IMPROVE- MENTS IN REAPING & MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Adam Carlisle Bamlett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
April 1861.
I, ADAM CARLISLE BAMLETT, of Middleton Tyas, in the County of York,
Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REAPING & MOWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention relates to that class of machine known as
the Hussey machine, & consists in forming the framework of three longitu-
dinal bars or timbers fitted together, and connected with the finger bar so that
the ends do not project in front of it, two of the longitudinal bars being in about
same position as before used, while the third is inclined from the rear down to
the lowest level of the finger bar. I also bolt an additional transverse piece
above the frame in front, to which I joint the pole or shafts; this is stayed to
the finger bar at its point of connection with the inclined timber. I also
dispose a fixed or swivel wheel at the rear of these machines, and use it in
combination with the fixed or swivel wheel described in a Patent granted to
me, bearing date 17th July 1860, No. 1780, for the purpose of effecting and
regulating the rise of the knife bar from the ground, by which combination
the rise of the knife is more easily effected, and the driver can perform it
without leaving his seat.
The second part relates to the particular application of the gearing of such
machines, and consists in placing the bevil wheel close to the framework,

page_text: while the pinion and crank shaft are mounted on the top instead of at the side
of the machine as usual, which makes it much more compact.
The third part relates to the application of a swivel wheel at the back part
of the Hussey machine to lift the knife from the ground when mowing.
The fourth part relates to fixing a rod or rods or boards to the finger bar or
fingers of mowing machines, which project over the finger bar backwards,
their object being to leave the cut grass more distributed and exposed to the
sun and wind than usually left by mowing machines.
The fifth part relates to dovetailing the knife bar or its front edge into the
fingers or its other supports to cause it to work steadier, and prevent the
points of the knives rising; also casing in or partially casing in the knife bar
on its under side as well as its front edge to prevent choking matters getting
under it.
The sixth part relates to applying a spring or springs to the jointed dividing
irons, which are placed on one or both sides of the machine to keep their
points in the lowest position so that they may more readily pass under & raise
laid corn; I also apply similar spring irons. to the fingers, or to some of them.
for the same purpose.
The seventh parts relates to combined reaping and mowing machines, and
consists in fitting sets of two or more driving wheels thereto, one with pro-
jections on the rim for mowing, the other plain for reaping, which are exchange-
able when required for the different purposes; the one for mowing may be
made smaller in diameter, but with the driving gear of the same size, which
increases the speed of the knife, and disposes it in a better position for
mowing.
The eighth part relates to the cams for driving the cutting knives, & con-
sists in making them in one solid piece (instead of fixing the one cam to the
driving wheel and the other on the shaft), such solid cam piece being mounted
on the same shaft as the driving wheel, either of which may be fixed while the
other is loose on the shaft, and held in gear by a driving clutch. The one
cam surface is of less diameter than the other, so that the two truck rollers
(one for each) may be on same pin.
The ninth part relates to the self-acting delivery rake, which I drive by
excentric gear in order to give it a quicker movement when near the finger
bar then when delivering the sheaf; the gear may be placed on the inside of
the framework, which, with the self-acting rake, may be applied to machines
that have the knife in advance of the driving wheel.
The tenth part relates to the gearing of reaping and mowing machines
which have the knife in the rear of the driving wheel, and consists in so

page_text: arranging it that it shall be all on the inside of the frame when constructed
with two longitudinal timbers only, the main object being to reduce the width
of the machine so that it shall pass readily through farm gateways, to effect
which I key a bevel wheel on the driving wheel shaft, to which is geared a
pinion on a horizontal shaft; on the other end of this shaft is fixed a spur
wheel which gears into a pinion beneath it fixed on the crank shaft. The
crank for driving the knife may, according to this arrangement, be fixed on
either end of the shaft when the delivery of corn is effected by endless belts.
I drive them through an inclined shaft connected by gear with the second
motion shaft; the inclined shaft may have a roller fitted on it to assist in
delivering the crop. I further adapt to this kind of reaper a small wheel
(fixed to the upper bar of the framework that carries the driving gear) to act
as a guard to the knife in crossing ridge and furrow land.
The eleventh part relates to the use of an inclined truss bar fixed to the
rear edge of the finger bar on its under side in order to impart greater
strength than a plain truss; its form prevents the knife coming on to the
ground. Instead of being fixed to the finger bar it may be formed of a piece
therewith. When applied to machines that have an endless belt delivery it
also acts as a shield to the first belt. I further apply to this class of machines
a similar truss to the upper side of the finger bar to which the platform may
be partly fixed.