IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY FOR REAPING AND MOWING
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander McGregor, of Bedford Leigh, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY FOR REAPING AND MOWING."
Sealed tho 18th June 1872, and dated the 20th April 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander McGregor
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,..
on the 20th April 1872.
"
I, ALEXANDER MCGREGOR, of Bedford Leigh, in the County of Lan-
caster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY FOR REAPING AND MOWING,"
to be as follows :-
:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and
mowing machines, and the improvements relate, firstly, to that class of
reaping machines called "self-delivery reapers," wherein the cut crop
is swept or raked from the platform by self-acting rakes (mounted upon
a vertical axis) at intervals and in separate quantities sufficient to form
sheaves.

page_text: The main frame of the machine consists of two castings of a semi-
cylindrical form, one of which carries the axle and main driving wheel
and also the short intermediate shaft carrying the spur pinion and bevil
wheel. In the other or main frame are formed the bearings carrying
the bevil pinion and vertical axis by which motion is transmitted to the
knife or cutter bar and to the rake arms. To this casting also the finger
bar is fixed in a line parallel to the main axle or centre of the main
travelling wheel. The draught pole is also attached to it by a bolt or
bolts on which it vibrates, the said pole being further connected thereto
by a connecting rod, one end of which is attached to the top of the main ]
frame and the other end to an excentric or crank hand lever, by which the
platform and cutters can be tilted up or down and the pitch of the
fingers altered. The axle plate and main frame are attached to each
other by long slides, the main frame has a toothed rack cast or bolted
to it, and the axle plate carries a shaft and worm which gears into the 1
said rack, and by these means the main frame carrying the cutters and
rako arms can be raised or lowered vertically as required.
In order to drive the knife or cutter bar more directly and with a
double throw (that is, causing the knife to pass through two of the
fingers each stroke instead of one only), and to dispense with the con-
necting rod and consequent angular thrust I bolt an internal toothed
ring (about six inches diameter more or less) to the bottom or lower
end of the cylindrical part of the main frame. The lower end of the
vertical axis carries a plate or crank, on the pin of which is mounted a
toothed pinion of one half the diameter and having half the number of
teeth of the internal toothed ring. This pinion has a pin or stud upon
its pitch line to which the knife bar is connected direct or by a lengthen-
ing rod, and as the pinion rolls round inside the internal ring this pin
or stud will travel always in a right line and give a direct reciprocating
motion to the knife bar. This reciprocating movement is also equally
applicable for driving the knife bar of a single horse reaping machine
with manual delivery, and also for driving the knife bar of a mowing
machine so as to dispense with the use of connecting rods for that
purpose and enable the knife to pass through two fingers at each stroke.
At the upper end of the cylindrical main frame, and immediately over
the top bearing of the vortical axis on an excentric formed on the said
axis, I place loosely a spur wheel with (say) forty-two teeth. This
wheel is not free to turn, but is prevented from so doing by an arm or

page_text: pin projecting outwards and working through a slide. This arm or pin
has sufficient play to allow the wheel to turn or move in any direction
as actuated by the excentric. The vertical shaft is prolonged above and
beyond the excentric, and upon the prolongation of the said shaft I
mount an internal toothed wheel of (say) forty-four teeth which gears
with the excentric spur wheel, the form of the teeth being such that the
wheels will turn or roll together. The excentric spur wheel being pre-
vented from turning by the arm or pin, excepting so far as to accom-
modate itself to the throw of the excentric, it will thus be evident that
at every revolution of the excentric. the excentric. wheel will cause the
internal toothed wheel to move two teeth only, thus reducing the speed
as twenty-two to one. The rake arms are fixed to or otherwise driven
by the exterior of the internal toothed ring..
In order to guide the reel and rako arms while gathering the grain on
to and sweeping it from the platform, and for raising the reel and rake
.arms so as to clear the driver while the machine is at work, and also for
lifting the rakes clear of the platform at any time so that the driver can
alter the size of the sheaf at will, I joint or hinge the rake and recl arms
to a rotating circular plate which may either turn loosely on or revolve
round a fixed vertical or inclined shaft, or it may be keyed or fixed on
a vertical or inclined shaft revolving in a long boss or bearings. Upon
the joint or hinge of the rake arms I cast or fix a toothed quadrant,
which as the rakes are raised or lowered works through a slot in the
circular plate and gears into a short toothed rack sliding in grooves on
the under side of the circular plate. On the lower side of this toothed
rack is a short stud or friction pulley. When the rake and recl arms
are in a vertical position and not in action this friction pulley travels in
a circular grooved track formed in a fixed circular plate immediately
under the revolving plate which carries the rake and reel arms. This
fixed plate has also a movable inner grooved track in which the friction
pulleys travel during the passage of the rake and reel arms over the
platform in a horizontal position.
In order to guide the friction pulley from the outer to the inner
grooved track and, thus bring the rake or reel arms gradually from the
vertical to the horizontal position whilst gathering the crop on to tho
platform, I have a sliding or movable piece or switch, which is jointed
at one end in such a manner to the outer grooved track, that the other
or free end can be slidden or shifted inwards, so as to form a junction

page_text: with the inner grooved track. The friction pulley at the back of tho
short rack is thus caused to travel from the outer to the inner track
during one-fourth of a revolution of the circular plate, thus drawing
the rack inwards, and causing the rake or reel arms to gradually descend
and gather the crop on to the platform, and sweep it off in a sheaf.
A self-acting switch at the other side then guiding the friction pulley
back into the outer track causes the rake or recl arms to again assume
a vertical position whilst passing the driver.
When it is desired that any or all of the rakes should pass over the
platform clear of the grain thereon, I slide the inner curved track
outwards a sufficient distance to cause the rakes not to descend far
enough to sweep the grain off the platform.
In some cases instead of the toothed quadrant on the joint or hingo
of the rake or recl arms I propose to use a double or treble screw thread,
and to have pins or screw teeth cast or fixed on the slides in place of the
rack teeth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander McGregor in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 19th October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MCGREGOR, of Bedford Leigh, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty- :
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander McGregor, Her special
license, that I, the said Alexander McGregor, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander McGregor,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, 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

page_text: "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY FOR REAPING AND
Mowing," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander
McGregor, my 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 Alexander McGregor, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner tho samo
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to
say):
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and
mowing machines, and the improvements relate, firstly, to that class of
reaping machines called "self-delivery reapers," wherein the cut crop
is swept or raked from the platform by self-acting rakes (mounted upon a
vertical axis) at intervals and in separate quantities sufficient to form
sheaves.
The main frame of the machine.consists of two castings of a semi-
cylindrical form, one of which carries the axle and main driving wheel
and also the short intermediate shaft carrying the spur pinion and bevil
wheel. In the other or main frame are formed the bearings carrying
the vertical axis by which motion is transmitted to the knife or cutter
bar and to the rake arms. To this casting also the finger bar is fixed
in a line parallel to the main axle or centre of the main travelling
wheel. The draft pole is also attached to it by a bolt or bolts, on
which it vibrates, the said polc may be further connected thereto by a
connecting rod, one end of which is attached to the top of the main frame.
and the other end to an excentric or crank hand lever, by which the
platform and cutters can be tilted up or down and the pitch of the
fingers altered.
The axle plate and main frame are attached to each
other by long slides, the main frame has a toothed rack cast or bolted
to it, and the axle plate carries a shaft and worm, which gears into the
said rack, and by these means the frame carrying the cutters and
rake arms can be raised and lowered vertically as required.
In order to drive the knife or cutter bar more directly and with a
double throw (that is causing the knife to pass through two of tho

page_text: fingers, each stroke instead of one only) and to dispense with the con-
necting rod and consequent angular thrust, I bolt an internal toothed ring
(about six inches diameter more or less) to the bottom or lower end of
the cylindrical part of the main frame. The lower end of the vertical
axis carries a plate or crank, on the pin of which is mounted a toothed
pinion of one half the diameter and having half the number of teeth of the
internal toothed ring. This pinion has a pin or stud upon its pitch line,
to which the knife bar is connected direct, or by a lengthening rod, and
as the pinion rolls round inside the internal ring this pin or stud will
travel always in a right line, and give a direct reciprocating motion to
the knife bar. This reciprocating movement is also equally applicable
for driving the knife bar of a single horse reaping machine with manual
delivery, and also for driving the knife bar of a mowing machine, so as
to disponse with the use of connecting rods for that purpose and enable
the knife to pass through two fingers at cach stroke. At the upper
end of the cylindrical main frame and immediately over the top bearing
of the vertical axis on an excentric formed on the said axis I place
loosely a spur wheel with (say) forty-two teeth. This wheel is not free
to turn, but is prevented from so doing by an arm or pin projecting
outwards and working through a slide. This arm or pin has sufficient
play to allow the wheel to turn or move in any direction as actuated
by the excentric. The vertical shaft is prolonged above and beyond
the excentric, and upon the prolongation of the said shaft I mount an
internal toothed wheel of (say) forty-four teeth, which gears with the
excentric spur wheel, the form of teeth being such that the wheels will
turn or roll together. The excentric spur wheel being prevented from
turning by the arm or pin excepting so far as to accommodate itself to the
throw of the excentric, it will thus be evident that at every revolution of
the excentric the excentric wheel will cause the internal toothed wheel
to move two teeth only, thus reducing the speed as twenty-two to one.
The rake arms are fixed to or otherwise driven by the exterior of
the internal toothed ring.
In order to guide the reel and rake arms while gathering the grain
on to and sweeping it from the platform, and for raising the recl and
rake arms so as to clear the driver while the machine is at work, and
also for lifting the rakes clear of the platform at any time, so that the
driver can alter the size of the sheaf at will, I joint or hinge the rako

page_text: on or revolve round a fixed vertical or inclined shaft, or it may be keyed
or fixed on a vertical or inclined shaft revolving in a long boss or
bearings. Upon the joint or hinge of the rake arms I cast or fix a
toothed quadrant, which, as the rakes are raised or lowered, works through
a slot in the circular plate, and gears into a short toothed rack sliding
in grooves on the under side of the circular plate. On the lower
side of this toothed rack is a short stud or friction pulley. When the
rake and reel arms are in a vertical position and not in action this
friction pulley travels in a circular grooved track formed in a fixed
circular plate immediately under the revolving plate which carrics the
rake and recl arms. This fixed plate has also a movable inner grooved
track in which the friction pulleys travel during the passage of the
rake and reel arms over the platform in a horizontal position.
In order to guide the friction pulley from the outer to the inner
grooved track, and thus bring the rake or reel arms gradually.from the
vertical to the horizontal position whilst gathering the grain on to
the platform, I have a sliding or movable piece or switch, which is
jointed at one end in such a manner to the outer grooved track, that
the other free end can be slidden or shifted inwards, so as to form a
junction with the inner grooved track. The friction pulley at the back
of the short rack is thus caused to travel from the outer to the inner
track during one-fourth of a revolution of the circular plate, thus
drawing the rack inwards and causing the rake or reel arms to gradually
descend and gather the crop on to the platform and sweep it off into a
shcaf. A self-acting switch at the other side then guiding the friction
pulley back into the outer track causes the rake or recl arms to again
assume a vertical position whilst passing the driver.
When it is desired that any or all of the rakes should pass over the
platform clear of the grain thereon, I slide the inner curved track
outwards a sufficient distance to cause the rakes. not to descend far
enough to sweep the grain off the platform.
In some cases instead of the toothed quadrant on the joint or hinge
of the rake or reel arms I propose to use a double or treble screw thread,
and to have pins or screw teeth cast or fixed on the slides in place of
tho rack teeth.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improve-
ments in the Construction of Machinery for Reaping and Mowing," I
will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same

page_text: is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order
that the same may be clearly understood I have annexed hereunto
a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same
with figures and letters of referenco corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof :-
In the annexed Drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical section showing tho
general arrangement of the machine; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same,
and Fig. 3 is a side clevation of the main frame. This frame is com-
posed of two castings a, a, and b, b, of a semi-cylindrical form, one of
which a, a, carries the axle and main driving wheel c, c, and also the
short intermediate shaft d, d, carrying the spur pinion e, e, and bevil
wheelf, f. In the other part b, b, are formed the bearings g, g, carrying
the vertical shaft i, i, which drives the knife and the rakes. The finger
bar k, k, is also fixed to the bottom of this casting, and the pole is also
attached to it by the studs or trunnions 1, l. The axle plate a, a, and
main frame b, b, are connected together by the slides m, m. The frame b, b,
has a toothed rack n, n, cast or bolted to it, and the axle plate a, a,
carries a shaft and worm wheel o, o, which latter gears into the rack n, n,
and by turning the shaft by means of a lever or handle fitted to its
squared end, the frame b, b, together with the finger bar knife and rake
arms can be raised and lowered.
The arrangement for actuating the knife bar which dispenses with the
connecting rod and causes the knife to pass through two fingers at cach
stroke is shown detached at Fig. 4, and also in section at Fig. 1. To
the bottom of the main frame b, b, is bolted or fixed an internal toothed
ring p, p, and the lower end of the vertical shaft i, i, carries a cranked
plate q, q, on the pin r, r, of which turns loosely a spur pinion 8, 8, in
gear with the internal wheel, and the pitch lino of this pinion is half the
diameter of that of the said wheel. The pinion 8, 8, carries a pin or
stud t, t, upon its pitch line, to which pin the knife bar ", l', is con-
nected direct. By these means the pin t, t, (and consequently the knife
bar) receives a reciprocating motion equal to double the throw of the
crank and always travels in a right line.
The arrangement for reducing the speed for driving the rake arms is
also shown at Fig. 1, and in the detached view Fig. 5. At the upper
end of the frame b, b, and immediately above the bearing 9, 9, which
carries the upper end of the shaft i, i, there is formed on the said shaft
an excentric u, u, which works loosely in the boss of a spur wheel v, v.

page_text: This wheel merely moves to and fro in an excentric orbit by the action
of the excentric, but is prevented from revolving on its own axis either
by cranked pins w, w, at the back or by means of a bar x, x, projecting
outwards and working between pins or through a slide. On the upper
› end of the shaft i, i, above the excentric is mounted loosely the internal
toothed wheel y, y, in gear with the wheel v, v, being of rather larger
diameter, and having (say) two teeth more than the former, so that at
cach revolution of the shaft i, i, it moves the wheel y, y, only two teeth,
thus reducing the speed as twenty-two to one as above described. The
) boss,, which carrics the rake arms is cast with or fixed to the boss of
the internal toothed wheel y, y. .
The arrangement which I employ for guiding and controlling the recl
and rake arms is shown in section at Fig. 6 and detached views at
Figs. 7, 8, and 9. I joint or hinge the rake or reel arms 1, 1, to a circular
plates, 2, which is keyed upon the vertical shaft i, i, and upon the joint
or hinge of the said arms I cast or fix a toothed quadrant 2, 2, working
through a slot in the plate 2, 2, and gearing into a short toothed rack 3, 3,
sliding in grooves on the under side thereof. This rack carries a short
stud or friction pulley 4, 4, which travels in a grooved track formed in a
fixed circular plate 5, 5, immediately under the revolving plate x, x.
The fixed plate 5, 5, has an inner groove 6, 6, and outer groove 7, 7;
and is provided with two movable pieces or switches 8, 8, and 9, 9, with
grooves for guiding the stud or pulley 4, 4, from one track to the other
and carrying a self-acting tongue 10, 10. Fig. 7 shows the plate with
its movable parts removed; Fig. 8 shows the same with the movable
parts 8, 9, 10, so arranged that the track forms a complete circle, and in
this position the reel and rake arms revolve in a vertical position without
acting upon the crop in any way. Fig. 9 shows the part 8, 8, moved
inwards so as to guide the stud or pulley from the outer to the inner
track. The action of the stud or pulley 4, 4, will itself move the
tongue 10, 10, into the required position. When the rack is set as in
this Figure the rakes will gather the crop to the cutters, sweep round the
platform so as to deliver the cut again in a sheaf and then rise up to
the vertical position. In Fig. 10 the movable part or switch 9, 9, is also
shown as set outwards, in which position the rakes after gathering the
crop will rise at once clear of the platform and pass over it without
delivering the crop. The switch 8, 8, is moved by a lever 11, 11, under
the control of the driver and is connected to the switch 9, 9, by means

page_text: of a slotted lever 12, 12, so that 8, can move inwards independently
of 9, but when moved outwards it draws 9 inwards as shown at
Fig. 8.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to bo or may be t
performed, or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that
I claim as my Invention,—
Firstly. The general form, construction, and arrangement of the
main frame in two semi-cylindrical parts, one sliding vertically on the
other, and enclosing a vertical shaft for driving the working parts of the ]
machine.
Secondly. The arrangement of gearing for giving a double throw in
a right line to the cutter bar and dispensing with the connecting rod.
Thirdly. The arrangement of gearing for reducing the speed between
the vertical shaft and the plate which carries the reel and rake arms.
And, fourthly. The arrangement of mechanism for giving the
requisite movements to the reel and rake arms all substantially as
lierein-before more particularly described and represented on the Drawings
annexed.
1
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander McGregor, have here- 2
unto set my hand and scal, this Eighteenth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-
two
Witnessed by
GEORGE DAVIES, O.E.,
Patent Office,
Manchester.
ALEX³. MCGREGOR. (L.s.)