 thumb|a typical modern gasoline-powered (petrol-powered) rotary push mower thumb|a riding mower or ride-on mower  thumb|a nonmechanized multi blade reel push mower :for agricultural mowers see mower. a lawn mower is a machine that uses one or more revolving blades to cut a lawn to an even height. the blades may be powered either by hand; pushing the mower forward to operate the mechanical blade(s), or may have an electric motor or an internal combustion engine to spin their blades. some mowers also include other abilities, like mulching or collecting their clippings. two main styles of blades are used in lawn mowers. lawn mowers employing a single blade that rotates about a single vertical axis are known as rotary mowers, while those employing a multiple blade assembly that rotates about a single horizontal axis are known as cylinder or reel mowers. there are several types of mowers, each suited to a particular scale and purpose. the smallest types are pushed by a human user and are suitable for small residential lawns and gardens. riding mowers are larger than push mowers and are suitable for large lawns. the largest multi-gang mowers are mounted to tractors and are designed for large expanses of grass such as golf courses and municipal parks. a transition from traditional hand-guided or ride-on mowers to automatic electric mowers is beginning to take place, with the growth in robotic lawn mower sales of 2012 being 15 times the growth in sales of the traditional styles. at current rates of growth automated lawn mowers are set to soon reach the point of outselling traditional mowers in some regions. == history ==  ===invention=== thumb|an early cylinder (reel) mower, showing a fixed cutting blade in front of the rear roller and wheel-driven rotary blades. the first lawn mower was invented by edwin budding in 1827 in thrupp, just outside stroud, in gloucestershire, england. budding's mower was designed primarily to cut the grass on sports grounds and extensive gardens, as a superior alternative to the scythe, and was granted a british patent on august 31, 1830.{{citation|inventor-last=passmore |inventor-first=everett g. |publication-date=23 february 1869 |issue-date=28 january 1879|title=improvement in lawn-mowers |count
1827_introductions Cutting_tools English_inventions Gardening_tools Lawn_care Lawn_mowers