DRADING OR MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Brigham and Richard Bickerton, of the Town
and County of Berwick-upon-Tweed, North Britain, Implement Makers,
DRADING OR MOWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 11th September 1863, and dated the 20th March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Brigham and
Richard Bickerton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 20th March 1868.
We, JOHN BRIGHAM and RICHARD BICKERTON, of the Town and County of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, North Britain, Implement Makers, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING OR MOWING
MACHINES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Iuvention relates to the arrangement and construction of certain parts.
of machines used for reaping or mowing purposes. Under one modification
or system of arrangement the frame for receiving the main spindle and the
operating gearing is cast in one piece. This frame consists mainly of a
bracket piece extending across the machine, and on the upper part of which
are two tubular bearings through which the main spindle passes. The outer
end of this spindle projects sufficiently to admit of the bearing wheel being
fitted thereto; on the other side of the machine it is supported by a small wheel
carried at the outer end of the finger bar, which part of the machine is bolted
to a pendent prolongation of the main frame before referred to. On the main

page_text: spindle, which is carried round with the motion of the driving wheel, is a bevel
wheel; this wheel is keyed to a short horizontal shaft arranged longitudinally
in the centre of the machine. On the forward extremity of this shaft is a spur
wheel which gives motion to a pinion on the contiguous crank shaft; this
shaft is connected by a rod to the cutter bar, and communicates a rapid
reciprocatory movement thereto. The cutter bar has arranged in connection
with it a lever, by means of which it is readily adjusted to the required
height.
Under one modification or system of arrangement of this part of the machine
a bracket piece is affixed to the framing of the machine, and from the upper
part of this bracket piece extends an open frame of a segmental figure. There
is an opening between the segmental plates of this frame to admit of the
motion of the hand lever, by means of which the cutter bar is raised or
lowered, and on the inner side of the outer standard of the frame a series of
ratchet teeth are formed to admit of the hand lever being fixed at any desired
elevation. Through the central part of the segmental frame is passed one end
of a horizontal shaft which extends across the machine, the bearings of the
spindle being arranged in the frame and in a suitable bracket on the opposite
side. The hand lever is keyed to the shaft before referred to, and extends
outwards beyond the segmental frame to within convenient reach of the driver.
On the outer side of the hand lever is fixed a blade spring, which takes into
the ratchet teeth on the segmental frame, and so retains the hand lever in
position. At one extremity or other suitable part of the horizontal shaft is
keyed a segmental pulley, to which is fastened one end of a piece of chain, the
other being connected to the cutter bar. With this arrangement the cutter
bar is most readily adjusted to any required height suitable for the crop to be
cut, by a simple upward or downward movement of the hand lever, and
requires no further attention until the readjustment of the cutter bar is
necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Brigham and Richard Bickerton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 19th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
BRIGHAM and RICHARD BICKERTON, of the Town and County of Berwick-
on-Tweed, North Britain, Implement Makers, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said John Brigham and Richard Bickerton, Her special license that we,
the said John Brigham and Richard Bickerton, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Brigham and Richard Bickerton,
our executors, administrators, or 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 OR
MOWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
John Brigham and Richard Bickerton, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and
seal of one of 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 John Brigham and Richard Bickerton,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
Our said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of certain
parts of machines used for reaping or mowing purposes.
Under one
modification or system of arrangement, the frame for receiving the main
spindle and the operating gearing is cast in one piece. This frame consists
mainly of a bracket piece extending across the machine, and on the upper
part of which are two tubular bearings through which the main spindle
passes. The outer end of this spindle projects sufficiently to admit of the
bearing wheel being fitted thereto; on the other side of the machine it is sup-
ported by a small wheel carried at the outer end of the finger bar, which part
of the machine is bolted to a pendent prolongation of the main frame before
referred to. On the main spindle which is carried round with the motion of
the driving wheel is a bevel wheel; this wheel is keyed to a short horizontal
shaft, arranged longitudinally in the centre of the machine. On the forward
extremity of this shaft is a spur wheel, which gives motion to a pinion on the

page_text: contiguous crank shaft; this shaft is connected by a rod to the cutter bar, and
communicates a rapid reciprocatory movement thereto. The cutter bar has
arranged in connection with it a lever, by means of which it is readily adjusted
to the required height.
Under one modification or system of arrangement of this part of the
machine a bracket piece is affixed to the framing of the machine, and
from the upper part of this bracket piece extends an open frame of a
segmental figure. There is an opening between the segmental plates of
this frame to admit of the motion of the hand lever, by means of which the
cutter bar is raised or lowered, and on the inner side of the outer standard of
the frame a series of ratchet teeth are formed, to admit of the hand lever being
fixed at any desired elevation. Through the central part of the segmental
frame is passed one end of a horizontal shaft which extends across the
machine, the bearings of the spindle being arranged in the frame and in a
suitable bracket on the opposite side. The hand lever is keyed to the
shaft before referred to, and extends outwards beyond the segmental frame to
within convenient reach of the driver. On the outer side of the hand lever is
fixed a blade spring, which takes into the ratchet teeth on the segmental
frame, and so retains the band lever in position. At one extremity, or other
suitable part of the horizontal shaft, is keyed a segmental pulley, to which is
fastened one end of a piece of chain, the other being connected to the cutter
bar. With this arrangement the cutter bar is most readily adjusted to any
required height suitable for the crop to be cut, by a simple upward or down-
ward movement of the hand lever, and requires no further attention until the
readjustment of the cutter bar is necessary.
And in order that our said Invention of improvements in reaping or mowing
machines may be properly understood, we shall now proceed to describe the
Figures on on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, which we have here-
unto appended for the purpose of showing certain modifications under which
our said Invention may be judiciously carried out in practice, that is to say :-
Figure 1 on the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation of the main
portion of a reaping or mowing machine, arranged according to our improve-
ments, and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same.
The frame A of the machine is formed of cast iron, and consists of a single
piece, formed of a suitable shape to receive the shafts and other working gear
or parts requiring to be attached thereto. On the upper part of this frame
depressions are made to receive the bearings of the main driving shaft B, or
iu- lieu of the bearings being fitted with covers as shown in the Drawings, two

page_text: tubular bosses may be formed in the frame for the shaft to work in. On
the outer end of the shaft B is keyed the wheel C, which forms the principal
bearing and driving wheel of the machine, the motion of which drives the
other moving parts of the apparatus. The other side of the machine is sup-
ported by the smaller bearing wheel D, the adjustable supporting stud of
which is carried in the bracket E that is bolted to the finger bar F; the other
end of the finger bar is bent upwards and attached by the bolts to the bracket G,
and secured to the side of the frame A, and further secured by the strong
angular stay F, the front part of the bar being furnished in the usual way with
the fingers H for dividing the standing crop. To each side of the frame A is
hinged and secured a strong knee-piece or bent arm I, and to these knee-
pieces is attached the front frame J, the side pieces of which form the horse
shafts. An eye is formed at K in a backwardly projecting part of the
frame A, which is intended to receive the lower end of a bent rod carrying
the seat for the driver. On the shaft B is a coupling L, by means of which
the motion of the shaft is communicated at will to the bevel wheel M, fitted
loosely on the shaft B, the hand lever for operating the coupling L, being of
the usual construction, is not shown in the Drawings. This wheel gives motion
to a pinion N carried on the shaft O, which is arranged in a slightly angular
position, the bearings being carried in parts formed for the purpose in the
framo A. On the front end of the shaft O is a spur wheel P, which drives a
pinion P', keyed on the outer end of the crank shaft Q. The crank of this
shaft is connected by the rod R to the cutter bar S, which thus receives its
reciprocatory movement from the crank. The brackets E and E¹ which are
attached to the finger bar F, the extremities are enlarged laterally, and have
holes made in them to receive and admit of the adjustment of the end journals
T, which partially support and regulate the angle of the platform U, on to
which the cut crop falls. At the outer side of the machine, contiguous to the
wheel D, is a guard V, which serves to divide the standing corn and direct it
inwards towards the fingers H of the bar F. This machine is also provided
with an improved arrangement for regulating the height or distance of the
finger har from the ground, so that it may be adjusted to suit the crop to be
cut as well as to keep it clear of any inequalities of the soil. To the sides of
the malleable iron knee-pieces I are bolted the bracket bearings W and W¹;
the bracket W is cast in one with a double segmental piece, so as to admit of
the lower part of the hand lever X passing between the faces of the segments.
The lever X is keyed to the transverse shaft Y, which is carried in the
brackets W and W, and the lever has formed on it a small laterally pro-

page_text: jecting pawl or tooth, which takes into the ratchet teeth that are formed on
the contiguous face of the segment. The lever is kept in gear with the ratchet
teeth, when not otherwise acted upon, by means of the blade spring Z, which
presses against the opposite face of the segment. On the other end of the
shaft Y is fitted a segmental pulley a, to which is attached one end of the
chain 6, whilst the other end is fastened to the front part of the frame A.
When the driver is seated on the machine, the lever X is within convenient
proximity to his right hand, and when he desires to raise the finger bar F, he
simply draws the lever X backwards towards him; but when he has to lower
it, the lever has to be drawn to one side, so as to release it from the ratchet
teeth, then move it in a forward direction to the extent that he requires the
finger bar to be lowered. When the lever is released the spring Z presses
the pawl on the lever into the ratchet, and the lever is retained in that
.position. The partially rotatory motion of the shaft Y raises or lowers the
chain b, and with it the front part of the machine, bringing the finger bar to
the required height, and thus adjust the cutter to suit the crop to be operated
upon.
The arrangement of the adjustable lever is applicable to other kinds of
reaping or mowing machines as well as the particular modification herein-
before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings, as, for example,
in applying this arrangement to the kind of reaping or mowing machine
known as the "Buckeye reaper," the shaft Y is arranged across the carriage
of the machine, and the free end of the chain b is attached directly to the
finger bar.
With these improvements reaping or mowing machines are ren-
dered stronger and more compact, whilst the adjustment as regards the
height of the finger bar is more readily effected.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, we would observe, in conclusion, that what we consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the system or mode of arranging and constructing reaping or mowing
machines with a cast-iron main frame formed in a single piece, and suitably
shaped to receive the bearings of the several shafts and other details of the
machine, as herein-before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings,
or any mere modification of the same.
Second, the general arrangement and construction of the mechanical details
for adjusting the height of the finger bar and cutters by means of a simple

page_text: movement of a hand lever, so as to cause the machine to cut the crop either
close to or further away from the ground as may be found desirable, as herein-
before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere
equivalent for or modification of the said arrangement.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Brigham and Richard Bickerton,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth day of
September, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JOHN BRIGHAM.
(L.S.)
RICHARD BICKERTON. (LS.)
JOHN BRIGHAM.
(L.S.)
RICHARD BICKERTON. (L.S.)