Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 19th June, 1899-Accepted, 16th Sept.,
1899
Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 19th June, 1899-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1899
I, THOMAS HENDERSON, of Cipher Street, Oldham Road, Manchester, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
These improvements refer to lawn mowing machines in which it is desirable
to be able to regulate the cutters or cutting barrel with considerable nicety of
adjustment in relation to the cutting plate, or with which it is highly desirable
to provide against the cutters being damaged by coming in contact with a stone
or hard obstruction, and my improvements are intended to attain both these
desirable ends in the following manner.
In lieu of using a cap as well as a set of brasses for each supporting bracket,
or each end of the cutter axle, I employ a set of brasses only, and I form each
brass with projections, tongues or parts adapted to take into grooves or recesses
formed in the machine frame side or bracket, and through each parts taking into
grooves I provide a hole for a bolt to pass through.
A set of bolts are fitted from below in each of the said grooves or recesses
and upon each of such bolts a spiral or volute spring is fitted, resting upon
the bottom of the recess.
When the lower brasses are fitted in position they also are threaded on to
the bolts and rest upon the springs, likewise when the upper brasses are placed
in position they are threaded onto the bolts, which project upwards a sufficient
distance to receive a nut and allow such nut ample traverse to adjust the upper
brass.
By the nuts being screwed up the spring is compressed and the cutter readily
raised or lowered and set to revolve in any desired relation to the cutter plate.
To provide against fracture of the cutters by contact with a hard obstruction,
I place springs above as well as below the brasses and provide a capstan screw
beneath the lower brass adapted to limit the fall of the cutter axle to any desired
point, whilst the upper set of springs give and take with the obstruction.
Dated this 16th day of September 1898.
Improvements in Lawn Mowing Machines.
I, THOMAS HENDERSON, of Cipher Street, Oldham Road, Manchester, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
[Price 8d]

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
These improvements refer to lawn mowing machines in which it is desirable
to be able to regulate the cutters or cutting barrel with considerable nicety of
adjustment in relation to the cutting plate or with which it is desirable to pro-
vide against the cutters being damaged by coming in contact with a stone or
hard obstruction, and my improvements are intended to attain both these
desirable ends in the following manner.
In lieu of using a cap as well as a set of brasses for each supporting bracket
or each end of the cutter axle, I employ a set of brasses only, and I form each
brass with projections tongues or parts adapated to take into grooves or recesses
in the machine frame sides or brackets and in each part taking into the grooves
I provide a hole for a bolt to pass through.
A set of bolts are fitted from below in each of the said grooves or recesses
and upon each of such bolts a spiral or volute spring is fitted, resting upon the
bottom of the recess. When the lower brasses are fitted in position they also
are threaded on to the bolts likewise the upper brasses and the bolts project
upwards a sufficient distance to receive a nut and allow such nut ample traverse
to adjust the upper brass.
On the nuts being screwed down the springs are compressed and the periphery
of the cutter barrel lowered into closer relation to the cutter plate, whilst when
such nuts are screwed up the cutter barrel rises up away from the cutter plate
due to the extension of the springs and thus allows the cutters to be set to any
desired relation to the cutter plate. Moreover, the adjustment of the cutter
barrel is effected from the top side only of each bracket, instead of both bottom
and top as is usual in the general construction of lawn mowers.
To provide against fracture of the cutter by contact with a hard obstruction
I place springs above as well as below the brasses and provide a capstan screw
beneath the lower brass adapted to limit the fall of the cutter axle to any
desired point, whilst the upper set of springs give and take with the obstruction.
On the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 illustrates a part side view of a lawn
mower with my invention applied thereto, and as arranged for both regulating
the position of the cutters relatively to the cutting plate and allowing the cutters
to retire on meeting with a stone or other obstruction.
Fig. 2 illustrates a plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 illustrates a modification.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the axle brasses separately.
(A) is one of the bearing brackets of the lawn mower and (B) the cutter barrel
axle. In each bracket I form recesses (C) and on the brasses (D)) I form pro-
jections (E) adapted to fit or lie within the recesses (C) as shewn more clearly
in Fig. 2. Previous to said brasses being placed in position small springs (F)
are placed below them and through holes in the bottom part of the bracket (A)
through the said springs (G) and holes (G*) in the brasses, I pass bolts (H).
These bolts are each long enough to extend above the brasses and receive a
further spiral spring (I) and nut (J).
When all the parts are in position and the nuts (J) are adjusted to put pres-
sure on the springs (F) and (I), the axle of the cutter barrel is most effectively
supported, the upper springs (I) yielding to any obstruction that may come
between the cutter barrel and plate, and the lower springs (F) holding the
lower brasses against the axle and in conjunction with the bolts (H) and nuts (J)
assisting to effect the adjustment of the cutters in relation to the cutter plate,
and enabling all the adjustments to be above instead of below the bearings.
In lieu of springs (F), rubber or similar buffers may be employed.
In Fig. 5 I shew the lower springs removed and the adjustment of the brasses
or cutter barrel relatively to the cutter plate effected by a capstan or set screw (K).
In the event of any obstruction such as a stone getting between the cutters

page_text: and plate the springs (I) will yield and allow the barrel to rise in its bearings
and thus pass over the obstruction without damage to the cutting edges, whilst
by operating the screw (K) the said cutter barrel is readily lowered or raised
and its relation to the cutter plate readily varied.
The tension of the springs is such as will only yield to a fairly hard obstruc-
tion.
By the use of the screw (K) only one adjustment is necessary as after once
tightening the nuts (J) the springs will seldom require readjustment.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1: In lawn mowing machines, cutter axle supporting brackets, formed with
recesses, brasses formed with projections or parts adapted to lie with the
recesses, bolts secured to or passing through the brackets through the brasses
and through springs above and below the brasses, and nuts on the bolts above
the springs, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2: In lawn mowing machines, cutter axle supporting brackets formed with
recesses, brasses formed with projections or parts adapted to lie within said
recesses, bolts secured or passing through the said brackets and through said
brasses, and through springs above the brasses, nuts on said bolts above the
springs and a set screw below the brasses substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
3: The brasses (D) with projections (E) as and for the purposes set forth.
THOMAS HENDERSON.
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents,
55, Market Street, Manchester.