IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Henry Barber, of Cambridge, Washington
County, New York, in the United States of America, Engineer, at present
residing at Aldersgate Street, in the City of London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO MOWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 8th August 1865, and dated the 11th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Henry Barber at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th February 1865.
I, DAVID HENRY BARBER, of Cambridge, Washington County, New York,
in the United States of America, Engineer, at present residing at Aldersgate
Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO MOWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the machinery or apparatus
for reaping and mowing, for which Letters Patent were granted to me on or
about the 22nd of March 1864, No. 726, and consists in the addition to such
machinery of a side platform having a serrated slotted plate secured to the
outer edge thereof for the purpose of carrying the adjustable short axle of a

page_text: supporting wheel. The axle itself is hollow, and has formed upon one end
thereof a serrated plate, the teeth of which fit into the serrations of the fixed
slotted plate. The wheel revolves freely on this axle, which is retained in its
place by a bolt passed through the axle and through the slot in the fixed
plate. The axle is free to be adjusted to any height along the slotted plate,
and may be fixed at any desired height by simply tightening the nut of the bolt,
which causes the teeth or serrations in the axle to engage with those in the
slotted plate; by this means a ready adjustment of the height of the outer
side of the platform is obtained so as to cause it to correspond with the
height of the heel of the cutter bar. A lug is attached to the near side of
the platform directly in the rear of one of the main driving wheels, and a
corresponding lug or bracket is attached to the outer or left rear corner of the
main framing of the machine. Between these two lugs is extended a brace
bar which braces the platform to the main framing, the bar being free to play
on pin joints at each end in the respective lugs. In order to raise or lower
the platform at pleasure a chain is connected to the brace bar, any one of
the links of such chain being engaged with a forked grapple, hook, or catch
bolted to the rear end of the main framing. This grapple, hook, or catch is
also provided with a stud or pin which serves as an attachment or fastening
for a tie bar connected to a vertical arm or standard which carries two tension
pullies for tightening the driving band of the reel. A number of holes are
made in the tie bar so that the arm may be drawn back more or less, and
greater or less tension applied to the driving band by engaging the stud into
one or other of the holes in the tie bar. The vertical arm or standard may
be made to work upon the main axle as a fulcrum. The reel of the machine
is adjustable in height and is carried by a shaft which is supported in bearings
near one end only, the other portion which carries the reel arms being made
to overhang the bearings. The reel bearings, of which there are two, form
part of a moveable bracket piece, which is capable of vertical adjustment
along a socket iron or standard, and may be fixed at any desired height
thereon by means of a cam or eccentric lever forming part of the adjustable
bearing bracket. The socket iron or standard is secured to an arched brace,
which is bolted to the top of the main shoe, and which is steadied and
supported by a short lateral brace. This socket iron or standard may be
adjusted to any desired angle by causing it to turn upon a pin or pivot at its
lower end, and fixing it in any position by means of a bolt passing transversely
through it near its upper end and through one or other of a series of holes
made in the fixed arched brace. In order to prevent the reel from coming
in contact with the horses when at work, it is proposed to lengthen the pole

page_text: by splicing the same, which may be accomplished by means of a second pole,
a pin and a metal band or strap piece, the pin passing through both poles and
through the metal band or strap piece. Two seats are fitted side by side on
the main framing, the one serving to accommodate the driver, and the other
the attendant in charge of the working of the machine, and these seats are
arranged so as to balance the fore and hind parts of the machine as well as
the weight of the side platform. In order to prevent grass or corn from
clogging up the driving gear inside the main driving wheel, it is proposed to
apply a shield plate or cover to the side of such wheel nearest the platform.
The adjustable reel and tension pullies for the driving band of the frame and
the parts connected therewith, as well as the shield plate or cover on the
side of the main driving wheel are all applicable to mowing machines as well
as reapers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Henry Barber in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
HENRY BARBER, of Cambridge, Washington County, New York, in the United
States of America, Engineer, at present residing at Aldersgate Street, in the
City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said David Henry Barber, Her special license that I, the said David
Henry Barber, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said David Henry Barber, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and 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 "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN REAPING MACHINES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE
TO MOWING MACHINES," upon the condition (aniongst others) that I, the said
David Henry Barber, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my band and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the saine was to be

page_text: 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 David Henry Barber, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to the
letters and figures marked therein, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in the machinery or
apparatus for reaping and mowing, for which Letters Patent were granted to
me on or about the 22nd of March 1864, No. 726, and consists in the
addition of such machinery of a side platform having a serrated slotted plate
secured to the outer edge thereof for the purpose of carrying the adjustable
short axle of a supporting wheel. The axle itself is hollow, and has formed
upon one end thereof a serrated plate, the teeth of which fit into the serrations
of the fixed slotted plate. The wheel revolves freely on this axle, which is
retained in its place by a bolt passed through the axle and through the slot
in the fixed plate. The axle is free to be adjusted to any height along the
slotted plate, and may be fixed at any desired height by simply tightening
the nut of the bolt, which causes the teeth or serrations in the axle to engage
with those in the slotted plate; by this means a ready adjustment of the
height of the outer side of the platform is obtained so as to cause it to corre-
spond with the height of the heel of the cutter bar. A lug is attached to the
near side of the platform directly in the rear of one of the main driving
wheels, and a corresponding lug or bracket is attached to the outer or left-
hand rear corner of the main framing of the machine. Between these two
lugs is extended a brace bar which braces the platform to the main framing,
the bar being free to play on pin joints at each end in the respective lugs.
In order to raise or lower the platform at pleasure a chain is connected to
the brace bar, any one of the links of such chain being engaged with a forked
grapple, hook, or catch bolted to the rear end of the main framing; this
grapple, book, or catch is also provided with a stud or pin which serves as an
attachment or fastening for a tie bar connected to a vertical arm or standard,
which carries two tension pullies for tightening the driving band of the reel.
'A number of holes are made in the tie bar so that the arm may be drawn
back more or less, and greater or less tension applied to the drawing band by
engaging the stud into one or other of the holes in the tie bar. The vertical
arm or standard may be made to work upon the main axle as a fulcrum.
The reel of the machine is adjustable in height and is carried by a shaft

page_text: which is supported in bearings near one end only, the other portion which
carries the reel arms being made to overhang the bearings. The reel bearings,
of which there are two, form part of a moveable bracket piece which is capable
of vertical adjustment along a standard fixed in a socket iron, and may be
fixed at any desired height thereon by means of a cam or eccentric lever
forming part of the adjustable bearing bracket. The socket iron is secured
to an arched brace, which is bolted to the top of the main shoe, and which is
steadied and supported by a short lateral brace. This socket iron may be
adjusted to any desired angle by causing it to turn upon a pin or pivot at its
lower end, and fixing it in any position by means of a bolt passing transversely
through it near its upper end and through one or other of a series of holes
made in the fixed arched brace. In order to prevent the reel from coming in
contact with the horses when at work, it is proposed to lengthen the pole by
splicing the same, which may be accomplished by means of a second pole, a
pin and a metal band or strap piece, the pin passing through both poles and
through the metal band or strap piece. Two seats are fitted side by side on
the main framing, the one serving to accomodate the driver, and the other
the attendant in charge of the working of the machine, and these seats are
arranged so as to balance the fore and hind parts of the machine as well as
the weight of the side platform. In order to prevent grass or corn from
clogging up the driving gear inside the main driving wheel, it is proposed to
apply a shield plate or cover to the side of such wheel nearest the platform.
The adjustable reel and tension pullies for the driving band of the same and
the parts connected therewith, as well as the shield plate or cover on the side
of the main driving wheel, are all applicable to mowing machines as well as
reapers.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall
refer to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 represents a complete plan of my improved reaping machine;
Figure 2 is a side elevation on a larger scale of the platform, supporting
wheel, and its serrated standard; Figure 3 is a vertical section at right angles
to Fig. 2; Figure 4 is a sectional plan of the same, corresponding to
Fig. 3; Figure 5 represents an enlarged inside elevation, looking from the
platform, of the means I adopt for supporting the reel and for tightening the
reel bands when the shoe is elevated; Figure 6 is a side elevation of the
adjustable reel bearings and portion of the reel; Figure 7 is an elevation of
the splice in the draught pole for the purpose of lengthening the same; and

page_text: Figure 8 is a side elevation of the inner one of the two main driving wheels,
showing the shield applied thereto, a portion of which shield is represented as
broken away in the Drawings.
A, is the main framing of the reaping machine carried by the driving wheels
B, B, and provided with the side platform C, the outer edge of which is
supported by the wheel D (Figures 2, 3, 4); this wheel is fitted on to a
loose hollow axle a, on the inner end of which axle is formed a serrated
plate b, the teeth of which fit into and engage with the serrations made in the
vertical standard E; this standard is secured in any convenient manner to the
outer side of the platform C, and is slotted down the middle, the upper end
of such slot being enlarged to admit of the passage therethrough of the head
of the bolt c, which passes through the slot and through the hollow axle a.
A nut and washer on the screwed outer end of this bolt serves to tighten the
axle against the standard and to hold the wheel in its place; by slackening
this nut sufficiently the axle and wheel may be raised or lowered to any
required extent, and again fixed in that position by tightening the nut. The
serrations in the standard and in the plate on the inner end of the axle by
engaging with each other ensure the perfect immobility of the axle when
once adjusted. To the near side of the platform C there is attached a lug or
double eye piece, F, which is in the rear of the inner driving wheel, a corre-
sponding lug or double eye piece G, being secured to the outer or left-hand
rear corner of the main framing. To these two lugs are attached by joint
pins the opposite ends of the brace bar H, which thus serves to brace the
platform to the main framing, such bar being at the same time free to play on
its pin joints in the lugs. I is a short chain attached to the middle of the
bar, one or other of the links of such chain being hooked into the slotted
grapple book K, according to the height at which the platform is required to
be suspended; this grapple book or catch may also be provided with a stud
or pin d, to which may be attached or fastened the tie bar L, connected to
the vertical arm or standard M, (shown in elevation on a larger scale at
Fig. 5) which carries two tension pullies N, N, for tightening the driving
band O of the reel P, and is free to turn on the main axle Q of the machine.
The tie bar L is provided with a number of holes so that the standard M may
be drawn back more or less, and greater or less tension applied to the driving
band by engaging the stud or pin d into one or other of the holes in the tie
bar. I prefer to use for this purpose however the arrangement I have shown
at Fig. 5, wherein the pulley standard M is connected by the brace L'
with the hand lever R, for raising the reel P simultaneously with the
shoe T and cutter bar U. The brace L' has a number of holes made in it,

page_text: whereby facility is afforded for tightening the reel driving band O to any
desired extent by passing one or other of such holes on to a stud or pin in the
side of the pulley standard M. By this arrangement as the lever R is drawn
back and cutter bar raised, the pulley standard D is driven back a correspond-
ing distance, and this keeps the reel band in its proper position for driving
the reel. The reel of the machine is capable of adjustment in height inde-
pendently of the rising and falling of cutter bar, and is carried by the shaft V,
which is supported at one end in the reel bearings W, W, the other portion
of the shaft which carries the reel being made to overhang the bearings, as is
clearly shown by Figs. 1 and 6; these bearings W, W, are formed in one
piece with the moveable bracket X, which is capable of vertical adjustment
along a wooden standard Y, fixed in a socket iron Z, and may be fixed at
any desired height on the standard by means of the cam or eccentric lever e,
(carried by the bracket itself,) which grips firmly the side of the standard Y
when turned to the proper position, as indicated in Fig. 5. f is an arched
brace which is bolted to the top of the main shoe T, and is steadied by the
short lateral brace f¹, bolted to the side thereof and to the main shoe, and
has jointed to it by a pin joint at 9 the lower end of the socket iron Z. A
bolt in this socket iron enters one or other of the bolt holes i made in the
arched brace f, and consequently the angle or inclination of the standard Y
may be varied so as to move the reel nearer to or farther from the cutter bar.
The pole k of the machine may be lengthened when necessary by splicing an
extra long pole thereto, which I prefer to do in the manner shown at Fig. 7,
where represents the length of the pole to be added or spliced on m, a metal
band or ferrule embracing the overlapping ends to be joined, and n, n', two
bolts, the one. n passing through both poles, and the other n' passing
through the ferrule and through both poles as well. O, O', are the two
seats, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the seat O being for the driver, and
the seat O' for the attendant who manages the working of the machine,
which seats it will be observed are so disposed as to balance the fore and hind
parts of the machine as well as the weight of the side platform. p (Figure 8)
represents a guard plate or shield, which is secured by clip bolts or otherwise
to the spokes or arms of the driving wheel next to the platform, its object
being to prevent grass or corn stalks from getting into and clogging the
driving gear.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and

page_text: original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st, the application and use of the serrated slotted standard in combina-
tion with the teeth on the hollow axle of the supporting wheel for the
purpose of carrying the platform of a reaping machine at any desired
height, as herein-before described and illustrated by Figs. 2, 3, and 4 of my
Drawings.
2nd, the application and use to and in reaping machines of an axle to
constructed that a bolt passing through the same secures the wheel on the
axle and the axle itself to the supporting standard at any desired height,
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by Figs. 2, 3, and 4
of my Drawings.
Third, the peculiar arrangement for carrying the rear end of the platform
of a reaping machine, and for raising or lowering the same and securing it at
any desired elevation, substantially as herein-before described.
Fourth, the peculiar arrangement for carrying the reel of the reaping or
mowing machine, and the means for adjusting the height of its bearings, and
for securing the same at any desired elevation, substantially as herein-before
described.
Fifth, the mounting the reel of a reaping or mowing machine upon the
end of a vertical standard capable of moving or turning on a pivot or centre
at its lower end, and thereby enabling the reel to be moved forwards or
backwards as desired.
Sixth, the means for tightening the reel driving bands of reaping or
mowing machines, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by
my Drawings.
•
Seventh, the peculiar mode of splicing the pole of a reaping or mowing
machine, as herein-before described.
Eighth, the application of a guard or shield plate to the inner driving wheel
of a reaping or mowing machine for the purpose berein-before described.
In witness, whereof, I, the said David Henry Barber, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Eighth day of August, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.