IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: GEORGE PLANTA BARNES of 57 Old Broad Street in the City of London EC
Merchants Clerk do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES to be as follows:-
My improvements have reference both to the cutters or knives, the cutting action
and working of these, and to the general construction of Reaping and Mowing
Machines.
The finger-bar and fingers may be similar and similarly supported at the outer
end of the finger-bar to those now in general use.
I make every knife preferably elliptical or lenticular in shape and continue the
cutting edge all round it; but it may be of other convenient shape. The knives
are pivoted separately upon a knife-bar working along the finger-bar in such a
position that the front portion of the knives may be capable of entering between
the fingers for the purpose of cutting. The backward portion of the knives is
connected, by a slot or other convenient arrangement, to another knife-bar; both
knife-bars being capable of freely moving as desired in relation to the finger-bar.
The knife-bars are simultaneously moved in opposite directions length wise by
means of cranks or eccentrics or other suitable means of obtaining reciprocating
motion from the driving mechanism. By this motion of the knife-bars a combined
thrusting and drawing cut is imparted to the knives.
The
I prefer to cover the pivoted and backward portion of the knives, and the
knife-bars, with a light bar; which might be made, if found desirable, to carry
the pivots of the knives instead of having a separate bar for this purpose.
cover-bar is made removable for permitting access to the knives, which, when
blunted may be easily removed or reversed (the former backward portion becoming
the cutting front, and vice versa); or should any of the knives get broken or
injured they may be removed and others substituted.
The foregoing arrangement of knives and cutting motion is applicable to any
existing driving mechanism of reaping and mowing machines capable of suitable
modification.
I prefer, however, to obtain the required double reciprocating motions as
follows: the cranks or eccentrics already mentioned (which are connected by
couplings hinged to the cutting gear so as to permit of the latter being raised off
the ground) are fixed upon or worked by two pinions working one in the other in

page_text: a suitable frame. One of these pinions is keyed on a vertical shaft sliding within
a sleeve or collar which carries a bevel pinion driven by a bevel wheel. This inner
shaft together with the frame mentioned is capable of being adjusted in height so
as to regulate the height of the cutting gear. The frame containing this vertical
portion of the mechanism may also be moved through a vertical arc to regulate the
angle of the cutting gear with reference to the surface of the ground. The bevel
wheel already mentioned is keyed on a horizontal shaft, which passes through a
hollow main shaft that carries the driving wheel or wheels and the aforesaid
vertical framework. The inner horizontal shaft carries, in a convenient position, a
pinion or drum which is connected through suitable multiplying gear with the
hollow main shaft of the road wheel or wheels from which the motive power is
taken. In two wheel machines the driving motion is arranged to be taken off from
either or both wheels, by breaking the hollow main shaft and duplicating thereon
so much as is necessary of the multiplying gear; the main framework being
correspondingly strengthened.
Dated this first day of January 1884.

page_text: J, GEORGE PLANTA BARNES of 57 Old Broad St in the City of London E.C.
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING
AND MOWING MACHINES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My improvements have reference both to the cutters or knives, the cutting
action and working of these and to the general construction of reaping and mowing
machines.
The main features of this machine I describe as follows:-
I make every knife preferably elliptical or lenticular in shape and continue the
cutting edge all around it; but it may be of other convenient shape. The
knives A are pivoted separately upon a knife-bar B (which bar is kept in position
by stops b attached to the finger-bar and by notches or cuts in the base of the
fingers, or other suitable arrangement) working along the finger-bar C in such a
position that the front portion of the knives A may be capable of entering between
the fingers D for the purpose of cutting. The backward portion of the knives A
is connected by a slot or pin E, or other convenient arrangement, to another
knife-bar F; both knife-bars being capable of freely moving as desired in relation
to the finger-bar. The knife-bars are simultaneously moved in opposite directions
lengthwise by means of connecting rods or couplings I attached to cranks G or
eccentrics or other suitable means of obtaining reciprocating motion from the
driving mechanism. By this motion of the knife-bars a combined thrusting and
drawing cut is imparted to the knives.
I prefer to cover the pivoted and backward portion of the knives, and the
knife-bars, with a light cover-bar H; which might be made, if found desirable,
to carry the pivots of the knives instead of having the separate bar B for this
purpose. The cover-bar is made removable for permitting access to the knives,
which, when blunted may be easily removed or reversed (the former backward
portion becoming the cutting front, and vice versa) or should any of the knives
get broken or injured they may be removed and others substituted.
The finger-bar and fingers may be similar and similarly supported at the outer
end of the finger-bar to those now in general use; and, being hinged to the
frame L, it is free to adjust itself to the irregularities of the ground it is working
over, which hinge will also allow of its being turned up vertically for travelling.
Attached to the finger-bar close to the hinge is the heel h which by extending
itself underneath the frame L when the finger-bar is in a horizontal position
enables the finger-bar to be thus retained when it is being floated or otherwise
raised from off the ground.
Some of the advantages arising out of the combination of the drawing movement
with the direct thrust are that by its addition to the direct reciprocating action
of the knives (given by this as well as by the ordinary machines in general use)
a clean and easy cut is obtained the strain on the knives and fingers is lessened
by the fact that the knives will not require to press or squeeze the crops into a
bundle against the fingers before commencing to cut, the drawing action enabling the
knives to cut over their entire area of movement: further, the knives will have a
much larger cutting edge than if they were rigidly fixed on one knife-bar, and
therefore will require less frequent sharpening: also by each knife being separate
and provided, if preferred, with a cutting edge all around it facility is given for
the quick removal of any that may be injured or the reversal of such as may be
-

page_text: blunted, thereby presenting a fresh cutting edge to the crops. The application also
of two knife-bars in the manner referred to necessitates the use of very small
cranks, or eccentrics, or other equivalent means of giving to them (through
connecting rods) reciprocating motion inasmuch as the front knife-bar on which
the knives are pivoted requires (by reason of the combined action of the other
knife-bar giving the drawing cut to the knives) a movement equal to about only
one-half the distance separating one finger from the other. As the knife-bar
carrying the fixed knives in ordinary machines requires a movement equal to the
entire distance between the fingers there is by the reduction of this movement
as before described a corresponding advantage gained by decrease of friction and
in the proportionate reduction of motive power from the smaller cranks or
eccentrics, doing the equivalent work of larger ones without a corresponding
increase in the number of their revolutions.
Although the foregoing arrangement of knives and cutting motion is applicable to
any existing driving mechanisin of reaping and mowing machines capable of suitable
modification I prefer to obtain the required double reciprocating motion as hereafter
described, for, by so doing, I secure great adaptability of the cutting portion of the
machine to the state of the crops and also to the ground-first, from the knives
being always on almost the same line of travel as the axle of the machine:
secondly, by the ease with which their angle of inclination to the crops or ground
can be changed and, thirdly, by the ease with which the cutting portion can be
raised or lowered also with respect to the crops and ground.
In this manner therefore do I obtain the above referred to double reciprocating
motion -
The cranks G or eccentrics already mentioned (which are connected by the
couplings or connecting rods I hinged to the cutting gear so as to permit of
the latter being raised off the ground) are fixed upon or worked by two pinions K
working one in the other in a suitable frame L. One of these pinions K is keyed
on a vertical shaft M sliding within a sleeve or collar N which carries a bevel
pinion O driven by a bevel wheel P. This vertical inner shaft M together with
the frame L already mentioned and to which the finger-bar is hinged is capable
of being adjusted in height, by means of a screw a, or tilting lever and quadrant,
or other suitable means, so as to regulate the height of the cutting gear with
respect to the ground and crops. The frame R containing this vertical portion
of the mechanism (and through which the frame L is raised or lowered) may also
be moved through a vertical arc to regulate the angle of the cutting gear with
respect to the ground and crops. This movement is obtained by means of the
screw e working in the nut f which nut is attached to the end of the main frame Y
that passes at the back of the road wheel Z; and which attachment is more
particularly set forth in Fig 4.
The bevel wheel P already mentioned is keyed on a horizontal shaft S which
passes through a hollow main shaft T that carries the wheel or wheels V and the
aforesaid vertical frame work R as well as the main frame work Y to which
the draught pole is attached. The inner horizontal shaft S carries, in a convenient
position, a pinion W or drum which is connected through the multiplying gear X
with the hollow main shaft T of the road wheel or wheels Z from which the
motive power is taken.
In two wheeled machines the driving motion is arranged to be taken off from
either or both wheels Z by breaking the hollow main shaft T and duplicating
thereon so much as is necessary of the multiplying gear X; the main frame
work Y being correspondingly added to and strengthened.
For the purpose of more readily understanding my invention I give the
accompanying drawings-the same letters of reference indicating corresponding
parts in all the figures:
Fig 1. Has special reference to the knives, knife-bars and those portions of the
machine coming more or less into contact with the crops when they are being cut―
the knives being shown with the cover-bar H removed.

page_text: Fig 2. Shows the vertical portion of the mechanism through which motion is
imparted to the cutting portions of the machine.
Fig 3. Is a plan of the machine (two wheels) showing its prominent features in
combination and its general construction.
Fig 4. Shows the attachment connecting the vertical frame L with the main
frame and the means for moving the said frame in a vertical arc.
Although not shown in the drawings a clutch or ratchet, or other equivalent
arrangement, connects the hollow main shaft with the road wheel or wheels in
the ordinary way so that when withdrawn the road wheels are free to travel
without imparting motion to the gearing or cutting parts of the machine.
Neither
is the seat for the driver shown, but the same may be arranged for in the usual
manner; the drawings being designed to show the principal working parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
First The working of separate cutters or knives by two freely moving knife
bars substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second The general construction arrangement and combination of the various
parts forming a reaping and mowing machine as hereinbefore described or
illustrated in the accompanying drawings substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
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