IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY. FOR CUTTING GRASS OR CORN
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Howard, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement
Manufacturer, and Edward Tenney Bousfield, of the same Place,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY. FOR CUTTING
GRASS OR CORN."
Sealed the 11th February 1868, and dated the 4th September 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Howard and Edward
Tenney Bousfield at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 4th September 1867.
We, JAMES HOWARD, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement Manufacturer,
and EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD, of the same Place, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR CUTTING GRASS OR CORN," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in machinery for cutting grass or
corn relates, first, to a means of increasing the efficiency of the raking and
gathering appliances of reaping or mowing machines.
In constructing self-raking machines having rakes and gatherers controlled
by a cam surface or other equivalent mechanical device it has heretofore been
necessary to arrange and adapt the gathering arms in such a manner that when
in operation they shall pass clear over the cut corn on the platform. To this

page_text: end they are usually set higher from the platform than the raking arms, and
as the gathering arms pass over the same cam surface as the raking arms they
are brought into contact with the standing corn at a higher point than the
raking arms. In cutting crops (especially laid ones) it is desirable that the
gathering arms should be brought into contact with the standing corn at as
low a point as the raking arms.
In order to accomplish this object one of our improvements consists in
providing an additional cam surface on a lower level which will act only on
the gathering arms, leaving the raking arms to be acted on as heretofore.
When the gathering arms during their revolutions reach the cutters or fingers
of the machine they are lifted up (by the additional cam surface) clear of
the cut corn resting on the platform and are made to pass over it.
.
The next improvement consists in balancing the raking and gathering arms
in a peculiar manner on an upright driving spindle which passes through the
centre of the double cam or cams. This is effected in such a manner that
the raking arms have the same centre of motion as the gathering arms. To
this end the gathering arms are balanced or pivoted on the raking arms so
that both sets of arms will have the same centre of motion both vertically and
horizontally, or nearly so. This arrangement will simplify the construction of
the parts, and will increase the efficiency of the machine.
The next part of the Invention relates to an improvement in the fingers
and finger bar. The fingers are formed with projecting flanges both in front
and rear, so that the fingers may fit over or clip the bar at back and front, and
thus prevent the finger from having any motion thereon when secured by
means of a single bolt and nut. In order to prevent the accumulation of grit
or dirt on the finger bar, and also to prevent any dirt or grit from getting
between the finger bar and the reciprocating knives or cutters, the finger bar
is formed with a raised rib on its upper surface for the purpose of forming a
bearing for the reciprocating knives or cutters to work upon. By construct-
ing the finger bar in this manner any dirt or grit that may fall thereon will
not have a tendency to get between the bar and the knives or cutters, and
consequently the injurious effects which would be caused by increased friction
of the working parts will be avoided.
!

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Howard and Edward Tenney Bousfield in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 4th March 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
HOWARD, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement Manufacturer, and EDWARD
TENNEY BOUSFIELD, of the same Place, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
James Howard and. Edward Tenney Bousfield, Her special licence that we,
the said James Howard and Edward Tenney Bousfield, our executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James Howard and
Edward Tenney Bousfield, our 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING GRASS OR CORN," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said James Howard and Edward Tenney.
Bousfield, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our; 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 James Howard, on behalf of myself and,
of the said Edward Tenney Bousfield, do hereby declare the nature of our said:
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):
-
The chief object of this Invention is to increase the efficiency of reaping
machines, but the improvements apply in part to mowers.
In the accompanying Drawings we have shewn in several views a reaping
machine constructed according to our Invention, and also details of an improve-
ment applicable to the finger, bars of both reapers and mowers.

page_text: In Sheet I., Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved reaper; Fig. 2 is a
partial longitudinal section of the same shewing the means for supporting and.
regulating the height of the platform; Fig. 3 is a partial elevation of the
hollow standard which carries the fixed cams for giving the requisite undula-
ting motions to the rake and gathering arms, and Fig. 4 is a section shewing
the mode of mounting these arms on the spindle from which they receive
rotary motion.
Fig. 5, Sheet II., is a plan view of the reaping machine complete, and
Fig. 6 is a partial back elevation; Figures 7 and 8 shew on an enlarged scale
the chain wheel used' for transmitting rotary motion to the spindle which
carries the gathering and raking arms, and Figs. 9 and 10 are views of the
improved finger bar detached.
t
IA is the frame of the machine mounted as usual on the axle B of the
running wheels C; C, the latter of which is placed within the frame; D is the
draught pole made fast to the back and front cross or tie bars of the frame;
below the rear end of the draught pole and in the same vertical plane is the
drag bar E, the front end of which is pivotted in a lug pendent from the
draught pole where it connects with the front of the frame. The rear end of
the pole carries a pendent rod F which is adjustable vertically by means of a
mut fitted to its screwed upper end. This rod carries at its lower end an eye.
which enters between two-lugs formed on the drag bar, and by means of a
cross bolt the rod F and bar E are securely connected. Beyond this point
the bar E extends rearwards in the first place to carry one foot of an arched-
standard G (the other foot of which is bolted to the platform H) and the bar
E then in a curved form couples by means of a bolt with a strap piece I made
fast to the platform H and to the finger bar J; I* is a bar hinged to a
projection on the finger bar and extending forwards to carry the swathe board
K; the forward end of this bar is socketted in an adjustable lug made fast to
the front of the frame A. The arched standard G, one foot of which is made
fast to the drag bar and the other to the platform as above explained, takes
the form at G¹ of a hollow pillar, and serves as a vertical support for the
spindle L,-upon which are mounted the gathering and rake arms M, M*.
Made fast to the top of the pillar G is a double concentric cam N, N*,
over the faces of which the arms M, M*, are respectively traversed to
take the gatherers and rakes into and out of action. The way of mounting
these arms is peculiar and will be understood by reference to the detached
section, Fig! 4, and the plan view, Fig. 5. An eye is formed in the upper
and rounded extremity of the spindle to receive a pin a which passes through
it and through the ends of a square box b, on the sides of which are formed

page_text: trunnions c, c, that lie in the same plane with the pin a. These trunnions
constitute rigid connections between the cranked arms M* that carry the
rakes, and virtually the box trunnions and cranked arms may be considered
as one piece. Thus it will be understood that the rake arms will balance each
other. Upon these trunnions hang the arms M which lie at right angles
to the arms M✶ and project from the sides of a square box d formed to
embrace the box 6 and fitted with bearings to receive the trunnions. By
means of bearing caps e, e, secured by screws to the box d the connection
between the two sets of arms is maintained, and thus while they both receive
rotary motion from the spindle L they are free to dip and rise independently
the one of the other. The arms M, M, are fitted on their under side with
antifriction rollers f, f, which run on the face of their respective cams; the
rollers of the arms M on the inner cam N, and those of the arms M* on the
cam N*. The form of these cams is such as to allow of the gatherers making
the requisite dip into the corn to separate from the standing crop portions to
be cut, and bring those portions under the action of the cutters and: the rakes
in their turn to traverse over the platform and gather up and discharge from
the side of the platform the cut corn in the usual way. Rotary motion is
imparted to the arms M, M*, in the following manner :-Keyed upon the
axle B is a chain wheel g, from which a chain passes to a chain wheel h
mounted loosely on a horizontal shaft i having its bearings in the arched
standard G. This shaft i carries a bevil pinion k in gear with a bevil wheel Z.
keyed on the lower end of the spindle L. As therefore the machine is drawn
forward by the horses attached to the draught pole the spindle will be driven;
and with it the arms, which by their appliances will gather in for cutting and
rake off. the cut crop as above explained: The motion for driving the cutter
bar O is obtained from the driving wheel C by the arrangement of gearing
shewn best in the plan view and. back elevation Figures 5 and 6. In some
cases.it will be. required to lay the corn in swathes instead of delivering it
from the machine in sheaves.. To enable the machine to effect this rakeş
are substituted for the two gathering boards, and as they must move in the
same path as the rakes before named we ensure this action by taking off the
rollers adapted to the inner cam and placing them so that they are actuated
by the outer cam, which thus becomes common to all the rakes. This
will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 11, Sheet I., where the dotted
lines represent the position originally held by the antifriction rollers which are
now in contact with the outer can. The inner cam is therefore out of action.
In order to provide a simple and efficient means of arresting the action of
the rakes, and also one that will allow of the machine being backed by-the
.

page_text: horses, we adopt the peculiar construction of chain wheel shewn detached and
in edge and side views at Figures 7 and 8. The wheel is cast with a box P
at one side, the inner periphery of which carries a ring of ratchet teeth;
fitting to this box so as to close it is a plate Q, which carries on its inner
face a pawl R. This pawl is fitted with a pin R, which projects through a
segment slot cast in the plate Q, and it is held up to the teeth by means of a
flat spring which bears against the flattened heel of the pawl. The wheel is
mounted loosely on its shaft, and the pawl plate is keyed fast to the shaft.
When therefore the pawl R is in gear with the ratchet teeth and rotary
motion is given to the wheel by its chain the pawl plate and the shaft to which
it is keyed will be driven. To throw the pawl out of gear it is only necessary
to draw its pin towards the centre of the plate, and the continued progress of
the machine although driving the chain wheel will cease to give motion to the
gearing in connection with the rake spindle. When the machine is backed
(the pawl being in gear) the pawl will allow the chain wheel to rotate without
the plate and its shaft receiving motion. This arrangement of ratchet and
pawl is also adapted for coupling the driving wheel C¹ to its axle.
We may here remark 'that in addition to supporting the raking apparatus
the attachment of the drag bar at its front end by a swivel coupling secured to
the pole (which lies between the two driving wheels), serves to overcome the
great evil of side draught, and dispenses with the necessity for a bearing wheel
at the inner side of the platform. This method of attaching the drag bar and
suspending the platform allows the grain platform with the raking appliances
and knife bar to follow the undulations of the ground independently of the
framework of the machine.
The improvements relating to the finger bar are shewn in Sheet II., Fig. 9
being a transverse section of the finger bar with the improved finger applied
thereto, and Fig. 10 a partial plan view of the same. The fingers are formed
with projections which embrace the bar or clip it at back and front, and thus
prevent the finger from having any motion thereon when secured by means of
a single bolt and nut. In order to prevent the accumulation of grit or dirt
on the finger bar, and also to prevent any dirt or grit from getting between
the finger bar and the reciprocating knives or cutters the finger bar is formed
with a raised rib S on its upper surface, which rib forms a bearing for the
reciprocating knives or cutters to work upon. By constructing the finger bar
in this manner any dirt or grit that may fall thereon will not have a tendency
to get between the bar and the knives or cutters, and consequently the injurious
effects which would be caused by increased friction of the working parts will
be avoided.

page_text: Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of ".Improvements
in Machinery for Cutting Grass and Corn, and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that we claim,-
First. The arrangement above described for supporting and operating the
gathering and raking arms of reaping machines.
And, secondly, the improvements above described with respect to the finger
bar of reaping and mowing machines.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Howard, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
JAMES HOWARD. (L.S.)