IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Hornsby and James Edwin Phillips,
both of Spittlegate Iron Works, Grantham, in the County of
Lincoln, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING
MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Hornsby and
James Edwin Phillips at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 8th July 1871.
We, RICHARD HORNSBY and JAMES EDWIN PHILLIPS, both of Spittle-
gate Iron Works, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING
AND MOWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing
machines. The main wheel of the machine, which has a driving ring
with internal teeth cast upon it, has an opening at the centre into which
a moveable boss is placed and secured by bolts. The boss fits on to the
axis or stud of the wheel. This axis or stud has at its outer end a disc,

page_text: and a bracket which is hung upon this disc carries a seat for the driver
of the machine. The bracket is adjustable in its position on the disc
and supports the seat by a strut and ties. The main frame of the
machine, which is on the inner side of the carrying wheel, consists of
two castings, in one of which are formed the bearings carrying the axes
by which motion is transmitted from the main wheel to the knife. To
this casting the finger bar is fixed and also the draft pole either directly
or through a wrought-iron prolongation of the casting. The platform of
the machine is also connected with this casting by a tie which is adjust-
able by screw and nut. "The tic may be in two parts with the screw
coupling between them, "or the adjustment may be in the connection
between the casting. and the tie, which then passes through a lug formed
for it on the casting and receives a nut on either side of the lug. The
wheel at the further side of the platform is also adjustable; it is carried
on a slide moveable by means of a slotted lever. The slide and its
guide both have teeth and a bolt passes through them. By screwing up
the bolt the wheel is locked in any desired position. The second casting
of which the main frame is composed is bolted on the top of the first, and
in it are formed bearings for the inclined axis of the rake arms and for.
the axis which conveys motion to the rakes from the axis of the pinion
gearing with the teeth on the main wheel. The rake arms are fixed
upon a ring of internal bevilled teeth gearing with a pinion which
drives them, and to stiffen the construction stays pass from the bevilled
ring to a cap on the top of its axis. The rake arms may be jointed to
the ring or part which carries them and controlled by a cam fixed on
the top of their axis. The rake arms are forked at their inner ends, and
so are each attached by two pin joints. The forked ends of the several
rake arms overlap each other. The cam lifts the rake arms as the rakes
pass clear of the platform, and the inclination of the axis allows this
motion to be rapid. The opposite rakes are connected by ties so that as
one rake is lifted the opposite rake is lowered. The finger bar is curved
in the direction of its width so as to depress its back edge, and the
portions of the fingers which fit to this bar are similarly curved. The
finger bar may have a rib on its under side where the bolt holes are
drilled through it, and the fingers are formed to fit this rib. The cutting
notch or slot of the finger is lined with steel. The steel lining is of
a U form and springs into its place, or the lower part of the finger may
be entirely of steel, and the upper part of malleable iron with a stud
upon it, which passes through a hole in the steel and is rivitted: Thus
'

page_text: the whole of the surface on which the knife is supported is of steel.
The lower part of the finger may be of iron faced with a steel plate
laying on the top of the finger bar, and held down by the bolt which
clamps the finger to the under side of the finger bar. The steel plate is
also held between the upper and lower parts of the finger, where they
are rivetted together. The steel plate forming the cutting part of the
finger may be formed thus U, it fits into a cavity formed for it in the
finger, and is secured by a key driven within it, or a chilled cast-iron
wearing piece may be fitted into a cavity in the finger, and held in its
place by the finger bar. The finger bar has a lengthening piece which
can be used when required; it may be fixed by means of a connecting
picce having two of the fingers upon it. The knife bar is grooved and
there is a corresponding ridge on the knives.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Hornsby and James Edwin Phillips in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, RICHARD
HORNSBY and JAMES EDWIN PHILLIPS, both of Spittlegate Iron Works,
Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Richard Hornsby and James Edwin Phillips,
Her special license that we, the said Richard Hornsby and James Edwin
Phillips, our exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Richard Hornsby and James Edwin Phillips, our 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, tho
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Richard Hornsby and James Edwin Phillips, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands

page_text: and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 we, the said Richard Hornsby and James
Edwin Phillips, do hereby declare the nature of the 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, that is to
say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing
machines.
The first part of the Invention relates to the main wheel of the
machine, which has a driving ring with internal teeth cast upon it.
These wheels are liable after a time to become worn at the boss or
centre, and then the wheel which is somewhat expensive is useless unless
some ready means is provided to enable the farm laborer to replace the
boss. For this purpose we form the wheel with an opening in the centre
into which the boss, which is flanged, is inserted and secured by
bolts.
In Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings a wheel and boss of this
construction is shewn. a is the wheel, and a¹ the flanged boss inserted
into a hole in its centre and secured by bolts a³.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention the combination with
the main toothed driving and carrying wheel of a loose boss secured by
bolts in the manner substantially as described.
The second part of our Invention relates to the method of arranging
the driver's seat. It is supported on the axis of the main wheel in such
manner that it is adjustable in position and can be removed at pleasure.
b, Figure 11, is the pin or axis of the wheel, and 'a disc fixed upon its
end. The bracket hangs in the manner shewn upon the disc b¹ and
supports the scat 63; Figure 2 is a front view of the bracket plate and
the flange upon it which overlaps the disc b', as is shewn by dotted
lines. There are notches in the disc and a tooth upon the under side
of the flange of the bracket plate; the tooth enters one or other of these
notches (according to the position it is desired to give to the scat) and
so the bracket is prevented turning upon the disc. The bracket and

page_text: seat can be lifted off when required, as for example to enable the
machine to pass through a gateway which would otherwise be too narrow
for it. A modification of the arrangement is shewn by Figure 3, here
the disc b¹ is provided with sockets into which a stem b' carrying the seat
is received. The stem is extended towards the rear of the machine in
order that the weight of the driver may counterbalance that of the pole.
The weight on the pole may be varied by using one or other of the
sockets on the disc b', and the seat is readily removed when required.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention the methods of
arranging the seat substantially as described.
The third part of our Invention relates to the construction of the
main frame of the machine. This frame, which is on the inner side of
the carrying wheel, consists of two castings, in one of which are formed
the bearings carrying the axes by which motion is transmitted from the
main wheel to the knife. To this casting the finger bar is fixed and
also the draft polc either directly or through a wrought-iron prolongation
of the casting. The platform of the machine is also connected with
this casting by a tie which is adjustable by screw and nut. The tie
may be in two parts with the screw coupling between them, or the
adjustment may be in the connection between the casting and the tie,
which then passes through a lug formed for it on the casting and receives
a nut on either side of the lug. The second casting of which the main
frame is composed is bolted on the top of the first, and in it are formed
bearings for the inclined axis of the rake arms, and for the axis which
conveys motion to the rakes from the axis of the pinion gearing with
the teeth on the main wheel. This construction of the framing is
represented in Figures 1, 4, and 5; its two parts are marked d and e.
In the part d is formed the bearing of the axis of the pinion, which
gears into the ring of teeth on the wheel a and also the bearing of the
axis e', which carries at one end a bevilled pinion gearing with a bevilled
wheel on the axis and at the other the crank by which the knife is
actuated. The finger bar is bolted to the casting d, and the form of
the casting is such that the gearing is for the most part enclosed; g is the
platform of the machine, a tie g¹ connects it with the casting d. The
tie is at the end fixed by a bolt to the platform and at the other passes
through a lug upon the casting d, it has a screw thread upon it with
nuts one on either side of the lug. The pole h is fixed to the casting d
by wrought-iron straps as is shewn, or the casting may be lengthened

page_text: to receive the pole directly. The casting e of the main frame is bolted
on to the top of the casting d, and the inclined axis e* of the rake
arms e³ is carried by it, as is also the axis e³ which conveys motion to
the rakes. A bevilled wheel on the axis e³ gears with a similar pinion
on the axis d³, and á pinion on the other end of the axis gears with a
bevilled wheel connected with the rake arms e². The rake arms may
be fixed upon this wheel or ring of internal bevilled teeth, and then as
is shewn in Figure 5 to stiffen the construction stays are employed
passing from the bevilled ring to a cap on the top of the axis e' as is
shewn, or the rakes may be controlled by cams as is shewn in Figures 1
and 4, and as is herein-after more fully described.
Figure 6 shews another method of constructing the adjustable tie g¹.
It is made in two parts, the end of one part has a screw thread and nuts
upon it, it passes through an eye in the other part, and screw nuts
working on the thread clip the eye between them. The frame shewn
in this Figure is of wrought iron.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention the construction of
the frame of the machine substantially as described.
We also claim the connection of the frame with the platform by
means of an adjustable tie substantially as described.
By screwing up the
A side view of this
The fourth part of our Invention relates to the small inclined whcel
which supports the platform on the side opposite to the main wheel
of the machine. In order that the height of the platform may be
adjustable we arrange this wheel in the following manner:-It is carried
on a slide moveable by means of a slotted lever. The slide and its guide
both have teeth, and a bolt passes through them.
bolt the wheel is locked in any desired position.
arrangement is shewn at Figure 7, and a section at Figure 7*. i is the
cast plate which forms the rim or guard on the side of the platform;
are guides formed upon it, in which the slide is able to traverse.
Between the guides the plate i is serrated, and the back of the slide
is similarly formed; ³ is a lever jointed at one end to the plate i; it
has a slot in it receiving a pin fixed in the slide, so that by means of
the lever the platform can be raised or lowered, and when the desired
position is attained the slide is locked by screwing up the nut of the
bolt, which passes through the slide and through a slot in the
plate . The slide is shewn to be provided with a chilled cast-iron
end to receive the wheel, and the wheel itself is made with a hole in

page_text: the centre receiving a flanged boss fixed in its place by bolts in
accordance with the description already given in respect to the first
head of our Invention.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention the means of
adjusting the position of the platform wheel in respect to the platform,
substantially as described.
The fifth part of our Invention relates to the arrangement of the rakes
or beaters. It is often desirable that the rakes or beaters should be
controlled more effectually than results from mounting them upon an
inclined axis on the inner side of the main wheel, as is represented in
Figure 5, as when this method of control is alone resorted to the course
of the rakes or beaters extends to an inconvenient distance over and
beyond the main wheel. To avoid this the rakes or beaters have
frequently been controlled by a cam guide in place of by the inclination
of the axis which carries the boss or centre to which they are attached.
Now according to our Invention we obtain a more perfect and casy
control of the rakes or beaters by the use in combination of these
governing means. We incline the axis which carries the boss or centre
to which the rakes or beaters are jointed in such manner as to control
them with little or no aid from the cam as they sweep over the platform
of the machine, whilst on the other hand as they pass over the main
wheel they are raised by the cam considerably above what would
otherwise be their course. The rake arms are forked at their inner ends,
The
and are each attached by two pin joints to their boss or centre.
forked ends of the several rake arms overlap each other. The cam lifts
the rake arms as the rakes pass clear of the platform, and the inclination
of the axis allows this motion to be rapid. The opposite rakes are
connected by ties, so that as one rake is lifted the opposite rake is
lowered.
In Figures 1 and 4 this manner of controlling the beaters or rakes is
shewn. The inclined axis and the rake or beater arms have been before
referred to, and they are marked e* and e² respectively; ex is the boss
or centre to which the rake or beater arms are jointed; it has a ring of
internal bevelled teeth upon it, and is driven as already described by a
pinion on the axis e³. The opposite arms are tied together, so that
the descent of the one aids in raising the other. A plan of the boss or
centre with the ends of the arms e jointed to it is shewn at Figure 8.
One pair of these arms, or rather the castings in which they terminate,

page_text: are T headed, and are jointed to the boss or centre ex by the
pins 1, 1, 1, 1. The other pair of arms are forked at the end, and are
jointed to the boss or centre e²* by the pins 2, 2, 2, 2; thus cach pair of
arms is free to rise independently of the other pair, and great stiffness
is obtained in the connection of the arms with the boss or centre;
e are the rollers upon the arms which run in contact with the cam
surface k.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention the controlling the
rakes or beaters by the combined use of the inclined axis e' and cam k,
substantially as described.
We also claim the connection of the rake or beater arms with their
boss or centre, substantially as described and shewn in Figures 1, 4,
and S.
The sixth part of our Invention relates to the finger bar, and consists
in curving it in the direction of its width, so as to depress its back edge,
and the portions of the fingers which fit to this bar are similarly curved.
By this construction the cut crop is able to pass more freely over the
finger bar.
A finger bar of this form is shewn in plan and section at
Figures 9, where is the finger bar, and m the finger. The finger is
curved at m where it comes in contact with the finger bar to enable it
to fit accurately to the curved bar. There are other peculiarities in the
finger which are referred to under another head.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention the construction of
the finger bar and finger, substantially as described.
The seventh part of our Invention also relates to the finger bar and
finger, and consists in forming a strengthening rib on the finger bar at
the part where it is weakened by the holes for the bolts which secure
the fingers. The fingers are recessed to fit this rib, and the rib supports
the finger and keeps it in place independently to some extent of the
tightness of the bolt.
Figures 10 represent in section and plan a finger bar and finger of this
construction. n is the finger bar, and n¹ the rib upon it; o is the finger,
and o' the part where it is recessed to fit the finger bar; the finger has
other peculiarities which are referred to under another head.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention the construction of
the finger bar and finger, substantially as described.
The eighth part of our Invention relates to the application of steel to

page_text: the wearing parts of the finger. The cutting side of the notch in the
finger (usually the lower side) has heretofore in some cases been lined
with steel, but the means of applying the steel to the finger have been
less convenient and advantageous than those which we will now proceed
to describe, and the steel has never heretofore been applied to both sides
of the finger notch.
We sometimes employ a steel lining of a U form; Figures 10 shew
this arrangement. p is the lining piece. To keep it in its place the fore
part of the finger notch is recessed at of, and the finger is formed with
studs o³, os, which enter notches in the ends of the spring lining piece p.
The arrangement may be modified by making the steel lining in two
parts, as is shewn in Figures 11; each part is secured at one end by
a rivet ot, and at the other by entering a recess in the fore part of
the finger notch at o. In this case there are two separate recesses in
place of one as shewn in Figure 10. By lining both sides of the finger
notch with steel the knife is prevented cutting into the finger as
sometimes occurs when one side of the finger notch is simply of soft
malleable cast iron. If both sides of the finger notch are not required
to be of steel the lower part of the finger may be made wholly in steel
and the upper of malleable cast iron; Figures 12 shew a finger of this
construction together with part of a curved finger bar like that repre-
sented in Figures 9. q is the finger bar, and the steel portion of the
finger secured to it by a bolt ¹. The part of the finger is of malleablo
iron, and has a stud 7× upon it passing through a hole in the steel portion
of the finger and rivetted into it. In place of making the lower part
of the finger entirely of steel, the finger may be of iron faced with a steel
plate lying on the top of the finger bar, and held down by the bolt which
clamps the finger to the under side of the finger bar. The steel plate is
also held between the upper and lower parts of the finger where they
are rivetted together.. A finger thụs constructed is seen in Figure 9;
the part m of the finger is faced with the steel plate t resting on the top
of the finger bar and secured by the bolt which holds the lower part of
the finger to the bar. The upper part of the finger is made in the way
shewn in Figures 12, it is similarly rivetted to the lower part, and the
steel plate is clipped between them. In these arrangements the whole
of the surface on which the knife is supported is of steel.. The steel
plate forming the cutting part of the finger may be formed thus ; it

page_text: fits into a cavity formed for it in the finger and is secured by a key
driven within it.
Figure 13 is a transverse section of a finger in which this arrange-
ment is shown. u, u, is the cast-iron portion of the finger, it has a recess
cored out in it which receives the steel piece v, and it is locked fast by
driving in the key w, besides when the finger is fixed on the finger bar
the latter will form a stop preventing the steel piece working out of the
recess in the finger, or according to a modification of this arrangement
a chilled cast-iron wearing piece may be fitted into a cavity in the finger
and held in its place by the finger bar.
Figure 14 is a transverse section of a finger with a chilled cast-iron
wearing piece; this piece is cast with a hole in it to lighten it, and it is
marked in the Drawing. Its fore end enters a recess at the end of
the notch in the finger similar to the recess of in Figures 10 and 11, and
its hinder end houses under the finger bar and is so prevented from
rising or escaping to the rear.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention the several methods
of constructing the fingers, substantially as described.
The ninth part of our Invention relates to a method of lengthening
the finger bar and is applicable especially where it is desired to use the
same machine both for reaping and mowing. When the machine has
been used for mowing to adapt it for reaping it is required to lengthen
the finger bar, and to change the divider at its outer end and also the
knife. The finger bar and the lengthening piece are connected by a
picce having fingers upon it, and which is bolted to the two parts and
fastens them together.
In Figure 15 the arrangement is shewn; y is the end of the finger bar,
and is the end of the lengthening piece; the piece z has fingers upon
it and the reaping divider is also permanently fixed to it. A is the
connecting piece, which also has two fingers upon it%3
it may be per-
manently fixed to the lengthening piece, and then the whole of the
additional parts required for reaping can be secured to the end of the
finger bar by two bolts entering the same holes which receive the bolts
by which the mowing divider is held when it is in use.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention the method of length-
ening the finger bar by means of a lengthening piece and connecting
piece with fingers upon it, substantially as described.

page_text: The last part of our Invention relates to the knife, and consists in
obtaining a firmer connection between the knives and the knife bar on
which they are fixed by forming the bar with a groove, and the knife
with a ridge or corrugation stamped upon it, as is represented in
Figure 16. The hole for the rivet to connect the knife with the knife
bar is drilled through the bar within the groove, and the head of the
rivet lies within the hollow of the corrugation in the knife.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention the construction of
the knife bar and knives, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Richard Hornsby and James Edwin
Phillips, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this Fifth day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
.seventy-two.
RICHARD HORNSBY.
(L.S.)
JAMES EDWIN PHILLIPS. (L.S.)