A MACHINE FOR SWEEPING GRASS OR WEEDS FROM LAWNS OR FIELDS, AND DEPOSITING THE SAME INTO A Box OR OTHER RECEPTACLE." SAME INTO A BOX OR OTHER RECEPTACLE."
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Jecks, of Trowse Newton Lodge,, near
Norwich, in the County of Norfolk, for the Invention of "A MACHINE
FOR SWEEPING GRASS OR WEEDS FROM LAWNS OR FIELDS, AND DEPOSITING THE
SAME INTO A Box OR OTHER RECEPTACLE."
SAME INTO A BOX OR OTHER RECEPTACLE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Jecks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st February 1855.
I, ISAAC JECKS, of Trowse Newton Lodge, near Norwich, in the County
of Norfolk, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A
MACHINE FOR SWEEPING GRASS OR WEEDS FROM LAWNS OR FIELDS, AND DEPOSITING
THE SAME INTO A BOX OR OTHER RECEPTACLE," to be as follows:-
My improved machine, which is supported on a pair of wheels, consists of a
circular case, in which is placed a wire drum, with the wires placed longitudi-
nally, about two inches apart, laced to or held by a spiral wire inside the drum.
The circular case and wire drum are supported on brackets resting on the axel
of the wheels, and a spur wheel, attached to one of the wheels gears into a

page_text: pinion fixed to the axis of the wire drum. The bottom of the case is left open
to allow the wire drum to come in contact with the grass or weed, and in front
of the case another opening, communicates with the box or suitably shaped
receptacle for the grass, which receptacle can be attached to or detached from
the machine, as required! Four boards are so placed longitudinally within the
wire drum as to form the wings of a fan, the circular case forming the fan box.
When the machine is set in motion, by being propelled from behind, the spur
wheel fixed on one of the carriage wheels -will communicate motion to the
pinion on the axis of the wire drum, and made to revolve at an increased
velocity, whereby the grass or weed is caused to enter through the aperture
at the bottom of the circular case, and, by means of the fan or blower, thrown
out of the aperture in the front of the case and into the receiver. The pinion
gearing into the spur wheel is moveable on the axis of the wire drum, and
can be taken out of gear when the machine is not required to operate.
t.
.
•
こ
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Isaac Jecks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th July 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISAAC
JECKS, of Trowse Newton Lodge, near Norwich, in the County of Norfolk,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Isaac Jecks, Her special licence that I, the said Issac Jecks,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, 'the said
Isaac Jecks, my 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 "A MACHINE FOR
SWEEPING GRASS OR WEEDS FROM LAWNS OR FIELDS, AND DEPOSITING THE SAME
IN A BOX OR OTHER RECEPTACLE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Isaac Jecks, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,

page_text: 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 I, the said Isaac Jecks, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My improved machine for sweeping grass or weeds consists of a cylindrical
case, supported by wheels, in which a wire drum provided internally with fan
blades is placed. This wire drum and fan, being in connection with the sup-
porting wheels by suitable wheel-work or gearing, will, on the inachine being
moved in a given direction over the ground, revolve at a considerable velocity,
and by the current of air thereby produced, cause the grass or weeds to be
taken up through an oppening in the bottom of the cylindrical case, and to
be thrown into a receiver through another aperture in front of the case."
In order that my Invention may be better understood, I will proceed: to
describe the same, reference being had to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, and
to the letters, and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a longitudinal elevation of one of my improved
sweeping. machines to be moved by hand, with one of the supporting wheels
removed to shew the gearing; Figure 2 is an end' elevation, viewed from the
end where the receiver placed, but with the receiver detached; Figure 3
is a ground plan of the same, with a portion of the cylindrical case removed;
and Figure 4 is a transverse section of the wire drum and fan.
. The cylindrical case A is made. of sheet iron, fixed upon ends of wood B,
which are provided with circular openings to admit air, and to which are
screwed the cast-iron 'centres C, the latter forming, the bearings of the shaft 'D,
upon which the wire drum E rests:. The supporting. wheels F and F are con-
nected by means of a wrought-iron bent axle G, to which are welded the pivots
H,.upon which the supporting wheels F and F revolve; the sides G of the
frame Gextending below the axis of the supporting wheels, and carrying
the shaft D, and thereby the case: A and the wire drum E. Upon the...shaft
D (see Fig. 2) a coller I is fixed, against which abuts the spiral spring K,
which presses against the clutch box L, the latter beingrat liberty to slide on,
and compelled to turn round with, the shaft D by means of a groove and feather.
To the arms of the wire, drum E a corresponding clutch box L' is fixed, so that
when the machine is pushed forward, the shaft D, which receives its motion by

page_text: means of the pinion M from the spur wheel N, which is fast on the boss of the
supporting wheel F', carries the drum E round with it, whilst, when the machine
moves in the opposite direction, the clutch box L is thrown out of gear; and
the wire drum E remains stationary. When the cylindrical case A is in the
position in which it is represented in the Drawing (see Figure 1), the machine
is ready for action. On pushing it forward by means of the shafts, O, which are
fixed to the case A, and thereby causing the wire drum E to revolve, the four
blades P, which are fixed to the arms of the drum (see Fig. 4), will produce a
current of air, which will have the effect of raising the grass or weeds from
the ground through the opening 1, 1, in the bottom of the case A, and of
throwing the same into the receiver Q through the aperture 2, 2, in front of
the case A. The receiver Qis made of sheet iron, and closed with wood at
both ends. When full of grass or weeds, it is removed from the machine,
emptied, and then again replaced in its position, as shewn in Figure 1, by means
of hooks and eyes. To prevent the case A and drum E from being damaged,
when the machine is to be conveyed to or from the ground where it has to
operate, the pin R is pulled out of its socket 3 in the wrought-iron band S,
which is screwed to the case A (see Figs. 1 & 2), and the bent axle G, which
has its fulcrum at H, is moved in the direction of the receiver Q, whereby the
case A and drum E are raised from the ground in the opposite direction, in
which position they will be maintained by allowing the spring T to press the
pin R, to which it is attached, into one of the holes 3' in the band S. This
apparatus also serves to adjust the drum E to its proper working distance from
the ground.
For hand machines of a larger size it may be advantageous to let the
receiver be supported by one or two wheels, an arrangement by which the
receiver will be supported and kept at a uniform height from the ground. An
additional pair of shafts may be hinged on the pivots of the supporting wheels,
or to the box, so as to admit of the machine being pulled as well as pushed
when working. The machine can also be made of a much larger size, in the
shape of a two or four wheeled cart, to be drawn by a horse, the wire drum and
fan being in such case driven by means of pulleys and straps, if thought
desirable. It is evident that my improved sweeping machine is equally appli-
cable to the sweeping of leaves from lawns or fields.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which it is to be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
mean to confine myself to the precise construction of machine as shewn in and
described with reference to the annexed Sheet of Drawings; but what I claim

page_text: as my Invention is, a drum made of wire, or rods or bars of metal, and pro-
vided with fan blades, such drum being placed and made to revolve rapidly
within a case or fan box, for the purpose of sweeping grass and weeds from
lawns or fields, and depositing the same in a receiver, substantially as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Jecks, have hereunto set my hand
and cool this Twenty :
vided with fan blades, such drum being placed and made to revolve rapidly
within a case or fan box, for the purpose of sweeping grass and weeds from
lawns or fields, and depositing the same in a receiver, substantially as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Jecks, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of July, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-five.