Improvements in Lawn Mowers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lawn Mowers.
We, OSCAR EDWIN ZOHE of 404 Webster Avenue, Scranton, Pennsylvania,
Machinist, and HENRY ALONZO KNAPP of 301 Quincy Avenue, Scranton,
Pennsylvania, Lawyer, both in the United States of America do hereby declare
the nature of this 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in lawn mowers, and has for its object
to provide improved mechanism for actuating the cutter-bar; to provide improved
means for adjusting the height of the cutting mechanism, relatively to the ground;
to provide improved means for adjusting the cutter-bar, relatively to the finger
bar to improve and simplify the frame of the machine and the method of
mounting the same; and to provide improved means for attaching the handle to the
machine.
To these ends, our invention consists in the novel features of construction and
the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed,
due reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification wherein :
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our improved lawn mower.
Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof,
Figs. 3 & 4 are diagram views illustrating the operation of the driving
mechanisın.
Fig. 5 is a detail section view of the means for adjusting the finger bar.
Fig. 6 is a similar view of the means for adjusting the cutter bar.
Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the adjusting boxes.
Fig. 8 is a detail view of one end of the finger bar,
.
Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the side bars composing the
frame.
Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of frictional bearing for the
cutter bar.
Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates the drive wheel of
our machine provided upon each of its opposite sides with an annular series of cam
projections 2, 2 and having trunnions 3, 3 projecting laterally from each side
at its axial centre. Upon said trunnions are supported the frame of the machine,
consisting of two side bars 4, 4, each provided, at its rear end, with a circular
bearing by means of which they are loosely journalled upon the trunnions 3, 3, and
at their forward ends are formed with elongated bed plates 5, 5. which serve to
support the finger-bar 6, by means of which they are connected together and held
in position upon the trunnions 3, 3. Each of said bed plates is provided upon its
underside with a boss 7, formed integral therewith, said plate and boss being
provided with a screw-threaded perforation in which is fitted an adjusting screw 8,
upon the lower end of which is swivelled a journal box 9, a roller 10 being
journalled in said boxes 9 immediately beneath and slightly in rear of the finger
bar 6. The finger-bar 6 is slightly angular in cross-section, as shown, in order
that its fingers will be presented to the grass in a horizontal position. Upon said
finger-bar is supported a cutter-bar 11, made angular in cross-section, to conform
to the shape of the cutter-bar and provided upon its forward edge with knives 12.

page_text: The
Instead of making the finger and cutter bars angular in cross-section we may make
them curved in cross-section. Said cutter bar is provided near each end with
elongated slots 13 through which pass the adjusting screws 8. Upon said
adjusting screws, above the cutter bar 11, are loosely fitted boxes 14, which upon
their under sides are provided with shoulders 15, 15, that project into the slots 13
of the cutter bar and rest upon the upper side of the finger-bar 6. From the
underside of the shoulders 15, project lugs 16 that rest in slots 17 formed in the
upper side of the finger bar, and serve to prevent the boxes from turning upon
the adjusting screws, or from being laterally displaced. Nuts 18 are screwed down
over the adjusting screws 8 and serve to hold the boxes down to their seats.
boxes 14 are provided with extensions 19 that project over the upper face of the
cutter bar, and are provided upon their under sides with recesses 20, within which
are fitted, so as to permit of a limited vertical play, caps or housings 21 having
recesses 22 within which are loosely arranged friction rollers 23 that bear upon the
upper-side of the cutter bar 11. In the upper side of the caps or housings 21, are
formed recesses 24 within which are seated the lower ends of adjusting screws 25,
that are tapped through suitable screw threaded perforations formed in the
extensions 19, and by means of which said rollers are forced with the proper
degree of pressure upon the cutter bar 11, to cause the latter to reciprocate in
intimate contact with the finger bar. If desired, the caps or housings 21 may be
omitted, and the lower ends of the adjusting screws concaved or recessed, under
each of which is fitted a spherical roller 23 that bears upon the upper side of the
cutter bar in the same manner as the rollers 23, as clearly shown in Figure 10.
To the cutter bar 11, near each end thereof, are secured rearwardly projecting
pintles 26 upon which are pivotted or journalled dogs 27 that are bifurcated at
their free ends and have journalled therein friction rollers 28, that are so arranged
as to rest against the faces of the cam projections 2, 2. Said dogs 27 are held in
place upon their pintles 26 by keys or pins 29 passing through suitable perforations
in said pintles, and said dogs are provided with shoulders 30 that are adapted to
abut against said keys or pins when the dogs are thrown up out of engagement
with the cams 2, 2, and prevent the dogs from being thrown so far sidewise that
they cannot drop by gravity back into engagement with said cams, as will more
fully hereinafter appear. In order to render the action of the dogs 27 noiseless as
they drop idly over the cam projections on to the side bars 4, 4, we insert a
cushion 34 of pig-skin, hard wood, or other suitable material, in a recess in each of
the bars 4, 4, at a point upon which the dogs bear, which receives the impact of
the dogs.
The side bars 4, 4, at points in advance of their connection with the
trunnions 3, 3, are provided with laterally projecting pivot pins 31, upon which are
journalled the handle bars 32 which, at their rear ends, are bolted or otherwise
suitably secured, to the opposite sides of a handle 33. Owing to the handle bars
being pivotally secured to the side bars 4, 4, in advance of the latters connection to
the drive wheel, the pressure exerted upon said handle to propel the machine
forward, will aid in causing the cutting mechanism to bear upon the ground, and
cut the grass to a uniform length. The side bars 4, 4, possess sufficient resiliency
to enable them to be spread apart so as to allow them being sprung over their
pivot pins 31 on the side bars 4, 4.
The operation of our invention will be readily understood
By propelling the machine in a forward direction, the cam projections 2, 2, are
caused to successively engage the free ends of the dogs 27, and owing to said dogs
resting upon the side bars 4, 4, by which they are prevented from having any.
downward movement past the horizontal, said dogs are simultaneously reciprocated
back and forth carrying with them the cutter bar 11. If the machine be drawn in
the opposite direction the dogs will be raised by the cam projections and drop idly
over them without communicating any motion to the cutter bar. The height of
the cutting mechanisin above the ground is regulated by turning the set screws 8 in
the proper direction to raise or lower the same, as before described, while the

page_text: cuter bar may be adjusted towards and from the finger bar by turning the adjusting
screws 25 in the proper direction to cause the friction rollers 23, or 23*, to bear
with more or less pressure upon the cutter-bar. As before described, by pivoting
the handle bars to the side-bars of the frame in advance of the points of connection
of the latter to the drive wheel, the force exerted upon the handle to propel the
machine forward also serves to aid in holding the cutting mechanism in contact
with the ground.
As before stated, the frame consists of but two side bars 4, 4, that are journalled
upon the trunnions of the drive wheel and connected together at their forward ends
by the finger-bar. The construction of the frame is thus greatly simplified and
reduced to a minimum weight, while the employment of journal boxes, caps, and
the like, are entirely dispensed with, thus effecting economy in the cost of
manufacture.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
;-
1. A mowing machine comprising in its structure a drive wheel having upon its
opposite sides an annular series of cam projections, a reciprocating cutter-bar,
hinged arms carried by said cutter-bar and bearing by gravity against said cam
projections, and means for preventing said arms from moving downwards past a
horizontal line, the arrangement of the parts being such that the rotation of said
drive wheel in one direction operates to reciprocate said dogs simultaneously to
actuate the cutter bar, and upon a reverse movement permits said dogs to ride idly
over said cam projections without operating the cutter bar, substantially as.
described.
2. In a lawn mower, the combination with the drive-wheel provided upon its
opposite sides with an annular series of cam projections, and the frame and finger-
bar carried thereby, of the reciprocating cutter-bar supported upon said finger-bar,
two rearwardly projecting pintles carried by said cutter-bar, dogs journaled upon
the rear ends of said pintles and provided at their free ends with friction rolls
engaging said cam projections, the relative arrangement of said dogs and the
frame being such that when the machine is propelled in a forward direction, the
dogs rest upon the upper side of the frame and are prevented from moving
downward past the horizontal, substantially as described.
3. In a lawn mower, the combination with the drive-wheel provided upon its
opposite sides with an annular series of cam projections and the frame and finger-
bar carried thereby, of the reciprocating cutter-bar supported on said finger bar,
two rearwardly projecting pintles carried by said cutter bar, dogs journalled upon
the rear ends of said pintles and provided at their free ends with friction rolls
engaging said cam projections, and shoulders formed upon said pintles and adapted
to abut against said dogs to limit the upward movement of the latter, the relative
arrangement of said dogs and frame being such that when the machine is propelled
in a forward direction the dogs rest upon the upper side of the frame and are
prevented from moving past the horizontal, substantially as described.
4. In a lawn mower, the combination with the drive wheel and the frame and
finger-bar carried thereby, of the slotted cutter-bar supported upon said finger bar,
adjusting screws freely passing through said cutter bar and through screw threaded
perforations in said finger-bar, bearings swiveled upon the lower ends of said
adjusting screws, a roller journalled in said bearings, and nuts tapped over the
upper ends of said adjusting screws, substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
5. In a lawn mower, the combination with the drive wheel, the frame and the
finger-bar carried thereby, of the slotted cutter-bar supported upon said finger bar,
adjusting screws engaging threaded perforations in the finger-bar and loosely
passing through the slotted portions of the cutter-bar, boxes arranged upon said
adjusting screws above the cutter bar and provided with shoulders projecting
.

page_text: through said slotted portions of the cutting bar and bearing against the upper side
of the finger-bar, and nuts tapped over the upper ends of said adjusting screws,
substantially as described.
6. In a lawn-mower, the combination with the drive wheel, the frame and finger-
bar carried thereby, of the slotted cutter-bar supported upon said finger bar,
adjusting screws engaging threaded perforations in the finger bar and loosely
passing through the slotted portions of the cutter bar, boxes arranged upon said
adjusting screws above the cutter bar, and provided with shoulders projecting
through said slots of the cutter-bar and provided with lugs resting within slots
formed in the upper side of the finger-bar, and nuts for adjusting said boxes,
substantially as described.
7. In a lawn mower, the combination with the drive wheel, the frame and the
finger bar, of the slotted cutter bar supported upon said finger bar, adjusting screws
carried by the finger bar and loosely passing through the slotted portions of the
cutter-bar, boxes arranged upon said adjusting screws, anti-friction rollers arranged
between said boxes and the cutter bar, and adjusting screws carried by the boxes
for regulating the pressure of the rollers upon the cutter-bars, substantially as
described.
8. Our improvements in lawn mowers substantially as hereinbefore described
and as shown with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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ليمي
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1004
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.