Improvements in Machines for Cutting or Trimming the Edges of Lawns, also adapted for use as a Hedge Trimmer.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1899
A
[Communicated from abroad by W. S. KING COMPANY, a Corporation organized
under the laws of the State of Maine, and having an office at 111, Purchase
Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Machines for Cutting or Trimming the Edges of
Lawns, also adapted for use as a Hedge Trimmer.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide a simple, convenient, and effective
grass-cutter, adapted particularly for use in trimming borders and other places
that are inaccessible to an ordinary lawn-mower, and also adapted for use as a
hedge-trimmer. The invention consists in the improvements which will now be
described.
A base-plate is provided, having a series of fixed cutters. The cutters and plate
are preferably made in a single integral part, and all in the same plane, the cutters
having oblique outwardly diverging cutting edges and being separated from each
other by tapering or V-shaped recesses. To the base-plate is affixed a handle
or lever, which in a grass-cutter extends upwardly and is inclined backwardly
from the base-plate and is provided at its upper portion with a handle extension.
Another lever is fulcrumed to the first-mentioned lever and has a handle exten-
sion at its upper end, and a lug or coupling member at its lower end, adapted to
engage a coupling member on a slide, which is preferably a flat metal plate formed
to rest upon the base-plate and engaged therewith, so as to have a limited recipro-
cating motion thereon, the means of engagement here shown being headed studs
affixed to the slide and projecting from the under side thereof, and having anti-
friction rollers and slots in the base-plate, through which the shanks of said studs
pass, the anti-friction rollers being located below and bearing on the under side
of the base-plate. On the slide are mounted independently a series of movable
cutters, each having outwardly converging cutting-edges. Each movable cutter
is provided with a shank or holder, which may be made integral with the cutter,
or, as a separate piece riveted to the cutter. The slide and movable cutters have
provisions for holding the movable cutters yieldingly against the fixed cutters
and for permitting the outer ends of the movable cutters to swing downwardly,
so that when the movable cutters are midway between the fixed cutters, their
outer ends will sag slightly below the upper surfaces of the fixed cutters. The
slide and the movable cutters also have provisions for permitting the movable
cutters to tip laterally, so that one edge can sink or sag slightly below the other.
These provisions enable the movable cutters to continuously maintain operative
shearing contact with the fixed cutters at any position occupied by the movable
cutters. When a movable cutter is midway between two fixed cutters its cross-

page_text: section is horizontal. As the movable cutter moves from the midway position,
its advancing edge is held in a close shearing contact with the corresponding
edge of the fixed cutter, and gradually and as the point of intersection of the two
edges moves outwardly toward the outer ends of the cutters, the outer end of the
movable cutter swings upwardly and its advancing edge rises, its rear edge
remaining depressed until the movable cutter completes its stroke, when the two
cutters will be substantially parallel.
The preferred means whereby the described movements of the movable cutter
are permitted, are as follows: The slide is provided with a series of raised bear-
ings, near its rear edge, one for each movable cutter, and studs rising from said
bearings, the studs being of lesser diameter than the bearings. Larger studs
rise from the slide adjacent to the bearings, these studs being tapped to receive
screws which secure springs to the larger studs. The free ends of the springs
bear upon the outer portions of the shanks or holders of the movable cutters, and
thus exert continual downward pressure upon the latter. Each movable cutter
shank is provided with an orifice near its rear end formed to receive one of the
studs rising from the raised bearings, and another orifice formed and arranged
to receive one of the larger studs. The crifices fit the studs somewhat loosely,
so that the movable cutters and their shanks or holders can tip slightly both
longitudinally and laterally.
The studs in connection with the springs retain the movable cutters and their
holders in their operative positions, besides permitting the tipping motions above
described.
The slide is provided with a suitable coupling member adapted to engage the
above-mentioned coupling member on one of the levers, so that when said lever
is oscillated, the slide will be reciprocated on the base-plate.
The coupling
member on the slide is preferably made in the form of an ear riveted to the slide
and bent upwardly at the rear edge of the slide, and provided with a slot adapted
to receive the coupling member on the lever which has a loose or sliding fit in
the slot, provision being then made for imparting a rectilinear reciprocating
movement to the slide by the oscillating movement of the lever.
The invention is not limited to the details of construction here shown and
described, as the same may be variously modified without departing from the
spirit of the invention.
It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in an apparatus having two
fixed cutters and a single movable cutter, the latter having the longitudinal and
lateral tipping movements above described. In other words, the base-plate may
have but two cutters and the slide but one cutter, the invention being character-
ized by two fixed cutters having outwardly diverging cutting edges forming a
V-shaped recess, a movable cutter having outwardly converging cutting edges,
and provisions for continuously maintaining both cutting edges of the movable
cutter in operative engagement with the diverging edges of the fixed cutters. In a
grass cutter, the base-plate may lie substantially or approximately at a right angle
to the handle or lever affixed to it, since the other handle or lever is pivoted to
the fixed handle above the base-plate (the axis of the pivot being either parallel
to the base-plate or at a slight inclination thereto), and is connected with the
movable slide by a coupling having a loose or sliding connection with said slide.
This is a great improvement over cutters in which one lever is pivoted to the
base-plate, for in such cases the handles must be at such an obtuse angle to the
base-plate as to be nearly parallel therewith, and the parts must be very much
larger and heavier. Where the term " base-plate" has been used herein, it is
to be construed as a means for receiving and supporting the stationary cutters,
and the said base-plate may he above or below the slide. Slides or shoes may be
attached to the rear edges of the base-plate and to the forward ends of the two
end cutters thereon, said slides being under the base-plate and cutters and serving
as runners to permit the device to slide easily over the ground.
When the invention is embodied in a hedge-trimmer, the handles or levers

page_text: may project rearwardly, and stand substantially in the same plane with the base-
plate and slides instead of standing at an angle therewith.
Dated this 19th day of December 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Machines for Cutting or Trimmin; the Edges of
Lawns, also adapted for use as a Hedge Trimmer.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine. Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:--
This invention has for its object to provide a simple, convenient, and effective
cutter or trimmer, adapted particularly for use in trimming borders of lawns and
other places that are inaccessible to an ordinary lawn-mower, and also adapted
for use as a hedge-trimmer. The invention consists in the improvements which
will now be described and claimed.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,―
Figure 1 represents a top plan view of my improved cutter.
Figure 2 represents an end view of the same.
Figure 3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 represents a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.
Figure 5 represents a bottom plan view.
The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.
In the drawings,―
a represents a base-plate, having a series of fixed cutters. The cutters and
plate are preferably made in a single integral part, and all in the same plane.
the cutters having oblique outwardly diverging cutting edges, and being separated
from each other by tapering or V-shaped recesses, as shown in Figure 1. To
the base-plate a is affixed a handle or lever b, which in a grass-cutter for trimming
surfaces of lawns, extends upwardly and is inclined backwardly from the base-
plate, and is provided at its upper portion with a handle-extension. € represents
a lever which is fulcrumed at c to the lever b and has a handle-extension at its
upper end, the lower end of the lever e being provided with a lug or coupling
member at its lower end, adapted to engage a coupling member on a slide
hereinafter referred to.
d represents a slide, which is preferably a flat metal plate formed to rest upon
the base-plate and engaged therewith, so as to have a limited reciprocating
motion thereon, the means of engagement here shown being studs ad affixed
to the slide and projecting from the under side thereof, and having anti-friction
rollers 3, and slots dd in the base-plate through which the said studs pass,
the anti-friction rollers being located below and bearing on the under side of the
base-plate. On the slide dare mounted independently a series of movable
utters e, each having outwardly converging cutting edges. Each movable cutter
is provided with a shank or holder c, which may be made integral with the cutter.
The slide d and movable cutters e have provisions for holding said movable cutters
vieldingly against the fixed cutters, and for permitting the outer ends of the
movable cutters to swing downwardly, so that when the movable cutters are
midway between the fixed cutters, their outer ends will sag slightly below the

page_text: upper surfaces of the fixed cutters. The slide and the movable cutters also have
provisions for permitting the movable cutters to tip laterally, so that one edge
can sink or sag slightly below the other. These provisions enable the movable
cutters to continuously maintain operative shearing contact with the fixed cutters
at any position occupied by the movable cutters. When a movable cutter is
midway between two fixed cutters, its cross-section is horizontal. As the movable
cutter moves from the midway position, its advancing edge is held in close shear-
ing contact with the corresponding edge of the fixed cutter, and gradually and
as the point of intersection of the two edges moves outwardly toward the outer
ends of the cutters, the outer end of the movable cutter swings upwardly and its
advancing edge rises, its rear edge remaining depressed until the movable cutter
completes its stroke, when the two cutters will be substantially parallel.
The preferred means whereby the described movements of the movable cutter
are permitted are as follows: The slide is provided with a series of raised
bearings f, near its rear edge, one for each niovable cutter e, and studs f¹ rising
from said bearings, the studs being of lesser diameter than said bearings. Larger
studs g rise from the slide d adjacent to the bearings f, these studs being tapped
to receive screws g¹ which secure springs h to the larger studs g. The free ends
of the springs bear upon the outer portions of the shanks or holders e¹ of the
movable cutters, and thus exert continual downward pressure upon the latter.
Each movable cutter-shank e¹ is provided with an orifice near its rear end, formed
to receive one of the studs f¹, and another orifice formed and arranged to receive
one of the screws g¹. The said orifices fit the studs f¹ and screws g¹ somewhat
loosely, so that the shanks or holders e¹ and cutters e can tip slightly both longi-
tudinally and laterally.
It will be seen that the studs f¹ and screws g¹, in connection with the springs h,
retain the cutter-holders e¹ and cutters e in their operative positions, besides per-
mitting the tipping motions above described.
The slide d is provided with a suitable coupling member adapted to engage
the above-mentioned coupling member on the lever c, so that when said lever
is oscillated the slide d will be reciprocated on the base-plate. I have here shown
the coupling member on the slide as made in the form of an ear k riveted to the
slide and bent upwardly at the rear edge of the slide, and provided with a slot k¹
adapted to receive the coupling member c³, which has a loose or sliding fit in
the slot k¹, provision being thus made for imparting a rectilinear reciprocating
movement to the slide d by the oscillating movement of the lever c.
I do not limit myself to the details of construction here shown and described,
as the same may be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the
invention.
It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in an apparatus having two
fixed cutters a¹ and a single movable cutter e, the latter having the longitudinal
and lateral tipping movements above described. In other words, the base-plate a
may have but two cutters ¹ and the slide d but one cutter e, the invention being
characterized by two fixed cutters aa¹ having outwardly diverging cutting
edges forming a V-shaped recess, a movable cutter e having outwardly converging
cutting edges, and provisions for continuously maintaining both cutting edges
of the movable cutter in operative engagement with the diverging edges of the
fixed cutters.
In a grass-cutter for trimming surfaces of lawns, the base-plate may lie substan-
tially or approximately at a right angle to the handle or lever b, since the other
handle or lever c is pivoted to the fixed handle above the base-plate (the axis
of the pivot being either parallel to the base-plate or at a slight inclination
thereto), and is connected with the movable slide by a coupling having a loose
or sliding connection with said slide. This is a great improvement over cutters
in which one lever is pivoted to the base-plate, for in such cases the handles must
be at such an obtuse angle to the base-plate as to be nearly parallel therewith,
and the parts must be very much larger and heavier. Where I have used the

page_text: term "base-plate," I desire to have it construed as a means for receiving and
supporting the stationary cutters, and the said base-plate may be above or below
he slide.
Slides or shoes s may be aftached to the rear edges of the base-plate and to
the forward ends of the two end cutters thereon, said slides being under the base-
plate and cutters, and serving as runners to permit the device to slide easily
over the ground.
When the invention is embodied in a hedge-trimmer or a trimmer for the
edges of lawns, the handles or levers may project rearwardly and stand substan-
tially in the same plane with the base-plate and slides, instead of standing at an
angle therewith.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A cutter or trimmer comprising a base-plate having fixed cutters, a slide
movable thereon, and a series of independent movable cutters mounted on the
slide and yieldingly held against the fixed cutters, each movable cutter having
provisions for pressing it independently and yieldingly into the space between
two adjacent fixed cutters.
2. A cutter or trimmer comprising a base-plate having fixed cutters, a slide
movable thereon, and a movable cutter mounted on the slide and held vieldingly
against the fixed cutters, the said slide and movable cutter having provisions for
permitting the depression of the outer portion of the movable cutter into the
space between the fixed cutters.
3. A cutter or trimmer comprising a base-plate having fixed cutters, a slide
movable thereon, and a movable cutter mounted on the slide and held yieldingly
against the fixed cutters, the said slide and movable cutter having provisions for
permitting the depression of the outer portion of the movable cutter and a lateral
rocking movement of the said cutter.
4. A cutter or trimmer comprising a base-plate having fixed cutters, a slide
movable on the base-plate and provided with a raised hearing and a spring-hold-
ing stud, a cutter having a shank or holder engaged with the said bearing, stud,
and spring, and means for reciprocating the slide on the base-plate.
5. A cutter or trimmer comprising a base-plate having a series of fixed cutters
and a fixed handle or lever, a movable handle or lever fulcrumed on the fixed
lever, a slide engaged with the base-plate and movable thereon, said slide being
provided with a coupling member adapted to engage the movable lever, a plu-
rality of movable cutters each mounted independently on the slide, and springs
engaging and holding the movable cutters against the fixed cutters, the said
movable cutters and slide having provisions for permitting longitudinal and
lateral swinging or tipping movements of the movable cutters.
6. A cutter or trimmer comprising a base-plate having fixed cutters. a slide
movable thereon, studs on the slide passing through slots in the base-plate.
rollers carried by said studs and bearing on the under side of the base-plate, and
a series of independent movable cutters mounted on the slide and yieldingly
held against the fixed cutters.
7. A cutter or trimmer comprising a base-plate having fixed cutters, a slide
movable thereon, a series of independent movable cutters mounted on the slide
and yieldingly held against the fixed cutters, and shoes or runners engaged with
the base-plate and projecting below the same.
Dated this 18th dor of September 1900
HASELTINE. LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings. London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.