IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REAPING & MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander McGregor, of Leigh, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REAPING &
MOWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 31st July 1877, and dated the 20th February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander McGregor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th February 1877.
ALEXANDER MCGREGOR, of Leigh, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REAPING & MOWING MACHINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing machines,
and the first part relates to the construction of such harvesting machines as are
known as side-delivery reapers, having only one main driving wheel, in which the
grain is discharged from the platform by means of self-acting rakes or beaters, which
are mounted either on an inclined axis or are guided by a cam or cams.
The improvements consist in constructing these machines in such a manner that
the whole of the gearing is contained in and partly enclosed by a main gear frame
combined with a vibrating or revolving circular plate. The main gear frame is
made in the form of a hollow cylindrical case or box, the side nearest the platform
being close, and having at its centre a long boss or bearing for receiving the end of
the first motion shaft. At the centre of the circular axle plate is formed another
long boss or bearing for receiving the other end of the first motion shaft.
The periphery of the vibrating or revolving circular axle plate is by preference
turned perfectly true, and fits accurately into an internal recess or groove, also
turned in the outer face or flange of the hollow cylindrical case or box; when in its
place it is firmly and securely held in position laterally by clips or bolts, but is free
to vibrate or revolve around the first motion shaft (as a centre), the boss or bearing
for which is formed in the centre of the revolving circular axle plate, concentric
with the other boss or bearing formed in the centre of the cylindrical case or box.
The main driving wheel turns freely on its axle, which axle is connected to the
circular axle plate at a point near its periphery, and by revolving the axle plate in
either direction the platform and cutters can readily be adjusted for different heights
of cut.

page_text: In order to form a simple and convenient means of revolving the axle plate I cast
a ring of teeth near its periphery, into which is geared a small pinion; this pinion
is firmly fixed on a short stud or shaft which turns in a bearing or boss cast upon
the cylindrical case or box of the gear frame; a small ratchet wheel is also fixed on
the same stud or shaft, and a drop pawl or catch is arranged to retain the ratchet
wheel in any given position by means of a hand lever. The pinion can be revolved
in either direction, and with it the revolving circular axle plate.
In some cases I propose, instead of a ring of plain spur teeth on the circular
axle plate, to cast a ring of worm teeth and to employ a worm in place of the
pinion, the worm being turned by a hand wheel or otherwise.
Cast, bolted, or otherwise connected to the arms or boss of the main driving
wheel is a ring of spur teeth which gears into and drives a spur wheel on the end
of the first motion shaft; this wheel is made to slide on its shaft, so as to connect
or disconnect the gearing.
The first motion shaft, which is free to turn in its bearings, has a large bevil
wheel keyed firmly on to it; this wheel, together with its pinion, is enclosed in the
cylindrical case or box. The bevil pinion shaft turns in a long bearing or pipe
bushed at its two ends; which bearing or pipe, together with that which carries the
crank shaft, is cast to the closed side of the cylindrical case or box, and forms part
- of the gear frame.
'
The bevil pinion shaft has fixed to its rear end a small internal (or, it may be,
external) geared wheel which gives motion to a spur pinion on the rear end of the
crank shaft, which latter, through the medium of a crank pin and connecting rod,
gives motion to the knife.
An important part of the Invention is the position of the knife bar or cutters, the
line of which is placed in a line with and directly underneath the first motion
shaft;
this shaft has a bevil pinion fixed or keyed on to it at the end nearest to the
platform; this pinion gears into and drives a bevil wheel keyed or fixed to the lower
end of the vertical shaft, which shaft turns in a long boss or bearing, at the top of
which the rake cam or cams are fixed. By this arrangement the rake arms are
driven direct from the first motion shaft, and the second pair of wheels and extra
shaft generally used for driving the rake arms is dispensed with.
The second part of the Invention consists in the manner of and apparatus for
controlling the rake arms in their revolving rising and falling motion, so that they
may properly perform their assigned duty, for the time being, of drawing the
standing crop to the cutters and raking the cut grain from the platform to the
ground.
To the top of the vertical rake shaft is firmly fixed a revolving circular head with
four or more pairs of parallel flanges, between which the rake arm heads are pivoted,
so that they may rise and fall in radial vertical planes.
Around the revolving circular head, but fixed or bolted to the long boss or bearing
of the vertical shaft, are two permanent camways, upon which the friction rollers
for guiding the revolving rake arm heads while gathering and discharging the
crop run.
Although in point of fact there is said to be two permanent camways, yet for
nearly three-fourths of their circumference they may be best described as forming
one camway of double width, while the remaining portion of rather more than one-
fourth of their circumference forms two distinct and separate camways half the
width of the other portion.
The friction rollers for guiding the rake arm heads while gathering and discharging
the crop are free to turn on their axles, but have no endway movement thereon.
These axles fit radially into a long boss or pipe forming part of the rake arm heads,
and are free to slide therein a distance equal to the length of the friction rollers,
but are not free to revolve within the said boss or pipe. By this means the friction
rollers are not permanently fixed, but any or all of them can be moved either in or
out, and thus be caused to run either upon the inner or the outer camway. The
inner camway is so formed as to cause the rakes to clear the platform, and the

page_text: outer camway is so formed as to cause the rakes to rise up as they pass over it, so
that if the friction rollers of two of the rake arms are set to run upon the inner
camway, and the other two set to run upon the outer camway, the former would
act as rakes and the latter as dummies whilst passing over the platform, but all four
would act as gatherers to draw the standing crop towards the cutters.
The sockets in which the axles of the friction rollers move in or out are provided
with spring catches or bolts to hold them in either position, so as to keep them to
the inner or outer camway, as the case may be, and when set and bolted to the
desired position they do not, under ordinary circumstances, pass from one camway
to the other as they revolve. The axles, however, are furnished with pins projecting
through longitudinal slots in their sockets, and movable cams or inclined planes are
also provided which are connected to a lever under the control of the driver, and
upon bringing these inclined planes or cams into position as the arms revolve the
catch is released and the axle pushed either inwards or outwards, as may be required,
so as to bring the friction roller on to either the inner or outer camway. It will
thus be evident that by means of these inclined planes or cams any or all of the
rakes may be caused to act as rakes or to become dummies, according as circum-
stances may require.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander McGregor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
August 1877.
ALEXANDER MCGREGOR, of Leigh, in the County of Lancaster.
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing machines,
and the first part relates to the construction of such harvesting machines as are
known as side-delivery Teapers, having only one main driving wheel, in which the
grain is discharged from the platform by means of self-acting rakes or beaters, which
are mounted either on an inclined axis or are guided by a cam or cams.
The improvements consist in constructing these machines in such a manner that
the whole of the gearing is contained in and partly enclosed by a main gear frame
combined with a vibrating or revolving circular axle plate. The main gear frame
is made in the form of a hollow cylindrical case or box, the side nearest the platform
being close, and having at its centre a long boss or bearing for receiving the end of
the first motion shaft. At the centre of the circular axle plate is formed another
long boss or bearing for receiving the other end of the first motion shaft.
The periphery of the vibrating or revolving circular axle plate is by preference
turned perfectly true, and fits accurately into an internal recess or groove, also
turned in the outer face or flange of the hollow cylindrical case or box; when in its
place it is firmly and securely held in position laterally by clips or bolts, but is free
to vibrate or revolve around the first motion shaft (as a centre), the boss or bearing
for which is formed in the centre of the revolving circular axle plate, concentric
with the other boss or bearing formed in the centre of the cylindrical case or box.
The main driving wheel turns freely on its axle, which axle is connected to the
circular axle plate at a point near its periphery, and by revolving the axle plate in
either direction the platform and cutters can readily be adjusted for different heights
of cut.
In order to form a simple and convenient means of revolving the axle plate I cast
a ring of teeth near its periphery, into which is geared a small pinion; this pinion
is firmly fixed on a short stud or shaft which turns in a bearing or boss cast upon
the cylindrical case or box of the gear frame; a small ratchet wheel is also fixed on
the same stud or shaft, and a drop pawl or catch is arranged to retain the ratchet
wheel in any given position by means of a hand lever. The pinion can be revolved
in either direction, and with it the revolving circular axle plato.

page_text: In some cases I propose, instead of a ring of plain spur teeth on the circular
axle plate, to cast a ring of worm teeth and to employ a worm in place of the pinion,
the worm being turned by a hand wheel or otherwise.
Cast, or otherwise connected to the arms or boss of the main driving wheel,.
is a ring of spur teeth which gears into and drives a spur wheel on the end
of the first motion shaft; this wheel is made to slide on its shaft, so as to connect
or disconnect the gearing.
The first motion shaft, which is free to turn in its bearings, has a large bevil
wheel keyed firmly on to it; this wheel, together with its pinion, is enclosed in the
cylindrical case or box. The bevil pinion shaft turns in a long bearing or pipe
bushed at its two ends; which bearing or pipe, together with that which carries the
crank shaft, is cast to the closed side of the cylindrical case or box, and forms part
of the gear frame.
The bevil pinion shaft has fixed to its rear end a small internal (or, it may be,
external) geared wheel which gives motion to a spur pinion on the rear end of the
crank shaft, which latter, through the medium of a crank pin and connecting rod,
gives motion to the knife.
An important part of the Invention is the position of the knife bar or cutters, the
line of which is placed in a line with and directly underneath the first motion
shaft; this shaft has a bevil pinion fixed or keyed on to it at the end nearest to the
⚫ platform; this pinion gears into and drives a bevil wheel keyed or fixed to the lower
end of the vertical shaft, which shaft turns in a long boss or bearing, at the top of
which the rake cam or cams are fixed. By this arrangement the rake arms are
driven direct from the first motion shaft, and the second pair of wheels and extra
shaft generally used for driving the rake arms is dispensed with.
The second part of the Invention consists in the manner of and apparatus for
controlling the rake arms in their revolving rising and falling motion, so that they
may properly perform their assigned duty, for the time being, of drawing the
standing crop to the cutters and raking the cut grain from the platform to the
ground.
To the top of the vertical rake shaft is firmly fixed a revolving circular head with
four or more pairs of parallel flanges, between which the rake arm heads are pivoted,
so that they may rise and fall in radial vertical planes
Around the revolving circular head, but fixed or bolted to the long boss or bearing
of the vertical shaft, are two permanent camways, upon which the friction rollers
for guiding the revolving rake arm heads while gathering and discharging the
crop run.
Although in point of fact there is said to be two permanent camways, yet for
nearly three-fourths of the circumference they may be best described as forming one
camway of double width, while the remaining portion of rather more than one-fourth
of their circumference forms two distinct and separate camways half the width of
the other portion.
The
The friction rollers for guiding the rake arm heads while gathering and discharging
the crop are free to turn on their axles, but have no endway movement thereon.
These axles fit radially into a long boss or pipe forming part of the rake arm heads,
and are free to slide therein a distance equal to the length of the friction rollers, but
are not free to revolve within the said boss or pipe. By this means the friction
rollers are not permanently fixed, but any or all of them can be moved either in or
out, and thus be caused to run either upon the inner or the outer camway.
inner camway is so formed as to cause the rakes to clear the platform, and the
outer camway is so formed as to cause the rakes to rise up as they pass over it, so
that if the friction rollers of two of the rake arms are set to run upon the inner
camway, and the other two set to run upon the outer camway, the former would
act as rakes and the latter as dummies whilst passing over the platform, but all four
would act as gatherers to draw the standing crop towards the cutters.
The sockets in which the axles of the friction rollers move in or out are provided
with spring catches or bolts to hold them in either position, so as to keep them to

page_text: the inner or outer camway, as the case may be, and when set and bolted to the
desired position they do not, under ordinary circumstances, pass from one camway
to the other as they revolve. The axles, however, are furnished with pins projecting
through longitudinal slots in their sockets, and movable cams or inclined planes are.
also provided which are connected to a lever under the control of the driver, and
upon bringing these inclined planes or cams into position as the arms revolve the
catch is released and the axle pushed either inwards or outwards, as may be required,
so as to bring the friction roller on to either the inner or outer camway. It will thus
be evident that by means of these inclined planes or cams any or all of the rakes
may be caused to act as rakes or to become dummies, according as circumstances
may require.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be clearly under-
stood I have annexed hereunto two Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those
in the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawings is a back clevation of part of a side-delivery
reaping machine constructed according to this Invention; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 3, a side elevation of main frame and gearing.
Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are details of various parts of the machine.
The main driving wheel a revolves on an axle which is secured to the axle
plate b. Figs. 4 and 5 show elevation and sectional plan of this axle plate and gear
frame. The dotted line 6' indicates the centre of main axle; the periphery of the
axle plate is by preference turned to fit in a recess in the cylindrical box forming
the gear frame c. A pinion c¹ gears into a ring of teeth cast near the periphery of
the axle plate, and by rotating this pinion the gear frame and with it the cutting
apparatus is raised or lowered, as shown in Fig. 4. A ratchet wheel c², Figs. 2
and 3, is secured on the spur pinion shaft, and a drop pawl or catch c³ retains the
ratchet wheel in any given position; a portion of a detachable hand lever for
actuating the pinion is shown at c, Fig. 4.
The main driving wheel has a ring of spur teeth & which give motion to a spur
wheel d on the first motion shaft. This spur wheel is made to slide on the first
motion shaft, so as to connect or disconnect the gearing; d² shows a hand lever for
sliding this pinion. Inside the cylindrical box c is a large bevil wheel e, Fig. 5,
keyed on the first motion shaft (which is indicated by the dotted centre line (³) and
gearing into a bevil pinion e¹ which is keyed on a shaft (indicated by dotted centre
line e2) concentric with but at right angles to the first motion shaft. On the rear
end of this bevil pinion shaft is secured a spur wheel e³ which gears into a spur
pinion on the crank shaft f¹, and thus by means of a crank pin and connecting
rod g giving motion to the knife h.
On the end nearest the platform of the first motion shaft is secured a small bevil
pinion i which gears into a bevil wheel on the lower end of the vertical shaft 22
carrying the rake heads.
A cam or cams % for controlling the action of the rakes is represented in part to
a larger scale at Figs. 6, 7, and 8. The part between k¹ and k³, Fig. 6, which
corresponds with that portion of the rake's path which passes over the platform has
two distinct cam ways or tracks k* and k* for the friction rollers which guide the
rake arm heads to run on, as shown in section, Fig. 7. The axles on which the
friction rollers revolve have a movement endways through the boss of the rake
arm heads. When one of these is moved so that the friction roller is nearest the
centre of the rake arm it is compelled to travel in the inner camway k*, thus causing
the rake to sweep close down on the platform, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 8.
When the axle is moved outwards from the centre the friction roller comes into
contact with the loose piece ³, Fig. 6, and passing out on the outer camway k*, as
shown in dotted lines, Fig. 7, causes the rake to rise up clear of the platform.

page_text: In Fig. 8 the cam is shown in section on line 4, Fig. 6, and an arrangement is
shown for sliding the axle, so that the rollers may be made to run on the inner or
outer track; m is a switch, an end view of which is shown in Fig. 9 which, if set
as indicated in full lines, will allow the projections on the friction roller axles to
pass without making any alteration in their position, but if set in either of the
positions shown in dotted lines at Fig. 9 will cause the axles to move either up or
down, and the roller to travel on the inner or outer camway. This or any other
contrivance for causing the axles to slide can by means of ordinary appliances bo
put so as to be actuated by a lever or treadle placed convenient to the driver's hand
or foot; in Figs. 1.and 2 m³ is a hand lever for this purpose.
Fig. 10 shows a modification of the friction rollers and cams so arranged that the
axes of the friction rollers are below the rake carriers in every position, and can be
actuated by an arrangement catching the inner ends of the axles, but I do not
confine myself to any special arrangement for or manner of sliding the axles.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,-
First. The construction of side-delivery reapers in such a manner that the whole
of the gearing is contained in and partly enclosed by a main gear frame, combined
with a vibrating or revolving circular axle plate, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Drawings annexed.
Secondly. Mounting the. knife bar or cutters in a line with and directly under-
neath the first motion shaft, and driving the vertical or rake shaft direct from the
first motion shaft by ineans of bevil gear, so as to dispense with the extra sliaft
usually employed to actuate the rake arms.
Thirdly. The method of and apparatus for controlling the rake arms in their
revolving rising and falling motions, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander McGregor, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
ALEXANDER M'GREGOR. (L.S.):