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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Chain removal / Cylinder blade removal

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Hi, can anyone help me to remove the chains from my 1956 Atco Kick Start Lawnmower? I understand these have to be removed before the cylinder blade can be taken out.

I've attached a photo of the chains

Many thanks

Phil

Atco 1956 lawnmower 14 inch kick start 

 

Forums

wristpin Sat, 21/09/2019

First it looks as though the machine is missing a tensioner sprocket on the primary chain and it is running on the bare shaft.. Back to your question, yes you must remove the sprockets on the end of the cutting cylinder having first removed the chains. 

If you slacken the clamping nut on that bare shaft there may be enough slack in the primary chain to allow it to be lifted off.  If not it will be necessary to rotate the chain to bring the joining link into sight , Spring it’s clip and keeper plate and withdraw the link. It will then be necessary to remove the first intermediate chain from the cylinder sprocket to the intermediate tensioning sprocket. Slackening the nut in the centre of the intermediate sprocket may it allow it to move enough for the chain to be lifted off. If not it will be necessary to locate and undo the intermediate chain joining link.

With the chains removed the cutting cylinder sprocket must be removed. Unfortunately I don’t have an “ exploded” parts diagram for your machine and your image is not clear but it seems that there is a hexagon headed sleeve nut in the centre of the sprocket. With care, lock the cylinder with a stout piece of wood between the cylinder blades and apply a suitable ring spanner or socket to the hex nut and try undoing it , anti-clockwise. If that is successful the sprocket and any ratchets will come off . Place all the components on a spike or thread a piece of wire or cord through them to keep them in order.

From there on it should be apparent what bolts etc have to be remover from either side to drop out the bottom blade and the cylinder complete with bearings.

All a lot easier done than explained!

plgs2018 Sun, 22/09/2019

Hi again, I've successfully removed the chains. I've also tried to remove the hexagon headed sleeve nut in the centre of the cutting cylinder sprocket - anticlockwise but to no avail. Any further suggestions?