Who Invented the Lawn Mower?

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “When were lawn mowers invented?”, you’re not alone. Lawn mower history is fascinating, with plenty of human ingenuity required to create the lawn care companion that many of us take for granted today. We’ve come a long way from scythes and sickles, so our expert team at Mowrator has created a guide to take you on a journey of who invented the lawn mower.

Key Takeaways

• Edwin Buddings invented the lawn mower in 1830. A cloth mill machine inspired him.
• Buddings’ original design saw major improvements over the decades, with only 60 years to create the first steam-powered lawn mower.
• The modern lawn mower as we know it today started its evolution in 1960.

Who was the First Inventor of the Lawn Mower?

The first person credited with inventing the lawn mower was an Englishman called Edwin Beard Budding in 1830. He came up with the idea for the lawn mower when he saw a cutting cylinder at a locally based cloth mill. This cylinder was used to cut excess nap away from the outermost layer of woolen cloth to give it a satin-like finishing touch. Edwin Budding believed that he could use a similar device to cut the grass at his local sports ground in Gloucestershire, which proved to be more effective than a cutting scythe.

Edwin’s first machine wasn't very polished, but it got the job done. It was around 19 inches (about 48 cm) wide, and crafted out of wrought iron. The mower was also pushed from behind like modern lawn mowers. The power required to mow grass was transmitted from a rear roller to the main cutting cylinder, which would drive knives at a ratio of 16 times per rear roller turn.

Budding was granted the British patent for the lawn mower on August 31st, 1830. This patent holds the title for the oldest lawn mower and the first use of a lawn mower in history.

How did the Lawn Mower Develop and Improve?

The evolution of the lawn mower developed and improved rapidly, with major alterations from a variety of people. Here are some highlights of the timeline after Edwin Budding's invention:

• 1850s: Thomas Green & Son of Leeds unveiled the Silens Messor (silent cutter). This mower used a chain drive to make the lawn mower quieter and lighter.
• 1868: Amariah Hills placed the first American patent for the first reel mower in the United States on January 12th, 1868.
• 1870: Eldwood McGuire of Richmond designed the first modern human-pushed lawn mower in 1870. This was a resounding commercial success thanks to its lightweight frame.
• 1899: American inventor John Albert Burr received the patent for the rotary lawn mower in 1899. His design improved on wheel placement and clogged less. When looking at the history of the lawn mower, his patent is frequently credited as the original.

• 1902: Ipswich-based Ransomes pioneered the original commercial gas-powered lawn mower. Ransomes' mower was propelled by an internal combustion gas engine.
• 1919: Colonel Edwin George improved the internal combustion engine and dramatically moved gas-powered lawn mower engines forward in 1919 in the States. However, it wasn’t commercially available due to the World War.
• 1922: The Ideal Power Lawn Mower Company released the world’s premier self-propelled riding lawn tractor.
• 1960s onward: Modern-day lawn mowers as we know them today were created in the 1960s, after which electric-powered lawn mowers soon became popular.

While Budding’s mower was designed primarily in the 1830s, it only took 10 years to create a machine that could be drawn by animals, and 60 years for the invention of steam-powered lawn mowers. Lawn mowing technology has only grown increasingly more sophisticated, but lawn care and the popularity of using lawn mowers didn’t really start that long ago.

What is the Future of Lawn Mowers?

The future of lawn mowers is trending towards electric and autonomous or smart mowers that require less human input. One option for future lawn mowers is fully automatic or remote controlled lawn mowers Mowrator's S1 4WD is a fully remote controlled 3-in-1 lawn mower that makes lawn care simple and easy with a touch of a button. Check out our full range of lawn mowers and accessories.

FAQs on Who Invented The Lawn Mower

When was the First Gas-Powered Lawn Mower Invented?

The Ideal Power Mower Company holds the credit for creating the first commercially available gasoline-powered lawn mowers along with their riding tractor in 1922. Colonel Edwin George greatly advanced gas-powered mowers and their manufacture, but he was unable to make them readily available.

What did People Use Before Lawn Mowers?

People, mainly farmers, would use either shears, scythes, or sickles to cut grass before lawn mowers. This process was extremely labor-intensive and tiring, which made the invention of the lawn mower a central aspect of agricultural and recreational maintenance.

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