OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories AUSTRALIAN Rotary Models AUSTRAL-VILLIERS - Adaptomatic - c1956

Hello ODK History Lovers

The Austral-Villiers Adaptomatic was an Australian 16 inch rotary lawnmower made by Condeco Pty Ltd,
of 909 High Street, Armadale, Victoria.

Made from about 1956, it was powered by a Villiers Mark G series engine of 70cc capacity, and fitted
with an unusual A-V proprietary kick-starting system. Its other unusual feature was that the machine could
be adapted to take accessories via a power-take-off arrangement [not Version 1 machines].

This was a machine that used extensive aluminium castings, and the deep-skirted alloy base incorporated
a front safety skirt. Engine protection was via two swing-back blades, and a small, spring-loaded clutch
plate between engine and blade holder. The rubber-tyred wheels were small in diameter, and the handles
could not be folded.



This is a most unusual little lawnmower, collectable - not because of good design - but because
it just did things so differently.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART TWO - KEY FEATURES

[1] KICK STARTER
Kick starting was not at all uncommon on imported or Australian-made reel lawnmowers in the 1950s.
Its use on rotaries would be limited to a few brands and for only a few short years. For example,
Champion, Mofast and Scott Bonnar would all have a foot start model.

The window of opportunity was really only between about 1956 and 1959. By 1960, robust wind-up
spring 'impulse' starters took over.

The Adaptomatic's version of the kick starter was over-engineered and would have been incredibly
expensive to manufacture. On the plus side, the development of this particular arrangement had a
bonus: the ability to include an air-shroud or cowl for fan-forced engine cooling.

The cowl's supporting structure was not the little Villiers engine, but three steel tubes and
bolts that surrounded the engine and directly connected to the mower deck.




[2] POWER TAKE-OFF
The PTO feature is where the Adaptomatic got its name. In a gadget hungry 1950s, the word
'automatic' was being used for all sorts of labour-saving machines and the features thereon.
Remember, for example, the Victa Automatic? It was so named, not just because of its Predicta
System, but because it had automatic height adjustment and automatic recoil starting.

The Adaptomatic was more than a lawnmower. An optional PTO drive could be purchased and fitted
to the little A-V, so that attachments could be fitted - included a Hedge Trimmer, Rotary Saw,
Power Hoe, Polisher, and Pump. Drive to the attachment was achieved via a one metre flexible
cable ending in a ... chuck.



The downfall of the design was that, when you wanted to use the attachment, it wasn't exactly
snap-and-go. The blade holder had to be removed, and the PTO cable inserted from underneath.
A spring tensioned metal wheel with rubber band outer connected directly to a cast iron pulley
pre-installed on the crankshaft at the factory. This was a friction drive.

At the end of the job, one had to dis-assemble the PTO and refit the blade holder.
Quite burdensome really!

In the photograph below the PTO cover plate can be seen, held in place by two reusable plastic plugs:-



TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART THREE - VARIANTS
The Adaptomatic sold for about four mowing seasons from 1956. In that time, it would appear that
there was little technical change to the machine. The main difference I have identified was to the
height adjustment arrangements on the lawnmower.

VERSION 1
Here is what I believe to be the very earliest model. It is serial number 230 and it appeared on
an auction site a few years' ago. Note the unpainted base with no ribbing between the front wheels.
Of particular interest is the total absence of the height adjuster knobs seen on later models.
I am unsure how height of cut was affected on this particular version:-

[NOTE: Version 1 appears NOT to have had the PTO feature.]



VERSION 2
The second version offered two height adjustment knobs: one controlling the rear wheels; the other
controlling the front. Not quite a 'one point' system yet ... Note the strengthening ribs in the base.



VERSION 3
The final version was really a consolidation of the designs into the one point system that became
the lawnmower design expectation by the end of the 1950s. This was achieved by conventional means -
a bellcrank and lever connecting rod.



TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART FOUR - SIGNIFICANCE

The Austral-Villiers Adaptomatic was another example of an engineering folly that misread
where the market was heading in terms of lawnmower design.

This little machine was priced to be as expensive as a Victa Automatic = a top-end rotary machine
of the day. What you got here, though, was a small motor and a small cut on a machine where the
additional costs of a PTO and accessories would have made this an extremely expensive proposition.
[NOTE: the PTO accessory kit sold for about £11]

The PTO idea was flawed on this design; requiring assembly and disassembly every time it was used!
It was totally inconvenient. The kick-start system was sound, but expensive to manufacture. It would
be out of date as it hit the showroom floor. The more compact (and simpler) recoil and wind-up starters
would become the norm by 1960.

The biggest defects that prevented further development were small size cut, no quick folding handle
and, most of all, no capacity to accept a grass catcher. The Adaptomatic couldn't adapt to the 1960s.
Like any 'good' spaghetti sci-fi film ending, the little green and red mower just mowed off into the distance.

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

For the record, here is a diagram and photo of the remnants of the blade holder
and safety clutch system. The clutch relied on a cork clutch pad that made contact
with the cast iron PTO pulley underneath the engine. The blade holder would 'slip'
when it encountered shock loads that exceeded the tensioned spring.

Second, note the early use in blade holder design of aerodynamic lift. There was
a belief that a suction lift would greatly aid the cutting of grass. Here, it was
achieved by two flutes incorporated into the blade holder design. There is no
doubt that this lift gave the machine some mulching capability.




BASE
Here are some good photos of the middle version base. Of particular note is the
safety skirt at the front (R.H. side), and the PTO base cut out.

Manuals for A-V's first rotary may be found here: -
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...anual-power-rotary-c1956.html#Post103191

Vic Mobile:- https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=60740

SINGER:- https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=61203



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