OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories AUSTRALIAN Rotary Models SINGER Lawnmowers - c1963

Hello ODK History Lovers

The American Singer Company - well-known sewing machine maker - diversified way beyond sewing machines
in the early 1960s. I guess there was a realisation that their traditional market was in decline as
cheaper factory-manufactured clothing became available on world markets.

In Australia, various types of products appeared under the Singer brand: portable typewriters, washing machines,
vacuum cleaners, Knitting machines, shampoo polishers, fans, televisions, radios ... lawnmowers!
Singer had become a marketing company of appliances not necessarily designed or manufactured by them.

Singer lawnmowers started to appear in early 1963 for the 1962-63 lawnmower season.
These were somewhat conventional lawnmowers with one significant exception: on the later models they offered a
variety of 'Handyman kits' - via a power take-off - to convert the mower into a pump, spray and air compressor.

To give you an idea, here's a typical 1964 advertisement for the rear-catcher Singer:-



TO BE CONTINUED ...

SPECIFICATION

Singer made both side-discharge and rear-discharge machines. The first Singers were the side-catcher models.
Later, these would be updated to become the Singer Specials. To augment the new range, a rear-catcher
model, the De-Luxe, would be introduced. These new models would be offered with interesting accessory kits.

SIDE DISCHARGE MODELS.

The first Singer was the side-discharge Singer Motor Mower. It had a 19 inch cutting width and
had an alloy base. It had the obligatory one-point height adjustment, folding handle, and large rear wheels.
It was offered with two engine makes in three variants: the Kirby-Lauson, and the Villiers Lightweight
4-stroke and the Villiers 7F 2-stroke. Wind-up 'Impulse' starters would appear on all models.
There was an optional grass catcher offered for all mowers.

Here is an early advertisement from 1963. Note the unusual single-point height adjuster.
A bell crank with holes in a circular plate mounted on the base seems to have a spring-loaded locking knob for
fixing the chosen height. This, combined with the rear height lever, would have made this an awkward system:-



The side discharge machine appears to have been revised when the rear-discharge Singer was introduced in 1964.
Note the conventional one point height adjuster here:-



TO BE CONTINUED ...

REAR DISCHARGE MODELS

The Singer De-luxe 2 & 4 rear catcher models were introduced (best guess) in late 1964 for the
1964-65 lawnmower season.

This was a 19 inch machine, again with alloy base and large rear wheels. This machine appears to have
a medium arch chute enabling the maker to boast it would collect even wet grass and fill the metal catcher to the brim.
[Maybe their slogan should have been "Singin' in the rain"]

The De-Luxe had the Villiers 2 & 4 stroke options.
An unusual feature was the 'Telescopic safety handle' used to ergonomic effect on this machine:-



TO BE CONTINUED ...

THE POWER TAKE-OFF KITS:

The accessory "Handyman Kits" were the single feature of the Singers that made them so unusual.
To my knowledge, the only other manufacturer that offered a power take-off on a rotary was Condeco's Austral-Villiers
Adaptomatic rotary; but with no developed accessories.

The Singer offered specific kits for differing applications:-
Kit number 1 - house and garden pump
Kit number 2 - compressor for spray painting
Kit number 3 - garden & house spray [see 'For The Record' below]

Here are a couple of photographs of the attachments.
The photos are courtesy of the State Library of New South Wales.
Their record indicates that the accessories were made for Singer by CIG Arnold DeVilbiss Tuffy.
The photos were taken in late 1964 at the Singer factory at Riverwood:-



Photo Credit: http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/12251058?q=singer+mower&c=picture

The PTO arrangement appears to have been via an engine crankshaft pulley and belt to a coupling at the rear.
The advertising suggests that both side and rear discharge mowers could accept the accessory kits.
Here is an illustration of the PTO coupling:-



TO BE CONTINUED ...

SIGNIFICANCE

To my knowledge, only two sewing machine companies got involved in lawnmower manufacture:
Pinnock-Villager and Singer Australia. It is also true that other companies sold sewing machines and lawnmowers
under their name ... as in H.G. Palmer.

Singer's failure was probably in its distribution network. Their machines were sold through their own
'Singer Sewing Appliance Centre' network. Advertising also said that Singer lawnmowers were also sold
through 'other leading retailers'. I wonder if that meant "mower stores"?

The thing is: I can find no evidence of other retailers taking up that offer.

Having said that, Singer's success was in thinking outside the square as to what a lawnmower should be.
This was a clever lawnmower that offered quite useful accessories.

The rest is history.
------------------------------------------------------
JACK.

ODK History is lucky that we have a member who has restored a Singer lawnmower.
This one is IanOZ's Singer Special. Notice the newer height lever and rods.
Also note that this machine is powered by the Villiers Lightweight 4-stroke engine.

It is rare to find mowing attachments, particularly those made for rare lawnmowers.
I guess it would be very rare, then, to find a NOS (new old stock) attachment.

This is a Spray Pump Attachment for the 1960s Singer lawnmower. Brand new, still in box -
after more than half a century! It was offered on eBay in August, 2015.

ODK member IanOZ was the successful bidder and owner:-

IanOZ's SINGER
Victa Pump Attachment
AUSTRAL-VILLIERS Adaptomatic



Would you like to comment on this article?
Comments on the Singer article may be made in the Old Soap Box HERE.