MENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING OR REAPING GROWING CORN, CLOVER, AND GRASS
Year: 1852

page_text: MENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING OR REAPING GROWING CORN, CLOVER,
AND GRASS."
Sealed the 31st December 1852, and dated the 5th October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Crosskill
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th October 1852.
I, WILLIAM CROSSKILL, of Beverley, in the County of. York,"
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING OR REAPING GROWING CORN,
CLOVER, AND GRASS " to be as follows:-
First, in placing the wheels that carry the front or cutting part of the
machine in such manner that the distance between the cutters and the
ground is always the same, however uneven the surface may be over
which the machine passes. This I effect by attaching wheels in a line
with, and as near as convenient to, each end of the cutting apparatus, !
as shown in the accompanying drawing.
See Drawing.
Figure 1, is a plan of the frame and wheels of a reaping machine;
a, is the front or cutting part, and b, b, are the wheels that carry it, and

page_text: regulate the distance from the ground at which it cuts. This distance,
it will be seen by referring to the side elevation,
Figure 2, may be varied to suit circumstances, by fixing the pins
on which the wheels revolve higher or lower in the slits or grooves in
the upright bars c, c, or in any other convenient manner. By this
improvement. I not only. obtain an uniform length of stubble, but I
likewise prevent the cutting apparatus from coming in contact with the
ground while the wheels are crossing furrows. This is an evil which
attaches to machines in general that have the front bearing-wheels
placed behind the cutting apparatus, and more especially to those that
have the moving power applied behind the machine.
Second, in the application of brushes, or other soft clastic substances,
to the revolving apparatus usually employed in reaping machines to
throw back the corn on to the platform or endless web, and thereby, not
only preventing the corn from being partially thrashed. out by coming
suddenly in contact with such apparatus, but also assisting in throwing
it back, by the re-actionary force of the brushes or other soft elastic
substances.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of September in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.
Witness, Ju° Blythe Robinson, of Beverley, Solicitor.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Crosskill, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 29th March 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM CROSSKILL, of Beverley, in the County of York, Civil Engineer
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Crosskill, Her special licence that I, the said

page_text: William Crosskill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Crosskill, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING OR
REAPING GROWING CORN, CLOVER, AND GRASS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Crosskill, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and scal, 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 William Crosskill, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):
My improvements consist,-First, in placing the wheels that carry
the front or cutting part of the machine in such manner that the distance
between the cutters and the ground is always the same, however uneven
the surface may be over which the machine passes. By this improve-
ment I not only obtain an uniform length of stubble, but I likewise pre-
vent the cutting apparatus from coming in contact with the ground
while the wheels are crossing furrows. This is an evil which attaches
to reaping machines in general that have the front bearing wheels placed
behind the cutting apparatus, and more especially to those that have the
moving power applied behind the machine.
My second improvement consists in the application of brushes, or other
soft elastic substances, to the revolving apparatus usually employed in
reaping machines to throw back the corn on to the platform or endless
web. I thereby not only prevent the corn from being partially thrashed
out by coming suddenly in contact with such apparatus, but also more
effectively throw it back, by the re-actionary force of the brushes or other
soft elastic substances.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings, Figure 2, is an elevation, and
Figure 1, a plan of a reaping machine, with my improvements attached.
The same letters refer to the same parts in both figures.
My first improvement is effected by fixing the wheels b, b, in a line
with and as near as convenient to each end of the cutting apparatus a, a.
The distance at which the machine cuts from the ground may be
varied, to suit circumstances, by fixing the pins on which the wheels
revolve higher or lower in the slits or grooves in the upright bars c, c, or
in any other convenient manner.
My second improvement is effected by attaching the brushes d, d, or
other soft elastic substances, to the revolving apparatus e, e.
Having now described my said improvements in machines for cutting
or reaping growing corn, clover, and grass, and the manner in which
the same are to be performed, I declare that what I claim as of my
invention is,―
First, to fix wheels in a line with and as near as convenient to each
end of the cutting apparatus, so as to regulate the distance from the
ground at which the machine cuts; and,-
Second, to use brushes or other soft elastic substances on the revolving
apparatus, to prevent the grain from being thrashed out during the pro-
cess of reaping.
And I further declare that the Provisional Specification filed by me in
respect of the said improvements was in the words following:-"I;
"William Crosskill, of Beverley, in the County of York, Civil Engineer,
"do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for Improvements
"in Machines for Cutting or Reaping Growing Corn, Clover, and Grass,
"to be as follows:-
"First, in placing the wheels that carry the front or cutting part of
"the machine in such manner that the distance between the cutters and
"the ground is always the same, however uneven the surface may be
"over which the machine passes. This I effect by attaching wheels
"in a line with and as near as convenient to each end of the cutting
"apparatus, as shewn in the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1, is a plan of the frame and wheels of a reaping machine;
a, is the front or cutting part, and b, b, are the wheels that carry it, and

page_text: regulate the distance from the ground at-which it cuts. This distance,
it will be seen by referring to the side elevation,
Figure 2, may be varied to suit circumstances, by fixing the pins on
"which the wheels revolve higher or lower in the slits or grooves in the
upright bars c, c, or in any other convenient manner. By this improve-
"nient I not only obtain an uniform length of stubble, but I likewise
prevent the cutting apparatus from coming in contact with the ground
"while the wheels are crossing furrows. This is an evil which attaches
"to machines in general that have the front bearing wheels placed
"behind the cutting apparatus, and more especially to those that have
"the moving power applied behind the machine.
Second, in the application of brushes, or other soft elastic substances,
"to the revolving apparatus usually employed in reaping machines to
"throw back the corn on to the platform or endless web, and thereby
"not only preventing the corn from being partially thrashed out by
coming suddenly in contact with such apparatus, but also assisting in
throwing it back, by the re-actionary force of the brushes or other soft
"elastic substances.
"Dated this Twenty-ninth day of September in the year of our
In witness whereof, I, the said William Crosskill, have heretofore
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
WILLIAM CROSSKILL. L.S.)
WILLIAM CROSSKILL.
L.S.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the above-named William Crosskill,

page_text: Taken and acknowledged by William Crosskill, of Beverley, in the
County of York, Civil Engineer, at Beverley aforesaid, this Twenty-sixth
day of March One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, by and
before me,