IMPROVEMENTS IN MOWING OR REAPING MACHINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Anne Carlès, of Toulouse, in the Republic of
France, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOWING OR
REAPING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION loft by the said Jean Anne Carlès at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1881.
JEAN ANNE CARLES, of Toulouse, in the Republic of France, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOWING OR REAPING MACHINES."
The improvements in mowing or reaping machines forming the subject of the
present Invention relate to the following parts:-
1. The road or travelling wheels and the parts for the transmission of the
motion of these wheels to the sickle-disc.
2. The sickle-disc with the apparatus for raising and lowering the same.
3. The rake which is fastened to a wooden frame strengthened with a cast iron
frame.
4. The apparatus for protecting the travelling wheels and for throwing off the
cut stems, blades, or straw.
5. The apparatus putting to or yoken the horse or other draught animal to and
for suddenly liberating the same from the machine.
The travelling wheels which also set in motion the mechanism of the machine
are furnished at their circumferences with teeth for preventing slipping of the
whole apparatus over the ground. These wheels are connected together by a four
sided axle, on the arms of which they turn loosely. The axle carries a frame
constructed of wood and iron strengthened by cross pieces, and to which the other
parts of the machine are secured.
Each travelling wheel is provided with a toothed ring into which gears a spur
wheel. These spur wheels are carried on a shaft which rests in bearings secured to
the aforesaid frame. The spur wheels are so connected to their shaft by means of
atchet wheels and pawls, that when the machine moves forward they turn the
haft, but when the machine moves backwards they turn loosely on the shaft, and
ndependantly thereof.

page_text: On the abovementioned shaft is keyed a toothed bevel wheel which gears into
another bevel wheel fastened on an upright shaft, which turns in a foot step secured
to the middle of the axle, and in a collar bearing in the frame which lays over the
second above mentioned bevel wheel.
The upright shaft carries a large spur wheel which gears into another spur wheel
keyed on a second upright shaft, which at its upper end runs in a bracket collar,
bearing the upper part of the body of this bearing and the bearing cover form
a pin which is furnished with a screw thread on to which a covering nut is
screwed.
The lower end of the first named upright shaft runs in a footstep, which is
formed of the nave of the rim which carries the collecting rake. This nave is
connected with the said rim by means of arms.
At the front side, that is to say, where the rake is placed, two bars are joined to
two arms, diametrically opposite to each other and perpendicular thereto, which bars
are connected together by a curved bar which serves for cleaning the front bearing
roller from the earth adhering to it; the form of this roller is that of an ellipsoid,
truncated at its ends; it is carried by an axle connected to the two bars above-
mentioned in such manner that it can be adjusted vertically. For this purpose the
said bars each carry a vertical graduated guide, in which the sliding bearings
carrying the axle can be fixed by bolts at various heights.
By means of this adjustability of the axle of the roller, the rake and the
sickle-disc can be brought nearer to or further from the ground as may be desired.
The ellipsoidal roller servos as a third point of support for the machine.
The rake is connected to both sides of the machine at the front cross piece of
the frame by arms and straps, other arms and straps connect the rim of the rake
with the frame of the machine. These connections are everywhere so arranged
that the sickle-disc is not prevented from moving freely. The teeth of the rake
can be made in one piece with the rim of the same or be screwed thereto.
The sickle-disc is carried by curved arms connected with a nave which is fixed
on the second upright shaft. It carries at its circumference twelve or other suitable
number of sickles, which are fixed close over the rake for the purpose of cutting the
stems, blades, or straw.
The upright shafts are adjustable vertically by means of screws in their
respective footsteps, so that the sickle-disc can be raised or lowered independantly
of the rake.
The sickle-disc receives its rotary movement, as above explained, from the spur
wheel on the same upright shaft.
The sickle-disc carries a conical sheet iron casing which surrounds or encloses the
arms of the disc and of the rim of the rake, as well as the lower bearings of the
second upright shaft, and follows the rotary movement of the sickle-disc. This
movement serves to throw off the cut stems or stalks. On the front is also placed.
a protecting plate which is fixed to the front cross piece of the frame.
On one side of the machine is arranged a triangular and slightly curved plate
for the protection of the cut stems or stalks, and of those that remain standing
from contact with the wheel.
This plate is screwed to one of the teeth of the rake and to an arm extending
from the frame, so that the stalks are divided and separated by the first tooth of
the rake, while those left standing can slide against the aforesaid plate. The front
edge of this plate is sharpened so as to cut through very close and tangled stalks to
allow the machine to pass easily.
On the other side of the machine is fastened a four cornered plate, which protects
the stems or stalks from the wheel on that side, and throws them off so that the
machine cannot pass over them.
The traction apparatus consists of two brackets screwed to a cross piece of the
frame; these brackets approach each other in front, and receive between them the
apparatus for suddenly releasing the draught animal.
This apparatus consists of a foursided socket in which is a prismatic bar

page_text: furnished with a ring. This prismatic bar is hinged to a pendant foursided short
bar, which is placed between a fixed part of a bearing piece which is secured to the
aforesaid brackets by means of screws, and is in one piece with the aforesaid
foursided socket and a lever on which a strong spring presses, so that the pendant
bar is held fast by the lever when the pressure of the spring is not overcome by
another contrivance, that is to say, by means of a handle and the wire under the
command of the driver. The upper inner surface of the socket is hollowed out for
the purpose of facilitating the introduction of the prismatic and hinged bars
into it.
The traction rope or trace is fastened to the ring of the prismatic bar.
It will now be understood that if it is required to release the draught animal
suddenly, it is only necessary to draw the handle and wire backwards, the lever
then releases the pendant bar, and resistance of traction brings the prismatic
and pendant bars in a straight line and draws them out of the socket, so that the
connection of the draught animal with the machine censes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Jean Anne Carlès in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th December 1881.
JEAN ANNE CARLES, of Toulouse, in the Republic of France, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOWING OR REAPING MACHINES."
The improvements in mowing or reaping machines forming the subject of the
present Invention relate to the following parts:—
1st. The road or travelling wheels, and the parts for transmitting the motion of
these wheels to the sickle disc.
2nd. The sickle disc with the apparatus for raising and lowering the same.
3rd. The rake which is fastened to a wooden frame strengthened with a cast
iron frame.
4th. The apparatus for protecting the travelling wheels, and for throwing off the
cut stems, blades, blades, or straw.
5th. The apparatus for putting to or yoking the horse or other draught animal
and for suddenly liberating the same from the machine.
Fig. 1 of the Drawings is a front view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a plan of the
machine.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the axis; Fig. 4 is a side view of the
machine.
The
The travelling wheels a which also set in motion the mechanism of the
machine, are furnished at their circumferences with teeth for proventing tho
slipping of the whole apparatus over the ground. These wheels are connected
together by a foursided axle bon the arms of which they turn loosely.
axle b carries by two saddle beams P close to the wheels a a frame c constructed
of wood and iron strengthened by cross pieces, and to which the other parts of
the machine are secured. Each travelling wheel is provided with a toothed ring d
into which gears a spur wheel e. These spur wheels é are carried on a shaft f which
rests in bearings g and secured to the aforementioned frame c.
The said spur
wheels e being so connected to their shaft by means of ratchet wheels and pawls
that when the machine moves forwards they turn the shaft, but when the machine
moves backwards they turn loosely on the shaft, and independantly thereof.
On the above mentioned shaft f is keyed a toothed bevil wheel i, which gears
into another bevil wheel & fastened on an upright shaft l, which turns in a footstep
secured to the middle of the axle band in a collar bearing in the frame c which
lays over the second above mentioned bevil wheel . The upright shaft / carries a
large spur wheel m which gears into another spur wheel n keyed on a second upright
shaft o, which at its upper end runs in a bracket collar bearing p; the upper part
of the body of this bearing and the bearing cover form together a pin, which is
furnished with a screw thread, on to which a covering nut q is screwed.
The lower end of the first named upright shaft runs in a footstep, which is
formed of the nave of the rim s which carries the collecting rake r.
This nave is
connected with the said rims by means of arms t.
At the front side, that is to say, where the rake r is placed, two stay bars u
&vare joined to two arms t diametrically opposite to each other and perpen-
dicular thereto, which stay bars are connected together by a curved stay bar u,
which serves for cleaning the front bearing roller from the earth adhering to it;
the form of this roller is that of an ellipsoid, truncated at its ends; it is carried by
an axle y connected to the two stay bars u and v above mentioned in such manner
that it can be adjusted vertically. For this purpose the said stay bars u and v each

page_text: carry a vertical graduated guide, in which the sliding bearings carrying the axle y
can be fixed by bolts at various heights. By means of this adjustability of the
axle 3 of the roller, the raker and the sickle disc can be brought nearer to or
further from the ground, as may be desired. The ellipsoidal roller serves as a third
point of support for the machine. The rake is connected to both sides of the
machine at the front cross piece P¹ of the frame C by arins Q and straps R, other
arms n and straps V connect the rim of the rake with the frame C of the machine.
These connections are everywhere so arranged that the sickle disc is not
prevented from moving freely. The teeth of the rake can be made in one piece
with the rim of the same, or be screwed thereto.
The sickle disc is carried by curved arms W connected with a nave which is
fixed on the second upright shaft o. It carries at its circumference twelve or other
suitable number of sickles, which are fixed close over the rake for the purpose of
cutting the stems, blades, or straw. The upright shafts o and e are adjustable
vertically by means of screws in their respective footsteps, so that the sickle disc
can be raised or lowered independantly of the rake.
The sickle disc receives its rotary movement, as above explained, from the spur
wheel n on the same upright shaft o.
The sickle disc carries a conical sheet iron casing which surrounds or encloses
the arms of the disc and of the rim of the rake, as well as the lower bearings of
the second upright shaft o, and follows the rotary movement of the sickle disc.
This movement serves to throw off the cut stems or stalks. On the front is also
placed a protecting plate Y which is fixed to the front cross piece P¹ of the
frame C.
On one side of the machine is arranged a triangular and slightly curved plate H
for the protection of the cut stems or stalks, and of those that remain standing
from contact with the wheel. This plate is screwed at 1 to one of the teeth of the
rake and to the arms Q extending from the frame, so that the stalks are divided
and separated by the first tooth of the rake, while those left standing can slide
against the aforesaid plate H. The front edge of this plate is sharpened so as to
cut through very close and tangled stalks to allow the machine to pass easily. On
the other side of the machine is fastened a four cornered plate I, which protects
the stems or stalks from the wheel on that side, and throw them off so that the
machine cannot pass over them.
The traction apparatus consists of two brackets K screwed to the cross piece P¹
of the frame; these brackets approach each other in front, and receive between
them the apparatus for suddenly releasing the draught animal. This apparatus
consists of a four sided socket L in which is a prismatic bar A furnished with a
ring. This prismatic bar is hinged to a pendant four sided short bar B, which is
placed between a fixed part of a bearing piece F secured to the aforesaid brackets K
by means of screws, being in one piece with the aforesaid foursided socket, and a
lever C on which a strong spring M presses, so that the pendant bar B is held fast
by the lever C when the pressure of the spring M is not overcome by another
contrivance, that is to say, by means of a handle G and the wire T under the
command of the driver. The upper inner surface of the socket L is hollowed out
slightly from 3 to 4 for the purpose of facilitating the introduction of the prismatic
and hinged bars A and B into it. The traction rope or trace is fastened to the
ring of the prismatic bar A.
It will now be understood that if it is required to release the draught animal
suddenly, it is only necessary to draw the handle G and wire T backwards; the
lever C then releases the pendant bar B, and the resistance of traction brings the
prismatic and pendant bars A and B in a straight line and draws them out of the
socket L, so that the connection of the draught animal with the machine ceases.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to or may be performed, I would have it understood that what
I claim is,
First. The apparatus for moving the sickle disc from the travelling wheels,

page_text: such apparatus being composed of the internal toothed ring d, the spur wheel e,
the horizontal shaft f, the bevil wheels i, h, the vertically adjustable shaft l, the
spur wheels m and u, and the shaft o, which takes its bearings in the nave of the
rake and carries the sickle disc z.
Second. The construction and arrangement of the sicklo disc which consists of
a rim carried by curved arms W, which rim carries a sheet iron truncated cone,
and is furnished on its under surface with sickles S, which cut the stems, blades,
or straw by the horizontal or nearly horizontal turning of the said sickle disc.
?"
Third. The construction and arrangement of the rako which is placed close
under the sickle, disc, and consists of a rim furnished with comb like teeth, which
rim is carried by the frame C of the machine.
☑
Fourth. The contrivance for adjusting the nickle disc and the rake in a
vertical direction by means of the roller x.
Fifth. The arrangement of the roller as supporting point of the machine.
Sixth. The contrivance for suddenly unyoking the draught animal, which
contrivance consists of the brackets K, the socket L, the prisms A and B connected
together by a hinge, the bearing piece F, the lever C, the spring M, the wire T,
and the lever G.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Anne Carlès, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
JEAN ANNE CARLES. (L.S.)
Witness,
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH, K.G.V.,
Proprietor of the Scandinavian Patent Office,
97, Finsbury Pavement,
London.