IMPROVEMENTS IN MOWING AND GRAIN CUTTING MACHINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ephraim Smith, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United
States of America, Machinist, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOWING
AND GRAIN CUTTING MACHINES."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Ephrain Smith at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st October 1880.
EPHRAIM SMITH, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Machinist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOWING AND GRAIN CUTTING MACHINES."
The first part of my Invention consists in the peculiar construction of the
machine frame. This is formed of a single piece of angle steel or iron, the angle
being of L-shape, with a horizontal and a vertical part. The strip is bent at three
places to form three angles of a rectangular frame, and the two ends 'brought and
joined together constitute the fourth angle. This feature is shewn in Figs. 1
and 4. A is the frame of angle steel or iron; a, the top or horizontal flange,
and b the vertical flange. The horizontal flange a is cut away at the corners c, c,
to allow the bend; or it may be slit diagonally and one part lapped over the other;
or it may be crimped in bending. Brace pieces or caps B, B, are preferably bolted
over the corners to strengthen them; and it is convenient to make one corner
piece B¹ of proper form to which to attach the draught-pole or tongue.
frame, especially if made of steel, may be quite thin and light and is very strong
and durable. A casting C is bolted to the rear part of the frame to receive
Other
bearings and attachments of the main operative parts of the machine.
attachınents are to the frame direct.
This
The second part of my Invention consists in a spring sheave placed on the
frame or stationary part of the machine, and gearing at its periphery into or
matching with a chain, band, or cord which extends from the hinge bar that carries
and controls the finger bar of the machine to the parts or device by which the
binge bar and finger-bar are suspended, adjusted, and raised or lowered; the force
of a coiled spring in the sheave being adjustable and sufficient to nearly counter-
balance the weight of the hinge-bar, finger-bar, cutter-bar, and other parts
immediately connected therewith, whereby the finger-bar and cutter-bar are inade
to run very lightly over the ground, rendering the draught light, causing very
little side draught, and the whole easy to raise or lower while it is still fully
sustained by the supporting parts irrespective of the action of the spring sheave.
The parts here described are shewn in Fig. 1, which is a top view of the machine.

page_text: Fig. 2, a side view of the same; and Fig. 5, a separate view of the spring sheave.
D is the binge-bar; E, the finger-bar; G, the suspending chain, band, or cord;
H, the spring sheave over which the chain, band, or cord runs, and with the
periphery of which it gears or matches, and causes the same to turn in moving one
way or the other; K, a segment lever pivotted at d, and upon the periphery of
which the upper end of the chain, band, or cord fits, and is taken up or let out by
moving the lever; L, the handle of the segment lever for the driver to take hold of
for raising and lowering or adjusting the finger-bar and parts connected therewith;
f, a detent to hold the segment lever in any position; and g, the spring in the
sheave H; this sheave is mounted on a fixed pivot h of the frame.
The third part of my Invention consists in a lever having its fulcrum on the
binge-bar, having, one end bearing on the inner part of the finger-bar and its other
end connected with the sustaining, adjusting, and lifting chain, band, or cord; the
arms of the lever being so proportioned and its outer end resting on the inner end
of the finger-bar in such relation to the position of the pivot or joint connecting
the hinge-bar and finger bar, that the outer end of the finger-bar and the whole
weight of the cutter-bar and other parts sustained by the finger-bar will bo nearly
or quite balanced by the lifting action of the said chain, band, or cord, and thereby
the outer end of the finger-bar will at all times be as well supported as the inner
end while the machine is at work and when raising and lowering the finger-bar,
and will consequently run very light, and when raising the finger-bar its outer end
will rise as quickly as or more quickly than the inner end. This part of my
Invention is shewn in Fig. 3, which is an elevation of the hinge bar and finger-bar
with the lever M here described thereon. This lever is pivotted to the hinge-bar
at 1, its outer end m bearing on the finger-bar inside of and near the pivot joint n
connecting the finger bar and hinge-bar, and its inner end is connected at p
directly with the sustaining chain, band, or cord G. This lever is always positive
and invariable in its action, and operates promptly to raise the outer end of the
finger-bar.
I claim as my Invention,―
1. The frame made of a single piece of L-angle steel or iron, formed and
strengthened at the corners as and for the purpose herein specified.
2. A spring sheave H in combination with the finger-bar E, hinge-bar D,
chain, band, or cord G, and supporting and adjusting part K, as and for the purpose.
herein specified.
3. A lever M pivotted to the hinge-bar D in combination with the finger-bar E
and supporting and lifting chain G, as and for the purpose herein described.
4. The combination of the finger-bar E, the hinge-bar D, chain, band, or cord G,
spring sheave H, supporting and adjusting part K, and lever M, as and for the
purpose herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ephraim Smith, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
Witnesses,
GEO. V. WILLSON,
JOHN S. BROWN.
EPHRAIM SMITH. (L.S.)