Hello
ODK history lovers
The grass ‘mower’ is an old idea.
CONTEXT: -Originally a
scythe or a shorter hand
sickle held dual functions –
as an
agricultural implement, and later as a
horticultural implement.
They could be used for food production or for producing aesthetic
looks as the first lawnmowers.
When the first mechanical lawnmower was invented in
1830, a similar
idea would transfer to agriculture. The issue was: how do you cut
agricultural grasses on a large scale? A reel mower design beyond
about 40 inches made no engineering sense.
The answer was in the sickle bar mower. A system of fixed bars
acting against reciprocating blades arranged in a linear fashion
could be made to very wide cutting widths.
This article is about a
brochure depicting one particular sickle-blade
mower that was popular in Australia in the early 20th Century –
the
Swedish built
Herkules.
TO BE CONTINUED ...