Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1886.
Complete Left, 21st Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 14th June, 1887.
I ROBERT CROFT of Horsington, near Horncastle, Lincolnshire, Machine Owner
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is, to improve Mowing Machines that grass or clover
may be led or brought on to or over the cutters and be steadied for the cut so that
the usual difficulty arising from the wind acting upon the grass is overcome irrespective
of the direction from which the wind may be blowing.
For the purpose of my invention, I employ a reel over the cutters, and drive it by
band or strap from the main axle, the blades of the reel being arranged within reach
of the grass or clover to incline it on to said cutters. The machine can be provided
with a pole or shafts to enable it to be drawn by animal power.
The reel is mounted loosely on its carrier shaft which projects from a built up
wrought iron boxing plate bolted to the pole, a steadying brace being fitted between a
pole connection bar and a part of the main wheel bracket.
H.. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said R. Croft..

page_text: An Improvement in or relating to Mowing Machines.
I, ROBERT CROFT of Horsington, near Horncastle, Lincolnshire, Machine Owner
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:-
The object of this invention is, to improve mowing machines that grass or clover
may be led or brought on to or over the cutters and be steadied for the cut so that the
usual difficulty arising from the wind acting upon the grass is overcome irrespective
of the direction from which the wind may be blowing.
For the purpose of my invention, I employ a reel over the cutters, and drive it.by
band or strap from the main axle, the blades of the reel being arranged within reach
of the grass or clover to incline it on to said cutters. The machine can be provided
with a pole or shafts to enable it to be drawn by animal power.
The reel is mounted loosely on its carrier shaft, which projects from a built up
wrought iron boxing plate bolted to the pole, a steadying brace being fitted between a
pole connection bar and a part of the main wheel bracket.
My invention is shown on the annexed drawings Figures 1, 2, and 3 in which A is
the revolving reel for causing the grass &c. to be inclined on to and over the cutters
when the wind is blowing in the same direction as the machine is going.
B is the leather strap that gives motion to the reel from the axle of the driving
wheel.
C, C, are the pulleys on which the strap runs.
D is the fixed shaft on which the recl revolves.
E E are four pieces of wood as reel blades.
F is the shaft to which the horse is fastened.
His a link with a long slot in, (only shown in the plan view) that helps to steady
the shaft D.
II are wrought iron rings shrunk on to the wooden blocks K. K.
J, J are curved bars of round iron to carry the boards E. E.
KK are the blocks which couple the rings II to the rods L L and which revolve
on the shaft D.
LL are the two rods which couple the pulley C to the blocks K K.
M is a washer fastened by a set screw to the shaft D to keep the revolving reel A in
its proper position.
N is a rod which is fastened at one end to the shaft F and at the other to the
machine for holding the link H which steadies the shaft D only shown in plan.

page_text: O are plates fastening the shaft D to the shaft F.
P is the driving wheel of the machine.
Qare the fingers in which the knife works to cut the grass &c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
n what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. Operating the reel by a strap B from the main axle as set forth.
2. The skeleton reel frame I, K, J, L, as shown on the drawings.
3. The box frame O.