IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MOWING AND REAPING, THE DRIVING GEAR EMPLOYED BEING APPLICABLE TO MACHINES FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1862

page_text: Office," No. 100, Fleet Street, in the City of London, American barrister
at-Law, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MOWING
AND REAPING, THE DRIVING GEAR EMPLOYED BEING APPLICABLE TO MACHINES
FOR OTHER PURPOSES."-A communication from abroad by Moses Gilbert
Hubbard, of Syracuse, New York, United States.
Sealed the 5th September 1862, and dated the 23rd June 1862.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Haseltine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Decla-
ration, on the 23rd June 1862, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 100, Fleet Street, in
the City of London, American Barrister-at-Law; send greeting.
WHEREAS I-am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR MOWING AND REAPING, THE DRIVING GEAR EMPLOYED BEING.
APPLICABLE TO MACHINES FOR OTHER PURPOSES," and have petitioned Her Majesty,
to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal.
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn declaration that it has.
been communicated to me from abroad by Moses Gilbert Hubbard, of
Syracuse, New York, United States:

page_text: NOW ANOW 1, that, the said George Haseltine, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement:-
My improvements relate principally to the form, construction, and arrange-
ment of the various parts or elements that constitute a combined machine for
mowing grass and reaping grain.
I shall describe these. improvements in connection. with the accompanying
Drawings, which make a part of this Specification, and in which Figure I.
represents a top view of the machine fitted as a mower, with the driver's box
removed; Figure II. represents a full-sized lock plate employed to secure the
corners of an iron frame machine; Figure III. represents the rear view of
the machine with the cutting apparatus elevated for transportation; Figure IV.
represents a side view of the machine; Figures V., IX., and X. represent
detached parts drawn, to an, enlarged scale;, Figures VI., VII., and VIII.
represent full-sized, detached parts; Figures XII., XIII., XIV., and XV.
represent,different, forms of constructing and applying a frictional gear for
operating machinery....Like letters, represent, like parts in all the Figures.
The frame A. is constructed, of iron or wood; if of iron, straight bars of
suitable size are employed (for this purpose I have employed with good
effect bars of two inches broad by five-eighths thick), and the frame is com-
posed of two side pieces, one of which for the right hand side is. four feet long,
more or less; the other should be four feet ten inches long, more or less.
These side pieces are united by three cross pieces about twenty-eight inches
long; the side and cross pieces are united by a single bolt that passes through
both at their junction, and they are stiffened and held in place by a casting
(which I denominate a lock-plate) shown detached in Figure II., through which
also the bolt passes. At or near the centre of the length of this frame is affixed
the supporting axle, by which the frame is supported on wheels B, B. The
pole C, to which the horses are attached, extends from the rear cross piece
forward, projecting sufficiently far in front for this purpose; and is firmly bolted
to the centre of each of the cross pieces of the frame, which it serves to
strengthen. The frame A is. mounted on wheels. B, B, about thirty inches in
diameter, having affixed to them concentric lateral gear by which the knives
or cutters, hereafter described, are operated by means of the following train of
gearing The shaft D, Figure. I., having its bearings affixed to the frame on
the under side, as shown in Figure IV., has upon each of its ends a pinion a
that turns loosely upon its shaft, and is connected with it. by a spring ratchet
clutch b, Figure 1., so as only to drive the shaft in one direction; this is for

page_text: the double purpose of not driving the cutters in backing, and to give freedom
to the driving wheels (sufficient freedom for turning corners being necessary).
Near the left-hand side of the frame this shaft D bears a bevel wheel c, that
gears into a pinion on the forward end of the crank shaft E; this shaft is
parallel with the pole, and has its forward bearings under the middle cross
piece of the frame, and its rear bearings affixed to the under side of the rear
cross piece. Beyond and behind this bearing the crank e is affixed to the
shaft E; the bevel gear is carefully covered by a shield d, and the crank shaft
from bearing to bearing is enclosed in a stationary tube f, to prevent their
being clogged by grass that might be caught and wound around them. A
pitman connects the crank e with the cutters, as hereafter described.
The cutting apparatus consists of the following parts:-A bar of steel which
I denominate a finger bar, of about five feet in length, more or less, and
tapering from about four inches in breadth at the inner end, or that next the
frame, to about two and a half. inches at the outer end, and it is about three-
eighths of an inch thick. This bar projects beyond the fraine on one side
parallel with the cross pieces, or at right angles to the pole, and the manner
of connecting it with the frame forms one of the most important features of my
improvements. For this purpose, I join or hinge a connecting bar F, Figures
I., III, and IV., to the rear ends of the left hand side piece at g, which projects
beyond the cross piece of the frame, as clearly shown in the Drawings. The
bar F forms an extension of the finger bar, and is denominated the extension
bar. It is connected with the finger bar by a hinge joint constructed as
follows: A cast-iron shoe G, shown in Figure V., receives in a recess or
socket formed therein the inner end of the finger bar, the two being firmly
united by bolting. This shoe G, which is formed, as seen in the Drawings,
on the under surface to readily slide over the ground, and follow its inequa-
lites, has upon its upper side two ears or projections h, h, that extend upward,
and form half of the hinge by which the finger bar is connected with said
extension bar. Another casting H, Figure V., which I denominate the
"wear" plate, is made with two similar projections i, i, running out from it
horizontally and inclining downward, that embrace those on the shoe.. Two
joint pins pass through these ears. where said ears intersect each other,
one through the front pair and the other through the rear pair of ears, as
clearly illustrated in the Drawings. These pins and the cutter bar pink,
Figure I., all being on a line, give a free hinge joint between the finger bar I;
and extension bar F, and between the pitman J and cutter bar K; so as
to allow the whole cutting apparatus to rise and fall freely without being able
to twist out of line at right angles with the line of progression. To the
·

page_text: rear end of this "wear" plate the extension bar is bolted in a recess formed
on its upper surface. To the front end of this "wear", plate a steel spring L
Figures III. and V., is bolted, which extends upwards in a straight line to the
front right hand corner of the frame, where it is also firmly bolted. This
mode of attaching the finger bar I to the frame keeps upon it a sufficient
pressure to hold it to the ground so as to allow it to follow, and yield to all its
inequalities with great sensitiveness, so as at all times to keep. in proper
position, and this attachment I call a "yielding corner." In some con-
ditions of the work to be executed it becomes necessary to make the joint at
this corner rigid. To effect this, I have at the rear end of the joint a second
hole at 1, Figures III. and V., through which a pin may be inserted, which
stiffens the joint, and this prevents the outer end of the finger bar from readily
rising or bounding.
Along the front edges of the finger bar I a series of malleable cast-iron
fingers m, Figure I., are bolted, which project forward in a horizontal position.
The configuration of these fingers is a matter of great importance, and one of
these is represented detached and enlarged, Figures VI. and VII. It con-
sists of a malleable iron casting nearly regularly tapered from the shank to the
point, and nearly conical; a narrow horizontal slit n, Figure.VI., is made
through the fingers from a short distance back of the 'point to the base or
shank, the upper part above the slit terminates in front of the forward edge of
the finger bar, and forms the cap; the lower portion, which forms the shank, is
somewhat shorter than is usually employed, and extends back under the finger
bar I, to which it is firmly bolted, there being a broad base or shank for firm
attachment to the finger bar, as seen at o, Figure VII. This portion of the.
finger is broader that that beyond the finger bar, so that when a set of fingers
are placed side by side along the bar, the forward portion will be seperated
sufficiently for the grass or grain to enter between them to be cut by the
vibrating knives hereafter described. It will be noticed that the web p,
Figure VI., between the fingers, is inclined under, so as to slide over the ground
without clogging; this is very important in the working of the.machine, and
forms a feature of the Invention. Above the finger bar and upon its upper
surface I put at proper intervals small pieces of thin plate steel q, Figures I.
and VI., which are held in place by the bolts that secure the fingers to the finger
bar; on these pieces the cutter bar rests and slides, and they are of proper
thickness to bring the cutter up to the right level without any perfect or. nice
adjustment of the thickness of the finger bar or cutter bar.
iuch
The cutter bar K, Figures I. and VI., is a straight bar of steel
broad by inch thick, more or less; to this. the cutters are secured by:

page_text: screws or rivets; the rear upper edge of the cutter bar may have a small
flange, as shown in Figure VIII., projecting up from it, against which the cutters
abut to steady them. The cutter bar projects over the front edge of the finger
bar inch, to give a more inclined shoulder to the web of the fingers, as
before named. The under surface of the cutters when affixed to the cutter bar,
and the bar properly adjusted by means of the steel plate q, Figures I. and VI.,
is just on a level with the under surface of the slit in the fingers through which
said cutters pass. The inner end of the cutter bar is turned up to form an eye,
or said eye is otherwise formed in the inner end of the cutter bar by which it
is united to the pitman, the end of the pitman being bifurcated to embrace the
eye on the cutter bar, as shown at s, Figure IX., and the pin k passing horizon-
tally through both. At this point I bolt on the top of the finger bar, at the
inner end and directly over the shoe that forms a part of the hinge uniting the
finger bar to the extension bar, a casting M, Figure 1X., (which I denominate
a "way" piece,) which serves as a guide to hold the cutter bar in place, and
from its upper surface a flange t or rib rises opposite the head of the pin
which unites the cutter bar with the pitman, to prevent said pin from working
out. A notch in the centre of the length of this rib is made to allow the pin
to be removed when stopped at the centre of its motion. The other end of the
pitman is connected with the wrist of the crank shaft. There is a malleable
iron head u, Figure XII., to the pitman, bushed with bronze, that receives the
crank pin or wrist, into which head the pitman is screwed to adjust its
length.
At the outer end of the finger bar I attach a cast-iron shoe N, Figures I.,
III., and X., somewhat more than half the width of one of the cutters, through
which there is a slit into which the outer cutter works. The object of this
shoe is to divide the grass for the outer cutter to change its motion, and also
to form a runner to carry the outer end of the finger. bar. On the top of this
shoe rises a bigh rib or flange v, Figure X., against the side of which and near
the point I bolt the front of track clearer O, Figures I., III., IV., and X.,
and at the rear end of said flange I attach a cap w to the track clearer, which
projects over the said flange and supports the track clearer, and permits its
rear end to rise and fall. I construct this track clearer, which is employed
only when the machine is mowing grass, of wood, by steaming and bending it
into a proper curve. It is much better to form this clearer on a curved line,
as it operates in clearing the track in the cut grass something like a wooden
curved mould-board to a plow.
when cutting the next swath.
round stick x, Figures I., III., IV.,
.
This track is for the inner shoe to run in
To the inside. of said clearer I attach a
and X., one and a quarter, inches in dia:

page_text: meter and three feet long, which rises to the height of about eighteen inches
at its rear end, in order to raise and turn over tall grass. On the main frame
of the niachine I bolt a box P, Figure IV. to protect the driver's lines and
clothing from becoming entangled in. the moving parts: To this box. I affix
the driver's seat Q, by arms y, y, on one side, and a similar. pair of arms on
the other side, attached by bolts at their lower ends to the sides of the box,
and at their upper ends to cleats z on the bottom of the seat. When the seat
is thrown back for mowing, the rear arms which sustain the seat rest upon
blocks secured to the sides of the box just behind the said rear arms; and when
the seat is thrown forward for reaping, the front pair of arms rest on a similar
pair of blocks secured to the inside of the box at the front end. This method of
attaching the seat is very important, as it permits the instantaneous change of
the positions of the seat from one end of the machine to the other, to preserve
its balance, and these arms may be made elastic if 'a spring seat is desired.
When I arrange this machine for reaping grain, I bolt a platform R;
Figure XI., to the finger bar, about four feet wide. It is necessary for the
perfect operation of a reaper that it should have a reel to turn the grain on to
the platform, and I have found great difficulty in constructing a flexible reaper
with hinged cutting apparatus and platforın to follow uneven ground, and at
the same time work a revolving wheel on it successfully. This difficulty I have
finally completely overcome by introducing a universal joint into the reel shaft,
making it flexible and at the same time capable of revolving freely.
One form of the application of this branch of my Invention is shown at S,
Figure XI., in which the inner supports of the reel are permanent and the said
universal joint is introduced in the reel shaft at S. In this arrangement. the
outer reel bearer T must be flexible laterally; but where the inner supports
of the reel are flexible, the outer bearer may be permanent,' and the universal
joint be introduced at the lower point of attachment of inner reel supports, to
drive an auxiliary band wheel attached thereto, so that the reel and its sup-
ports can oscillate laterally, and therefore conform to the varying positions of
the hinged platform.
:
For large farmers having considerable both of grass and grain to cut, I have
found it more economical to construct two machines seperately, embracing
such of the foregoing elements as are needed to adapt one exclusively to
cutting grass, and the other exclusively to harvesting grain; thus giving
the farmer a complete mowing machine, and a seperate complete reaping
machine. This saves much trouble in altering a combined machine for accom-
plishing the two different kinds of work; and renders both better adapted to its
particular purpose.

page_text: But all of the necessary elements can be combined in one machine to do
both kinds of work when desired. As the price and simplicity of construction
of these machines have come to be of great importance, I have devoted many.
years to the attainment of these objects, and certain important results of these
labors are shown in Figures XII., XIII., XIV., and XV., which represent
different modes of applying my new frictional gearing to these machines,
B, in Figure XII., representing the drive wheel, having a driving rim a¹ cast
on its side, and another driving rim 6 attached to rim a¹ by three or more
parallel links c, c', c', which are intended to keep the two rims parallel (similar
to a parallel rule), and the said links are of such length as to cause them to
assume the proper angle while in operation to produce the required pressure
on the surface of the crank shaft U and the driving roller V, to cause the
crank shaft to revolve and drive the cutters while at work. These links
should be made adjustable in their length, as they should be shorter if. working
in a damp wet day, so that they will cause a greater pressure on the crank
shaft, upon the same principle that it requires a heavier locomotive to draw a
train on wet rails than when the rails are dry. I make the length of these
links adjustable by ordinary screw threads, as shown at d. It is also important
to have a slight elastic force operating to press the rim 6' against the crank
shaft, so as to produce a retarding force (by its adhesion to the crank shaft)
sufficient to overcome any binding in the joints of the parallel links. When
tlius arranged the drive wheel first acts, and its driving rim slips on the driving
roller until the links draw the two rins so tightly against the crank shaft and
driving roller as to overcome the resistance of the crank shaft, and cause it to
revolve, and through the medium of the pitman work the cutters with a degree
of power proportionate to the angle of the parallel links which connect the
driving rims.
I have pursued a long series of experiments in demonstrating the efficiency
of many different ways of attaining the objects in view, only a few of which I
am now describing, because it is evident that having once discovered and
demonstrated that such results are real and practicable, the variety of ways
which any ordinary mechanic skilled in the manufacture, of such: machinery
may adopt in applying my discovery is so great as to render detailed descrip-
tions here too lengthy and complicated..
Another of the plans which I. adopted was to attach the driving rim e¹,
Figure XIII.,. permanently to the main drive wheel, dispensing with the links
altogether, and so attaching the main drive-wheel shaft W, Figure XIII., to
the main frame A, that it could move back on the frame freely when the
machine was drawn ahead, and which free backward movement of the drive

page_text: wheel and rims e¹ gives the required pressure on the crank shaft and roller by
means of their inclined or wedged-shaped surfaces being forced into and be-
tween the edges of the rim e¹ by the draft of the team, and thus (as in the
previously described arrangement) causing the driving power and resistance to
operate together in producing or increasing, the pressure on the crank shaft.
In order to more fully describe this.improvement, I will add, that all things
considered, I have attained the most perfect results in my experiments when
I attached both of the rims X, Y, Figure XIV., to short arms projecting from
the inner face of the drive wheel, by means of a double set of links g' and h³,
the set of links by which the rim X was attached being pivoted at one end to
said rims, and their opposite ends pivoted to the said short arms near the
spokes of the drive wheel, and the set of links h¹ by which the rim Y is
attached being pivoted at one end to said rim, and their opposite ends pivoted
to the extreme ends of said long arms projecting from the drive wheel. But
any. convenient method for applying my improvement may be adopted, pro-
vided the pressure produced on the working shaft be sufficient to create the
requisite amount of adhesion to overcome its resistance, and, when desired, the
parts may be arranged so as to cause said resistance to operate jointly with
the driving power in producing said pressure, in order that said pressure will
at all times bear the required proportion to the variable resistance of such
machinery.
In running these different surfaces together, I have found it necessary to
make them conform to lines similar to those observed in constructing cog
gearing, which was a result requiring much experience to effectually attain;
but by making the driving roller about twice as long as the width of the
driving surfaces of the driving rims, and allowing the crank or working shaft
to project at a similar length, the driving surfaces can be formed precisely
upon such lines, as clearly shown in Figure XV. This causes all the parts to
run together without any unnecessary resistance, and ensures great durability
to the driving surfaces. I have found this to be the cheapest and most simple
method of gearing these machines, as well as various other kinds of highly-
speeded machinery, and in this branch of my Invention I do not confine my
claim to its application to any one purpose or kind of machinery, as it is
equally applicable to several useful purposes.
s
In its application to harvesters, where I want to make a double drive-wheel
machine, I ratchet the right-hand wheel to the main shaft, so that it will
drive in going ahead, but will be free in turning corners.
Having fully described and ascertained the nature of my Invention,-
First, I claim the employment of a cast lock iron at the corners of a

page_text: wrought-iron frame, for securing them, substantially as described and shown in
Figure II.
Second, I claim mounting the frame A on two wheels, and bolting the pole
on its top, so as to bring the frame in or nearly in line with the pole, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes specified.
Third, I claim constructing said frame with three cross sills. for the attach-
ment of the gear and pole, substantially as set forth.
Fourth, I claim constructing the yielding corner, substantially in the manner
and for the purposes described, and I also claim making said corner elastic for
the purposes set forth.
Fifth, I claim so constructing the joint between the finger bar and the
extension bar that it can readily be changed from a free hinge to a rigid con-
nection when desired, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Sixtb, I claim the vertical flange t, or its equivalents, for securing the pit-
man connection, substantially as set forth.
Seventh, I claim constructing and attaching the track clearer O, substan-
tially as and for the purposes described.
Eighth, I claim constructing the guard fingers m, m, with substantially the
general outline described, for the purposes specified.
Ninth, I claim locating the cutter bar K so that it will project a portion of
its width in front of the finger bar I, for the purposes substantially as specified.
Tenth, I claim adjusting the relative position of the cutters to the fingers
by means of thin pieces of metal q between the finger bar and cutter bar, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Eleventh, I claim enclosing the space between the two main wheels by a
box P, the sides of which are secured to the frame in such manner as to stiffen
the frame; and I also claim attaching the seat Q to the sides of said box,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.
Twelfth, I claim so attaching the said driver's seat to the machine that it
may be moved in the arc of a circle in changing its position for balancing
the machine, and I also claim supporting the seat in four arms y, y, substan-
tially as and for the purposes specified.
Thirteenth, I claim the introduction of a universal joint in the reel for the
purposes substantially as set forth.
Fourteenth, I claim making the outer reel arm or support T yielding
laterally, so as to admit of the vertical freedom of the outer end of the reel,
when combined with a platform, the inner end of which is secured to the
machine by a hinged shoe, and the outer end of which is free to rise and fall
independently of the machine.

page_text: Fifteenth, I claim the combination of the hinged platform and reel, with a
universal joint introduced in the reel, substantially as described.
Sixteenth, I claim the combination of the driving rims. a¹ and b¹, and the
roller V, with the crank shaft. U, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Seventeenth, I also claim as the gist of my Invention in frictional. gearing,
such an arrangement and construction of the parts as shall cause the resistance
of the speeded shaft and driving power to operate together in producing or
increasing the pressure of the driving surfaces together, thereby making said
pressure self-adjusting for the purpose substantially as specified.
Eighteenth, I also claim forming or arranging the driving surfaces so as to
conform to the pitch lines usually observed in constructing bevil and spur
gearing, as clearly shown in Figure XV.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-
first day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-two.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)