IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MOWING AND REAPING
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alzirus Brown, Le Grand Kniffen, and Thomas
Hutchins Dodge, of Worcester, in the State of Massachusetts, United
States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR MOWING AND REAPING."
Sealed the 15th March 1864, and dated the 25th January 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alzirus Brown, Le Grand
Kniffen, and Thomas Hutchins Dodge at the Office of the Commis-
sioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 25th January 1864.
We, ALZIRUS BROWN, LE GRAND KNIFFEN, and THOMAS HUTCHINS DODGE,
of Worcester, in the State of Massachusetts, United States of America, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN
MACHINERY FOR MOWING AND REAPING," to be as follows:-
We make use of two main wheels upon an axle that sustains the
frame of the machine, which frame ordinarily is in an inclined position, and is
provided at its front and lowest end with metallic hangers, to which the bar or
beam carrying the cutters is attached by a hinge, so that the said cutter beam
can be turned up vertical when the machine is being drawn from place to
place or turned down horizontal when in use. A shoe and track clearer are
provided at the outer end of the cutter beam, and a shoe and small wheel at
the inner end of such beam contiguous to the said hangers of the main frame,
so that the front end of the frame and the cutter beam will be raised or
depressed according to the surface over which the said small wheel travels.
The pole or shafts receiving the animal or animals extends back to the axle of
the main wheels in the form of a frame, upon which the driver's seat,is

page_text: sustained by a brace formed of two metallic bars, and this pole frame is over
the aforesaid inclined frame and is provided with a lever and segment, to
which segment is a chain passing to the front portion of the inclined frame
below, whereby said frame can be raised up with the cutter beam and cutters to
Pass obstructions or in going from one field to another, and we make use of a
pawl and lever moved by the foot to act on the chain segment or the said lever
and retain the parts in their elevated position, which pawl drops out of the
teeth to release the parts when the lever is actuated for lowering the cutter
beam, frame, and parts connected therewith. To prevent the outer end of the
cutter beam from hanging down when the inper end is raised with the frame
we provide a cramping lever that is attached at the same joint where the
cutter bean is connected to the hangers, and extends on the opposite side to
the said cutter beam, and is connected by a link to the pole frame, so that as.
the cutter beam and parts are raised said lever causes the elevation of the
outer end of the cutter beam as much as the inner or attached end. The
whipple tree or draught iron to which the animals are attached at the pole frame
is connected by a chain extending back and attached to the front portion
of the inclined frame, so as to cause the wheel in front of the end of the cutter
beam to pass more easily over any inequalities in the surface of the ground.
The cutters themselves are reciprocated through slots in fingers projecting
from the beam by means of a pitman and crank receiving motion from a bevil
pinion actuated by a bevil wheel on a shaft across the frame of the machine
behind and parallel with the main axle, and this said shaft is driven by pinions
on its ends taking internal gears on the main wheels of the machine. Ratchet
wheels and pawls are applied also to this shaft, so as to allow the pinions to
turn independently if one of the main wheels is moving faster than the other in
going around a curve, and a clutch is provided to the bevil wheel on this shaft
by which it may be disconnected, and that with the cutters remain stationary
hile the machine is driven to the field or from place to place
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 8
by the said Alzirus Brown, Le Grand Kniffen, and Thomas Hutchins
Dodge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd July 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALZIRUS
BROWN, LE GRAND KNIFFEN, and THOMAS HUTCHINS DODGE, of Worcester, in
the State of Massachusetts, United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing.date the Twenty-fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Alzirus Brown, Le Grand Kniffen, and Thomas Hutchins Dodge;
Her special license that we, the said Alzirus Brown, Le Grand Kniffen,
and Thomas Hutchins Dodge, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Alzirus Brown, Le Grand Kniffen, and Thomas
Hutchins Dodge, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MOWING AND REAPING," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Alzirus Brown, Le Grand Kniffen, and Thomas
Hutchins Dodge, by an instrument in writing under our 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 Alzirus Brown, Le Grand Kniffen, and
Thomas Hutchins Dodge, 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, reference being had
to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a machine with said improvements
applied thereto;
2 represents a longitudinal section; and
3 represents a cross section of the machine;
4 represents one of the fingers or guards;
5 represents the mode of fastening the axle B' to the frame A; and
6 represents the mode of fastening the rear bearing of the crank
shaft to the frame and axle.
In the Drawing A, is the main frame, which is supported upon axle B' of
the main wheels B, B, having cogged wheels C, C, which gear into the small
pinions ȧ on the ends of the shaft D, and to which pawl devices are fastened
to work into the ratchet teeth on the inner side of the cases a¹ connected with
the pinion wheels a; E is a bevel gear loose on shaft D, but having a hub on
its face side with clutch teeth, into which the teeth of a sliding clutch hubb
fit when the cutters are in operation (see Fig. 3). The sliding clutch fits.

page_text: to
on shaft D, and is grooved out on its outer surface to receive a clutch
lever, by which the driver from his seat G can throw the cutters out or into
action by his feet. A pin passes through a slot in the hub b, and is fast
in the shaft D, so that while the hub 6 must always turn with the shaft D,
it can be moved laterally for stopping or starting the cutters.. The gear E
is held in one position on the shaft D by means of shoulders and collars-on D.
The pitman c is connected to and operated by the crank, pine on the balance
wheel fon the end of crank shaft H, which passes back and carries on its rear
end a small bevel gear E¹ that works into the large bevel gear E.. The rear.
end of shaft H is supported in the peculiarily, constructed bearing or box:I,
Fig. 6. To the inner front corner of the main frame A is fastened the
hanger iron J, having two legs J, J³, to the bottom of which the shoe K is
hinged, as fully shown in the Drawings. The finger beam F, to which the
fingers d are fastened, and through which the cutters c work, is : bolted to a
recess in shoe K, and has fastened to its outer end a shoe K³ and, track
clearer L. The front of shoe K is provided. with an adjustable wheel, 9
run upon and press down the mown grass to prevent clogging of the cutters,
while at the same time it relieves the friction of the shoe and heel of the
finger beam upon the, ground: M is a lever fastened to a quadrant or
sheave M, fulcrumed upon a piece N attached to the rear inner side of the
tongue. The segment h of the quadrant or sheave M³ is so formed in respect
to the fulcrum of the latter that the movement of the lever M backward
causes the chain i to take up much faster during the first part of its motion
than during the latter part, and for reasons hereafter mentioned. P is a bar
hinged to the side of the main frame and held back by a spring j; the bar P
passes through a loop k on the lever M, and is provided on its front edge
with a series of catches or hooks and a hook m on its rear edge. When the
driver desires to raise and retain the front of the frame but little higher than
usual he draws the lever M back, and presses the bar P forward with his foot
. or otherwise, so as to catch one of the hooks into the loop ; but when he
desires to elevate it to the highest point to pass from one field to another or
over cut grass, then lever M is drawn back so as to bring loop k below hook m,
where it will be securely retained until lever M is depressed by the operator,
and bar P pushed forward so as to clear the hook m. In relieving the loop k
from either of the hooks l, all that is necessary to do is to draw lever M back,
, when spring causes bar P to fly back so as to clear loop k. n is a small
journal supported in the piece N, and has a foot piece o and a pawl p fastened
rigidly thereto, one on each end, so that the driver can pass the pawl p up
into the ratchet teeth 9, and thus retain the front of the frame at different

page_text: heights above the ground. In this case as soon as lever M is drawn back
the weight of the foot piece o will cause the pawl p to leave the ratchet,
teeth q. As thus described, with a simple hinge at the heel of the finger
beam, only the heel end of the finger bar and cutting apparatus will be
elevated when the front of the frame is raised. In order, therefore, to enable
the driver to elevate the entire finger beam and cutting apparatus to pass
over stones, cut grass, or from one field to another a cramping bar Q is
hinged at one end in with the rear ear of shoe K, while its other end is
hinged to, link R, whose upper end is hinged between lugs.u, u, cast on the
under side of the pole or draft iron S. It will now be seen that when the
machine is in operation the entire bar or either end can rise and fall to
conform to the inequalities of the ground, but that as soon as lever M is
drawn back so as to raise the front of the machine somewhat, the heel t of
the cramping bar Q is forced against the inner edge or top of shoe K, thereby
causing the entire bar to be raised bodily with the front of the frame (see,
dotted lines, Fig. 3). The lugs u, u, may be cast upon the other edge of the
pole iron, if preferred. The pole iron is loose on the axle B³, so that the
tongue and seat connected therewith are not affected by the rising and falling
motion of the frame A and cutting apparatus when mowing. The pole iron,
is slipped upon the axle before it is fastened to the frame A. In case it is
desired the outer end of the finger beam can be folded up
pendicular position, and then held by catch and its spring y.
finger beam is folded up, lever M can be drawn back until loop
by hook m, when the front of frame A, together with the folded finger beam,
will be well elevated and retained above the ground. The evener T. is
fastened to the draft. piece or iron T¹ by bolt 1, the upper arm of iron T
sliding in loop bolts 2, 2, fastened to tongue O, while the front end of draft
chain 3 is hooked into or slipped on to the rear of iron T', its rear end being
connected with hook 4 fastened to the front of the frame A, whereby the
draft of the team has a tendency to lift up and ease the friction of the finger
bar and its shoes upon the ground. By the peculiar construction of the draft,
iron T and its combination with the tongue and evener, it is impossible for
it to become detached in use, it being. necessary to first remove one or both
of the loop bolts 2, 2. The main wheels B, B, are loose on axle B¹, which
is fastened to the main frame; G¹ is the foot box for the driver, and is securely
bolted to the pole iron S and tongue O. Shafts may be fitted to the
machine so that it can be drawn by one horse. By elevating the cutter bar
and putting on a grain wheel and platform, the machine could be used to cut
grain, although particularly designed to cut grass. The cutter bar can be
into a per,
After the
is caught

page_text: retained above the ground for a short distance with a degree of safety by
either of the catches 7; and when the driver desires to lower the bar, by
drawing back lever M the spring; causes the bar P to fly up, thus relieving
its catch from loop k. When, however, the bar is to be raised for some
time, as, for instance, to pass from one field to another, it is not safe to trust
to one of the catches 7, since in passing over uneven ground the front of
the machine and cutter bar would be very liable to fly up, when spring j
would throw up bar P, thus allowing the cutter bar to fall upon the ground.
To meet such contingencies the catch m is employed, and which can be relied
upon to retain the bar in its elevated position while the machine is being
drawn over rough and uneven ground, since the spring; keeps bar P pressed
up against loop k at all times. By the use of the peculiarly constructed and
arranged sheave or quadrant M³, the driver raises the heel end of the finger
bar very quickly, while owing to the pecular construction and arrangement of
sheave M', the leverage is so increased as it is drawn back that the driver is
enabled to raise the entire bar bodily (after the heel end has been raised so as
to cramp the joint and render it rigid) froin the ground with great ease. This
is an important feature, since it enables a man of very moderate strength, and
even a boy, to manage our machine.
In Fig. 7 we have shown a slight modification in the quadrant M²; in this
case the pawl p is double acting, so that the attendant presses the same
forward into the teeth q by the foot-piece o, when the finger bar is raised but
little, and said pawl falls back out of the teeth 9, when the lever M is
slightly depressed; if, however, said finger bar is raised to its greatest height
the pawl p falls back beneath a block p², and secures the parts firmly in
position until the pawl is pressed forward by the foot lever.
.
Having thus described our improved mowing and reaping machine, what
we claim and desire to secure by Letters' Patent is,
-
First, connecting the shoe which supports the finger beam with the hanger
iron J by means of a joint substantially as specified, so that the finger beam
can accommodate itself to the ordinary inequalities of surface as set forth..
Second, raising the finger beam bodily when the inner end thereof is
élevated by means of the cramping bar Q, applied in substantially the manner
set forth and for the purposes specified.
'
Third, the combination of bar P, having a series of catches 7 on one edge or
face, and a retaining hook or catch m on the other, with spring and loop k,
when said parts are constructed and arranged to operate in relation to each
other substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth, the combination with the main frame A an⋅l tongue O of the draft

page_text: iron T and chain 3, constructed and arranged in relation to each other
substantially as shown and described.
Fifth, the combination of the quadrant M², ratchet 9, pawl p, and foot
lever o, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alzirus Brown, Le Grand Kniffen,
and Thomas Hutchins Dodge, have hereunto set our hands and seals,
this Eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-four.
ALZIRUS BROWN.
LE GRAND KNIFFEN.
(L.S.)
(L.B.)
THOMAS HUTCHINS DODGE.' (LS.)
Witnesses,
GEO. H. MILLER, Worcester, Mass.
JOSEPH RIDEOUT, Worcester, Mass.