. Others are large enough for a person to sit on and drive.
John Deere lawn mower.JPG
John Deere lawn mower.JPG
Some modern mowers are even robotic and can work all on their own.

There are two main ways that mowers cut the grass. The first way is using a rotary mower. This type uses a single blade that spins around a middle point. The second way uses a cylinder mower, which is also called a reel mower.

ReelMower.png
ReelMower.png
This machine has a spinning reel of blades that moves past a fixed cutting bar. This action works just like a pair of scissors. Because the cut is so clean, the grass can heal much faster. This helps the lawn stay thick and healthy without getting sick.
Walzenmäher 002.jpg
Walzenmäher 002.jpg

Machines for cutting grass have a long history. Edwin Beard Budding invented the first mower in 1830 in England.

ReelMower.png
ReelMower.png
His machine was made of wrought iron and was pushed by a person. It was much better than using a hand tool called a scythe. Later, other inventors made new kinds of mowers. James Sumner patented a steam-powered mower in 1893. These were very heavy and took a long time to warm up. By 1902, Ransomes produced the first gasoline-powered mower.
Ransomes00.gif
Ransomes00.gif

Different mowers are built for different sized jobs. Small push mowers are great for a person to use at home.

Pushmower1.JPG
Pushmower1.JPG
For very large areas, people use ride-on mowers or even tractors.
TORO Z Master Commercial Zero-Turn Riders mower at Construct Expo Utilaje 2010.JPG
TORO Z Master Commercial Zero-Turn Riders mower at Construct Expo Utilaje 2010.JPG
Some commercial mowers are called zero-turn mowers because they can move very fast. There are also multi-gang mowers that use many blades at once. These are used on huge places like golf courses.
SLNSW 8483 The horsedrawn mower makes a vignette of a player putting.jpg
SLNSW 8483 The horsedrawn mower makes a vignette of a player putting.jpg
Even robotic mowers like the Robomow exist today.
Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg
Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg

Many of the tools we use today started with these early ideas. The way a cylinder mower cuts grass is still a very smart way to keep plants healthy. Even the first gasoline mowers led to the powerful engines we see now. In Australia, a man named Mervyn Victor Richardson made a famous mower in his garage.

SLNSW 8483 The horsedrawn mower makes a vignette of a player putting.jpg
SLNSW 8483 The horsedrawn mower makes a vignette of a player putting.jpg
His company, Victa, became very successful after 1952. It is interesting to see how a simple iron machine from 1830 changed how we look at our grass.

468 words

A lawn mower is a mechanical device used to maintain grass at a uniform height.

Pushmower1.JPG
Pushmower1.JPG
These machines are essential for managing gardens, residential lawns, and large public spaces. By using revolving blades or a reel, mowers transform uneven turf into a smooth surface. Operators can often adjust the cutting height using a master lever or by changing the wheel positions. This ability to control the cut allows for different styles of lawn care. Modern mowers range from small manual tools to advanced autonomous robots.
Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg
Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg

There are two primary mechanical methods used to cut grass. The first is the rotary mower, which uses a single blade rotating around a vertical axis. This design became popular once engines were small and powerful enough to spin blades at high speeds. The second type is the cylinder mower, also known as a reel mower.

ReelMower.png
ReelMower.png
This machine features a fast-spinning reel of blades that move past a fixed, horizontal cutting bar. The blades on the reel are shaped like a helix, or a spiral, around the central axis. This mechanism functions much like a pair of scissors to create a very clean cut. Because the cut is so precise, the grass can heal more quickly and resist disease or weeds.
Walzenmäher 002.jpg
Walzenmäher 002.jpg

Lawn mowers are categorized by their size and how they are powered. Small, non-powered push mowers are ideal for tiny residential gardens. Larger residential lawns might require electric or piston engine-powered push mowers. For massive areas, ride-on mowers allow the operator to sit while they work.

John Deere lawn mower.JPG
John Deere lawn mower.JPG
Some commercial models are called zero-turn mowers, designed for high speed and agility. The largest machines are multi-gang mowers, which use multiple sets of blades at once. These are mounted on tractors to cover huge expanses like golf courses or municipal parks.
TORO Z Master Commercial Zero-Turn Riders mower at Construct Expo Utilaje 2010.JPG
TORO Z Master Commercial Zero-Turn Riders mower at Construct Expo Utilaje 2010.JPG

The history of the lawn mower began in 1830 in Stroud, England. Edwin Beard Budding invented the first machine to provide a better alternative to the manual scythe.

ReelMower.png
ReelMower.png
His original design was made of wrought iron and required a person to push it from behind. It used cast-iron gear wheels to transmit power from a rear roller to the cutting cylinder. This specific machine had a gear ratio of 16:1. Budding's invention was a catalyst for modern sports. It helped lead to the creation of organized rules for football, lawn tennis, and lawn bowls.

Innovation continued throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 1850s, Thomas Green & Son introduced the Silens Messor, which used a chain drive to be quieter and lighter. James Sumner patented the first steam-powered mower in 1893. These machines were very heavy and required several hours to reach operating pressure. By 1902, Ransomes produced the first gasoline-powered mower.

Ransomes00.gif
Ransomes00.gif
In the United States, the Ideal Power Mower Co. manufactured gasoline mowers in 1914. They also introduced the "Triplex" in 1922, which was the first self-propelled riding lawn tractor.

In Australia, the mower became a cultural icon through the company Victa. Mervyn Victor Richardson built his first model from scrap in his garage.

SLNSW 8483 The horsedrawn mower makes a vignette of a player putting.jpg
SLNSW 8483 The horsedrawn mower makes a vignette of a player putting.jpg
His company, Victa Mowers Pty Ltd, was incorporated in 1953 after his successful launch in 1952. By 1958, the company had grown enough to move to much larger premises. They eventually began designing and manufacturing their own specialized engines. This move helped them move away from using general-purpose engines from outside suppliers.

Today, the technology behind grass cutting connects to many different engineering fields. We see the evolution from manual gears to internal combustion engines and even electric motors. Some modern versions, like the Flymo hover mower introduced in 1964, use an air cushion based on the hovercraft principle. Robotic mowers now use battery power to operate autonomously.

Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg
Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg
From Budding's iron frame to modern robotics, the goal remains the same: maintaining a healthy, even landscape.

666 words
🖼️ Images & Media (14)
File:Lawn Mowing DVIDS119604.jpg
Lawn Mowing DVIDS119604.jpg
File:John Deere lawn mower.JPG
John Deere lawn mower.JPG
File:Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg
Robomow 110 City 2012-06-05.jpg
File:TORO Z Master Commercial Zero-Turn Riders mower at Construct Expo Utilaje 2010.JPG
TORO Z Master Commercial Zero-Turn Riders...
File:ReelMower.png
ReelMower.png
File:SLNSW 8483 The horsedrawn mower makes a vignette of a player putting.jpg
SLNSW 8483 The horsedrawn mower makes a...
File:Ransomes00.gif
Ransomes00.gif
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-09651, Elektrische Grasmähmaschine.jpg
Bundesarchiv Bild 102-09651, Elektrische...
File:Pushmower1.JPG
Pushmower1.JPG
File:Walzenmäher 002.jpg
Walzenmäher 002.jpg
File:Electric mower underside.jpg
Electric mower underside.jpg
File:Kosoř, silnice od rozcestí, traktor se sekačkou.jpg
Kosoř, silnice od rozcestí, traktor se...

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