The History of the Leaf Blower

!±8± The History of the Leaf Blower

The first recorded example of people using air pressure to remove leaves comes from Japan in the 19th century, when gardeners used bellows to clean up mossy ground.

It has been claimed by others and widely circulated around the internet that the Japanese then were the first to have the idea of adding a hose and motor, around 1970, and then sold the machines into the USA. If they did, they were by then copying developments that had already taken place in the USA and Europe.

Blowin' in the wind

The concept for the blower as we now know it started in America in the 1950s as part of agricultural crop-spraying 'mist blowing' equipment.

Some key early milestones are as follows:

1950 Echo Inc. of the USA (also an early hedge trimmer manufacturer) introduce the first engine-powered backpack duster/sprayer. It is used to dispense pesticides in nurseries and on crop farms.

1951 Public Works Director of Hartford Connecticut, Charles Cook, has the idea of using two of their snow blowers to remove leaves. He warns they 'can only be used when leaves are wet because dry leaves would be blown for blocks...'

1955 Echo create the backpack duster/mist blower DM-9.

Late 1950s Consumers are found to be dismantling the chemical dispensing equipment and just using the powerful blowing unit. Manufacturers see the potential and begin to make leaf blowers for commercial applications. These are 'walk-behind' or backpack machines. (It is claimed by a Wikipedia contributor that one Dom Quinto was the inventor of the modern leaf blower in the late 50s, but there is no corroboration of this entry and it may be fanciful or mischievous).

1959 H.L. Diehl, an ex-Pratt & Whitney jet engine technician, develops what his company claims 'the first walk-behind lawn vacuum and leaf blower'.

1963 One of the first examples of a backlash against leaf-blower noise when the city of White Plains takes action following complaints.

1960s The Dutch Vandermolen company is making and exporting a 2-stroke engine backpack blower.

1966 H.L. Diehl re-brands his company as Giant-Vac. They introduce a range of machines.

1969 Giant-Vac introduce the first leaf-loading machine that collects leaves as well as blowing them around.

1971 Echo unveil their PB-9 petrol-engined backpack blower, which widens the appeal of leaf blowers to smaller users.

1978 Echo launches probably the first petrol hand-held power blower. Domestic users and commercial landscapers now have access to a blower, and soon more manufacturers (including McCulloch, now part of Swedish multinational Husqvarna) enter the new market. In Los Angeles legislation is mooted to curb 2-stroke engine pollution: thus begins the movement to make producers switch to cleaner 2-strokes, 4-strokes, or electric power.

1985 US backpack sales 75,000. Weed Eater begin producing a hand-held petrol-powered blower.

1987 US total sales 464,000.

1989 US sales 800,000. Stihl of Germany, the chain saw innovators, launch backpack blowers. They become a leading force.

1997 Over 1 million US sales.

1998 Los Angeles bans the use of petrol blowers within 500 feet of a residence, and promotes a powerful (but quieter and less-polluting) electric blower design.

1999 US sales 1.9m: 1.6m hand-held blowers and 290k backpack blowers.

2003 Electrolux patents a variable-speed electric leaf blower. (This is today copied by Black & Decker, Ryobi and others).

2004 Briggs & Stratton buys out Giant-Vac and creates a Yard Power Products Group focusing mainly on commercial markets.

2007 First recorded game of leaf blower hockey is played in Toronto.

Late 2000s First 4-stroke motors appear to meet tougher emissions laws in various US states and in other countries. Cordless battery models become viable due to more powerful Nicad and lithium-ion batteries, e.g. Ryobi models with 120mph/ 193 km/hr air speed.

Prevailing winds

Recent trends in leaf blowers:

Machines have got quieter: many petrol-engined models now emit less than 65dB at 50 feet, whereas older machines were 70-75, which in decibel terms is hugely greater. Operators' hearing could be impaired by these old devices. (It is still recommended that ear defenders be worn by any user). The move to electric (corded or cordless) has also reduced average machine noise.

Brands that claim excellent emissions reductions in their petrol models include Echo; Hitachi, whose 2-stroke Pure Fire motor meets the US Phase 2 and Euro Stage 2 regulations; and Makita, who have gone over to 4-stroke engines, including the world's lightest 4-stroke handheld machine at 4.4kg (the equivalent Hitachi 2-stroke is 3.9kg so that is a fine achievement for the traditionally heavier engine technology).

There is increasing popularity for the more versatile vacuum/blowers that can also suck up dust or gather leaves and mulch them before collecting them in a bag to avoid the collection chore, as well as aiding the composting process. Electric and petrol combination machines now abound, from lightweight Flymo and Black & Decker models to wheeled hand-push devices from GMC and Warrior and powered-wheel machines from Billy Goat. Suction machines also counter criticisms that simple blowers raise harmful dust and are damaging to nearby plants. Their extra versatility may well be appreciated more and more in years to come.

Other innovations include electronic 'Touch Start'12V battery starting on petrol machines (from Ryobi) to avoid the chore and uncertainty of pull-cord starts. Others have an easy-start carburettor to make the pull leas onerous.

The early history of the leaf blower has been somewhat affected by controversy but it is undeniably popular and it has a permanent place in garden and commercial applications due to the much greater productivity that it affords when compared to a man with a rake and spade. Machines will continue to improve and get greener, and consumer choice will grow even further.

The History of the Leaf Blower

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The history of the hedge trimmer

!±8± The history of the hedge trimmer

Trimmer is all the time coverage was initially used to delimit fields and to plants and animals from excessive sunlight, wind, rain or snow need to protect.

Hand shears are the weapon used for centuries, but also innovative in the 19 th Century, there have been many attempts at labor-saving devices for use in areas of inventing, and some of them are listed patents. Then, in the 20 th century the population began to acquire a completely new request and gardenswas formed.

The timeline of the most important years in the development of trimmers is shown below.

1854 Leonard Wood of Idaho offers a device whose wheels that carry over to safety, but also the gear that makes the cut "nearly vertical" and horizontal cutting. Like all devices of this period is based on horse-drawn drive, or later, the steam, but mobile devices are a long way.

1865 A. Selover patents a wooden structure, which remains withBut in a saw has adjustable clamps and threaded rods for the height and width to control the cut.

1871 James and Oliver Vannosdall another context of the patent device.

Andrew Fox 1890 in Dayton, Ohio, has invented a machine with a base unit with an inverted V shape and cover a range of Schneider on the leading edge. This is beginning to approach the idea of ​​multiple blades, which we saw today.

1891 Elliot strong patent, a device he calls "portable", but it's a really scary sound unitsof torture, which requires the operator to an endless low-hanging cable supports are fixed at both ends of the field and "kept in motion by an appropriate force." This shows that taking the invention of small engines and light frames because there are a modern phone.

Little Wonder 1922 The Fellowship of the British Open Hand powered hedge trimmers. This is the first of modern hand-piston blade devices, as we know it. Remains in productionuntil 1950 and is fast becoming a hit not only gardeners, but with the pasta maker! The ultra-sharp cutting blades has proved ideal for hand-made strings.

1935 The company was acquired by Schiller of the United States and moved there: you continue to produce in three U.S. plants.

Little Wonder 1940 launch of the first single-piston blade hedge trimmer electric hand.

1945, you add the first dual-piston-cutter blade.

1955 to bringThe first model with a gasoline engine.

Baby Boom

Later, in post-war development of these machines is reminiscent of the chain: producers have themselves to carry smaller, lighter and trimmer on new alloys with two-stroke engines for gasoline models. There was a greater emphasis on electric motors from the beginning, the sales volume of these substantially more likely than not garden equipment, outdoor equipment such as chainsaws.

A very remarkable brandHedge Trimmer Black & Decker in history, who was a leader in the distribution of these new electronic gadgets, home and flat owners. In 1962 they released a version with a self-contained battery. However, it would take the further development of battery technology, for the very satisfactory performance could be achieved. In the modern market, the wireless industry is well established, offers B & Q and other brands such as Bosch, Makita, Ryobi Einhell and a variety of formats andPower levels.

Black & Decker electric drills supremacy in 1970 led her to bring the hedge trimmer attachments contain a unit, but it was not as versatile as a machine to measure.

McCulloch chain saw one of the pioneers in hedges in 70 years diversified. Today will be owned by Husqvarna, the world's largest manufacturer of products for gardening, and you can buy different models under the name of Husqvarna, McCulloch, Gardena, and others. McCullochcontinue to innovate in gasoline, a fuel pump for easy starting and very easy to 5kg petrol engines. (Most are 6 kg, 7 or more).

Garden Brand Gardena is the leading name for the battery program, including long-range models.

An important novelty of Echo, who invented the first long-reach hedge trimmers, hedge articulated to allow users to create high and difficult to access the form.

Today, many top models are equipped with rotating handles to allow the curvedifferent angles can be achieved more easily when cut.

The shape of things to come

The innovation never stops: In May 2011 a U.S. patent was granted Outdoor Products Techtronic technology for a multi-purpose debris deflector. Most machines can sometimes throw the waste on site or in all directions, this and similar devices to appear at the beginning, are welcome.

These security improvements are an important factor: for example, is now essential that both handsmust be on the handles to the operation of the device can. New cut-off devices have appeared as a result.

The development of the gasoline engine was on the field in view of the government, especially in the United States. Two-stroke engines are lightweight do not require the oil tank, and have the advantage of operating in all corners, even the head. Their disadvantage is their poor emissions results when a 4-cycle are used, compared to cars.

Ryobi has introduced a "no-mix 4 stroke engine 'that meets the most difficult (California) regulations. He claims to work so well in all positions. First, the mower ('trimmer') applied, it will surely secure transfer to the trimmer.

As part of the 2-stroke engine market, improvements are also made. In 1998, Tanaka said their new engines were 70% less emissions than before. Briggs & Stratton and other producers will gradually have to lower their carbon emissions and the air was much closer to meetingPollution restrictions.

Outside the scope of this article, there is the continued use of hedges devices that attach to tractors, and agriculture and business parks, the industry will deal with the vast majority of the hedges.

Wherever they are in use, the hedge trimmers continue to shape our landscape and is difficult to see them go away in our lifetime.

The history of the hedge trimmer

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