IMPROVEMENTS IN READING AND MOWING MAMITY
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Filmore Kingston, of Carrol, County
Maryland, in the United States of America, Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN READING AND MOWING MAMITY"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Filmore
Kingston at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 2nd May, 1858.
I, JOHN FILMORE KINGSTON, of Carrol County, Maryland, in the
United States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINERY
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of employing a rotatory cutter, composed of
two arcs of a circle; this cutter is fixed on a vertical shaft or axis
turning in a suitable bearing near its upper end; and at its lower end
it is supported by and rotates in a step on a platform or frame near the
ground. The machine moves on three wheels, one on either side, and
the third wheel or roller is under the front frame or platform. Motion
is: communicated to the cutter axis by means of an endless band acting
on drums or pulleys, respectively fixed on the cutter axis, and on an

page_text: upright axis driven from a bovilled wheel on the axis of the two side
wheels of the machine. Motion is also communicated by a band to a
vertical roller which, by its revolution, tends to move the cut crop off
mide of the mashine
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Filmore Kingston in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 2nd November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN FILMORE KINGSTON, of Carrol County, Maryland, in the United
States of America, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Filmore Kingston, Her special licence that I,
the said John Filmore Kingston, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Filmore Kingston, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINERY," upon the condi-
tion (amongst others) that I, the said John Filmore Kingston, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and scal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the sanie 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 John Filmore Kingston, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):

page_text: This Invention consists of employing a rotatory cutter, composed
of two arcs of a circle; this cutter is fixed on a vertical shaft or
axis turning in a suitable bearing near its upper end, and at its
lower end it is supported by and rotates in a step on a platform
or frame near the ground. The machine moves on three wheels;
one on either side, and the third wheel or roller is under the front
frame or platform. Motion is communicated to the cutter axis by
means of an endless band, acting on drums or pulleys, respectively
fixed on the cutter axis and on an upright axis, driven from a
bevilled wheel on the axis of the two side wheels of the machine.
Motion is communicated by a band to a vertical roller, which, by its
revolution, tends to move the cut crop off' to one side of the machine.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner in which the same is performed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, represents a plan; Figure 2, a side view; and Figure 3, a
section of a reaping or mowing machine, constructed according to my
Invention; the same letters of reference indicating the same parts in all
the Figures. a, a, is the framing, constructed of wood; b, b', are two of
the bearing wheels fixed on the axle-tree b², which turns in suitable bear-
ings fixed to the framing; and c, is the fore wheel: it is, by preference,
composed of two wheels, connected by a short axis, as shewn; but onc
wide wheel may be used. d, d, are the cutters, which are composed
of arcs or segments of circles, connected into a cutter by rings e, e', and
bolts ff; the cutters are supported by arms g, g, fixed to a boss on
the hollow vertical axis h, supported in a suitable bearing h'. i, is a
cradle, fixed to the ring, which cradle may be formed of thin sheet iron
or canvass supported by rods; and I would remark that, for green
crops, both surfaces of the cutters may be smooth; but for straw crops,
I prefer that the under surface should be ribbed or serrated, as shown
at Figure 4. Motion is communicated to the cutters by one of the
bevilled toothed wheels k, k, taking into and driving the bevilled
pinion 7, the vertical axis of which turns in suitable bearings I, l. On
this axis is fixed the pulley m, which communicates its motion by means

page_text: of a strap o, to the pulley n, fixed on the vertical hollow axis h, to
which are fixed the arms carrying the cutters. The wheels k, k', are
coupled with the axle-tree b³, (by means of a clutch formed on it,)
when either of the wheels k, k', are thrown into gear with the pinion 1,
by one of the levers k², k³. By this arrangement the cutters may be
reversed or thrown entirely out of action. The fore wheels are guided
and supported by the bar p, having a lever p', fixed to its upper end.
The bar p, also allows of the cutters being raised and lowered by means
of a screw p², acting on the axis of the fore wheels.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no
claim to the parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the details; but
what I claim is the combination of parts herein described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said John Filmore Kingston, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of November, 1
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
JOHN F. KINGSTON. (L.S.)
Witness, WILLIAM TONGUE.