Improvements in Mowing and Reaping Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mowing and Reaping Machines.
1, PHILIP PIERCE of Mill Road Iron Works, Wexford, Ireland, Agricultural
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention has for its object the construction in reaping and mowing machines
of improvements in regard principally to that class of machine in which the hinge
or inner shoe has the line of pivot inside the travelling wheel, and the object of
these improvements is to provide a means of taking up the wear which takes place at
the junction of the hinge shoe with the main frame; and secondly, the means of
lifting the outer end of the finger bar quite clear of the cut field.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood I submit the
accompanying drawings:
Fig. A is a part side elevation of a reaping and mowing machine as will serve to
illustrate the improvements of my invention attached thereto.
Fig. B. is a part plan of the same.
Figs. B¹ C. C' D. E. and F. are details of the invention shewn separately.
I construct a hinge or inner shoe 1 with a projection 2 towards the rear which
carries a tube 3, the end of the said tube being preferably chilled or otherwise
hardened and is of a half spherical form and is supported in a bracket 4 which has
also chilled into it a corresponding hollow for the reception of the spherical end
of tube; this bracket may be detached and be bolted to the main frame of the
machine under or nearly under the axle, or the bracket may be formed in one piece
with the main frame.
The part of the tube 3 at its junction with the shoe 1 at point 2 is formed
into a bearing 5 and is free to revolve in an eye 6 (shewn also separately Fig. E.
and F.) formed on an extension bar 7 which is secured at its other end to the
forward part of the main frame, the frame at this part being formed into a lug 8
extending from the barrel in which the crank shaft revolves. I form the eye 6
before mentioned on the end of the extension bar 7 and secure it with a bolt 9
(shewn also separately Fig. E. and F.) so that the eye can be closed and thus take
up the wear and forming an adjustable bearing; or the eye may be made solid and
unadjustable.
For the purpose of taking up any looseness which may take place endways in
the shoe I use a bolt 10 passing through the projection 2, tube 3, and bracket 4,
(shewn also separately Fig. B') which when screwed up, effectually tightens the
spherical end of tube against the corresponding hollow in the bracket above
mentioned.
To a lug on the main shoe I binge a tilting bar 11 which rests on a hub forming
a prolongation of the barrel, the free end of the said bar 11 is connected to a link
of the lifting chain 12, this chain passing through a trough 13 (shewn also
separately at Fig. D) and secured to under side of extension bar 7 the other end
of chain being secured to the lifting lever 17.
On the draught pole 14 I fix a roller 15 (shewn also separately at Fig. C.
and C¹) so placed, that when the lever 17 raises the front of frame and finger bar,
the tilting bar 11 will come in contact with the under side of roller, which will
thus form its fulcrum, and on further raising the front of the frame, the finger bar
will be lifted in a radius whose centre will be the fulcrum as above.
For convenience of construction I prefer to have the roller 15 carried by a
separate bracket 16 fastened to the draught pole 14 but it is obvious that this

page_text: bracket may form part of draught shoe or tongue, to which the pole is attached
and which is connected to the main frame in the usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
First. The combination in a mowing and reaping machine of a hinge or inner
shoe 1, formed with a tubular rear extension 3 acting as a pivot, and the adjustable
eye 6 on the extension bar.
Second. The combination in a mowing and reaping machine of a hinge or inner
shoe formed with a tubular rear extension acting as a pivot, the adjustable or
unadjustable eye on extension bar, a bolt 10 passing through the extension bar
and the bracket 4 for the purpose set forth.
Third. The adjustable eye Fig. E and F for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. The combination of the tilting bar 11, the roller 15, the chain 12, and
the trough 13 for the purposes herein before described and illustrated.
Dated this 9th day of August 1894.
PHILIP PIERCE.