Improvements in or connected with Reaping and Mowing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Reaping and Mowing Machines.
I, RICHARD TIMMIS, of Westley, in the County of Salop, Farmer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in the herein described improvements in or connected
with reaping and mowing machines, whether such reaping machines are constructed
with self binding apparatus or not.
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the standing crop will
be automatically bent or drawn towards the knives of the advancing cutter bar of
the mowing or reaping machine so as the better to enable the cutter bar to get down
near the roots of the crop and sever it close to the ground.
In carrying out my invention 1 provide one or more rotating spiral or helical
screws (preferably similar to large cork-screws) protruding for a suitable distance in
front of the cutter bar, and supported in suitable bearings by the machine. The
said screws receive rotary motion from a rotary shaft fitted with bevel wheels or
other convenient gearing.
As the mowing or reaping machine advances these screws bore or worm themselves
into the standing crop and draw it backwards upon the knives of the cutter bar in
a slanting direction which enables the cutter bar to get down near the roots of the
crop and to sever it close to the ground.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1891.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Reaping and Mowing Machines.
I, RICHARD TIMMIS, of Westley, in the County of Salop, Farmer, 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 consists in the herein described improvements in or connected
with reaping and mowing machines, whether such reaping machines are constructed
with self binding apparatus or not.
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the standing crop will
be automatically bent or drawn towards the knives of the advancing cutter bar of
the mowing or reaping machine so as the better to enable the cutter bar to get down
near the roots of the crop and sever it close to the ground.
In carrying out my invention provide one or more rotating spiral or helical
screws (preferably similar to large cork screws) protruling for a suitable distance
in front of the cutter bar, and supported in suitable bearings by the machine.
The said screws receive rotary motion from a rotating shaft fitted with bevel
wheels or other convenient gearing.
As the mowing or reaping machine advances these screws bore or worm them-
selves into the standing crop and draw it backwards upon the knives of the cutter
bar in a slanting direction which enables the cutter bar to get down near the roots
of the crop and to sever it close to the ground.
On the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a plan and Fig. 2 a side elevation of
part of a mowing or reaping machine with my invention applied and Fig. 3 is a
modified form of one of the screws or worms of the same.

page_text: A is the cutter bar and B is the driver's seat.
CCC are the spiral or helical
screws (in this machine three in number but either more or fewer than three screws
can be used) which protrude in front of the cutter bar A and receive rotary motion
from the shaft D through the bevel wheels e¹ e². This shaft D is driven through
the bevel wheels by the shaft G and this latter receives rotary motion by a
chain wheel ' fixed thereon which is or may be driven by the endless chain which
is commonly used for driving the reel and travelling canvasses. The shanks c of
the screws CC C³ on which the bevel wheels e' are fixed revolve in bearings h¹ h²
the bearings being formed in the cross bar H which can swing about the shaft D
as a centre and each of the bearings being carried by a light bracket from
the cross bar H. A. light sheet metal cone J is fixed to each of these brackets I
to cover the shanks of the screws and prevent the straw or other cut crop being
twisted around the same.
To that end of the cross bar H which is nearer to the driver's seat B I fix a
hand lever K by which the driver can lift the screws C¹ C² C³ up away from the
cutter bar (as shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 2) when the crop stands up and the
screws are not required. There is an ordinary catch on the handle K which
engages with one or other of the notches in the quadrant and thus enables the
handle K and the screws to be fixed at any desired level from the ground. When
the machine comes to a part of the crop where the screws are required the driver
lowers the screws C1 C2 C3 into position as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 and the screws bore
or worm themselves into the standing crop and draw it backwardly upon the
knives of the cutter bar as above described.
The accompanying, drawing illustrates what I consider to be the best method of
carrying my said invention into practice but it is to be understood that my said
invention is not limited to the precise details shewn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of iny said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
In a reaping or mowing machine and in combination with the cutter bar thereof
the use of one or more spiral or helical screws protruding in front of the cutter
bar and adapted to rotate and draw the standing crop towards the cutter bar as the
crop is being cut thereby, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 1st day of April.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.