MOWING AND REAPING MACHINES
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 22nd Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 28th Jan., 1887.
SAMUEL BRASSINGTON BAMFORD of the Firm of Henry Bamford & Sons Agricultural
Engineers Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. I do hereby declare the nature of the invention
for MOWING AND REAPING MACHINES to be as follows:-
The novel features in this machine consist of a new method of putting the working
parts in or out of gear by a foot lever.
A new arrangement of gearing and clutch combined with it.
A new fastening for the drop slide or bar by which the connecting rod end is
securely held in the knife and can be more readily disconnected than previously.
Also a new needle with cotton attached for controlling as may be desired the supply
of oil to the crank pin.
My improvements are carried out as follows:-The main bracket of the machine
has near the centre between the road wheels a recessed portion or box containing the
gearing. This gearing consists of a spur wheel keyed on the main axle and gearing
into a sliding pinion placed behind it on a separate shaft. This pinion has at one end
a clutch which engages with a similar one on a spur wheel running loosely on the
same clutch pinion shaft.
This spur wheel drives a spur pinion on the main axle which pinion has a bevil
wheel cast solid with it, and drives the bevil pinion on the end of the crank shaft.
The bevil wheel and pinion occupy the intermediate space between the two pairs of
spur wheels and pinions in the gearing box.
The sliding spur pinion with its clutch is moved in and out of gear by a bell crank
lever having a long and short arm. The long arm projects horizontally having a
pedal for the foot on its extremity, and the short arm is vertical and engages with the
projecting end of a fork which fits in a groove in the clutch pinion.. By depressing
the pedal end of the lever the clutch pinion is drawn out of gear and is held in that
position by a bevil catch placed on one side of the horizontal arm. A spring on
the pivot of the lever pressing it towards the said catch to retain it in that
Dosition.

page_text: When it is desirable to throw the clutch pinion into gear a downward pressure of
the foot and a slight side movement at the same time on the pedal disengages the
horizontal arm of the Bell crank lever from the catch, and a spring placed against the
vertical arm of the bell crank lever pushes it into its former position together with
the clutch pinion connected with it into gear again.
The arrangement for controlling the flow of oil to the crank pin consists of a thick
needle with cotton attached to one end through an eye.
This needle is inserted in a hole drilled up the crank pin, and as more or less cotton
is used regulates the flow of oil from the oil cup which is screwed over it on to the
crank pin.
The drop slide or bar fixed on one side of the knife heel has one end hinged to the
heel plate, bolted on the top of the Finger bar, and its other end is secured by a small
bell crank lever, one arm of which projects downwards and has a catch on it which
engages with a corresponding catch placed on the heel plate, and is held in that
position by a spring on the opposite side of the arm.
The other or horizontal arm of the bell crank lever terminates in a ring or hook so
that it can be conveniently lifted by the finger when the drop latch is required to be
raised for the purpose of releasing the connecting rod end out of the knife heel.
When it is necessary to put down the drop latch in its normal position. This can be
readily done by simple downward pressure either with the hand or foot, and through
the action of the bell crank lever and spring and catch it will lock itself securely.

page_text: SAMUEL BRASSINGTON BAMFORD of the Firm of Henry Bamford & Sons Agricultural
Engineers Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, do hereby declare the nature of the invention for
MOWING AND REAPING MACHINES and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The novel features in this machine consist of a new method of putting the working
parts in or out of gear by a foot lever.
A new arrangement of gearing and clutch combined with it.
A new fastening for the drop slide or bar by which the connecting rod end is
securely held in the knife and can be more readily disconnected than previously.
Also a new needle with cotton attached for controlling as may be desired the supply
of oil to the crank pin.
My improvements are carried out as follows:-The main bracket of the machine has
near the centre between the road wheels a recessed portion or box containing the
gearing. This gearing consists of a spur wheel keyed on the main axle and gearing
into a sliding pinion placed behind it on a separate shaft. This pinion has at one end
a clutch which engages with a similar one on a spur wheel running loosely on the
same clutch pinion shaft.
This spur wheel drives a spur pinion on the main axle which pinion has a bevil
wheel cast solid with it and drives the bevil pinion on the end of the crank shaft.
The bevil wheel & pinion occupy the intermediate space between the two pairs of
spur wheels and pinions in the gearing box.
The sliding spur pinion with its clutch is moved in and out of gear by a bell crank
lever having a long and short arm. The long arm projects horizontally having a
pedal for the foot on its extremity, and the short arm is vertical and engages with the
projecting end of a fork which fits in a groove in the clutch pinion. By depressing
the pedal end of the lever the clutch pinion is drawn out of gear and is held in that
position by a bevil catch placed on one side of the horizontal arm. A spring
on the pivot of the lever pressing it towards the said catch to retain it in that
position.
When it is desirable to throw the clutch pinion into gear a downward pressure of
the foot and a slight side movement at the same time on the pedal disengages the
horizontal arm of the Bell crank lever from the catch, and a spring placed against the
vertical arm of the Bell crank lever pushes it into its former position together with
the clutch pinion connected with it into gear again.
The arrangement for controlling the flow of oil to the crank pin, consists of a thick
needle with cotton attached to one end through an eye.
This needle is inserted in a hole drilled up the crank pin and as more or less cotton
is used regulates the flow of oil from the oil cup which is screwed over it on to the
crank pin.
The drop slide or bar fixed on one side of the knife heel has one end hinged to the
heel plate bolted on the top of the Finger bar, and its other end is secured by a small
bell crank lever, one arm of which projects downwards and has a catch on it which
engages with a corresponding catch placed on the heel plate, and is held in that
position by a spring on the opposite side of the arm.
The other or horizontal arm of the bell crank lever terminates in a ring or hook so
that it can be conveniently lifted by the finger when the drop latch is required to be
raised for the purpose of releasing the connecting rod end out of the knife heel.

page_text: When it is necessary to put down the drop latch in its normal position. This can
be readily done by a simple downward pressure either with the hand or foot, and
through the action of the Bell crank lever and spring and catch it will lock itself
securely.
In the accompanying drawings given herewith Fig. 1 is a plan of the main frame
of a mowing machine with gearing constructed according to my invention, Fig. 2 is a
back elevation of the same, Fig. 3 shews the drop slide for holding the connecting rod
end in the knife, Fig. 4 shews the crank pin with oil cup also needle and cotton for
regulating the flow of oil.
A is the main axle of the machine having the usual ratchet boxes and road wheels
at each end, B is the first motion spur-wheel fixed to the axle by the cotter pin C and
gearing with the sliding pinion D. This giving motion to the spur wheel &
pinion E & F and bevil wheel and pinion G & H.
Jis a Foot gear lever pivotted at K and having a vertical arm L which is connected
to the fork M and receives pressure from the spring O. Another spring P is placed
on the fulcrum of the lever J and keeps the lever J on which is placed a catch against
the catch Q.
When the lever J is pressed down by the foot of the driver the clutch pinion D is
drawn out of gear with the spur wheel E by the vertical arm L of the lever J and
clutch fork M.
On releasing the foot the lever J then rises by the pressure of the spring O at the
end of the vertical arm L and the catch on the lever J is thrown by the pressure of
the spring P towards the catch Q and engages therewith, and is retained in that
position until released.
This can be done by a downward and slight side pressure of the foot. The spring P
giving way allows the lever J to come off the catch Q and the foot then being taken
off and the lever J being at liberty.
It immediately resumes its former position by the pressure of the spring O and the
clutch pinion is again put into gear with the wheel E.
Fig. 3 shews a drop slide R hinged at S to the heel plate T which is bolted on the
top of the Finger bar in the usual manner.
A lever U with hook or ring for the finger and a catch and spring is for the purpose
of retaining the drop slide R in position and locking it.
By pulling the lever U upwards by the hook or ring the catch is disengaged and
the drop slide is then lifted up.
It is also self locking by the drop slide R being simply pressed downwards.
Fig. 4 shews the crank pin V with oil cup W screwed on. A thick needle X with
cotton attached through an eye at one end regulates the flow of oil to the connecting
rod which fits on the bearing Y.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the said is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. The arrangement of Foot gear lever with springs and clutch fork as described.
2nd. The arrangement of gearing with sliding pinion and clutch as described and
shewn in the drawings.
3rd. The combination of Foot gear lever and springs with the gearing and clutch
as shewn and described.
4th. The method of fastening the drop slide as shewn and described.
5th. The arrangement of needle & cotton in the oil cup and crank pin as shewn and
described.
SAMUEL BRASSINGTON BAMFORD.