AN IMPROVED MOWING MACHINE OR GRASS HARVESTER
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED MOWING MACHINE OR GRASS HARVESTER."—A
communication from John Peter Adriance, of the United States of
America.
Sealed the 12th July 1859, and dated the 16th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th February 1859.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MOWING. MACHINE OR GRASS
HARVESTER," to be as follows:-
This Invention of an improved mowing machine or grass harvester chiefly,
relates to an improved mowing machine or grass harvester of that class in;
which a reciprocating sickle is used, and attached to a finger bar that is con-
nected to the main frame of the machine. The object of the Invention is to
allow the finger bar and sickle when at work to yield or give perfectly to the

page_text: inequalities of the ground, and at the same time permit the sickle and finger
bar to be raised when necessary bodily upward, in order that such sickle and
its appendages or accessories may pass over obstructions in its path, and also
admit of the finger bar being raised and folded over and upon the main frame
of the machine, for the ready removal or transportation of the latter from
place to place.
The Invention has for its object the ready connection and disconnection of
the wheels and axle, whereby the working parts may be rendered inoperativo
when the machine is moved backward, and either wheel may be connected
with or disconnected from the axle, so that one or both may be used as driving
wheels as may be desired. The main frame of the machine may be of
rectangular form, and is mounted on two wheels placed loosely on their axle,
which is allowed to turn freely in proper bearings attached to the under side
of the main frame. On the axle two ratchets are placed, one near each end;
these ratchets are permanently attached to the axle, and to the inner side of
each wheel a pawl is attached. To the outer side of each pawl a curved spring
is secured, and these springs bear against pins which project from the inner
sides of the wheels, and cause the springs to keep the pawls in the ratchets.
When the pawls are in the ratchets the wheels are connected with the axle,
and consequently rotate the latter when the machine is moved forward; but if
it be moved backward the wheels will not rotate the axle, as the: pawls will
slip over the teeth of the ratchet. To disconnect the wheels from the axle,
when the former move forward, the pawls are thrown upward. The draught
pole projects from the front end of the main frame, and to the inner side of
the front part of the main frame there is permanently attached a bent bar, on
which is placed the front bearing of a longitudinal shaft, which extends to the
back end of the main frame, and has a pinion secured to it. This pinion gears
into a wheel which is placed at the back end of a shaft at the back part of the
frame. On the inner end of this latter shaft is placed a pinion which gears
into a wheel on the axle. On the front end of the central shaft a crank wheel
is placed, and a connecting rod is attached to this-wheel, the outer end of the
connecting rod being attached to the sickle which is placed on the finger bar:
The finger bar may be of the usual construction, having fingers which may
also be made as usual. The sickle may also be provided with the ordinary
saw-shaped teeth." To the bent bar at its lower part another bar is attached
by a joint. This latter bar extends outward a trifle beyond the side of the
main frame, and the inner end of the finger bar is attached to it by a joint,
braces being also adapted for securing the parts. The joints admit of the

page_text: rising and falling of the bars, and the finger bar may be raised at either its
outer or inner end; 'the double-jointed bar or coupling piece (by which the
finger bar is attached to the main frame) permitting such movement, and also
admitting of the finger bar being raised and folded over and upon the main
frame. The inner end of the finger bar terminates in or has a hooked pro-
jection attached to it. This. projection, if the coupling piece be elevated to a
certain distance, will sustain the finger bar, in consequence of the said pro-
jection bearing against the under side of the bar or coupling piece. The
projection will not come directly in contact with the bar or coupling piece
when the inner end of the finger bar is raised; some play is allowed in order
to permit the finger 'bar and sickle to conform to the irregularity of the
ground. This projection is therefore important, for it permits the finger bar
and sickle to be raised bodily above any obstructions that may lie in its path.
The finger bar and sickle are raised by a sector, having a chain attached to its
periphery. The inner side or face of the sector has ratchet teeth formed on it.
These teeth bear against a plate on the frame, and retain the finger bar at any
desired height
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County,
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our-Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my 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 "AN IMPROVED MOWING MACHINE OR. GRASS HARVESTER," being

page_text: a communication from John Peter Adriance, of the United States of America;
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward
Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of an improved mowing machine or grass harvester chiefly
relates to an improved mowing machine or grass harvester of that class in
which a reciprocating sickle is used, and attached to a finger bar that is
connected to the main frame of the machine. The object of the Invention is
to allow the finger bar and sickle, when at work, to yield or "give" perfectly
to the inequalities of the ground, and at the same time permit the sickle and
finger bar to be raised when necessary bodily upward, in order that such sickle
and its appendages or accessories may pass over obstructions in its path, and
also admit of the finger bar being raised and folded over and upon the main
frame of the machine, for the ready removal or transportation of the latter
from place to place.
The Invention also has for its object the ready connection and disconnection
of the wheels and axle, whereby the working parts may be rendered inoperative
when the machine is moved backward, and either wheel may be connected
with or disconnected from the axle, so that one or both may be used as driving
wheels as may be desired.
In the annexed Drawing Fig. 1 is a side view of the Invention, the finger
bar and sickle being bisected transversely, as indicated by the line x, x, Fig. 2;
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the
same. Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the Figures.
A represents the main frame of the machine, which may be of rectangular
form, as shown plainly in Fig. 2, and is mounted on two wheels B, B, which
are mounted loosely on their axle C. On the axle C, which is fitted and allowed
to turn freely in proper bearings a attached to the under side of the main
frame, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, two ratchet wheels D, D, are placed, one
near each end. These ratchet wheels are permanently attached to the axle,

page_text: and to the inner side of each running wheel B is attached a pawl E, which is
secured to the wheels B by rivets b. To the outer side of each pawl E a
curved spring c is secured, and these springs bear against pins d, which project
from the inner sides of the wheels B, and cause the springs to keep the
pawls E in the ratchets D, D, as seen in Fig. 1. When the pawls E are in
the teeth of the ratchet wheels D, D, the running wheels B are connected
with the axle C, and will consequently cause the latter to rotate when the
machine is moved forward; but if it be moved backward the wheels will not
rotate the axle, as the pawls will slip over the teeth of the ratchet. In order
to disconnect the wheels B from the axle C when the former move forward,
the pawls E are thrown upward by the driver on his seat F. The springs c
and pins & also retain the pawls E in an upright position, as shown in red
in Fig. 1, and therefore the pawls are prevented from moving casually
when in either position. By this arrangement, either or both wheels B, B,
may be used as drivers, as occasion may require; one of the wheels B near
the sector being disconnected when not absolutely required, in order to
diminish side draught; the outermost wheel B compensates in a certain degree
for the friction of the finger bar M in passing over the ground, the resistance
offered to the forward movement of the machine in consequence of this
friction being considerable. In certain cases, where the grass is heavy, both
wheels may require to be connected to the axle. The draught pole G projects
from the front end of the main frame A, and to the inner side of the front
part of the main frame there is permanently attached a bent bar E, the form
of which bar is shown plainly in Fig. 2. On this bar is placed the front
bearing of a longitudinal shaft I, which extends to the back end of the main
frame, and has a pinion secured to it. This pinion gears into a wheel f,
which is placed at the back end of a shaft g, at the back part of the frame A,
and parallel with the shaft I. On the inner end of the shaft 9 is placed a
pinion h, which gears into a wheel i on the axle C. On the front end of the
central shaft I a crank wheel J is placed, and a connecting rod K is attached
to this wheel J, the outer end of the connecting rod being attached to the
sickle L, which is placed on the finger bar M. The finger bar may be of the
usual construction, having fingers j, which may also be made in the ordinary
manner. The sickle L may also be provided with the ordinary saw-shaped
teeth k, as is clearly shown in Figs. 3. To the bar H at its lower part another
bar N is attached by a joint l. This latter bar extends outward a trifle
beyond the side of the main frame, and the inner end of the finger bar M is
attached to it by a joint m.
To the bar N two braces O, P, are attached, and

page_text: these braces are permanently or rigidly secured also to the bar H; but their
opposite ends are connected by joints n, o, respectively to the main frame A
and the innermost shoe p of the finger bar. The joints n, o, adniït of the
rising and falling of the bar N on the joint 7, and it will be seen that the
finger bar M may be raised at either its outer or inner end; the double-jointed
bar or coupling piece N (by which the finger bar is attached to the main
frame) permitting such movement, and also admitting of the finger bar being
raised and folded over and upon the main frame A, as clearly shown 'in red in
Fig. 2. The inner end of the finger bar M terminates in or has a hooked
projection attached to it. This projection, if the coupling piece or bar N be
élevated to a certain distance, will sustain the finger bar M, in consequence of
the projection q bearing against the under side of the bar or coupling pieco N.
The projection will not come directly in contact with the bar or coupling piece
N when the inner end of the finger bar is raised, as some play is allowed in
örder to permit the finger bar and. sickle to conform to the irregularity of the
ground. This projection 9 is therefore important, for it permits the finger
bar and sickle to be raised bodily above any obstructions that may lie in its
path. The finger bar and sickle are raised by a sector Q, having a chain r
attached to its periphery, and also to the bar N. The inner side or face of the
sector Q has ratchet teeth s formed on it. These teeth cut over or bear
against a plate t on the frame A, and retain the finger bar at any desired
height. The sector Q has a handle R attached to it, which handle is within
reach of the driver's seat.
Ilaving now .described this Invention of an improved mowing machine
grass harvester, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I would observe that I
do not claim as new placing the wheels B loosely on their axle C, and con-
necting them. therewith by pawls and ratchets, irrespective of the peculiar
árrangement herein shown and described; but what I consider to be new
in the above described improvements, and therefore wish to claim as the
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, is,-
1st. The use of the ratchet wheels D attached to the axle C, in connection
with pawls E, attached to the wheels B, B; springs c being attached to the
pawls, and pins & attached to the wheels, substantially as shown and described.
2nd. I claim connecting the finger bar M to the main frame A, by means
of the double-jointed coupling piece or bar N, arranged in any way so as to
admit of the finger bar and sickle conforming to the inequalities of the surface
of the ground.

page_text: 3rd. I claim attaching the coupling piece or bar N to the main frame A, so
as to admit of the raising of the finger bar M and the folding of the same over
and upon the main frame, for the purpose set forth.
4th. I claim the projection 9 attached to or formed on the inner end of the
finger bar M, to be raised bodily or horizontally upward, for the purpose
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
0
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)