Ferrabee's Improved Lawnmower

The innovations incorporated into Budding's Improved lawnmower represented a simple but significant advance in the design of these machines.

The main innovation was to mount iron castors on the side frames at the front of the mower. Up to this point, no lawnmowers had this configuration. Instead, if anything, a wooden roller of small diameter was mounted across the width of the machine between the rear (or driving) roller and the cutting mechanism. An alternative, as seen on the earliest Shanks machines, was to mount cast iron wheels to the side of the machine but alongside or slightly behind the cutter. Both of these provided some stability when operating the lawnmower but it did not prevent the ledger plate and/or the cutting mechanism from digging into the turf if the lawnmower pitched forward for any reason. 

It is not known why this problem was neither foreseen nor remedied on earlier machines. One possibility is that the original configuration removed any obstruction at the front of the mower and avoided the grass from being flattened in front of the cutter. The addition of the castors at the front and at either side of the machine provided a suitable solution without introducing either of these potential problems.

An additional benefit, which is alluded to in the design drawings but not mentioned in the wording on the document, is that the castors could be adjusted up or down on their mountings. This allowed the cutting height to be adjusted precisely so that mowing could be completed with greater consistency and produce a uniform finish on the lawn.

The design was approved "by agreeability to act of Parliament" on 2 January 1852, and stamped and sealed as Registered Improvement No. 3074. The original document, like Budding & Ferrabee's Indenture agreement and Budding's Patent, is held at The Museum in the Park, Stroud.

The photograph below - of a slightly later Ferrabee Improved machine - illustrated where the castors were applied.

The drawing submitted as part of the registration for Ferrabee's improved design was drawn up by the noted artist and engraver Jabez Hare at his premises at No. 3 Arundel Street, The Strand, London in 1851. In addition to his work as an engraver - his work can be found in many catalogues and advertisements of the era - he was also a prolific artist, mostly for scenes and portraits from around his native county of Suffolk.