Newburgh: Cradle of the American Lawn Mower Industry

[953 nut 58,151]

I was thinking it may be an electric motor used as a starter motor.

[Lane Ranger 11,126]

It may be some type of supplemental electric motor to  keep that blade up  from turning.    I did not see a battery  anywhere so it would have been run off of a magneto produced electricity

 

 

 

Here is a link to an 11 page PDF  document on the Coldwell Mowers !

 

 

http://digital.hagley.org/cdm/ref/collection/p268001coll12/id/2862

Edited April 2, 2016 by Lane Ranger

[953 nut 58,151]

2 minutes ago, Lane Ranger said:

 I did not see a battery

I was thinking more of a 120 volt starter, beginning of the day at the garage just plug it in, hit the switch and mow all day. I have seen  small 120 volt electric starters on Kohlers that go between the flywheel and a recoil starter to get things going at the start of the day.

[Lane Ranger 11,126]

Yes but  in 1930's  only New York would have had a lot of electricity lines to plug into !

[AMC RULES 37,147]

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,360]

Thanks for the picture, usually building that old are looking at a wrecking ball in the their future.

[AMC RULES 37,147]

Not this one, at least not yet...  

click on any of the picts here, and scroll through the views. 

http://www.zillow.com/homes/302-N-Water-ST-Newburgh-NY-12550_rb/?fromHomePage=true&shouldFireSellPageImplicitClaimGA=false&fromHomePageTab=buy

[ericjr16 125]

WOW!! I live only 30-40 miles from there! I am a Delivery driver and go around the whole Hudson Valley and passed this many times! SWEET Thank you for sharing this!!!

[Lane Ranger 11,126]

Edited August 6, 2017 by Lane Ranger

[AMC RULES 37,147]

Imagine how many of them old Coldwell reel mowers must have gone through these back doors...

to be shipped both up and down the Hudson river.