Spool of Electrical Cord, Used with a Mowtron Mower, 1973
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Artifact Overview
This spool of electrical cord and aluminum tube was a component of an early-1970s automated lawn mowing system known as "Mowtron." Hubert Wenzel, a licensed Mowtron dealer and engineer by training, used it with his Mowtron mower on his suburban lawn. The wire made up part of the transistorized electronic system that operated the mower.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Spool
Date Made
November 1973
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
2020.131.12
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Wire
Metal
Color
Green
White (Color)
Cream (Color)
Inscriptions
on front and back:
Cornish / ELECTRICAL / CORDS AND / CORD SETS / MADE BY ENGINEERS / FOR ENGINEERS / MARKER ONE GREEN AND ONE YELLOW THREAD / MADE IN U.S.A. / CORNISH WIRE PRODUCTS Cornish DIVISION, GENERAL CABLE CORP., WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS 01267
sticker on front:
4061 / 18/1 TYPE TF 1/18 / N.E.C. STANDARD / MAX. VOLTAGE 600 / DATE NOV 1973 / 500 FEET
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Related Artifacts
ArtifactMowtron Mower, Used by Hubert Wenzel, 1974
"Mowtron...Mows while you Doze!" The American Marketing and Sales Company stressed computerized operation to encourage adoption of its autonomous lawn mower. The machine followed signals emitted by a transistorized guidance system, eliminating the need for homeowners to dedicate valuable time to lawn care. Built-in features like sensitized bumpers eased safety concerns, though sales fell far short of the company's dreams.
ArtifactMowtron Mower, Used as a Display Model, 1974
"Mowtron...Mows while you Doze!" The American Marketing and Sales Company stressed computerized operation to encourage adoption of its autonomous lawn mower. The machine followed signals emitted by a transistorized guidance system, eliminating the need for homeowners to dedicate valuable time to lawn care. Built-in features like sensitized bumpers eased safety concerns, though sales fell far short of the company's dreams.
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