IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Theodore Griffin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th July 1870.-A communication from abroad by Walter Abbott
Wood, of Hoosick Falls, New York, in the United States of
America.
I, JAMES THEODORE GRIFFIN, of 77, Upper Thames Street, in the
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates chiefly to improvements in those machines in
which the rake is caused to travel over the platform to sweep the grain
or cut crop towards the back or to the side, but some of the improvements
are applicable to machines of other constructions as hereafter described.
The first improvement consists in the arrangement of mechanism for
causing the rake to move along the front of the platform from the
draft side towards the divider board, and then along the side to the
back to carry the crop with it and deposit it upon the ground over the
back of the platform, and this is accomplished by an endless chain
working on horizontal rollers, which are provided with studs to take into
the links of the chain at intervals, one of the rollers being driven by
gearing from the main driving or bearing wheel. The connection of the
rake with the chain is provided with projecting lips to ride under a fixed

page_text: plate in the side groove to prevent the rake rising above its proper level.
The rake arm is centred upon the frame by a vertical bolt fitted just
behind where the driver's seat is situated. The platform is divided near
the back, and the after piece can be extended by bolts and nuts to enable
the proper tension to be put upon the chain.
The next improvement consists in an arrangement of mechanism for
regulating the depression or elevation of the cutters and fingers, and this
is effected by an adjustable lever connected to the pole and another lever
within reach of the driver, which lever can be retained at any part of an
upright by a spring catch. The pole is centred upon the fore part of
the main frame by a bolt.
Another improvement consists in the employment of holed standards
on the main frame for the axle of the main wheel to be shifted into, to
determine the height at which the machine shall be fixed for cutting
purpose.
The next improvement consists in the adaptation of a shifting pinion.
upon the gearing shaft to be thrown into and out of gear with the teeth
of the main wheel in lieu of a clutch.
The next consists in the employment of a spring clutch on the
supplementary gearing shaft, and of a wedge divider which is provided
with a counterpoise to remove the wedge when the pressure of the
driver's foot is removed from the wedge end of the rock lever or foot
plate.
And, lastly, in an arrangement of adjustable shoe and upright to
regulate the height of the reel. The upright is pierced with holes for a
bolt to be fitted into, and the shoe is slotted for the reception of a bolt
which can be tightened up at any point.
The improvements before mentioned; with the exception of the first
one, are applicable to existing machines of other constructions, but they
can all be applied to one machine.
I wish it to be understood that I may use the combination of all the
improvements in one machine as well as each separate improvement
upon other machines as before stated.