IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Brigham and Richard Bickerton, both of the
Town and County of Berwick-on-Tweed, North Britain, Implement
Makers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING
MACHINES."
Sealed the 2nd March 1866, and dated the 9th September 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Brigham and
Richard Bickerton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 9th September 1865.
We, JOHN BRIGHAM and RICHARD BICKERTON, both of the Town and
County of Berwick-on-Tweed, North Britain, Implement Makers, 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 has reference to improvements in the construction, arrange-
ment, and modes of attaching many of the important parts in reaping and
mowing machines, and particularly those of the "Buckeye" reaping and
mowing machine, whereby such machines are rendered stronger, more durable
and effecient in their action, and more comfortable for the drivers and atten-

page_text: dants, who sit or ride upon them either while at work or when being driven
along the roads and fields, than heretofore.
In regard to these improvements as applied to the "Buckeye," it may be stated
that no great or important changes have been made in the general character or
form of this machine, or in the essential arrangement or motions of the working
and cutting mechanism which are peculiar to it, and distinguish it from all other
reaping and mowing machines; nevertheless the several important improve
ments which have been made and constitute this Invention go to make up on
the whole a much superior "Buckeye" reaping and mowing machine to any
now in use. One of the first of these improvements-consists-in-constructing the
main frame, which carries all the bearings of, the main and actuating shafts,
of one solid casting of a peculiarly strong and yet light and open construction.
This open frame, which is formed of a thin horizontal web about five or six
inches wide, with thin vertical ribs or feathers at the edges all round of a
varying height of from two to four inches or so, according to the strength
required at the several parts. The two sides or rails of this solid frame run
parallel and close to the main wheels, and have the two bearings of the main
shaft formed in them, and towards the front end of the inside rail, or that
on the cutting side of the machine, the vertical flanges are highest, so as
to form a kind of strong socket or three-sided recess for the rear end of
the main drawing and guiding pole, which is firmly fitted and bolted therein.
The back and front ends or rails of this frame are rounded and descend in a
curve towards the centre, so as to throw the weight low in the machine and
carry the two end bearings of the quick speed crank shaft for actuating the
knife bar. On the back end and outside rails of this frame is carried the
two bearings of the short intermediate shaft which transmits motion, through
a clutch pinion on its inner end, from the crown wheel of the main shaft,
into which it gears, and an internal spur.wheel on its, rear end; to the pinion
on the end of the crank shaft, the outer web or rim of this internal wheel; thus
forming a shield or covering for the protection of its own teeth and those of
the pinion gearing therein; the clutch of the pinion of the crown wheel is
kept in gear by a helical spring placed on the shaft between it and a. fixed
collar for the purpose. A light strong wooden platform, with vertical front
and sides about seven or eight inches high, is jointed_at_the_front_to "snugs-
projecting up from the two side rails of the cast-iron frame, and rests on the
back end of the same by a bar of wood secured to the under side and rear
of the platform, to which it adds strength; the whole forming a lid or cover
which encloses and protects' most of the working wheels and bearings from
injury, and allowing of easy access thereto for inspection, adjustment, and
"

page_text: lubrication. This platform, which is also for carrying the driver and his
moveable spring seat, is of an improved construction as well as the seat in so
far as placing it on springs and making it to shift, so that the weight of
the seat and the driver can be "thrown" backwards or forward upon the
machine when desired, according as it is being used for mowing or reaping.
The driver's seat is erected over the back end of the platform. upon a
duplex spring at each side, formed of two inverted light curved blade or
coach springs jointed at their ends, leaving an eliptical space between them
for the elastic motion of the blades of each spring, which is mounted on to the
top of a longitudinal and horizontal bar by a sliding block, buckle, and screw
bolt, so that the seat with its two springs is capable of sliding upon and being
fixed in any position on the two side bars, and the bars themselves carrying
the whole are firmly secured to the sides and rear of the platform by their
two ends, which are bent downwards so as to form curved stems or supports
for the purpose. The strong front end of the platform forms the footboard
for the driver, and the vertical lever for throwing the clutch of the crown
pinion out of or into gear is fulcrumed to a bracket on the under side of the
platform, the point or drooping free end "taking into "the annular groove of
the clutch, while the handle or long end projects up through a slit in the
platform with notches for retaining it in the two positions adjacent to the
hand of the driver. When the machine is used as a reaper to deliver the cut
crop in loose sheaves in a line with and behind the finger bar, the main wheel
on the cutting side is covered in by a strong, iron band or guard supported in
front by the main drawing pole, and at the back by a bar or bracket pro-
jecting laterally from the main cast-iron frame; upon the top of this band,
near the centre either to it or to a strong support projecting upwards from
the hinged wooden platform, is fixed the seat for the attendant, who lays the
cut corn into loose sheaves from the platform on to the ground: For some
kinds of corn or crops the tilting delivery platform is preferred, either tilted
in the most usual way by the attendant's foot, or by any simple automatic
motion taken from the "near" driving wheel; in either case the platform.is
.carried by two raised angular brackets bolted to and projecting backwards
from the finger bar; the pivots or ends of the tilting spindle of the delivery
board working in holes or bearings formed in the sides of the two brackets
near their extremities; in this way the delivery platform would rise and fall
along with the finger bar to the inequalities of the ground. In. other cases
it is sometimes preferred to attach a low and nearly flat borizontal platform
with a vertical segmental side about twelve or eighteen inches high sweeping
round in the form of a quarter of a circle from and behind the outer end of

page_text: the finger bar, thus having the open end of the platform brought nearly in
a line with and quite behind the track of the main frame or carriage of the
machine, and so as to deliver the cut corn at right angles to its track or path.
This platform would not tilt, but have its front edge directly attached
to the back of the finger bar, and so rise or fall to suit the ground along
with it; and it would be further supported and stayed by a joint to a bracket
projecting out from the main cast-iron frame suspended by a link or chain
from the stay or cover over and behind the main wheel on the cutting side
just below the attendant's feet, so that as the attendant at intervals brings
the cut crop, falling on the segmental platform, with a fork or--rake-round-
the receding and curved vertical side, it would be delivered nearly at
right angles to and quite clear or out of the track or course of the
'machine on its next or succeeding round. In some cases it is preferred to
fit a reel to this machine for gathering in the standing crop towards the
finger bar and cutters, and laying it over as cut on the platform, especially
when the curved platform for the delivery of the loose sheaves at right angles
to the course of the machine is employed. This reel, which possesses some
improved features in regard to its overhanging construction, combined with
lightness and strength, and quite new in its application to the " "Buckeye,"
is erected with its axis nearly vertical and parallel to and over the finger bar.
The short shaft or horizontal spindle, carrying the chain or band pulley for
driving it, and the overhanging eye or centre, with the sockets or recesses into
which the vertical spokes and angled stays carrying the horizontal rails or
gathering paddles are fixed, is carried by and revolves in bearings formed in
a bracket attached to the top of a light and strong iron or wooden upright
standard, either secured to the main cast-iron frame or to a strong bracket
projecting up from the strong stayed arm of the finger bar, in which case it
and the reel would rise and fall with the finger bar. To prevent this up-
and-down motion of the reel from tighening or slackening the driving chain
or band, it is carried down and round two pulleys in a horizontal line with
the actuating pulley on the main shaft, which transmits the motion through
either one or two endless chains or bands, according as they are simply trans-
.mitted or looped round the pulleys at the lower part of the standard carrying
the reel. The gathering arms are curved forward at their ends_so_as_to
draw-in-and-deliver all the corn within their range as it is cut properly upon
the platform.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Brigham and Richard Bickerton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 8th March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
BRIGHAM and RICHARD BICKERTON, of the Town and County of Berwick-on-
Tweed, North Britain, Implement Makers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year .of. Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said John Brigham and Richard Bickerton, Her special licence that we,
the said John Brigham and Richard Bickerton, our executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Brigham and Richard
Bickerton, our 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 MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said John Brigham and Richard Bickerton, our executors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 we, the said John Brigham and Richard Bickerton,,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner.
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
Our said Invention of "Improvements in Reaping and Mowing Machines-"
has reference to improvements in the construction, arrangement, and modes of.
attaching many of the important parts in reaping and mowing machines, and
particularly those of that known as the " Buckeye reaping and mowing
machine," whereby such machines are rendered stronger, more durable and
efficient in their action, and more comfortable for the driver and attendants,

page_text: who sit or ride upon them either while at work or while being merely driven
along the roads and over the fields, than heretofore.
In regard to these our improvements as applied to the "Buckeye reaping
and mowing machine," it may be stated that no great or important changes
have been made in the general character or form of this machine, or in the
essential arrangement or motions of the working and cutting mechanism,
which are peculiar to it and distinguish it from all other reaping and mowing
machines, nevertheless the several important improvements which have been
made and constitute this our said Invention when so applied make up on
the whole a much superior "Buckeye reaping-and-mowing machine to any
öther in use.
t
And in order that our said Invention, and the best manner of -performing
the same which we are at present aware of, may be properly understood, we
shall now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures upon the Sheet
of Drawings which we have hereunto appended for that purpose, the same
reference letters and figures indicate the same or corresponding parts in all
the Figures.
I
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a "Buckeye reaping and mowing machine"
(taken on the line 1-1 in Figure 2, which cuts and shows the finger and
cutter bars in cross section) constructed in accordance with and embodying
one modification or adaptation of most of the improvements contained in our
Invention; Figure 2 is a plan of the same machine corresponding to Figure 1,
shown with the hinged cover or platform carrying the driver's seat as removed,
for the purpose of showing the construction of the main frame and the attach-
ment and arrangement of the other important parts of the machine thereto;
Figure 3 is a plan of the said hinged platform shown as detached; and Figure 4
is a plan of the finger bar of the same machine shown as detached and
fitted with the outter running wheel and tilting gathering platform as used
when reaping and delivering the cut crop in a line or path behind the finger
bar.
In this modification of our Invention (as shown an Figures 1 and 2) the
main frame A is formed of cast iron in one piece, of an open rectangular
shape, by preference rounded at the corners towards the ends (as seen in
Figure 2), of a light and strong construction, with a horizontal-web-and-deep
vertical-feathers or flanges all round. The two sides A', A; have the two
bearings B of the main driving shaft 6 by preference formed on their under
side with inverted covers, and the main running and driving wheels c run
loose on the shaft in the usual manner, and are fitted with the usual fixed
ratchet discs cand spring palls c, which are put into action when the machine

page_text: is required to mow or reap, so that the motion of the wheels cover the ground.
turns the shaft b and large bevel or crown wheel d. The front and back ends.
A3, A4, are curved downwards towards the centre, so as to throw the weight of
the machine as low as possible and carry the two end bearings E, E!, on their
upper side of the quick speed crank shafte for actuating the knife or cutter
bar in the usual manner. The bearing E near the crank is made very long,
and by preference of brass or bush metal. in two halves, so as to tighten up
laterally in the direction of the strain and wear by the pinching screw E²,
when desired; and the bearing E' is formed in the frame itself with a top
cover screwed down by two bolts. A part of the side A2 of the main frame
projects inwards, so as to carry the short intermediate shaft f(which transmits
motion from the first motion shaft band wheel d to the shaft e) in the two
bearings F formed in the frame with top covers in the same manner, as that
of E. Motion is given to the shaft f by the loose pinion d' gearing into the
wheel d' through the spring clutch F, which is put into gear with the clutch.
end of the pinion d¹ by the constant action of the belical spring F on the,
shaft f, between a fixed collar and nut at the end of the shaft and the movible
clutch ; and the clutch F¹ is taken or held out of gear with the pinion d¹
against the power of the spring by the hand lever G, which is carried on á
stud in the bracket G', pendant from the under side of the driver's platform H,
in such a manner that the lower short end of the lever G takes into an annular
grove in the clutch F, while the upper free end of the lever G passes up
through a notched slip or grove G2 in the platform H, adjacient to and con-
venient to the hand of the driver for that purpose, so as to stop the action of
the cutting mechanism when desired. The shaft f in turn transmits its motion
to the crank shaft e of the cutting mechanism through the internal spur wheel
F3 and pinion E³, fixed on their overhanging back ends respectively, the outter
rim and disc web of the wheel F3 thus covering in and protecting its own
teeth and those of the pinion E³ from injury; while on the front side the
teeth are further protected by the semicircular disc F, pendant from the end
A of the main frame. That side A' of the main frame nearest the cutting
side of the machine, to which the drawing pole a is attached by screw bolts, is
made broader with deep side flanges above to form a recess or socket for the
rear end of the pole, further strengthened by feathers at this part on the under
side. The finger bar 9, 9', (which is of the usual duplex and hinged con-
struction peculiar to this class of machine) is hinged to deep pendant side
feathers on the under side of the centre and lowest part of the front rail A³-of
the main frame, and stayed in 'its lateral position by the angular. malleable
iron rod 92, secured to a strong pendant feather at the centre of the back rail

page_text: A* of the main frame, and as these two pendant parts of the front and back
rails A³ and A¹ receive much of the strain of the finger bar and cutters against
the standing crop in the act of being cut, they are strongly bound together by.
tlie tie rod As. The finger bar is carried up and made to rise and fall so as
to regulate its distance from the ground by the chain and segmental pulley h
and light cross shaft h', which latter is carried in the two bearing brackets
I; I'; attached to the front part of the machine or main frame A, the shaft h'.
being turned by the long land lever h², fixed upon it in a convenient manner.
for the driver to raise and lower the finger bar at pleasure, the lever h² being
held in any desired position by the pall I and teeth on the periphery of the
segmental ratchet guide of the lever ¹, formed on the supporting bearing
bracket I'. This latter pall and segmental ratchet mechanisin for retaining
the finger-bar-at-different heights from the ground is a modification of the
. Invention secured to us for the like purpose by Royal Letters Patent granted.
to us on or about the Twentith day of March 1863, numbered 751., The
finger bar g folds up over the drawing pole a on the joint of the inner shoe g
in the usual manner, so as to rest on the block a¹, and the rest a² projecting.
up from the main frame for supporting it. The platform H. for carrying the
driver is formed by preference of wood, on a new strong and light construction,.
by a flat board with deep vertical sides and a footboard in front, where, on the
under side; it is hinged and supported by the .iron. joints H to the shaft
and at the back rests; on the top of the main frame A by the strong cross
bar H on its under side, the whole platform, with its enclosed segmental.
recess formed on it for the crown wheel d forming a lid or cover for protecting
the toothed wheels, couplings, and bearings of the shafts from injury, and at
the same time allow of easy access thereto for inspection, adjustment, and
lubrication. Over the back end of the platform I the driver's seat J is erected
upon the two duplex springs J¹, one at each side, formed of two light curved
blade or coach springs inverted with their hollow sides towards each other, and
attached at their ends so as to leave an eliptic space between them for their
elastic motion, the two spring J' being mounted on the top of the two hori-
zontal bars J by the sliding blocks and buckle or knee screw bolts J³, so that
the seat and springs J and Jare capable of sliding upon and being fixed in
any desired position upon the two slide bars J, so as, to,cause the weight of
-the-driver to be thrown near to or niuch behind the fulcrum or main axleb of
the machine, so as to regulate and balance its weight, or that of the different
platforms or other mechanism carried by the machine or finger bar in front of
the axle b for the different class of work for which the machine is required.
The ends of the bars J2 are- bent down and form stems or supports which

page_text: are screwed by bolts fast to the rear and sides of the platform H, and
between these and below the seat the tool box K is also secured to the plat-
form H.
In the plan, Figure 2, the machine is represented as arranged for mowing,
with the sliding outter spring shoe i attached to the finger bar g, and the socket
of the sliding swath stick or mowing horns i¹ jointed to the rear of the same;
but when the machine is required for reaping these are removed and the
finger bar is fitted with the tilting delivery platform j, the peviots of which work
in bearing brackets j¹, j, projecting up from the finger bar so as to rise and
fall along with it, and. tilted at intervals by the attendant's foot, or by an auto;
matic motion taken from some of the working mechanism when desired. The
outter bracket j¹carries the parting guide and regulating or running wheel j³,
as shown in plan, Figure 4, detached, for delivering the cut crop in loose
bundles in the track or line of the machine by the attendant for that purpose,
who sits on the seat L, indicated in red lines in Figures 1 and 2, which swivels
by a descending stem into the standard or pillar L' attached to and projecting
upwards from the side A¹ of the main frame over the top of the main wheel
on the reaping side of the machine, this wheel being in some cases covered
over. the top and front side for the safty of the attendant sitting over it.
When the machine is required for delivering the cut crop or corn at right
angles to its track or or path the platform M is employed (shown in red lines
in Figures 1 and 2) in the form of a quarter circle, receding from and to the
rear of the finger bar g, to which it is attached so as to rise and fall along
with it in front, the back corner nearest the main frame being carried up or
supported at the back corner nearest the body of the machine by the chain M¹
and the bracket M2 attached to and projecting out from the top of the frame
for that purpose and for supporting the cover over the driving wheel, the
platform being further securely attached laterally at this part to the back
rail A' of the frame by the stay.M³.; .the outter extremity of the finger bar.in
this case is fitted with a separating guard M' and running guide wheel M5
and a deep vertical edge all round the outter circular or curved part of the
platform, round which the attendant, sitting on the seat L, with the usual
rake or fork for the purpose, delivers the cut crop in loose bundles at intervals
on the ground over the back open end at right angles to the path of the
machine, and out of its way for the next cutting round.or track.
In some cases, when the machine is used as a reaper (with either of the
delivery platforms for delivering the cut crop in a line with the path and.
behind the machine, or at right angles to it,) it is fitted with a light over-

page_text: hanging reel N, which rises and falls with the finger bar and gathers in the
standing crop automatically towards the cutters, and lays it over on the delivery
platform. This reel N and all the mechanism connected with it, as shown in
red lines in Figures 1 and 2, is quite portable, being carried on the wooden
standard O fixed in the strong cast-iron bracket P bolted to the inner shoe g³
of the finger bar, so as to be easy of attachment or removal at pleasure. The
spindle N of the reel carrying the chain pulley N for driving it, and the over-
hanging eye or socket N³, into which the light wooden vertical and angular arms
of the reel paddles or rails, by preference three in number, and curved at their
ends to catch and gather in the standing crop, are fixed, is carried in bearings
-in-the-two-forked-ends or eyes of the bracket O¹ bolted to the top of the
standard O. Motion is given to the reel N from the chain pulley on the
axle 6 of the main driving wheels c-through-the endless chain R passing over
it and under the two guide pulleys Q, Q, up over the pulley N, as indicated
by the arrows in Figure 1; but in place of an endless chain R being used,
two such chains may be employed, one passing round the two pulleys Q and
Q', and the other over the two pulleys Q2, N2, and the two. pulleys. Q', Q³,
being in this case attached to each other, motion would also be given to the
reel in the right direction, as indicated by the arróws and dotted lines R, and
the chain by these arrangements would not be much tightened or slackened
by the up-and-down motion of the finger bar and reel pulleys and mechanism.
In place of binging the platform II to the cross shaft h¹, it may also be hinged
to "snugs" projecting up from the front or side rails of the main frame A, or
to bolts or axles passing through such snugs; or otherwise the platform might
be made to rest and slide on the top of the two sides A', A2, of the main frame,
in which case the seat J.might be rigidly fixed to the platform H; or in place
of the seat J being carried by the platform H, as herein-before described, it
may be carried on the main frame or carriage by bolting the stems of the slide
bars J to the two sides A1, A2, of the frame. And although these .improve-
ments, as regards the arrangement and construction of the platform H, spring
seat J, and reel N, have only been described and shown as applied to a
"Buckeye reaping and mowing machine," yet it will be evident to the practical
implement maker that they are also applicable to other reaping and mowing
machines with very slight modifications, which would not alter their character
and use_as_contained-in-or-forming-a-part-of-this-our-Invention.
For the purpose of making the new or improved parts of the reaping and
mowing machine and mechanism shown in the Drawings more clearly under-
stood they have been marked or indicated by capital letters and numerals, and

page_text: those parts which have required reference, but which are not new or modified
under this Invention, are indicated by small italic letters and.numerals.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or might be performed, we may state that we do not restrict
ourselves to the precise details or arrangements which we have had occasion to
describe and delineate, as many variations may be made therefrom without
departing from the main or essential features of our Invention; neither do we
claim the form or arrangement of many of the working and other parts of
reaping and mowing machines by themselves which we have thought it
necessary to delineate and refer to for the purpose of making our Invention
understood, except in combination with the new or improved parts forming
the essential features of our Invention; but what we consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the general construction of reaping and mowing machines, or the
construction, arrangement, and attachment of their various parts or details,
substantially in the improved manner herein described and shown in the
accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Second, the general form and method of constructing the main frame, and
also the arranging and attaching the various working and other parts tliereto,
of reaping and mowing machines, substantially in the improved manner herein
described and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
Third, the general arrangement and construction of binged or sliding plat-"
forms for carrying the driver's seat, or for covering in and protecting the
wheels, couplings, and journals of reaping and mowing machines, substantially
in the improved manner herein described and shown in the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Fourth, the general arrangement and construction in reaping and mowing
machines of the driver's seat, fitted with springs and made to shift longi-
tudinally, substantially in the improved manner herein described and shown in
the accompanying Drawing, or any mere modification thereof.
Fifth, the general arrangement and construction of curved delivery plat-
forms as applied to the "Buckeye reaping and mowing machine," substantially
in the improved manner herein described and shown in the accompanying
Drawing, or any mere modification thereof.
Sixth, the general form, arrangement, and construction of reel gathering
mechanism of reaping and mowing machines, substantially in the improved

page_text: manner herein described and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any
mere modification thereof..
In witness whereof, we, the said John Brigham and Richard Bickerton,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twentith day of February,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
JOHN BRIGHAM.
(L.S.)
RICHARD BICKERTON. (L.S.)