Improvements in Mowing Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mowing Machines.
I, THOMAS STUART BROWN, of 6 Eastman Terrace, in the City of Pough-
keepsie, County of Dutchess, State of New York, United States of America,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention relates to the class of mowing machines which are known as two-
wheeled side-cut mowers, and has for its object the control and adjustment of the
finger bar.
My invention comprehends devices hereinafter at length described, whereby the
weight of the driver as superimposed upon the seat is utilized to balance the weight
of the finger bar and coupling frame, to the end that in the operation of the machine
said finger bar may slide easily over the ground and may be readily lifted
therefrom for passage over obstacles.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 represents in perspective a machine embodying my improvements in the
position which the parts normally occupy, the road wheel nearest the eye being
broken away to exhibit construction.
Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a foot lever and counter arm, and
Figure 3 an end elevational view of the same, the tongue and lifting hand lever
being supposed in section.
Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the machine as represented in Figure 1,
the road wheels being omitted, and the parts in Figure 4 being represented in the
position which they occupy when the outer end of the bar is elevated, and in
Figure 5 in the position which they occupy when the inner end of the bar is
elevated.
Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the parts adjacent to the joint
between the coupling frame and finger bar, representing especially the gag-lever
and gag lug.
11
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In the drawings, A is the main frame, and a the tongue; B B are the road
wheels, and the road wheel or main axle; C C C are three members connective
of the main frame and the finger bar, and together constituting the coupling frame;
D is the finger bar and d* the inner shoe of said bar. All of the foregoing elements
are constructed combined and arranged in any usual manner, and further detailed
description of them is unnecessary.
E is a well known form of driving gearing mounted upon the main frame and
operative to occasion the actuation of the usual cutting mechanism, portions of
which mechanism are for clearness of illustration omitted.
Housed in suitable boxings a* on the main frame is a shaft F, which I term the
seat rock shaft, with which the seat G is connected through the application of its
supporting standard or spring bar f to the hub socket f' of the hub f' keyed upon
said shaft and conveniently provided with a heel f' projecting beneath the main
frame and serving to limit the backward tilt of the seat.
The seat rock shaft is conveniently parallel with the main axle, and it is provided
with an arm or segmental rocker /* keyed thereto, springing upwardly and forwardly
and provided or "graduated" with a series of holes within any one of which is
adapted to be engaged the inner end of a link H the outer end of which is attached
to the upper arm of a bell crank lever I pivoted to the main frame or tongue, and
the lower or horizontal arm of which conveniently terminates at its outer extremity

page_text: In a NOOK TO Wnien a chain or other link device is at its upper extremity
attached.
J is a lever which I term a gag lever, the same being a lever of the first order
fulcrummed at upon the central member C₁ of the 'coupling frame. The lower
end of the chain is attached to the rear or longer aim of this gag lever, while its
shorter or forward arm, which I term the toe projects beyond said member C
and is adapted to encounter the inwardly projecting end of an angular lug, which I
term the gag lug K, which springs from and is formed as a part of the finger bar
or its inner shoe.
The leverage exerted by drivers of different weights is regulated by the point of
application of the link H to the rocker f*.
L is a lifting hand lever, fulcrummed at to the tongue or frame at a point
considerably in advance of the main axle, and normally occupying the position
represented in Figure 1. This lever is provided with the usual thumb lever bolt
and ratchet sector in order to fix it in position when elevated, and in the region of
its fulcrum it is provided with a chain sector with respect to which is applied a
lifting chain the lower extremity of which is attached the inner arm of the gag
·lever. Inasmuch as the toe of the gag lever, as explained, rests upon the gag lug,
it is obvious that traction exerted upon said chain 1x by the throw of the lifting
hand lever will occasion the tilting of the finger bar upon its pivotal connection
with the coupling frame, and the raising first of the outer end of and subsequently
of the entire finger bar.
The direction of the throw of the lifting lever to exert traction upon the chain
being the opposite of that of the seat to exert traction upon its chain ix, it is
obvious that when the driver lifts or throws the lifting lever he necessarily in so
doing presses downward or backward in the seat and tilts or deflects it in an
opposite direction, thereby in effect operating, to elevate the finger bar, simul-
taneously upon both lifting chains i* and 1*.
When it is desired to lift the inner end of the finger bar first, the chain * of
the lifting hand lever may be detached from the gag lever and connected directly
with the coupling frame at any suitable point, preferably at the eye い upon the
member C. as shown in Figure 5. In order to limit the lift of the inner end of the
finger bar when said end is lifted before the outer end, I provide any suitable lug
or stop device ², Figure 6, upon the inner end of the finger bar or shoe to
encounter the under part of the coupling frame in the neighbourhood of the finger
bar joint d d¹.
In order to facilitate the lifting of the hand lever from its normal position as in
Figure 1, by making it possible for the driver to control it with his foot, and also
to enable him to employ his foot to occasion to some extent the elevation of the
finger bar in the manner described as resulting from the application of traction to
the chain, I provide upon the tongue a foot lever M, hubbed upon a lever
axle m conveniently mounted in a boxing m¹ upon the tongue, and provided with a
counter arm m* the outer extremity of which is conveniently equipped with a
friction roller m² which bears beneath the hand lever. Obviously, pressure upon
the foot lever will occasion the elevation of the counter arm and the consequent
elevation of the gag lever and finger bar. A spring m³ coiled upon the axle m and
at its extremities connected respectively with the foot lever and the boxing, serves
to prevent the foot lever from dropping too low, and tends to keep the slack out
'of the chain (*.
The extent of the throw of the hand lever resulting from the operation of the
foot lever will of course depend upon the relative proportions of the respective
parts; I prefer to so arrange the foot lever that its utmost movement or throw
falls just short of carrying the hand lever into locking engagement with its ratchet
sector, so that when the finger bar is elevated by the operation of the foot lever
alone, it may be lowered by simply removing the foot from such foot lever, thereby
avoiding the necessity of using the hands at all in the accomplishment of the slight
elevations of the finger bar constantly required in practice, said hand lever being

page_text: only locked when manually forced upward beyond the point to which it is carried
by the foot lever and to the point at which its bolt engages with the ratchet
sector.
From a contemplation of the arrangement of the foot lever and hand lever it
will be understood that in the operation of the foot lever the two act together as
a compound or double lever, and hence the power necessary to be exercised by the
foot in operating the lever is quite small.
In practice I find it convenient to provide, as shown in Figure 2, two foot
levers M radiating from their common axle in different directions, so that when
the lower one drops too far to be conveniently accessible to the foot, the upper one
will be in proper position.
Such being a description of my invention, it is of course to be understood that
the normal adjustment of the train of levers and links which starts with the
driver's seat and ends with the finger bar proper, is such that the weight of the
driver does not normally occasion such deflection of the seat as will effect the lifting
of the finger bar, and that such lifting is only effected through the seat when the
driver intentionally and positively forces it backward so far beyond its ordinary
position as to occasion such lifting. This action upon the part of the driver may
be independently performed or be performed in conjunction with his operation of
the hand or foot lever.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :
1. In a mowing machine, in combination: a main frame, a coupling frame, a
finger bar, a seat pivoted upon the main frame, connective mechanism, exclusive
and independently operative of the main frame, between the seat and the finger
bar, through which the weight of the driver is utilized to balance said finger bar
without action upon or movement of the maiu frame due to the weight of the
driver, substantially as set forth.
2. In a mowing machine, in combination: a main frame, a coupling frame, a
finger bar, a seat pivoted upon the main frame, the gag lug, the gag lever, and
connective mechanism between the seat and the gag lever through which the weight
of the driver is utilized to balance said finger bar and maintain the latter in a
normal position, substantially as set forth.
3. In a mowing machine, in combination: the main frame, the coupling frame,
the finger bar, the gag lug projecting from the finger bar, the gag lever pivotally
mounted on the coupling frame and bearing on said lug, the lifting device or chain
connected with the gag lever at such point that traction exerted upon it tends to
elevate the coupling frame and finger bar alike, a seat free for rocking or tilting
movement, and a mechanical connection between said seat and lifting chain, sub-
stantially as set forth.
4. In a mowing machine, in combination: a main frame, a coupling frame, a
finger bar, a seat pivotally supported on the main frame, a gag lug on the finger
bar, a gag lever on the coupling frame, and mechanical devices comprising means
for adjustment, connecting said seat to the gag lever, substantially as set forth.
5. In a mowing machine, in combination: a main frame, a coupling frame, a
finger bar, a seat pivotally supported on the main frame, a gag lug on the finger
bar, a gag lever on the coupling frame, and a mechanical device connecting said
seat to the gag lever, a lifting hand lever, and a chain connecting said lever to the
gag lever, substantially as set forth.
6. In a mowing machine, in combination: a main frame, a coupling frame, a
finger bar, a seat and seat standard, a rock shaft to which said seat standard is
afhxed, an arm, a link, a bell crank lever, a chain, a gag lever, and a gag lug upon
the finger bar, substantially as set forth.
7. In a mowing machine, in combination: a main frame, a coupling frame, a
finger bar, a seat and seat standard, a rock shaft to which said seat standard is

page_text: affixed, an arm, a link, a bell crank lever, a-chain,-a gag-lever, a gag lug upon the
finger bar, a lifting hand lever and a chain connecting said hand lever with the
gag lever, substantially as set forth.
8. In a mowing machine, in combination: a main frame, a coupling frame, a
finger bar, a gag lever pivoted on the coupling frame, a gag lug on the inner end of
the finger bar, a seat pivoted with respect to the main frame and a train of levers
and links intermediate between and connective of the pivot of the seat and the
gag lever, substantially as set forth.
9. In a mowing machine, in combination: a main frame, a- coupling frame, a
finger bar, a gag lever pivoted on the coupling frame,,a,gag, lug, on the inner end
of the finger bar, a seat pivoted with respect to the main. frame, a train of levers
and links intermediate between and connective of the pivot of the seat and the
gag lever, and a lifting hand lever pivoted upon the main frame and provided with a
lifting chain adapted to be connected with either the coupling frame or the gag
lever, substantially as set forth.
10. In a mowing machine, in combination: a main frame, a coupling frame, a
finger bar, a gag lever pivotally mounted on the coupling frame, a seat mounted on
the main frame and free for rocking or tilting movement, a mechanical connection
between said seat and gag lever whereby the weight of the driver counterbalances
the weight of the finger bar,-a lifting hand lever pivotally mounted upon the
main frame, a mechanical connection between said hand lever and said gag lever
whereby the finger bar may be lifted, substantially as set forth.
11. In a mowing machine, in combination: a main frame, a coupling frame, a
finger bar, and a seat pivoted upon the main frame, connective mechanism between
the seat and finger bar through which the weight of the driver is utilized to
balance said finger bar and maintain the latter in a normal position, a hand lever,
a chain connecting said lever to said coupling frame or its connections, the hand
lever and seat moving respectively in opposite directions to occasion the elevation
of the finger bar, substantially as set forth.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of November A.D. 1892.
THOMAS STUART BROWN.