Improvements in Reaping Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug.. 1896
Complete Specification Left, 5th May, 1897-Accepted, 12th June, 1897
Improvements in Reaping Machines.
We JOHN MARSH, and GEORGE MARSH, both of Bradley Hall Grappenhall, near
Warrington, in the County of Chester Farmers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates especially to that class of reaping machines, known as self
acting binders or harvesters wherein the whole of the weight of the machine is
supported by one. broad wheel underneath, and an outer wheel for supporting and
carrying the cutting apparatus, and our invention is designed to enable such machines
to more readily follow the undulations or unevenness of the ground in cutting the
corn and at the same time to give a better balance to the machines.
This invention consists in providing an extra wheel between these two ordinary
wheels in front of the machine, which is so mounted on the end of a bracket or bar
(which is hinged to the side of the frame) that it is free to turn on its pivot,
somewhat similar to a furniture caster, and thus follows the course of the horses,
whichever way they turn and also the undulations of the land, whereby a more even
crop can be obtained, and a better balance given to the machine.
In order to ease the weight of the draught pole on the horses backs we fix a forked
bracket (through which the rear end of the shaft passes) to the front of the machine,
which is provided with holes or slots and cross pins or stays. These cross pins can
be adjusted in position above or below the shaft so as to give the draught pole a
certain amount of freedom, when being raised or lowered, before acting on or tilting
the frame of the machine.
Both the draught pole and the supplemental wheel may be actuated by the ordinary
lifting lever from the drivers seat, and a suitable arrangement of crank mechanism
connected therewith.
1900
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Reaping Machines.
We JOHN MARSH and GEORGE MARSH both of Bradley Hall, Grappenhall, near
Warrington, in the County of Chester, Farmers, 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 relates especially to that class of reaping machines, known as self
acting binders or harvesters wherein the whole of the weight of the machine is
supported by one broad wheel underneath and an outer wheel for supporting and
carrying the cutting apparatus, and our invention is designed to enable such machines

page_text: to more readily follow the undulations or unevenness of the ground in cutting the
corn and at the same time to give albetter balance to the machine.
The invention will be readily understood from the following description on
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is an elevation in section of part of a reaping machine. with our improve-
ments applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the same.
The invention consists in providing a bracket, bar or forecarriage a supported by a
*suitable wheel al between the two ordinary wheels b and 1 and in front of the
machine. The said wheel a 1 is so mounted on the outer end of the said forecarriage
bracket or bar a (which is hinged at a 2 to part of the frame ) that it is free to turn
on a pivot at a 3 and thus it acts in a manner somewhat similar to the action of a
furniture caster, and follows the course of the horses whichever way they turn and
also the undulations of the ground, and thereby a more even and lower cut of the
crop can be obtained, and a better balance is given to the machine as hereafter
described.
The lifting lever 7 is connected by the arm 1 and a link 12 or equivalent means to
the fore-carriage, bracket or bar a, and thus the weight which was formerly always
on the draft pole or shaft d is taken from the necks of the horses and thrown upon the
fore carriage or bracket a, and wheel a 1.
Another arm 13 on the shaft 14 of the lifting lever is connected to the draft pole d
as follows.
We fix a forked bracket e, through which the rear end of the said draft pole or
shaft d passes, at the front of the machine, and connect it to the arm 13, or the
lever I may be otherwise equivalently connected with the bracket e.
This bracket e is provided with holes as seen at Fig. 1, or slots and cross pins el or
stays and the cross pins can be adjusted in position above or below the shaft or draft
pole d so as to give the latter d a certain amount of freedom, when being raised or
Towered, before acting on or tilting the frame c of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination with the frame of the machine of a forecarriage supported by a
suitable wheel so mounted on and connected to the said frame as to enable the cutting
mechanism to follow the undulations of the ground and ensure a more even and lower
cut crop and a better balanced machine, substantially as herein before described and
illustrated by the annexed drawings.
2. The improvements in reaping machines combined and applied substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated by the annexed drawings.
Dated this 4th day of Mar 1897
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.