IM- PROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adam Carlisle Bamlett, of Middleton Tyas, near
Richmond, in the County of York, Farmer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 29th July 1862, and dated the 6th February 1862..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adam Carlisle Bamlett at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th February 1862.
I, ADAM CARLISLE BAMLETT, of Middleton Tyas, near Richmond, in the
County of York, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
To the first motion wheel or wheels, whether spur or bevil, (which are
placed beside the driving wheel or wheels or partly within them) and in order
to maintain the gear and framework clear of dirt, I fix to the framework a
flange which extends partly round the internal wheel or wheels on its other
outsides. The finger bar is attached to the framework by a hinge, and the
shoe is of thin metal bent into the proper shape. One part of the hinge is.
formed of a piece of bar iron bent at both ends and fixed to the finger bar
and shoe by screws or rivets, and the hinge or hinges are so arranged that the
distance can be increased or diminished laterally as may be required in the
different operations of reaping and mowing. A little in advance of the knife

page_text: there is a swivel wheel, and the cutters are raised from the ground by a lever
which acts both on the cutter bar and swivel wheel. In order to alter the
cutting height of the knife I fix to the finger bar a strip of metal bent of the
required form. The knife bar is mounted over the finger bar, and is supported
on projections fixed to the finger bar, and the grass, board is attached to the
finger bar by a universal joint, by which means the width of track to be
cleaned may be regulated. To reduce the risk of damage to the knife from
stones I make the connecting rod of such form that it may be elastic, or
employ springs for the same purpose. The reel, which is supported at one
end only, is attached to an upright frame mounted on an axis on the main
frame. A horizontal sliding bar on which the reel is mounted is attached to
the upright frame, by which means the position of the reel can be readily
adjusted. When it is necessary to make the machine as light as possible I
make the rim and arms of the driving wheels of wrought iron.
In Hussey's reaper I substitute for the shafts usually employed a triangular
frame jointed to the machine in the same manner as the shafts, to the front of
which frame is mounted a swivel wheel which runs on the ground, and the
cutting height of the knife is regulated by a lever..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Adam Carlisle Bamlett in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ADAM
CARLISLE BAMLETT, of Middleton Tyas, near Richmond, in the County of York,
Farmer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Adam Carlisle Bamlett, Her special licence that I, the said Adam Carlisle
Bamlett, my executors; administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Adam Carlisle Bamlett,. my 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others).

page_text: that I, the said Adam Carlisle Bamlett, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, 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 Adam Carlisle Bamlett, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
The first motion wheel or wheels, whether spur or bevil, are placed beside
the driving wheel or wheels or partly within them, as desired, but in order to
maintain the gear and framework clear of dirt I fix to the framework a flange
which extends partly round the internal wheel on the side of the teeth.
In Figs. 3, 4, 9, 10, & 11, a, a, represesents the flange extending partly
round the first motion wheel. When it is necessary to cover or box in the
driving wheel, my improved flange will form one side of the cover, as shewn
at a, a, and dotted lines, Fig. 9.
I attach the finger bar to the framework by one or more of the usual
hinges, but I employ two or more holes in the framework instead of one, so
that the distance can be increased or diminished laterally as may be required
in the different operations of reaping and mowing.
In Fig. 2 the holes in the framework are shewn at b, b, and the dotted lines
represent the finger bar b¹ in its position for reaping, and the full lines in its
position for mowing.
I also increase or diminish the distance of the finger bar from the frame-
work by means of a link which can be jointed to the bar or removed from it
as required. In Fig. 4 the finger bar b¹ is in the position for mowing, and
therefore used without the link. In Fig. 5 the finger bar is in the position
for reaping, and to obtain the required distance I employ, the link c jointed®
to the finger bar and to the fixed joint c¹ on the framework; or I modify the
arrangement by forming two or more holes in the bar of the fixed joint c¹ for
the
purpose of shifting the joint according to the distance required. By these
arrangements there is more room for the horses when reaping, and the
finger bar can be folded up for going through gates or narrow lanes.
A little in advance of the knife there is a swivel wheel, and the cutters are
raised from the ground so as to be clear of the mown grass by means of a

page_text: lever. In Figs. 3 and 4 the lever is shewn at d; it has at the bottom a
double arm e, and works on a stud fixed to the framework. One end of the
The
arm e is linked to a lever f, working on a fulcrum on the swivel shaft g.
lever is connected by the link h to the frame, and the other end of the arm e
is connected by a chain i; which passes over a guide pulley k to the finger bar,
so that when the lever d is placed in the position shewn by the dotted line 7,
and held by the notches or ratchets m, the framework and finger bar will be
raised up, and thereby raise the cutters above the mown grass; or I modify
this arrangement by dispensing with the lever d, double-armed lever e, and
pulley k, and instead of them extend the lever f, and attach to it the chain i,
by which means the cutters can be raised as before. In Fig. 1 I shew a mode of
raising the cutters by a lever for the purpose of cutting the grass higher or
lower as may be required, and for passing safely over furrows, or I. incline the
frame and cutters upwards and hold them in that position by a pin in one. of
the holes in the strap z.
The lever is shewn at n jointed to the support o of the swivel wheel, and
when the lever is raised to the position of the dotted line p and held by a pin,
the framework will be inclined upwards and also the points of the fingers, as
shewn by the dotted lines, which will cause the knife to cut higher than when
in a level position, as shewn in Fig. 1 and in the detached view, Fig. 12.
I sometimes use a strip of metal fixed to the under side of the finger bar,
as shewn at q, Figs. 7 and 8, for the purpose of raising the cutters to the
height at which the grass may be required to be cut from the ground.
The knife bar is mounted over the finger bar, and is supported on projections
fixed to the finger bar, and the grass board is attached to the finger bar by
a universal joint, by which means the. width of track to be cleared can be
regulated.
In Figs. 6, 7, and 8, the finger bar is shewn at r, and the projections at s,
and in Fig. 6, t is the grass board, and u its universal joint, the grass board
being linked by a rod or chain t with the framework so that it may be drawn,
in or let out, and thereby clear a larger or smaller track.
In the Hussey's reaper I substitute for the shafts usually employed a trian-
gular frame jointed to the machine in the same manner as the shafts, to the
front of which frame is mounted a swivel wheel which runs on the ground,
and the cutting height of the knife is regulated by a lever. In Figs. 10 and 11
the triangular frame is shewn at v, jointed as at w to the framework, and
having a hole in the front part for the stem a of the swivel wheel to work in.
To the stem is jointed the pole y, or, if desired, shafts may be jointed in the
same manner.

page_text: Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
I desire it to be understood that I claim in reaping and mowing machines,―
First, the improved mode of keeping the gear and framework clear of
dirt.
Secondly, the improved modes of increasing and diminishing the distance of
the finger bar from the framework.
Thirdly, the improved modes of raising the cutters above the mown grass,
and regulating their cutting height.
Fourthly, the improved mode of attaching the grass board to the finger bar
by a universal joint, and mounting the knife bar on projections fixed to the
finger bar.
Fifthly, in the Hussey's reaper, the method of jointing the pole or shafts to
the triangular frame and swivel wheel, as all such improvements are herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adam Carlisle Bamlett, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
ADAM CARLISLE BAMLETT. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named Adam Carlisle Bamlett, in the
presence of
G. SEPTIMUS HUGHES,
17, Cross Street,
Manchester.