in mowing machines
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1897-Accepted, 26th Feb., 1898
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to improvements in mowing machines.
One part of the invention relates to the draft devices, and has for its object to
provide a mowing machine with a draft device which draws on the frame in the
ordinary operation of the machine but which also draws on the coupling bar when
the progress of the cutter mechanism is unusually retarded, for instance, by
dropping into a depression or striking an obstruction, so that when an unusual
resistance is opposed to the forward movement of the cutter mechanism the draft
is in part applied directly to the coupling bar, whereby the mower frame is to a
large extent relieved from excessive strains and the draft is more evenly dis-
tributed upon the parts of the machine.
Another part of this invention relates to the spring mechanism by which the
cutter mechanism is carried and has for its object to construct this mechanism in
such manner that the spring can be strained by the lifting lever.
Other parts of this invention relates to the sleeve at the lower end at the coupling
bar and have for their objects to enable the cast sleeve to be readily and securely
attached to a wrought iron coupling bar and to provide the sleeve with connections
for the draft device, the gag lever, the back brace and the tilting lever.
The
In carrying the invention into practice the draft pole of the mowing machine
is secured with its rear portion to the mower frame in the usual manner.
coupling bar is arranged transversely at the. front of the machine and connected
with the mower frame and the cutter mechanism, as usual.
A cast sleeve which is secured to the lower or outer end of the coupling bar
carries at its outer end an eye by which it is connected with the longitudinal pivot
of the shoe at the inner end of the finger bar as usual. The said cast sleeve is
secured to a cylindrical wrought iron bar by simply pressing the sleeve onto the
bar or the latter into the sleeve. In order to enable the cast sleeve to adapt itself
to the diameter of the bar, which may be slightly larger than the internal diameter
of the sleeve, the latter is formed along its inner side with a longitudinal recessed
rib or channel. This rib permits the sleeve to expand slightly in receiving the
bar and so allows of the use of rough rolled iron for the bar, doing away with the
necessity of boring the sleeve and turning the bar and producing a very rigid
connection of the sleeve and bar. The expansion rib also permits the sleeve to be
slightly compressed for fitting it to a bar of slightly smaller diameter than the
internal diameter of the sleeve.
The sleeve is provided near its upper end with an upwardly projecting looped

page_text: standard in which a rod engages which connects with the lower end of the tilting
lever; also at the base of this standard with two outwardly projecting lugs between
which the gag lever is arranged and which receive the pivot of the gag lever; also
at the front side of the base of said loop with an ear which receives the rear end
of the draft rod, and also at the rear side of the base of said loop with an ear which
receives the front end of the back brace. The standard, lugs and ears are all cast
in one piece with the sleeve.
An evener or draft bar is arranged on the underside of the pole and pivoted
to the underside of a slide which is provided with a downwardly projecting pivot
on which the evener swings and on which it is held by a washer and cotton pin.
The slide is mounted on a guide bar which is secured longitudinally to the under-
side of the pole and which has side flanges which are embraced by the flanges of the
slide so that the latter can move back and forth on the guide bar.
A lug is formed on the underside of the slide in rear of the pivot and a rud
which is pivoted with its front end to this lug and extends rearwardly through a
downwardly projecting ear formed on the rear end of the guide bar. A draft
spring is arranged on the rod between the ear and a screw nut applied to the rear
end of the rod. The draft applied to the evener tends to draw the latter and the
slide and rod forwardly and the spring resists this forward movement. The front
end of the draft rod is loosely connected with the evener, preferably by a link
connecting the draft rod with an eye on the washer, so that the connection estab-
lished between the evener and the coupling bar by the rod and link is slack in
the normal position of the evener. The draft spring is so stiff that it resists the
draft on the evener required for moving the machine under ordinary conditions
and the spring therefore holds the slide and evener on the rear portion of the guide
bar, in which position of the parts the link and rod are slack and the draft is
applied through the pole to the frame of the machine in the usual way. When
the finger bar drops into a depression or strikes an obstruction, so that an unusual
draft is required on the evener to overcome such additional resistance, the draft
spring yields to such increased draft and the evener and slide are drawn forwardly
until the link and draft rod become taut, when part of the draft is applied directly
to the coupling bar until the usual resistance has been overcome. The spring then
returns the evener and slide to their normal position. The excess draft is by this
means applied directly to the coupling bar and not to the machine frame and the
latter is relieved from excessive strains and can be made tighter than usual without
danger of breakage.
The
An elbow lever is arranged with its front arm over the coupling bar and has its
ffort arm connected by a chain with the gag lever in the usual manner.
downwardly projecting rear arm of the lever is connected by a rod with the foot
lever as usual. The lifting lever is arranged on the inner side of the elbow lever
and is mounted on the same horizontal pivot on which the elbow lever is mounted.
This pivot is formed on a bracket which is secured to the draft pole said bracket
being provided with a segment to which the lifting lever can be locked by a spring
bolt as usual. The elbow lever is provided in rear of its pivot with a lifting lug
which projects into the path of the lifting lever, so that upon swinging the latter
backwardly until it bears, upon this lug a further backward movement of the
lifting lever raises the front arm of the elbow lever and operates the gag lever to
lift the finger bar in the usual manner. A straining lug or shoulder is formed on
the front arm of the elbow lever and projecting inwardly therefrom into the path
of the lifting lever.
The lifting spring is connected at its rear end to the rear arm of the elbow lever
and at its front end to the draft pole, preferably by an eye bolt which is adjust-
ably secured to an ear secured to the side of the draft pole. The lifting spring is
attached to the pole and the elbow lever before the latter is connected with the
chain of the gag lever. The lifting lever is then swung forwardly so as to rest
upon the straining lug of the elbow lever, when a further forward movement of
the lifting lever strains the lifting spring and forces the front arm of the elbow

page_text: lever downwardly until the proper tension has been produced in the spring to
balance the cutter mechanism. The chain of the gag lever is then engaged with
the front arm of the elbow lever and the lifting lever, which is now free, is
returned to its normal position. In this manner the lifting lever is utilized for
straining the spring and the adjustable front connection of the spring is required
only for slight adjustments to compensate for inequalities in the springs or for
adjusting the spring to balance a finger bar of greater or less length.
Dated thin 90th day of T... 100%
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Mowing Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in mowing machines.
One part of this invention relates to draft devices and has for its object to pro-
vide a inowing machine with a draft device which not only draws on the frame in
the ordinary operation of the machine but which also draws on the coupling bar
when the progress of the cutter mechanism is unusually retarded, for instance, by
dropping into a depression or striking an obstruction, so that when an unusual
resistance is opposed to the forward movement of the cutter mechanism the draft
is in part applied directly to the coupling bar, whereby the mower frame is to a
large extent relieved from excessive strains and the draft is better distributed upon
the parts of the machine.
Another part of this invention relates to the sleeve at the lower end of the
coupling bar and has for its object to enable the cast sleeve to be readily and
securely attached to a wrought iron coupling bar.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mowing machine provided with my improve-
ments.
Figure 2 is a cross section, on an enlarged scale, on line 2-2, Figure 1, looking
rearwardly.
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the elbow lever to which the rear end of the
lifting spring is attached, the spring being shown in dotted lines and the lifting
lever in a horizontal section on line 3-3 Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the lower portion of the coupling bar and con-
necting parts.
Figure 5 is a cross section on an enlarged scale, on line 5-5, Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a detached top plan view of the sleeve at the lower end of the coupling
bar.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.
A represents the draft pole of a mowing machine secured with its rear portion
to the mower frame A¹ Figure 1 in the usual manner C is the coupling bar arranged
transversely at the front of the machine and connected with the mower frame and
the cutter mechanism, as usual.
D represents the cast sleeve which is secured to the lower or outer end of the
coupling bar and which carries at its outer end an eye d Figures 1 and 4 by which
it is connected with the longitudinal pivote of the shoe E at the inner end of the

page_text: finger bar E as usual. The cast sleeve ]) is secured to the cylindrical wrought
iron bar C by simply pressing the sleeve onto the bar or by forcing the bar into
the sleeve. In order to enable the cast sleeve to adapt itself to the diameter of the
bar, which may be slightly larger than the internal diameter of the sleeve the
latter is formed along its inner side with a longitudinal recessed rib or channel c
Figure 5. This rib permits the sleeve to expand slightly in receiving the bar and
so allows of the use of rough rolled iron for the bar, doing away with the necessity
of boring the sleeve and turning the bar and producing a very rigid connection of
the sleeve and bar. The expansion rib also permits the sleeve to be slightly com-
pressed for fitting it to a bar of slightly smaller diameter than the internal diameter
of the sleeve.
The sleeve D is provided near its upper end with an upwardly projecting looped
standard Figures 1 and 4 in which the rod f engages which connects with the
lower end of the tilting lever F', also at the base of this standard with two out-
wardly projecting lugs G Figures 4 and G between which the gag lever G is
arranged and which receive the pivot g of the gag lever; also at the front side of
the base of said loop with an ear H which receives the rear end of the draft rod h,
and also at the rear side of the base of said loop with an ear i Figure 1 which
receives the front end of the back brace I. The standard, lugs and ears are all
cast in one piece with the sleeve.
J Figure 1 and 2 represents the evener or draft bar which is arranged on the
underside of the pole A and pivoted to the underside of a slide J', which is pro-
vided with a downwardly projecting pivot on which the evener swings and on
which it is held by a washer and cotter pin 2. The slide J' is mounted on a
guide bar K which is secured longitudinally to the underside of the pole and which
has side flanges k which are embraced by the flanges of the slide J¹ so that the
latter can move back and forth on the guide bar.
1 represents a lug which is formed on the underside of the slide Ji Figure 1 in
rear of the pivot j, and is a rod which is pivoted with its front end to this lug
and extends rearwardly through a downwardly projecting ear 12 formed on the
rear end of the guide bar K. m represents a draft spring which is arranged on
the rod between the ear 13 and a screw nut m¹ applied to the rear end of the rod.
The draft applied to the evener tends to draw the latter and the slide and rod
forwardly and the spring resists this forward movement. The front end of the
draft rod h is loosely connected with the evener, preferably by a link n connecting
the draft rod with an eye n¹ on the washer so that the connection established
between the evener and the coupling bar by the rod h and link n is slack in the
normal position of the evener, as represented in Figure 1. The draft spring m is
so stiff that it resists the draft on the evener required for moving the machine
under ordinary conditions and the spring therefore holds the slide and evener on
the rear portion of the guide bar, in which position of the parts the link n and
rod are slack and the draft is applied through the pole, to the frame of the
machine in the usual way. When the finger bar drops into a depression or strikes
an obstruction, so that an unusual draft is required on the evener to overcome
such additional resistance, the draft spring yields to such increased draft and
the evener and slide are drawn forwardly until the link n and draft rod h become
taut, when part of the draft is applied directly to the coupling bar until the
unusual resistance has been overcome. The spring then returns the evener and
slide to their normal position. The excess draft is by this means applied directly
to the coupling bar and not to the machine frame and the latter is relieved from
excessive strains and can be made lighter than usual without danger of breakage.
O Figures 1 and 3 represents the elbow lever which is arranged with its front
arm ol over the coupling bar and has its front arm connected by a chain o with
the gag lever G in the usual manner. The downwardly projecting gear arm
03 of the lever O is connected by a rod of with the foot lever o as usual. P
represents the lifting lever which is arranged on the inner side of the elbow lever
O and which is mounted on the same horizontal pivot p on which the elbow lever

page_text: is mounted. This pivot p is formed on a bracket p' which is secured to the draft
pole A and the bracket 21 is provided with a segment 2 to which the lifting lever
P can be locked by a spring bolt p3, as usual. The elbow lever O is provided in
rear of its pivot with a lifting lug q Figure 3 which projects into the path of the
lifting lever, so that upon swinging the latter backwardly until it bears upon this
lug a further backward movement of the lifting lever raises the front arm of the
elbow lever and operates the gag lever to lift the finger bar in the usual manner.
represents a straining lug or shoulder formed on the front arm of the elbow lever
and projecting inwardly therefrom into the path of the lifting lever.
S represents the lifting spring which is connected at its rear end to the rear arm
of the elbow lever and at its front end to the draft pole, preferably by an eye bolt s
which is adjustably secured to an ear s Figure 1 secured to the side of the draft
pole. The lifting spring is attached to the pole and the elbow lever before the
latter is connected with the chain of the gag lever. The lifting lever is then
swung forwardly so as to rest upon the straining lug r of the elbow lever, when a
further forward movement of the lifting lever strains the lifting spring and forces the
front arm of the elbow lever downwardly until the proper tension has been pro-
duced in the spring to balance the cutter mechanism. The chain of the gag lever
is then engaged with the front arm of the elbow lever and the lifting lever which
is now free is returned to its normal position. In this manner the lifting lever is
utilised for straining the spring and the adjustable front connection of the spring
is required only for slight adjustments to compensate for inequalities in the springs
or for adjusting the spring to balance a finger bar of greater or less length.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what. I claim is:-
1. A draft device which is capable of longitudinal movement on the pole and
connected therewith by a draft spring in combination with a connection which
extends from such draft device to the coupling bar or other support of the cutter
mechanism and which is normally slack, in which condition of the parts the draft
is applied through the draft spring to the pole and not to the coupling bar or
cther support, while said connection is tightened by an excessive draft and then
applies part of the draft directly to the coupling bar or support.
2. The combination of the pole, a longitudinally movable slide mounted thereon,
a draft device attached to said slide, a draft spring interposed between the slide
and the pole, a coupling bar or other support of the cutter mechanism, and a draft
connection which extends from such draft device to the coupling bar or other
support and which is normally slack but is tightened by an excessive draft.
3. A sleeve applied to the coupling or other bar and provided along its inner
side with a longitudinally recessed expansion rib or channel.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1031.
ceminer LONI
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.