IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT ARE COMMONLY CALLED LAWN MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Knowles of Turton near Bolton in the County
of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT
ARE COMMONLY CALLED LAWN MOWING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Knowles at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th October 1883.
THOMAS KNOWLES of Turton near Bolton in the County of Lancaster, Cotton
Spinner. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT ARE COMMONLY CALLED LAWN MOWING
MACHINES."
My invention relates to those machines known as lawn mowing machines and
consists in arrangements by which such machines may be employed to cut the
grass growing at the edges of lawns or the grass growing upon borders or verges.
For the above purposes I employ revolving knives or blades acting in
conjunction with fixed blades such revolving knives or blades I place upon
opposite sides. of the frame of the machine the said blades being mounted upon
opposite ends of shafts capable of being revolved within bearings secured to the
above named frame.
To the frame above named I secure bearings supporting a shaft or axle capable
of being rotated therein, such shaft or axle carrying rollers or drums at its ends.
The shaft above mentioned I connect by suitable gearing or a combination of
Gearing and a chain or chains so that motion can be transmitted from the shaft or
axle carrying the rollers or drums to the shaft upon which the blades or knives are
mounted.
The frame above named I provide with a handle or handles by which the
machine may be propelled when in use..
The rollers or drums above referred to by which the aforesaid blades or knives
are rotated, I place in such position that the said revolving knives or blades shall
operate upon the grass to be cut previously to the drums or rollers above referred
to pressing upon such grass aforesaid also by the above arrangements I am enabled
to cut the grass growing upon the edges of lawns or verges with greater facility
than has hitherto been possible.

page_text: One end of the shaft above referred to carrying the blades or knives I provide
with a disc or blade acting in conjunction with a fixed blade for the purpose of.
cutting the grass growing upon the edge of a lawn border or verge. The disc or
blade above referred to I secure to the shaft above named by means of a screw or
screws or by other suitable means so that such disc or blade may be readily removed
when desired.
I also propose in some cases to employ the following arrangement of gearing for
transmitting rotatory motion from the drums or rollers previously referred to, to
the revolving knives or blades above named. Such arrangement of gearing being
also applicable to other constructions of lawn mowing machines.
To the axle, of the drums or pulleys above named I secure an arm upon which
I mount a toothed wheel capable of being rotated thereon, the teeth of such wheel
gearing into the teeth of another toothed wheel or circular rack fixed to the frame
previously mentioned and also gearing into the teeth of a wheel mounted loosely
upon the above named axle. The last named wheel I connect by a chain or by
other suitable gearing to. the shaft carrying the blades or knives which operate
upon the grass. When the axle above named is rotated the wheel carried by the
arm above referred to will cause the shaft carrying the blades or knives to
revolve with a greater velocity than the axle above named from which it receives
motion

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Knowles in the Patent Office on the 19th April 1884.
THOMAS KNOWLES of Turton near Bolton in the County of Lancaster Cotton
Spinner IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT ARE COMMONLY CALLED LAWN MOWING
MACHINES
My Invention relates to those machines known as lawn mowing machines and
consists in arrangements by which such machines may be employed to cut the
grass growing at the edges of lawns or the grass growing upon borders or verges.
For the above purposes I employ revolving knives or blades acting in
conjunction with fixed blades such revolving knives or blades I place upon
opposite sides of the frame of the machine the said blades being mounted upon
opposite ends of shafts capable of being revolved within bearings secured to the
above named frame-To the frame above named I secure bearings supporting a
shaft or axle capable of being rotated therein such shaft or axle carrying rollers or
drums at its ends-The shafts above mentioned I connect by suitable gearing or a
combination of gearing and a chain or chains so that motion can be transmitted
from the shaft or axle carrying the rollers or drums to the shaft upon which the
blades or knives are mounted-The frame above named I provide with a handle or
handles by which the machine may be propelled when in use-The rollers or drums
above referred to by which the aforesaid blades or knives are rotated I place in
such position that the said revolving knives or blades shall operate upon the grass
to be cut previously to the drums or rollers above referred to pressing upon such
grass aforesaid also by the above arrangements I am enabled to cut the grass
growing upon the edges of lawns or verges with greater facility than has hitherto
been possible
°
I also propose in some cases to employ the following arrangements of gearing for
transmitting rotatory motion from the drums or rollers previously referred to, to
the revolving knives or blades above named. Such arrangement of gearing being
also applicable, to other constructions of lawn mowing machines-To the axle of
the drums or, pulleys above named I secure an arm upon which I mount a toothed
wheel capable of being rotated thereon, the teeth of such wheel gearing into the
teeth of another toothed wheel or circular rack fixed to the frame previously
mentioned and also gearing into the teeth of a wheel mounted loosely upon the
above named axle-The last named wheel I connect by a chain or by other suitable
gearing to the shaft carrying the blades or knives which operate upon the grass-
When the axle above named is rotated the wheel carried by the arm above referred
to will cause the shaft carrying the blades or knives to revolve with a greater
velocity than the axle above named from which it receives motion.
In order that my invention may be better understood and more readily carried
into effect. I will now proceed to more particularly describe the same reference
being made to the drawing hereunto annexed in which Fig: 1 is a plan Fig: 2 a
side view and Fig: 8 a vertical section taken on the line A B of Fig: 1-Ï shall
apply the same letters of reference to corresponding parts throughout the whole
series of figures-The main framework of the machine is formed in two portions a. a¹
secured together by the bolt and nut b and cross stay -The bolt b also serves to
secure a handle à to the machine by which handle. d such machine may be
propelled The handle d is shown broken and may be of any ordinary and suitable
construction-Screwed upon the ends of the cross stay o are nuta e by means of
which such cross-stay o secures the parts a a¹ of the framework together-The
parts a a¹ of the main framework are respectively provided with steps ƒ ƒ¹ passing

page_text: through which and capable of being revolved therein is a shaft g-Fast upon the
shaft g is a toothed pinion h the boss of which being between the steps f. f¹
prevents the shaft g from being moved longitudinally-Fast upon the shaft g are
bosses j k to which are secured blades 1. m. respectively-To the main framework
of the machine are secured brackets n. o to which by means of bolts or other
means are secured fixed blades or cutters p q.-To the main framework of the
machine are secured brackets 7. 8. carrying studs upon which and capable of being
revolved thereon are rollers t. u Secured to the main framework of the machine
by means of bolts or other means are brackets v w passing through which and
capable of being revolved therein is a shaft Mounted upon the shaft a are
Follers y, z which for simplicity of description I will for the present assume to be
fast upon the shaft and which rollers y. s. serve to support the machine and
when the machine is being used, to impart motion to the cutters l'm Mounted
fast upon the boss w³ formed upon the bracket wand concentric with the axis of
the shaft is a bevel wheel 1 the teeth of which take into the teeth of a bevel
pinion 2 capable of being rotated upon a stud 3 carried by an arm 4 mounted fast
upon the shaft as and secured thereto by the set screw 5-The part 4 of the arm 4
and a head 3* formed upon the stud 3 prevent the bevel pinion 2 from moving
longitudinally Mounted loosely upon the shaft is a bevel wheel 6 the teeth of
which take into the teeth of the bevel pinion. 2-The bevel wheel 6 is prevented
from moving longitudinally by one end of its boss being against the boss of the
arm 4 and the remaining end of the boss of such bevel wheel 6 being against the
bracket v Around the periphery of the bevel wheel 6 and fast therewith is a
toothed wheel 7 the teeth of which take into an endless chain 8 which chain also
passes around and takes into the teeth of the pinion h mounted fast upon the
shaft g-The action of the parts is as follows:- -When the machine is propelled in
the direction of the arrow the rollers y. & will be rotated in the direction of the
arrow D and will turn the shaft in the same direction which shaft will by
means of the arm 4 cause the bevel wheel 2 to be carried around the bevel wheel 1
and cause the bevel wheel 6 to be rotated in the same direction but with twice the
angular velocity of the shaft x―The bevel wheel 6 will by means of the toothed
wheel 7 chain 8 and pinion à cause the shaft g and the blades or cutters l. m. to
be rapidly rotated and as the machine advances in the direction. of the arrow C
the grass will be cut by means of the revolving blades or cutters l. m and the fixed
blades or cutters p. q as usual.
By the construction above described the width of the rollers t. u. y. ≈ which
support the machine being less than the length of the cutters . m the said
cutters l. m are enabled to cut the grass before such grass has been pressed.down
by any part of the machine the grass over which passes the central part of the
machine between the end of the revolving cutters or blades and the end m' of
the revolving cutters or blades m being left uncut by the first traverse of the
-machine may be cut by a second traverse of such machine-By forming the
rollers t. u. y. z of less width than the cutters l. m and placing such rollers in
position relative to each other as shown. in the drawing-I am enabled to employ
and form the rollers t. u. y. z of larger diameter without having to place their axes
unduly apart and by forming the rollers t. u. y. z of larger diameter the power
requisite to propel the machine is less than would be required when rollers of small
diameter are employed.
='
By the above described arrangements I am enabled to cut the grass growing
upon the edges of lawns or verges with greater facility than has hitherto, been
possible as either of the revolving cutters . m may project over the edge of the
lawn or verge while the said grass is being cut-In some cases I propose to form
the wheels 1. 26 so that they will transmit motion from the shaft a to the wheel 6
by friction, for which purpose I form their driving surfaces as cones and in some
cases I propose to cover one or more of the said wheels with leather or other
suitable material to increase the friction between the surfaces of the said wheels
which are in contact-I would have it understood that in some cases I propose to

page_text: employ the above described arrangements for transmitting motion from the rollers
to the revolving cutters of any other arrangement of lawn mowing machine to
which such arrangements would be applicable-Although I have hereinbefore
described and shown a particular arrangement of gearing for transmitting motion
from the rollers y. & to the revolving cutters l. m I would have it understood that
other arrangements of gearing may be employed in conjunction with the above
described arrangements of revolving cutters-The machine above described may if
desired be provided with a box or receptacle of any suitable construction for the
purpose of receiving the cuttings of grass a portion of such box or receptacle being
indicated by the dotted lines E and such box or receptacle is secured to the
framework of the machine by means of thumb screws or other suitable means-
Instead of mounting the rollers y. z fast upon the shaft x I prefer to provide such
rollers y. & and shaft with any suitable arrangement of clutch or ratchet so that
motion is only transmitted from the rollers y. & to the shaft when the machine is
being propelled in the direction of the arrow C.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and the
manner in which the same is to be performed I desire it to be understood that
I claim as secured to me under the above in part recited Letters Patent :-
Firstly Placing the cutters of lawn mowing machines upon opposite sides of
the chain or other gearing by which they are driven substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described and shown
Secondly Placing the rollers t. u for supporting and the rollers y. z for sup-
porting and driving the revolving cutters or blades of lawn mowing machines in
position behind the said revolving cutters or blades substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and shown.
Thirdly: The arrangement of gearing hereinbefore described for transmitting
rotary motion from the shafts or axles of the driving rollers to the revolving
cutters of lawn mowing machines substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and shown in reference to the drawing hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Knowles have hereunto set my hand and
seal this eighteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty four
MHAYCAN
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