Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 24th May, 1887.
I ALEXANDER MCGREGOR of Albion Works Leigh in the County of Lancaster
Engineer 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 has for its object an improved arrangement of parts forming an
efficient combined mowing and reaping machine.
For the better description of the invention a reference is made to the accompanying
five sheets of drawings.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved mower and reaper with the cover of the gearing
removed. Fig. 2 a side view of the same and Figs. 3 to 10 various details and modi-
fications as hereafter described.
The main frame of the machine consists of a horizontal tube A, A, forming bearings
for the main axle and having centrally or nearly so, a box or case to enclose the
gearing.
From the forward part of this gear box is extended a tube B carrying the crank
shaft. The main axle is actuated by the travelling wheels C, C at each end by means
of ordinary ratchet boxes and pawls, and the first motion spur wheel D, is keyed on
the main axle within the gear box.
In order to facilitate keying this first motion wheel, a key groove is formed or
cast the whole length of one end of the horizontal tube of the main frame, through
which the key to secure the wheel can be passed; this groove being by preference in
the underside of the tube so as not to injuriously affect the bearing of the main axle.
The first motion spur pinion E is placed loosely on a fixed spindle or axle F parallel
with the main axle; and to the side of this pinion is placed the second motion spur
wheel G also loose on the same pin. On the boss of the second motion spur wheel
furthest from the spur pinion is placed a sliding clutch H having pins or teeth H
which pass through holes in the web of the wheel and gear into a series of holes or
notches E' formed in a plate which is cast to the side of the spur pinion E. An
enlarged view of this arrangement is shown in Fig. 3.
At right angles to the fixed spindle F and at the back of the gear box is formed a
tube I carrying a spindle having at its inner end an excentrically placed roller & which fits

page_text: into the groove of the clutch H and at the other end a foot-lever or arm L for actuating
the same.
To the side of the tube I and strengthened by the same, at the back of
the gear box is formed the socket or hole for receiving the support M for the driver's
scat.
The second motion spur wheel G gears into a spur pinion N. which is formed or
cast to the side of the bevel wheel N and placed alongside the first motion spur
wheel D within the gear box and free to revolve on the main axle.
This bevel wheel gives motion to a bevel pinion O on the inner end of the crank shaft.
Around the forward end of the tube B through which the crank shaft passes is
formed a bearing to receive the joint B' of the hinge-bar B² (see Figs. 1. 2 and 4) the
bottom part of the crank cover B³ forming a portion of the concentric hinge joint.
In order to get the back diagonal stay P for the hinge-bar jointed concentrically
with the crank shaft I form a lug or lugs at the back of the gear box behind the
seat-support, and strengthened by the tube I for carrying the spindle for actuating
the clutch and a pin linable with the crank shaft is placed through these lugs and
the boss of the back-stay P.
As a modification of this part of the invention as applied to machines having the
concentric hinge-joint with the bottom part of the crank cover forming a part of the
hinge bar I make use of an arrangement shown in Fig. 4 having a front stay Q
parallel with the hinge bar B2 and forming an adjustable connection between the front
of the crank cover B3 and the main shoe R.
In order to secure the stay to the main shoe I rivet or form a pin S¹ in one piece
with the front slide for the knife S (other views of which are shown in Figs. 5 and 6)
and 1 insert this pin S through the eye of the stay into a hoss or tube which is
formed on the main-,hoe R, the pin is there secured by a set screw or other suitable
appliance.
The point, end, or pin X¹ of the connecting rod X is placed in the eye of the knife
head Yat the back of the same, and in order to facilitate its more ready removal a
drop-latch R² is pivotted on a rivet or pin which is fixed to the angle plate R³ which
forms the forward joint of the main hinge pin and acts as a back slide at * (see Figs. 7
and 8) for the knife head..
This drop-latch R2 is placed at the back of the connecting rod point X' to keep it
in position, and secured by a spring catch, but capable of being raised so as to admit
of the point X of the rod X being drawn back out of the eye Y, of the knife head
in any position of the stroke and without having to turn up the finger bar. Other
views of this drop-latch R showing its position on the angle plate R³ which forms
the forward joint for the main hinge pin and the back slide for the knife head are
given in Figs. 7 and 8.
The next part of the invention relates to the manner of tipping the fingers and
raising or lowering the finger-bar and according to this arrangement, I place the
lifting lever U and its apparatus on the main frame A of the machine, and I place the
tipping lever V on a draught plate or draught pole-bracket W which is hinged or
jointed to the main frame A. The arm of the tipping lever V is connected to the main
frame A, at A2, by a link (shown in dotted lines Vi Fig. 2) the points of the fingers
being raised or lowered by altering the angle formed between the main-frame A, and
the draught pole W2 without materially affecting the length of the chain V2 which
connects the lifting apparatus to the hinge bar B2 as is the case with those machines in
which the lifting apparatus is placed on the bracket W, which carries the draught
pole W and thus (if desired) the said draught pole may be removed from the machine
without interfering with the mechanism.
The driver's seat being attached to the main frame A, rises or falls on actuating the
lever V for tipping the fingers; and to facilitate this operation I place the short arm
or crank of the lever V in such a direction that when the operator wishes to lower the
points of the fingers, he pulls the lever V towards him and thereby assists his own
upward motion caused by the rising of the seat.
This particular arrangement of placing the lifting apparatus on the main frame A,
and the manner of connecting the tipping lever V, and attaching the driver's seat,

page_text: admits of the machine being used as a more complete reaper, for which latter purposo
the lifting lever U, is set to the required position for the height it is desired the cutting
apparatus to work at, and the raising or lowering is then operated by the tipping
lever V alone.
Also for making a more efficient reaper I remove the draught-pole W² and substitute
a plate W Fig. 9 which is extended sideways away from the cutting apparatus and I
secure the draught pole W2 to this extension. I form lugs or pieces on this plate to
secure the diagonal stay rod A¹ which in mowing is attached to the side of the draught
pole W2
And in order to allow of the side motion of the stay A', necessary to adapt it to the
plates W and WI mount the said stay A' upon a pivot or hinge which is itself
pivotted to the main frame A, thus forming a universal joint for the stay.
A modification of this part of the invention is shown in Fig. 11, and consists in
hinging the draught plate W to the main frame A, at its forward end, and placing the
tipping lever V at the back either on the draught plate or on the main frame; the
lifting apparatus and drivers seat being on the main frame and thereby maintaining
similar action in the working of the machine as in the original invention.
the lever and link for connecting the tipping apparatus I sometimes make use of a
rack V and segment V₁ of a toothed wheel as shown in this drawing.
a
In lieu of
In order to raise the outer end of the finger-bar directly the lifting lever Vis
actuated, instead of connecting the lifting chain V2 direct to the hinge-bar B² I make
use of an arrangement shown in Fig. 10. I connect the lifting chain V2 to the end of
a rocking lever V6 which is secured by a pin or joint V to the hinge bar B, and has
a curved extension V on its underside which presses on a pin or projection on the
main shoe R, immediately on the long end of the lever V being raised by the
tightening of the lifting chain V2; the curved extension of the locking lever V³ being
so formed as to lock the shoe, and with it the finger bar in its relative position to the
hinge bar whenever the chain V is tightened, but releasing the same as soon as the
slackness of the chain V2 admits of the long end V5 of the locking lever falling down.
To an eye V, formed in the upper part of the extension of the locking lever, a spring
latch is jointed and so arranged as to catch another projection Z¹ on the main shoe R.
when the finger bar is turned up for transit, but this spring latch Z is capable of being
released for turning down the finger-bar independently of the locking lever V and
without actuating the lifting lever V.
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 general construction, and arrangement of parts forming an improved
reaping and mowing machine substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. The arrangement of clutch sliding on the boss of the second motion spur
wheel and having pins or teeth passing through holes in the web of the wheel and
gearing into holes or notches in a plate which forms part of the first motion spur
pinion as described with reference to Figs. 1. and 3. of the drawings.
Thirdly. The means substantially as described for making the joint of the main
hinge bar and that of the back stay of an enclosed gear machine concentric with the
crank shaft.
Fourthly. The modification substantially as described with reference to Fig. 4. of
the annexed drawings consisting of the combination of the adjustable front stay Q
with the crank cover B³ and hinge bar B2 joined concentrically with the crank
shaft.
Fifthly. The lifting and tipping apparatus arranged as and for the purpose herein-
before set forth.
Sixthly. The combination substantially as described of a lifting apparatus tipping
lever, main or gear frame draught plate and driver's-scat, (the lifting apparatus being
attached to the gear frame, and the tipping lever being carried by or attached to the

page_text: draught plate,) with a draught pole which can be detached from the machine without
disturbing or removing the aforesaid parts.
Seventhly. The combination of a universally jointed stay with the aforesaid draught
plate to facilitate the use of a second draught plate substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described.
Eighthly. The means hereinbefore described for securing the pin of the front stay
in combination with the front slide S.
Ninthly. The angle plate R³ forming the back slide for the knife head, the hinge or
bearing of a drop latch R and the front joint for the main hinge-pin substantially as
herein before described, and illustrated with reference to Figs. 1. 1. 7 and 8.
Tenthly. The arrangement of locking lever V in combination with the spring
latch Z for holding the finger bar, when turned up for transit, substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 10 of the drawings.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.