IMPROVE- MENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Drummond, of Cameron Bank, in the County
of Mid Lothian, North Britain, Farmer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Scaled the 11th March 1859, and dated the 29th October 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Drummond at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
October 1858.
I, JAMES DRUMMOND, of Cameron Bank, in the County of Mid Lothian,
North Britain, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," to be as follows, that
is to say :-
This Invention relates to an entirely novel arrangement of reaping and
mowing machines, for the purpose of securing superior efficiency in the
working actions and general adaptability to various classes of work, and to
uneven ground, and the more convenient and effective laying of the grain
when cut.
Under one modification, the machine, as adapted for reaping, consists of a
wooden framing made up of three bars of wood mortised into two side beams.
The hind bar projects beyond the framing for a purpose which will be herein
explained. A short bar is mortised between the two front bars in the middle
of the frame, and the axle or lying shaft which drives the upright crank
spindle rests upon this bar and the side beams. The ground wheels are

page_text: somewhat larger than usual, and there is a pinion fixed on the nave of the
near side driving wheel. A second or intermediate pinion works into this first
wheel, and a third pinion is keyed upon the end of the lying axle already
mentioned, which drives the crank spindle. The lying axle works through
two bearings resting upon the middle bar and side beam, and there is a bevil
pinion keyed upon the other end of the axle, which works into a small pinion
keyed on the top of the upright crank spindle, which works through bearings
bolted to a wooden board, and this is again bolted to the middle bar above;
the board is also fixed by an iron stay attached to the side beams. The cutter
is worked directly by a connecting rod from the crank.
At
The cutter and its appendages are not placed across the machine or at right
angles with the line of draught, as in all other reaping machines, but it is
placed at or about an angle of 45° with the line of draught. The knives are
riveted on a bar of iron, and another bar of iron the same breadth and a littic
thicker is placed behind the knife bar. There are a number of studs riveted
on the under side of this bar for the knife bar to move and slide upon when
the machine is in motion. There are also a number of points or fingers
riveted on the upper side with a slit in each for the knife to work through.
Behind this finger bar is an upright bar of wood, an eye extending nearly the
whole length of the finger bar, there are two upright rods of iron or wood
screwed on this bar of wood. The use of these rods is for a sheet of iron or
wood to slide up or down according to the length of the corn. The use of this
apparatus is to gather the cut corn and lay it down in a regular swathe.
that part of the hind bar of the frame which projects outwards, there is a bar
of wood extending from this part in the line of draught to and across the
finger bar and knife bar, and a bolt passes through the finger bar, and these
are attached to the projecting part of the frame, which keeps the cutter and
finger board in their position. The end of this stay bar is in the line of
draught, and projects beyond the cutter, and is provided with two upright rods
of iron, and on which is screwed an angular sheet of iron or wood. The use
of this is to prevent the cut corn from falling towards the horses when in
motion. One end of the apparatus which gathers the cut corn is attached to
the stay bar in the line of draught, the other end is separated by a lever which
extends to that part of the hind bar of the frame which projects outwards.
The apparatus which gathers and collects the growing corn and holds it up
until it is cut is a kind of reel at the end of a wooden shaft extending across
the frame, and to the outer point of the knife bar. The shaft is driven by a
band over two small pulleys, one fixed on the end of the lying axle driving the
erank spindle, and the other fixed on the end of the wooden shaft. The.

page_text: machine is thrown out of gear by lifting up the second or intermediate pinion
wheel either by hand or by a lever. When the machine is worked with two
horses they are yoked to three shafts; when one horse is employed two shafts
will be sufficient. This machine will cut to any breadth the farmer chooses,
all that is required to effect this being to lengthen the cutter finger bar and
apparatus which gathers and lays down the cut corn.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Drummond in the Great Seal Patent Office on tho
29th April 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
DRUMMOND, of Cameron Bank, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain,
Farmer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Jer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Drummond, Her special license that I, the said James
Drummond, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said James Drummond, my 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Drummond, 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 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 James Drummond, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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:-
My improved reaping and moving machine is fully delineated in the

page_text: accompanying Sheet of Drawings. Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation or
side view of one modification of the machine; Figure 2 is an end view or
elevation looking upon the backward end of the machine; Figure 3 is a
corresponding front view; and Figure 4 is a plan of the arrangement.
According to this modification the main framing of the machine consists of
a rectangular frame A of wood, the upper side bars of which extend outwards
in front of the machine and form a pair of shafts B. The front transverse bar
is continued outwards in a lateral direction to admit of a third shaft C being
fitted thereto, in order, that two horses may be harnessed to the machine.
The weight of the frame A and its connected parts rests mainly upon the
driving wheels D, the "near side" or left-hand wheel serving to impart
motion to the moving parts of the reaping mechanism. The near wheel D
has fitted to its nave the spur wheel E, which gears with the intermediate
wheel F that is carried on a short horizontal shaft extends partially across the
framing A. The wheel F gives motion to the pinion G which is fast to tho
horizontal shaft H, the bearings of which are bolted to the longitudinal bar
of the framing A and to a parallel beam fitted between the transverse bars of
the framing. The inner extremity of the shaft II has keyed to it the bevil
pinion I, which drives the pinion that is fast to the upper extremity of the
vertical crank spindle K, this spindle is carried in collar bearings that are
fitted laterally to a pendent piece of wood L which is bolted to the framing.
The lower part of the plank L is supported and strengthened by an iron stay,
the upper end of which is attached to the side beam of the framing A. The
lower end of the crank shaft is connected by the rod M to the cutter N, which
is so arranged that it extends laterally from the machine at an angle of about
forty-five degrees, as shewn more particularly in the plan, Figure 4, on my
Drawings. The cutter N consists of a series of finely serrated cutting blades
O, of a triangular figure at the outer or cutting part; these blades or cutters
are riveted or otherwise attached to the iron bar N. This bar is arranged in
immediate contiguity to another but thicker bar P, to which are riveted the
outwardly projecting spikes or fingers Q, these fingers have a slot formed in
each, the direction of which is parallel with the upper and under surfaces of
the fingers. The slots in the fingers Q admit of the rod N with its attached
cutters O moving freely to and fro therein, the action of the cutters O against
the fixed surfaces Q serving to sever or divide the stems of the wheat or other
plants to be reaped. The transverse bar P has riveted to it a series of
pendent brackets, they are indicated by the dotted lines and rivet heads in the
plan, Figure 4, on my Drawings; these brackets extend outwards, and serve
to support the cutter bar N which slides to and fro on the surfaces of the

page_text: brackets. Thus, when the crank shaft K is put in motion, the cutter N
moves rapidly to and fro between the fingers Q, acting in manner similar to
the cutting action of a pair of scissors. The outwardly extending part of the
reaping mechanism traverses upon two wheels R, the inner one of which is
carried in a case or box that is bolted to the front part of the inner bar of the
reaping mechanism, the outer wheel R being fitted in a corresponding case or
box at the extremity of the bar P. The inner portion of the bar P is bent
inwards, and extends beneath the central transverse bar of the framing, the
face of the part near the extremity being twisted from the horizontal to the
vertical position and perforated, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 on my Drawings.
This upwardly extending part of the bar P is secured by a bolt and pin to the
vertical bar S, the upper end of which has a screw thread cut on it. The bar S
passes upwards through a guide that is secured to the under side of the
central transverse bar, and then through the bar itself, a screw T being fitted
to the upper end so that the length of the bar may be adjusted as required.
This arrangement of the bar P admits of the cutter bar and its connected
parts passing readily over any inequalities of the ground, and also the adjust-
ment of the distance of the cutters from the ground by means of the screw T.
The crop to be cut is pressed over the cutting apparatus and in close contact
with the knives by means of the reel U, which consists of a central shaft fitted
with radial arms, having flat boards or vanes attached thereto. The shaft of
the reel is carried in bearings that are bolted to a wooden bed V, that extends
in an angular direction across the machine. The reel shaft U has fitted to
one extremity a pulley W, which is driven by an endless band X that is
carried round a pulley on the end of the shaft II from which it derives its
motion. The band X being diverted from a right line to reach the pulley W
is guided by the adjustable pulleys Y, as shown in Figures 1 and 4 on my
Drawings. The crop, as it is cut, falls back upon the inclined platform Z;
the inner part of this platform, next the driving wheel, is attached to the
jointed adjusting rod a by means of a link b, which is bolted to the bar that
carries the inner wheel R. The adjusting rod a is free to move vertically in
the guide e, which is attached to the end bar of the framing A, through which
bar the upper end of the rod a passes, and has fitted to it an adjusting nut d.
To the outer part of the platform Z the lower end of a second bar e is bolted;
this bar is bent upwards, and extends across the back part of the machine, and
it forms a hand lever for the adjustment of the angular direction of the plat-
form. The bar e passes between the faces of two guides f; these guides are
perforated and fitted with retaining pins, by means of which the bare may be
adjusted, as required.

page_text: Another arrangement is also provided for giving more or less inclination to
the platform Z; this is effected by means of the board g, which is secured to
the back of the platform in an angular direction, as shown in Figure 2, on
my Drawings. The adjusting board or bar projects above the top of the
platform Z, and rests upon a bracket h, which is bolted to the end bar of the
framing, and is bent to form an inclined surface, corresponding to the inclina-
tion of the adjusting bar g. A series of holes is made in the bar g; a pin is
passed through one of these holes, and it rests upon the upper edge of the
bracket . By shifting the position of this pin from one hole to another, the
bar g is practically lengthened or shortened, and the inclination of the face or
receiving surface of the platform is varied accordingly. To prevent any part
of the cut crop from falling towards the off side driving wheel, a vertical
board or guard i is secured to the frame of the cutting apparatus; this guard
extends backwards in an angular direction, as shown in Figure 1 on my
Drawings; it serves effectually to prevent any of the cut crop from falling
beneath the wheels of the machine. At the outer extremity of the receiving
platform Z there are fitted two outwardly sliding arms; the extremities of
these arms are bent upwards so as to retain a considerable quantity of the
cut crop. The angular direction in which the cutting apparatus is arranged
tends to carry the cut material towards the arms h, from whence it is easily
removed, as it accumulates, either to be made up in sheaves or otherwise
disposed of. In a reaping machine, arranged in accordance with my improve-
ments, the angular position or direction of the cutters and platform may be
varied to any degree of inclination with the utmost ease and facility, so as to
obtain a greatly superior cutting action, combined with the minimum expen-
diture of power, whilst at the same time the parts being so adjusted upon the
moveable pivots that the action of the machine is not interrupted in passing
over broken ground. And further to provide for this adjustable rocking
motion of the cutting apparatus, the bar P is made with two backwardly
extending lateral arms or links, which are jointed to rods pendent from the
main framing or are otherwise connected to suitable centres, so that whilst the
arms firmly hold the bar P and the cutting apparatus when opposed to the
resistance of the crop, the arrangement of the arms admit of the whole rising
and falling with an easy and regular motion as the machine passes over the
inequalities of the ground.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to

page_text: describe or refer to, as variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the principles or main features of my said Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery or apparatus
for reaping and mowing cereal and other crops, as herein-before described and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the system or mode of reaping or mowing cereal and other vegetable
crops by means of machinery or apparatus, arranged as herein-before described
or any miere modification thereof.
Third, the system or mode of constructing machinery or apparatus for
reaping or mowing, in which the cutting or reaping mechanism is arranged in
such manner that the cutters recede from the front part of the machine back-
wards in an angular or diagonal direction, as herein-before described and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth, the system or mode of arranging and constructing the cutting
apparatus, the gathering reel, and the receiving board or platform in such
manner that the whole or part thereof may be adjusted to any desired angle,
and also admit by their vertical adjustments of a rising and falling motion in
passing over uneven ground, as herein-before described and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof. I, the said James Drummond, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
JAMES DRUMMOND. (L.s.)