'The "Pluviette" Patent Turbine Lawn Sprinkler or Rainmaker' was patented 1912 in Great Britain and 1914 in the United States of America. The inventor was Mr. Paul Zeyssolff of Munster, Alsace, Germany (now France).
The British patent was issued to Mr. John Post Lawrence, manufacturer, with Mr. Zeyssolff listed as mechanic. On the USA patent Mr. Zeyssolff was the assignor to Lloyd Lawrence & Co., London, England.

In 1876 while on a visit from England to the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, Mr. Lawrence entered into a business arrangement with the Lloyd, Supplee, and Walton Hardware Co. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The resultant company, Lloyd Lawrence, created in 1878, became the British importing agent for their "Pennsylvania" line of lawn mowers.

In 1920 the company name was changed to Lloyds & Co., Letchworth Ltd.

These sprinklers continued to be listed by garden requisites catalogs into the 1930's.

The name "Pluviette" is taken from the French word for rain shower, Pluvieux.
Its meaning implies a small rain shower, or a sprinkle.

In 1914 the Pennsylvania Lawn Mower Company began selling their version of the sprinkler called the "Rainmaker".

Pennsylvania "Rainmaker"

Several versions of the Pluviette have been produced. These are: Single, #2, #3, #4, and the Duplex with two turbine wheels. The turbine wheel has fingers of different lengths which allow for different spray patterns. The pattern is changed by moving the position of the two axle washers. Thus the turbine wheel can be located, all the way in, intermediate, or all the way out.

jricci@reellawnmower.com