IM- PROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hunter, of Coltness Iron Works,. Cambus-
nethan, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Ironmaster, and
Robert Scott, of the same Place, Engineer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hunter and
Robert Scott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 15th March 1862..
We, JAMES HUNTER, of Coltness Iron Works, Cambusnethan, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Ironmaster, and ROBERT SCOTT, of the same
Place, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of reaping
machines of the direct-acting class.
. Under one modification the machine consists of an open rectangular frame,
in the central part of which are fitted the bearings of the axle carrying the
main bearing wheel. The front part of the frame is prolonged outwards, and
carries at its extremity an ordinary leading wheel, and extending laterally from
the front of the main frame is the bar or frame carrying two knives or serrated
cutters, the extremity of the cutter bar being supported on a wheel in the

page_text: ordinary manner. On the axle of the bearing wheel and outside the rect-
angular frame is fitted a wheel or disc, the periphery of which is corrugated,
or forms a series of undulations at right angles to the circumference of the
wheel. This disc is keyed to the main axle, and it traverses within a longi-
tudinal slot or opening formed in a moveable bar, which slides to and fro
in brackets projecting laterally from the main frame. At the extremities of
the slotted opening in the sliding. bar are two antifriction rollers, and as the
disc on the main axle rotates with the motion of the bearing wheel, the pro-
jections of the corrugated disc act alternately on the antifriction rollers, and
cause the sliding bar to traverse to and fro with a rapid reciprocatory
movement. To the front end of the sliding bar is jointed a duplex link
piece, the extremities of which are connected to two small shafts arranged in
a vertical position, and carrying at their lower ends bell-crank levers. Each
of these bell-crank levers is connected to a serrated cutter of the ordinary
kind. The cutters are arranged one above the other, and slide to and fro in
the laterally projecting cutter bar before referred to. The rapid oscillatory
motion of the sliding bar communicates a corresponding movement to the
cutters, the duplex arrangement of the cutters admitting of a reduction in the
extent of their lateral traverse, and a corresponding saving in the wear and
tear of the moving parts. As the machine is moved forward the crop is rapidly
cut by the movement of the cutters at the parts where they cross each other,
which when arranged in this manner operate with a scissor-like action.
The machine may also with trifling modifications be arranged to operate
with a single cutter and the ordinary projecting fingers against which the
cutter rests.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Hunter, and Robert Scott, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL: COME, we, JAMES
HUNTER, of Coltness Iron Works, Cambusnethan, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Ironmaster, and ROBERT SCOTT, of the same Place,' Engineer,
send greeting.....
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date, the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord'
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two; in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give, and grant unto us,

page_text: the said James Hunter and Robert Scott, Her special license that we, the
said James Hunter and Robert Scott, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said James Hunter and Robert Scott,
our executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING
MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that. we, the said James
Hunter and Robert Scott, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of
them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be 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 we, the said James Hunter and Robert Scott, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed; to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-.
Our said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of reaping
machines of the direct-acting class.
Under one modification the machine consists of an open rectangular frame,
in the central part of, which are fitted the bearings of the axle carrying the
main bearing wheel. The front part of the frame is prolonged outwards, and
carries at its extremity an ordinary leading wheel, and extending laterally from
the front of the main frame is the bar or frame carrying two knives or serrated
cutters, the extremity of the cutter bar being supported on a wheel in the
ordinary manner.. On the axle of the bearing wheel and outside the rect-
angular frame is fitted a wheel or disc, the periphery of which is corrugated
or forms a series of undulations at right angles to the circumference of the
wheel. This disc is keyed to the main axle, and it traverses within a
longitudinal slot or opening formed in a moveable bar, which slides to and
fro in brackets projecting laterally from the main frame. At the extremities
of the slotted opening in the sliding bar are two antifriction rollers, and as the
disc on the main. axle rotates with the motion of the bearing wheel the pro-
jections of the corrugated disc act alternately on the antifriction rollers, and
cause the sliding bar to. traverse to and fro with a rapid reciprocatory
movement... To the front end of the sliding, bar is jointed a duplex link

page_text: piece, the extremities of which are connected to two small shafts arranged in
a vertical position, and carrying at their lower ends bell-crank levers. Each
of these bell-crank levers is connected to a serrated cutter of the ordinary
kind. The cutters are arranged one above the other, and slide to and fro in
the laterally projecting cutter bar before referred to. The rapid oscillatory
motion of the sliding bar communicates a corresponding movement to the
cutters, the duplex arrangement of the cutters admitting of a reduction in
the extent of their lateral traverse, and a corresponding saving in wear and
tear of the moving parts. As the machine, is moved forward the crop is
rapidly cut by the movement of the cutters at the parts where they cross each
other, which, when arranged in this manner, operate with a scissor-like
action.
The machine may also, with trifling modifications, be arranged to operate
with a single cutter and the ordinary projecting fingers against which the
cutter acts.
And in order that our said Invention of improvements in reaping machines
may be properly understood, we shall now proceed to describe the several
Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings, which we have hereunto
appended for the purpose of showing certain modifications under which our
improvements may be judiciously carried out in practice, that is to say:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a reaping or mowing machine arranged
according to our improvements; Figure 2 is a front view of the same;
Figure 3 is a side view opposite to that shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a
plan of the machine; and Figure 5 is a plan showing a portion of the details,
drawn to an enlarged scale.
The principal frame A of the machine is, by preference, formed of plates
of iron bolted together in an open rectangular figure. In this open frame is,
arranged the axle B, on which the main driving wheel C runs loosely. This
wheel is made with a broad tyre which nearly fills up the open space of the
frame A. The front part of the rectangular frame A has also bolted to it the
vertical plate D, which extends outwards in an angular direction to the pro-
longation of the outer side plate of the frame A. Carried loosely on the
axle B are the two ribs E, which are connected together by transverse stays
and nuts forming a frame, in the outer end of which is carried a swivelling
bracket piece F; in the bent forked ends of this bracket piece is carried the
front bearing wheels G. To the upper part of the piece F is fitted a swivel
and hook for attaching one or a pair of horses to the machine. Motion is
communicated to the cutters of the machine from the main axle B, on which
is carried the wheel H, the periphery of this wheel being notched or indented,

page_text: as shown more particularly in Figure 1 at H¹ of the accompanying Drawings.
As this wheel rotates it gives motion to a horizontal sliding detail I. This
part consists of two parallel side plates arranged on each side of the wheel H.
These plates are bolted to solid end pieces, which terminate in cylindrical pro-
longations that work to and fro in the guides J. These guides are bolted to.
the side of the frame A, and extend above it level with the ends of the sliding
frame I, so that it works easily. to and fro therein. Inside the cheek plates of
the sliding frame I are fitted two antifriction rollers K, which are carried on
spindles fitted in bushes at the ends of the side plates. As the wheel H
rotates, the projecting parts of its periphery press against the rollers K alter-
nately, and so cause the sliding frame I to move backwards and forwards with
great rapidity. An arrangement is also provided to prevent the sliding frame I
from traversing to and fro, excepting when employed in reaping or mowing.
On the upper part of the front guide J is a small standard, which supports the
hand lever L; this lever is connected by a link M to the wedge piece N..
When the hand lever L is depressed by the attendant, the wedge piece N is
raised, and this admits of the bush in which the front antifriction roller K is
fitted sliding forward, so that the wheel H is free to rotate without affecting.
the position of the sliding bar. A simple upward movement of the lever L
causes the wedge-piece to descend, and the horizontal reciprocatory movement
is instantly imparted to the frame I, and by its means to the cutters. The
corrugated periphery or indentions H' of the wheel H may also be arranged
so as to impart motion from the inner edge of the rim or indented part of the-
wheel. This corrugated or indented part may also, if preferred, be fitted on'
either face of the wheel, or in any other convenient manner equivalent thereto.
To the front extremity of the sliding frame I is keyed a cross head O, to the
lateral extremities of which are jointed the links P and Q. These links are
connected by the cranks R and S to the small vertical shafts T and U, which
are carried in bushes bolted to the fore part of the framing A. The lower
part of the shafts T and U are connected by the levers V and W, and the
connecting rods X and Y to the two serrated cutters Z and a. These cutters
consist of two series of teeth of the ordinary kind affixed to the rods Z and a,
which traverse to and fro in the guides b, which extend out from the front
part of the platform c of the machine. The cutters are arranged with their
inner faces in contact, or nearly so, and as they are caused to move in opposite-
directions alternately, their edges act in the manner of scissors in shearing the
crop as the machine is caused to advance. In the enlarged view, Figure 5,
the alternate. motion of the cutters Z and a to the right and left is indicated
by dotted circles, which show the position of the cranks R and S as the anti-

page_text: friction rollers K are moved to and fro by the periphery of the wheel H
and also the extent of lateral traverse which the 'movement of the cranks
impart to the cutters Z and a. The front part of the platform c forms a
strong bar, extending across the machine, and to this part are fixed the
projecting fingers 'd, which extend out beyond the points, of the cutters, and
beneath them, so as to form a kind of guard thereto. The platform c is
arranged so as to oscillate on the spindle'e, which extends over to the opposite
side of the machine. To the framing at this part is. fixed a stud on which is
carried the outer bearing wheel f, and to the framing is fitted the side g
which extends out over the wheel. The driving wheel and its connected parts
are enclosed by a casing h, indicated by red lines in Figures 1, 2, and 3, and
on the upper part of this casing is arranged the seat i for the attendant;
when seated on the machine one foot is placed in the strap j, and as he rakes
the cut crop towards him from the opposite side of the machine he causes the
platform c to tilt backwards from time to time, and deposits the crop in bundles
ready for binding into sheaves; this is done by lifting his foot at intervals as
the grain accumulates in sufficient quantity. The cutters are adjusted to the
proper height from the ground to suit the crop by means of the bent lever k,
which is centred on a stud in the framing E, and is connected by a link to
the front part of the framing A. The hand lever k is fitted with a detent m,
the lower end of which takes into the notches of the segmental catch-piece n.
By moving the hand lever k backwards, after lifting the detent out of the
retaining notch, the front part of the machine is raised to a corresponding.
extent, so that the cutters operate at a greater distance from the ground, and
in this way the machine may be adjusted to suit various kinds of crops or
irregularities in the surface of the ground. The machine may also be arranged
to work, if preferred, with a single knife or cutter, acting against the stationary
fingers, in lieu of the arrangement of duplex cutters, herein-before described
and shown in the accompanying Drawings. With these several improvements
the reciprocatory movement of the cutters or cutter is obtained in a simple
and highly effective manner, and the general operation of the machine greatly
improved.
Having now described and particularly ascertained, the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, we would observe in conclusion, that what we consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the-herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the general arrangement, construction, and combination of parts
forming the mechanical arrangement for imparting motion to the cutters.or.

page_text: cutter of reaping or mowing machines, as herein-before described and shown
in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification of the same.
Second, the system or mode of arranging and applying double cutters to
reaping or mowing machines, and causing them to traverse in opposite
directions, as herein-before described and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Hunter and Robert Scott, have
hereunto set our bands and seals, this Twelfth day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JAMES HUNTER. (L.S.)
ROBERT SCOTT.
(L.S.)