Certain New and Useful Improvements in Lawn Mowers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Nov., 1890
Certain New and Useful Improvements in Lawn Mowers.
I, CHARLES H. BRAITHWAITE, of Ardmore, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Professional Cricketer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a central vertical section through a lawn mower having my device
applied; and
Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, are enlarged drawings of certain details.
My invention relates especially to a series of devices and attachments to lawn
mowers whereby the small bits of grass which have been cut and which it is desirable
shall be collected, are transferred, by ineans of an endless band, to a grass receptacle,
and also, means whereby this grass receptacle may be overturned and emptied of its
contents at convenient intervals.
A, Fig. 1, is the main driving shaft of the mower.
B, is the shaft upon which the cutting blades revolve, and C, the side frame of the
machine.
The species of mower to which my invention is shown by the drawings as applicable,
is that in which there are two separate handles, but it may also be applied, with slight
modifications, to mowers having a single handle.
D, is the handle-bar farthest from the observer.
Between the two handle-bars is placed a large grass receptacle, E. The handle-bars
are firmly braced together and between them the grass receptacle is rigidly attached.
As in large machines this grass receptacle is of considerable width, I employ the
device shown in detail in Fig. 6, to prevent the handles from being at an inconvenient
distance apart.
Only one of the handles (the one not shown in the drawing) is attached to the end
of its handle-bar; the other, F, Fig. 6, is laterally adjustable upon the cross-rod, G,
which connects the upper ends of the bandle-bars. By sliding this handle, F, upon
the cross-rod, the handles may be placed at any convenient distance apart; the handle
is fixed in position by a set-screw.
is an endless travelling band, or apron, slightly narrower than the width of the
machine, the upper side of which when the machine is in motion moves continually
from immediately behind the cutting blades to the centre of the grass receptacle. It
is carried by rollers, b, c. The lower of these, b, is borne by the side frame of the
machine, and attached just behind the cutting blades. A short distance above the
main shaft, A, there is a revolving bar, d, which is carried by upward extensions of
the side frame. This bar, d, carries three arms, g, e, k, the longest of which, g,
together with its fellow at the other side of the machine, carry at their extremities the
roller, c, around which the upper end of the endless band travels. The arm, e, carries
a counter-weight, f, and the arm, k, carries a friction roller bearing upon the main
driving wheel of the machine, and from which motion is communicated to the endless
travelling band, as will be hereafter explained.
Upon the shaft, A, the main driving wheel of the machine is placed. It consists of
a solid cylinder of the width of the machine. Its width gives ample friction surface
and its weight causes it to act as a roller, levelling the sod as the machine passes over.
Its upper surface also acts as an idler pulley supporting the under side of the apron.
The handle-bars, D, are not fixedly attached to the main body of the machine, but
at the lower extremities is a book, L, which rests upon a V-shaped cross-bar, N, which
extends between the side frames of the machine. In addition to the support thus
obtained at this point, the grass receptacle, and with it, the handle-bars, are swung or

page_text: pivoted at one of its forward upper corners to the heavy upright, E, extending from
the corresponding rear corner of the main body of the machine.
The handles are also vertically adjustable. The handle-bars are jointed and by
means of a plate and set-screw can be maintained at any convenient angle. This
arrangement is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, where the handle-har is jointed at i.
The upper part carries the curved, sloited plate, p, which may be fixed by a set-screw
to an extension of the lower part of the handle-bar.
Upon the pivot, J, the grass receptacle, and with it the handles and handle-bars,
can he revolved and completely overturned, thus emptying it of its contents. In
order to facilitate this operation, the weight of the grass receptacle is balanced upon
this pivot by the counter-weight, K. When the grass receptacle hecomes full, the
person who is guiding the machine lifts the receptacle and the handle-bars from their
support on the cross-bar, N, and overturns the receptaele, swinging it upon the pivot, .).
When it is emptied it is allowed to return to its former position.
When the grass receptacle is to he overturned, it is necessary that the roller, c,
carrying the upper end of the revolving apron shall be removed from its position
above the centre of the receptacle, in order to allow the revolution of the latter. It
is on this account that the roller, e, is carried by the long arm, g, pivoted upon the
shaft d.
The counter-weight, ƒ, is slightly more than sufficient to balance the weight of this
long arm, consequently, whenever the Intter is released from the catch which holds it
in its position over the receptacle, it flies up, assuming the position, ¹. The catch
which holds it in its lower position is shown in detail in Fig. 3. It consists of the
Prip-lever, t, pivoted at r, to the side of the grass receptacle. The upper end of this
lever forms a hook, which engages with the end of the arm, g, while its lower end
plays between the spring a, and wire r, which runs to a small handle, r, placed just
alongside of the handle, F. Upon pulling this handle we, upwards, the catch is released
from the hook, and the arm, g, swings out of the way.
The roller, c, is not rigidly affixed to the end of the arm, g, but its bearing is
attached to a rod, 7, which is capable of playing backwards and forwards through the
hollow lugs, y, y, at the end of the arm g. When this is held down by the catch, the
pressure of the spring, u. tends to draw the bearing of the roller, c, forward and thus
creates sufficient tension to keep the endless travelling band, a, taut, and yet to allow
for the shrinkage which must necessarily occur when the apron becomes wet.
This tension bearing is similar upon both sides of the machine. The bar, r, upon
which the trip-levers are secured extends across the machine and causes both catches
to work in unison, although the spring, u, and handle, w, are preferably placed only
on one side.
The travelling band derives its motion from a sprocket wheel, a, Fig. 3, at the end
of the shaft carrying the roller c, which is acted upon by a chain driven by another
sprocket wheel, m, Fig. 2, carried by the shaft, 4, horne by the arin, k. On this shaft,
which is situated above the main driving shaft of the machine there is a friction
roller, . This roller, when the arm g, is in its lower position, bears quito heavily
against the driving wheel of the machine and receives its motion from it.
Its connection with the sprocket wheel, m, however, is not rigid, but by means of
the ratchet attachment shown in soction in Fig. 5, the teeth of this ratchet are so
adjusted that the friction roller turns the sprocket wheel, m, whenover the roller =,
derives its motion from the forward motion of the machine. When, however, the
machine is pulled backward the teeth of the ratchet slip, and no reverse motion is
given to the wheel on, and consequently the apron does not travel backwards, which
would cause the bits of grass lying upon it to be deposited upon the ground.
Upon the outward surface of the travelling band, a, are sewed transverso cords, as
shown in Fig. 4. This roughens the surface and facilitates the carrying upwards of
the bits of grass by the upward revolution of the band. This upper surface of the
band is also protected from draughts of wind by the canvas curtain,, which protects
the lower part of it and the tin shield, h, the upper end of which is curved down
around the roller, o. This shield is fastened to the plates, r, s; the former at the

page_text: upper end of the arm, g, Fig. 3, the latter at the lower end of the same, as shown in
Fig. 2.
Another feature of my improvement consists of the peculiar construction of the
straight edge, P, against the edge of which the cutting blades revolve. Instead of
being made of one piece this is constructed as shown in Fig. 7, by bolting together
several plates (the drawing shows three). The plates are then ground off to the
proper curve and thus form separate cutting surfaces. The plates may be separated
by a thin layer of metal, not projecting as far however as the cutting edges.
This greatly increases the cutting power of the machine, as a blade of grass which
fails of being cut by one edge is cut by the next. If preferred, this device may be
used upon the revolving cutting blades, as well as upon the fixed straight edge.
I am aware that machines have previously been made in which there is an endless
travelling apron which carries the bits of grass, which have been cut, to a grass
receptacle.
I do not claim this feature broadly. The special advantage of my device is that the
grass receptacle may be overturned by the person driving the machine, without his
moving from his position in the rear of the machine, it being only necessary for him
to pull the handle, w, which trips the catch t, whereupon the weight f, immediately
causes the arm g, to fly upwards, currying with it the roller c, the upper end of the
apron a, sprocket chain, p, and the shield, h, thus leaving the receptacle perfectly free
to be overturned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a lawn mower, the grass receptacle, E, situated between the bandle-bars, D,
and pivoted at the upper end of the upright, H.
2. In a lawn mower, the combination of the endless travelling band, a, the
rollers, b, c, and the friction roller, z, which presses against the main driving wheel of
the machine and imparts its motion to one of the rollers, b, c.
3. In a lawn mower, the combination of the endless travelling band, a, the rollers, b, c,
and the arm, g, carrying one of said rollers, and swinging upon the shaft, d, as a
pivot.
4. In a lawn mower, the combination of the grass receptacle, E, which is capable of
revolution upon the pivot, J, and the endless travelling band, a, passing around the
rollers, b, c, the latter of which is mounted upon the arm, g, swinging upon the shaft, d,
as a pivot.
5. In a lawn mower, the combination of the endless travelling band, a, the upper
end of which revolves upon the roller, c, carried by the arın, g, which is held in
position by the catch, t, operated by the handle, w.
6. In a lawn mower, the combination of the endless hand a, and the rollers, b, c,
one of which is mounted upon a sliding bearing, and provided with the tension
spring, u, substantially as described.
7. In a lawn mower, the combination of the endless band, a, the rollers, b, c, one of
which is driven by means of power communicated through a ratebet attachment which
prevents the band from moving backwards, substantially as described..
8. In a lawn mower, the handle-bar, D, jointed at i, so as to be vertically adjustable,
substantially as described.
9. In a lawn mower the compound cutting edge consisting of two or more plates
bolted together, substantially as described.
10. In a lawn mower, the combination of the endless band, a, the rollers, b, c, and
the shield, h, substantially as described.
11
1000
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.