Improvements in Lawn Mowers.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th June, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lawn Mowers.
We, JAMES EDWARD RANSOME, Engineer, and WILLIAM MOULTON,
Draughtsman, both of Orwell Works, Ipswich in the County of Suffolk, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
The revolving cutter of a lawn mower is usually formed of spirally-curved
blades secured at equal distances apart to the circumference of discs which are
fast with the spindle-the blades extend from end to end of the revolving cutter
and all run in the same direction around the spindle.
With this construction there is a tendency for the cut grass to be thrown
towards one side of the grass collecting box-and if this tendency be aided by a
side wind the effect is increased and some of the grass escapes being caught in
the box.
To remedy this we construct the cutting blades in sections of shorter length and
the sections carried at the two ends of the spindle we set so that their spiral
curves run in opposite directions around the spindle and so that sections at both
ends of the spindle tend to throw the cut grass inwards towards the centre of the
machine. By this method the box is more completely filled.
For small sizes two sets of sections may be used each extending from one end
to the centre for larger sizes two or more sets of sections may be used.
The supporting rollers or wheels used for driving the revolving cutter we make
corrugated with the corrugations running around the circumference of the rollers
or wheels instead of transversely as is sometimes done. By corrugating the
rollers or wheels in this way they obtain a better hold upon the ground than
ordinary smooth rollers and are much more easily cleaned by a scraper or otherwise
than transversely corrugated rollers or wheels. The corrugations also tend to
keep the machine up to its work in passing sideways over inclined ground.
For raising and lowering the front supporting roller to alter the height of cut
we use two bell crank levers mounted at the two sides of the machine upon studs
carried by the forward ends of the two side frames at some distance in front of the
revolving cutter.
One arm of the lever we make to extend forwards approximately in a horizontal
direction to carry the roller spindle-the other we make to extend upwards
approximately in a vertical direction and we provide for locking this arm to the
forward end of the frame of the machine as hereinafter described or by similar
mechanical means.
The upper ends of the vertical arms we either couple together by a rod passing
across the machine from one to the other and lock this rod in any desired position
by a hand wheel clamping nut and screw bolt which passes through a hole in an
arm fixed to the centre of the front cross stay of the frame of the machine and
through a slot in a link jointed to the centre of the rod. Or we connect the upper
ends of the vertical arms by links to the ends of a rod which passes across the
machine and which is carried by arms which can turn around the cross stay. To
lock this rod in any desired position it may pass through a slotted quadrant fixed
to the centre of the stay and be clamped and locked to it by a hand wheel
clamping nut. Or the upper end of the vertical arm of each of the levers by
which the roller spindle is carried may have a slot cut through it concentrically
with the lever axis and a bolt carried by an upward extension from the frame may
pass through this slot and have a hand wheel clamping nut screwed on to its end
or the concentric slot may be in the upward extension from the frame and the bolt

page_text: pass through a hole in the arm. Or each vertical arm may carry a radial spring
bolt to catch into teeth or notches on the circumference of a toothed arc concentric
with the lever axis and fixed to the frame (or vice versa).
Or each vertical arm might have a lever catch jointed to it acted on by a spring
to make it catch into a similar toothed arc, in this case the lever catch may be so
arranged that by grasping the vertical arm and the catch lever with one hand the
catch may be released.
Or a similar lever catch might be carried by the frame and made to catch into
an arc or circle of radial teeth on the side of the lever by which the roller spindle
is carried.
Or the upper end of the vertical arm may have a segment concentric with the
studs carrying them. This segment may be provided with teeth and be moved by
a worm mounted on or attached to the frame of the machine.
The improvements for altering the height of cut are equally applicable to all
adjustable rollers whether placed in front of or behind the cutting barrel or driving
rollers.
Dated this 4th day of September 1893.
J. E. RANSOME.
W. MOULTON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lawn Mowers.
We, JAMES EDWARD RANSOME, Engineer, and WILLIAM MOULTON,
Draughtsman, both of Orwell Works, Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The revolving cutter of a lawn mower is usually formed of spirally curved
blades secured at equal distances apart to the circumference of discs which are fast
with the spindle-the blades extend from end to end of the revolving cutter and all
run in the same direction around the spindle.
With this construction there is a tendency for the cut grass to be thrown
towards one side of the grass collecting box-and if this tendency be aided by a
side wind the effect is increased and some of the grass escapes being caught in
the box.
To remedy this we construct the cutting blades in sections of shorter length and
the sections carried at the two ends of the spindle we set so that their spiral curves
run in opposite directions around the spindle and so that the sections at both ends
of the spindle tend to throw the cut grass inwards towards the centre of the
machine. By this method the box is more completely filled.
For small sizes two sets of sections may be used each extending from one end to
the centre; for larger sizes two or more sets of sections may be used.
The supporting rollers or wheels used for driving the revolving cutter we make
corrugated with the corrugations running around the circumference of the rollers
or wheels instead of transversely as is sometimes done. By corrugating the rollers
or wheels in this way they obtain a better hold upon the ground than ordinary
smooth rollers and are much more easily cleaned by a scraper or otherwise, than
transversely corrugated rollers or wheels. The corrugations also tend to keep the
machine up to its work in passing sideways over inclined ground.
For raising and lowering the front supporting roller to alter the height of cut we
use two bell crank levers mounted at the two sides of the machine upon studs
carried by the forward ends of the two side frames at some distance in front of the
revolving cutter.
One arm of the levers approximately horizontal carries the roller spindle-the
other we make to extend upwards approximately in a vertical direction and we

page_text: provide for locking this arm to the forward end of the frame of the machine as-
hereinafter described or by similar mechanical means.
The upper ends of the vertical arms we either couple together by a rod passing
across the machine from one to the other and lock this rod in any desired position
by a hand wheel clamping nut and screw bolt which passes through a hole in an
arm fixed to the centre of the front cross stay of the frame of the machine and
through a slot in a link jointed to the centre of the rod. Or we connect the upper-
ends of the vertical arms by links to the ends of a rod which passes across the
machine and which is carried by arms which can turn around the cross stay. To-
lock this rod in any desired position it may pass through a slotted quadrant fixed
to the centre of the stay and be clamped and locked to it by a hand wheel clamping
nut. Or the upper end of the vertical arm of each of the levers by which the
roller spindle is carried may have a slot cut through it concentrically with the
lever axis and a bolt carried by an upward extension from the frame may pass
through this slot and have a hand wheel clamping nut screwed on to its end or the
concentric slot may be in the upward extension from the frame and the bolt pass
through a hole in the arm. Or each vertical arm may carry a radial spring bolt to
catch into teeth or notches on the circumference of a toothed arc concentric with
the lever axis and fixed to the frame (or vice versa).
Or each vertical arm might have a lever catch jointed to it acted on by a spring
to make it catch into a similar toothed are, in this case the lever catch may be so-
arranged that by grasping the vertical arm and the catch lever with one hand the
catch may be released.
Or a similar lever catch might be carried by the frame and made to catch into
an arc or circle of radial teeth on the side of the lever by which the roller spindle
is carried.
Or the upper end of the vertical arm may have a segment concentric with the
studs carrying them. This segment may be provided with teeth and be moved by
a worm mounted on or attached to the frame of the machine.
The improvements for altering the height of cut are equally applicable to all
adjustable rollers whether placed in front of or behind the cutting barrel or driving
rollers.
The improvements above described are illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Similar letters indicate similar parts in all the drawings.
Figures 1 and 2 show examples of the improved revolving cutter.
Two sets of
sections are shown in Figure 1 and four sets of sections in Figure 2. The spiral
blades A are secured to the discs or collars B by being wedged, rivetted, bolted or
otherwise fastened.
Figure 3 shows the improved supporting roller used for driving the revolving
cutter. In the drawing it is shown as a single roller but two or more rollers can
be used if desired. The roller is grooved or corrugated around the circumference
in the direction of motion. The driving side wheels of that class of lawn mowers
known as "side-wheel machines can also be grooved in a similar manner.
وو
Figures 4 to 15 show the arrangements for raising or lowering the front
supporting rollers to alter the height of cut.
Figure 4 is a part elevation and Figure 5 a part plan of an arrangement for
altering the rollers C from both sides of the machine at the same time. The parts
marked D are the bell crank levers coupled together at their upper end by a rod E.
passing across the machine; to the centre of this rod is jointed a slotted link F; a
screw-bolt G carried by an arm H fixed on the stay J on the frame K, passes
through the slotted link F and is clamped in any desired position by the hand
wheel L.
An alternative arrangement is shewn in Figures 6. and 7.
In this, the upper-
ends of the bell crank levers are connected by links M to the rod E which is
carried by arms N which can turn around the cross stay J ; the rod E is locked in
any desired position to the slotted quadrant O by the clamping wheel L.
Figures 8 to 15 show arrangements in which the bell crank levers carrying the

page_text: front supporting rollers are actuated at each side separately. In Figure 8, the
upper end of the bell crank lever D which carries the rollers C, has a slot cut
through it concentrically with its axis d; an upright arm P bolted to the frame
carries the clamping bolt G which passes through the slot and is clamped in
position by the wheel L. The bottom extension of P carries the axis d.
In Figure 9 the lever D carries the screw bolt G which passes through the slot
formed in the upright arm P and is clamped in position by the wheel L.
In Figures 10 and 11 the same arrangements are shown as in Figures 8 and 9
but in place of the arm P being bolted to the frame, the slotted quadrant in
Figure 11 and the support for clamping bolt in Figure 10 are formed as part of
the frame.
Figures 12 and 13 are similar arrangements to Figures 8 and 9 but in place of
the slotted quadrant and clamping bolt the quadrant D has V shaped teeth formed
on its periphery and is held in position by a spring catch bolt Q carried on the
fixed upright arm P in Figure 12, and in Figure 13 the arm P has the quadrant
with teeth formed on it and the spring catch bolt Q is on the bell crank lever D.
Figure 14 has the arm P with serrated or V shaped teeth formed on its side, the
bell crank lever D carries a spring catch Q for interlocking with the teeth on the
quadrant P. If desired the teeth can be formed on the bell crank lever D and
the spring catch Q carried by upright arm P.
In Figure 15 the bell crank lever D has teeth formed on its periphery and is
moved by a worm R mounted on the arm P which can either be bolted to the frame
or form part of the frame.
The improvements for altering the height of cut and shown on the drawings are
equally applicable to the adjustable rollers of all forms of mowing machine whether
the rollers be placed in front or behind the cutting barrel or driving rollers and can
be also applied to machines which have side supporting rollers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The construction of the revolving cutter of lawn mowers with its cutting
blades divided into two or more short sections and with the sections at the two ends
of the cutter so set as to tend to throw the cut grass inwards towards the centre of
the machine substantially as described.
2. The construction of the revolving cutter of lawn mowers with its cutting
blades divided into short sections set alternately so that their spiral curves run in
opposite directions around the spindle and so that the sectious at the two ends of
the cutter tend to throw the cut grass inwards towards the centre of the machine
substantially as described.
3. Lawn mowers having the supporting rollers or wheels used for driving the
revolving cutters formed with corrugations running around their circumference
substantially as described.
4. The arrangements for raising or lowering the spindle of the supporting rollers
used for altering the height of cut at both ends simultaneously and for locking the
spindle at any height required substantially as herein before described and
illustrated at Figures 4 to 7.
5. The arrangements for raising or lowering the ends of the spindle of the
supporting rollers used for altering the height of cut and for locking the spindle at
any height required substantially as herein before described and illustrated at
Figures 8 to 15.
Dated this 28th day of May 1894
JAMES EDWARD RANSOME.
WILLIAM MOULTON.