IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Taylor Yull and James Theodore Griffin,
both of 77, Upper Thames Street, in the City of London, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."

page_text: Secondly. To a new arrangement of parts whereby great facilities are
obtained for removing them, for replacing, repairing, or for packing
purposes.
Thirdly. To special construction of some of the parts whereby greater
strength is gained without increasing the weight.
Fourthly. To an improved method of preventing hanging or laid crops
from choking or hanging on the shoe and to prevent the cars being
cut off.
Fifthly. To means or apparatus for facilitating the transformation of
a reaping machine to mowing purposes.
And, sixthly. To an improved construction of platform.
The main frame of the machine is composed of flat bar iron with
the ends turned so that the transverse bars also of flat bar iron can
be screwed or rivetted to them in order to form a substantial yet
light and easily made frame. These bars have holes in them for
carrying the necessary gearing for imparting the motion to the knives
and rake direct from the main wheel which is fitted in the frame. The
gearing is preferably enclosed in a frame of its own, so that it can
upon removing the bolts be removed bodily, thus saving much time
and labour when it is necessary to replace, repair, or to transform like
a mower. The gearing is however so arranged in the frame that any
portion of it can be removed for repairs or renewal without interfering
with the other portions. This is accomplished by unkeying or un-
screwing the shafts from the sockets or other appliances to which they
are fitted.
The rake and reel arms are pinned upon a vertical shaft
rotated by bevil gearing, and the rising and falling motion of the rake
is governed by a ring cam, against the inner face of which a bowl on
the arm bears.
In some cases, such as when two or more of the arms are rake arms,
I couple every two of them, or form two of them in one piece and
saddle, or fork it at or about the centre to embrace the shaft. The
rake arm is kept down upon or close to the platform by a lip on the
ring for the bowl to work under.
In some cases I arrange a cross head on an inclined shaft, and fix
the rake and reel arms to it in such a manner that they work lower
than usual and below the level of the cross head when in their highest

page_text: position. By this means I lower the height of the driver's seat and
ensure greater steadiness of the machine. The pitman is actuated from
the inside or the outside of the main wheel, and the knives can be laid
in a line with the centre of the wheel or to the front or to the rear of
the centre.
The raising and lowering mechanism is composed of holed discs in
which pins can be fitted to hold them at any part of their revolution,
the discs have levers or connecting rods attached to them and the
knife or finger beam. The finger beam is of flat bar iron with the
outer end turned to form a support for the off wheel and the platform,
thus obviating the use of a shoe at that part. In lieu of turning the
end a piece can be bolted or otherwise secured on the beam for the
same purpose. The platform is made entirely of sheet metal, and
preferably in narrow strips with the edges bent or lapped, these laps
when pressed together form ribs to give the necessary strength. The
reel mechanism is thrown in and out of gear by eccentrics 'actuated by
a straight spindle within reach of the driver, the whole of which is to
be removed to convert the reaper into a mower by unscrewing the bolts
& disconnecting the parts. The beam can be hinged if required and be
thrown up with the platform to facilitate transport as a self delivery
reaper as well as a simple mower. We form a space between the
main frame and the inner shoe and fit guides or lifters on the shoe to
raise laid down grain or drooping straws over it, by this means we
prevent the ears being cut or lopped off or choking the shoe. We
combine two or more of the wheels in one casting to economise shafting.
and obtain direct action.
In some cases we lay all the wheels horizontally, and cause them to
gear both inside and outside. Some of the shafts may be stepped into
sockets or blocks which encircle other shafts to permit of the gearing
being disconnected.
We propose to fit a ratchet and paul on the main wheel which engage
themselves when the machine is travelling forward but which slip
when the machine is backed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Taylor Yull and James Theodore Griffin
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd September 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
TAYLOR YULL and JAMES THEODORE GRIFFIN, both of 77, Upper
Thames Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said George Taylor Yull and James
Theodore Griffin, Her special licence that we, the said George Taylor
Yull and James Theodore Griffin, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as wc, the said George Taylor Yull and James
Theodore Griffin, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said George Taylor Yull and James.
Theodore Griffin, or one of our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our, or one of our, 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 we, the said George Taylor Yull and James
Theodore Griffin, do hereby declare 'the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly

page_text: mical and efficient manner than is done at present with machines
already constructed.
Secondly. To a new arrangement of parts, whereby great facilities
are obtained for removing them and for replacing for packing purposes.
Thirdly. To special construction of some of the parts, whereby greater
strength is gained without increasing the weight.
Fourthly. To an improved method of preventing hanging or laid
crops from choking or hanging on the shoe, and to prevent the ears
being cut off.
Fifthly. To means or apparatus for facilitating the transformation of
a reaping machine to mowing purposes.
And, sixthly. To an improved construction of platform.
The main frame of the machine is composed of flat bar or plate iron,
with the ends turned so that the transverse bars, also a flat bar or plate
iron, can be screwed or rivetted to them in order to form a substantial
yet light and easily made frame. These bars have holes in them for
carrying the necessary gearing for imparting the motion to the knives
and rake direct from the main wheel which is fitted in the frame. The
gearing is preferably enclosed in a frame of its own, so that it can upon
removing the bolts be removed bodily, thus saving much time and
labour when it is necessary to replace, repair, or to transform like a
mower. The gearing however is so arranged in the frame that any
portion of it can be removed for repairs or renewal without interfering
with the other portions. This is accomplished by unkeying or un-
screwing the shafts from the sockets or other appliances to which they
are fitted. The rake and reel arms arc-
e-pinned upon a vertical shaft
rotated by bevil gearing, and the rising and falling motion of the rake
is governed by a ring cam, against the inner face of which a bowl on
the arm bears.
In some cases, such as when two or more of the arms are rake arms,
we couple every two of them in the usual manner, or we form two of
them in one piece and saddle or fork it at or about the centre to
embrace the shaft. The rake arm is kept down upon or close to the
platform by a lip on the ring for the bowl or bowls to work under..
In some cases we arrange a cross head on an inclined shaft and fix
the rake and reel arms to it in such a manner that they work lower

page_text: than usual and below the level of the cross head when in their highest
position. By this means we lower the height of the driver's seat and
ensure greater steadiness of the machine. The pitman is actuated from
the inside or outside of the main wheel and the knives can be laid in
a line with the centre of the wheel or to the front or to the rear of the
centre.
The raising and lowering mechanism is composed of holed discs, in
which pins can be fitted to hold them at any part of their revolution;
the discs have levers or connecting rods attached to them and to the
knife or finger beam. The finger beam is of flat bar iron with the
outer end turned to form a support for the off wheel and the platform,
thus obviating the use of a shoe at that part. In lieu of turning the
end a piece can be bolted or otherwise secured on the beam for the
same purpose. The platform is made entirely of sheet metal, and pre-
ferably in narrow strips with the edges bent or lapped; these laps when
pressed together form ribs to give the necessary strength. The reel
mechanism is thrown in an out of gear by eccentrics actuated by a
straight spindle within reach of the driver. The beam can be hinged
if required, and be thrown up with the platform. This is specially
applicable for a self-delivery reaper as for a mower.
We form a space
between the main frame and the inner shoe, and we fit guides or lifters
either on the shoe or on the finger bar inside of the fingers to raise
laid down grain or drooping straws over it; by this means we prevent
the ears being cut or lopped off, or their choking the shoe. We combine
two or more of the wheels in one casting to economise shafting and :
obtain direct action.
In some cases we lay all the wheels horizontally and cause them to
gear both inside and outside of the main wheel. Some of the shafts
may be stepped into sockets or blocks which encircle other shafts to
permit of the gearing being disconnected.
The manner of carrying our Invention into effect is represented in
the annexed Drawings, in which Figure 1 shews a plan view of a self-
delivery reaper with all the parts in position for effecting the proper
movements, both for actuating the knife bar with the knives thereon
and the reel and rake mechanism, all of which are driven direct by the
teeth upon the interior of the main wheel.

page_text: The main frame a, a, is composed of flat bar or plate iron with trans-
verse bars or plates b, b, which are rivetted or bolted to the plates a, a,
in such a manner as to give rigidity and to maintain the main wheel c
in position. The shaft d of the gearing wheel or pinion e, which is
driven by the main wheel c, is held in a frame fof its own, which can
be easily detached and replaced from and to the main frame a, a, for
repairs or other causes; this additional frame also encloses the bevil
wheel gearing into the pinion h, the spindle i of which carries the
pitman j for giving the reciprocating motion to the knife bar k, which
in this case is at the rear of the main wheel, but which could be so
arranged at the front of the main wheel should it be necessary, by
simply shifting the position of the additional frame f, and attaching the
finger bar or beam / with its shoe m to the front of the main frame, and
also altering the position of the reel cam or ring n, so that the arms o
can dip down to the platform p at an earlier period of their revolution.
The axle q of the main wheel c has on its inner end a bevil pinion r
to gear into the wheels on the reel arm shaft t, the arms being jointed
to a winged socket or cross head u, and arranged either as couples
connected by rods or as rigid arms, for following the curve of the ring
cam n for gathering the grain towards the knives, for sweeping the cut
grain from the platform p in the wake of the main frame, and for being
lifted clear of the driver who sits upon the scat v which is carried by
arms or stays w dropped into sockets or attached to the outside of the
main frame, as found convenient.
The platform p of this machine is composed entirely of sheet metal,
and in rather narrow strips, with the edges lapped or bent to embrace
each other, so that when pressed or clamped together they form ridges
or ribs for strengthening the same; the edges may be bent or shaped
in any suitable manner or left plain, and be secured to T iron strips
fitted underneath. The finger beam 1, to which the front edge of the
platform is bolted, is composed of wrought iron, flat or otherwise, and
is connected at its inner end to a shoe m by'a joint pin or in a rigid
manner, as desired, while its outer end is bent up for carrying the off
or grain wheel and the dividing iron or prong. The portion of the
ring cam nearest the fingers has a lip, between which and the cam
the bowls or rollers upon the rake and reel arms pass, which lip
prevents the rake teeth rising and slipping the grain while they travel
over the platform to sweep it off.

page_text: The rake arm shaft t can be thrown into and out of gear with its
pinion by a handle within reach of the driver, the handle being
attached to an eccentric, upon which the boss or socket bears. The
height of the main frame above the ground, and consequently the
cutting can be regulated by other levers or handles, also within reach
of the driver, which handles can be retained at any position by pins
being dropped or springing into holes in discs, to which the lift levers
are attached, as will be understood by referring to the Figures on the
additional Sheets of Drawings forming part of this our Specification,
and filed herewith.
Figure 2 is a plan view of a self-delivery reaper with another mode
of arranging the mechanism for the purpose of obtaining a horizontal
reciprocating rotatory motion from a vertical spindle upon which the
pitman is mounted, and by which the knives are caused to work in a
line or nearly so with the axis of the main wheel, as is represented in
the side and partial back views, Figures 3 and 4. Figures 5 and 6 are
views on an enlarged scale of some of the details of this mode of con-
struction to render the parts more clear. In these detached views it will
be seen that the bevil wheel on the main axle q gears into the bevil
teeth of a compound wheel 8, it having the same number of teeth as the
spur toothed portion, and of which the teeth of the bevil wheel portion
form part. The axle also carries a loose eccentric enclosed in a socket
for lifting the bevil wheel out of gear with its pinion when the reel and
the knife mechanism have to be thrown out of gear, both of which are
thrown out by the one action of the single lever or handle.
Figure 6 is a detached view of the grain wheel, the divider iron, and
one of the holed discs with the pin for determining the height of cut at
the end of the platform p. It will here be seen how the attachment is
made with the turned-up end of the finger beam and the construction
of the pin which enters the holes in the disc; the pin has a tooth at one
end, and after the tooth is inserted into any one of the holes the handle
portion drops by its own weight and retains the tooth in the hole; thus
to release the pin the handle has to be turned upwards to free the tooth
before it can be withdrawn. The inner end of the finger beam 1, which
is jointed to the shoe m, has a guard or car lifter for lifting the over-
hanging or laid straws as the machine travels forwards, and which lifting
prevents the straws becoming broken and thereby choking up the

page_text: machine at that part; in addition to this the lifter prevents the cars
being lopped or cut off and falling as waste to the ground. By this
means all dropping grain will be gathered on to the platform and
deposited from the tail of it in bundles or sheafs ready for the tyers who
follow after the machine to bind the sheafs previous to "stooking "
them.
We have mentioned that the reel and rake arms may be jointed to
the central boss or socket on the top of the vertical spindle, and this
will be understood by referring to Figure 8, where the arms are coupled
by rods A to cause them to act properly.
Figure 9 is a view of a portion of a reaper, in which the spindle t is
inclined so that the arms o can be arranged lower than in the previous
Figures, and on which the driver's seat can be fitted so that the arms
with their cross heads rotate under him. The main frame can be lifted
or depressed bodily by shifting the position of the hand lever B after the
catch bolt C is withdrawn from the teeth of the plate D, which plate is
guided vertically in a bracket or strap on the main frame, as shown in
Figure 7, the handle and holed disc E being for tilting the machine to
regulate the draught.
Figure 10 is a detached view of a portion of our metal platform with
one mode of bending or lapping the edges of the plates, but it will be
understood that we do not limit ourselves to this mode, as the edges can
be bent in any suitable manner, and they may be bent and embraced by
gutter shaped strips, and rivetted.
For the brasses or bearings of our shafts and spindles we propose to
make them of tubular form, as seen in Figure 11, so that after being
passed over the ends they can adjust themselves to the diameters or sizes
of the holes, and retain themselves in place by the studs on their
shoulders taking into notches formed in the plates for their reception.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim as
our Invention in reaping and mowing machines,―
Firstly. The general construction of reaping and mowing machines
together with the mechanism arranged thereto, substantially as herein-
before described and represented.

page_text: Secondly. We claim the construction of main frames of reaping and
mowing machines from flat bar or plate iron set on edge, as described
and shown.
Thirdly. The direct driving of the rake and reel arms from the main
wheel in the manner described and shown.
Fourthly. The employment of finger beams in reaping and mowing
machines of flat bar iron with the outer end turned up for the attach-
ment of the off wheel and the outer end of the platform, as described and
shown.
Fifthly. The apparatus by which the mechanism is thrown into and
out of gear by means of handles, as described and shown.
Sixthly. The construction of platforms of reaping and mowing
machines of metal plates, whether of one sheet of metal or of separate
strips secured together, as herein-before described.
Seventhly. The employment of car lifters on the inner shoe or on the 1
finger bar when placed inside the fingers, as herein-before described.
Eighthly. The apparatus for raising and lowering the machine by
which the height of cut is regulated, as described and shown.
Ninthly. The employment of a jointed finger bar and platform to
self-delivery reapers for the purpose of transport over narrow roads or
passages..
Tenthly. The employment of the ring cam and the jointed reel and
rake arms to reaping machines, as described and shown.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Taylor Yull and James
Theodore Griffin, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this 1
Twenty-second day of September, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-one.
GEO. T. YULL.
(L.S.)
JAMES T. GRIFFIN. (L.S.)