MOWER OF THE MONTH
Number Fifty Two
24" AUTOMOWER TYPE H
Automower is another example of a company that was successful in the 1920s
and 1930s. The company was based at Norton St Phillip, just outside Bath in
Somerset. Its first lawn mowers, produced in the early 1920s, were motorised
conversions of machines made by Ransomes. The company was soon manufacturing
complete machines to its own design and these were reasonably successful while
not selling as well as similar models from companies such as Atco and Ransomes.
Most Automowers, particularly the smaller models, have JAP four stroke engines.
The Model H was introduced in 1938 and was designed for use by commercial and
contract operators on rough ground with long grass.
The design is quite different to earlier Automowers and appears advanced for
its time. In some respects it resembles machines that were produced after World
War II.
The frame was manufactured from sheet steel and supported the engine and
other moving parts. The engine is a Lister four stroke unit that was built under
license from the Wisconsin company of
America.
The cutting cylinder is 10” in diameter. This relatively large size helps
when cutting longer grass because taller stalks can be swept more easily into
the cutting mechanism than would be possible with a small diameter cylinder. The
design also featured jockey wheels to support the mower at the front rather than
the more conventional roller. This meant that long grass would remain upright to
be swept into the cutting mechanism. A roller would push the grass away from the
cutter and prevent it being cut properly. The design and construction of
the mower made it very heavy. The mower weighs 416lb and the cost when new was
£49. Like many larger mowers the Automower Model H could be used with a trailer
seat. 
Automowers are less common than mowers from the leading
manufacturers of the period although many examples of the different models
produced by the company have survived. The example shown here was produced in
1939. It was ordered by Bath Council but never delivered. It is now owned by a
member of the Old Lawnmower Club.
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