OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Finding and Swapping Idle Chatter So where did it all begin?

I'm not too clear on whether the 1917 engine is actually 2 stroke Ty, I may have just failed to find the valve gear.

This report on the 1894 Mietz and Weiss 6 hp engine - a direct-injection 2 stroke - says it was initially hit-and-miss governed, then later throttle governed, but judging by the photograph it was a bit bulky for lawnmower use:
http://www.coolspringpowermuseum.org/Publications/Flywheel/Flywheel_201106.htm

I'll add some more data to this not-very-structured history. We know that the Rotoscythe may have pioneered the rotary mower both globally, and specifically in the UK. We know that in 1950, Briggs and Stratton began making a vertical crankshaft engine specifically for rotary mowers. I have found some material intended to expand on the development of rotary mowers in the US, prior to (and perhaps leading to) that Briggs product introduction.

It is a very long and detailed history of Goodall, a pioneering firm in the field of vertical crankshaft rotary mowers in the US. The history was produced by the State Historical Society of Missouri:
http://www.gasenginemagazine.com/fa...tor-leonard-b-goodall.aspx#axzz2mdj9PZju

The article shows a very early production version of Goodall's mower, probably much the same as one featured but not photographed in a newspaper article from 1939. This apparently used a Maytag washing machine engine:



It also includes a reproduction of a March, 1947 advertisement for Goodall's product:



Just after the war Goodall negotiated with both Briggs and Lauson to have them make vertical crankshaft engines for him. The outcome was a 5 year agreement for Lauson to make vertical crankshaft engines exclusively for Goodall. I think that is probably the engine on the mower in the 1947 advertisement. Meanwhile I note that the Clinton engine company claimed to have produced the "first mass produced vertical-shaft engines for rotary lawnmowers", though it doesn't say in what year this happened:
http://www.clintonengines.us/Clinton_Open_House.pdf

So from this we can see that by 1939 there was indeed a lightweight, vertical shaft petrol powered rotary in existence, and by 1947 we see a four wheeled variant possibly powered by an engine specifically made for the task.

Again we see more to show that the history of the rotary mower is much more than we are often led to believe in Australia.

On one hand, it is likely that back before the days of mass global communication, many of these advancements remained news within their own country, only becoming international concepts when machines reached the export stage.

Even once it became available in Australia, the Rotoscythe seems to have been uncommon, and to many unheard of.

But these ideas and machines were indeed still out there, and even if Merv was only influenced by the mowhall (which i find hard to claim) we then need to look at who inspired the mowhall, and so on and so forth.

With the international availability of numerous lightweight electrics, it is not surprising to see petrol variants popping up, especially when you consider, such as above, the availability of suitable engines on washing machines, yard equipment and small bikes.

Hi Grumpy, Mr Davis and VM members,

I'm sure you guys have visited Vintage Mowers!

Goodall is the key man I identified as the USA petrol rotary pioneer.
His story is similar to Richardson's in that both started in their back yard.
Cheers, Jack.

Oh My, to think this chap was retiring in 1952, Just when Victa was starting...

And if that Plauqe date is corect, he started out at the same time as rotoscythe.

I've never been to VM, CyberJack, all I did was look at early rotary mower literature, and immediately found the State Historical Society of Missouri's paper, which was written in 1993 by Leonard E. Goodall, a descendant of the original Leonard B. Goodall. I did not find any of the much more difficult material you found - I'm not cut out to be a historian, let alone a good one.

Leonard B. was in many ways a representative example of the inventor-entrepreneur type, and seemingly a theorist rather than a businessman, as is often the case with true pioneers. His company prospered considerably immediately after WW2, but as soon as competition arose in the early 1950s, he quickly sold the company and retired. If only more inventor-entrepreneurs had the sense to do the same. I am inclined to tentatively classify Richardson as the other kind of inventor-entrepreneur: a fast-follower and improviser. Note that Goodall did a great deal of experimenting before he founded the company and began to produce a somewhat developed product.

Hi Ty, grumpy and ODK members,

Goodall was tinkering way before he patented anything.
I think 1939 is the key date for domestic petrol rotaries in the USA.

I like Grumpy's point on the 'inventor-entrepreneur'.
I firmly believe Richardson was of this type.
Others I have found are Australia's Arthur Bishop and his L.B.L. mower;
and NZ's Charles Crowe and his mowers (no relation to the AUS Crowe mowers).

All very interesting.
-----------------------------------------
JACK

Hi Ty, grumpy and Jack,
I cannot believe the amount of great information coming out of the woodwork!
So much of this material is of historical significance, I, like Jack, believe it is time to move this important thread to another more appropriate forum topic for archival purposes.
Your thoughts gentlemen please....
Ty, would you be available to help with the move if we make a decision?
Thanks guys,

I certainly would.

Perhaps as this can be used to make further, more organised guides for model history, perhaps collectors corner, general discussion?