IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY IN GENERAL
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Theodore Griffin, of 77, Upper Thames
Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO
MACHINERY IN GENERAL."-A communication from abroad by Walte
Abbot Wood, of Hoosick Falls, in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Theodore Griffin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th May 1871.
I, JAMES THEODORE GRIFFIN, of 77, Upper Thames Street, in the
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES, PART OF WHICH IS
APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY IN GENERAL," to be as follows:-
1

page_text: machine is rendered lighter in construction, easier to work, less com-
plicated in appearance, and less liable to derangement.
Secondly. To apparatus for raising the reel and rake arms to clear the
attendant while the machine is at work, and also to lower them to beat
the grain on to and sweep the cut grain from the platform.
Thirdly. To apparatus for lifting the rake blades clear of the platform
without interfering with their rotation, by which means the size of the
sheaf can be determined by the attendant at will.
Fourthly. To suspending the rake blades at one end and making them
adjustable at the other.
Fifthly. To the employment of angle iron truss bars under the platform
to strengthen it.
Sixthly. To a guard for preventing the rake teeth descending too low
and coming foul of the knifes as they approach the platform.
Seventhly. To means of preventing the bolt and screw nuts working
loose during the travelling of the machine.
And, eighthly. To an adjustable track clearer for mowing machines.
The mechanism for driving the reel and rake arms consists of a worm
on the main pinion shaft and a plate with projecting pins and bowls
thereon for the worm to gear with, for rotating a vertical shaft on the head
of which the arms are pinned or jointed; the inner ends of the arms ride
against a fixed cam plate and the weight of their outer ends causes them
to be always in contact, to follow the curve of the edge or face to produce
the required rise and fall, and to retain the working rakes in contact
with the platform or close thereto. The opposite arms are connected
by rods so that the weight of the rising one is counterbalanced by the
weight of the falling one which commences directly it passes the
attendant, thus each arm is brought into a vertical position as it leaves
the platform and is lowered to travel over it. The vertical shaft is
suspended on a swivel bracket and it can be thrown over to one side
by a foot lever to tilt the lowered arms upwards and thus enable the
rake blades to act as reel blades only, and to be lowered again when
sufficient grain is laid upon the platform to make a sheaf. The rake
blades are pinned to the arms at one end only and their other ends are
attached to straps or curved bars provided with holes so that they can
be set at any angle to suit the kind of grain being cut. The under
side of the platform has one or more angle iron ribs fastened to it, and

page_text: these lead from the inner shoe or the main frame to the outer dividing
board or shoe to give rigidity to the platform. I arrange a guard over
or elongate one of the fingers near the centre for the rake blades to bear
upon and to prevent the teeth fouling the knives, the guard being of
metal of skeleton form and fixed to the knife beam.
The apparatus for locking the bolt or screw nuts consists of plates with
holes in them to go over or bear against the nuts, the plates being held
in position by pins and keys. In some cases the plates cover the nuts
and also the lubricating apertures and exposed parts of the journals
of the rotating shafts, and springs may be employed in connection with
them to compensate for irregularities in casting or other causes.
This part of the Invention is applicable to the nuts of other machines
and may be used generally if found advisable. The track clearer before
referred to has a hinge at its fore part to connect it to the off or outside
shoe of mowing machines and it is adjustable to any angle by shifting
a pin on its back into one or other of a series of holes in a curved bar
projecting from the rear of the shoe or from the knife beam.
The foregoing improvements, either alone or in combination, are
applicable to other reaping and mowing machines besides those known
as W. A. Wood's machines which are already in the market.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Theodore Griffin in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th November 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
THEODOBE GRIFFIN, of 77, Upper Thames Street, in the City of London,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James Theodore Griffin, Her special licence
that the said James Theodore Griffin, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Theodore Griffin, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,

page_text: and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE
TO MACHINERY IN GENERAL," Communicated to me from abroad from Walter
Abbott Wood, of Hoosick Falls, in the United States of America, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Theodore Griffin,
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Theodore Griffin, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings

page_text: Seventhly. To means of preventing the bolt and screw nuts working
loose during the travelling of the machine.
And, eighthly. To an adjustable track clearer for mowing machines.
The mechanism for driving the reel and rake arms consists of a worm
on the main pinion shaft and a plate with projecting pins and bowls
thereon for the worm to gear with for rotating a vertical shaft, on the
head of which the arms are pinned or jointed; the inner ends of the
arms ride against a fixed cam plate and the weight of their outer ends
causes them to be always in contact, to follow the curve of the edge or
face to produced the required rise and fall, and to retain the working
rakes in contact with the platform or close thereto. The opposite arms
are connected by rods so that the weight on the rising one is counter-
balanced by the weight of the falling one which commences directly
it passes the attendant, thus each arm is brought into a vertical position
as it leaves the platform and is lowered to travel over it. The vertical
shaft is suspended on a swivel bracket and it can be thrown over to one
side by a foot lever to tilt the lowered arms upwards and thus enable
the rake blades to act as reel blades only, and to be lowered again when
sufficient grain is laid upon the platform to make a sheaf. The rake
blades are pinned to the arms at one end only, and their other ends are
attached to straps or curved bars provided with holes so that they can
be set at any angle to suit the kind of grain being cut. The under side
of the platform has one or more angle iron ribs fastened to it and these
lead from the inner shoe or the main frame to the outer dividing board
or shoe to give rigidity to the platform. I arrange a guard over or
elongate one of the fingers near the centre for the rake blades to bear
upon and to prevent the teeth fouling the knives, the guard being of
metal of skeleton form and fixed to the knife beam.
The apparatus for locking the bolt or screw nuts consists of plates
with holes in them to go over or bear against the nuts, the plates being
held in position by pins and keys. In some cases the plates cover the
nuts and also the lubricating apertures and exposed parts of the journals
of the rotating shafts, and springs may be employed in connection with
them to compensate for irregularities in casting or other causes.
This part of the Invention is applicable to the nuts of other machines
and may be used generally if found advisable. The track clearer before
referred to has a hinge at its fore part to connect it to the off or outside
shoe of mowing machines, and it is adjustable to any angle by shifting

page_text: a pin on its back into one or other of a series of holes in a curved bar
projecting from the rear of the shoe or from the knife beam.
The manner of carrying the Invention into effect is represented in the
accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a detached view
of the mechanism for communicating the rotating motion to the reel
shaft from the main bearing or driving wheel through a pinion gearing
into teeth on the inner face of the wheel or a band forming part of such
wheel,
"
a is the shaft upon which the pinion is fitted; it carries at its outer
end a worm or endless screw thread 6 the blade of which engage
between the "bowls or rollers c, c, on a horizontal disc or plate d for
turning it. The axle or pin e of this disc passes through a support f
to keep it in a vertical position, and also through a cam block g, the
face of which is of peculiar shape to compel the rake and reel arms i, i,
to rise and fall to suit the work they are intended to perform, The
upper part of the axle carries a hood or plate j, furnished with lugs k, k,
through which the pins of the arms 1, l, m, m, pass, these form the
joint pins for the arms and also serve to carry them round with the
hood which is keyed upon the axle, as will be understood by referring
to Figures 2 and 3 which are detached views of the same.
The cam
block or plate is held in place by a strap or bracket n bolted to a
brace o, the distance being maintained by the height of a socket or
pillar which is also bolted to the brace o as shown. The brace before
referred to is centred at its ends upon brackets p springing out from
the side beam of the machine, or by some other supports; its purpose
is not only to support the hood and the parts in connection, but also
to enable the axle with its appendages to be tilted so that the rake
arms can pass obstacles at the will of the driver or other attendant, and
to enable this to be done I attach a foot beam or bar q to the top of it
and carry its other end within reach of the driver's foot or his hand
as found convenient. In the Drawing I have shown it with a strap r
on its free end so that the driver can loop his foot into it and so depress
the bar when desired and without shifting himself from his seat. The
cam block g only lodges upon the socket or pillar ƒ and its position is
governed by the length or the curve given to the strap n; by this
means the block can be shifted round upon the socket and held firmly
at any part for throwing the rake and reel blades into work in advance
of or behind the points of the fingers or over them as required, and

page_text: also to rise clear of the platform at any point. The block or cam is
so made that a portion of the working face is at the edge and a portion
under the edge, these portions being at different parts, so that the rake
or reel arm which in passing over the platform is not be allowed to rise
or vibrate to drop any of the grain which the blades first catch hold of,
either when used as beaters or reel blades or as rake blades, the arms
being arranged in pairs through rods or links. This coupling of the
arms permits one of them, i.e., the vertical one, to find an abutment
against the edge face of the cam block, as will be understood by
referring to the general view of a reaping machine shown in Figure 4,
and to which these improvements are particularly applicable, though
by slight modifications they can be made suitable for most other kinds
of reaping machines, especially those which have the knife beam
arranged in a line with the centre of the main bearing wheel or wheels.
The depression of the foot plate with the strap before spoken off enables
the attendant to lift the rake blades so that they act as reel blades only
when passing over the platform and thus allow the grain to accumulate
upon the platform until there is sufficient to form a sheaf when he can
remove his foot and allow the next rake to sweep the grain off. By
this arrangement where the crop is very light or thin he can so time
the delivery that the grain as deposited shall at all times be sufficient to
form a sheaf. Of course where the grain is heavy or thickly grown this
will not be necessary, as the rake blades will act in regular order and
deposit it behind the track at fixed distances. I fit each of the rake
blades at one end by a bolt or pin s so that they can move upon them,
and I secure a bar or link to the other end, this is provided with a
slot or a number of holes so that it can be raised and lowered to suit
the height of the grain and also to enable the grain to be acted upon
nearer to or farther from the ears, the bolts or pins passing through
plates on the barst for the purpose, as clearly shown in the detached
view Figure 5.
The next part of the Invention, viz., that relating to the angle iron
in the platform to strengthen it, is shown in Figure 6, where u is the
angle iron stretching from one side to the other and with a length of
timber bolted to it, so that the platform can be screwed down or
otherwise secured thereto. This plan gives great strength and enables
me to make the platform much lighter in weight than is usual, and also
to dispense with the trusses or bearers. The ends of the angle iron are

page_text: firmly rivetted to the inner and to the outer shoe respectively. About
the middle of the knife beam I fit an elongated finger w with a curved
top face for the rake blades to ride up, should they descend too low and
to prevent their teeth coming foul of the knives, and I fit an iron plate
or strap between the two teeth where the finger comes, to prevent the
blades being injured.
The next part of the Invention is illustrated in Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10,
and it consists of a plate to be fitted over or between the nuts of the
bolts to prevent them working loose during the travelling of the machine.
In Figure 7 I have shown the plate x as being curved and with jaws
x1, x¹, the inner faces of which bear against the nuts y, y, the central
part being curved to bear against the neck of the lubricating vessel z, to
hold it in place, the plate x may be fastened in position by a pin or
otherwise. Figures 8 and 9 show a curved plate with holes for passing
over the nuts y, y, with a notch in it for passing over a projection,
or stud A which is perforated for a pin to pass through and bear upon
the top of the plate. Figure 10 shows a plate with a double curve and
with a bulb to cover the oil vessel, and this will be of great service when
the vessel is made of glass or other fragile material, such as the needle
lubricator, because it is entirely protected from exposure as well as from
injury. The plates may also be sufficiently broad to cover the exposed.
parts of the journals and thus prevent the entrance of dust and dirt.
Some modifications of nut fasteners are represented in Figures 8³, 8b,
9ª, 9b. In the first case the nut is embraced by a fixing or socket
like the one shown in Figure 8, but the socket is recessed on one of its
inner faces for receiving a pin M, the lower end of which is bent at right
angles to take under the nut N before the socket O is dropped over it,
the pin is then bent over upon the nut to prevent it moving as is clearly
shown. The pin may however be inserted sidewise under or against the
lip of a washer P as shown in Figures 9ª, 9b, the end of the pin or wire
being afterwards forced against the side of the nut to hold it tight. The
washers in the latter cases are square or corner shaped on the bottoms
to drop into holes formed in the bar or plate Q upon which they are
placed, by this means they are prevented turning or moving unless the
pins and nuts are removed.
The improvements herein-before spoken of, such as those classed under
the first four heads and also under the sixth head of this description, are
applicable to other reaping machines besides the one shown, and as

page_text: they can be used in connection with one another or alone as found
advisable, I have represented the several improvements detached from a
machine so as to show these distinct improvements.
The improvement referred to under the fifth head of this Invention is
applicable to all kinds of reaping and mowing machines in which a
rigid platform is employed and is of great importance, as by it the
platform is much lighter and of greater strength than those of other
make.
The last part of the Invention is represented in Figures 11 and 12
fitted to the shoe B at the outer end of a knife beam C, by a pin D, so
that the back end of the track clearer E can be thrown nearer to the
frame side than usual and thus clear a track of any width for the horses
to walk in on the next cutting "bout." There is a stem or projection F,
on the fore end of the board for a pin to be passed through and engage
in one or other of the holes formed in a jointed bar G, pinned to a
portion of the shoe as clearly indicated in the plan view Figure 12.
There are other modes of making the track clearer adjustable, but for
the sake of clearness I have only shown one.
In the complete machine shown in Figure 4 I have shown only one
main bearing wheel, and this is composed of a band with teeth on the
inner periphery for the teeth of the pinion to gear into, and with two
rings placed vertically and held in position by tie rods, on which rollers
are mounted for bearing against the base rim of the teeth, one of these
rollers being toothed to act as the pinion for transmitting the motion to
the knives, and also to the reel arms if the machine be a reaping
machine or a combined
The band wheel in this kind
and mower.
reaper
of machine is held between the frame by the vertical rings, and the
height for cutting can be regulated by removing a pin from one hole
and placing it in another when the lever I, Figure 13, is acted upon.
It will be observed that the wheel has no spokes, and by thus making it
I can pass the pitman rod through it, so that the bevil gearing for
actuating the knives can be upon the outside of the framing, and also
that the cutting can take place in a line with the centre or axis of the
wheel, so as not to interfere with the draught or pull of the horses.
There a peculiarity in the rising and falling motion of the machine when
the wheel before mentioned is employed, and that is that the platform
is not canted or brought lower at one end or side than the other,

page_text: because the fixed pin or axle a of the rings forms the fulcrum at all
times, and what movement is imparted to one point is instantly com-
municated to the whole of the machine; by this the platform and
framing is always at one plane with the horizon at whatever height they
may be moved by the lever I at the back, when passing obstacles in
the field or when travelling over a roadway. The tilt of the platform
for angular cutting is obtained only from the position of the adjustable
nut J upon the front cross bar just in advance of the pole attachment.
I fit swivel blades at the tips of the rake and reel arms to ride over
the platform ridge to prevent the entanglement of and consequent injury
to the ears of the grain should they be drooping or "laying" in the
direction of the platform.
The reciprocating motion to the knives is only communicated when
the machine is travelling in the forward direction, and for this purpose
I arrange a kind of box K, Figure 14, on the axle in which a series
of ratchet teeth are made for the paul L to drop into as shown in
Figure 14, the paul being kept in action by the spring, the pressure
of which is overcome by the paul, riding over them if the machine is
moved in a backward direction.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
Firstly. The combination of a disc with bowls or rollers on its periphery
and a worm for driving the reel and rake arms of reaping machines, sub-
stantially in the manner described and shown.
Secondly. The combination of a cam block and hood for guiding and
supporting the reel and rake arms of reaping machines, as herein-before
described and shown.
Thirdly. The means of adjusting the cam block to regulate or time
the working of the reel and rake arms of reaping machines, as described
and shown.
Fourthly. I claim supporting the reel and rake mechanism of reaping
machines upon a hinged or jointed strap in combination with the foot
bar q, in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Fifthly. I claim suspending the rake blades of reaping machines at
one end, and making them adjustable at the other, in the manner and for
the purposes described and shown.

page_text: Sixthly. The employment of angle iron truss bars to platforms of
reaping and mowing machines, in the manner and for the purposes
described and shown.
Seventhly. The employment of a metallic skeleton finger on the beam
of a reaping machine for the purposes described.
Eightly. I claim the employment of apparatus shown in Figures 7,
8, 9, and 10 of the accompanying Drawings, for preventing the bolt
nuts of reaping and mowing and other machines working loose during
the working, also the modifications herein-before described and shown in
Figures 8, 8, 95, 96 of the Drawings.
Ninthly. I claim a hinged or an adjustable track clearer on or to the
off shoe of mowing machines as herein-before described.
Tenthly. I claim the employment of the apparatus herein-before
described and shown for adjusting the hinged or jointed track clearer.
And, eleventhly. I claim the adaptation of all or any of the improve-
ments herein-before recited to reaping or mowing machines separate
or combined of any description, also the employment of nut fasteners
herein-before described and shown, with machines or apparatus other
than those used for reaping or mowing purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Theodore Griffin, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.