OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories AUSTRALIAN Rotary Models OGDEN ROTAMATIC - c1955

Hello ODK History Lovers

The Ogden Rotamatic rotary lawnmower was Ogden's first and only rotary mower.
It was manufactured and sold in late 1955 for the 1955-56 lawnmower season.
Its design would not see the 1960s.

This was not Ogden's first power mower, having manufactured a successful side-wheel machine ...
the Ogden Motor Mower [later the Motamatic] - from about 1952.

The Rotamatic would have looked superb on the showroom floor in its green and gold livery.
This was a radical departure in colour from 'Ogden Blue' - to a green base, yellow cowling and wheels.
The Rotamatic would have looked like a John Deere! Why the colour change? It was only later that
the penny dropped: The 1956 Summer Olympic Games held in Ogden's 'Home State', Melbourne.
Some Ogden advertising capitalized on Australia's official colours.

Here is a typical advertisement taken from the Australian Women's Weekly from March, 1956:-



TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART 2 - SPECIFICATION

The Engine was the 'Trojan Major', a larger version of the 'Tor 49'.
The Major had a three ball-race crankshaft, deemed obligatory on rotary mowers.
The engine had the old lanyard start - no recoil start was offered.

I think the cowling was made by Ogden, but I'm not sure...



The Rotomatic had a more-complex engine protection system than what was needed.
The swing-blade system used on other rotaries - including Victas, right from the prototype onwards -
was a simple, elegant shock control system for blade holders directly attached to the crankshaft.

Instead, Ogden used rigid-mounted blades (to the blade holder) and incorporated a spring clutch to
protect the motor from shock loads. [see image below]



The Rotamatic had an old-fashioned height adjustment system and rope-pull starter!
By 1957 the mower catchcry was 'automatic'. On the Rotamatic each wheel had to be manually adjusted
for height (a la Americana).



The Rotamatic had a deep-skirt aluminium base that would have offered some safe protection from
projectiles. However, this was not a double skirt design, which would be paramount in later 1960's lawnmower designs.



Here is a specification taken from my 1950s Mower Maintenance Guide:-

PART 3 - SIGNIFICANCE

The Rotamatic was out of date within a season after it hit the showroom floor.
This post will discuss why I think that way.

By late 1950s standards the Rotamatic lacked the features that would define what
the Australian rotary lawn mower should be: recoil starter; single-point height adjustment.

I also think the machine was overly complex - with its rigid blades and safety clutch.
The engine was probably underpowered.

The Rotamatic is clearly collectable and they are very rare nowadays.

The rest is history.

BROCHURE

I have scanned my Ogden Motamatic and Rotamatic brochure.
It may be downloaded below.

Magneto: https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=67246



Would you like to comment on this article?
Simply create a new topic in the Old Soap Box HERE.

In late 2019, member and collector Paul C gave us additional
evidence and information about the Ogden Rotamatic.

I had speculated that the Ogden rotary was linked to the 1956 Olympics,
because of its colour scheme, location, and advertising hints.

Paul presented ODK with a newsprint ad from Th Sun, Friday 23 November, 1956, p17.
That advertisement confirmed the connection. ... but explained more!



That ad solved an issue - that the connection to the Olympics was stronger
than advertising puffery suggested ...

The copy says, "The only mowers to be awarded Bronze Medallions
at the Industrial Design Exhibition, Olympic Games Fine Arts Festival,
conducted by the Olympic Civic Committee, XVI Olympiad, Melbourne, 1956."

This makes the Ogden Rotamatic a rare and desirable lawnmower.