Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1889
Specification Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1889
I, WILLIAM H. H. HEYDRIOK, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of
America, Inventor, 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 :-
My invention relates to mowing and reaping machines, and consists in the
combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter set forth, whereby, owing to
the rocking of the ledger-plates, which is caused by the motion of the cutter, the side
of the ledger-plate which meets the cutting edge of the cutter or knife is tilted
upward, so as to be in contact with the same, thereby imparting a shearing action to
the cutter, and at the same time preventing the gathering of the wet grass between
the ledger-plates and the cutter-bar.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a plan view of a portion of a mower cutter-bar, and finger-bar
and connections, with my improvement attached.
Figure 2 represents a cross-section of figure 1, on line x, x.
Figures 3 and 4 are detail views showing the bearings and interior parts.
Figure 5 represents a vertical section, similar to figure 2, of a modified form of my
invention.
Figure 6 represents a cross-section of figure 5, on line y, y.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
A is the finger-bar of usual construction; B, the guard-fingers held firmly to said
finger-bar by bolts D, which in the present case also act to hold the keeper E, in
place.
Crepresents the cutters of usual construction, and F the rocking ledger-plates,
each having a flat upper surface with a grooved channel in its lower face, adapted to
bear on its rounded shoulders S and L on the front and rear ends of the fingers B, as
clearly shown in figures 2, 3 and 4.
The parts described so far are old and of the usual construction, except that the
shoulder L extends back into a notch in the finger-bar A, so as to give a firm bearing
for the finger B and necessitate only one bolt Ď to each finger. The rear end of the
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page_text: rocking ledger-plate projects above the level of the finger-bar about a quarter of an
inch, and forms a shoulder against which the cutter-bar Rabuts. By this construction
the dead grass is prevented from entering between the ledger-plates and cutter-bar,
and consequently the clogging of the same is avoided.
The operation is so obvious that nothing need be said of it here, other than to say
that the peculiar rocking motion is the same as in the devices of a similar kind as
heretofore used.
In figures 5 and 6 I have shown a modified form in which the ends of the rocking
ledger-plate are in the nature of journals having bearings, one in the finger-bar and
the other in a hole in the finger at its forward end. The rocking ledger-plate is
slipped into position before the cutter-bar is inserted, and may be held in place if
desired, by permanently-fixed plates K, over each finger; or said plates may be
entirely removed, if desired, and the cutter-bar slide directly upon the journalled
ends J. I also find it desirable to remove the upper or extended guard which is
usually found on mower and reaper fingers, and have only the short projection or
guard G, for the rocking ledger-plate, as clearly shown. By the removal of these
projections or guards I give the cutters full play and allow them to spring up
unharmed when they come into contact with sticks or stones. I find such a finger
decidedly preferable to the old form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The guard-finger B, with front projection G, and having the shoulders L and S
thereon, in combination with the finger-bar A, the rear end of said shoulder L
projecting into a notch in the forward edge of said bar, the rocking ledger-plate F,
having a grooved channel in its under face, and its rear end projecting above the plane
of the finger-bar, and the cutter-bar R, with cutter C, the said cutter-bar abutting
against the rear end of the rocking ledger-plate, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1889.