IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adam Carlisle Bamlett, of the Vale of Mowbray Iron
Works, Thirsk, in the County of York, Agricultural Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 3rd January 1865, and dated the 8th July 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adam Carlisle Bamlett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition,
on the 8th July 1864.
I, ADAM CARLISLE BAMLETT, of the Vale of Mowbray Iron Works, Thirsk,
in the County of York, Agricultural Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES,"
to be as follows:-
Firstly, in order better to regulate the cutting height in reaping and mowing
machines, I attach the finger bar to the main frame by a double hinge joint
and pivot the draft pole or shaft to the main axle, the small wheel next the
standing corn being held in position by a corrugated or toothed washer and
bolt; both the frame and the draft pole are made to pivot on or with the main
axle. The machine is provided with levers (or their equivalents) for regula-
ting the cutting height of the knife; one lever attached to the frame regulates
the cutting height when mowing, the other lever being attached to the finger
bar raises it from the ground to enable it to pass over the cut grass when
mowing, and both levers are or may be used to regulate the cutting height
when reaping, one lever acting on one end of the finger bar and the other

page_text: lever acting on the other end, thus raising or lowering either end of the finger
bar as may be required; and I make the body of the machine of cast iron,
with the bearings and lugs for the joint of the finger bar cast thereon and of
one piece therewith.
Secondly, the draft pole, which is pivoted on the main axle, is made to slide
thereon (and is held in position by screws or their equivalents), in order to
give more room for the horses between the pole and the standing corn when
the machine is used as a reaper.
Thirdly, the delivery platform is hinged to the finger bar, as described in
the Specification of previous Letters Patent granted to me, No. 1468/80; to
this hinged platform I fix a fence or shield to prevent the corn from falling
on to the small wheel next the standing corn; on this fence is formed or fixed
a rail or bar at about right angles with the finger, and inclined upwards.
Fourthly, in order to keep dust and dirt from the bearings, I cast on the
first motion pinion a bell-shaped flange, the driving wheel cover is fitted to
this flange, and so prevents any dirt or dust (that may fall from the driving
wheel) from getting into the bearings.
Fifthly, in combined reaping and mowing machines there is usually a lever
for raising the knife from the ground when mowing. Now to make this
lever applicable both for reaping and mowing I hold it in position by a
reversible rack, that is a rack with teeth on both sides, one side being used
for reaping and the other side for mowing.
In order to deliver the cut crop in sheaves at the side of the machine, I
mount in suitable bearings on the reel shaft a delivering rake which rotates
with the reel shaft, but being provided with two rollers which are acted on by
two cams fixed on the framework or reel post, cause the rake to sweep across
the platform (the latter being curved to suit the sweep of the rake), thus
delivering the cut crop; one cam causing the rake to sweep across the plat-
form, the other cam bringing the rake again into position. Now to cause
this rake to deliver sheaves at different distances that the machine may have
travelled over, the bearings of the rake are fitted loosely on the reel shaft and
are caused to revolve with the reel shaft by a clutch movement; when
the clutch is withdrawn the rake will be stationary for one revolution of the
reel, or for half a revolution; if for half a revolution the reel must have only
two arms, but for one revolution it may have three arms; the clutch is acted
on by the driver or by a cam fixed on the driving wheel shaft, or other con-
venient part of the running gear. There is a connexion formed between the
cam on the main axle and the clutch on the reel shaft by vertical and
horizontal bars, provided with suitable joints and fixings; a ground roller on

page_text: the vertical bar can be brought by the driver into contact with the cams, thus
conveying motion to the clutch on the reel shaft to disengage it, the same
being brought into action again by a spring or other well known and suitable
appliance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Adam Carlisle Bamlett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th January 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ADAM
CARLISLE BAMLETT, of the Vale of Mowbray Iron Works, Thirsk, in the
County of York, Agricultural Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Adam Carlisle Bamlett, Her special licence that I, the said Adam
Carlisle Bamlett, nty executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Adam Carlisle Bamlett, my executors, administrators, and
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 AND MOWING MACHINES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Adam Carlisle Bamlett, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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 I, the said Adam Carlisle Bamlett, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement in writing, and on reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say :-
Firstly, in order better to regulate the cutting height in reaping and
mowing machines, I attach the finger bar to the main frame by a double

page_text: hinge joint, and I pivot the draft pole or shafts to the main axle, the small
wheel next the standing corn being held in position by a corrugated or toothed
washer and bolt; both the frame and draft pole are made to pivot on or with
the main axle. The machine is provided with levers (or their equivalents)
for regulating the cutting height of the knife; one lever attached to the frame
regulates the cutting height when mowing, the other lever being attached
to the finger bar raises it from the ground to enable it to pass over the cut
grass when mowing, and both levers are or may be used to regulate the
cutting height when reaping, one lever acting on one end of the finger bar
and the other lever acting on the other end, thus raising or lowering either
end of the finger bar as may be required; and I make the body of the machine
of cast iron, with the bearings and lugs for the finger bar cast thereon and of
one piece therewith.
Secondly, the draft pole, which is pivoted on the main axle, is made to slide
thereon (and is held in position by screws or their equivalents), in order to
give more room for the horses between the pole and the standing corn when
the machine is used as a reaper.
Thirdly, the delivery platform is- hinged to the finger bar, as described in
the Specification of previous Letters Patent granted to me (No. 1468/00),
and to this hinged platform I fix a fence or shield to prevent the corn from
falling on to the small wheel next the standing corn; on this fence is formed
or fixed a rail or bar at about right angles with the finger bar and inclined
upwards.
Fourthly, in order to keep dust and dirt from the bearing, I cast on the
first motion pinion a bell-shaped flange; the driving wheel cover is fitted to
this flange, and so prevents any dirt or dust (that may fall from the driving
wheel) from getting into the bearings.
Fifthly, in order to deliver the cut crop in sheaves at the side of the
machine, I mount in suitable bearings on the reel shaft a delivering rake
which rotates with the reel shaft, but being provided with rollers which are
acted on by cams fixed on the framework or reel post, and cause the rake to
sweep across the platform (the latter being curved to suit the sweep of the
rake), thus delivering the cut crop, one cam causing the rake to sweep across
the platform, another can bringing the rake again into position. Now to
cause this rake to deliver sheaves at different distances that the machine may
have travelled over, the bearings of the rake may be fitted loosely on the reel
shaft, and are caused to revolve with the reel shaft by a clutch movement;
when the clutch is withdrawn the rake will be stationary for one revolution of
the reel, or for half a revolution.

page_text: Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for " Improvements
in Reaping and Mowing Machines," 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 distinctly understood
I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those
in the following explanation thereof, that is to say: -
The first part of this Invention is shown at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
A, A, is the finger bar attached to the main frame B, B, by a double hinge
joint C, C; the draft pole D is pivotted to the main axle E, E, at D', D',
Figures 1, 3, 4. The small wheel F, Figures 1, 4, 5, 6, which runs next to
the standing corn, is bolted to the dividing shoe G, and held in position by a
corrugated or toothed washer H, the shoe being corrugated to suit the washer.
The main frame B, B, is made to pivot on the main axle E, E, and the draft
pole is also made to pivot on the main axle. The machine is provided with
levers (or their equivalents) for regulating the cutting height of the knife;
one lever I, I, attached to the main frame at J, regulates the cutting height
of the knife when mowing, and when reaping it only regulates the cutting
height of the knife at one end, the end next the small wheel F, the other
lever K, K, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, being attached by a chain to the jointed part
of the finger bar at a, raises it (when mowing) from the ground to enable it
to pass over the cut grass; when reaping it regulates the cutting height of
the knife at the inner end only. It will then be seen that the driver from
his seat L can (by drawing the lever K towards him) either regulate the
cutting height of the knife at one end when reaping, or raise the knife from
the ground when mowing, and by moving the lever I upwards, the front part
of the frame B, B, and the finger bar A, A, are inclined upwards, as shown
by the dotted lines M, M, Figure 2, thus raising the points of the fingers
farther from the ground, and causing a higher cut. If the lever I is
depressed, the front part of the frame and points of the fingers will be lowered,
as shown by the dotted line N, N, thus causing a lower cut; any variation in
the height of the cut may be made by moving the lever I into different holes
in the rack i. Now when the machine is used for reaping the finger bar is
suspended by the lever K at one end, as shown at Figure 4, the other end
being supported by the small wheel F; then the driver can, by the lever K,
raise or lower the inner end of the finger bar to any position shown between
the dotted lines O, O, and by the lever I he can raise or lower the outer end
of the finger bar to any position shown between the dotted lines 0¹¹, 0¹.
To raise the inuer end of the finger bar the driver must draw the lever K, K,

page_text: towards him; to raise the outer end he must lift the lever I. It will be
observed that the positions of both levers are altered when reaping, the
lever K being now attached to the finger bar joint at K', Figure 4, and the
lever I to the main frame at i¹, Figures 1, 3, 4. The points of the fingers
may be inclined either upwards or downwards, as may be required, by altering
the position of the small wheel F, which is accomplished by partly unscrewing
the bolt which holds the corrugated washer H to the shoe G; then the wheel
can be moved up or down and be held in position by screwing up the bolt.
Thus, suppose the outer end of the finger bar to be in the position shown by
the dotted line O" and the inner end at O¹¹, by unscrewing the corrugated
washer and lowering the outer end of the finger bar to the dotted line O', then
the points of the fingers will be inclined upwards, and by moving the small
wheel in a contrary direction the points of the fingers can be inclined down-
wards. By the use of the corrugated washer, in combination with the parts
already described, the points of the fingers can be inclined either upwards or
downwards, and the same incline can be maintained in whatever cutting
position the finger bar may be. The body of the frame B, B, (with the
bearings and other attachments upon it) is made of cast iron; the bearings,
by preference, I line with brass. The main axle is fastened to the frame by
two staple bolts; the gearing is of the usual kind.
Secondly, the draft pole D, which is pivoted to the main axle E, E, is made
to slide thereon partly from one side of the machine to the other in order to
give more room for the horses when reaping. D, Figure 4 (and the dotted
lines, Figure 1) shows the draft pole in position for reaping; D, Figures 1
and 3, shows it in position for mowing; it is held in position by a cotter pin
through the main axle.
The third part of this Invention is shown at Figures 5, and in dotted lines
at Figure 6. A*, A*, is the platform hinged at B*; C*, C*, is the fence or
shield, and D is the rail or bar bolted to the shield at about right angles
with the finger bar, and inclined upwards. In delivering the sheaf the plat-
form is depressed, and raised again into position for another sheaf, as described
in the Specification of my previous Patent (No. 1468/00); then the bar D*
projects through or partly through next to the standing corn, thus causing a
better and easier separation to be made between the sheaves.
Fourthly, in order to keep dust and dirt from the bearing C (Figure 7), I
cast on the first motion pinion A a bell-shaped flange B, B, which is covered
by the side D, D, shown by dotted lines, of the box or cover that is put over the
driving wheel E, E, so that any dust or dirt falling from it shall fall on the
bell-shaped flange of the pinion and not on the bearing.

page_text: The last part of this Invention is shown at Figures 8, 9, 10, 11; the
position of the delivering apparatus is shown at Figures 8 and 9, and in detail
on an enlarged scale at Figures 10 and 11. A is the reel shaft; B is a
bracket, on which are cast the bearings C, C, for the shaft E, E, of the
delivering rake. The rake shaft is cranked to enable its centre to intersect
with that of the reel shaft; D is a bracket keyed on to the top of the rake
shaft E, E; F, F, Figures 8 and 11, are two rollers mounted on stud pins in
the bracket D; G is the fixed cam, on which is formed one of the bearings of
the reel shaft; H is an arm formed on the bottom of the cranked shaft of the
delivering rake; on this arm is mounted a small roller I. J is a projection
on the back of the fixed cam; K is another projection on the front of the
fixed cam.
When the reel shaft is put in motion, the small roller I, Figures 8
and 10, coming in contact with the projection K, causes the rake shaft E, E,
to rotate in its bearings C, C, about a sixth part of a revolution and the
delivering rake L, Figure 8, to sweep across the platform (which is carved to
suit the sweep of the rake) to the front, as indicated by the dotted line M, thus
delivering the sheaf; then the roller F, by coming in contact with the pro-
jection J, brings the rake into position again. A portion of the fixed cam G
is cut away, as shown in Figures 9 and 11, so as to allow of the partial
rotation of the rake shaft. The bracket B may be keyed on the reel shaft or
mounted loosely on it, and held in gear by a clutch so as to disengage the
rake in order to make different sized sheaves. Both the clutch and the
position of the clutch lever are shown in dotted lines at Figure 10. I drive
the reel shaft in the usual manner by a pitch chain, but instead of using
ordinary chain wheels I use oval chain wheels, in order to cause the reel shaft
to revolve at a slower rate when the rake is delivering the sheaf.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improvements in Reaping and Mowing Machines, together with the
manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark, in conclusion, that I claim as my
Invention,-
Firstly, the combination of the double-hinged finger bar, the frame to pivot
to or with the main axle, and the draft pole pivoted to the main axle.
Secondly, the method of altering the angle or incline of the points of the
fingers, and of regulating the cutting height of the knife at either the outer or
inner end of the finger bar for reaping or at both ends for mowing.
Thirdly, the form, general arrangement, and combination of a cast-iron
frame with the double-binged finger bar.

page_text: Fourthly, causing the draft pole to slide on the main axle for the purpose
before mentioned.
Fifthly, fixing a fence or shield on the platform next the standing corn
either with or without the inclined bar.
Sixthly, the use of a bell-shaped flange on the first motion pinion.
And, lastly, 1 claim the delivering apparatus above described, all being
constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes
above set forth, and described and exhibited in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adam Carlisle Bamlett, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
ADAM CARLISLE BAMLETT. (L.S.)