The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-03
Vol. Nv.

through. Above this cutter slides another lOnj
plate, to the upper crank of the same length, ant
secured in the same manner, but, instead of tn
fine teeth used in the lower plate, these teeth ar
long, say about one and half inch, and about tn
same distance apart. They are to project in lin
sloped IN opposite direction to the grooves in tn
cutter below; and their motion, in sliding back
wards and forwards, is also contrary, thereby col
Letting the stalks as they come in contact witt
these teeth, and force them across the teeth in tn
cutter below, thereby greatly assisting in the &C
OF cutting them through The crank working thi
blade may be dispensed with in some cases, ant
the teeth made fast above the cutter, and bent owe
its edge and under, some distance, 30 that the cut
ter will then work against them. and produce thu
same effect.
'sMy claim ia for the arrangement of the severa
parts, as to constitute the above-described ma
chine; and particularly claim the method of cut
ting by means Of a vibrating blade, operated by
crank, having the edge either smooth or with teeth
either with stationary wires, or pieces above ane
below and projecting before it, for the purpose o
staying or supporting the grain whilst cutting, OF
using double crank, and another blade or vibrat
ing bar, above described, having projections be
fore the blade or cutter on the upper side, bott
working in contrary directions, thereby essenine
motion necessary for one between the two, and i'm
proving the principle of cutting, by gathering ano
holding the grain to the cutter, the projections
standing at proper angle to said cutter; also thu
| method of securing them.'
From these extracts it is seen that at the time Of
taking out this patent had the cutting apparatus
| in the model constructed with straight sickle
having the angle of the teeth cut in the direction
TO the right, attached to crank, in connection with
plate of iron playing over the sickle, having long
projecting teeth, an inch more apart, standing
out over the edge of the SICKLE with sin,iar angle
but counter to the teeth, which plate was attached
to another crank, also counter to the first crank,
/ that the sickleand the plate vibrate in opposite
directions to each other. the cutting only being
| performed in. one direction, when the plate with
the projecting teeth or fingers collected and pressed
fha, TOLL
severing them. This seemed to work well, and al
that time, for the reasons stated in the specfca-
| tons, was preferred (This part of the patent
Seymour & Morgan thought proper to omit alto
gether IN their quotations from it.) But it was al
the same time stated and claimed that the p1ate
iDith its crank, might be dispensed with, and sta
tionary double fingers, supports to the cutting,
substituted, with the claim for the straight vibrat
| ing blade, either with smooth serrated edge;
and there this patent ESQ far as the cutting is
cerned) stops. 1t may be remarked here too, that
Seymour & Morgan also omitted to notice the de
scrption of the side raugh in this patent as well
as the shorses behind, p and which side draught
was first used, as seen in the testimony taken.
Then the following are extracts from the patent OF
1645:
SAT the ends the width of the blade B. ia extended
in front, as at 4, 4, figs. 4, 5, say to Il inch,
being twice its width at the cutting part so that
the edge of the blade, though projecting over the
case inch, las at B l, fig. 80 ia firmly and suf-
hciently supported by the ends and prevented from
| a tendency to wear and turn down from the pres
sure of the cutting The teeth of the blade are
similar to those OF a common sickle. except that
their angle is alternately reversed in spaces of
inch,s (more or less,) as at 8, fig on an in
yerted section; the object Of which is to equalize
the cutting in both directions the blade yibrates
and more effectually to keep the blade free, from
choking, by cutting itself clear of blades of wheat
| &C., in both directions
s'Fhe blade case is secured to the two projections
of the frame of the platform, G, at T. T. T, Z, figs
and s say three or four inches forward of the
front piece c. OF said platforms and it is supported
between, at suitable distances apart, by two or
three iron bearers, shown in the section,
fig 3, screwed fast to the front piece of the plat
form, Co and so bent, downward } as to let
| straw or blades that may get in work out.
"The tingersD, d, d, {27 in number, more or
less) are made of bars of drought iron, (but might
be cax1 about s-inch square, one end of which is
widened into shape resembling spear. These
fingers are made fast in the frame of the platform
c, and extend forward above the blade, 30 that the
hinder angle ID, figure 81 of the spear is just be-
hind the serrated edge, b. of the blade B, thereby
forming an acute angle between the edge (b) of
the blade and the shoulder (d) of the spear by
which the grain is prevented from yielding to the
touch of the blade (B) as it vibrates, and is held
last, 30 that the cutting is insured and that too,
dispensing with the under part of the finger, Gas
with the double bearer or finger ON which blades,
grass, &C., are liable to lodge and choke the ma
chine. The fingers are intended to fit pretty close
to the edge othe blade, and to be bent up little
from the back, to prevent choking, as at B /, 2,
the upper surface of the platform, or Glow it, as
at present constructed.
''Iclaim, lst, the curved lor angIed downward
for the purpose described) bearer, for supporting
the blade in the manner described.
"2d- claim the reversed angle of the teeth of
| the blade in the manner described.
s3d. i claim the arrangement and construction
of.the fingers Cor teeth for supporting the grain)
80 as to form the angular spaces in front of the
blade, and, for the purpose, described"
Now 1t has been Observed that in the fret patent
! two methods of cutting are described: first, the
double action, by which the angles of the two vi
| bratng blades are necessarily reversed to each
other. The other, and which first used is with
nxed myers or supports to the cutting, standing
out at right angles to the blade, BY which the cut
ting can wen be done on one side of the fingers
as the other, and the straight vibrating blade is
claimed, whether without teeth at ALL ariM teeth
Of any description And from the various improve
tent'ef 1916, with the objects for which they were
made, as stated in the specifications, it is quite
clear that much was required, and much difficulty
| experienced in perfecting the cutting machinery
OF the Reaper from the short time for experiments
&C., and this ia stated in another part of the petit
ton for the extension, from which Seymour and
Morgan undertake to quote; that in 1884 all parts
ofth machine were imperfect as matter ofcourse
while the operation was quite successful in favor
| able situations.
At that time the perfection of the operation was
far from being Exclusively dependent upon the re-
versed cut sickle. For in lS45 there is the blade
yersed sickle-all described as important.
The following, now, is what is said of this sickle
improvement in the petition of 1913, referred to-
al was not sufficiently satisfied of it's being a
useful machine to patent the reaper until the
year 1884, it's construction and proportions havn
been imperfect, requiring much effort to make
them, whilst light, yet simple, strong, and dura-
Bile; and the cutting apparatus being defective on
account of liability to choke and get out of order,
all which defects had to be corrected by series
of experiments, and often, perhaps generally the
/ result of but one experiment for the same object
could be fully tested inone harvest. The cutting,
indeed, proved not to be sufficiently certain to be
relied in all situations until invented the inn
provement in the fingers, Cor support to the cut
ting,) and reversed the angle to the teeth of the
sickle, as described and patented January 81,
4 lo45, In connection with the improvement in the
| 'bearers'-which improvement, dispensing with
the under part of the fingers, (under the sckle,)
which blades, grass, &C., were liable to hang and
choke the machine, simplifed it, perfected the
cutting apparatus, - *Ff* which
one, and the one engaged at the exhibition, were
the only reapers disposed of for the harvest oil
lo4V and they failed to operate tceH. The teeth O.
the slckles were made coarser than they had been
and, all cut in one direction as they were PLAYING
in grooves in the fngers, the blades of the whea
were drawn into the grooves and 80 lod ged on the
undertake. Of the fingers as to choke the machine
especially in damp wheat.