- Before the invention of the lawn mower, grass was maintained through animals grazing the area.
- Birds such as chickens and geese were either able to roam freely or were kept in movable pens while sheep and cattle cleared the larger areas of grass.
- A scythe was used to cut off plants that the animals wouldn’t eat
- The lawn mower was invented in 1830 by an English Engineer named Edwin Beard Budding
- Obtaining his idea from observing a machine in a local cloth mill which used a cutting cylinder mounted on a bench to trim cloth, Budding realized that a similar concept would enable the cutting of grass.
- He and another engineer, John Ferrabee, created mowers out of cast iron and featured a large rear roller with a cutting cylinder in the front. The cast iron gear wheels were used to transmit power from the rear roller to the cutting cylinder
1. Compare the historical and current uses of the product. (5 marks)
Before the invention of the lawn mower, grass was primarily maintained through animals such as chickens, sheep and cattle grazing the area. In addition, scythes …show more content…
The mower pan, handlebar, engine and blades are made out of metal while the side discharge chutes, covers and plugs being made out of PVC (Polyvinyl chloride). Ferrous and non-ferrous metals are available in the lawn mower such as the mower pan usually being made out of steel, however, cast aluminum is sometimes used to create the mower pan. The electrical wiring inside the lawn mower may contain some copper inside the insulation to conduct the electricity within the mower. Furthermore, rubber is also used for tires and plugs. Lawn mower blades are typically made out of high carbon steel, sometimes being alloyed with nickel, promoting the hardness of the blades. Lawn mower engines usually are made up of ‘dirty aluminum’ which is aluminum that has been contaminated with entities such as iron, glass or