IMPROVEMENTS IN MOWING AND REAPING MACHINES
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frederick Bolton and Philip
Manley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 20th July 1875.
WC, FREDERICK BOLTON, of Weaste, in the County of Lancaster, and
PHILIP MANLEY, of Atherton, in the same County, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOWING AND
REAPING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
-
Our improvements have special reference to the cutting part of
reaping and mowing machines.
We employ a flexible endless knife of ribbon steel or an endless chain,
belt, or strap, and attach the cutters in sections, so as to allow the strap,
chain, or belt to retain its flexibility These knife sections when
secured to the strap, chain, or belt, will present a continuous scythe like
edge, which we bring to bear on the material to be cut in the following
manner -We the flexible endless scythe along, under, or over the
finger bar and over suitable pulleys at each end of the finger bar to a
driving pulley at any suitable height, to keep the top line of the flexible
scythe clear of the standing crop. We place two or more pulleys at the
--
pass

page_text: outer end of the finger bar, one attached to the finger bar and the other
higher up at the end of a rod or hollow tube secured to the finger bar,
over which the flexible scythe will pass onwards to the driving pulley
clear of the crop, and the flexible scythe may be passed up the hollow
tube, if thought fit, as a protection to it.
The knife sections may be secured to either side of the strap, chain, or
belt, but we prefer to place them on the under side, and the pulleys over
which the strap passes are grooved on the face or periphery, so that the
strap fits into the grooves and is thus prevented from slipping off.
Or the pulleys may be made square on the face instead of being
grooved.
It will be evident that'when the finger bar is raised for any purpose
the top part of the flexible scythe will become slack, and this is
prevented by bringing a pulley attached to the end of a swing lever to
bear on the top of the flexible scythic, so that as the latter slackens by
the raising of the finger bar, the pulley descends with it and keeps the
flexible scythe taut, or the driving pulley itself may be attached to the
end of a swing lover, and he acted upon by a strong spring, so that as
the finger bar is raised the pulley moves forward by the action of the
spring and keeps the flexible scythe tight.
The knife sections are attached to the endless belt, chain, or strap, in
such a manner, namely, by two screws or rivets with suitable heads
passing through two holes, one directly behind the other as not to
interfere with the flexibility of the strap, cham, or belt, so that it
will be able to pass round the pulley at the outer end of the finger
bar.
A rotating motion is imparted to the driving pulley by means of
suitable gearing in connection with the travelling wheel or wheels,
which gives to the flexible scythe a rapid motion like that of a band
saw.
The flexible scythe can be readily and expeditiously sharpened whilst
the machine is at work by applying a stone to it as it is revolving, or
the sharpening stone may be attached to the frame of the machine so
that it can be brought into contact with the knife by a motion of the
foot or hand.

page_text: The knife sections may be roughened on the under or upper side after
the manner of an ordinary reaping sickle, so that the sharpening stone
will only need to be brought to bear on one side of the flexible sickle,
the smooth side, and the knife will then havo a sharp but saw like
edgo.
We do not limit ourselves to the straight knife sections; we may make
them angular as at present used, or have a saw or serrated edge, but
could not in these two cases sharpen the machine whilst working.
The knife sections may have a cutting edge on both sides, so that they
will cut either way without turning the machine round.
When a strap is employed for the material to which the knife sections
are attached, it is rendered impervious to wot, so that when working in
wet grass the strap will not become softened by the moisture.
The flexible scythe may be made to pass round suitable pulleys in
such a manner that the top portion will not pass above the standing
crop, but close to the bottom portion of the flexible scythe, that is, the
bottom part will be running in one direction and the top part will be
running in the opposite direction.
The ribbon steel may be strengthened by soldering or otherwise
attaching it to small metal plates secured in any suitable manner to a
strap, belt, or chain; or the ribbon steel may be secured between two
lengths of strapping or other suitable material by rivets or screws, the
rivets or screws passing through perforations in the ribbon steel, or it
may be secured by the pressure of the straps and vets or screws
without passing through perforations in the steel.