IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING GRASS PLOT EDGES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Barons Northcote, of Finch Villa, Heathfield
Road, Handsworth, in the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING GRASS PLOT EDGES."
Sealed the 5th January 1877, and dated the 13th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Barons Northcote at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1870.
"
GEORGE BARONS NORTHCOTE, of Finch Villa, Heathfield Road, Handsworth, in
the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
CUTTING GRASS PLOT EDGES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in machines for cutting grass
plot edges.
The apparatus consists of two or more cutting blades. The blades are fastened
firmly to the end of two angular shaped arms; these angular shaped arms are
fastened together by a pin or pivot at the angle, the blades coming together, and
by moving the arms on this pivot the blades are made to cut. The other end of
these angular arms are connected to and worked by a roller. This roller is mounted
on a shaft passing through its axis; one end of this shaft passes through a hole in
one of the angular arms at the opposite end to where the cutting blades are
attached and at right angles to them. These blades can be made to cut the edge
in an oblique direction by so placing the hole through which the shaft passes. The
other angular arm is acted on by a wheel fastened to the shaft; this wheel is of
such a shape that as it revolves it causes the arm to oscillate backwards and
forwards, thus making the blades cut. A frame with rollers is also supported by
this shaft. The rollers travel on the grass in front of the machine, and one of them
overhangs the edge of the grass just in front of the cutting blades, thus pressing
the grass down ready to be cut, and the others act as guide rollers.
The driving handle can be attached to this frame or to the shaft as prepared.
The shaft may be fixed to roller, but I prefer having a ratchet connection.
A wheel or sledge shaped piece is connected with bottom cutting blade to prevent
its point entering the ground, also a pointed piece can be made to slide along the
ground in front of blade to pick up the grass growing close to the gravel, thus
conveying it to the blade to be cut. In this arrangement the angular arms with

page_text: cutting blades being only connected to the centre shaft of roller, they are at liberty
to adjust themselves to the height of the edge to be cut which constantly varies.
In certain cases it is desirable to have the power of adjusting them. To do this
an upright bar is fixed to upper blade, which passes through a slot in the frame
which carries the roller to press down the grass just in front of this blade, and by
means of a thumbscrew this bar can be fixed in the slot at any desired height.
The machine may be somewhat varied, thus, in some cases I use a revolving
cutter similar to those used in the usual lawn mowers. In this arrangement I
attach a bevelled cog wheel to one end of roller or driving drum, and to the roller
shaft at the same end I fit one end of an arm which stands at right angles to the
axle and is free to revolve on it. This arm is made to carry the revolving cutters
and its knife outside the circumference of roller.
Fitted to the shaft carrying the revolving cutters is a bevelled cog wheel, which
is so placed as to run in gear with the bevelled wheel attached to driving drum
or roller. The other end of arm is rounded, or a wheel or sledge, as before described,
can be attached to prevent its entering the ground. This cutter has its knife
arranged along the side of arm so as to cut as the arm travels along the edge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Barons Northcote in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
January 1877.
GEORGE BARONS NORTHCOTE, of Finch Villa, Heathfield Road, Handsworth, in
the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
CUTTING GRASS PLOT EDGES."
This Invention bas for its object improvements in machines for cutting grass plot
edges.
The apparatus consists of two or more cutting blades. The blades are fastened
firmly to the end of two angular shaped arms; these angular shaped arms are
fastened together by a pin or pivot at the angle, the blades coming together, and
by moving the arms on this pivot the blades are made to cut. The other end of
these angular arms are connected to and worked by a roller. This roller is mounted
on a shaft passing through its axis; one end of this shaft passes through a hole in
one of the angular arms at the opposite end to where the cutting blades are
attached and at right angles to them. These blades can be made to cut the edge
in an oblique direction by so placing the hole through which the shaft passes. The
other angular arm is acted on by a wheel fastened to the shaft, this wheel is of
such a shape that as it revolves it causes the arm to oscillate backwards and
forwards, thus making the blades cut. A frame with rollers is also supported by
this shaft. The rollers travel on the grass in front of the machine, and one of them
overhangs the edge of the grass just in front of the cutting blades, thus pressing
the grass down ready to be cut, and the others act as guide rollers.
The driving handle can be attached to this frame or to the shaft, as preferred.
The shaft may be fixed to roller, but I prefer having a ratchet connection.
A. wheel or sledge shaped piece is connected with bottom cutting blade to prevent
its point entering the ground. Also, a pointed piece can be made to slide along
the ground in front of blade to pick up the grass growing close to the gravel, thus
conveying it to the blade to be cut. In this arrangement the angular arms with
cutting blades being only connected to the centre shaft of roller they are at liberty
to adjust themselves to the height of the edge to be cut, which constantly varies.
In certain cases it is desirable to have the power of adjusting them. To do this an
upright bar is fixed to upper blade which passes through a slot in the frame which
carries the roller to press down the grass just in front of this blade, and by means
of a thumbscrew this bar can be fixed in the slot at any desired height.

page_text: carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, 2, and 3, are side elevation, plan, and section of a machine for cutting
grass plot edges according to my Invention; N1, N2, N, N, are the cutting blades
fastened to the two angular shaped arms K and G; these arms are fastened together
by a pin or pivot X, the blades N1, N2, N³, N*, coming together; the arm G is sup-
ported by and works on the axle or shaft Z and by the wheel I, which runs on the
gravel in front of bottom blade N', which it keeps at the right height from the
ground. The knives can be made to cut the edge at an angle by properly
arranging G on the axle Z. The arm K has a peg or small roller at L which is
made to travel in the groove in the wheel M, and is thus made to oscillate on the
pivot X.
The wheel M is fixed to the axle Z which is acted on through ratchet
gear O, P, Q, by the driving roller C; D, D, are two cross bars in the roller C
which carry the axle Z; A is the handle. A frame F is carried on the axle Z as
well as the handle arms B, B. The frame F carries a roller E which travels partly
on the grass in front of machine and partly overhangs the edge, and it has a slot
with a thumbscrew at H; through this slot a bar H, fixed to the top of arm G,
passes; this bar H allows the arm G to move up and down a certain distance,
but it has a stop peg to prevent G with the blade N° falling lower than the level
of under side of roller E.
The working of this machine is as follows:-The rollers C and E are placed on
the grass with the arm G against the edge to be cut. The wheel I is resting on the
gravel close to the edge. The machine is pushed along by the handle A; this causes
the roller C to revolve and with it the wheel M, which causes the arm K to work
on its centre X. The two blades N, N, are fastened to arm K by screws so as to
be easily adjusted; these cut against the two blades N1, N2, fixed to arm G, cutting
all that comes between them, the roller E helping to place it there. The wheel I
keeps the blade N' at the right height although the depth of edge is constantly
varying. Should the edge be unusally deep the frame F keeps the blades with
wheel I off the gravel through the bar H'. Where it is inconvenient to have tho
arm and wheel I it can be removed, and the blade N fixed at the desired height
by the thumbscrew H².
Figures 4, 5, 6, show a machine in which the arrangements are somewhat modified.
The roller, axle, handle, ratchet gear, and lettering, are the same as in the former
machine. Fastened to the axle Z is a bevelled cog wheel M, and the arm, G is
supported as in last machine by Z and I. The arm G is made to carry the
revolving cutters K, K, which are similar to those used in a lawn mowing machine,
the knife against which they cut is fastened to one side of G and the axle to
which they are fixed carries a bevelled pinion N, which is made to work in the
bevelled cog wheel M.
This machine is used much as the former one; as it is pushed along the bevelled
cog wheel M revolves, and with it the pinion N, axle and knives K, K, thus cutting
the grass against the fixed blade. The roller I adjusts the height for edge. If I
is in the way it can be removed and fixed on the other side of G so as to run
on the grass, but then the arm G ceases to be self-adjusting.
A revolving star clipper with a fixed knife such as is described in Patent 1022,.
1868,, can also be used in my arrangement so as to be self-adjusting. The wheel M,
Fig. 4, 5, 6, is replaced by a cog wheel. There is an arm supported as arm G by
the axle Z and roller I; this carries the star cutter and knife; fixed to spindle of
star cutter is a cog wheel, and between this cog wheel and the one at M is another
cog whcel which is also attached to arm, these three wheels run in gear. On the
roller being moved the cog wheels revolve and carry the star cutter with them,
the roller I keeping cutter at right height.
A sliding piece X¹, shewn in Figures 4 and 5, can be used with or instead of the

page_text: wheel I; it works on a hinged joint to allow for the inequalities of the ground.
The point helps to lift the grass and to keep stones out of the way. In either of
these machines collecting boxes are easily attached.
I wish it to be understood I do not bind myself to the exact details herein
described, as they may be varied; thus, the roller may be conical to keep the
arm G against the edge; also my Invention may be combined with a lawn mower,
though I prefer it in a separate machine; what I claim is,—
First. The machines, substantially as herein described.
Second. The construction of lawn edge clippers arranged to act in an inclined
plane, substantially as herein shewn and described.
Third. The construction of lawn edge clippers arranged to be self-adjusting
according to the varying depth of the edge, substantially as herein described.
Fourth. The application of double shears.
Fifth. I claim the application of more than two cutting edges for cutting grass
plot edges, substantially as described and shewn, Figures 1, 2, and 3.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Barons Northcote, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this the Eleventh day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.