OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories AUSTRALIAN Reel Hand-Mowers REXMOW - A Unique Design - c1932

Hello ODK History Lovers

Thomas Jutson Edwards (1889-1962) of No.8 Bonfield Avenue, Hawthorn, Victoria was the Patent
Applicant and Actual Inventor of the lawnmower that would become known as the Rexmow.

The Rexmow was an Australian push-mower ('pushie') manufactured from 1932 until the mid-1950s.
Its production life is significant in spanning a quarter of a century, and in that time, only
had minor changes to the design. This is an historically important vintage lawnmower.



MODELS:
- 12 inch 5 blade
- 14 inch 5 blade
- 14 inch 7 blade
- 16 inch (Probably)

A tubular-steel handle was fitted from the early 1950s; it would appear that rubber tyres were being
fitted prior to the ceasing of all lawnmower production in Australia for the war effort. The last
records I have are from early 1941. Manufacturing and sales would continue post-war from 1947.

This is a significant, extended article on this Australian designed and built lawnmower because of
its unique feature: its setting mechanism. Covered by Australian and American patents, this machine
discarded the need for set screws, and kept automatic set adjustment by means of a set of springs
located on one side of the lawnmower.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PRE-WAR REXMOW

The first advertising records I have indicate that the Rexmow was being sold from 1932.
I have no doubt they were being sold before this. The interesting thing is that it would
appear that Edwards was manufacturing and marketing the Rexmow himself!

Tom Edwards, the inventor, was actively seeking interstate agencies for his product.
Below are two examples - from Queensland and South Australia - that show prospective
representatives should apply directly to Edwards. Note the change of street number in
Burke Road, Hawthorne.



By 1934 Tom Edwards had established a private company to produce his lawnmower.
The company - Rexmow Lawn Mower Manufacturers Pty., Ltd. - had a capital of £5,000 and
the subscribers were Thomas and his wife Margaret.



EARLY ADVERTISING

Early advertising for the Rexmow was kept simple. In this series of advertisements from
the Sydney Morning Herald it is clear that a NSW agency was found for this important State market.

Of note is that the Rexmow was selling in NSW in 1932.
The second advertisement is interesting in that the selling feature regards cost of upkeep.
In a test, the machine retained its set, "in 5 miles daily test over six months".
In the other ads the Rexmow is referred to as 'automatic' and "The world's most modern Mower":-



TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART THREE - Significant Kudos

The great Australian firm Scott Bonnar was the sole distributor for Rexmow in NSW in 1937.
Clearly that would indicate the machine was of merit and quality, "a Really High-class Hand Mower".



I do know that Rexmow was one of the exhibitors at The Argus 20th Century Exhibition, held in
Melbourne in 1938. The headlines proclaimed: "Over 3 Acres of Science, Industry, Education, and Amusement".
It is clear that 'amusement' would be short-lived, as industry would shortly more to war-time production.

In any case, the record from 29 July, 1938 indicates the Rexmow was successful: it was used
by a number of Councils. Also note that the machine used 'twin connecting bars', a significant
feature for frame rigidity, that would be used in other, post-war Australian hand mowers.




TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART FOUR - POST WAR

When Australian lawnmower production resumed manufacturers faced a new world order,
an emerging working-class affluence, new technology, and a more competitive industry.

It would appear that Thomas Edwards, approaching retirement age, made a shrewd business
decision in selling his company to a wealthy Melbourne investor and successful merchant,
E.L. Yencken.

[Edwards, born in Manchester, England, in 1889, retired to the Gold Coast, Queensland.
He would pass away on February 12, 1962 at Southport, Queensland.]

Rexmow Lawnmowers Proprietary Limited was formed in June of 1946. This company had great ambition -
with plans to export, and later planned to produce petrol and electric machines [It didn't].



The new Factory was situated at Queen's Bridge Street, South Melbourne.
Here is a 1957 photo of the showrooms:-




TO BE CONTINUED ...

THE PATENTS

Tom Edwards's automatic setting system was protected by two Australian patents.
Deficiencies in the first patent design would be corrected in the second Australian one.
The second patent would receive an American patent, thus offering some world-wide protection.

The First Patent
The first patent, 21274/29, was applied for in July, 1929, and accepted in January, 1930.
The Object of the invention was, "to provide improved automatic means for self-adjusting
between the blades of the rotary cutter and the knife."

This first patent was not an elegant design.
A spring (11) each side of the bottom block (36) would exert downward force on lug (7),
thus putting set pressure on the bottom blade (4). Initial micro-adjustment could be effected
by a 'nut or the like' at stud (9).

To prevent the reel fowling the bottom blade, the outside reel collars had 'rings'(18) that
would extend to the edge of each spiral blade (3) and contact the bottom blade. To prevent
'undue friction' between the rings and the bottom blade an "oil saturated textile or other
strip or pad" (20) would be suspended from one of the traverse frame rods (21), thus oiling
the blade surfaces.

I have no evidence that this first design ever saw production. That's a good thing.
It would be the second patent that would correct the deficiencies of this first, clumsy design
for automatic setting of the reel to its bottom blade.

The Rexmow was not the only AUS mower to offer self-adjusting.
Compare the Rexmow to the Cambridge here: -
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/112803/cambridge-reel-mower-c1940.html



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