IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Martin Benson, of No. 9, Southampton
Buildings, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING
AND MOWING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad by William
Needham Whitely, of Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, United
States of North America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Martin Benson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 23rd June 1874, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARTIN
BENSON, of No. 9, Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to
grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it
has been communicated to me from abroad by William Needham

page_text: Whitely, of Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, United States of North
America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Martin Benson, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and scal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed in and by the following state-
ment:-
The improvement relates to that class of harvesters known as two-
wheeled double-jointed machines, and more particularly to improve-
ments in the mounting and operation of the reel rake.
To enable others skilled in the art to understand the said Invention,
I will now refer to the accompanying Drawings hereunto annexed by
the letters of reference marked thereon, which are made to form part of
this Specification.
1 Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a front perspective view of the machine arranged as
a reaper, and Fig. 2 is a back elevation of the same.
The following refers to various parts of the machine drawn and shown
separate on Sheet 1 :-Fig. 6 is a cam-faced sleeve; Fig. 7 is the shield
for the crank shaft pinion; Fig. 8 is the segment head for the lifting
lever; Fig. 9 is the thumb piece for the latch for said lever; Fig. 10 is
the ratchet case for the wheel and axle connection; Figs. 11 and 12 is
the pawl case for the same; Fig. 13 is the rock shaft for controlling the
end of the drag bar; Fig. 14 is the rack standard for the support of one
end of said rock shaft; Fig. 15 is the rock shaft lever and latch; Fig. 16
is the clutch fork; Fig. 17 is the clutch rod and lever; Fig. 18 is the
main axle; Fig. 19 is the crank shaft and pinion; Fig. 20 is the crank
shaft bar; Fig. 21 is the crank shaft driver; Fig. 22 is the tripping rock
shaft and lever; and Fig. 23 is a ratchet box.
Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is an inside elevation of the machine arranged as a
reaper, and Fig. 4 is a plan of the same.
The following refers to various parts of the machine drawn and shown
separate on Sheet 2 :-Fig. 24 is the rake stand bridge; Fig. 25 is the
rake head arm; Fig. 26 is a perspective view of the rake cam guide;
Fig. 27 is the rake track bridge; Fig. 28 is the joint sleeve of the
revolving rake head; Fig. 29 is the switch tripper; Fig. 30 is a plan of
the revolving rake head; Fig. 31 is a bottom plan of the same; Fig. 32

page_text: is the rake driving pinion; Fig. 33 is a back view of the same; Fig. 34
is the axle brace rod; Fig. 35 is an under plan of rake stand base plate;
Fig. 36 is the rake cap washer; Fig. 37 is the lateral suspension arm for
the inner sleeve; Figs. 38, 39, and 40 are inner and outer faces of
ratchet and pawl case; Fig. 42 is the castor wheel arm joint palate;
Fig. 43 is the driver's seat leg; Fig. 44 is the grain wheel, and Fig. 45
is the grain wheel arm.
Fig. 5, Sheet 3, is a perspective view of the back side of the machine
arranged for mowing.
The following refers to various parts of the machine drawn and
shown separate on Sheet 3 :-Fig. 46 is the cutter's pitman rod; Fig. 47
is the lateral brace for the cutting apparatus; Fig. 48 is a plan for the
cutting apparatus with inner and outer shoes; Fig. 49 is the shield for
crank shaft driver; Fig. 50 is the crank wheel; Fig. 51 is the clutch rod
cam box; Fig. 52 is the drag bar; Fig. 53 is the suspending arm for
cutting apparatus; Fig. 54 is a perspective view of main frame with all
detachable parts removed; Fig. 55 is the countershaft; Fig. 56 is the
latch rod for the lifting lever; Figs. 57 and 58 are elevations of the
cam guide and revolving heads, showing different adjustments; Fig. 59
is a central section of the revolving heads; Fig. 60 is a perspective view
of rake switch; Fig. 61 is an outer side clevation of the outer shoc;
Fig. 62 is a plan of the same; Fig. 63 is a perspective view of the cam
shield; Fig. 6d is a side elevation of the crank shaft box; Fig. 65 is a
ratchet box and axle sleeve; Fig. 66 is a perspective view partly sec-
tional of the cam guide base plate; Fig. 67 is a perspective view of the
inner shoe and rake bridge in place, and Fig. 68 is an elevation showing
the switch in position.
The main frame is rectangular, and is composed of bars A, A, of
wrought iron firmly bolted or riveted together at their intersections.
The main frame A is supported by two supporting and driving
wheels B, B, mounted upon a stationary axle F; said wheels are pro-
vided with internal geared rims G, G, which mesh with and actuate
pinions : 9, on a countershaft H, whereby motion is communicated by
bevel wheel to the cutter's crank shaft I.
The driving wheel / would be exposed to contact with objects upon
the ground, and entangle its cogs with stubble if not protected. To

page_text: prevent this I cover its face and lower edge with a shield S¹; said
shield is bolted at its front end to the front end of the front bar of the
main frame, and at its rear end to the crank shaft box T; a cup-like
projection s¹ on the rear portion of the shield S¹ covers and shields the
crank shaft pinion p¹.
The pinions g, g, are alsoe covered and protected by shields R',
which are cast with the boxes in which the countershaft II has its
bearings.
The crank shaft box T is 'tubular, so that the whole length of the
shaft is covered and protected from dirt and dust. The bearings are at
each end, and may be made by inserted bushings or antifriction metal.
It is provided with lugs t, t, for the reception of the bolts, which secure
it to the main frame. At its rear end it is expanded to form a bevil-
like shield g', within which the crank wheel S and pitman joint revolve.
The countershaft H has a longitudinal feather ¹ upon which a
clutch sleeve a¹ slides, and said clutch sleeve engages with the end of
the sleeve hub of the wheel h, so that when in said engagement the
wheel is caused to revolve with said shaft. A clutch fork c' at the
end of a clutch crank rod J', and controlls said sleeve, and serves to
move it into or out of engagement with the sleeve of the wheel h.
The clutch rod J' passes through a box O', which is made a part of
the bearing box for the countershaft H, and its crank end serves for a
lever, whereby the driver may operate it. The crank end of the rod J'
rests against the cam face of the box O', so that as it is pushed over
towards the front said cam face recedes, and the clutch sleeves come
into engagement; and when said lever is pushed over backward the cam
face advances, and the clutch sleeve a¹ is drawn back. A spring is
applied to the clutch rod to make the clutch sleeve move into engage-
ment automatically. The cam face of the box O' has a hooked pro-
jection o¹ at each end to limit the movement of the clutch rod.
A footboard J is mounted upon short legs above the main frame A to
support the driver and his seat i while the machine is being operated.
The lug V for the seat i is made from a single strip of sheet steel, the
foot and brace u' of the same being formed by holding the strip back
upon itself, as shown. Secured to the inner end of the front bar A of
the main frame is a plate K, folded so as to form a long vertical slot to
receive the front end of the drag bar C, and permit the same to be

page_text: removed up and down as may be required to adust the points of the
guards and cutters. The corresponding bar across the rear of the main
frame has its inner end turned upward as at a to form a fulcrum for the
segment lever D, whereby the inner shoe and the cutting apparatus may
be raised from the ground whenever desired by the driver. The fulcrum a
is rendered more rigid than heretofore, from the fact that the stress upon
it is in the direction of the length of the fulcrum bar, and is therefore
brought directly upon the frame without any intermediate spring or
flexion. It may also be conveniently braced and stiffened by the arm E,
from the rear end of which the inner shoe is suspended when the
machine is arranged for reaping, and has the platform and raking
mechanism attached.
At the top of the fulcrum a ratchet teeth may be placed to engage
with a pawl d placed at the side of the lever D, and withdrawn as
required by means of a hand piece near the extremity of said lover, so
that the inner shoe P may be raised and maintained at any desired
height from the ground, instead of being held by an adjustable strap and
holder, as heretofore.
The drag bar is connected at its front end with and controlled by a
rock shaft L and connecting rod 7, said rock shaft being operated and
controlled by a hand lever with a latch pawl engaging with the scg-
ment rack f.
At the inner end of the main axle F there is a mounted long sleeve
hub M, the end of which is notched to engage with the spokes of the
wheel B. At the outer end of this sleeve there is a recessed flange or
pawl case m, into which projects a ratchet on the end of the wheel N,
whereon the rake chain n is placed, and motion transmitted to the rake
and reel.
The axle brace n¹ extends from the extremity of the axle forward to
the transverse bar of the frame A to strengthen the axle against back-
ward strain.
The cutting apparatus O is secured at its inner end to the shoe P,
which slides on the ground when the machine is used for mowing.
At the rear end of the shoe P, and projecting laterally therefrom, is a
brace or arm T rigidly secured to said shoe. This brace may be removed
from said shoe when the machine is fitted for mowing, but when fitted

page_text: for reaping the shoe is raised from the ground, and the outer end of
said brace is attached by a chain to the rear end of the brace E. The
centre of suspension and motion of the cutting apparatus as the outer
end rises and falls with the undulations of the ground over which it.
passes, is thereby transferred from the rear end of the drag bar C to
the end of the brace T at a point between the plains of the supporting
wheels.
At the front end of said shoe there is a tubular sleeve or bearing Q to
receive the rear end of the drag bar C, which thereby has a rigid con-
nection with said shoe, so far as lateral strains are concerned, but may
have a free rotary movement thereon as an axis.
The rear end of the drag bar C passes through the end of the lateral
brace R to form the outer joint of said brace. The inner end of said
brace R is jointed to the main frame forward of the cutter's crank
wheels S by means of a swivel ". The lateral brace R is therefore
entirely in front of the crank S and pitmans s, and its connection with
the inner shoe P and the main frame A is strengthened thereby.
The swivel joint of the lateral brace R is in a lug or enlargement y
made on the crank shaft box beneath the neck thereof in rear of its
connection to the transverse bar A of the main frame. Said lug y is
perforated horizontally, and a swivel pin is fitted therein, said pin
having a head at one end to which the lateral brace R is jointed. This
forms an easy and ready means of connecting the lateral brace with a
swivel connection, and placing the same in front of the crank and
pitman, so that said connections are not only strengthened, but the
pitman is protected by the lateral brace from contact with objects upon
the ground, which otherwise might embarrass its movements.
At the outer end of the cutting apparatus there is a shoe U, and when
the machine is used for reaping said shoe is carried above the ground by
the castor grain wheel u.
The grain wheel u is pivoted to the end of an arm k¹, which in turn is
pivoted to a plate p. The pivot bolt connecting the arm ¹ to the
plate has a horizontal axis, and said plate p is hinged to the outer shoe
bracket V with a bolt having a vertical axis, so that said wheel is
adjustable as to position in both horizontal and vertical planes; it is a
self-adjustable in the horizontal plane, like a castor wheel, as the

page_text: machine moves over the ground, and its adjustment in the vertical plane
is readily effected by means of a spring latch 7, which engages with one
of the series of holes m¹ in the hinged plate p.
A wooden divider board W is also placed at the outer end of the
cutting apparatus.
The arm of the grain wheel u is jointed to the bracket plate V, which
in turn is bolted directly to the flange of the shoe U by bolts v¹, v¹, inde-
pendent of the fastening of the divider W, which has heretofore been
placed between the said bracket and flange of the shoe U, and secured
to the same bolts. The divider board W is bolted to the bracket V, and
may be removed from the cutting apparatus without detachment of its
fastenings to said bracket. The divider and bracket are thereby much
more conveniently attached or detached, and the fastenings are also
made much more rigid and secure than heretofore.
The grain platform Y is secured to the rear edge of the cutter bar and
the divider W in the usual manner, and is removed when the machine
is arranged for mowing. The cut grain is removed from the platform
by a revolving rake mounted upon a bridge plate A', the front end of
which is bolted to a lug b, which is cast with and projects upward from
the sleeve Q, and the rear end is bolted to the arm T with a lateral
brace c extending to or beyond the middle of the shoe P. The bridge A¹
is made with a lateral offset as at e, so that the reel shaft is placed
between the plane of the wheel B and the drag bar C, and the central
part of said bridge upon which said recl shaft is placed is inclined
outward, so that said reel shaft has a corresponding inclination away
from the plane wheel B. The reel shaft is inclined in this way for the
purpose of more effectually carrying the rake and reel beaters clear of
the wheel B, and the driver on his seat, without cramping the rake arms
by causing them to move upward to a line nearly or quite parallel with
the axis of the reel shaft. Upon the middle portion of said bridge
there is firmly bolted a plate B', and said plate has a lateral arm q¹ upon
which the sprocket wheel or pinion O' is mounted. I prefer to make
said arm q' tubular, and pass a clamping bolt through it, the nut on the
outer end of which will retain said sprocket wheel C¹ in place.
The top of the plate B¹ is provided with radial serrations, which
engage with corresponding serrations on the bottom of the rake cam D',
so that a single central bolt will effectually hold the said cam in what-

page_text: ever adjustment it may be placed, and any change in the adjustment
may be made with corresponding case. The bolt passes through the
centre from which the said radial serrations emanate, and also through a
tubular or sleeve bearing E¹, which is placed above the cam guide D¹ as a
bearing for the revolving rake and reel carrier F. When said carrier F¹
is placed upon said sleeve bearing E¹ a cap plate e¹ is placed on the top
of said bearing, and the screw nut of the bolt d' then not only binds
said cap sleeve, cam, and base plate together firmly, but the cap e¹ pre-
vents the removal of the carrier F" from its bearing.
The carrier F¹ consists of a brace plate, the under side of which is
provided with cogs to form a bevel gear wheel f, which meshes with the
bevel pinion of the sprocket wheel C¹, and is actuated by said pinion.
Above said base plate there are four or more pairs of parallel flanges,
between which the rake heads G¹ are pivoted, so that they may risc and
fall in radial planes.
The cam guide is similar to those heretofore used with rakes of this
character with a switch, which may be opened either automatically or
at the will of the driver, and either one of the several beaters thereby
caused to act as a rake.
The switch and bridge 7 are made with a hinge joint having a
single pin y', which projects from the side of the cam guide D'. By
this method the arrangement of said switch and its bridge is much
simplified; they also work on an axis nearly or quito horizontal. When
the switch opens it is caught and held so by the latch Y untill relcased
by the tripping stud set in the revolving head. When so released the
latch is immediately closed by a spring applied for that purpose. The
opening of said switch is effected automatically by the passage of the
rake arm roller under the switch tail Z. The latch Y¹ may be tripped
at any time by the driver, a connection by means of wire, cord, or small
chain being made between said latch and the foot lever X' for that
purpose to enable the driver to cause the removal of the gavel twich
dureing each revolution of the rake.
By placing the rake carrier and cam so near the level of the grain
platform, and by its inclination outward, I am enabled to dispense
with the rake arms, such as heretofore been employed, and attach the
beater H directly to the rake heads G¹, the latter being bifurcated at
their outer ends to receive the ends of the beaters, which are adjustable

page_text: 6th. The switch and the bridge
constructed with a hinge joint,
and mounted upon a single stud as set forth.
7th. The rake head G¹ provided with pendent arm and roller I',
combined with and attached directly to the rake beater H³, as and for
the purpose set forth.
8th. The roller upon the arm holder moving upon an axis perpendi-
cular to the joint bolt, so that said roller will always track smoothly
in its path.
9th. The bell-crank latch Y, substantially as described combined with
the switch t', as set forth.
10th. The combination with the base plate B¹, cam D', and revolving
carrier F¹ the sleeve journal E', cap e', and bolt d', as and for the purpose
set forth.
5
1
11th. The rake bridge A' constructed with a lateral offset e, as
described, and attached at its front end to the lug and at its rear end 1
to the arm T, as set forth.
12th. The rake cam D', rake carrier F¹, spindle q', base plate B', and
bridge A¹, all combined for joint operation, substantially as shown and
described.
13th. The shoe P constructed with the tubular bearing Q for the 20
attachment of the drag bar C, substantially as set forth.
14th. The shoe P constructed with the outer rim or flange U, as and
for the purpose set forth.
15th. In combination with the shoe P constructed substantially as set
forth the shield Z, as described.
16th. In combination with the sleeve U and bracket V bolted directly
thereto and the divider W bolted only to bracket, as set forth.
17th. The L shaped clutch lever J' combined with the clutch sleeve a²
and cam-faced box O', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2
18th. The seat spring U', u', composed of a single piece of metal, sub- 30
stantially in the form and manner set forth.
19th. The rock shaft L, substantially as described, combined with
the latch lever k¹ and notched segment ƒ at one end, and the crank