Episode 6: The Evolution of Lawnmowers: From Shears to Smart Robots

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We hear and see them in towns

worldwide, being used to cut

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grass in the warmer months.

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Lawnmowers.

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Have you ever wondered what

was used before lawnmowers?

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in the evolution of them over the years.

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Let's discuss that in this episode

of It Started Somewhere, a podcast

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about popular products, places,

and things we know about, but may

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not know the story behind them.

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Before we dive into the history

of lawnmowers, let's take a

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moment to understand why we even

have lawns in the first place.

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Around the 1700s, formal lawns with neatly

manicured grass begin appearing in France.

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These were created by nobles

and aristocrats as a status

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symbol in pleasure grounds.

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These early lawns were tended by

grazing animals and painstakingly

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cut with shears and scythes.

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Can you imagine the time and effort

it must have taken to maintain them?

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Lawns were maintained like this for

decades until the: 1830

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Budding, an engineer from Gloucester,

England, invented the lawnmower.

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Budding was working in a textile mill when

he observed a machine used to trim the

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irregular nap from woolen cloth, giving it

a smooth finish, and he saw the potential

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to apply this technology to cutting grass.

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Budding's invention was revolutionary.

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Picture a push mower made of heavy

cast iron, complete with wheels,

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a rear roller, and a rolling

cylinder of blades at the front.

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It was 19 inches wide and

designed to cut grass on sport

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grounds and extensive gardens.

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Buddings invention

quickly gained popularity.

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The London Zoo and Oxford

University were among the early

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adopters of this new technology.

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But the innovation didn't stop there.

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In the 1850s, Thomas Green, and Son

of Leeds introduced a mower called

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the Silenes Messier or Silent Cutter.

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This machine used a chain drive to

transmit power from the rear roller to the

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cutting cylinder, making it lighter and

quieter than its gear driven predecessors.

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Another significant milestone came in

: 1868

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first real lawnmower in the United States.

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This invention was a commercial

success, raking in nearly 100,000

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in sales in its first year.

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That's equivalent to over 2 million today.

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In the latter part of the 19th

century, lawnmower technology

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continued to evolve rapidly.

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In the 1890s, we saw the introduction

of the first engine powered

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lawnmowers featuring lightweight

steam and petrol engines.

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The turn of the century

brought even more advancement

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In 1902, Ransoms of Ipswich, an

English company produced the first

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commercially available lawnmower powered

by an internal combustion gas engine.

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This was a game changer, as the

gas powered models were preferred

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over the electric predecessors.

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As lawns grew larger and technology

advanced, the need for more efficient

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mowing solutions became apparent.

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And in 1922, the Ideal Power Company

of Lansing, Michigan invented the

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first self propelled riding lawn mower.

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This marked the beginning

of a new era in lawn care.

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The latter half of the 20th

century saw a flurry of inventions

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in lawnmower technology.

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In 1952, Briggs and Stratton developed

the first lightweight aluminum

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engine for lawnmowers, making rotary

lawnmowers much easier to use.

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In 1955, the first zero term

mower was invented, but it

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didn't hit the market until 1969.

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A zero term lawn mower is a riding

mower that can turn on a dime,

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making it easier to maneuver

around trees and other obstacles.

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Fast forward a few decades to the

90s, and we saw the emergence of

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solar powered and robotic lawnmowers.

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And in 2000, we saw the introduction of

the first naturally gas powered mower.

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Today we're seeing the rise of smart,

connected modes that can be controlled

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via smartphone apps and home assistance.

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Electric mowers are gaining popularity,

and as battery technology continues

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to improve, we can expect to see

more powerful and longer lasting

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electric mowers hitting the market.

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Robotic mowers are also becoming more

sophisticated, with advanced sensors

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and AI technology allowing them to

navigate complex landscapes with ease.

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From Edwin Budding's manual push

mower in the: 1830

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tech robotic mowers, lawnmower

technology has come a long way and

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I'm sure it will continue to evolve.

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Thanks for joining me

on It Started Somewhere.

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I'll catch you on the next episode.